Crashing Into The Unknown
by feelinwaytoodamngood
Summary: Dual author fic with AdamPascalFan! AU SCRUBS and L&L2. What happens when the only person standing in your way is you?
1. Let's Meet The Boys

**_What happens when the only person standing in your way is you?_**

**_Author's Notes: We're so excited that we were able to post this newest fic on this forum! Beth and I came up with the idea a few days ago and decided that we should combine our talents for each of our couples! You might know her more commonly as AdamPascalFan if you've visited any L&L2 fan board. We're both crazy about reviews and constructive criticism (please don't post "Please Update Soon")! This fic is AU and you'll find the summary below!_**

**_Summary: Patrick is a freelance photographer and Lucky's cousin. They're friends with Cruz Rodrguez. Cruz is a magazine editor and carrying on a secret affair with one of the characters in the story. The knowledge would put severe strain on his friends. Lucky runs the Art Department for L&B with Ned and Lois. Cameron is his biological son with an original character. Elizabeth is Cam's Pre-K Kindergarten teacher. She returned to Port Charles to take care of Grams when the older woman is injured. Robin and Courtney live together at the loft. Robin owns a bakery. She inherited custody of Morgan Corinthos when Carly was murdered and Sonny was sent to prison (along with Jason) for a series of crimes committed. Michael (aka Evil Muppet) went to live with A.J. Morgan hasn't spoken a word since Carly's death. Robin and Patrick are nothing short of adversaries thrown into similiar situations at one time or another. Patrick is a lady's man (nothing AU about that) and Robin is a recently divorced woman trying to raise a child that isn't hers._**

Cruz Rodriguez signaled the bartender as soon as he sat down. He was in for a wait, that much he knew. It didn't matter how long he and his friends had been meeting like this, he was always the first to arrive. As the bartender placed his usual order of a longneck Budweiser down, Cruz sighed in a combination of relief and mock annoyance. He loved his friends. He did. So his show of irritation at their habitual lateness was as much for show as their constant promises to never do it again. It didn't matter tonight though. It was Guy's Night. The Red Wings were playing the Rangers tonight. He had finally completed the layout for the next issue of Port Charles Insider, the small magazine he was the editor of, after several computer crashes and writers who didn't understand the concept of deadline. He had a hot date with his new lady love scheduled for after the game. Nothing could go wrong tonight.

Patrick Drake stepped into Jake's, a corner bar known for its underage drinking and one-night stands. He ran a hand through his thick chocolate hair, catching the eye of a pretty redhead to his right. He paid her the compliment of a passing glance, but sex wasn't on the agenda tonight. Patrick crossed the room and nodded toward Coleman to which the bartender's response was to pour him his usual whiskey and coke. The sun had just begun to set, and already the bar was hopping to life. Port Charles worked as a hot spot for tourists who were wary of the true New York City experience. The town had been feared years ago when it was run by a short, but forceful kingpin and his brain-dead assassin. Both had been thrown in prison for a long string of crimes, so, other than a few accidents, there was nothing all that special about the place.

Cruz spotted his old college roommate easily enough. Even in the thickening crowd, he commanded attention. If Cruz hadn't known him for so long and hadn't experienced the side benefits that came with hanging out with such a magnet for female attention, he probably would have hated him. Placing his hand on the back of his friend's shoulder he joked, "For someone who never misses a deadline, one would think you could show up when the game starts."

"I never miss a deadline, because my clients are superficial, impatient assholes who demand that I take their picture a hundred different ways." Patrick clarified matter-of-factly.

"Losing your touch so soon old man?" Patrick had recently been the first one of them to turn 25, something Cruz was not going to let him forget. "My how soon old age takes away the skills of youth!"

"Women appreciate the skills of the mature." Patrick assured his friend. "Where's my slut of a cousin anyway?"

Cruz shrugged and glanced at his watch. "Its only ten minutes after the time we agreed to meet. So he's another twenty minutes from showing up."

The men turned toward the rather uneventful game. Patrick would be lying if he said he really came for the game. He came for the attention. He came for the alcohol. He came for the women. "Hey, buddy; will you do me a favor?"

"Does it involve me going to Mexico to get rid of your date again?"

"Not so far as Mexico. I'm feeling generous." Patrick nodded toward the looming redhead who stood a mere ten feet away. "You might be able to convince her you're me. It worked in that movie right?"

"Oh well if it worked in a movie." He finished off his beer and caught the bartender's eye for another. He grinned as he realized that his favorite one had started her shift. "Sorry buddy, my heart is already taken." As she neared the two friends, Cruz smiled his best smile. Sure he had a girlfriend, but she didn't mind his flirting. He was never going to do anything more than that. "Brenda, love of my life. Why don't you let me take you away from all this?"

"And give up the game? Cruz, don't you know me at all?" The tall brunette answered, pouring herself a drink and slamming it back. She didn't cringe. She couldn't taste the scotch. Patrick regarded his friends with mild amusement, knowing full well that no one had ever come between Brenda and herself. Cruz would adore her if she gave him half the chance, but she was allergic to monogamy.

"You wound me m'lady. You wound me." Cruz winked at her as she passed his beer towards her.

She grabbed a few dark beverages from behind her, poured it all in a tall glass, and took a long drink, a look of disgust playing across her features. "It tastes like one of Patrick's lame come-ons." She explained. Patrick glared darkly at her. "Is that girl sick or something? She's leaning into you." She told Patrick. The redhead was a persistent one, and, on any other night he might have taken it as a compliment, added her to the proverbial bedpost, but nothing came between him and his night out with the guys. Once Lucky showed, they would lose themselves in a wave of smoke and alcohol.

Almost as if he had read his cousin's mind, Lucky Spencer materialized right next to them. "It's a little early for the desperate to be looking at my cousin like he's a piece of meat isn't it?"

The girl straightened, frowned, and jumped backwards.

"What would you know about being early?" Cruz good-naturedly ribbed him. "Did Cameron flush your watch down the toilet again?"

"It's lucky for him they're all fakes anyway." Patrick teased, signaling for Brenda to bring him something stronger.

"Well the ones from you guys are anyways." Lucky took a satisfied swallow from the drink Brenda has passed him, a scotch neat. He and his father didn't admit to sharing much in common, but the love of a clean good scotch was apparently genetic. "Cameron really enjoyed your picture today, cuz. They are his favorite coloring pages."

Brenda half listened to the conversations around her, but only one caught her attention. She glanced over Lucky's right shoulder to take a look at the tiny ring a circle of women were "ooh-ing" and "ahh-ing" about. It was pathetic. The girl, who couldn't have been nineteen, should have been able to tell the difference between a Harry Winston's and a Cracker Jacks prize.

"I'm really glad I can keep your son entertained." Patrick replied dryly.

"How's my favorite godson?" Brenda interjected.

Lucky smiled. "He's fine. It took me forever to explain to him that he couldn't come with me to see you at work."

"At least he knows how to treat women. Patrick, here, can't be much of an example." Brenda declared. She ignored his indignant, "hey!"

Lucky nodded sagely. "Well I do tell him to do the exact opposite of whatever Patrick does."

"Cruz, back me up here." Patrick pleaded.

Cruz smirked. "You can handle yourself. I mean it worked in that movie right?"

"I have half a mind to leave you both stranded and stumbling." Patrick grumbled, smiling.

Lucky slapped Patrick on the back. "You got the half a mind part right at least. You would never do that to us."

"Not if you want Laura to feed you every week you won't." Cruz added helpfully.

"She'd love me regardless."

Lucky was about to respond when the volume of the crowd began to rise around them. The Rangers were on a power play and were flying down the ice to the net. Forgetting their good-natured teasing for the minute, the three men joined in the chanting, as if their collective voices would will the puck in the net from hundreds of miles away.

"Oh shit!" Brenda flew behind the bar. Not two minutes after the final score had been announced and there were already four fights breaking out around them. Patrick followed her movement with his eyes, half expecting her to find her hiding. He jumped back when he noticed the rifle in her hands.

"Gentleman, my father always taught me that when the lady is holding a gun, its time to call it a night." Lucky announced as they ducked a bottle flying by them.

"Is there a back door, Bren?" Patrick wondered. She pointed behind her and then started letting off a round of high-pitched shots. Everyone hit the floor.

"Let's make a break for it." Cruz whispered urgently. Getting shot was very low on his list of fun things to do on a weeknight. The three darted in the direction Brenda had indicated and found the door easily enough.

"I don't get it." Patrick mused later. "How can some men find armed women sexy? She scared the hell out of me!"

"It does ruin the whole damsel in distress thing" Cruz agreed. He checked his watch. He had an hour to make his date, and he knew both his friends would have to leave soon. Patrick had his morning staff meeting he had to attend and Lucky had his son at home. Still he needed to suggest they go somewhere else to avoid questions. He hadn't exactly told them he was seeing someone. Not that they wouldn't appreciate him being in a relationship. It was just the matter of who he was in a relationship with. It was much easier to pretend nothing had changed than to explain what had.

Patrick regarded Cruz's silence, but didn't call him on it. He glanced over at Lucky, but, as usual, his overworked cousin was a little dim to the situation.

Finally Cruz spoke. "So you want to hit that new jazz club over on Elm Street?"

"Do you suppose this number belongs to Veronica or Vanessa?" Patrick inquired, motioning toward the outside of his right palm.

"Do you ever meet women that don't sound like they belong to a sorority?" Lucky asked.

"What was wrong with Bubbly? She had...a lot of great qualities."

"Yes, her qualities were outstanding. But you can't date her. She drinks Zima." Cruz shuddered. "It's not even real alcohol."

"This may come as a surprise to you, but I don't need women to be inebriated to sleep with me and dating is a waste of time. Some of the best relationships I've ever had were the result of a successful one-night stand."

"What about Cynthia?" Cruz meddled.

"I'm not drunk enough for this conversation." Patrick countered. "Maybe we should talk about what Cruz was doing in the back of the bar and who he was whispering to on the phone."

"It's called responsibility my man. I am the man and I am constantly needed. Don't hate me because I'm the best."

"You're not the best. You're the one they call on when I'm busy."

"Really? That's why you're always available to baby-sit then?" Lucky grinned.

"I take pity on you."

"Just keep telling yourself that cousin. Whatever helps you sleep alone at night"

"As much fun as this has been, I've got a pressing engagement waiting for me at home. Later." Patrick hailed a cab.

"Online porn or did he get a new video?"

Lucky paused to consider it. "Oh it's Thursday night. He's got Supernatural TIVO-ed."

Cruz nodded in understanding. "Ah yes. Jensen and Jared. That must be it."

"It still creeps me out that you know who they are."

"My staff is mostly female. I know far too much about Jared, Jensen, The Gilmore Girls, Desperate Housewives, and daytime TV in general." He glanced at his watch again. He was going to be pushing it. "So man, you up for the jazz club or are you a punk like your cousin?"

"Sorry man. We'll hit it next time. I promised Cameron I would take him to breakfast before school tomorrow and that kid of mine gets up early."

"Definitely didn't get that from you." Cruz offered a wave as Lucky started to walk towards his car. "Later my man."

"Later."

He stood a moment and made sure Lucky got into his car before he took out his cell phone and pressed the speed dial button.

"Baby? Yeah, I'm on my way. I'll see you in about 15 minutes."


	2. Now Onto The Girls

Elizabeth Webber almost clapped in glee when she spotted her mail on the hallway credenza. It was here. Her newest issue of US Weekly had arrived and both of her favorite "rehab" graduates Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears were on the cover.

It was pathetic how much excitement this one magazine brought her. Elizabeth had at one point today had to stop a little girl in her nursery school class from cutting all her hair off and explain to the three year old that she shouldn't try to do everything Britney did. Yet here she was, almost jumping up and down in the entryway just seeing Britney on the cover of a magazine.

"Elizabeth? Is that you?"

Elizabeth moved toward her grandmother's voice, walking into the kitchen. She could smell fresh baked garlic bread and her grandmother's secret recipe marinara sauce. It must have been a good day for Gram's if she was cooking.

"Hi Grams." Elizabeth paused by the stove to kiss the older woman's cheek. "That smells wonderful." She busied herself setting the table.

"Thank you darling. It shouldn't be long now." Audrey Hardy turned; wiping her hands on the towel she kept by the stove. She was too much of a lady to wear jeans or wipe her hands on her pants. Elizabeth would never forget the day she had watched her grandmother create her special marinara sauce from scratch wearing a cream cashmere sweater, without a spot ruining it in the process. "How was your day?"

"Three emergency bathroom runs, two crying three year olds, one almost hair emergency and only four conversations involving Barney. So over all not that bad." Elizabeth smiled. She may make jokes, but she really did love her job and all the children in her classroom. At how many jobs could she say she got hugs every single day?

She made a move to the wall calendar and checked the appointments for tomorrow. "Did Dr. Rendall's office call and confirm your appointment tomorrow?"

"Yes. It's at four thirty. You'll be able to make it?"

Elizabeth nodded. Her grandmother had broken her hip several months earlier while trying to clean out her attic. Audrey had originally refused Elizabeth's offers to come and help her out, but once she further injured it by stumbling down some stairs, Elizabeth had ignored her grandmother's protests and moved from Boulder to Port Charles.

"Any plans for the night my dear?" Her grandmother's voice didn't sound prying to the untrained ear. But Elizabeth had spent many summers with this woman and lived with her full time for several months now. She recognized an incoming attack when she heard one.

"Grams...I have to work tomorrow."

"I'm not asking you to go out all night Elizabeth. But you've been here almost six months and you've not met anyone your own age."

"That's not true. What about Heather?"

Audrey sniffed. "The nurse at my doctor's office does not count." She transferred the sauce to a serving bowl and moved it to the table. Turning her attention to completing the pasta, she continued. "I love you, but I think you need to spend time with someone other than an old lady like me."

Elizabeth walked up behind her grandmother and gave her a hug. "But I happen to like this old lady." Hearing her grandmother's sigh, she continued. "I promise I'll try harder, but I like my life the way it is right now. I love my job. I am learning to love Port Charles and I love spending time with you."

Audrey turned to her granddaughter and raised her hand to the younger woman's cheek. "I just don't want you to regret moving here."

"That will never happen Grams." Elizabeth kissed Audrey's cheek and went to sit at the table. "Now, are we ready to eat?"

Robin Scorpio put her finishing touches on her chocolate mousse and then placed the tray on the second row of the pastry case. She smiled proudly at her accomplishment and pulled the door shut, spinning around to turn off the lights, leaving the tiny bakery basked in moonlight. She stepped into her office, reached for her coat, and draped it around her tiny frame, her keys already in her right palm as she edged toward the door. The neighborhood was safe enough and it kind of helped that her uncle was the police commissioner and the entire town knew it. There was also the matter of her mother being a candidate for the upcoming presidency, but, other than a few swarming reporters, the matter almost never affected her life directly.

She went around the shop switching off the oven, checking the freezer's temperature, and any other odd task she was expected to attend to before she allowed herself to go home to her quiet apartment. Courtney Matthews, her roommate, worked as a professional model so their schedules only ever crossed on weekends. Robin kept a strict nine a.m. to seven p.m. schedule for her bakery while Courtney kept a strict agent who was in charge of her affairs. Friends since kindergarten, Courtney and Robin were as different as tigers and tortoises.

Much like the tiger, Courtney went out and staked her territory. Random attacks on inadequate competition were not foreign to the young woman. Like the tortoise, Robin tried not to interact with the outside world unless thrust into it (she spent her life inside a bakery where people came to visit her). She kept up-to-date on current events, but only because her mother's career choice forced her to. She didn't know any good jokes or wear a ridiculous amount of make-up, so men weren't exactly flocking to her.

Courtney Matthews flew into the bakery, her long blonde hair billowing out behind her. Her long lean body was accented with what Robin could only assume was the latest in high fashion. With a practiced air, Courtney gathered her hair into an elegant bun without so much as a glance in a mirror to complete it.

"Roby!" Courtney was the only person on the planet Robin would allow to call her by that old school yard nickname. "Just the woman I needed. Are you unbelievable busy or can you talk?"

"I was just closing up the shop." Robin explained, flipping on a light so that she could see her friend without having to squint. "What can I help you with?"

"Teach me to make cupcakes?" Seeing her roommate's incredulous stare, Courtney hurried to continue. "Nothing fancy. Just regular old cupcakes for a bake sale."

Robin opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. She was actually stunned. Cupcakes? For a split second, she couldn't make sense of anything. The few ingredients that cupcakes required left her memory, and she was at a loss. "Cupcakes? Of course. Come back to the kitchen and I'll show you."

"Oh thank you Roby. You are a lifesaver. My first born child is named for you. The second born as well."

"Do you have a father picked out for these future children you'll be naming me after?" Robin asked dryly, blindly grabbing the needed ingredients. "What kind of cupcakes? There are all kinds. Vanilla? Caramel? Chocolate? Gingerbread? We could do Coconut if you want. Do kids like coconut?"

"George Clooney won't mind. We've had this discussion before several times. George likes you, you know that." Courtney began to grab the ingredients out of Robin's hands. "I asked you to teach me, which means I make the cupcakes, not you Pint Sized." She shot her friend a grin. "So I think that means we need to keep it as simple as possible."

Robin made up a quick list for Courtney. "You're going to need five ounces of butter, five ounces of sugar, six ounces of flour, three eggs--" She paused. "I'll get the ingredients and tell you what to do. That'll save time. I have to pick Morgan up from Bobbie's in an hour. You'll need to pre-heat the oven to three-hundred and fifty degrees. Do that first. I'll put the cupcake liners in the pan, and leave you to it. If you get lost, I'll help." Robin instructed with a sweet smile.

Courtney stuck her tongue out. "I can read directions Robin. And my every adventure in the kitchen does not involve me needing you to help me out." She crossed her arms in a mock huff. Courtney was many things, a loyal friend, a great model, a super karaoke singer, but any form of a cook she wasn't. And both girls knew it.

"Fine." Robin threw her hands in the air, clearly not put off in the least. "If you see smoke, please let me know." She dug her cell phone out of her hip pocket and dialed Bobbie's home number.

Courtney hugged Robin hard. "It won't get to the point of seeing smoke." She flipped an errant hair behind her ear. "Checking on the great hope for the male gender?"

"I'm getting worried, Court. He hasn't spoken a word to anyone. The school keeps calling and asking if maybe I should move him to a 'special' school." Robin bit down hard on her lip.

She had gained guardianship of her godson after her old friend, Sonny Corinthos, went to prison. Carly, Morgan's mother, had fallen victim to a drive-by shooting, and, since then, the child hadn't uttered a word to anyone, least of all Robin. She had had him checked out by every doctor in the state, wondering if maybe he was losing his hearing since his only form of communication had become sign language, but they all said the same thing: he would only speak when he felt comfortable. It had only been a few months and she knew he was having a hard time adjusting. Everyone knew about his parents' fates, and she doubted it was easy for him at school.

"Yes Bobbie, I'm here." Robin left her friend in the kitchen, her attention now on the caller at the other end.

"Robin, Morgan is doing fine. You really don't need to check on him every few hours." Bobbie's voice held the playful rebuke of a grandmother dealing with a first time mother.

"I know. I just...worry ridiculously. I'm sorry." Robin quickly apologized, feeling tongue-tied. What had Sonny been thinking when he left her his youngest son? She was clearly not cut out for the job. Other than showering him with sweets, what kind of mother was she going to make?

"It's alright Robin. All new mothers go through this. Carly used to..." Bobbie's voice trailed off as she remembered her daughter. Though Carly and Bobbie had had their differences throughout the years, Bobbie's love for her eldest child had never been called into question. She mourned her loss keenly.

"Wha-what did Carly used to do?" Robin never thought she'd ask that question and really want to know. She and Carly had been enemies long before Morgan's birth, but she had never doubted the woman's parenting abilities.

Bobbie sniffed a little and pushed aside the memory. "She used to call me every time Morgan cried at night. It was a long six months." She laughed at the memory.

Realizing that it must have still been hard for Bobbie to deal with, Robin rambled on, "I don't mean to--bring up sad memories for you. I can't imagine how hard it must be to have lost a child..."

"Don't worry about it." Robin could imagine the hand wave Bobbie would do, dismissing her concern. "I miss my daughter everyday, but life must go on. We have this wonderful little boy here with us to remind us of her and we have to do right by him."

"I agree." Robin smiled genuinely and played with the phone's cord. "Can I talk to him?"

"Sure you can." Robin could hear Bobbie moving through the brownstone. She could tell when Bobbie took the receiver away from her ear and started to hand it to Morgan. "Hey Morgan. Robin's on the phone."

Robin waited a beat. "Hi Morgan! Are you having a good time at Grandma Bobbie's?"

He said nothing. "I'll be by to get you in a little while and take you home. Your Aunt Courtney is making a big mess in the kitchen, but, the good news is, we can sneak some cupcakes before that bake sale tomorrow. Does that sound like fun?" Still, no response. "I love you, Morgan. Let me talk to Grandma Bobbie." She put her hand over the receiver and collected herself.

The six-year-old handed over the phone and Robin heard the familiar voice come on the line. "He will get better Robin."

"Oh, I know!" Robin expressed with a cheeriness she didn't quite feel. "Thanks again, Bobbie."

"It's not a problem Robin. We'll see you in an hour."

Robin hung up the phone and returned to the kitchen. The bag of flour had busted apparently, because its contents now Courtney trapped in a white powdery circle. Robin could already smell the cupcakes and she closed her eyes to mentally devour the taste. "Not bad!" She congratulated, wiping the flour off of her friend's nose.

"At least it wasn't the batter. That stuff is a pain to wash out of hair."

"Yes, it is. I can clean this up. Why don't you check on the cupcakes?" Robin suggested, already moving toward the mop.

Courtney opened the oven door and immediately began coughing as the smoke poured out of it. She grabbed at the muffin pan and raced for the back door. Robin began moving quickly and held the door open for her.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry." Robin snatched the fire extinguisher when the smoke didn't dissipate.

Courtney shrugged. "It was the test batch anyways." She wiped her forehead with her arm. "Wanna try another batch?"

"Absolutely!" Food was Robin's passion and she wasn't ashamed to admit it. Besides, her friend was in a bind, and she knew the quickest way to learn something was to do it yourself. She set the timer once Courtney had prepared the ingredients for a second time and handed her friend the newest issue of People while she grabbed the newspaper and flipped to the back where the Funnies were.

Courtney grinned. "Trying to give me a hint?"

"I thought it'd make you feel better to see how much effort these people _have _to put into their appearance when you simply wake up and look stunning." Robin replied.

"Ahh ego massaging. Are you sure you're not the one in your family with political ambitions?"

"Oh God, I hope not!" Robin overstressed her words and rolled her eyes. "How did the photo shoot go today? Marco still bugging you with his 'relationship' problems...or lack thereof?"

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Never let it be said that gays have it all together. Marco is worse than I am when he's between men."

"Maybe we should set him up with my ex-husband. They have a lot in common, like carrying around mirrors to look at themselves in public." Though she joked, the severed relationship was still a fresh wound and she didn't think she'd ever be able to forgive Logan for cheating on her.

"No we like Marco."

"Check on the cupcakes." Robin lost herself in a Snoopy film strip.

This time when Courtney opened the oven, there was no smoke. The cupcakes looked as if they belonged on the cover of some food magazine. "Damn girl. Why can mine never look like this?"

"Those are yours. I didn't do a thing but set the timer."

Courtney raised her perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Yet cooking success stories like this occur only when you are in the room. Curious."

"It's a God-given talent I suppose." Robin shrugged noncommittally. "Here." She handed Courtney a plastic container. "Once they've cooled, set them in this."


	3. Dinner With The Spencers

Lucky adjusted his three-year-old son on his shoulder as he fished in his pocket for the key to his mother's house. Cameron was dead to the world. His son did get up early, but he tended to crash just an hour or two after waking up. And just about nothing could wake Cameron up. Unless it was the smell of Laura Spencer's cooking.

Where was it? He could feel the key slip pass his fingers, sprinting away like Cameron did when they played catch in their own backyard. Lucky lived just a few streets over from his parents in a modest two-story brick home. It was a blessing and a curse to live so close. A blessing when it was necessary to find a baby sitter. A curse when his sister or his mother decided he needed to hear one of their many lectures on how he was in danger of making grave mistakes.

Success! He finally caught the loop of the key chain with his thumb and pulled out the key. "Thought you hid on me didn't you?" he whispered to it. "No one escapes me!"

"Oh Lord, you really have lost it" Lulu Spencer had chosen that exact moment to open the door. She grinned at her older brother and patted her sleeping nephew on his head. "Don't worry Cams. I'll take care of you when your dad ends up in the loony bin." she whispered conspiratorially.

"Don't you have a professor to stalk or something?"

Lulu glared at him, but said nothing in response. Lucky grinned triumphantly. He won this round. Of course that meant his sister would be spending the rest of the night plotting revenge. She could bring it on, he decided. He would be ready for her.

"Is that Lucky?" Patrick appeared behind Lulu. It was dinnertime at the Spencer house and he had decided to take Laura up on her offer tonight. Besides, it had been ages since he'd seen Cameron and he swore that kid grew a foot between visits.

"You two let him in this house right now." Laura's voice carried with it the voice of authority none of them had ever had the nerve to challenge. "Now you bring that baby to me and let me see him."

Lucky smirked. "Mom I promise I've done no lasting damage to him between this afternoon and now." He transferred his son to his mother's arms. "Look he's still breathing and everything."

Patrick laughed aloud at his cousin's wit, thanking God that Laura hadn't started in on him about settling down and starting a family. Born in New York City, Patrick's parents had dropped their sons off at Laura's every summer since he was ten and his brother was nine. After his mother's untimely death, Noah had gone MIA and stayed that way for the past few years.

Cameron stirred in his grandmother's arms. "Gramma?"

"Hello sweet boy. You were taking quite the nap there."

"Me go to the park with Daddy."

Cameron squirmed in Laura's arms and reached for Lucky. Lucky gratefully scooped up his son. He didn't see him as often as he should, a frequent discussion between himself and his mother, so he tried to make the most of the limited time they did have together. The park was a favorite destination with its swings and huge areas to run in.

"Yup, we were on the swings and the jungle gym until it was time to go."  
Lulu tickled the small child under his chin, listening to him giggle. "I bet you followed your nose to Gramma's house, huh Cam?"

Cameron just laughed and Lulu took him from her brother's arms, continuing her tickle assault on her nephew.

Patrick jumped a foot in the air and immediately reached for his cell phone. "Sorry. Work." He explained, letting himself out the door. He glanced at the screen and grumbled a few unsavory words before answering. Lulu and Lucky hurried to set the table while Laura spied on Patrick from the living room window.

"Mom you know if you just ask him, Patrick will tell you what's talking about." Lulu waved her hand in dismissal as she helped Lucky place Cameron in his booster seat. "Besides that door is too thick to hear anything through anyway."

"And just how do you know that?" Laura fixed her stare on her youngest child.

"The same way I do." Lucky grinned at his mother. "Dad told us."

Lulu nodded in agreement. "You remember, instead of bedtime stories we got lessons in eavesdropping and lock picking."

"And don't forget poker."

Laura shook her head in mock exasperation. Her husband had made sure her children had a unique upbringing to say the least, but it was one neither one would change for anything.

"Daddy! Make car go vroom!" Cameron held up one of his toys car to Lucky, begging his father to play with him.

"Lulu come help me bring the dishes in."

"Lucky's closer! Why me?"

"Leslie Lu..."

Lulu sighed and walked towards the kitchen. "Don't think I don't know this is the whole cute kid factor." She shook her finger in Lucky's direction.

"Sucks to be replaced don't it?"

She stuck her tongue out at him as she disappeared into the kitchen. Lucky smiled. Won another point. He was so going to pay before the night was done. Lulu was not going to let him get away with this much longer. He busied himself with helping Cameron push the toy cars in a race around the dinner plate.

To say becoming a father this early in his life was a shock would have been an understatement. When his college girlfriend Jessalyn had told him she was pregnant a few months after graduation, Lucky had panicked. Pure and simple. He had asked the stereotypical stupid guy questions, they had fought, and he had run off for a drunken weekend with Patrick and Cruz in Atlantic City.

Probably the most ironic part in the whole story was the fact that his commitment-phobic cousin and his skirt chasing best friend were the two who forced him to grow up and face his impending fatherhood. When he finally confessed to them at the end of the weekend, they hadn't said a word but threw him in the car, dropped him off directly at Jess's parent's house and promised to not return until he had talked to her. When Jess decided to keep the baby, Patrick had gone with him to tell his parents. And it was Cruz who had driven to the hospital the night Cameron was born.

"Daddy! I make them go crash!" Cameron clapped in delight as he knocked the toy tractor off with his motorcycle.

"Good job buddy!"

"Let's get this show on the road people. I brought apple pie." Patrick announced, closing the front door behind him. He returned the phone to his pocket, silencing it with a quick flick of his hand, and joined his family at the table. Lulu had a mouth full of food, so it kept her from commenting about his secret phone call. Lucky, however, must have been fed-up with Laura's constant nagging about how much time he spent with his son, because he instantly turned his attention to Patrick.

The look Lucky gave him was one of mischief. "Was that Cynthia? I know she was anxious to get in touch with you."

"Veronica?" Laura's love life radar had picked right up on that one. "Who's Veronica?"

"She's no one, Aunt Laura. Lucky just wants to stir up trouble." Patrick assured her, giving Lucky a withering glance.

Lucky ignored the glare. "She didn't look like no one to me." He happily took a big bite out of his potatoes.

The phone rang. Patrick immediately got to his feet since he was closest. "Spencer residence." He told the caller. "Wha--how did you even get this number? Stop calling me!" With that, he slammed the phone down so hard it should have shattered.  
Lulu shifted in her seat, but again Lucky beat her to the punch. "And that was?"

"A wrong number." Patrick mouthed to his family, joining them at the table. He couldn't taste the food, he realized, taking a bite. In fact, his left hand was starting to tremble. It was a habit he had picked up after he broke up with her...oh six months ago! Perhaps "broke up" was the wrong explanation, because he had barely dated her. Discovering that he enjoyed her in bed, he might have stayed with her a lot longer than he should have.

"A wrong number that is calling you all the time?" Lulu arched her eyebrow at him.

"Can it, Leslie Lu." Patrick warned, wagging a finger at her. He looked to his aunt. "This is delicious, Aunt Laura. I saw the new work you've done on the garden. Are you entering this year?"

"She's already been nominated" Lucky never passed an opportunity up to brag on his mother.

Laura beamed with pride. "Yes. I just found out yesterday."

"I still think Ms. Simmons was cheating last year. She didn't deserve first place. I bet she bought those plants beforehand." Patrick insisted.

"Completely cheated. But this year, she's not getting away with it." Lulu leaned forward. "Mom's bought the special plant food."

"You broke out the 'special plant food' huh? Not that you need it. You are a born gardener." Patrick proclaimed, smirking when he noticed the beautiful smile on his aunt's face. She was positively beaming!

"Well thank you."

"I'm thinking maybe you should get caller ID Aunt Laura." Patrick suggested, stabbing his fork into a small chunk of meatloaf.

"Those of us without stalkers don't need it." Lucky pointed out.

"She's not a stalker. She's just a little crazy." Patrick argued, taking a bite.

Lucky rolled his eyes. "You're the one dating your clients and she's the crazy one. Yeah that makes sense."

"You're dating your clients?" Lulu almost screeched at a level only dogs could hear her at.

"We broke up six months ago, and I haven't dated any since her." Patrick defended sharply.

"Yeah. And I wouldn't even really call it dating. It was extremely casual." Lucky added, trying to help.

"Casual?" Laura didn't look pleased.

"Lucky? Stop helping." Patrick barked at him

"What do you mean, casual? As in casual sex?" Laura guessed, causing all three remaining adults to choke.

"MOM!" Lulu blushed a deep red. Lucky covered his mouth in an attempt to keep from spraying the table with partial chewed food and setting a fine example for his way too curious three year old.

"I--I..." Patrick attempted speech, but found it to be impossible.

Cameron, oblivious to the discomfort around him, picked up his piece of meatloaf with his fork. He made a few experimental lifts with his small hands and finally put his entire weight into making his food fly off the fork. With a loud "UP!" the meatloaf piece flew off the fork and landed right in the middle of the ceiling.

"Look Daddy! Loaf go fly!" Cameron pointed proudly.

"And that is what I call Spencer timing." Patrick laughed to himself.


	4. Family Ties

Robin didn't realize she was gripping the steering wheel until she saw the white of her knuckles. She peeled her fingers away from the leather and parked the car, noticing that she had gotten to Bobbie's without incident, her mind a million miles away. She dropped her hands into her lap and forced them to stay palms-up so that she wouldn't start tearing at the fabric of her cream skirt. It wasn't the first time since she had taken over parental responsibility that she wondered if her friend had made a mistake in choosing her. There had been a letter attached, three pages explaining his decision, but it still hadn't made a bit of sense to Robin when Alexis had read it aloud to her.

It was so hard to look at Morgan and not think of his mother, of the life she could have had if Carly had stayed out of it and minded her own business. Michael had been given the option of living with her as well, but A.J. had stepped up and been a real father. A.J. had understood that Robin wasn't well equipped in child rearing and, despite the ten years he had been absent, he yearned for a relationship with his only son. Neither Carly nor Sonny had ever allowed him to simply visit his biological child, had all but erased him from existence. Michael had known only of his father because of his paternal grandparents, Alan and Monica Quartermaine.

Now, twelve weeks into this arrangement, Robin was more than overwhelmed; she was terrified. What if some latent resentment leaked into how she raised Morgan and he grew up hating her, or worse, hating himself? Could she truly let go of all the hatred she had held for half her life? She had no choice. Sonny had entrusted his only son with her and she was not about to let him down! She had burned all memories of her old life, both material possessions and bitter memories, and she had felt so light afterwards. You never knew how heavy anger, hatred, and overall resentment actually were until you no longer held the burden. It was an amazing feeling.

Carly's death had been hardest on Morgan, because he had never been without her. Michael had been switched between parents and relatives all his life, so he had grown accustomed to inconsistency. Morgan was the exact opposite. He had cried for Carly for eight days straight and, since then, he had been silent. Bobbie encouraged Robin to keep holding on, to give the child time to adjust, but she worried that she might never be able to give him the life he deserved.

At least I can keep him safe, Robin thought to herself. Her life no longer consisted of bombs, bullets, and betrayal, not since she had left Jason Morgan. She was a brilliant businesswoman, an excellent caregiver, and she was able to think on her feet. She was working on balancing her life to fit Morgan's demanding presence, and she figured she was doing as well as could be expected. Of course, there were nights when she couldn't get to sleep--nights when nightmares plagued both her and Morgan--and mornings that she felt envious of the dead.

Still, she dragged herself out of bed. If she was nothing else to Morgan, she would be a role model. When the world started to beat her down, she simply gritted her teeth together and worked even harder. It would have been easier to sit in the corner and cry. It would have been accepted if she had broken under the pressure. But she hadn't! She hadn't let herself give in, putting Morgan's welfare before her own.

In her mind, she saw the very moment when Morgan would run out and greet her; maybe address her as his mother, his laughter overpowering the breeze, and his smile so bright that it reached his beautiful cocoa eyes. She told herself that she had the power to make it more than a wish; she needed to make it her goal. He was never going to trust her if she doubted herself. She had to keep doing what she was doing, had to keep holding him, hugging him, and reminding him that he was the most important person in her life.

Robin stepped out of the car just as the front door sprung open. For a second, she thought she might have gotten her wish early, but the child running out wasn't Morgan at all, but Lance Jones. The boy was about Morgan's age Robin thought--maybe five--and he had the thickest, wispiest blonde hair Robin had ever seen. His eyes were darker than coal, but he had the brightest smile Robin had ever seen. Not five seconds later, Bobbie chased after her youngest grandchild, a snowman dishtowel in her right hand. "Lancelot Anthony Jones, stop right there!"

Robin snuck up behind him and locked him in her arms, listening to him giggle effortlessly as he tried to wiggle away. "You are my prisoner, Sir Lancelot." She teased, tickling his exposed stomach as he reached up to try and pry her fingers from his shoulders. She picked him up and handed him to Bobbie, having turned him upside down so that he was squealing with glee. Morgan watched warily from the doorstep. Robin made eye contact with him, but only for a moment. He turned his back to her and returned to the living room. She didn't realize she was crying until she felt the moisture slap her cheek.

Elizabeth curled up on her favorite overstuffed chair, content to settle in for the night and read her newest magazine. Dinner had been delicious as usual. Her grandmother had always tried to teach her how to cook, but outside of a few deserts Elizabeth was barely adequate in the kitchen.

As if someone was playing an elaborate joke on her, the second she was settled and ready to read, the phone rang. She sighed, mentally cursing whoever was on the other end. "Hello." she said rather briskly.

"Lizzie? That you little sister?"

Her irritation immediately lifted. Elizabeth could never stay mad at he older brother. Steven was one of the few people in her life that could always make her smile.

"Steven! I thought you were on location until tomorrow."

Her brother worked as a director of photography in Hollywood. Steven had been all over the world working on his sets, loving every minute of it. The last time they had talked, he was getting ready to head to Morocco for a major studio release. The international rates were staggering so he usually never called until he returned to the States.

"I was but we actually wrapped early. Shocking I know. Besides I had to tell my sister that she had a package coming to her."

She squealed in delight. Steven shamelessly fed her addiction to all things Hollywood. He never passed on any of the gossip from the set, but scripts, daily shot schedules, and sometimes even autographs made their way to her.

"Steven Deven, you are the best in the world! When did you mail it?" Elizabeth was fully aware that she sounded like some of her students when Steven called her, but she really didn't care at this point. Her older brother's presents were always the high point of her week when they arrived.

"It will be in the mail tomorrow." Steven's laugh echoed over the phone. It reminded her of growing up in Boulder and playing ridiculously complicated variations of tag. She knew Steven was doing something he loved, same as her, but she missed him terribly. "So Short Cake, how's life? Any new men I have to run off?"

She groaned. "Not you too! Did you talk to Grams earlier?"

"Would I do that?"

"Yes."

"Ok I would. But you know we just want you happy. You need more in your life than silly packages from me and running Grams from one appointment to another. I love what you did for her, but Lizzie you deserve a life too."

She rolled her eyes, forgetting for a moment that her brother couldn't see her. "I have a very full life thank you very much."

"When was the last time you had a date?"

"When was the last one you went on Steven? Still recovering from Judy?" It was a low blow, bringing up his cheating whore of an ex-fiancé, but all was fair in war with your big brother.

"As a matter of fact I met a great girl before I left. We have a date tomorrow."

Elizabeth scrunched her face, knowing she had been beat. Damn, she thought for sure that would have worked. "So when are you coming to visit us?" She flipped open her magazine, idly flipping through the pages as she talked.

"Guess that means I win huh?" She ignored his question and his laughing. She paused as she looked at the photos from the opening of some New York City nightclub when she noticed her newest favorite singer Lea Michelle pictured. "I have some free time between projects around March. Your spring break is then right?"

"Right, usually," she answered distractedly. She rolled her eyes when she noticed whom she was pictured with. The ever-present head of A&D at L&B records, Lucky Spencer. Sure the guy was cute, all right he was hot, but he was pictured every single week with a different younger singer. And what kind of name was Lucky anyways?

"Email me when it is exactly and I'll make time to come see you then. So how is Grams?"

Elizabeth dropped her magazine. It never changed. The same people doing the same thing every night of the week. She did that and was constantly called on having no life; they did it and it was considered glamorous. "She had a good day today. She made the marinara sauce."

"Ohhh, she must really have been feeling good then. She still awake? Can I talk to her?"

"It's only seven o'clock Steven. She hurt her hip. She's not dead. I thought you figured out the whole time difference thing years ago."

"I've been on a plane for the equivalent of a full day. Cut me some slack here."

"Nope. Not going to happen."

"Whatever Lizzie. Let me talk to Grams."

"Ohhh whatever. Did those starlets teach you that stellar verbal slam? Haven't you made friends with any writers out there yet?" She walked towards the den where her grandmother was working on the computer. "Grams? Steven's on the phone."

Hearing her grandmother pick up the den extension, Elizabeth hung up the phone carefully and threw herself back into the chair. She picked up her discarded magazine in one hand and the TV remote in the other. She flipped the channels to the Travel Channel, something she could watch without paying too much attention to.

She mused silently while she watched the special on Honduras out of the corner of one eye. She liked her life, why was that so hard to believe? Sure she didn't go out much, but that was okay with her. She had standards, that was it and how it would stay. Elizabeth did not want to waste her time on a bunch of frogs that would just cheat on her, leave her, or be general assholes to her. She wanted a prince. And she planned on staying by herself until she found him.


	5. Motivations

Cruz threw himself down in his office chair, ignoring the incessantly ringing phone. For once, someone else could answer that. Someone else would answer that if they wanted to keep their jobs. They had a damn receptionist, so why did he always answer the phone?

He would have slammed the door shut when he came into his office, but he didn't have a door. And to be completely technical he didn't have an office. The editor of a local magazine with a readership of exactly 15,000 didn't rate an office. He had a desk. A big desk in the back of the room, but it was still a desk.

He leaned back in his rickety chair, placing his feet on his scarred and coffee-stained desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes. Why him?

Cruz had thought his staff would have learned their lesson after last week when the issue almost didn't get to the printer because they missed deadlines. Not to mention the computer issues that occurred when two of them had spent time downloading some elaborate instant message system that was supposed to allow you instant message at work without your boss catching you. Causing the entire system crash probably wasn't the ideal way to accomplish that goal.

But no. His lone computer guy, who also doubled as the music critic, just informed him that another set of illegal downloads from another group of his writers were causing major slowdowns. His only reliable photographer had not shown up for his assignments and at least two of his writers had yet to book an interview with their subjects.

It had to be easier to just fire everyone and start over, he reasoned. Surely somewhere in this city there were decent writers and photographers who understood the concept of deadlines and using the work computer to _work_.

As quick as the thought passed through his mind, he dismissed it. His magazine was too local, which meant low pay. Most of his staff were in college or had just graduated the spring before. Cruz was both the longest serving member of the staff and the oldest.

"Yo boss man!" Axe, his computer expert/music critic yelled back to him. Axe's name would bring to mind pictures of shredding guitars, Ozzy Osbourne, and seas of moshing teenagers. In reality Axe's name was Glenn Williams and he adored musicals. "Phone call."

Cruz sighed. Typical. The one time he didn't pick up the phone it would be for him. "Rodriguez."

"Well don't we sound just peachy this morning?"

"This is not the morning, Spencer. Not the morning."

"All not well in the glamorous world of publishing?" It had taken years of careful listening Cruz could hear when Lucky was trying to keep back his laughter.

"Is there a point to this call or do you enjoy torturing those of us with real jobs?"

He had to give his friend credit. Lucky knew when to end a joke and get serious. "Just a heads up. Possibility of a CD test concert next week for Side Project. We're thinking at Stewars, but it could end up at Jake's. I'll get you the details later."

Cruz quickly scribbled the information down. Every since Lucky had become the head of A&D, he had passed along information about concerts and given early copies of the CDs to Cruz. It was a profitable relationship. Lucky got early word on the reception of the music and Cruz got an exclusive.

"Excellent. I'll tell Axe and he'll be there." He leaned his forehead onto his palm. "Dude, you have no idea how much this helped me out."

"Staff issues?"

"Three are AWOL, two are crashing the computer and Axe is..."

"Axe." They both finished at the same time.

"Relax my friend, this won't last forever."

"It won't?"

"Nah. You'll get a whole new staff of them come May."

"As my friend you are supposed to cheer me up."

"As your friend I'm supposed to be honest." In the background, Cruz could hear several voices entering into Lucky's office. "Look man, I gotta go. I'll catch you later okay?"

"Later. Don't work too hard. You don't want to hurt something."

"Go lose a reporter." Lucky replied cheerfully as he hung up.

He glanced towards the front of the office, spotting Axe easily enough. At six feet five inches he was hard to hide. Well that explained why the receptionist hadn't answered. Axe was standing right next to her, in a manner that clearly said, "flirting."

As the boss he should probably stop the flirting, but Axe was a decent reporter and the receptionist was a sweet girl. Let them be happy. The flashing new email icon in the lower right hand of his computer screen caught his eye. Idly, he clicked on it.

To: Hey sweetie!

Hey sweetie!

Just wanted to drop you a line today before it got too crazy here. Sometimes I think I actually work in a zoo. But anyways, I hope your day goes well and I can't wait to see you tonight.

Keep your nose clean, arrive on time (for once) and who knows...maybe you'll be handsomely rewarded.

Yours

There was motivation and then there was _motivation_. Cruz grinned widely at the promise in her note. Suddenly his staff problems just didn't seem so big anymore.

He didn't have a case against Emily Quartermaine, and Patrick knew it. She must have known it too, because she was sneaky in her stalking. The petite heiress made sure that only he saw her. If anyone else answered his phone, she would hang up. Her number came up unknown caller and there was never a way to call her back: where she failed in brilliance, she made up for in sneakiness. No one in his or her right mind would believe her of any wrongdoing. Of course she wasn't capable of slashing all four of his tires; he must have been mistaken. She could have paid a photographer to follow her around and take perfect portraits, so why would she waste her time obsessing about one measly picture Patrick had done of her?

He tossed and turned, his maroon sheets tangling at his ankles, leaving him trapped. Closing his eyes, he tried to figure out how he had gotten to this point and what it would take to dig himself out of this hole. Logic said that he should simply redo the photo, charge the girl nothing extra, and sleep easier at night. Patrick had tried to reason with her, but her reaction had been to cry. She had cried so loud, she had attracted attention—her secret agenda—and Patrick had had to take her elsewhere.

She was a spot on his spotless record and he gritted his teeth as he heard her in his mind berating his work; not just what he had done for her, but his other pieces too. He had all but thrown her out and, due to his poor choice in bringing her to his apartment, she now knew where he lived and had memorized his work schedule. That last point was an accomplishment considering he was freelance, but she remained unperturbed.

Patrick clenched his fists together when he thought about what she had done to his precious blue Ferrari. It hadn't been enough to slash the tires, leaving them flat and useless, but she had also busted in his front windshield with a tire iron. Patrick had cringed at the figure his paint and body guy had handed him. Nine grand! It was then that he wondered if bringing the authorities into the matter would help, that is, until he realized he was truly cornered. Emily Quartermaine could twist the story any way she wanted to and he doubted anyone would take the time to listen to the truth. She was mentally insane, not so drastic that she would commit these malicious attacks when or where she could be spotted, but enough to make Patrick want to change the locks to everything he owned.

The man in him said that being frightened of a woman half his size called his masculinity into question. The logical part of his mind pointed out that, without much effort, she could call him on a number of false crimes and destroy his reputation. She showed no signs of giving up until she got what she wanted. His business would be under scrutiny until she made up her mind about what she actually wanted from him.

Was that a scratch he heard? Had she climbed the fire escape and used her fingernail to tear through the screen on his window? He was sure he had shut and locked it, but he wasn't willing to put anything past that psycho. Patrick reached for his phone and called the front desk, reporting a strange noise and possible burglary. Ten minutes later, he was still awake, waiting for confirmation that she had been caught. Ten minutes turned into thirty and finally a call came for him.

"Mr. Drake?" Of course, Patrick gritted his teeth together. Who else would answer his phone?

"Did you catch her…er the prowler?" Patrick quickly corrected himself.

"It was a cat, Mr. Drake. If you have any other problems, please don't hesitate to call." It was code for, 'If you call me again, I'm going to have your phone disconnected.' Patrick placed the phone in its cradle and almost jumped out of his skin when the shrill sound of the phone pierced through the quiet apartment.

"Yes?" He was angry, but cautious. "Hello?"

"You're getting better. It's about time you joined the game; I was getting worried that this was all for nothing." It was _her_.

"This isn't a game, Emily. This is my life!" He argued.

"You can end this at any time." Emily assured him.

"I'm hanging up now." Patrick told her.

"You might want to have your brake lines checked out. They seem loose to me." And then, she hung up.

Patrick's next call wouldn't leave him feeling helpless. "Little cousin, I need you to meet me at my apartment, and do me a favor, huh? Don't ask any questions."


	6. Nice To Know You

Lucky let out an irritated sigh. Sometimes he wondered why he lived so damn close to his family. First, his mother had called him no less than fifteen times today and those didn't include his conversations with his sister. And all of those calls were about the same subject. Now, Patrick had demanded he come to his studio. He pounded on the large door. This was going to make him late and that was the last thing he needed. His mother had already promised to disown him if he even _thought _about not going to Cameron's parent-teacher conference tonight. Cameron was three. What was the teacher going to tell him? That Cameron colored too much with the blue crayon?

Lucky knew he needed to be more involved in Cameron's life. He didn't want to be the type of father who knew nothing about his kid. He _should_ be more involved. Certainly his mother told him that enough. He could still hear her voice from earlier that day. "Lucky, before you realize it, Cameron will be grown and gone. And you'll have nothing to look back on. Honey, I know you are working as hard as you are _for_ him, but he won't remember that. He'll remember everything you didn't do." Never let it be said Laura Spencer couldn't work a guilt trip. She was the master of it. Lucky unconsciously loosened his tie, still feeling about as tall as his three-year-old when she had said that.

He continued to pound on Patrick's door. The asshole demanded that he show up here and then he refused to answer the door? "PATRICK!" Lucky roared, not caring if his cousin was going to get in trouble with the resident's board. "OPEN THE DOOR!"

Patrick's hand floated above the doorknob and for a second he considered not opening it. He could hide in his studio. It'd make him worse than a pussy, but he could get away with it. His reputation as a suave businessman would be called into question, his dream of having a three-some with Helen Hunt and Jordana Brewster would be crushed forever. So he yanked the door toward him, the sudden jolt causing little beads of sweat to pop up on his forehead and the back of his neck.

To say that Lucky looked pissed off would have been the greatest understatement since Richard Nixon botched up his presidency. Go figure that on the day Patrick's life was threatened, his cousin would look bothered by the fact that his own life had been interrupted. "When you demand someone to show up at your place, the least you could do is open the damn door." Lucky exploded, his hands immediately thrown out in front of him for emphasis.

"Would you shut the hell up?" Patrick all but roared in response, wanting to shake his cousin until he realized just how serious what he was about to tell him really was. Of course, in the beginning, Lucky would be reluctant to believe it. He already knew that Emily was stalking Patrick, but, how far was he willing to reach in order to support his cousin? If the situation was reversed, Patrick would have thrown him out for wasting his time. It was then that Patrick realized he hadn't explained why he had dragged Lucky out of whatever event required he wear a suit and tie. "Come in." He gestured past him and took a few steps back, but Lucky stood there, clearly put off and impatient for Patrick to get to the point. "I'd rather not do this in the hallway." With a sigh, Lucky crossed the threshold and slammed the door behind him, more likely than not because he knew it would make Patrick angry.

"What was so important that it couldn't wait until morning?" Lucky demanded, slamming his hands against Patrick's five-thousand-dollar digital camera. Patrick's eyes widened and he managed to grab a hold of his cousin's shoulders, steering him toward the back of the apartment.

"Emily Quartermaine has threatened to kill me on several occasions—" Until Lucky interrupted him, Patrick was certain that he'd be able to get through this without a hitch. Unfortunately, Lucky's response had not been one of immediate action. Patrick gritted his teeth together when the younger man threw back his head and laughed. He wondered if his cousin would find his dead carcass spread drastically on the cover of The PC Insider as entertaining.

"Em—Emily Quartermaine? A psychotic killer?" Lucky had actually dated her so his incredulity was expected. Still, did he really have to say what he said next? "Wait. Back up a minute. The tiny little rich girl? Patrick, Cameron probably outweighs her."

It was an incredulous image to say the least. Emily weighed ninety pounds if that. Lucky doubted she knew anything about cars outside of opening a door, if that. Patrick was scared of Emily Quartermaine? Had his cousin been drinking? It wasn't an uncommon outlet for the Drake men, but Patrick had never gotten quite this ridiculous. Other than the words coming out of his mouth, he didn't seem inebriated. His clothes were a little wrinkled…Lucky finally took a look at his cousin. The last time he had seen Patrick look this disheveled, he had been sick with the flu. Image was everything to the businessman. He wouldn't have dulled his appearance on purpose, meaning that, no matter how unlikely, he seemed to really believe what he was saying. "Are you ready to tell me what's really going on? You look like shit." Lucky assured him.

Patrick tried again. "The woman who's stalking me, the one who has called all over town looking for me, is Emily Quartermaine. You know that much. You believe that much, don't you?" Lucky didn't respond right away so Patrick went on, "Tonight, she threatened to cut my brake lines and I think she means it. Look, enough of the wide-eyed stare okay?" He reached into his back pocket and extracted two miniature cassette tapes. He handed them over. "I've got proof. On the tapes, you'll see I've dated them. I need you to get these to Mac Scorpio."

"You've lost it, Patrick. You can't honestly think that Emily had anything to do with this." Lucky argued.

"Listen to me! She's the perfect kind of crazy, because no one would ever suspect her. I sure as hell didn't, not even after the first few times she took credit for my current misfortunes. If you'll only listen to the tapes, you'll recognize her voice instantly. It's her." He stressed the last two words in a low voice.

Lucky could not wrap his head around this. He had seen the damage done to Patrick's precious car, but any one of the man's disgruntled conquests could have done the damage. And it wasn't like blue Ferraris were all that common in Port Charles. Emily could have just seen the damage and claimed that she had done it. Cameron once claimed he planted a tree at his parents' house that was taller than the house itself.

But Patrick was family and that fact stopped him in his tracks. He doubted Patrick's life was in true jeopardy though he doubted his cousin would leave the safety of his studio tonight.

Patrick was beyond paranoid. As a safety precaution, he had quit ordering in, worried that she might have gotten fed up and put something in his fried rice. All of his dreams featured her. All of his dreams were simply premature nightmares which came later in the night. "I know what you're thinking. I've thought it too...over and over again as a matter of fact. But, Lucky, she is insane!"

Lucky sighed, realizing he was beaten. "Give them to me." Taking the tapes out of Patrick's hand he turned them over. "I still don't understand why I have to play messenger boy on this one. It's not me she's stalking."

"I don't want my name run in the crime report. You hand this over, you do it anonymously. The last thing I need is for the media to get a hold of this, so you have to keep Cruz in the dark." Patrick instructed. It was a plausible lie. While Patrick didn't want his business under public scrutiny, his reluctance to deal with the commissioner had more to do with family relations than anything else. His younger brother, Logan, had been married to the commissioner's niece for five years. She had come into Patrick's life briefly during that time, enough to make him despise her. From the day Logan brought her home Patrick had felt an instant dislike, one that grew over the years. Robin Scorpio had come into their lives, judging and making demands that the family be more social toward her. She had made a big impact to say the least, and was notorious for most of her blatant disregard for Patrick's close family. He only received news of their impending divorce in an email that the little witch had put together and forwarded to every single person in her address book. She had taken Logan to court, her allegations preposterous, and cleaned out what little he had in his bank account. Patrick would always blame her for his brother's missed chances. Logan had had potential and now he had nothing but a bottomless supply of alcohol.

Lucky rolled his eyes. If anything his bringing in the tape would be more likely to get the media's attention. He suspected it had more to do with the still friendly relations between the Scorpio and Spencer side of the family. He felt sorry for Logan, really he did, but Patrick had always had a bit of a blind spot when it came to his little brother. He just couldn't see the incredible self-destructive choices he continued to make. Not that Lucky could blame him on that one. He still saw Lulu as six years old instead of a college freshman. "Fine. But you owe me. When my mom asks why I was late for Cameron's parent-teacher conference you are taking the heat."

"I'll call her after you leave and make you sound noble. Just please do this for me." Patrick wasn't above begging.

"Not noble. Sainthood. I want sainthood." Lucky tucked the tapes into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and left for the parent/teacher conference he was over a half hour later for.

Elizabeth had learned quickly to use the time between her conferences wisely. In her first year of teaching she had made the mistake of calling a student's mother his grandmother. It was not a mistake she wanted to make twice. She twisted an errant brown curl behind her ear as she reviewed the information card she kept on all her students. "Cameron Spencer." she murmured. "Father: Lucas Spencer Junior. Emergency Contact: Laura Spencer- Grandmother."

It was odd Cameron had no information for his mother listed on his card, but there were any number of reasons for that. While it wasn't all that uncommon for there to be only be one parent listed in the school records, it seemed strange that they should mention his father and not his mother.

She checked the clock. Seven o'clock. Regardless of the parent listed, he was very late. Elizabeth rose from her chair and went to the door, putting on her "happy to meet the parents" smile. Opening the door, she blinked when she realized there was no one there. She glanced up and down the hall. Still no one.

Leaving the door open, she moved back into her room. It was possible Cameron's father or grandmother was just running late, very late. Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth spotted some of the dishes they had used earlier in the day scattered in the corner of the play area. Sighing, she bent over to pick them up.

Lucky raced down the hall towards the room number his mother had told him. After he had left Patrick, he had quickly stuffed the tapes into his briefcase. Tomorrow would be soon enough to give the tapes to Mac. He paused briefly to catch his breath and slow down. Running in late and out of breath was not the way to make a good impression. Taking a deep breath, he smoothed out the invisible wrinkles on his silk shirt and took the final few strides towards the room.

He turned, intent on making his apologies, and found his breath was stuck in his throat. Whenever Cameron had talked about "Miss Elizabeth" he had always pictured an older woman, with white hair in a bun wearing long shapeless flowered dresses. While he could only see the back of Miss Elizabeth, he already realized his assumptions had been way off base. She had on a denim skirt that hit her knees, leaving the rest of her shapely legs free for his perusal. Her brown hair was pinned haphazardly to back of her head and some pieces had determinedly freed themselves. She rose to her full height, which admittedly wasn't all that tall, and turned just enough that he caught sight of her biting her full lip. Damn, where were teachers like that when he was in school?

Say something, he told himself fiercely. Don't just stand there like a tree! Clearing his throat, he announced his presence. "I am so sorry I'm late. I had a brief family crisis."

Elizabeth jumped slightly when she heard the distinctly male cough and voice from behind her. Turning, she caught sight of who she assumed was Cameron's father. Silk pinstriped shirt, slightly undone tie, blue suit. Sandy brown hair and a killer smile. Although she knew she had never seen met him until this second, Elizabeth couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen him some place before. She just couldn't place where. Certainly she would remember meeting someone this good-looking.

"Nothing serious I hope." She forced herself to walk towards him and offer her hand. "Elizabeth Webber, Mr. Spencer. Nice to meet you."

"Nothing worth the drama it caused." Patrick was going to owe him more now. He had almost missed seeing _her _thanks to him. "Thank you for being so understanding." Lucky took her hand and shock it. "Nice to meet you Ms. Webber. And please call me Lucky."

The second she heard his name, it clicked. Lucky Spencer. Playboy record mogul. The very same one she saw every week in the magazines with a different younger star. Whose name was always linked in the gossip columns with any up and coming singer. He was Cameron's father? She had never heard anywhere that Lucky Spencer had a son. Was Cameron's mother one of his former protégés? Why hadn't anyone ever reported this?

Elizabeth forced herself into professional mode. She could do this. "Lucky. That is certainly an original name."

"An old family joke." He motioned to the chairs she had set up. "Do I get to sit in the big people chairs or do I get the little one as a punishment?"

"Please, sit down." As they walked towards the chair, her mind was still going a mile a minute. This was unreal. Yesterday she had been looking at pictures of him out every single night of the weekend with a different young beautiful thing. And now here she was conducting a parent-teacher conference regarding his three-year-old. 'Calm down' her brain commanded her. 'You will not under any circumstances be an idiot here. You are a professional. You will act like a professional teacher.'

Lucky found himself savoring her walk. It was a short distance, only three feet at the most, but he was entranced by the way she moved. He shook his head. It had been entirely too long since he had met a woman who had caught his attention at first sight. He briefly wondered who the last woman was. Emily the supposed stalker? Susan? Maureen? Oh God it couldn't have been Jess could it? No way it had been that long? Please not that long.

As Elizabeth sat down, she motioned for him to do the same. "I'm not entirely convinced I shouldn't bring the timeout chair over for your lateness." 'Ok good, joking with him. That's good. No creepy fan girl type statements. You can do this.'

He was at a loss for words. He, Lucky Spencer, son of the local legend Luke Spencer could not think of a single intelligent thing to say to a joke made by his son's preschool teacher. He could think of several stupid things to say, which was entirely problematic. This attraction he was feeling was completely preventing him from being a mature, rational adult capable of carrying on an adult conversation. What the hell was he to do?

As insane as it was, his mind flashed to Patrick. Sure at this moment his cousin was the poster child for mental instability, but if there was one thing Patrick had always been able to do it was talk to women. Even in high school when the rest of them shook in their boots, Patrick never seemed ill at ease. That was the solution, he thought. He'd just do what Patrick would do.

Some small voice in the back of his head, which sounded suspiciously like Cruz, reminded him that he was in fact not Patrick and never had been. But a louder voice told the pseudo Cruz voice to shut the hell up or come up with a better plan. With no further brilliant insights coming, he decided to go ahead.

"If you really want me to, I'll bring it." That was what he thought Patrick would say? That really came out of his mouth? The little Cruz voice got louder in his head. 'Ohh great comeback. Smooth Spencer real smooth.'

"No it's quite alright. I understand job responsibilities are sometimes hard to leave behind." Elizabeth was quite proud of herself for not adding in ' Even though as a vice-president of a record label you probably could pick and choose your hours.'

"Yes there are some people that should not ever be left behind." He smiled his best smile. Better. He had wanted to add "Like yourself" to that but had stopped just short. Much closer to something Patrick would have said.

Elizabeth missed his smile. She had turned to gather the folder she had put aside regarding Cameron. "Now Cameron is a true joy to have in my class this year and I will miss him in the fall. He's really a charmer."

"Family gift." Of course his son was a charmer. He had generations of charm to fall back on. He also had generations of conning, scamming, guilt trips, musical taste, and not to mention impulsiveness. Lucky was just grateful so far Cameron showed much more of an inclination to take the good characteristics than the bad.

His quip threw her off. Surely he wasn't flirting? That was a joke, right? It had to have been a joke. She decided the best course of action was to pretend it had never been said. "He appears to be on target with his peers as far as his pre-reading skills, his counting, color recognition, and so forth."

"That's good news." He momentarily forgot about being Patrick to bask in pride of his son being on target.

"It is. He is making friends here and I hardly ever have to redirect him." She smiled and closed her folder. "In fact, I do wish I had more students like your son to teach. He will do just fine next year in the four-year-old room."

Her smiled blinded him. Lucky could feel himself about to say something ignorant. It was right there on the tip of his tongue. 'Think man! Think!' As if he could hear his cousin whisper in his ear, Lucky found the words to say. "Well maybe someday you will."

She had caught his grin that time. Elizabeth hadn't thought it possible, but he appeared more attractive when he smiled. And had she imagined a look in his eye that seemed to indicate he wasn't talking about future students in the abstract sense, more like the very specific sense? He could not be flirting with her. This was a parent-teacher conference about his son for the love of Pete! Someone had to be professional here. "I certainly hope so, but I do believe that every child is unique."

"I agree with you. But siblings do tend to share similar traits don't you agree?"

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. "Well yes, but I understood Cameron to be an only child." She felt her heart race. Was she about to learn a gossip scoop not even Perez Hilton had hinted at?

Lucky laughed. "Currently he is, but I do plan on having more children one day." He paused and looked directly at her. "Of course that is if I meet the right woman." Yes Patrick would have been proud of that one.

She had to force herself to breathe. Okay there was no way she had misinterpreted that. Lucky Spencer was 100 flirting with her, at a parent-teacher conference concerning his son. What had already started as an unreal event in her life had skipped right into bizarre and unfathomable. Who actually flirted at a parent-teacher conference? She had noticed he was attractive, but she hadn't flirted with him had she? Elizabeth quickly raced the previous events through her mind and was satisfied that she had in fact kept a professional tone to this meeting. And now he was blatantly flirting with her?

Every picture she had ever seen him in flashed before her eyes. No girl twice. No girl that wasn't some sort of upcoming star. She remembered some of the comments she had read. "Playboy." "Ladies Man" Could all the talk be true? Did he really think he could have any girl he wanted?

Flustered, she glanced down at the folder she still held in her hand. That poor little boy she thought. If his father would spend his parent-teacher conference flirting with his teacher, what kind of father could he be to that precious three-year-old?

Elizabeth bit her lip. Someone had to be professional and it was going to have to be her. "Well I wish you luck in that search Mr. Spencer." She emphasized using his more formal address. No more calling him Lucky. She stood abruptly and walked towards the door. "It was nice to meet you sir and I do hope to see you at more events in the future this coming school year."

Lucky was confused at the sudden shift in her tone and her movement. What had he done? Something had pissed her off, that was for certain, but what the hell was it? He took her hand awkwardly and shook it. "I certainly hope to come more often."

"Excellent. Parent interaction is always encouraged here at Woodlawn Preschool. If you'll excuse me, I do have another parent scheduled in a few minutes." She turned on her heel and forced herself to walk back to her desk.

He watched her retreating back with as much interest as he had before. "Sure. Not a problem."

He walked down the hall, not aware of the other parents he passed on his way back to his old Jeep Cherokee. As he sat behind the wheel he puzzled over the ending to his meeting with Miss Elizabeth.

"What the hell went wrong?"


	7. A Simple Twist Of Fate

June first was an important day for the Drake brothers. This year marked the tenth anniversary of their mother's death. On this day every year since, the brothers met at a small cabin at the heart of Port Charles. They would stay up all night talking about what they remembered of their mother, drinking, and roasting marshmallows over the burners of the wood-burning stove tucked away in the corner of the kitchen. There were three bedrooms on the second floor; the kitchen, living room, and half bath made up the first floor. Nothing about the cabin was up-to-date besides the indoor plumbing. There wasn't a single working phone in the place or a television for that matter. No white noise. No interruptions. Just the guys.

Patrick had picked up enough groceries for the day so that they wouldn't run out, but not so much that he would have to worry about it spoiling in their absence. He cracked a half a dozen eggs into the cast-iron skillet he had watched his mother use a hundred times. Scrambled, he reminded himself and separated them. Logan was a brat when it came to breakfast food. He would only eat scrambled eggs, he wouldn't go near anything slightly burnt, and he wouldn't be caught dead drinking orange juice that hadn't been freshly squeezed. Patrick supposed he could blame his brother's upbringing for the way he was. Neither Noah nor Maddie Drake had ever denied their youngest son anything, and Patrick was having to pay the price.

As he stirred in the ingredients for pancakes, he couldn't help but think of his mother. She had been just shy of forty, but she had looked half her age. Patrick had inherited her deep chocolate hair and they had also shared a tiny dimple in their chins. He had Noah's smile and chestnut-brown eyes--the shape mimicked Maddie's--and they were about the same build. Logan resembled their mother the best. While his hair was lighter than Maddie's had been, he was her same height and had her small hands. One could say that Logan had her nose as well. Patrick hadn't seen it, but his father always swore it to be true. The room had truly brightened when his mother had walked into a room. Chocolate hair flowing to the small of her back, she had been polite but opinionated, formal but casual, nonjudgmental, and truly the most beautiful woman Patrick had ever seen.

It was truly a miracle of genetics that she was Luke Spencer's little sister, because they couldn't have been more different. While Maddie had had pea-green eyes, Luke's held a foggy blue tint. She had barely reached five-foot-five while he towered almost a full foot above her. His hair had been shaggy, curly, and blonde while hers had been straight-as-a-board flat and brown. Grandpa Spencer always joked that one of them had simply been dropped off at the wrong address by a confused stork. Maddie's overall appearance had mirrored Patrick's great grandmother, Carina Spencer. Bobbie Spencer, Lucky and Patrick's aunt, had been the baby of the three children and she had come out with red curly hair, so it was really anyone's guess as to who she resembled, save her oldest grandchild, Michael Corinthos III.

Patrick had lucked out with his mother's family, because Noah was all that remained of the Drake family, not counting his sons. Laura had taken Patrick under her wing at an early age, but Logan had rejected her at first sight. He had gone to live with his girlfriend's parents for a while until he got kicked out for smoking weed in their home. He had bounced from career to career since then, nothing really sparking an interest in him. It was only in the last few years that his brother had settled on construction. There was money in it, but he was an avid gambler, and had bet it all one night in Atlantic City. Not long after, he had met Robin Scorpio, and his luck seemed to have changed drastically. How could he have known that she would clean him out so swiftly after a short, unfulfilled marriage? Patrick shook his head. Robin Scorpio didn't belong here. Today was simply about him and his brother sharing the memories of a mother who had been stolen from them at an early age.

Patrick placed the eggs on a plate to cool and poured a bit of batter into the flat cast-iron to his right. Less than five minutes later, the table was covered in dishes full of sweet-smelling food. He glanced over at the clock. It was almost eleven and Logan hadn't showed his scraggly face yet. Patrick went to the living room to retrieve his cell phone and saw that, along with a bar of battery life left, he had one glowing message. Irrationally, he thought it might have been Emily. Laughing uncomfortably, he pressed the number for his voicemail and patiently waited for the caller's identity to be revealed. He leaned against the overstuffed cream couch, crossing one ankle over the other.

"Hey, this is Logan. Your brother. One and only. The light of your life. Anyway, I won't be able to make it this year. Something came up. I'll totally be there next year though. Don't burn down that old shack. Love you. Bye." This was unreal, Patrick thought to himself. He replayed the message several times and then dialed his younger brother's number. As expected, the phone was turned off and he heard the answering machine click on.

"What the hell do you mean you can't make it ? It's one day out of the year for Christ's sake! Is that so much to ask for you ungrateful little bastard?" Then he threw his spent phone across the room, wishing it would just shatter into a billion pieces. Closer inspection proved that it was indestructible. Goddamn modern electronics were more reliable than his stupid brother!

Cruz checked his watch. It was nearing noon and still no sign of his newest photographer, Adam Czerwinski. Not a good sign. In Cruz's low paying world, a late photographer more often than not meant one who had gone for a better paying job without bothering to mention it to the harried editor left behind.

Axe wandered by, humming a song that other people had assumed was by a watered-down Linkin Park. Cruz knew the truth. It was from the newest Broadway rock musical. Maybe with his constant flirting with the receptionist, he had intercepted a message that just hadn't gotten to him yet. "Axe, have you heard from Adam?"

Axe looked towards the ceiling, deep in thought. "No. Margie called from the press conference thingy. Lynn is doing the profile on that horse girl. Greg has an interview with that sports dude." Axe's inability to get the actual names of anything but bands and solo artists was one of the main reasons Cruz had never thought to give the guy any assignment other than the music column. "Nope. No Adam."

"Shit."

Glancing at the clock, Axe's green eyes widened in sudden understanding. "Oh, boss man. Not a good sign." Axe had been there longer than anyone save Cruz. He knew the score.

"Just go away. Leave me in my hell." Cruz walked off to his desk. Once he sat down, he placed his head on the desk and let out a low groan. "Fuck..."

Adam had been a bit of a flake, but he was a great photographer. Cruz hadn't been stupid enough to think he would stick around, but apparently he had been stupid enough to expect Adam to give notice before he skipped out.

He raised his head to check his assignment calendar on his desk to assess the damage. Maybe he could shift some of Adam's remaining assignments to one of the other photographers?

Cruz let out a sigh of relief when he saw Adam had already completed most of the more intricate assignments that had been assigned to him. The profile piece Lynn was writing would be easy enough to get completed. The other photographer Lowell was actually a pretty decent portrait artist. Lowell could easily cover that one.

The profile on the bakery however was going to be harder. It was a cover piece and required not only portrait, but action and food shots. Even the most talented photographer would find it challenging, but an experienced one would be able to do it in the one day time frame. Cruz was good on talent. He was short on experience.

The only photographer Cruz knew that was talented enough and experienced enough to handle the shoot was Patrick. Normally his friend would be way out of his budget, but Cruz had done enough "Get rid of my date" favors over the years to be able to cash that chip in. No, the main problem wouldn't be getting Patrick to do the job. It was the job itself.

The owner of the shop in question was one Robin Scorpio. Baker extraordinaire and public enemy number one as far as Patrick was concerned. He knew that his friend blamed Robin for Logan's downward spiral after their divorce and Patrick had never really believed the accusations Robin had come forwarded with in court. Knowing Logan, Cruz and Lucky had both tended to believe Robin, but were smart enough not to mention that fact to Patrick. If Lucky was the poster child for overprotective brother where Lulu was concerned, Patrick was the poster child for blind spot ten miles wide were Logan was concerned.

Getting Patrick to agree to be anywhere near Robin would be next to impossible. Peace in the Middle East would be more likely to occur. A wise man wouldn't tell Patrick who the profile was about, a voice in his head, sounding strangely like Lucky's father Luke, advised him. A wise man, Luke's voice continued, would just beg his friend to do a favor for him and give him the address.

"And then what? Leave town with no forwarding address?" Cruz mumbled to himself.

"Boss man?" Looking up Cruz caught Axe's concerned eye. Catching the boss talking to himself was not a confidence inspiring move.

Shaking his head, Cruz forced himself to ignore the undoubtedly bad advice of Luke. "It's nothing Axe. What's up?"

"You got a call. Line two. And she sounds hot."

She? Cruz picked up the phone with a smile. "This is Cruz Rodriguez, editor. How can I help you?"

Her distinct laugh greeted him. "Were you trying to impress someone with that? Don't you normally just grunt?"

"I was told a hot-sounding woman was on hold for me. I do aim to impress."

"Oh you are most impressive sir." Her voice dropped an octave, which had a lethal effect on him and she knew it. Evil wench.

"Careful. You keep talking like that and I won't be responsible for what I do to you."

"Promise?"

Damn how did he get so lucky to have this woman in his life? "Is this going to be nothing more than phone fun or do we get to see each other tonight?"

"That's why I'm calling. Nine at Cafe Mermout work for you?" She rattled off the name of one of the most secluded restaurants in town.

"Perfect. I'll see you then."

"You better." She laughed as she hung up.

Amazing how one short conversation with her had completely changed his mood. Even the perplexing problem of how to get Patrick to actually take on the assignment of shooting Robin's bakery couldn't bring him down. He pushed the assignment calendar away from him. He'd figure out someway to get Patrick to do the job for him, even if he did have to lie to his friend to do it. Right now he had more important things to worry about. Namely how exactly to refrain from calling her back every hour until he could see her again.


	8. Take A Leap

Robin paced the length of the flat, passing the green ottoman three times before Morgan cleared his throat at her worrisome behavior. He sat in the corner of the room, the front door behind him, with a coloring book and a sixty-four box set of crayons. "You're right." Robin told him. "I need to just call and make sure that nothing is wrong. I mean, it's ridiculous for me not to have phoned until now. I'm sure Adam is just swamped and, for my store to get any kind of attention is definitely noteworthy." Robin prattled on, bouncing the phone from one hand to the other. She pressed in the ten-digit number and waited for the other line to pick up.

"The Port Charles Insider, no one knows Port Charles better. This is Becca, how can I help you?" The voice was impossibly chipper. No one was naturally that happy.

"Good afternoon, Becca. This is Robin Scorpio. I was hoping to get in touch with Adam Czerwinski." Robin explained, hoping her voice sounded just as pleasant. Silence greeted her request. She began to wonder if maybe the entire profile piece had been an elaborate hallucination brought on by Courtney's cooking and too little sleep over Morgan's situation. She was about to repeat herself when Becca finally responded.

"Oh, let me transfer you to our editor Cruz Rodriquez. He'll be able to sort out this entire situation for you. Please hold."

"Okay." Robin said unnecessarily since Becca was no longer on the line. Morgan had returned to his strategy of coloring within the parameters of the picture. Three beeps sounded in her ear and then a distracted, if not completely bored, voice came on the line.

"This is Cruz Rodriguez. How can I help you?"

"Hello, this is Robin Scorpio. I was just calling to follow-up with one of your photographers, Adam Czerwinski." Robin explained. She could thank Anna for her impeccable manners. How many etiquette classes had she been forced to attend since childhood?

Seated at his desk, Cruz shot an irritated look in Becca and Axe's direction. They couldn't have given him some warning with this? Axe caught the evil glare Cruz was shooting him and shrugged his shoulders, a grin belying the apology he was trying to send. Cruz flipped him the bird. Sometimes it just paid to be the boss.

"Robin. Hello. I'm sorry I didn't realize it was you on the phone. I really need to invest more money in training my staff properly." He was desperate, hoping he could stall her long enough with small talk to disguise the fact that his photographer had in fact flown the coop.

"That's quite all right. I hope I'm not keeping you from something important?" Her voice rose a bit at the end, proving that it was in fact an implied question.

"No no no. Nothing that can't wait. If anything earth shattering occurs, I can always yell 'Stop the presses!' It's the perk of being the boss."

"I'm learning how hard it is to be the boss, so I can understand. I'll get straight to the point. I can only assume that you know why I'm calling. Your newspaper called me a few weeks ago saying that you wanted to do a spread on my bakery, Sweet Indulgence. There was an interview about a week ago, but then, nothing. We set up a meeting to take the shots this morning, but he never showed up." Robin informed him. She wished her business didn't need the exposure as much as it did, otherwise she never would have had to call the boss of the PC Insider and whine about his employee.

Cruz sucked in his breath. He couldn't exactly say he knew Robin well. He had only been at her wedding to laugh at Patrick in a tuxedo and score free alcohol. He certainly hadn't seen her in the six months since her divorce from Logan and Logan's flight from responsibility. So why was her directness such a shock to him? He had at least had passing conversations with her for five years. Yet another reason to kill Adam whenever he found him. He was making him forget entirely simple things.

Adjusting his tie, Cruz raised his eyes heavenward. "Listen Robin I'm just going to level with you. I assigned Adam to your story, because he was the best photographer I had here. He was the only one who could have done your piece the justice I think it deserves."

"'Was?'" Robin chewed uncertainly on the word. "Is he no longer a part of the magazine?" She guessed, having to restrain herself from throwing the telephone. So much for etiquette classes. She should have thanked him for his frankness.

Cruz silently planned out a new way to cheerfully murder Adam. At his last count he was up to 758. This would make way number 759. "Your guess is as good as mine. To tell you the complete truth, Adam has not shown up today and he's not returning my calls or pages. My gut says he got a better job offer and he took it, forgetting to let me in on the plan. He's a talented photographer and I knew he was going on to better things. I just thought he would have let me know about it first."

"A professional is only as good as their word. I've dealt with people like him in the past. Ohh, I should have known better. He was so suave. You do have a replacement, don't you? I mean someone with a little less ego and a little more drive?" Robin didn't care how desperate she sounded.

Fewer egos? Patrick certainly didn't qualify in that regard. More drive and talent certainly. And there was the little fact that Cruz hadn't exactly figured out yet how to get Patrick to do the job. Even the actually having the replacement figured out thing was suspect at this point. As appreciative as Robin had been with his honesty so far, Cruz doubted she would appreciate this much. Besides, didn't she share a mutual loathing society with Patrick? Telling her Patrick was his top pick to be the replacement photographer probably would result in getting the story buried and him scrambling to fill a gaping hole in the layout.

He decided to take a "less is more" approach. "I am in the process of re-assigning all of his unfinished assignments to other photographers and calling in some contacts I have in the freelance field when I need to. I will find someone who matches your reputation for perfectionism perfectly.

"That's perfect! Do you have a time table by chance? Or a name?" Robin added.

So they were actually going to run the spread. Robin felt like jumping up and down but the six-year-old to her right might not like that, so she kept her feet on the ground. From what little she had known of Cruz Rodriguez before now--and what little she still knew of him--he was a dedicated, cut-through-the-red-tape kind of guy and that made him perfect for his position. Robin had read in one of the rival magazines about how The Insider was suffering several staff losses and had been for who knew how long. Why the magazines would pick on it was beyond Robin's comprehension. Some people were just spiteful. He was promising to find her a replacement, saving both their asses, but what guarantee did she actually have? Adam Czerwinski had promised her a lot of things. Hell, Logan...

This was not the time to think about him. She almost couldn't think about Cruz's intentions without remembering that he was a friend of Logan's. From what she knew, he was close to Patrick Drake as well. The name left an acidic taste in her mouth. Where Logan had lacked in confidence and stability Patrick made up for in ego and self-assurance. The divorce hadn't been a pretty one, and, unless she was just way off base, the photographer was bitter about her role in the whole thing. What had he expected her to do, climb into the bed with Logan and his slut and join them? For Christ's sake, she was tired of his mindless accusations!

"I don't have a name for you just yet." Cruz silently vowed to go to church straight away for the lies he was telling Robin. "Several of my candidates are currently out of town on other assignments. As soon as they come back into town, I will call you myself and set up the time for the shoot." Drinking yourself into a stupor to celebrate your mother's life with your jackass of a brother counted as an assignment right? And surely he could come up with some reasonable story to get Patrick to do him this favor by the time he rolled back into town?

"Should I leave you my number so that your photographer can contact me or just call back?" Robin inquired.

"Please give me your number. I feel partially responsible for this mess so I will take care of arranging everything." The less exposure Patrick and Robin had to each other before this shoot, the more likely the chance Cruz stood to actually get it accomplished. Even when Patrick realized the deception, Cruz knew his friend well enough to know his professional pride would keep him at the shoot until it was complete.

Robin recited the number for Cruz, thanked him for his help, and hung up. She turned to tell Morgan the news, but his spot was empty and his mess had been picked up . Blowing out a breath, she let the smell of fresh-brewed coffee draw her into the kitchen.

"Hey Pint Size. Want some?" Courtney offered up a mug in Robin's direction. Coffee was the one thing Courtney could do well in the kitchen.

"Yes please." Robin answered dramatically, reaching for the offered mug.

Courtney went to pull down another mug from the shelf, this one emblazoned with the saying "If God wanted us to be morning people, She wouldn't have invented coffee". As she poured the cup, she looked down at her feet. "Morgan, you want some coffee buddy?" she asked with a laugh.

Morgan climbed onto the counter and buried his face in the Funnies section of the morning newspaper. It was the one thing he and Robin shared, their love of comics. He dropped the paper on the floor and stared at his aunt. He made a grab for the cup, lifting off of the counter too fast, and he flew forward. Courtney managed to catch him before Robin even knew what was happening.

"Oh my Go--goodness, Morgan. Are you all right?" Robin sounded like a mother hen, fretting over her fallen child. Morgan smiled at Courtney and hugged her tightly. He adjusted his blue jean overalls and got to his feet, retrieving the paper and skipping around the kitchen as if nothing had happened. Robin's face had lost all color when Courtney addressed her. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" She asked her roommate.

"I said he's fine. He's tough. Just like me, right Morgan?" Courtney put down her mug and began to mimic the muscle men poses they always laughed at when flipping past fitness competitions on TV. Morgan smiled and Robin could feel the urge to laugh rising up in her. The image of her tall blonde roommate acting like a muscle-bound behoment from the world of wrestling was comedy of the highest order.

"I can always count on you to make me laugh." Robin smiled into her coffee. "What are you up to tonight?"

Courtney twisted a piece of hair behind her ear and shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing concrete as of yet, but there maybe a karaoke competition happening at Lane's house tonight." Courtney looked up from her paper, her blue eyes shinning. "You and Morgan can come if you want. Lane's niece is visiting and could watch Morgan. And you know the dogs love Morgan. Plus Lane is a Disney freak. He'd have a great time." Courtney paused and fixed her gaze on Robin. "So would you, Roby."

"I have a lot of work to get done tonight, but you're welcome to take Morgan." Robin answered, busying herself with refilling the sugar packet jar. It was mostly true. She had a business to keep from going under. She had responsibilities.

"What do you have to do? Alphabetize the spice rack again?"

"I only did that because you hid some of them from me." Robin argued.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Let me guess you're doing something that you are convinced will keep the bakery open and away from the brink of foreclosure."

"That's not it at all!" Robin countered, sticking out her tongue. Courtney's request wasn't ridiculous to say the least. Robin had been divorced for six months, and, most women in her situation would be taking any opportunity presented if it got them out of the house. She wasn't most women. She didn't crave male attention. She didn't strive to pick out a perfect outfit for clubbing...she hadn't gone clubbing more than once and that was back when she and Courtney had been in their first semester of college. She wouldn't have fit in now, that was for sure.

"Roby, you have not gone out to do anything fun since you kicked He Who Shall Not Be Named to the curb." Normally Courtney would have given Logan a more colorful description, but she was editing for the young ears in close proximity. "He took five years from you. Don't let him take anything more from you. Don't let the You-Know-What win."

"This isn't a competition, Court." And yet, it was. She couldn't stand the idea of Logan being happy without her. She wanted him to suffer as she had suffered. She wanted him to be uncertain of his worth to the opposite sex. She wanted him to wake up in the middle of the night to find no one beside him in his cold bed.

"Keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day you'll find someone who actually believes you." Courtney walked over to Robin's side of the counter and sat down. "Roby, I promise not to let you leave with any loser and that the bakery will not cease to exist if you have one night of fun."

"Promise?" Robin challenged in a light voice. She was doing it. She was going forward with some kind of haphazard plan. Oh God, she was terrified!

"Cross my heart hope Logan to die" Courtney responded cheerfully, her hand up in an approximation of a Boy Scout salute.

Robin giggled and headed upstairs to get ready. Courtney had only left her an hour to shower and get changed. No way was she going out anywhere in her white button-up suit!

Courtney offered her nephew a wink. "Looks like we won that one, didn't we Morgan?" The six year old merely smiled and returned his attention to the funnies.

Ten minutes into her shower, Robin's weary body began to sizzle with anticipation. Should she blow-dry her hair? No. The weather had been awfully humid lately, so she wasn't going to take any chances with her hair. Slapping a moderate amount of gel into her right palm, she brought her hands together and worked the chemical through her wavy mess of curls. Then, she got to work on her makeup, and almost cried when she saw what a difference a little mascara made to her plain complexion. When Courtney found her, she had thrown almost every outfit she owned onto the bed, unable to establish which would be the most appropriate.

Courtney laughed. "I thought we didn't have hurricanes in New York"

"Help!" Robin begged, throwing her hands into the air, completely baffled at the situation that lay in front of her. "I don't want to look like an old woman, but I burned all of the clothes I bought during my marriage. Is there anything in here that would pass for twenty-four instead of forty-four?"

"Lord, we don't want that. Follow me." Courtney motioned Robin down the short hallway towards her own room and closet. She flung open the door and threw her arms open wide. "Help yourself."


	9. A Promising Beginning

The noise was thick with children screaming mind-numbingly ridiculous kiddie rock songs and the ever constant whirl of video games. It was enough to drive many sane adults running right out of the game area and into the parking lot. But Elizabeth thrived in the chaos. She swiftly dodged a running pack of four-year-olds hurtling themselves towards the ball pit and smiled when she saw the new girl get trapped and almost carried along with them. "Newbie." she whispered to herself.

It took a special kind of person to work at Chuck E. Cheese's in the summertime. The activity was constant and there was no rest. And while Elizabeth didn't exactly love it, she did enjoy it. There was always something different, some new crisis waiting to be solved, not to mention it helped keep her classroom management skills in practice during the long summer months, since there was no demand for nursery school teachers during summer school. Not to mention the extra money, while not much, was always appreciated.

During a normal week, the restaurant would be deserted during the Monday afternoon. But it was the first full week of summer vacation and some parents were already running out of ideas to keep the little ones entertained. If the building had rafters, Elizabeth was fairly certain children would be hanging from them. It had thinned out a fraction since the lunch rush had ended, but should a parent glance away for even a half a second, it was completely possible to lose sight of their child.

Elizabeth sat down on one of the hard plastic benches close to the Skee Ball games. She was on her break and technically she shouldn't be sitting on the floor, but getting to the break room would require crossing an ever changing maze of little ones and would take her entire break time to get there. No, she would just sit down here in the back of the restaurant, far enough from the prying eyes of her supervisor. She re-arranged her ponytail and fanned the back of her neck. Two hours to go and she would be done for the day. She rested her head in her hands as she watched the traffic drive by in the large picture windows.

She had always been a daydreamer, but lately during her every free second, she found her mind returning to her bizarre meeting with Lucky Spencer. Elizabeth found herself ruminating on the same points over and over again. He had been flirting with her. He was her student's father. He was gorgeous. He had hit on her during a parent-teacher conference about his son. He had an adorable child. He had an adorable child that no one seemed to know about and he could possibly never see.

It was days after meeting him and Elizabeth was still no closer to figuring out what exactly she thought of the whole situation than she was when she first met him. She needed to snap out of it and re-join the real world. The one that didn't operate under the constant speculation on Lucky Spencer and his life.

Someone, somewhere apparently had other plans. A small hand tugged on her sleeve and she heard a small voice speak to the right of her. "Miss Lizabeth?"

She glanced down and found herself looking directly into the brown eyes of Cameron Spencer. He waved to her with a wide grin reaching up to his curls on his face. "Hi Miss Lizabeth!"

Elizabeth knelt down to his eye level with a smile. "Well hello there Cameron." She reached over and hugged the boy. "Are you having fun today?"

He nodded enthusiastically and pointed to the ball pit across the play room. "I play in the balls."

Elizabeth scanned the crowd, seeing no sign of Lucky Spencer. Was he even there? Did he ever bring Cameron to places like this? Did that always fall to Laura Spencer or a nanny? Who had brought Cameron here and where were they while he ran around the play room?

A split second later, Robin was trailing behind him. "Cameron!" She called after him, holding Kristina Davis-Corinthos by the hand and Morgan under her left arm. She stopped in front of the three-year-old and the unfamiliar woman standing next to him, setting the other two children down. Robin placed her right hand forward, but it fell before it touched Cameron's shoulder. She couldn't breathe. "Ca--am--eron." She managed weakly.

"Robin! I see Miss Lizabeth!" Cameron pointed up to the woman holding his hand. "See? Miss Lizabeth!"

Kristina, Sonny's only daughter, reached out and touched Robin's face. "Robin, why are you blue?" Robin straightened at that.

"I'm so sorry. He got away from me." Robin explained, extending her hand for Elizabeth to shake.

"I can see why." Elizabeth felt sorry for the other woman struggling to catch her breath. She obviously didn't have much experience when it came to chasing down three children. "Elizabeth Webber. I was Cameron's pre-school teacher."

Thanks to Courtney and her low tolerance for alcohol, Robin had ended up with all three children by herself, knowing that their "Aunt Courtney" had promised to take them to Chuck E. Cheese's. "Robin Scorpio. It's nice to meet you." Robin smiled brightly.

"You too." Elizabeth noticed both Cameron and the other two children nearly jumping up and down to go play. This poor woman was going to collapse if she didn't help her. "Do you guys know what time it is?" Elizabeth whispered to the three young children.

Kristina, Cameron, and Morgan all shook their heads. Making it as a big production as she could, Elizabeth looked both ways and dropped her voice to an even more dramatic whisper. "It's almost time for Chuck E. Cheese's himself to come out. Do you guys want to meet him?"

Robin couldn't suppress the look of relief that washed across her features. This woman was an angel. Now, maybe she could sit down.

Shooting Robin a wink, Elizabeth motioned for the three excited children to follow her. "Come on, I happen to know the best place to meet him" She led them directly to a small booth near the back of the theater area. "Now if you sit here for a minute and watch, he'll show up." Elizabeth checked her watch. The show would start in a few seconds and Steve, the Chuck E Cheese's character performer, would come out shortly after that. There was only one way for Steve to enter and she had sat the four at the first table he would come to.

Robin mouthed a "Thank You" to the young brunette just moments before the giant mouse came out to meet them. She pushed her hair behind her ears, adjusting her white button-down blouse and noticing that, somehow, she had gotten tomato sauce on the collar. She didn't even eat pizza, so she figured it must have happened when she wasn't aware. God, had she been watching them at all? She had closed her eyes for a second, and who knew what could have happened in that time? She didn't remember being this neurotic before she became an over-the-night parent. Oh, she was in such bad shape.

Robin could hear the sound of ice being tapped against a glass. She looked over her shoulder and saw a hand holding out a full glass of Coke.

"You look like you could use about seven of these" Elizabeth commented as she sat down in the seat vacated by Morgan as he followed the giant mouse and all the other children in the theater for a game of follow the leader.

"Maybe a little rum along with it." Robin mumbled and then had to laugh at her dramatic response. "You're a life-saver. I'm sure the last thing you planned on doing today was entertaining your students. I mean, what with it being summer and all."

Elizabeth shrugged. "Not the first time it's happened. It certainly won't be the last."

It was then that Robin saw the nametag stuffed into the breast pocket of Elizabeth's shirt. So, she worked there. It had been more than coincidence. "My roommate was supposed to watch the kids today, but she woke up rather indisposed, so I took over the job. As you can tell, I'm still learning."

"You'll be fine. And you've already figured out the most important lesson of all."

"What's that?" Robin wondered.

Elizabeth spoke with a tone of mock authority. "Never let them outnumber you at Chuck E. Cheese's."

Robin laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair. "Yes, I've learned that the hard way. I can't imagine doing this everyday. How do you do it?"

"Medication. Lots and lots of medication." Elizabeth smiled. "No seriously, I love working with kids so it doesn't bother me much. Besides its only three months out of my life and there are a lot worse things to stand for three months."

Robin signaled a waitress over to them and ordered another Coke for her and three Sprite's for the kids. "What would you like?" She asked Elizabeth. "Sprite, Coke, Spinach?" Robin teased.

Elizabeth glanced down at her watch. "I really can't. My break is over and I'm supposed to go cover the prize table." She rolled her eyes at the prospect. "Can't imagine my joy there."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to take your whole break, but I can't say that I regret meeting you. Kids, say bye to Miss Elizabeth." All three kids turned to wave at her.

Elizabeth waved back at them. "Don't sweat it. It was actually fun to have a conversation with someone that didn't revolve around getting a car or the SATs. If you are leaving anytime soon make sure to stop and see me."

Robin glanced over at the kids and their interest in the ball pit. "I'm sure we'll be here for a while." She smirked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Sugar crash. I say an hour more tops and they will be ready to fall asleep right here. Better come find me then. There is no way you are getting all three of them into the car in one trip."

"I'd appreciate the company." Robin assured her.


	10. Look After You

Patrick sat alone at the back table of Kelly's diner so that his back was to the front door. He had yet to pick up and drink the large black coffee he had ordered. Besides, he was certain that, by now, it had gone ice-cold anyway. What did it matter? He doubted he'd be able to taste it. He had listened to Logan's message again and again, trying to find something in his little brother's voice that came off as the least bit sincere. A day later, and he was still pissed off about his brother's complete disregard for familial obligation. It was one day out of the year, and Logan couldn't even manage that. What had come up probably had more to do with some girl than any actual emergency or work-related situation. He was disgusted by his brother's behavior, and he wondered for the millionth time that morning if maybe he was the cause for Logan's lack of respect for their mother. It wasn't as though they had been babies when she was taken from them, so Logan couldn't use the excuse that he had barely known her. He had loved her just as much as Patrick had, or at least he had always thought so. What could have been more important than the tenth anniversary of their mother's death? Patrick would have expected this from Noah, but not Logan. Had his brother really become so jaded over the years? Was he to blame?

No, Patrick screamed inwardly to his brain. He was not to blame for Logan's actions. He had taken responsibility for his brother all their lives, but that was over. He would no longer fight as hard as he did to justify the wrong decisions Logan had made over the years.

He was only the older brother by a year and yet he felt so much more mature. They had each gone their separate ways over the years, and that was just fine with Patrick. What wasn't okay, what really made his blood start to boil, was the fact that yesterday Logan had found something better to do.

The sound of the mug shattering barely registered in his foggy brain. How many glasses had he broken at the cabin? How many sheets and blankets had he torn up, cut up? He had left it that way too, wanting someone else to take care of it for a change. Sure, Noah had checked out, but how could Logan have done this to him? Was there no family pride left in his brother or was he just that selfish?

Mike Corbin hurried to the table, but Patrick had already swept up the mess. "Mike, I'm sorry. I'll pay for the glass." Patrick promised the older man.

"That's really not necessary, Patrick. It wasn't priceless or anything. Say, are you alright?" Mike wondered.

"I've been better I guess." Patrick answered with noncommittal shrug.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mike offered.

"No thanks, Mike. I'd rather just deal with it on my own. Are you sure I can't pay for the glass?" Mike waved his hand at his question. The grey-haired man returned to his perch behind the bar.

Patrick wished that he would have been able to accept the invitation, to spill his guts to the man with whom he had grown up admiring, but his pride would not allow it. Hell, his upbringing wouldn't allow it. No Drake man ever asked for help. It was disturbing to think that he had picked up any of his father's less than valuable traits, but there it was. He checked his cell phone just to give himself something else to concentrate on--he had repaired it after he "accidentally" backed over it with his car--but the tiny blue window showed that no one had tried to contact him over the last thirty-six hours.

Patrick left a large tip on the table and shoved the door open, no longer able to breathe. The walls had started to close in on him quicker than he had thought they would. These minor mental attacks hadn't affected him since he was a small boy locked in a trunk during a game of Hide and Seek. He had been excellent at that game, always better at hiding than seeking, but getting stuck in that sixteen by eight inch trunk had scared him into a near catatonic state. Noah hadn't known what to do with him and Mattie was already sick by then, so his father had pawned him off on the Spencer's. If it hadn't been for Laura, he might never have spoken again. He supposed that was why they had bonded like they had, so much so that she often referred to him as one of her own children.

"Patrick!" Bobbie Spencer strode out to catch her nephew, her red hair streaming out behind her. "Patrick! Slow down!"

Patrick spun around, his hands shoved in his khakis. "Hey Aunt Bobbie." Patrick couldn't keep the emotion from showing all over his face. As Mattie's younger sister, Bobbie had to have had a pretty rough day yesterday as well. He wanted to hug her and never let go. He wanted her to stroke his hair and rock him, let him cry. Of course, none of these were plausible options, because he was no longer a child.

As usual, Bobbie Spencer ignored things like the actual ages of her nephew and hugged him fiercely to her. "How are you Prince?" She asked him, using the nickname she had given him in his childhood. She was still the only one who could call him that.

Her simple question had Patrick shaking with sobs. He hugged her back, careful not to cut off her oxygen supply, and buried his face into the crook of her shoulder. "I was doing so well, I thought. It didn't hit me until last night really that she was gone. Ten years, Bobbie. When is it going to get easier?"

Bobbie guided him towards a bench and sat him down. She placed his head on her shoulder and stroked his hair. Kissing his forehead, she whispered gently, "It happens to everyone at their own pace, Prince. I wish I could give you an exact date, but I just don't know. I promise you, it won't always be this raw. I promise you that much."

"I feel so lost. I should spend the anniversary doing something other than getting drunk with Logan and sitting in the cabin hoping to relive some memory that, for all I know, we're making up." Patrick berated himself.

"You did not make it up. Your mother was a wonderful giving woman. She was everything you remember. You never lose sight of that, okay?" Bobbie paused for breath while Patrick nodded. "Now how is my wayward nephew? And what excuse did he give this time for skipping out on me?"

"He had better things to do." Patrick gritted out.

"Well that certainly isn't the most original of his excuses, but I'm sure you enjoyed seeing him anyways."

"He never showed. He called me yesterday and left a message on my voicemail." Patrick explained somberly. "I really don't know why I've tried to keep the tradition going. It's obvious that we're just not the family we used to be. But then, how could we be without my mother?" Patrick challenged.

Bobbie grabbed Patrick by the shoulders. "I'm going to tell you something that your grandfather taught your mother, your uncle, and me. Family is forever. It doesn't matter how far apart you are, or for how long someone is gone. Family is forever. Whatever you can do to keep the family together is what you should do. No arguments. No discussions. No second-guessing. You just do it. So no matter what your brother does, you keep trying." She paused to wipe a tear from his cheek. "If you do stop, then you really will have lost her completely."

Patrick hung his head at that. It was just too damn hard to stand tall when the world was doing its best to break him. He had always trusted Bobbie's judgment and she hadn't blamed him for lashing out at her right after Mattie was taken from them. She had talked to him then just as she was doing now. He straightened and slid off of the bench, slipping further away from her. "You're right." He agreed. "It's time I quit being selfish and focus on what's best for my family."

"You're not being selfish. You're being human." She placed her finger under his chin. "There is a big difference in that."

"How do you make it all okay?" Patrick wanted to know.

She smiled at him sadly. "I learned from my mother. Just like your mother did."

"Noah could never stay mad at her," Patrick recalled. "The second he raised his voice, she would give him a look, and he would apologize." His eyes misted. "Logan and I used to get such a kick out of it. He told us that one day we'd be in similar situations and it'd be in our best interests to pick our battles wisely." Patrick continued, running a hand through his chestnut hair.

"I know you hate to hear this, but sometimes your father actually was a very smart man."

"That's where I have to disagree, Aunt Bobbie. A smart man wouldn't have let himself fall for a woman the way he did. When he lost her, he went straight to a bar. He didn't consider how we, his children, might have been taking things. He never once thought about how much _we _needed him." Patrick shot back.

"Like I said, you hate to hear it. And this is me picking my own battles."

"I don't mean to take my anger out on you. It's not your fault. You've always done whatever you could to make things better." Patrick replied proudly.

"It's okay. I'm happy to help you. You're my nephew."

"Yes but am I your favorite nephew?" It was a running joke between Bobbie, Patrick, and Lucky, dating back to some of his earliest summers spent at the Spencer house.

Elizabeth raised her arms over her head and stretched. It had been a long day and she was beat. She wanted nothing more than to sink into a bubble bath and just forget her every ache and pain. Turning her key in the lock, she entered her frosty, air-conditioned home. It was quiet. Almost too quiet. A quick glance at her watch showed the time to be five in the evening. There should be some noise. Grams was supposed to be home. Where was the noise?

"Grams?" she called out trying to keep her voice calm. "Grams? You home?" Silence.

Elizabeth moved towards the kitchen. If Grams had left for any reason there would be a note taped to the refrigerator. Her grandmother was entirely old fashioned and sometimes completely predictable. She flipped on the lights and focused immediately on the appliance. No note.

On the off chance Grams had forgotten to leave a note, she opened the door to the garage. The car sat there silently. "Grams?" It was harder and harder to keep the worry out of her voice. "Grams? You okay?"

She raced through the living room, pausing only long enough to check the study, and rushed up the stairs. Visions of her grandmother lying helpless on the floor of her bedroom danced in her head. Irrationally she thought about the "I've fallen and I can't get up" commercial. 'Oh please' she thought. 'Don't let me be a cautionary tale for an infomercial.'

She reached her grandmother's bedroom door, knocking as she opened it. The manners her grandmother had worked for years to instill in her apparently remained even in a crisis. "Grams?"

"Elizabeth? Is that you?"

Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. Her grandmother lay quite comfortably on her bed, not on the floor, and had apparently just woken up from a nap. She moved to sit down at the foot of the bed, suddenly exhausted.

"Hi Grams."

Audrey stretched her hands over her head, and smiled. "I must have slept longer than I thought if you're home. What time is it?"

"About five o'clock."

Audrey nodded. "Dinner time. What do you say we order in Chinese and watch that new DVD you rented the other day?"

Elizabeth smiled. She was wondering if maybe her grandmother and her brother were right about her needing a life. This should not be the most exciting night of her week. "That sounds perfect Grams."


	11. Collide

_Author's Notes: This title is not to be confused with that bullshit montage GH showrunners used last year._

Robin glanced over at the clock. She had roughly an hour until Cruz's photographer showed up. Courtney had taken Morgan to school this morning so that she could get ready and head over to her shop before it opened. She had her hair wound around and pinned to her head, not a strand out of place. The bake case was spotless as was every other piece of furniture in the place. She had gone over the floor with a broom and a vacuum cleaner. Having run out of things to clean, she had gotten out the feather duster.

Robin pulled out a stool from the back and placed it in the middle of the shop nearest the door so she could see what the average person saw. The top shelf was dusty, but what could she do? The stool only added half a foot of height and she was only five foot two without it. Besides, she doubted it was noticeable to anyone but her. The figurines were perfectly centered and they added an old-fashioned, straight-out-of-grandma's-kitchen feel to the bakery. She was quite proud of them. No one had to know that she had purchased them for fifty cents at a garage sale. There were glass jars on the second shelf labeled sugar or flour and a little bear across the front of them in a white chef hat holding a plastic gray spatula. They had been a gift from her mother.

She had expertly separated her croissants from her most luscious desserts, forcing the customer to look through the entire bake case. It ran from one corner of the shop to the other, leaving only enough space to fit a set of double doors leading the restrooms. The shelves under the desserts were reserved for jams, jellies, coffee and tea tins, and all types of sauce from chocolate to apricot to caramel.

There were two white wooden spinning racks on either side of the front door full of wedding cake examples she had done herself over the last six months she had owned her business. At the counter, she kept a stack of business cards advertising her catering services along with the contact information for the best wedding planner in the state, Bobbie Spencer. Bobbie was an old family friend and Robin was thankful that she hadn't lost touch with her after the divorce. She hadn't chosen sides or asked to hear what the "real" story was. She had simply offered her services to Robin once the news of her business spread across the town like wildfire. Robin gave the bride a twenty-five percent discount off of her cakes if she chose Bobbie for their planner. It had been a very profitable idea from the get go. She wondered sometimes if her wedding cake sales were all that kept this little store open. God only knew when Skye Quartermaine was going to divorce her husband and get started on her thirteenth wedding.

Robin headed to the back of the kitchen when she noticed a spot on the inner glass of the front door. Well, that just wouldn't do. She was certain she had some Windex in the back and it wasn't as though she expected the photographer to show up any minute. He was a professional, but he wasn't anywhere near her level of neurotic. The double doors slamming behind her blocked out the sound of the front door being pushed open.

Patrick surveyed the little bakery with a mock expression spread across his face. He would never understand the need for knick knacks. They didn't brighten the room or make him want to head to his nearest Mom and Pop store to pick some up. They were juvenile and, in his opinion, tacky. Maybe he could politely point out their uselessness without screwing himself or Cruz over.

The shop had an aromatic smell to it as if the store owner had lit a few fruity-smelling candles prior to his arrival. The spread would be a sinch if this was all he had to work with. Thankfully, he had left his equipment outside, leaving his hands free. He wondered if the owner would notice if he moved some of the packages. He really shouldn't be pushing his luck, but he was still a bit sore at his brother for abandoning him and Cruz guilting him into a job that he surely wouldn't get rich because of.

"Hello?" Patrick's voice carried into the kitchen, apparently alerting the owner because he heard something that sounded like glass shattering just beyond a set of brown-and-black double doors. He stepped closer, the spotless sheets of glass build into the doors allowing him to peek inside. He just wanted to make sure that the owner didn't have a dog-face. He worked better when they were at least slightly attractive. A clever voice pointed out the mess he had made of his life when he had let things get physical with Emily Quartermaine. Then and there, no matter what the owner looked like, he wouldn't make the same mistakes he had made with Emily. He was a professional after all.

"I'll be right there!" A tiny voice answered him a few moments later. Patrick smiled, trademark dimples in place, and took a deep breath. She was probably ninety years old with one of those canes that had a blade at the end of them. If he said the wrong thing, she was more than capable of seriously injuring him. He considered calling Cruz and getting just a bit more information, but his pride wouldn't allow it. Old bag or not, he was here to do a job. God, he had to get his mind out of his pants. He had damn near gotten himself killed...probably. Who knew with Emily? Maybe she was waiting outside pouring gasoline all over his car.

Robin used the small broom and dustpan she kept under the three-part sink to sweep up the mess her unexpected guest had caused her to make. Her fine china was now missing one of its smaller plates, but hopefully none of her family would notice. No one else really paid attention to that, did they? She had hoped she'd be able to recognize something about her guest's voice, so that she wouldn't feel quite so surprised when she came face-to-face with him. Cruz had been so secretive when he'd mentioned this fabulous photographer that she didn't even know his name. It was frustrating! She, who planned for every sort of situation, was going into a business deal with a stranger. Gritting her teeth, she let the photographer know that she was, in fact, in the building. "I'll be right there!"

There was no reason for her to be rude. He had, after all, rearranged his schedule to pick up another man's dirty work. She knew he had been called in as a favor to Cruz, but she wasn't sure what had tipped her off. Would he refer to her as Ms. Scorpio? That'd be the best thing, she decided. No reason to get all informal about it. This was business, not pleasure. Maybe Courtney was right; maybe Logan had completely turned her off to the idea of a future with any member of the opposite sex. She hadn't been with a single person since she found him bed with that strange woman. Would it have made you feel better if you had known her name? A cruel voice teased. Lucky me, I have her face burned into my memory! Robin shot the voice down without even raising her blood pressure. Robin Scorpio: 1 Nagging Voice: 0.

"This is quite a-an impressive establishment." Patrick declared as she emerged from the kitchen. Her chef's hat covered her eyes, leaving him at a disadvantage. Could she see him? The owner reached behind her and flipped on the lights, adjusting the hat with her free hand.

"Thank y--" Robin's response died on her tongue.

"You!" Robin exclaimed in a strained whisper. Patrick gave her a confused look, his eyes still adjusting to the blazing light. "Get the hell out of my store!" Robin demanded without a moment's hesitation.

"Bakery owner...just opened...divorced..." Patrick murmured to himself. "You've got to be fucking kidding me!" He shot back.

"Get out! I'll call the police! What do you want? Never mind, get out! I'm dialing!" Robin assured him, searching her pocket-less outfit for her cell phone.

This could not be happening! Patrick thought wistfully. He hadn't had enough sleep. He was hallucinating. Surely, this was just some sort of joke that his soon-to-be-ex-best-friend and his least favorite person in entire the world were playing on him. The police? Who would she call? Mac? That was a possibility. That old bastard wouldn't think twice about it either, not if it came from Robin that he had trespassed--he had been invited!

Robin couldn't stop her jaw from dropping. She was confused. Cruz knew of their history. Why would he set her up this way? She must have underestimated his loyalty to Logan. This wasn't fair. She had walked away without a single regret. She had done a complete one-eighty! Who was this man to come into her life and wreck it? No, she had worked far too long, way too hard to step down now! She was calling Cruz this second...just as soon as she located her cell phone.

"Allow me." Patrick offered in a sickeningly sweet voice, retrieving his phone from his back pocket. "I'll find out what's going on since you're just going to stand there and stare at me." He mocked, putting the phone to his ear.

"Thank you for calling the Port Charles Insider. This is Becca, how can I direct your call?"

"Staring at you? Please. Get over yourself." Robin rolled her eyes, planting her hands on her hips. Patrick scrunched up at his face at her. Thank God he wasn't immature enough to--was she sticking out her tongue at him?

"Hey Becca, it's Patrick. Can you transfer me to Cruz?" Patrick had always liked Becca. If Cruz hadn't stepped in and "defended" her honor, Patrick wouldn't have minded spending time with her outside of the office.

"Oh hi Patrick." Becca's normal speaking voice suddenly sped up. "You know I think you just missed him. Yeah, I just looked back two seconds ago and he's not here. He must have snuck out on me. Can I take a message? I'll be glad to tell him you called."

"No, Becca, you don't seem to understand." Patrick said through clenched teeth. "It's life or death."

"You just try it." Robin dared him.

"Patrick I wish I could help you but Cruz just isn't here." Becca's voice was pleading now, begging him just to hang up the phone.

"You're lying." Patrick accused sharply.

"A woman is lying to you? What'd you do, ask her how you rate in bed?" Robin teased.

"I swear I'm not. Why would I lie to you Patrick?"

"You value your job." Patrick said.

"Patrick I can't help you. You'll have to try to catch him some other way."

"Give me the damn phone. Cruz isn't going to answer." Robin insisted, trying to snatch the phone without having to touch him.

"How would you know? Of course! You're a part of this!" Patrick shouted, his anger directed at his present company.

"Be serious! I wouldn't knowingly do this to myself." Robin sneered.

"Patrick? I'm going to hang up now..."

"No...no...Becca...BECCA!"

"Nice job, Prince Dork."

"You shut up!" Patrick warned, wagging a finger at her as he dialed in the second number he had for Cruz. He was not above calling the man's immediate family if it came to that.

"By now he knows that we know. You're just wasting your time." Robin assured him.

"This is Cruz. I'm not here. You know what to do."

"Cruz, you...son...of...a...bitch." Patrick slammed the phone shut and glared at Robin.

"You can exit the way you entered...through that door." Robin instructed when he made no move toward the door.

"I'm not going anywhere." Patrick countered, taking a step forward. Robin's feet were rooted in their spot. She wasn't going to back down.

"I'm getting a migraine." Robin complained, softly massaging her forehead.

"Getting old Scorpio?" Patrick snarled.

"You're older than I am!" Robin retorted, trying to think of a way to get him out of here without involving her uncle. They were a bunch of gossips--her family--and, by tomorrow morning, they'd have it in their minds that she and Patrick were...were an item! She made a face at that last gruesome thought.

"This isn't getting us anywhere!" Patrick slammed his hands against the wooden side of the bake case.

"Watch it, you ape! You should be used to going nowhere." Robin screamed at him.

"And just what do you mean by that?" Patrick wanted to know.

"You are a Drake, aren't you? Running around in circles, never accomplishing anything, is what you do best!" Robin clarified.

Patrick leapt toward her, but she was expecting that reaction, and, as a result, all he ended up doing was tripping over her chef's hat. She had ripped it off when he was on the phone with Cruz's assistant.

"What are you going to do? Beat me up? Is that what a real man would do?" Robin taunted him.

"Then I'd have to touch you and, from what Logan has told me--well, it's less than pleasant experience." Patrick lied, watching her eyes flash.

"I'm going to claw your eyes out!" She assured him, pouncing on him. Patrick hadn't known such a little woman could pack such a strong punch. She had him on his back before he even knew what was happening.

"Get...off of me!" Patrick croaked, grabbing each of her fists with one large hand while the other rolled her over. The phone on the wall rang, breaking the deadlock. They both lunged for it, convinced salvation was on the other end.

"Sweet Indulgence. How...how may I help you?" Robin said into the phone.

"Robin? Is that you?" Elizabeth's voice came across the line. "You sound different..."

"Just...chasing a stray." Robin told her.

Patrick narrowed his eyes at her as he got to his feet and dusted off his pants.

"Ok...I was just calling to see how the photo shoot was going. You said it was a big deal and I wanted to wish you luck."

"I think I'm going to need more than luck. It seems...oh it's too ridiculous to tell you over the phone. You want to meet for drinks? It's already--" Robin glanced over at the clock, "Eight."

"A bit of a lush aren't you?" Patrick whistled at her.

"Sure. Jake's in two hours?"

"Yeah." Robin agreed, hanging up. "Now, listen here Drake," She began, pointing a finger in Patrick's general direction.

"Enough. We're supposed to be professionals." Patrick reminded her.

"Cut it out. I don't buy this act of yours. The most mature thing you've probably ever done is remember to use a condom during sex." Robin huffed, hanging up the phone.

"Already thinking about getting me into bed, Scorpio?" Patrick baited.

"Oh my God, get out of my store." She begged, dropping to the floor. Sitting cross-legged, she looked like a school-age child. She was so tiny.

"I have a job to do. You wanted the best? Well, you're getting it." Patrick guaranteed, rubbing his right eye when he noticed that it had started ticking.

"Do we know where Cruz is?" Robin inquired.

"Hiding." Patrick answered.

Robin reached for Patrick's cell phone.

"Hey! Hey!" Patrick argued.

"Hush." Robin ordered, dialing a number that had been drilled into her mind.

Two beats later, a male voice sounded over the phone. "McGuire."

"Mark, this is Robin Scorpio. Do you remember me? We met at my mother's last campaign?" Robin prayed he remembered who she was.

"Oh yeah. Hey, Robin." She could hear him smiling over the line.

"Can you do me an itsy, bitsy favor?" Robin wondered.

"For Anna's daughter? Anything." McGuire drawled.

"I need help tracking down a friend." Robin explained. "His name is Cruz Rodriguez."

"Pulling up the information now, Miss Scorpio." McGuire assured her.

"Do you need anymore information?" Robin wanted to know.

"I've got an address."

Patrick handed Robin a napkin and the pen from his front breast pocket. Robin scribbled the address down. "McGuire, you're a lifesaver." He said something about it "being a pleasure" Robin thought, but she hung up before she could be sure.

"He's not going to answer the door for either of us." Patrick pointed out.

"He's not at home. His cell phone has a GPS chip in it." Robin filled him in.

"How the hell did you know that?" Patrick demanded.

"It's common knowledge. A big-shot like Cruz would want a phone with all the features." Robin replied impatiently.

"Let me see the napkin." Patrick ordered.

"In a little while. I need a drink. You're coming with me." Robin explained, leading him out of the shop so that she could lock up.


	12. Away From The Sun

He was pathetic Lucky decided. One hundred percent pathetic. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he waited to be connected to the manager of his latest signed artist. This was going to be hell and he was probably going to have to pay dearly for it, but damn it this was going to happen.

"Mr. Spencer. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The booming voice of Jonathan Grief filled Lucky's ear. Lucky rolled his eyes at the false confidence being projected. Grief was good, but he was too new. Getting Daphne Vega a record deal with L&B records was the most success he had to date. Lucky could eat him for lunch in a deal negotiation no problem.

"Listen Grief, I know we arranged for Daphne to appear at Pink Elephant with me tomorrow night, but we'll have to reschedule. Something's come up."

"Reschedule? Mr. Spencer, this appearance is crucial to the publicity for her debut album. Without the proper exposure, my client stands..."

Lucky interrupted him briskly. This was _not _going to take all night. "I understand the value of publicity, Grief. I'm the one who came up with this plan. And I stand to lose more money than you if her album flops." Satisfied with the ensuing silence, he continued, "Now I have no problem rescheduling for next week, but if that's a problem for Daphne we can always just push back the release date of the CD." He let the threat out slowly. He didn't want to go to that point. Daphne was a sweet kid. The CD was hot and should be yet another hit for L&B, but this wannabe who watched too much Entourage was not going to screw this up for him.

"No, no. We can reschedule. It's not a problem." Lucky smirked as the other man backpedaled. Just like clockwork.

"Thank you for being so agreeable. I'll have my secretary get back with you tomorrow to finalize details." Lucky flipped his cell phone shut, not bothering with a goodbye. Sometimes it was good to be the one with power.

Tossing the cell phone onto his coffee table, he sunk down into the couch. He felt like an ass. Daphne was actually very sweet and did not deserve that threat being leveled at her. There was no doubt in Lucky's mind Grief would repeat it to his client. He would have to talk to her soon and explain the situation, smooth the waters over before she freaked.

It was a foolproof publicity scam that he had run countless times before. Lucky and Ned were well aware of the media attention Lucky generated. He was the youngest vice president in the industry currently and it was no secret that Ned planned on naming him the next president of L&B records. Even though he had only recently turned twenty-five, Lucky had actually worked at L&B for ten years. He had worked his way up from the mail room, to the recording booth, and now into the vice-presidency as Head of the Artists and Development department. Lucky had inherited his father's ear for good music and his passion for only listening to the best. The clients Lucky had signed had become critical darlings, award winners, and chart toppers.

Ned had been a godsend in offering a full time job to Lucky when he learned that Cameron was on the way. And he had bent over backwards in letting Lucky create whatever type of schedule he wanted when he became a single parent. Without Ned's support, he wasn't quite sure how he would have managed to support Cameron. In return, Lucky worked his ass off. He didn't want anyone to say Ned had a made a mistake in even hiring him, much less promoting him so quickly. Lucky wanted to earn the respect of his peers and honor his mentor. So whenever he signed a new artist, Lucky took the promoting of each new client personally, never mind the full department he had to take care of that for him. He went to the right clubs with them. Took them to see the hottest shows. Was seen eating with them at the best restaurants in New York. He knew to show up exactly where the photographers were and made sure everyone heard the name of his newest find.

Of course it was the biggest load of bullshit every conceived. Lucky may enter those clubs, but he left soon after, making a beeline straight for Ned and Lois's New York apartment where Cameron was spending the night. Most of the time the new artists had a boyfriend, fiancée, or in some cases girlfriends at home who were annoyed at having to pretend they didn't exist while the first CD was being promoted. Cameron was the center of his world, but he never mentioned his son. Lucky wanted Cameron to live as normal a life as possible. There was no way Lucky wanted to raise the male version of Paris Hilton. He had met far too many children of celebrities and they scared him. There was no way he wanted that life for his son.

Daphne's CD had all the earmarks for success. He should be scheduling more outings with her, not cancelling. And he for sure should not be skipping a visit to the Pink Elephant for a place decidedly less flashy. Chuck E. Cheese's.

He covered his face in his hands and sighed. He was officially pathetic. Here he sat potentially screwing up the career of someone he actually liked for the possibility of seeing her again.

Elizabeth Webber. Miss Elizabeth. She had haunted his thoughts since he had first seen her. Lucky was embarrassed to admit he had spent way too many hours into figuring out where he stood the best chance to accidentally see her again. And when Cameron came home a few days ago, full of stories of seeing Miss Elizabeth at Chuck E. Cheese's, he felt like a slime ball for seeing his son's excitement as an opportunity to try to see her again.

Lucky had deciphered from Cameron's story that Elizabeth apparently worked at the restaurant. He had a location. It had been somewhat of a shock to discover dropping his name with the manager of a local Chuck E Cheese's could get him a general idea of when she worked the rest of the week. Actually that made him feel a bit like Emily Quartermaine to tell the truth. He knew she worked at least for part of Friday evening.

So here he sat, rescheduling a surefire plan to publicize a new artist to use his three-year-old to meet a beautiful woman again. "Pathetic. Fucking pathetic" he muttered to himself.

The unmistakable strain of The Rolling Stone's "Satisfaction" sounded from Lucky's phone. "Spencer." he answered with a sigh.

"Patrick's not there, is he?" Lucky strained to hear Cruz's voice. In the first place he was whispering. In the second, the unmistakable clatter of restaurant noise was almost deafening in the background.

"No he's not here. Why the hell are you whispering?" Lucky paused for a moment. "Satisfaction" was his general ring tone. Cruz had a specific one, "One Step Closer" by Linkin Park. "And why aren't you calling from your phone?"

"I didn't want him to know it was me if he was there." Cruz raised his voice to his normal level, but the background noise was still causing Lucky to strain to hear his friend. "I'm not using my phone, because I'm avoiding him right now."

"And that's because?"

"You know that job I guilted him to cover for me?" Cruz continued as if he had seen Lucky nod. "Well it was today and I don't think he's too happy with me right now."

"What was the job? Photographing his father?"

"Close."

"I'm not going to guess every person in the phone book, Cruz."

"The job was a shoot at Robin's bakery." Cruz got the sentence out quickly.

Lucky blinked. Surely his friend was not that stupid. Or suicidal. "Are you fucking insane?"

"I was desperate."

"Okay then desperate and insane!" Lucky started to pace his living room. "He's probably killed her by now. I'll have to go bail him out of jail!"

"You don't get bail for murder charges."

"Good thing, because once he gets out of jail he's coming after you."

"Look I know it was low. But I needed the best for that piece and I needed someone I could afford. Two completely different things. I tried to think of a way to tell, him but you know how he is about Robin. He'd never do it in a million years."

He had a point. "Okay you're right there but still man, couldn't you have just killed the piece?"

"How would that be fair to Robin? The piece was written, her business is one of the hottest ones in town right now, and she was so nice about it when I explained my other photographer flaked. It took forever to convince her that I wasn't going to do a scathing piece on her place, because of my friendship with Patrick. If I had cancelled the piece, I would never ever get her to agree to it again."

Lucky could appreciate the dilemma Cruz had been in. The war between Robin and Patrick had them both caught in the middle. Logan had treated her like an ass, but Patrick was family to them both. They had no argument with Robin, but she treated them both with suspicion due to their connection to Logan. It was a constant dance they had to do to maintain an unsteady peace to run their businesses.

"What do you need me to do?"

"If he calls you, just try to find out what he's up to. If he mentions he knows where I am, just page me 911. I'm not answering it, but I do have my pager with me."

"Paranoid much?"

"You met Patrick?"

"Hey man, I'm not the one who screwed him over tonight."

"Lucky, I drove you to Cameron's birth."

"You know one day that won't work anymore."

"I'm desperate. Just page me please. If I'm going to die tonight, I just want to call my mother and say goodbye."

"Fine. If he calls and is closing in on you, I'll page you."

"Thanks man. I owe you. Huge. My firstborn is named after you." Cruz hung up hurriedly.

Lucky sat down and shook his head. He was pathetic, but Cruz was insane.

"Lucas Rodriguez" Lucky shuddered. That poor child. He should start praying that Cruz's firstborn was a girl. No one deserved that name. If he ever had other children...

Like a bad flashback, he could see himself say something to Elizabeth the first time he had met her.

_"Well yes but I understood Cameron to be an only child."_

_"Currently he is. But I do plan on having more children one day." He paused and looked directly at her. "Of course that is if I meet the right woman."_

Holy hell had he actually said that to her? No wonder she hustled him out of her classroom like a first-class pervert! What the hell was he thinking? Lucky vaguely recalled his decision to act like Patrick and made a mental note to kick Patrick's ass at some point in the future. Some vague voice reminded him that Patrick hadn't actually told him to say that, but Lucky didn't really care. Surely at some point Patrick had made some such comment or he wouldn't have said something so incredibly stupid, right?

And he had thought just running into her at Chuck E Cheese's was going to be a good idea? She probably thought he was a creep. He was going to have to rethink this entirely.

"Daddy?" Cameron's sleep filled voice sounded from the stairs behind him. "Daddy?"

Lucky mentally shook himself to stop the pity party. He stood up and scooped Cameron off the steps. "What are you doing up Mister? Huh? It is way past your bedtime." He moved back to the couch, placing his son in his lap.

"Monster."

Closing his eyes, Lucky mentally cursed his father. Luke had decided the perfect bedtime stories for Cameron were his tales of fighting the Cassadines. Of course now his son had nightmares of vampires, ghosts, and monsters all of whom were named Helena. He had never fully appreciated more traditional bedtime stories before now. What the hell did his father have against "The Three Little Pigs"?

"The one in the closet or the one under the bed?"

"With my toys."

With his toys? That was a new one. Which way to go here? "Do we need to get the special Monster Be Gone spray?" It was an air freshener with a label Cruz had one of the artist on his staff create.

Cameron shook his head, curls bouncing everywhere. "No. Me stay with you."

Lucky sighed. It was one of THOSE monsters. Of course. "Well we'll fight in a little bit. You know we have to fight them Cameron. Can't let the monsters win."

"Monsters no win." Cameron shook his head determinedly. "Daddy?"

"Yeah buddy?"

"We go Cheese's tomorrow?"

Lucky was stuck. He couldn't disappoint Cameron. He couldn't very well go in there with his previous plan to impress Elizabeth. It wasn't going to work now that he remembered exactly how big of an ass he made of himself.

"Of course buddy. We're not going to skip a trip to Cheese's." It was going to be a long night. He needed to come up with Plan B and quick.


	13. Down In Flames

**Lookie! Lookie! An update!**

Patrick was glad he wasn't a part of the writing team at Cruz's magazine, because he didn't have a flattering thing to say about Robin's two-bit bakery. Somehow in all the commotion, Cruz had gotten away. For all he knew, she had tricked him and wasted his time for no good reason. She was a little tipsy already and it was barely eleven o' clock in the morning. At least she had agreed to work with him this morning.

"It's too bad your tech guy led us to the wrong spot yesterday." Patrick mocked, adjusting the lens so that he captured the million-dollar shot. He wasn't the sort of person who enjoyed doing things more than once. He was a perfectionist in his art, and that meant no room for mistakes. Besides, the quicker he did the shot, the sooner he could leave. Port Charles was a fairly small town and he and Miss Scorpio had managed to stay out of each other's way for the past six months...was a lifetime too much to ask for?

"He didn't 'lead' us to the wrong spot." Robin argued defensively, playing with the plastic sword the restaurant had served her maraschino cherries with. "We simply got there too late."

"Whose fault was that? You were the one throwing back drinks like nobody's business." Patrick pointed out.

Robin simply glared at him. "Shouldn't you be concentrating? You don't want to mess up." Robin told him.

"I don't mess up." Patrick barked back.

"No?" Robin kicked him in the left shin with the toe of her two-inch black heels. Patrick leaned forward and his thumb smashed the button down. A light flashed, illuminating the little bakery in the same respect as a runway did for a plane. "Whoops!" Robin chuckled, doing a little victory dance across the tile floor.

"I thought you agreed to be professional about this." Patrick reminded her through gritted teeth.

"I never said anything like that. I asked how I could rid of you quickly. You suggested the compromise." Robin corrected him with a grin.

"Give the woman a few shots of Vodka and she's completely incapable of even the simplest things." Patrick muttered to himself.

"You'd know all about getting women drunk, wouldn't you Drake?" Robin teased, hiccupping loudly.

"What is with the pot shots, Scorpio? I'm doing you a favor." Patrick retorted, narrowing his eyes at her when he noticed that she was mimicking his facial expression. Of course, she couldn't keep a straight face, so all she ended up doing was scrunching up her face and flapping her lips like a blowfish.

"You're getting paid for this particular favor, Drake." She said his name slowly, tasting it, testing it out.

"I have an idea." Patrick changed tactics. "Why don't you go organize something in the kitchen and I'll finish up the shots." He suggested, steering her toward familiar-looking double doors.

Robin stumbled forward and then spun around to face him, her right hand raised, her index finger pointing at him. "That's the smartest thing you've said all night." She congratulated.

"What's the definition of inebriated?" Patrick countered, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that your face could get stuck that way?" Robin murmured.

"My mother's dead." Patrick bit off shortly. That sobered Robin up quick.

"I'm sorry, that's right." Robin dropped her head and retreated to the damn kitchen where the broken china plate mocked her from the plastic trash bin.

Cruz cautiously set up his laptop from the bed. He had been successful in avoiding Patrick all night. He had made a beeline for the car after he had made contact with Lucky and hit the road. There was no way Patrick would ever suspect where he was.

The plan was simple. Work from here for the day, lay in bed with his girl all weekend, and if necessary move to Los Angeles on Monday. New York was too close and Patrick had grown up there. It would be far to easy for him to be tracked down there.

He waited patiently while his work email account loaded on the page. The usual assortment of completed stories, story suggestions, and letters to the editor filled his inbox.

He went about deleting his spam when the new message icon flashed in the corner of his screen. Crap. It was Patrick. He knew it was Patrick. He was going to be the first person in history killed by the Internet.

Lucky's email address mocked him. Cruz was in for it now. He had been desperate last night and Lucky knew it. There was no escaping this. He was so going to pay.

C-

In addition to being insane, you must also be the luckiest son of a bitch in the world. Not a single call from our irate friend or the police department. Either he killed her and ditched town immediately after or he's laying low and still plotting out your demise. For your sake? Pray for the first one. And just so you know…you are paying for his lawyer. It's the least you could do.

L

Sometimes Lucky's sense of humor showed itself at bad times. Like now. All he had done was succeed in increasing Cruz's paranoia. Patrick hadn't called looking for him? Why the f--- not? He had known Patrick would be pissed. He had even prepared a defense that given enough time and alcohol Patrick would half-heartedly accept. It was why he was currently hiding in his girlfriend's bedroom. So why hadn't Patrick been calling all over town looking for him?

Of the two cousins, Lucky had always been the planner and Patrick more impulsive. Patrick not calling was what Lucky would have done. Patrick not calling sounded like a plan being formed. And that would not be good for him.

"Baby?" Her siren voice distracted him from his increasing doom. Meditate on his impending ass kicking or on her ass? It was a no-brainer. He quickly pulled on the pajama pants he had thrown on the floor the night before.

Cruz moved down the stairs. "Yeah..." His voice died in his throat. She laid on the couch, wearing nothing as far as he could see under a silk bathrobe. Her legs were crossed, one foot bouncing in the air. She had the self-satisfied smile of a woman who had gotten the exact reaction she was aiming for.

"I was just thinking, we have the whole house to ourselves today. It would be a shame to waste it..." she purred seductively.

He grinned. When she was right, she was right. His plans to leave town flew from his mind as he went to join her. He would be fine for now.

It wasn't like Patrick would ever think to look here.

"Let me get this straight." Elizabeth ran her hand haphazardly through her hair as she pushed the porch swing with one foot. "The photographer was your ex-brother-in-law?"

"Yep." Robin answered rather enthusiastically as she poured herself another cup of coffee.

"Are you sure you weren't watching that soap opera again? Something like that is right up their alley."

"I think it has more to do with the fact that this town is so damn small. It was bound to happen. Damn it!"

"Well what's he like? What does he look like? If I am supposed to hate him with you I need to avoid him right?"

"He's like an asshole. He looks like a walking ego. I don't hate--oh I completely hate him." Robin replied, running some cold water on her throbbing right hand. Screaming had been a mistake with the hangover she had, but the coffee had been a lot hotter than she had realized.

"A walking ego? Well that narrows it down." Elizabeth laughed. "Why exactly do you completely hate him? It has got to be more than the connection to the ex thing." She waved at the bug that had been circling her head since the beginning of the phone call.

"He's a judgmental prick." Robin didn't care if she was being immature. He had thought it'd be a good idea to start playing drums with a few of her wooden spatulas and hanging metal pans.

"Well that's most of the male population our age."

"Yeah, but it's unfounded. He has hated me ever since I walked out on his brother. Hell, maybe before then. You know, he was always sarcastic during the holidays." Robin mused quietly.

"Ahhh, loyalty to a cheating bastard. Well then you're completely in the right to hate him."

"What would you make if your kid had a sore throat and a cough? Chicken soup?" Robin changed the subject, peeking in the cabinets to see if she had any.

"I'm a preschool teacher, not a doctor. I hear the words "sore throat and cough" and I say stay home." Elizabeth laughed but quickly continued, "But Grams always swears by chicken soup so it won't hurt anything."

"Okay, thanks. Morgan has been coughing up a lung since I came home for lunch. I sent my friend, Lucas, to cover the store. He's got a boy about Morgan's age, so he needs to earn a little cash now and then." Robin explained, searching every drawer for the can opener.

Lucas. The name caused Elizabeth to pause. For a split second she had thought of Lucky Spencer, but quickly remembered that Morgan was a few years older than Cameron. And Lucky certainly wouldn't need the money. "He only needs to earn cash now and then? Is he living off royalty checks or something?"

"Do you know Lucas?" Robin asked.

"Robin, I've lived here for six months and outside of you, the only people I have met are working in a doctor's office or three-year-olds. Does Lucas fit in one of those categories?"

"His son is a little old to be in your class." Robin remembered.

"Well then I'm fairly certain I haven't met him, but I would love to know the secret to only having to work every now and again."

"Own a business. Have a mother with political connections. Have a father that used to be a spy." Robin giggled, holding up the can opener as if it were a gift from God. "Of course if you ask Courtney, she'll disagree. She only thinks you need one thing."

"What's that?"

"'A killer rack.'" Robin quoted her roommate.

Elizabeth burst out laughing. "I can't argue with that logic. She's got a point."

"She's a model. She has been brainwashed, but she knows her stuff." Robin agreed.

"True that." Elizabeth glanced at her watch. "Do I have to go to work today?"

"I'm afraid so. Do you have any dinner plans?"

"As of this second, I get off at eight and have a hot date with leftover Chinese food."

"Bobbie Spencer, Morgan's grandmother, told me that he lives for Spaghettio's. It's not gourmet, I'll admit--" Robin replied hesitantly.

"I love Spaghettios. I can bring Kool-Aid!"

"Your grandmother is welcome to come. I doubt Courtney will be home in time for dinner." Robin dropped the clump of noodles into a pan and let them cook.

"As completely pathetic as this is to say, my grandmother has plans tonight. You tell anyone that and I'll kill you."

"I got drunk at breakfast and went to do that photo shoot with Mr. Professional Photo Guy." Robin admitted, hoping she had succeeded in leveling the playing field.

"My grandmother is in her seventies!"

"He said maybe I should start answering to Lush Scorpio."

"She's my grandmother."

"I can't argue that." Robin gave in.

"It's just easier to admit I'm right. Accept your membership in the loser club and move on with life."

"Dinner is at eight-thirty."

"I'll be the one who reeks of processed cheese!"

"Awww, you poor girl." Robin teased.

"Should I bring the wine in a box Lush Scorpio?"

"Oh crap, they're going up in flames!"

"You burned noodles? I thought you owned a bakery?"

"That has nothing to do with canned noodles."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Even I can do canned noodles without burning them. I bet Courtney can pull that off too!"

"I have to go. The sprinklers are going off." Robin spit out water.

"Call me back if you've burned down your place. We can move the party to my place then."

"Eight-thirty." Robin repeated, hanging up.

Elizabeth headed inside the house. She had twenty minutes to change and get to work. It promised to be another long uneventful shift, but what else was new?


	14. Just Rewards

Robin climbed the stairs, her right hand sliding up the wooden banister as she did so. Morgan hadn't been out of bed all day, according to her next-door neighbor, Mrs. Eckles. The eighty-year-old woman was nice enough to check on him when Robin was at work. She was the one who had phoned, informing Robin of Morgan's cough. She was a modern-day Mary Poppins without the black hat and negative outlook on life.

On her left hand, she wore an oven mitt. On top of the oven mitt, she balanced his bowl of soup. Just two steps to go. Who had moved the mat? She was certain she had put it in front of the bathroom door, but now it sat next to the stairs, bunched up. It didn't matter. She carefully stepped over the neutral-colored mat, stopping in front of Morgan's room. She fisted her free hand and knocked softly against the wood. A chalkboard advertising, "Please Nok" hung on the doorknob. Robin snickered and called his name, "Morgan? Are you awake? I brought you some soup." She waited a moment and then let herself inside, finding the small child lying on top of his soccer-themed comforter with both of his feet propped up on a black and white pillow. "Should I come back, Your Majesty?" She teased lightly and, miracle of all miracles, he actually smiled.

"Now, I kind of burned the first batch of noodles, but that'll just be our little secret. No reason to tell Aunt Courtney." Robin advised her adopted son. The mischievous expression he wore proved her wrong.

Robin pulled the tiny TV tray out from under the six-year-old's bed and set it in front of him, putting the bowl, oven mitt and all, down. "I want you to be very careful. I put in some ice to cool it off." She handed him a spoon and ruffled his hair. "Mrs. Eckles told me about your sore throat. She even suggested I give you some medicine." Morgan made a face at her. "Don't worry, I turned her down. No kid of mine is going to swallow slimy green medicine." She assured him, wiggling her nose at the thought.

Morgan met her goofy face with a sad expression. Robin picked up on it immediately. "You miss your mom and dad, don't you?" She guessed. Morgan's answer was to take a quick bite of his soup. "It's okay to miss them, Morgan. I miss them." His head shot up. "Well, maybe I miss your dad a little more than your mom, but she did keep me on my toes, and she was--she was an incredible mother. She loved you and Michael so much." Robin treaded lightly, not wanting to insult a dead woman or hurt her child in the process.

"What have you got here?" Robin commented, picking up the large stack of books Morgan had at the end of his bed. "Comic books?" Morgan nodded. "I always wanted to be Wonder Woman. What about you?"

He ignored her question and took a few more bites. "No worries, buddy." She assured him. "You'll talk when you're good and ready." No reason to let him see how much it broke her heart.

"I wanted to check with you about something." Morgan looked up at the sound of her soft, plotting voice. "I made a new friend. Her name's Elizabeth. I'd like to invite her to have dinner with us tonight. Is that alright with you?" Robin hoped this would make him feel like he had a choice. Of course, she wouldn't call and cancel Elizabeth, but she knew how frustrating it had been as a child to not have any say in her own life.

"You remember Miss Elizabeth, don't you? We met her at Chuck E. Cheese's? She introduced you to the big mouse."

Morgan raised one hand and slowly finger spelled C-H-U-C-K-E-C-H-E-E-S-E.

"Chuck E. Cheese?" Robin asked, and he nodded. "So you do remember!" She clapped her hands together, feeling like an idiot. "Well, what do you say? Can she come over and eat dinner with us tonight?"

Morgan spelled out an O and a K. "Okay? I'll let her know." Robin smirked, but the light was gone in Morgan's eyes was gone. He pushed the bowl out of his way and took one of the comic books from Robin, flipping to the fourth page. He pointed to a red-and-blue masked superhero. "Spider-Man?" Robin finger spelled. "I like him too." She told him.

Cruz stood in the pick-up line of a small Italian restaurant, waiting for his order. It was nearing eight o'clock and their stomachs had finally demanded they actually stop and eat real food. Something more than chocolate and strawberries. Not that those hadn't been a particularly nice snack, Cruz thought, remembering all the fun those particular foods had provided. But now it was time for something a bit healthier, something that would lead to lasting energy.

If someone had told him he would be this satisfied in a woman a few months ago, he would have laughed in their face. He was a young, hot professional. He could not be tied down to one woman. But then he had met her, covering a deadline for another writer who abandoned the magazine before the story was complete. Even though they had met a few times in the past, this time there was something there, something electric. Something that had prompted Cruz to call her after the article was complete and ask her out to dinner.

Now it wasn't uncommon for him to spend the entire weekend at her place or her at his. It was starting to get serious and for once, he wasn't tempted to run to the hills because of it.

Cruz was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear the telltale chime of the bell announcing someone entering the restaurant. He jumped a mile in the air when he heard the voice he had been avoiding all day whisper in his ear.

"I should chop you up into little pieces and feed you to my neighbor's Pitt Bull." Patrick muttered.

"Patrick I can explain..."

"Save it." Patrick ordered, slamming the base of his palm into the middle of his Cruz's chest when he spun around to face him.

"Look I know you're pissed."

"You've seen me pissed." Patrick argued.

"Okay, then I know you're _homicidal _right now."

"I think we should talk outside...away from these witnesses." Patrick suggested, grabbing his friend by the collar of his black jacket.

Cruz dug his heels in. Going outside was death. "Listen man I shouldn't have done it, but I was desperate."

"Stop giving me these lame-ass excuses! I just want to know one thing." Patrick sneered.

"What?"

"Would you rather be wrapped in paper or plastic after I run you over with my car?"

"What about a nice burlap? It's more eco-friendly of you." Patrick didn't laugh. He didn't even crack a smile. When in doubt, appeal to the man's ego. "I needed the best. Even if I couldn't afford you." Cruz continued. "I knew if I told you the details that you wouldn't do it, but you were complaining the other day about your asshole clients. I figured if you did more still-life stuff you could use that to get away from the Emily Quartermaines of the world. Croissants won't call you all over town."

"I wouldn't have made you pay me, Cruz. Friends don't bankrupt each other. At least, I thought we were friends."

"We are friends."

"What the hell did I ever do to you?"

Cruz arched his eyebrow. "Spring Break senior year ring any bells for you?"

"You knew how much I hated that woman, and you did it anyway." Patrick accused, poking his friend in the chest with his index finger.

"You left me naked on the beach with a blow-up doll!"

"At least it didn't attack you!"

Cruz tried his best to hold it back. It was suicidal, but he couldn't help it. The image was just too much. He laughed. "Rob...Robin attacked you?"

"Don't you even start with me. It took all goddamn day to get the swelling down." He showed Cruz the bump on his forehead.

God help him he was trying, but it was too much for any man. "Did she grow a foot in the past six months?"

"I am not in a good mood." Patrick warned, stepping forward so that Cruz would have to retreat.

That did the trick. "I'm sorry man. Really I am. It will never happen again."

"What did you tell her?"

"The same thing I told you...nothing."

"How'd you get her to agree then? She's not exactly the trusting type." Patrick remarked.

Cruz winked. "I keep telling you I'm good."

"Now is not the time to be cute." Patrick assured his friend. "I really should beat the shit out of you." He sounded as though he was considering it.

"Probably, but you won't."

"You're right." Patrick let go of his friend. "But I fucking should! You left with me a boozing nut."

A boozing nut? Robin wouldn't be drinking during business hours. Before Cruz could question that further, the waitress at the check out counter yelled out, "Order for Rodriguez to go."

"That's an awful lot of food, Grandma."

Cruz shrugged. "I figured I needed to eat up if I was going to have to take you on, Ali." Patrick threw his head back and laughed. "I gotta go man. Nothing worse than cold Italian. We square?"

"I'll fax you the pictures. Then, I'm out. You don't me anything but your soul."

"Well good since I promised your cousin my first-born."

"Why would I want a kid that looks like you?"

"Wish you could be that handsome."

"Have you been drinking?"

Cruz pointed to the knot on Patrick's forehead. "You really want to go there with me?"

"There's something--is that strawberry on your shirt there?"

"Okay now you've been drinking."

"I can understand why you wouldn't want Lucky to know about this mystery woman, but why not me? I think you owe me that much."

"If there was a mystery woman, why wouldn't I want Lucky to know about her?"

"He can't keep a secret to save his life."

"Says the one who's blown every surprise party his mom ever tried to throw him"

"Cold Italian is death. Get out of here. Stay away from Robin Scorpio."

"Of course. I don't want to be the next person she assaults." Cruz grabbed his food and ran for the door. That was close, too close.

The cold air hit Patrick in the face as he followed a few feet behind.


	15. Wine & Chocolate

Elizabeth glanced at her watch. Only a hour left to go. It was amazing how slowly a shift could drag on when you actually had plans after work. She had checked her voice mail on her last break. Robin hadn't burned down the loft and Morgan was excited to see her. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Typical. The only male excited to see her was six years old.

She did a quick scan through the playroom, looking for anything that seemed out of place. Any small children with no parents. Adults with no children. Teenagers with water guns. Nothing struck her as off so she trained her attention to the one area that always had drama potential: The Ball Pit.

Her mind wandered as she watched the children pelt each other with plastic spheres. Robin had said not to bring anything, but Elizabeth just didn't feel right about that. She could hear her grandmother's voice, "A good guest always brings a gift for the hostess." She could easily grab an extra prize for Morgan on her way out. She glanced at her watch quickly. If she got out on time, she could easily squeeze in a trip to the liquor store and pick up a decent bottle of wine. Surely something would pair well with Spaghettios.

Seeing another co-worker return from break and move closer to the ball pit, Elizabeth began to move towards the video games. A pack of teenagers came running towards her and she moved quickly to avoid them. Unfortunately, she lost her footing and began to fall backwards. Her arms flailed as she tried to steady herself, but it was no use. She was going down.

Until a pair of strong arms encircled her waist and steadied her. "Whoa. Steady." She recognized that powerful, masculine voice. Elizabeth glanced up at her rescuer. Her breath caught in her throat when she found herself looking into a pair of familiar green eyes. Lucky Spencer helped her to her feet and smiled at her. "Well Miss Elizabeth, fancy seeing you here."

Lucky had never been a big believer in fate. His mother talked about it all the time, but it always sounded a little too much like a fairytale to him. But this had worked out better than he could have ever planned it. He and Cameron had just walked into the large playroom, with spotting Elizabeth immediately. She was walking in their direction and then he had seen her start to fall.

He hadn't thought he would have been able to catch her in time, but he had. He hadn't really had time to think of a good opening the other night and now he had come up with the perfect opener. Maybe there was something to this fate thing after all.

"Miss Lizabeth!" Cameron was practically jumping up and down in excitement. "Miss Lizabeth!"

Elizabeth readjusted her uniform shirt and offered a shy smile in his direction. Damn, Lucky thought. He really was pathetic if he was finding that mundane maneuver cute. She turned her attention to his overly sugared three-year old and bent down on one knee. "Well hi Cameron. You seem excited to be here."

"Daddy catch you, Miss Elizabeth. Daddy catch you."

Elizabeth glanced up at Lucky. She had found him attractive in his business dress, but damn he was almost lethal in his jeans and that well fitted t-shirt. His pictures certainly didn't do him justice, she thought.

Pictures. Magazines. Serial dater. Flirts through a parent-teacher conference. Hound dog. The warning signs flashed through her brain. Still, she couldn't outright ignore him. It would be rude. She had to be polite.

"Yes he did." Elizabeth rose back to her full height. "Thank you, Mr. Spencer." She was proud of herself for using his formal name. It would keep things on a professional level.

"It was my pleasure, Miss Elizabeth." He had to get her to stop using his last name. But how? Lucky was stumped.

"Miss Lizabeth? You play?" Cameron pointed towards the water pistol racing game. "You play!"

"Oh no. You're here with your daddy, Cameron. You two go play."

"You play Miss Lizabeth. Please?" Oh his kid was good, Lucky proudly thought. His kid was damn good.

She was trapped. She didn't want to spend any more time with Lucky "Playboy" Spencer than was necessary. She was not going to become some girl he pursued between more famous conquests. Not her. But she couldn't very well turn down a three-year-old. And technically, she was supposed to play with the guests if they asked.

"Ok Cameron, I'll play." She smiled down at him as he pulled her hand and led her towards the game.

That was it. He didn't care if it was going to spoil him, Cameron was getting whatever he wanted for his birthday come January. Here he had been worrying over a perfect plan and Cameron had just given him a perfect opportunity.

Cameron had insisted on standing at the end right next to his dad, so Elizabeth had no choice but to stand next to him. If she didn't know better she would swear her former student was planning this.

Lucky bent down to pay for the game, pausing to look up at her. "This game is on me, Miss Elizabeth."

She smiled down on him. At last some control! "No need." She pulled a key card from her shorts pocket. "I play for free."

They stood side by side and waited for the bell to ring, signaling the start of the game. Once they began, Lucky found himself falling behind both her and Cameron. It was her fault. She was completely distracting.

"I win! I win!" Cameron threw his water pistol in the air. Lucky caught it, well practiced in the art of grabbing items from mid-air where Cameron was concerned.

Handing it back to him, he pulled up his best stern face. "Cameron. Do we throw things?"

"No Daddy."

"What do we do?" Cameron took the toy pistol and placed it in its sleeve. He looked at his father for approval. Lucky cracked a smile. "Good job. Now let's get those tickets."

Elizabeth did not want to find something to like in Lucky Spencer. It was too dangerous. But she couldn't help it. There were not many parents who would actually enforced rules like no throwing, no hitting and no running while in the restaurant. And here was this playboy record executive that no one even knew had a son doing this great job.

Lucky glanced up at her quickly and caught the slight smile on her face. This was good. This was very good. His phone vibrated against his leg. Sighing he answered it, "Spencer."

Elizabeth watched Cameron's face carefully. He was completely enthralled with trying to hold onto all his tickets. She fought the urge to giggle as he attempted to walk towards a new game, a trail of tickets following behind him. She was about to stop Cameron from wandering too far when Lucky reached out and redirected his son towards a game behind them. Impressive again, she thought. Then she heard it.

"Daphne. I promise I'll make tonight up to you."

Daphne? Well that was interesting.

"You know you're my only priority right now."

His only priority? What about his son?

Lucky laughed. "I told you I didn't mean that sweetie. We're good I promise."

It appeared he could very well be living up to his reputation, her brain mocked her. She fought the urge to roll her eyes when she heard him hanging up the phone.

"I'll be waiting for your call sugar." Lucky smiled as he finished his call. Daphne was always good for a laugh. A southern girl, her speech was peppered with "Sweeties", "Honeys," and "Sugars". He couldn't help himself and imitate her when they talked. It always amused her.

He caught a glance of Elizabeth out of the corner of his eye. She had a look which screamed get away from him at all costs. It was the same look she had on her face when he got hustled out of her classroom. Everything was fine just a second ago. What the hell had happened?

The clock caught Elizabeth's eye. In five minutes her shift was over. She could leave now and by the time she got to the break room it would actually be time to leave. She had an escape that wouldn't hurt Cameron's feelings.

She forced a smile on her face. "Well Cameron, I have to go. I'm meeting a friend for dinner, but I'm sure I'll see you later, okay?" Cameron paused from playing his game long enough to turn around and wave at her. She offered her hand to Lucky. "Thank you again for catching me, Mr. Spencer. I appreciate it. Have a good night."

He was still confused. "Sure. No problem. You too." Damn she had plans. Before whatever it was that so obviously pissed her off happened, he had been planning on inviting her to stay with them after her shift. Looks like that wasn't going to happen. But who was this friend he wondered? Male or female.

She turned on her heel and made her way to the break room. She had time to grab a toy for Morgan and she was going to make time to get the wine. After this run in with Lucky Spencer, she needed it.

Patrick wasn't all that surprised to find his friend in a wine shop picking up a bottle of the town's finest, because he was certain--despite Lucky's skepticism--that there was a woman and, if he was correct, she was pretty damn near important if Cruz was going through all this trouble to keep them from finding out who she was. He kept behind his friend by several feet, not wanting to tip off his location. He was no spy, but he had seen enough movies to know how to stay hidden. If he got caught now, then who knew when, or if, he'd get a second chance. No, this was too important an opportunity to pass up.

He rolled up the sleeves of his white-and-blue striped t-shirt and let the shadows shield him from Cruz's view. His friend had been in quite a hurry when he'd been at the restaurant ten minutes ago, and he was correct in his assessment about cold Italian being the kiss of the death. Cruz wasn't any less frantic as he searched the store up and down for that perfect wine. If Patrick knew his old roommate, he would pick a nice red wine with a smooth body. Cruz had a thing for redheads.

Something drew Patrick to the window. Just a flash of brown hair. Through closer inspection, his eyes completed the picture his mind had only begun to process. She wasn't very tall, but then, no one looked tall standing next to Cruz. Her hair ran lazily down her back, dripping down her shoulders and stopping mid-back. She was dressed in an emerald-green t-shirt and black Capri's. He couldn't tell what shoes she was wearing, but what did he care? He wasn't a chick. From this angle, her face was blocked from his view. What was especially interesting about the young twenty-something was that, when Cruz bumped into her, he gave her one of his award-winning smiles. Her smile came as a surprise, because she didn't look like the sort of woman who smiled as often as she should.

Cruz re-adjusted her, having nearly plowed the poor woman down in his hurry, but, unless Patrick was mistaken, his suave friend had paused in his evening activities to have a conversation with the woman. He must have read his friend wrong, because if Cruz would flirt like that with someone he'd just met…well that didn't say much for how he treated his newest plaything, did it? No one could hold Cruz Rodriguez's attention. Nights of interrupted sleep had caused Patrick to have delusions and they must have manifested. He turned away from the window, barely catching the woman's face. Her hair was wavier than he had originally thought and her eyes were stunning. He couldn't make out the color, but she must have broken a lot of hearts with those gemstones. How many men had she brought to their knees?

Drake, you're such a fool, Patrick muttered to himself. He wasn't having enough fun with his current ex-psychotic-girlfriend? He had to find someone new to play with? Disgusted with himself, he skulked back into the shadows and returned to the restaurant where he had left his car parked. If Emily had done anything to it, at least he would be on the news and someone would believe his story. He'd heard nothing from Lucky or the commissioner so maybe Emily had been locked up, or simply left town. He didn't care which as long as she kept her distance.

Elizabeth twirled the wine glass between her fingers, being careful not to spill a drop. "I have never had more delicious Spaghettios" she teased Robin.

"I promise the next dinner will be something a tad more grown-up." Robin lounged against her maroon love seat, taking a long, slow drink of her wine.

"I have found being grown-up highly overrated myself" Elizabeth rearranged herself on the maroon-and-green checkered couch.

"That might be true. I mean, I did attack a man twice my size and, if I'd been thinking like a grown-up, who knows?" She got a faraway look in her eye.

"Where'd you go?" Elizabeth waved her hand in front of her friend's face. "You completely left me here by myself."

"Hmm? Oh, just thinking about sponge cake."

Elizabeth tried to hold back her snort, but she couldn't. Sponge cake her ass! "And the sponge cake wouldn't happen to resemble a walking ego we both know you loathe, would it?"

"Of course not!" Robin was appalled, or at least she would be once she remembered how to spell that word. She hadn't been thinking about him...much.

Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow upwards. "That was the sixth time you've brought him up since I arrived."

"You're awfully peppy for someone who just got off of work."

"Changing the subject? I'll let it go this time." Elizabeth paused to sip the wine. It was really good. "Work was fine. The last hour was interesting, but other than that nothing to write home about."

"Interesting? How so?" Robin pried.

Elizabeth waved her hand. "Just ran into a former student. Always makes for a fun shift. His father on the other hand..." she laughed. "Now there's a whole other story."

"What about his father?"

Too late Elizabeth remembered how exactly she had met Robin. If Robin baby sat Cameron, she obviously knew Lucky somehow. She wasn't sure how close the two were, but Elizabeth wasn't about to jeopardize a potential friendship over something stupid like bad-mouthing her friend's friend.

"Oh, he's just a bit of a player. I could have sworn he was flirting with me tonight." It was true, but the least damaging of all that she could say.

"Were you flirting back?" Robin wondered, a smile playing across her lips.

Had she? Elizabeth had to wonder. "No, I don't think I did." She paused. "No definitely not with him. Now the guy who helped me pick this wine out on the other hand..."

"Two guys in one night? You little hussy!" Robin teased good-naturedly.

"I'm not a hussy if they are the only guys I have talked to in months that are actually my age, am I?"

"Tell me about this guy in the wine shop." Robin insisted, tossing a piece of non-fat, low-sodium, butter-free popcorn into her friend's hair. Of course, Elizabeth was turned away from her, so she didn't notice it.

"Good-looking and he knew it too. Had that air about him you know?" Elizabeth could feel something touching the back of her neck and reached her hand up to try to swat at it, whatever it was. "Good to flirt with. Not much good to keep around."

"Why not?" Robin wanted to know. Was there a new type of invisible sensor that single women her age had to weed out the good guys from the bad guys?

"How long have you been out of the dating game?"

"Why do you ask?" Robin hadn't meant to sound so defensive.

"Because I would think you would remember this type." There, she finally got it. Examining the popcorn kernel, she threw it back at Robin. "The full of themselves think- they-can-flirt-with-any-woman-they-want-and-get-whatever-they-want type. Have you ever met one that actually turned out to be good ?"

Robin chewed on her thumbnail. No. She couldn't say for certain that she had ever met anyone like that. At least, not one that stayed that way. An uninvited tear appeared on her cheek, but hopefully, in the darkness, Elizabeth hadn't seen it. "Yes, of course. This town is crawling with those types." She paused, took another sip of wine, and then muttered to herself, "Six months."

"What was that?" Elizabeth had heard the mumble and caught the change in tone in Robin's voice. "Robin?"

Robin cleared her throat. "You asked how long I'd been out of the dating game. Six months." She said again. "I was married for five years before that."

Elizabeth bit her lip and scrunched her eyes shut. "Oh, I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have said that. I completely forgot you were divorced."

"It's fine, Liz. Really." Robin replied, reaching across the space separating them and squeezing her friend's left hand. "Courtney is always trying to fix me up. I guess I'm not moving on as fast as I should be."

"Who says there's a time limit?" Elizabeth squeezed her hand back. "I'll have you know my brother was engaged to a girl who cheated on him and it took him two years to get over it and move on. He's still not really dated since then."

_"Two years?" _Robin shrieked, slapping her free hand over her mouth when she remembered the sleeping six-year-old upstairs.

"Okay, maybe that has more to do with the fact that he's never in town long enough to meet someone, but my point is still valid."

If she had to go without sex for two years, she was bound to go on a killing spree. Two years? Karaoke had been fun, she'd admit, but no one had been all that interested in her. Who could blame them when they had Courtney there? Robin let herself laugh. She had to get out of the manic-depressive state she had fallen into. There was only one thing to do. "Come on." She climbed off of the couch and dragged Elizabeth to her feet.

"What? What are you doing?"

"I need to cook something, and you're going to help." Robin explained, flipping on the kitchen light.

"I did tell you I suck in the kitchen, right? Anything beyond brownies and cookies I'll destroy." Elizabeth gulped down the last bit of wine as she followed Robin into the newly lit space.

"You can't mess up." Robin assured her, pulling out a number of cooking bowls, utensils, and a bunch of tools Elizabeth couldn't make heads-or-tails of.

"Yes I can. Watch me."

"How does Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake sound to you?" Robin asked innocently.

"Like I will never need a man for an orgasm again."

Robin smiled. This was just what they needed after the week they had each had. "Okay, I know I have all of the ingredients. Set the oven for three hundred fifty degrees, won't you?"

"Okay, that I can do." Elizabeth turned the knobs to the appropriate settings. "Alright, what's the next idiot-proof step?"

"Find the chocolate wafer crumbs. I know they're around here somewhere." Robin instructed, handing Elizabeth a spare white apron she kept for just this sort of occasion. While her friend went about searching the kitchen, Robin put a plate of butter in the microwave and set it for thirty seconds, watching the yellow stick melt into utter gooey-ness.

"Success!" Elizabeth held the bag of crumbs over her head triumphantly. "If we keep at this level, I really won't screw up!"

"Hmm?" Robin was lost in her favorite little world, one that smelled of chocolate and sugar. She chewed on her bottom lip as she signaled for Elizabeth to pour the broken wafers into the large blue mixing bowl she had set aside. "It's pretty simple. Just stir this up until it all looks one color." Robin told Elizabeth nodding toward the melted butter, wafer bits, and sugar.

"One color. One color." Elizabeth repeated the directions like a mantra under her breath. "One color. One color."

While Elizabeth mixed, Robin got to work on the cream cheese she had taken out of the refrigerator when her friend had scoped out the wafers. It had been out only long enough to soften, but not quite to the extreme the butter was now in. "What do you think?" Robin asked Elizabeth, peeking over her shoulder. "Do you think your mix is ready to go into the pan?"

"Unless I became colorblind, it looks one color to me."

"Okay, I want you to press it into this nine-inch pan and put it in the oven." Robin replied proudly.

"See this where it always goes wrong." Elizabeth approached the task carefully. "Somehow it all goes wrong once I get it in the oven."

Robin cracked three eggs into a separate bowl, dumped the cream cheese in as well, and then added the rest of the ingredients: vanilla, sugar, and cocoa. "Stir this and I'll put yours in the oven." Robin offered, switching places with her friend.

"Stirring is much safer."

Robin bent down, opened the "evil" oven door, and slid the pan inside. "Okay, now we wait ten minutes. See the bear? Spin him around to the ten and let's have another glass of wine." Robin suggested.

"Now you are speaking my language." They went to the living room coffee table to retrieve the bottle of wine and filled the other's glass to the rim. Elizabeth looked thoughtful for a minute. "We should really toast something. What should we toast to?"

"Freedom?" Robin considered, using the back of the couch to keep her standing. "Chocolate?"

Elizabeth raised her glass, "To freedom and chocolate! Two things no girl should live without!"

"Here, here!" Robin clinked her glass with Elizabeth's. "We should head back to the kitchen. Don't forget your apron."

"Never!" Elizabeth obediently followed behind Robin.

"Use the pot holders, and take the pan out." Robin went directly to the cream cheese mix. Yum, she could already taste the finished product.

"Oh my god. Robin if this tastes as good as it smells, I am so marrying you."

"Sorry, but I'm already taken." Robin smiled, adjusting the oven temperature to three hundred degrees.

Elizabeth made an elaborate show of looking around the loft. "I'm sorry, but I don't see my competition anywhere."

"He has an early bedtime during the week." Robin clarified.

"Ahhh well I definitely can't compete with Morgan."

"This is the best part. Watch and learn." She picked up the bowl and dumped it on top of the wafer crust ever so slowly. Elizabeth watched in fascination. "We're going to have to let this bake for fifty-five minutes. Don't give me that look. I have never gone by a recipe card in my life." Robin insisted playfully.

"In Robin I Trust." Elizabeth joked, a smile playing on her lips.

"I have something for you to do if you're interested." Robin offered Elizabeth a wooden spoon.

"Details please."

"Okay. While that is cooking, you're going to put together the cherry topping. It's quite simple." Robin promised.

"Famous last words."

"All you're going to do is combine this chocolate cherry lacquer with the pie filling. When the cheesecake is done, we'll take it out, you'll pour this on top, and then I'll tell you the last step." Robin informed her friend.

"Okay so far you haven't let me down. But if I end up poisoning you just remember, you told me what to do." Elizabeth shook a spoon in Robin's direction.

"I think I hear my--Morgan. I'll be right back." Robin excused herself from the kitchen.

"Okay." Elizabeth sat nervously in the kitchen, praying nothing would buzz or any smoke would pour out of any appliances.

Robin returned a few minutes later to find Elizabeth sitting on a white stool in the middle of the kitchen. "Were you afraid to leave it unattended?" Robin guessed.

Nodding sheepishly, Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I'm telling you I have a bad history with cooking."

"It's okay, sweetie. I told you, you can't mess up. There is one thing I forgot to tell you."

"What's that?" Elizabeth eyed her suspiciously.

"This has at least forty minutes left to cook and then we have to freeze it for two hours. We have two options. We can watch one of my many Hollywood classics or I can bring this by your grandmother's house tomorrow. Do you work tomorrow? Am I keeping you up?"

"Actually tomorrow is my day off. I vote classics." She'd call her grandmother in a few minutes so she wouldn't worry. "You wouldn't happen to have Casablanca would you?"

"Only the best black and white love story to date. Of course I have it!" Robin squealed, steering Elizabeth out of the kitchen.


	16. Hot Fun In The Summertime

"Come on slow pokes." Courtney looked over her shoulder at her two friends. She adjusted her rainbow striped bag on her shoulder and placed her sunglasses on the top of her head. "I am ready to party."

"We're coming." Elizabeth would be lying if she claimed Courtney didn't intimidate her on some level. The other girl had been nothing but nice since they met in Robin's apartment, but she was also gorgeous. Her confidence was seemingly unlimited. And she blew Elizabeth's every stereotype of an idiot model with her intelligence. So what the hell was she thinking going to a pool party with this woman?

"Does she have to yell?" Robin whined, rubbing her forehead with one hand and using the other to adjust the straps on her white bathing suit. Courtney had been brilliant in her suggestion that they all go out shopping for new suits and shoes. Nothing said quality time like arguing with a store manager or fighting over a delicate pair of heels.

"I heard that." Courtney called over her shoulder.

Robin smirked at Elizabeth and wrapped a towel around her waist. "How are you feeling about all of this?" She asked her new friend, noticing how quiet she had been since the evening had started.

Elizabeth adjusted the straps of her new bathing suit. Courtney and Robin had insisted she buy this one. It was far more revealing than she would have ever thought of wearing. But Courtney had declared her looking "smoking hot" and wouldn't let her not buy it. "It's good to meet new people right? That's what we decided the other night? That we had to meet new people?"

"You're rambling. I didn't know you rambled." Robin teased, bouncing her index finger off the tip of Elizabeth's nose. Robin took a critical look in the mirror. She couldn't help but smile. Divorce looked great on her, she declared. She hadn't gained any weight since the split and her skin looked fresh and healthy. Elizabeth had braided her hair for the occasion and she was grateful, because otherwise it would have been standing on end.

"Only for the select few." Elizabeth pulled on Robin's braid and grinned. "We better get a move on before the model yells at us again."

"I'm ahead of you two. I'm not deaf!" Courtney stood with her hands on her hips. "I should just let the two of you stand out here and melt."

"Oh, don't do that! I burn!" Robin insisted, wondering if she should have brought more sunscreen.

Courtney laughed. "And you are just a pleasure to live with then."

"No worse than you." Robin countered, sticking out her tongue. All three women laughed.

Courtney put her arms around the two shorter women and began to push them along with her to the gate to the pool. "Let's go show these guys exactly what hot, single women look like."

"You have enough confidence for all three of us." Robin announced, tightening her hold on the corner of her towel. She was being ridiculous she knew, but the last time she was this exposed in public...she couldn't remember when the last time had been. Well, now was her chance to have some real fun. Laura had offered to watch Morgan for the night, so she didn't have to worry about picking him up until the morning. Courtney had invited Robin and Elizabeth to her private gym, and it would have been rude if she didn't at least attempt to have some fun.

They could hear the party before they could actually see it. Courtney had told both of them the monthly singles pool party was an event but neither Elizabeth nor Robin had fully believed her. The green space around the pool was decorated with candle lit tike torches. A DJ booth was set up near the kiddie end with the pounding beat of the latest song by Fergie currently blaring. Twenty-something's lingered all around the lounge chairs in suits of all degrees of coverage and at the edges of the pool itself. The children's playground currently had a full service bar set up with a healthy crowd already forming. Hanging around in your bathing suit all night was always easier with a bit of a buzz going.

Robin made her way to the edge of the pool. The sun had started going down almost an hour ago, but the temperature had yet to die down. Port Charles was undergoing intense heat waves and had been for the better part of last week. If this kept up, Robin was going to have to start wearing her bathing suit to work.

She swatted a mosquito that landed across her forehead and nearly knocked herself out in the process. It was now or never, she thought to herself, closing her eyes and jumping head-first into the cool blue abyss that promised cooler temperatures and instant relaxation.

Elizabeth wiped the sudden moisture from her face, sending Robin a mock scowl. "It's perfect!" Robin called to her friends. "Come on in."

Elizabeth took a breath and followed Robin's example. She came up for air gasping. "Perfect? It's freezing you lunatic!" She splashed Robin's face.

"In a heat wave, anything is better than a hundred plus degrees." Robin argued, splashing Elizabeth. "Court, come on." She insisted, combing her slick braids away from her face.

Courtney glanced over towards the bar area. She dropped her towel and bag at a nearby chair and adjusted her pink polka dot bikini top. "In a minute. I think some refreshments are needed." She winked as she pointed towards the bar.

"Leave it to Courtney to know just how to start a party." Robin mumbled with a smile. She glanced to her right when something brushed her leg and her mouth flew open. "Can I help you?" She snapped, slapping his hand away from her thigh.

"I didn't mean anything by it." The twenty-something man assured her, folding his arms across his chest and sliding across the pool in the opposite direction.

"Forgive my friend. It's the heat." Elizabeth called after him. Even when they were safely out of earshot she still felt the need to whisper. "Robin, dial back the hostage meter babe. I thought the idea was to meet new people."

"I'm sorry if I don't like the idea of being groped by some strange guy." Robin bit back.

"Robin, you did notice his friends behind him pushing him around right? He wasn't groping you he was trying not to get his hair wet."

"Shouldn't you be mingling as well?" Robin wondered, cocking her head to the side.

"Now I'm afraid if I leave you alone you'll destroy some poor guy for life." Elizabeth matched the head cock with one of her own and an eyebrow raise.

"I'm not lethal." Robin defended, putting on her sweetest smile.

"Said the spider to the fly."

"I can make men do anything. Do you want to see?" Robin inquired, lifting an eyebrow in Elizabeth's direction.

"Ohh lessons from the master. This is why I came." Elizabeth leaned her elbows on the pool wall.

"Watch and learn." Robin climbed out of the pool and walked over to the chair she had left her towel and sun block in. "Do you think I put enough lotion on, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laugh. "Oh no. You burn so easily, Robin. I think you need to put some more on," she said with mock seriousness.

"But I can't reach the middle of my back." Robin argued, lounging out on the chair. No sooner than the words had left her mouth, six guys raced to her side each holding a bottle of lotion for her. "Well, aren't you just so sweet!" Robin shrieked, sitting up and facing her audience. "Which one of you should I choose?" She pretended to consider it. "Let's see. I'll need someone with strong hands." They all started talking at once. "Of course, his hands will have to be gentle." Robin grabbed each of their hands and inspected them, trailing her thumb over their knuckles and the inside of their palms. "What do you think, Liz? I just can't decide."

Elizabeth was extremely close to losing the battle to laugh out loud. "I think you need someone who has the knowledge how to use those hands. The biggest brain perhaps?"

Again, they started chattering away. "Allow me." A slightly familiar voice interrupted, stepping into Robin's view. He was dressed in tight, black boxers and wore no shirt.

"Why, Lucky Spencer!" Robin clapped her hands together. "You tease."

Lucky grinned and sat down next to Robin. "Tell these bores to go away so we can get re-acquainted with each other." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"You're going to ruin my reputation." Robin declared, pouring some lotion into her left palm.

"That's my aim. I don't want to share you, Robin. I never have and I never will."

"You heard the man. Scatter." Robin ordered politely watching the remaining men slink away. "I was just showing Elizabeth one of my many talents." She explained, motioning toward her stark-white friend. "Liz? Are you all right?"

Elizabeth had forgotten to breathe from the second she saw him separate himself from the crowd. Was there some sort of plot against her that every time she saw him he was more attractive than the last time? She blinked her eyes several times and prayed her mouth wasn't hanging open like a dolt. "Yeah. I'm fine. Sorry Robin I just spaced there."

"Lucky Spencer, this is Elizabeth W--" Robin began.

"We've met." Lucky grinned as he watched Elizabeth bob in the pool. How exactly had he missed seeing her there? He could see the top strap of her bathing suit and couldn't help but wonder what the rest of it look like. "Miss Elizabeth we meet again."

Damn him for smiling. Playboy asshole with a girlfriend named Daphne hidden somewhere, she reminded herself. Playboy asshole with a girlfriend. "We keep running into each other Mr. Spencer."

"Mr. Spencer?" Robin couldn't help but smirk at that. "Luke would get such a kick out of this."

"Actually he would assume she was talking to him." Maybe this was his chance to get her to actually call him by his name. "You could just call me Lucky. School is out, Miss Elizabeth." he teased.

Double damn him. She was caught. She couldn't very well insist of calling him Mr. Spencer with Robin sitting there. Robin would be full of questions. She forced a grin. "If you insist Lucky."

"I have to wonder," Robin began. "If this is--" She clamped her mouth shut, but not before Lucky got a suspicious look in his eye.

"What were you about to say Robin?"

"Nothing. I wasn't going to say anything." Robin insisted.

Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. Robin hadn't said anything. She was fairly sure Robin had figured out Lucky was the father she had been complaining about.

"I didn't know you were a member here Robin. I haven't seen you around before." Lucky leaned back on the chair, giving Elizabeth an unobstructed view of his abs. This was just not fair, she decided. Playboy. Asshole. Has a girlfriend.

"I'm not. Courtney invited us. She has a private membership." Robin clarified.

Lucky nodded. "That makes sense. Now what mass of men is she in the middle of?"

"I don't see her actually. She went to get drinks and hasn't made her way back." Robin realized, sharing a curious look with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth glanced behind her and shrugged. "I don't have a clue. I thought I saw her a minute ago."

"How about I go look for her?" Robin left them alone.

Lucky smiled and moved towards the edge of the pool while Elizabeth watched Robin's retreating back. No cover, no buffer, no way to leave without seeming rude. She was trapped.

He made a mental note to get Robin the biggest birthday gift she could ever imagine. Her bakery was going to be the official caterer of L&B Records. Ned loved her; he'd okay that. She had given him a chance to talk to Elizabeth alone. Maybe this time he could manage to hold a conversation with her without pissing her off royally.

"How long have you known Robin?" Good, he thought. Start small.

That was safe enough, she thought. Keep it on safe topics. "A few weeks or so. We met through Cameron actually."

"Really?" He quickly decided that Cameron was getting whatever he wanted for Christmas as well. God bless his kid.

"Robin was watching him, Morgan, and Kristina at Chuck E. Cheese. She needed some help." She couldn't help but laugh at the memory.

Damn she was beautiful when she laughed. How could he get her to laugh again? "Well I thank you for keeping him from going into a sugar coma."

"Not a problem."

* * *

How did I get myself talked into this? Patrick silently wondered as he scanned the crowd. There were beautiful women everywhere in all shapes and sizes, so why was he complaining? All he had to do was flirt ruthlessly and they would come to him with willing arms just like they always did. He supposed his frustration was caused by how easy the dating game had become. Women were practically predictable and he had grown bored of their mindless conversations. What most intrigued him about this party was a group of men standing around what must have been a very attractive woman. No way was he going to be beaten at a game he had mastered long ago. He needed a way to lure the competition away so that he could see firsthand what prize lay in wait for him. He ran a hand through his hair causing some of the moisture to splash onto his naked chest, and trudged forward, pushing the men out of his way with ease.

He could only see the back of her, but, as far as he could tell, she was a perfect ten. There was no way to know how thick her hair actually was, because it was tied back and styled. He had never given plain white bathing suits their just respect, but they coupled beautifully with her deep cinnamon hair. Patrick followed the swerve of her hips with his eyes and he felt himself being drawn forward. The men around him were saying something snide, but he ignored them and closed in on the beautiful young woman mere feet from him. A hand on her shoulder was all it took to grab her attention.

"P-Patrick?" Robin sputtered, shrinking away from his unwelcome touch. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Robin?" Patrick blinked furiously, her familiar face finally coming into focus. There was no way this could be Robin Scorpio. She was worldly and tiny. How could a simple bathing suit capture the smooth wave of her hips and those spider-like legs? Patrick shook his head, his mouth opening and closing as he attempted some sort of verbal reprieve. He should yell at her or start a fight. Yes, that's what he should do. "What am I doing? What are you doing? I didn't know they let you out of your cage after dark."

All it took was that small insult and Robin's defenses shot up around her. Patrick smirked, steering her away from the noisy crowd. "Who the hell do you think you are?" She sneered, slapping his hand away when he tried to parade her around the length of the pool.

"I'm just trying to have a good time. I'd think you of all people could appreciate that." Patrick answered.

"What I'd appreciate is if you would leave me alone." Robin muttered, pushing past a large mass of people. Even if they were just going in circles, at least he couldn't reach out and touch her again.

"How did you even get in here?"

"I was invited."

"By?"

"None of your business!" Robin shot back.

"You're getting awfully defensive, aren't you?"

"Defensive? Defensive? I'm defensive?"

"Yeah." Some faceless stranger answered her as he shoved past her.

"The man has spoken." Patrick pointed out.

"Oh, please, that's one opinion."

"I hate to break this to you, but it's the collective opinion."

"Who are you to judge me?"

"The only person who knows who you really are." Patrick clarified.

"Who am I?" Robin challenged.

"Don't answer that." A tall, lanky blonde advised him just before she climbed into the pool.

"Who are these people?" Robin asked no one in particular.

"I don't think I could properly describe just what I think of you." Patrick replied smugly.

"Oh, please try."

"Alright, you asked for it, Scorpio." Patrick smirked in satisfaction, rubbing his hands together as if he were about to do something especially strenuous.

"Patrick, no!" A split second after the warning was voiced, Patrick lost his footing and ended up in the pool.

Cruz appeared over the edge of the pool. "Dude, I was trying to stop you."

"Cruz, you are my hero!" Robin decided, jumping into his arms. Of course, he hadn't been expecting her reaction and they fell into the pool as well. Robin spit out water. "As usual, Patrick, it's been a real pleasure."

* * *

The conversation had moved from the safe topic of how long each had known Robin and Cameron to their favorite places to hang out in Boulder. A small recording studio in town was Lucky's current favorite place to have high profile artists work on their new CDs. Elizabeth had been amazed at how many small funky eateries they both loved to frequent. It was amazing they hadn't run into each other before now.

She was almost successful in forgetting about his reputation, his come-ons at the conference and the phone call with Daphne. A girl nearby sat reading US Weekly. Elizabeth just had to glance at it whenever she felt a little too entranced by his smile, his chest, or a joke he just told. A quick glance would remind her of the picture on page 62 of him with Niki Hayes two weeks ago. Not that she had memorized what page his picture was on.

It was the first splash that distracted them. Lucky tried not to laugh when he saw his cousin come up sputtering, but he lost the battle completely when Robin and Cruz tumbled in after. "Oh now that's taking the war to a whole new level."

Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow at him. "You aren't going to help them?"

Lucky shook his head. "I have a son to think about. I can't get killed because of Patrick and Robin's cold war."

"Well I guess I'll just live dangerously then." She pushed off the wall, making smooth strokes towards their collected friends. The back of her black tankini rode up just enough for him to spot what appeared to be a small tattoo on the small of her back. Miss Elizabeth was just full of surprises.

Elizabeth caught a glance of the clock on the snack bar as she swam. Thirty minutes? She had been talking with Lucky Spencer for thirty minutes? Where the hell had Robin been? Had Courtney simply vanished off the face of the earth? She could not have been enjoying a conversation with him for thirty minutes.

As soon as she got to Robin, she was taking her friend out of the pool, they were both going to find Courtney, and then she was going to have her head examined. Finding playboy assholes with mysterious girlfriends attractive was not a good start to anything.

As she got closer, she noticed Robin and who she assumed to be the infamous Patrick still arguing in the middle of the pool. A second man who looked vaguely familiar to her was clearly trying to separate them.

"It was an accident. She didn't do it on purpose and he didn't make you fall." Cruz was getting desperate. He loved being the center of attention, but not for this reason. Cruz wanted to be noticed for his image, his confidence. Not for being in the middle of a verbal fight between Frick and Frack here.

"Sure it was!" Patrick chuckled, splashing Cruz in the face.

"Are you three?" He glared at his friend and wiped the water off his face. Logic and reason were clearly not working. He was going to go for the big guns. "You do realize if you keep going the only one of us getting anything tonight is Lucky right?"

That was just an effective wake up call. Elizabeth had heard enough complaints about Patrick to know at least Robin's view on his dating life. Now that she apparently had confirmation from this friend, it was true. And Lucky apparently was on the prowl just as much as Patrick was. She pushed aside the disappointment she felt, even though she was puzzled why she even felt disappointment. This wasn't about her or Lucky Spencer. It was about helping Robin. "Robin."

"What?" Robin looked over at her innocently.

"I think I see Courtney over there. Wanna find out where those drinks of ours are?"

"Absolutely."

The two glided off towards the edge of the pool, missing Lucky's arrival by seconds. All three watched the girls hoist themselves out of the water, shake the excess water off their hair, and move towards their friend.

"Damn." Lucky whistled.

Patrick did a double-take, but remained silent. No way was he going to say aloud what he was thinking right now.

Cruz shook his head in appreciation. "Did Robin and her new friend join? Cause I for one would not mind seeing that scene again."

"I should call it a night." Patrick told his friends.

"Poor baby. Did Robin ruin your fun?" Lucky affected a mock pout in his cousin's direction.

"No. I have a date tonight."

"I thought dating was a waste of time?" Cruz pointed out, cocking his head.

"I'm not dating. It's a date."

"I wasn't aware you knew the difference?" Lucky playfully swatted at Patrick. "Whatever you are calling it, you have blown your chances here so you better go."

Cruz nodded. "Yes almost hitting on Robin and then arguing with her for all to see does tend to make for a bad impression."

"What are you talking about? You weren't anywhere near either of us until just now." Patrick reminded his friend.

"Yeah, you ditched both of us right after we got here." Lucky pointed out.

Cruz hadn't thought they noticed his absence. Lucky had been completely absorbed in chatting up Robin's friend. Patrick had been distracted by various women around them. "You were hard to miss with all that yelling." He protested. "And let's face it; Robin is dressed to get attention tonight."

"You think so?" Patrick asked, off-handedly. What was the matter with him? He should not be having this reaction to a woman he loathed!

"Did falling in the pool make you blind?" Lucky shook his head. "I've known Robin since she was five and even I couldn't ignore how she looked."

"Just goes to show that no one can go without sex too long." Patrick commented, feeling like an asshole for saying it.

Lucky glared in Patrick's direction. "How's Emily doing these days?"

"What am I still doing here? I'm going to be late." Patrick climbed out of the pool, turning his back on his friends.

"Suddenly he cares about being on time?" Cruz did a double-take of his own. "Who are you and what have you done with our friend?"

"Catch you later." Patrick grabbed his towel and went inside to get his car keys from his locker.

"Something is seriously wrong with him." Cruz shook his head and they watched Patrick disappear into the locker room. "Since when does he ever get anywhere on time?"

"Since losing to Robin in public." Lucky answered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a conversation to finish." He made his way out of the pool, grabbed his towel, and headed in the direction Robin and Elizabeth walked in.


	17. Blatant Disregard

The best way to get a girl off of his mind was to lose himself in another one. He couldn't say for certain that this particular girl had been the right choice, but the prospect had been far too sweet to rationalize his way out of. She was about five foot seven with killer legs, voluptuous breasts, and a mouth that promised a good time. Her name was Abby Foardes and it had taken exactly thirty-nine minutes to talk her out of her clothes. He considered it a new record. He smiled as he watched her sleeping next to him. A few lingering touches and she had lit up like a Christmas tree. When he was good, he was damn impressive.

She had the beige sheet wrapped around her willowy frame, but the material was practically see-through so he took his time inspecting every inch of her. He crawled closer to her and kissed each of her shoulders, his lips brushing across her skin. He applied just enough pressure to rouse her from her sleep. There was a lot on the agenda today, and she had already been here longer than he preferred. He had to meet Cruz for breakfast this morning to give him the shots he'd taken of Robin's bakery. Just thinking about her caused his mouth to go dry. He had exhausted himself last night with a complete stranger, and yet, the moment he opened his eyes, of course she was the first thought he had. Grumbling, he threw the sheet away, stirring the woman in his bed.

"Good morning." Abby yawned, stretching so that the sheet fell away from her naked body. Patrick barely glanced up, his attention span growing shorter and shorter with each woman he bedded. He kept picking up the exact same woman. She was always tall and lanky with a to-die-for body. She always laughed at the poor effort he put into his jokes. More often than not, she was a wannabe actress with hopes of sleeping with a world-famous director in case it was discovered that she couldn't act. Her other alternative was always to land a spot on a reality show. All that ever changed was her name. Patrick rubbed his forehead.

"Yeah, morning." Patrick mumbled automatically, selecting a comfortable t-shirt from his closet and a pair of form-fitting jeans.

"What are you doing up this early? Come back to bed." Abby cajoled, crawling across the bed until she reached the end of it.

"I have to go. Can you let yourself out?" Patrick asked instead, dropping his clothes next to his most recent conquest.

Abby pouted. "Why don't you come back to bed? I promise I'll make it worth your while." Great, now she was a whore. Just what he didn't need.

"I don't doubt it." Patrick forced a sexy smile. He kissed her forehead much like he would a child. "But I have to go to work and I want you to leave."

"If I leave, I won't be coming back." Abby warned.

Patrick chuckled at her. "I'm counting on that." Her reaction didn't surprise him. She grabbed her clothes, kicked him in the shin, and stormed out of the studio. That had been almost as easy as she was.

When he reached Bobbie's house, he was whistling a happy tune. Last night had given him a much-needed ego boost. He couldn't believe he had gone a whole week without sex. Some things should just not be allowed. He wiped his black loafers on the Welcome mat provided, a habit that his relatives had instilled in him at an early age. Luke had found it absolutely hysterical, especially when Patrick explained what had happened the one time he hadn't used the mat. He had spent all day outside during a wet, miserable day and then trudged into Bobbie's house. She had handed him a toothbrush that he swore to this day had looked an awful lot like the one she kept for him and forced him to get down on his hands and knees and scrub at the black mess his boots had inflicted upon the unsuspecting ivory-white carpet.

He hadn't knocked a day in his life and he wasn't going to start now. Maybe if he had at least attempted it, he would have given himself some time to prepare for the guest that was sitting on his aunt's blue and white flower speckled couch. Bobbie greeted him with a perfect white smile, but a quick glance to his left proved that every member of his inner circle was friendly toward Robin. He opened his mouth only to close it, his eyes going from his aunt to Robin Scorpio. What the hell was she doing here? Why was she everywhere he went? Had Cruz spiked his black coffee this morning at breakfast? There was really no telling with that friend of his. Why else would he think he saw Robin mere feet from him? It was all a trick of the mind. He closed his eyes and then opened them slowly, hoping his eyes would be met with someone else, anyone else. Robin looked at him quizzically.

"Patrick?" Bobbie titled her head to the left. "Patrick, are you Okay honey?"

"Fine." Patrick replied, though he wasn't completely sure he was. He suddenly wanted to hold onto something. Or sit. Maybe he should sit down. Bobbie led him to the couch, putting him and Robin shoulder-to-shoulder. He must have been at least partially out of it, because he didn't notice this at first.

"Not that I mind but to what do I owe this pleasure?" Bobbie sat down in the overstuffed chair next to them, smiling sweetly.

"Cruz." Patrick said quietly, handing her a brown envelope his friend had asked that he drop off on his way to the police station. The police station. Emily Quartermaine. Crazy. Robin Scorpio. Especially striking in her buttercup yellow dress and brown knee-high boots.

"Your friend? Why would Cruz be sending me something?" Bobbie took the envelope and opened it carefully, pulling out a single sheet of paper.

"He wanted me to give this to you. It's the approval for your ad...for Eat & Greet...your business?" Please understand, he silently begged. He didn't think he could go into more detail. In fact, it was rather hard for him to form a complete sentence. Robin must have found this incredibly amusing. That thought sobered him. No way was he going to come off looking like a dork in her presence!

"That was nice of him. He really didn't have to do that. He really is an extremely talented young man."

"Yep. What is she doing here?" He asked carefully, not missing the stern expression Robin sent his way. He wanted to smile, but Bobbie probably would have popped him in the back of the head for it.

"Why are you talking about me like I'm not here?" Robin demanded, her voice only rising slightly. She had to keep those impeccable manners in front of her hostess, Patrick realized.

"But you are here, Miss Scorpio." Patrick reminded her. "Therein lies the problem." He went on.

"I work with Robin, Patrick. We happen to be planning a wedding." Bobbie's voice had the smallest hint of a reprimand in it had Patrick actually been paying attention to her.

"Yes, so if you'll be on your way, Drake." Robin muttered a plastered smile on her face.

"Is this your home? My mistake." Patrick put his hand over his heart.

"That pink room upstairs belongs to you? I had no idea." Robin teased.

"He found it quite comfortable when he was younger." Bobbie laughed.

"Why am I not surprised by that?" Robin smirked, tilting her head at Patrick's narrowing eyes.

"Bobbie, is it really necessary for you to bring strays home?" Patrick wondered.

"But where would you stay?" Robin chimed in.

"Poor little Robin has to spend time with other people's family, because she doesn't have one of her own." Patrick countered, folding his arms.

Robin wasn't going to take the bait. No matter what he said to her, she was not going to reprimand him in front of Bobbie. Who the hell did he think he was, judging her? She wanted to respond a million different ways, but instead she gripped her yellow legal pad to her chest and played hurt. Bobbie would surely consider her the victim in all of this and then she would throw him out on his big head! They had work to do, and he was being unreasonable. Just because the man could fill out a pair of swimming trunks did not make him a decent human being.

"I suppose I have been showing up in the same circles as you lately." Robin reasoned softly.

"It's a small town and you do share many friends. It was bound to happen." Bobbie smiled. "Patrick, can I get you some coffee or something?"

"I can get it. I don't want to...interrupt your little meeting." Patrick said, moving toward the kitchen.

Robin watched his retreating back with dark eyes. "Where were we?"

"You were going to explain to me how you managed to get her to narrow her list to only fifty cake designs when I can't get her to narrow it down to one season out of four!" Bobbie leaned forward laughing.

"It's all about how you--" Robin began, not noticing Patrick emerge from the kitchen, his hands still empty.

"I'm sorry, but, of all the people in this town, why do you have to work with _her_?" He snapped, frowning at Robin's instant smile.

There, she thought. There was the Patrick Drake she knew and loathed. It had only been a matter of time.

"Patrick!" Bobbie's head whipped up, her red hair flying. "I know you know better than that."

"Sometimes people surprise you." Patrick responded, a note of disgust in his voice.

Bobbie stood up, steeling her gaze at her nephew. She gave him a look perfected over years of baby-sitting her rowdy nephews and raising her own son. It screamed Do Not Go Any Farther. "You are on thin ice here Patrick." Her voice had the edge of warning that any other day he would have paid attention to.

"Are you going to send me to bed without dinner?" Patrick asked incredulous. How could she be siding with that woman?

Robin stood up, her hands on her hips. She was shaking she was so angry.

"Shut your mouth." He warned Robin, catching the intent look in her gaze. "Just stay out of this. Mind your own business for once."

"_Me? _What about you? I've never heard a man talk to his aunt this way!" Robin shot back, her vision swimming.

"Get out of my house. Can't you see you're not welcome here?" Patrick challenged, his voice rising a few decibels.

"This isn't your house."

"Get out!"

"I was invited!"

"That's enough!" Bobbie crossed her arms over her chest, her green eyes flashing. She crossed the small distance to where Patrick stood, stopping only when she stood directly in front of him. "You will apologize to Robin right now."

"For what?" Patrick roared.

"For acting worse than my five-year-old grandson."

"I'm justified!" He argued, nodding in Robin's general direction.

Robin mimicked. 

Bobbie held up her finger. "Robin is my invited guest and my colleague. You will apologize."

"No, I don't believe I will." Patrick's eyes flashed at the very thought.

"I should just go." Robin declared.

"That's the best thing you've said all morning." Patrick replied.

Bobbie turned and faced Robin. "Robin sit down; we still have a wedding to plan." Just as quickly she turned to her nephew. "Patrick Noah Drake, I know your mother raised you better than this. Apologize or you can leave right now."

"Why do I have to apologize?"

"For being rude to my guest."

"How can you look at her after what she did to Logan?" Patrick retorted.

"What I did?" Robin stared at him, her mouth agape. "What exactly did I do to your precious baby brother?"

"You took away his pride."

"What pride? He'd drink himself into a stupor and then stumble in at all hours of the night."

"I can't say I blame him for staying drunk when you were what he had to come home to."

"Patrick Noah Drake! You can leave right now." Bobbie's look shot daggers in his direction.

"Don't mind if I do. It's not like there's any loyalty to be found here." With that, he turned on his heel and left.

Robin returned to the couch and gathered her yellow legal pad. "I--should just go, Bobbie." Her voice was trembling, but she didn't care.

"Robin, stay. My nephew was horridly out of line and I still need your help in planning the wedding of the century." Bobbie's eyes softened as she looked at Robin. "And I for one don't blame you for choices Logan made. And neither does the rest of the family."

"I really think it'd be best if I go. We'll look at this tomorrow. It's not like she's in any hurry to get married." Robin concentrated on her hands. It was just easier than facing the pity she would find in Bobbie's gaze.

"Well not today she isn't." Bobbie moved towards Robin and opened her arms. "Come here and give me a hug if you are so determined to go. When we reschedule we will just have to work twice as long."

"I'm sorry. I'm a mess." Robin fell into Bobbie's arms, her voice and her body trembling.

She caught sight of something that looked oddly familiar. Black and shiny and thin. Why, that son of a bitch had forgotten his cell phone. Well, she'd just have to return it to him. In person, she decided. She hugged Bobbie a second longer and moved past the table, secretly knocking the rectangular box into the pocket of her dress. She waved to Bobbie and retreated to her car.


	18. Pinch Me

"Elizabeth?" Audrey ducked the dress that had been flung carelessly behind her granddaughter's head. "What is going on?"

Turning towards the open door, Elizabeth's face looked pained. That was the question she kept asking herself since she left the pool party with Courtney and Robin. What was going on?

She blamed the drinks. The damn strawberry margaritas had been delicious but they had to have been ninety percent alcohol. It was the only explanation for this insanity. That or Lucky Spencer's chest. It was one of those two factors, she had decided. Or a combination. She couldn't really have lost her mind so completely. There had to be a reason.

Lucky had joined them shortly after they found Courtney and had insisted on buying their drinks. Seeing the dirty look Patrick had shot them when he was leaving, Robin had insisted Lucky stay with them, claiming she hadn't talked with him in forever. So he stayed.

After overhearing his friend use Lucky's "getting some" as a reason to stop Robin and Patrick's fight, she had wanted nothing to do with him. She would have left except she came with Robin in Courtney's Mustang convertible. There was no way to leave unless she wanted to look 12 and call her grandmother to come get her. And she wasn't about to strike up a random conversation with some of these too good looking to be true types. Those guys always scared her.

She had stood silently to the side, sipping her drink, ignoring his every opportunity for her to join in the conversation. And when ignoring didn't work, she opted for the shortest answer possible. But then her drink had become drinks and he became too damn charming. Or was it the other way around? She couldn't fully remember at this point. At some point she did remember spotting his tattoo that covered his upper back. Maybe that was the reason. She always was a sucker for a man with a tattoo.

The one thing she did remember clearly was the conversation had turned to karaoke.

Courtney threw her head back and laughed. "Oh come on Lucky, don't be a snob! There are some great singers who do karaoke."

Lucky had rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. "Courtney I know you are exceptional, but you have to admit that fifteen drunk frat boys holding the mic hostage for an Eminem impersonation contest is not high up there on a list of fun things to do."

Robin had smacked his arm. "Snob! It's not that bad and it's actually fun!"

He looked over to Robin and Elizabeth, standing side by side and lifted his eyebrow. "Have you done it Robin?"

Nodding Robin matched his eyebrow lift with a head cock. "Have you?"

The pause gave him away. He had never done it. Elizabeth sense an opportunity and something made her pounce. "So if you've never done it, then how can you write it off?"

Their eyes locked and she swore she saw mischief in his. "Why Miss Elizabeth" he drawled. "I never thought you would be a fan of karaoke."

She smelled a challenge coming. She smelled a trap. She was the youngest of three. She knew when she was getting set up. Later she would blame the alcohol in her system, but Elizabeth plowed ahead. "Maybe I am, but if you never come to a party, how will you ever know?"

Lucky grinned at her. "If you insist on teaching me Miss Elizabeth, just let me know the location of your next bash and I'll be there in the front row cheering."

It was Courtney who damned her. "Tomorrow night at Jake's. The fun starts at nine."

She was trapped. Not only could she not sing, she had terrible stage fright. There was no way she was getting on that stage. But if she didn't she would have to make nice with Lucky all night. She was the one who invited him after all.

What the hell had possessed her to basically invite him along? He may be charming but all wolves in sheep clothing were in her experience. So he bought her some drinks, looked damn fine in a bathing suit and had one mighty fine tattoo, it was not a reason to hang out with him all night in a crowded bar. Not when she didn't even like him.

And it was for sure not a reason to destroy her closet in search of the perfect outfit to wear for tonight.

"I'm sorry Grams. I'm just a little frazzled." Elizabeth gestured to growing mess. "I guess I'm not that used to have to dress for people my own age anymore. Its much easier to find something that stains will wash out of."

Audrey laughed and entered in the room to hug her granddaughter. "You will prevail my dear. I have no doubt. I'm just glad you are getting out there and having fun." Audrey turned to leave. "I'll leave you to make up your own mind."

"Thanks for the confidence Grams." Elizabeth turned to survey the mess. Running her hand through her hair, she sighed. She was hopeless. Completely hopeless. There was only one thing to do in times like this. Call for back up.

She reached for her cell phone, determined to call Robin and ask her opinion. Finding the number in her cell phone, she was about to press "send" when she remembered Robin telling her about the big meeting she was having today about some important client. Robin was out. Elizabeth scrolled up her list to find Courtney's number. Surely Courtney would be able to help her figure this one out.

Dialing, she waited to hear Courtney answer the phone. She knew the blonde didn't have a shoot today and was planning on hanging out with Morgan all day. And according to Robin, Courtney couldn't not answer her phone.

So why was all she getting a busy signal?

Robin chose her timing perfectly and the best part was, she hadn't even meant to. Patrick had just brought the single silver blade level with his throat, his face smothered in shaving cream, when she kicked his door with all the force she possessed. Granted, if a man had done it, or really any woman stronger than she, it might have flown off of the hinges with a wood-splintering crack. As it stood, she had only succeeded in startling her host enough to make him lose his grip on the blade and nick his right cheek. He shouted loud enough for her and any curious neighbors to hear and she heard him stomp toward the door. Squaring back her shoulders, she prepared herself for the brunt of it. Let him do his worst!

Patrick answered the door with the blade dangling in his left hand wrapped in a low-slung green towel. She had expected him to be snarling at her, but, apparently, her reaction was just enough to make him grin. If she held onto her anger--there was plenty--then she might make it through this unscathed. He had insulted her, she reminded herself adamantly. He had disrespected Bobbie. Patrick will always blame you for Logan, a little voice chimed in. Remember what he said. Remember. Robin could feel her blood start to boil. Good girl. Now, lift your chin and tell him exactly what you came here for. Look him in the eye. It's all about how you approach this.

"What are you doing here, Scorpio?" Patrick had provided her with a golden opportunity. He was watching her curiously. He must have found all of this very amusing! Bastard.

"We have a few things to discuss." Robin explained, proud of herself for managing to stay vague. A look of surprise--or was it fear--spread across his features and he dropped the blade. It made an awful clattering sound when it struck the wood. Robin gulped and Patrick put his hands on his hips.

"I said all I had to say at Bobbie's." Patrick argued, waving away her discontentment with a flick of his wrist.

"I'm glad you brought that up." And she was. As long as he kept reminding her why she was so mad, maybe then she could succeed in getting through this. She was at a slight disadvantage. The nights when she had gotten sick of her own excuses, she had fantasized just a bit about this man in front of her. She would never admit it, but he had looked so incredibly breathtaking at the pool party. If he hadn't been so quick to dismiss her at his aunt's--but he had! He had made her feel lower than dirt! Even now, he was making her life difficult.

"Come to yell at me for my bad behavior?" Patrick dared, wagging an eyebrow at him.

Robin was fuming. "What is your problem with me?"

"Have I not been clear enough for you, Scorpio?" Patrick mocked, leaning against the doorframe.

"It's not just about Logan. There's something else. I want to know what it is." Robin insisted, placing her left hand on the door throwing herself forward but not so much that she fell into him. With him distracted, she ducked under his arm and let herself into the studio.

"I hate you pure and simple." Patrick assured her, closing the door behind him when she showed no signs of leaving.

"Is that right?" Robin challenged, not sounding all that convinced.

"Yeah, that's right. Listen, if this is your reason for stopping by, can you make it quick? I have plans." Patrick told her.

"She'll just have to wait." Robin argued, automatically assuming he was referring to his newest bed bunny.

"Awfully hostile aren't you?" Patrick teased, picking a piece of gray blanket fuzz from her bangs. "If I didn't know any better…"

"I can't believe I actually thought you capable of an adult conversation!" Robin ranted.

"Is that what this is? A conversation?" Patrick asked skeptically.

"I get that you've been in the dark for the last six months about my constant involvement with the Spencer's, and I'm sorry--um I figured someone would clue you in. I guess they just expected more out of you. It's lucky for me that I've never suspected so much as a kind word from you." Robin forced a smile.

"There. See? Now was that so hard to figure out?" Patrick wanted to know.

"What fuels your anger toward me?" Robin countered, folding her arms.

"There's just so much to choose from, Scorpio." Patrick replied, turning his back to her.

"Oh yeah. Name one." Robin encouraged him to continue. It was time they called a truce. She didn't have to like him, but no way was she leaving here without an apology.

"You ruin everything good in my life." Patrick responded.

"Said like a true five-year-old. Other than your precious, can-do-no-wrong brother, can you give me another example?" Robin wondered.

"I already told you, damn it!" Patrick snapped.

"A little anger. Good!" Robin clapped her hands in praise. "If you keep this up, I might give you a gold star for effort."

"Why do you care?" Patrick inquired.

"Why are you deflecting my questions?" Robin asked instead. She took a deep breath. "Okay, let's try something else. Tell me what exactly ticked you off about me being at Bobbie's house."

"You had no right to be there."

"No? I was invited."

"That was a mistake." He ground out.

"How so?"

"My family has blinders where you're concerned. It helps that Logan doesn't live here, because they don't to own up to their betrayal." Patrick explained.

"And you see me for what I am, right?"

"That's right."

"What do you see when you look at me?"

"A leech."

"A leech?"

"You suck the life out of people." Patrick clarified.

Her laugh was melodic and filled his ears clearly, even with his cell phone's crappy reception in the park. "You are one naughty boy Cruz. I should punish you for playing with fire like that."

He felt the mental shiver that shook him with that image. Damn this woman was going to be the death of him. The sweet, blissful death of him. "Since when is it a crime to want to talk with you any way I can?"

"With Patrick so close by? You are very lucky he was so distracted he didn't notice what you were actually doing. And then earlier with Lucky so close by?"

It was true he had played it way too close for comfort but with no risk came no rewards. "Half the fun of sneaking around is the almost getting caught." He paused and cleared his throat. "You really did look beautiful last night."

"I bet you said that to all the ladies by the pool."

"No they only looked good. You were the only beautiful one I saw."

He could imagine the way her smile was lighting up her face. Cruz was well aware it sounded like a cheesy pick up line Patrick would have tried in high school, but it was the truth. She had been the most beautiful thing he had seen last night.

"You're still in on thin ice." Her voice was soft, laughing. "Just you wait till I get my hands on you."

"It's a date." And one he couldn't wait for.

"I 'suck the life out of people'? What the hell kind of explanation is that?" Robin's voice was so high Patrick spun around to catch her expression.

"The only one you're getting." Patrick replied.

"You know what I think?" Robin's voice lowered and she chewed softly on her bottom lip. Patrick's eyes followed the movement as she had expected him to do.

"What's that, Scorpio?" The way he said her name was disarming, but she couldn't give in.

"I think you like me and it's killing you." Robin answered.

"Like you?" Well he didn't have to sound so disgusted at the idea!

"Yes! Why else would you call me names and get this insane look in your eyes when I'm around?" Robin asked.

"You infuriate me to no end!" Patrick tried to explain.

"Ever stop to ask yourself why that is?" Robin knew the answer before he said a word.

"Clearly that nosedive into the pool last night knocked out some of your common sense." Patrick declared.

"So, you're telling me that you don't feel anything for me at all?"

"That's what I'm telling you." Patrick agreed.

"You're a liar." Robin countered, closing the space between them. "You see, what I think is, you just can't stand the fact that I entice you."

"You don't--"

"But I do." Robin interjected, her fingers grasping the towel. One tug and it would be history as would his resistance.

Robin shot up out of her desk chair, knocking it backwards in her haste. She ran upstairs, threw open the bathroom door, and caught her reflection in the mirror. She looked like one of the creatures from The Black Lagoon books she was reading to Morgan. Her hair was a thick, fluffy mess. Each strand was interlaced with the other so that she resembled a ball of yarn. She stumbled over to the shower and turned the cold to high, flipping on the shower. A moment later, cold water smacked against her open palms. She was in so much trouble.


	19. Changes Come

**Author's Notes: We hope you enjoy the updates! Your reviews are always so beautiful and straightforward! Thank you so much for sticking with us!**

**-Kristin & Beth**

Going out like this two nights in a row would normally merit him a lecture from his mother about spending his limited free time with his son and not acting like a playboy with nothing better to do with his time. She for sure wouldn't baby sit for him two nights in a row. Luckily for him, Lulu was currently in an off-phase with her boyfriend of the moment. Lucky had yet to meet the kid, but the light bulb nature of their relationship made him dizzy from a distance. At any rate, it had worked out for him tonight, since she was ready and willing to hide from him by babysitting Cameron.

Neither one noticed as he glided through the crowd to join them. They were too busy cheering the girl who couldn't be more than 18 singing "Take a Little Piece of My Heart" with all the righteous indignation of a teenager experiencing the loss of her first love. Courtney bent down to whisper something to Elizabeth, which caused her to throw her head back and laugh.

"What can I get you?" Brenda appeared out of thin air, materializing in front of him.

Lucky blinked at her, trying to remember why exactly she was there. The answer came to him slowly. Jake's. Bar. She works here. "The usual Bren."

"Did I startle you?"

He gave her his best questioning look. "Why would you say that?"

"Or is your attention just skewed this evening? Oh, Lucky, are you replacing me?" She made a pouted face.

He gave her his best charming smile, the one he knew Cameron had inherited. "Never Bren. I could never replace you."

She winked at him and, a second later, she brought him his order. "She's not half bad."

"I must be loosing my touch. Am I that obvious?" He sipped the Scotch appreciatively, his eyes never leaving Elizabeth's form.

"I was actually talking about the girl on stage...but, now that you mention it, your tongue is kind of dragging the floor."

"I'm pathetic aren't I?" He sighed.

"You don't need to try so hard if I got the right impression from their conversation." Brenda mumbled.

His eyebrow shot up at that. They had been talking about him? There was a shock. "I know I keep pissing her off every time we talk to each other."

"Try playing honest. Girls like her like that." Brenda suggested, taking a drink of Lucky's Scotch.

"Help yourself there Bren." He laughed. Glancing at Brenda, he cocked his head to one side. "Honesty? Really?"

"Well, maybe that was a bit hasty. Oh, Metallica!" She set Lucky's drink down, grabbed his hand, and led him toward the stage.

"Brenda...Brenda no!" He wrenched his hand away as she went to the exact center of the stage to join the gathering head bangers. "Bren, I love you but you are on your own."

"You can't sit out Enter Sandman!" She argued.

"Watch me." He turned and looked for Courtney and Elizabeth again. He turned his head and caught Brenda's eye winking. "Wish me luck."

"'Sleep with one eye open!'" She sang along with the wannabes.

"Thanks Bren. I really feel the love." Lucky rolled his eyes as he turned to make his move towards Elizabeth's table. It was now or never.

Elizabeth laughed as the crowd had turned mosh pit quickly once the young man in the leather jacket and bandana took the stage. Courtney had begun chanting loudly with the rest of the crowd. "LARS! LARS! LARS!"

"Lars?" Elizabeth questioned. "His name is Lars and he does Metallica?"

Courtney shrugged. "I think his name is Greg but he worships Lars. So the name sticks. He's actually a nice guy once you get to know him." She paused and tilted her head. "I think I tried to set him up with Robin once actually."

"Can't imagine why that one didn't work out." Elizabeth giggled. "I'm sure he's a nice guy but his image could use a little work."

"The image of you two ladies on the other hand requires no work at all. You are perfection."

Elizabeth jumped when she heard Lucky's voice sound beside her. When he hadn't shown up at nine like Courtney told him, she had thought he stood them up, probably for Daphne or some other young singer. But there he was, in a pair of khaki cargo pants and white button down shirt with light blue stripes running down his chest.

"We don't need you throwing out your tired lines, Casanova." Courtney wiggled a finger at him, smiling all the time. "You're late!"

He leaned down to kiss Courtney's cheek. "I had to say goodnight to my son. Forgive me?"

"It's not me you need to make-up with. Elizabeth and I were just talking about how you could do just that. She suggested a dance." Courtney lied.

Elizabeth stared with her eyes wide open. She had suggested no such thing. "You really don't need to do that. Courtney is just being ridiculous."

"I didn't mean to embarrass you sweetie." She looked thoughtful.

Lucky smiled at her. "I'll have to ask for a rain check. This song isn't appropriate to dance to anyways."

"Tell that to Brenda." The brunette was doing The Twist on stage, completely oblivious to the fact that the song had changed.

The three friends started to laugh. Lucky placed his drink on the table and leaned forward so they could hear him. "So if I have to dance, what does Robin have to do for being later than me?"

Elizabeth glanced at her watch. He was right. She hadn't realized it was so late and that Robin still wasn't here. "Where is that girl?" she wondered aloud.

Patrick could always sense danger. Ever since he was a child it was like a sixth sense. So, he knew when Robin Scorpio showed up at the door to his studio that he was in trouble. It might have been the deadly look he caught in her gaze. It might have had something to do with her slamming his door behind her. Whatever the reason, he was a little afraid to speak.

"Don't." She warned, pushing past him, letting herself into the studio. It was spotless. He got points for effort. No doubt his bedroom was upstairs. She bet it had seen plenty of women in the time he had lived here.

"I'm busy, Scorpio. Can't we do this later?" Patrick wasn't sure how he'd found his voice. He hoped he at least sounded put off.

"No! We're doing this right now!" Robin argued, charging up to him and slapping him hard across the cheek.

"Feel better?" Patrick wondered.

"No!" Robin shrieked at him, throwing her hands into the air.

"What would put you at ease then?"

"You've gotten away with being an asshole for far too long. It's over. I won't allow it." Robin informed him, folding her arms over her chest.

"You won't allow it?" Patrick's jaw dropped.

"That's right. I'm going to tell you exactly what you're going to do." She took a breath. "First, I want an apology. I didn't do a thing to deserve those insults you threw at me. I want you to be sincere."

"Sorry, Scorpio, but I'm not that great an actor."

"You're in hot water with Bobbie to say the least. Tell me you're sorry, and I'll get you back in her good graces."

"Just because everyone else in my family has blinders on where you're concerned doesn't mean I do too. This isn't going to work."

"What isn't going to work?"

"Whatever it is you're hoping to get from making me say sorry." Patrick explained.

"That's a gift in itself." Robin replied. "But I'm doing this for both our sakes."

"How so?"

"For a professional, you're quick to resort to childish tendencies. We need to call a truce. Here and now. From this point on, you swallow your pride when I'm around and I'll do the same. These screaming matches are growing tiresome." Robin reasoned.

"Stay away from my family, and you can easily avoid me." Patrick suggested.

"They were my family too!"

"For like five minutes! Someone has to protect them from women like you!"

"Women like me?"

"We were just fine before you came into the picture."

"Right. I remember. You were an overnight success and Logan managed to get through a complete meal without rambling like a drunken fool."

"You broke him when you left." Patrick accused.

"What did you expect me to do, Patrick? Was I supposed to stay there and take it? Was I supposed to tough it out? Is that what you would have done?"

"You didn't try to work it out!"

"You're right. After I caught him in bed with that whore, there was no going back. I'd suspected it for a while, but I just stayed positive. I kept a smile on my face for you and your family. Five years, Patrick!"

"You just needed a way out and you'd say anything if it got the family to side with you."

"How can you say that to me?"

"It's the truth!"

"He betrayed me, not the other way around! I took my vows to heart. They were just words to him. He proved that every single day after we were officially husband and wife."

"He loved you."

"No! He loved the idea of me. I reminded him of your mother. When he realized that I wasn't in fact her, he started drinking."

Patrick hadn't heard this part of the story. He wasn't sure why, but he actually believed her. "How long did you suspect him of being unfaithful?" His question caught her by surprise.

"Why do you care?"

"Make your point, Robin, or get out of my studio. I'm listening. That's what you wanted right?"

"The first time he was out of town on business. I found a pair of red lace panties tucked in the secret part of his suitcase. I should have said something then, but I didn't. I wanted so badly to be happy." It startled him when he noticed the sudden tears in her eyes.

"I believed him when he told me that you were making the whole thing up. I believed every word that came out of his mouth." Patrick grumbled.

"He wanted you to be proud of him. I have to believe that's why he married me. He thought if he settled down, you'd quit worrying that he was going to turn into your father."

"And he turned into him anyway." Patrick shook his head.

"The only difference is, losing me isn't what led him to drink. He felt like he had failed you by not making our marriage last."

Patrick ran a hand through his hair, turning his back to her. "I've hated you for such a long time." He told her.

"Do you still?" Robin whispered.

"Where is she?" Elizabeth held her phone close to her ear, just so she could hear the ringing on the other end. Jake's had steadily risen in volume as the night went on and the more regular performers took the stage. Apparently karaoke night at Jake's was the adult equivalent of the high school pep squad, with every effort being cheered loudly.

Robin was beyond late and Elizabeth was getting increasingly worried. In the short time she had known Robin, it had been impossible to notice the other woman's almost obsession with being punctual. She couldn't blame Robin since she was balancing opening a new business and adjusting to new motherhood. Being an hour and a half late for a meeting with friends was not like her at all.

The ring stopped and Elizabeth held her breath, hoping to hear the call connect to her friend's voice. She sighed in disappointment when all she heard was the outgoing voice message.

"You've reached Robin Scorpio. If you'll leave me a message, I'll get right back to you. For information about Eat & Greet catering and wedding preparation, please press 4. Have a lovely day."

"Hey Robin, it's Elizabeth. I was just wondering where you were. We're all here at Jake's still so, umm, yeah stop by ok?"

"Still no answer?" Lucky placed his hand on her bare shoulder and offered the tiniest of squeezes. Damn her skin was soft, he realized. Dangerous thoughts Spencer. Dangerous. Think of Robin. Think of Robin.

She bit her lower lip and he worked hard to contain the chuckle when he noticed the movement. It was adorable. She was adorable. Robin, think of Robin, he lectured himself.

He was impressed with himself. He had managed an hour's worth of conversation without pissing her off over something. Of course, he had to admit Courtney's presence helped. She had unknowingly kept him from saying something too stupid more times than he cared to admit to. And her incessant cheering of the performers kept awkward silences to the barest of minimums. It was hard to ignore each other when you both wanted to laugh at a cheer that consisted of the words "Sing that Lionel Richie, T-bone!"

Elizabeth glanced at him and looked away quickly. Don't stare into his eyes, she reminded herself. You are worried about your friend. "She should be here by now. She just doesn't flake like this."

Courtney smiled at the both of them. "Actually on karaoke night, she does tend to. I've only managed to get her to go to one. And she tends to turn off her phone because she knows I'll call and try to guilt trip her about it." She paused to take a sip from her Midori Sour. "I bet she's at home reading to Morgan right now."

"There, see a perfectly reasonable explanation." Lucky smiled. "Feel better?"

She held up her thumb and forefinger. "A little."

"Ladies and gentleman, our next performer needs no introduction, because she'll do one herself." The crowd laughed at the emcee's joke. "Give it up for Courtney Matthews!"

"That's my cue!" Courtney stood up quickly and began to race for the stage. "Cheer loud!"

Obediently, Elizabeth began to cheer as loud as she could manage. Lucky began to wolf whistle and pound on the table, threatening to tip the drinks over onto their sides. If Courtney heard them over the deafening roar of the crowd, she had to have Superman's hearing. It was obvious the girl was a much-loved veteran of the Port Charles karaoke circuit. Smiling she took the microphone, and announced loudly, "Damn it's good to be appreciated."

As the music to Courtney's first selection, Shawn Colvin's "Sunny Came Home" started; Elizabeth risked a sidelong glance in Lucky's direction. He was wearing the same smile she had seen all night. "Busted. You are so busted," she laughed.

He cocked his head to the left. "Busted? What do you mean busted?"

Elizabeth pointed her finger directly into his chest. "You, Mr. Big Shot Music Snob, are having a good time. Admit it."

"I may be having fun but it has nothing to do with the fine musicianship we are witnessing." He stated with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh come on, Lars was awesome!"

"He was ok."

"And T-bone...you had to love T-bone."

Remembering the man who eerily resembled the bouncer currently sitting outside the bar, Lucky shuddered. "I would be afraid not to love T-bone."

The man at the table directly behind them chose that moment to make his presence known. "Sing it Blondie! Sing it!"

Elizabeth doubled over in laughter. If there was one nickname Courtney hated it was Blondie. She and Lucky looked up to the stage just in time to see Courtney's face contort in disgust for a split second.

Lucky and Elizabeth ducked their heads and laughed until their stomachs hurt. When Courtney finished the song, and the man stood up yelling "Blondie! You're the best Blondie", they lost it all over again.

Courtney smiled and soaked up her applause. "Thank you. This next song holds a special place in my heart. I hope you all love it as much as I do."

As the haunting first notes of Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited" began, the crowd began to pair off into couples and sway closer together. Elizabeth felt her breath catch as Courtney began to sing.

_Like anyone would be  
I am flattered by your fascination with me  
Like any hot-blooded woman  
I have simply wanted an object to crave_

She heard Lucky clear his throat and felt him tap her shoulder. She looked over into his green eyes and notice his hand extended to her. "I know you said it wasn't necessary, but Miss Elizabeth would you like to dance?"

_But you, you're not allowed  
You're uninvited  
An unfortunate slight_

It was dangerous to say yes, she realized. Her brain screamed at her to say no, run to the ladies room, leave the bar, anything, just don't dance with him. Before she even realized what she was doing, she felt herself smile and stand up, taking his hand.


	20. Surprise

_Dear Readers - Kristin and I love you. We really do. And we appreciate your reading and reviewing. It fuels us like none other. Before you read this...I must tell you two things. Kristin and I write by two principles. One - Feck Expectations and Two - We will go to a Special Hell. Consider this exhibit A in why we live up to our principles. Don't say we never shocked you!_

_-Beth_

"He wanted you to be proud of him. I have to believe that's why he married me. He thought if he settled down, you'd quit worrying that he was going to turn into your father."

"And he turned into him anyway." Patrick shook his head.

"The only difference is, losing me isn't what led him to drink. He felt like he had failed you by not making our marriage last."

Patrick ran a hand through his hair, turning his back to her. "I've hated you for such a long time." He told her.

"Do you still?" Robin whispered.

Patrick sucked in a breath, not sure if answering would cause lightning to strike him dead in the middle of his studio. How long had he expected to hold onto this hatred? Why had he given it enough power to affect his relationship with his family and friends? Surely this woman in front of him was not to blame entirely for his little brother's bad choices. How was he just supposed to let go? Robin's eyes glistened with tears and he realized, with startling clarity, that she assumed the worst. He had to say something and soon.

"Don't answer that." Robin advised him, holding up her right hand to silence him. "I shouldn't have asked it."

"Robin--" Patrick began.

"No, just don't say anything. He's your brother. I have to quit putting you in the middle. Of course your loyalty will always lie with him." She bobbed her head slowly and darted her eyes to the door.

"I didn't--" Patrick tried again. Why couldn't he just say the words? It was obvious that she needed to hear them! Why was he such a coward?

It was Robin's quick retreat in the direction of the door that gave him that extra incentive to leap toward her and hold her right wrist in his left hand. Her eyes were slow to reach his. He could feel her shaking in her skin as he started to draw her closer. Maybe they didn't need words after all.

His fingers clung to her wrist and she slowly moved into his waiting arms, not wanting to pretend any longer. If she breathed at all, she wasn't aware. In his embrace, she would be safe. She sensed it somehow.

The years of simmering anger melted away as desire enveloped them in a hot, uninhibited Utopia. Breaths mingled in anticipation. Patrick released her wrist and slid his arms around her waist, tempting her to let go and trust him.

"I'm feeling awfully neglected up here." Standing atop the stairs was Patrick's newest conquest, Candice Hughes. She had thick, curly red hair, emerald-green eyes, and a body that had been bought and paid for in full.

Robin jerked out of Patrick's grasp. "What am I even doing here?"

"It's not--" Patrick insisted.

"What is it then? Were you going to tell me you had company?" Robin challenged.

"Before or after you stormed into my studio and attacked me for the second time?" Patrick shot back.

"I knew this would happen. I guess it's just lucky for me I got out in time." Robin backpedaled until her body was pressed against the door.

Patrick had seen the look far too often, but never from her. He had screwed up royally, and the next time she let him this close to her, would be at her funeral. "Yeah, lucky for you." He snapped, motioning for her to storm out as he had been expecting from the get-go.

Robin spun around so fast she should have gotten whiplash, a lump in her throat the size of a golf ball. She was far too numb to cry. Patrick didn't come after her, didn't even call her name, but then why would he? She wasn't anything special.

Cruz gave himself one last glance in his bathroom mirror. His white dress shirt was freshly ironed, crisply tucked into his dark blue jeans. He had opted to not wear a tie, instead leaving the top two buttons open. His black shoes were shined. He went into his small bedroom and picked his black sport coat off the dark green comforter on his bed, throwing it over his shoulders with ease.

Walking downstairs, he paused at his small bar, selecting one of his favorite wines. Only the best for his girl, he thought. She deserved the best.

Cruz tucked the bottle under his right arm, leaving the townhouse to start his Ford Expedition. Pulling out of the small garage, he carefully turned his vehicle in the direction of his favorite florist. Tonight he was going to do everything up right.

Five months ago, he had called on a whim, asking her out to dinner with him. To be honest, Cruz hadn't expected her to even say yes. And on the off chance she had said yes, he hadn't expected her to see him as anything as what she had always seen him. A nice guy. An ambitious magazine editor. A casual acquaintance.

When she had in fact said yes, Cruz had dropped the phone in his office and accidentally hung up on her. His face in flames, he called her back immediately. Her laughter had immediately put him at ease, as had her suggestion that they meet at her place and she cook him dinner. He quickly countered with an offer to cook her dinner at his place, which she had accepted.

The dinner wasn't meant to be anything romantic. Hell he hadn't even really figured out what exactly he was feeling for her. She had been in the background of his life for years and Cruz hadn't even given her a second thought for most of that time. Why after one interview, he suddenly found himself fixating on her was beyond him.

It hadn't even been his piece to start with. One of his writers, who left shortly after it had been published, had left out key information about her business. Tired of having a half-ass job completed, Cruz had decided to do the follow up interview himself. It was the only way he knew he would get the information.

The interview was his most memorable one. Not only because it led to the start of their relationship, but also it was just that good. The conversation had flown freely and Cruz found himself with even more information than he needed. She later told him it was the mark of what a good writer he was. He swore it was because she was such a great conversationalist. They had started talking about her business, but quickly moved to talk of music, movies and books. What was supposed to be a twenty minute follow up interview had blossomed into a three hour conversation. They met at a small restaurant during the lunch rest and left just before the dinner crowd appeared.

When she had come to his townhouse three days later, the conversation continued just as easily. They had polished off a bottle of wine and Cruz had been shocked when he realized it was past midnight. He had insisted she stay in his spare bedroom, saying it was far too late and they both had drunk far too much for either one to drive.

She had left in the morning before he got up, leaving him a note thanking him for dinner. Cruz had found himself wondering about her the rest of the day, what she was doing, what she had planned, was she thinking of him. The thoughts plagued him throughout the weekend. Patrick and Lucky had even noticed his preoccupation during a pick up game of basketball at the gym. And even though his story about work sounded lame to his ears, his friends believed him. There was no way they would have been as nice had he told them the truth.

When he had gotten to work that Monday, the first thing he noticed in his inbox was an email from her. Cruz was rather embarrassed to admit how quickly he had responded to her email. But when she responded just as quickly, he felt marginally better. If anyone were to ask him what work he accomplished that day, the answer would be none. While he looked busy, he had actually spent the entire day engaged in an online flirting session.

It has been a mental attraction at first, a respect for her mind and enjoyment of her quick wit. The physical attraction hadn't made itself known until the next weekend, when he found himself staring at the length of her legs in short dress and the curve of her backside as she opened the door to the oven in her kitchen. When they met the following weekend at a small restaurant just outside of town, Cruz was determined to kiss her before the night was over.

He made his move on the walk through the parking lot towards his car. When he paused to open her door, she turned her head slightly to thank him and he quickly pressed his lips to hers. The kiss had turned electric as she responded immediately. Had another car not chosen that moment to turn into the parking lot blinding them, he wondered how much more would have occurred. Brief as it was, that first kiss was one of the hottest he had ever had. That night when she invited him for a drink, he accepted immediately. And when she suggested he stay over, he hadn't slept in the guest room.

It was a mutual decision to keep their relationship quiet. For one thing, she had a personal policy of not telling her family anyone she was dating until she was certain it was serious. And he was in no way ready to tell his friends about his new girlfriend. Cruz knew Patrick had suspicions. Lucky probably would too if he wasn't working so much. He had been avoiding joining them for family dinners because he was certain Laura would notice something immediately. Laura Spencer has an uncanny knack for knowing exactly when someone was in a relationship and when exactly someone was in love.

He paused at the florist to pick up her favorite flowers, sterling roses. They were rare and expensive as hell but she deserved more. He still had to make up to her his earlier communication with both Lucky and Patrick so near by. The bouquet was waiting when he arrived, since he had ordered it a few days earlier.

Returning to his car and pointing towards her house, he mused on the changes in his life since she had entered it. Cruz used to be worse than Patrick with going out every night of the week. Now he really on went out for Guy's Night and with her. He still flirted constantly, but there was no meaning behind it. And she never minded when he did. Remembering what she said the first time he had flirted with her nearby still caused him a smile.

"You can flirt with whoever you want honey. But you only come home with me."

He was amazed that he was still with the same woman after five months. Not to say Cruz had a series of one-night stands. Far from it. But he normally couldn't make it pass the second month. Once he made it to three. After that one broke up, he found out Patrick and Lucky had started betting on its demise the day after he passes the two month mark. With a bet of three days past the third month anniversary, Lucky had won. Patrick had shot him dirty looks for a solid month whenever he had to do Lucky's laundry.

He pulled into her driveway, killing the lights on his car. He did a final check in the rearview mirror. He grabbed the roses and wine and whistling, walked up the front steps to the door, ringing the bell. It was their tradition, to celebrate their anniversary by staying in and making each other dinner. That was the plan, but they always seemed to get distracted before they finished the meal. Not that he minded. The distractions were always pleasurable.

His breath caught in his throat when she opened the door. Her slim body was shown to perfection in the lavender sleeveless dress that stopped just below her knees. She stood barefoot, her toes painted a bright red, matching her nails. "Damn baby, you look gorgeous."

She smiled that smile that made his knees buckle and took the flowers from his outstretched hand and buried her nose in the blooms. "Oh Cruz. You didn't need to do this."

"Think of it as an apology for my little stunt."

She threw her head back and laugh. Everything she did, she did fully and wholeheartedly. "Oh don't think you are getting out of anything with these, gorgeous as they may be."

"They're nothing compared to you." He moved to kiss her cheek.

"You can do better than that." She pulled him by the lapel of his coat into her entryway, shutting the door firmly behind them. She twisted them so she had her back against the door and his hands were balanced just above her shoulders.

Cruz smiled and lowered his head to fully capture her lips. It was a teasing kiss, full of promises for the night ahead.

When they parted, he rested his head on her forehead and winked at her. "Hello Bobbie."


	21. Who Am I Kidding But Me?

It was late. Too late for her to be sitting outside on the front porch, but Elizabeth didn't care. The sky was clear, the moon full and if she listened closely she could hear crickets. If she closed her eyes and ignored the oppressive heat that still lingered well into the night, Elizabeth could almost swear she was back home in Boulder.

She tucked her knees under her chin as she swung in the porch swing. It was only late at night that she even remotely thought of Boulder. Port Charles was home now. Finally she was making friends, spending time with Grams was always wonderful and she had a job she loved. But at night, the memories started. At night, her mind wandered back to Max.

Elizabeth shook her head. There was no way she was going down that road again. Too much time had been wasted wondering what she could have done differently, if there as something else she should have noticed. It was not her fault. Max was the asshole. Not her. Max was the liar. Max didn't deserve the time of day.

Think of something else. Think of anything else. He's not worth it.

Some sly voice, who sounded exactly like Courtney, spoke up in the back of her mind. Lucky. You should think of Lucky.

Biting her lip, she relived their brief dance. The man could dance. She had to give him credit for that. Lucky had guided them through the drunk crowd with ease, seeming to know instinctively when to pull her closer to him and guide them away just seconds before she would have been bumped or jostled. His hand hadn't left the small of her back and he hadn't applied anything other than the lightest of pressure there, but she had been acutely aware of the nearness of him the entire time.

She had somehow resisted the urge to burry herself in his shoulder and just sniff him. His scent had barely teased her nostrils, mingling in with the sweat and smoke that defined Jake's. Courtney's voice just about disappeared when she realized he was singing along under his breath. And just when she was about to comment on it, the song ended.

They had pulled away from each other, blinking; both apparently surprised the song was in fact over. As all around them, the crowd cheered Courtney's performance, Lucky leaned down towards her ear to whisper something.

Her cell phone came to life, bringing Elizabeth back to the present with a jolt. Glancing at the caller ID, she felt relief flood her. At last! "Robin? Are you ok?" she answered the phone breathlessly.

The drive from Patrick's studio to her loft took twice as long as she had anticipated. The town was only so big, so she figured she had just driven around in circles for the better part of an hour. She kept her car filled up with gas and took good care of it all year long, so what did it matter if she actually use it for something other than work once in a while? She needed to think. She needed to forget. Upon seeing Patrick's company, all she had wanted to do was go to Jake's and get trashed, but she had known her friends would be there and she didn't think she could stand seeing anyone right now. Besides, in the past week, how much alcohol had she thrown back? It wouldn't be good to give the State a reason to snatch Morgan away from her. It was only when she saw the blinking yellow message alert on her cell phone screen that she decided to call Elizabeth.

"My phone died." And it had. That wasn't why she hadn't phoned until now, but it wasn't a lie either.

Elizabeth let out a sigh of relief. "I was just worried. You're never late and then when Lucky came in and you still weren't there, I guess I just panicked."

"Why were you trying to get a hold of me? I'd think you'd be too wrapped up in your date to worry about little old me." Though she joked, she could hear the fake cheerfulness in her tone.

Even though Robin couldn't see her, Elizabeth blushed. "It wasn't a date."

"Is that why you made Courtney tag along? So that you could hide behind that silly excuse?" Robin wondered.

"Courtney is the one who actually does karaoke. We just were along for moral support."

"Who are you kidding? Elizabeth, you can't be this naïve. Courtney told me how long it took you to get ready." Robin patronized lightly.

"I've never been to Jake's before, much less karaoke night there. How was I supposed to know what to wear?"

"That's true." Robin let the topic drop. Clearly, Elizabeth wasn't ready to admit anything was more than friendly between her and Lucky. Robin could have said that she had been at the pool party, and that she had felt the sizzling chemistry from across the pool, but what would it have solved? The pool party. Yelling at Patrick. Causing a scene. Falling into the pool. It had been fun...the most she had had in a long time. She bit her lip. Best to not let her mind wander. He had proved that he wanted nothing from her.

"So where were you anyways?"

"I went for a drive." Robin answered.

"Ok." Elizabeth sensed there was more to Robin missing tonight than an insatiable urge to go for a drive but decided to let it drop. At least now she could go to bed without vision of her friend being the featured victim on a Court TV forensic investigation show. "I was going to ask you when you showed, but how are you doing after that run in with Patrick today?"

Robin stopped for a light and sat there almost a full minute after the light had turned green. If she responded, "What are you talking about?" it would admit guilt. God, but how had she found out? And so soon? Damn that Drake had a loose jaw. How embarrassing! "I just told him to apologize to Bobbie for talking to her the way he had this morning." Robin explained.

"Lucky told Courtney that you two got into it at Bobbie's when she mentioned you were a bit distracted today. Patrick apparently called him right after leaving there." Elizabeth paused, sensing something off in her friend's answer. "What do you mean you just told him to apologize? Did you ditch us to see Patrick?"

Oh, crap. Robin pulled the car to the shoulder and took a deep, soundless breath. Elizabeth had been referring to the fight this morning. She had automatically assumed that Patrick had gossiped to Lucky once she had stormed out of the studio. She had to fix this. "I didn't ditch you." She wanted the words back, but they were already out of her mouth before she heard her mistake.

Elizabeth resisted the urge to snort. She was learning Robin was many things, but a good liar was not one of them. So that was what "went for a drive" meant. Interesting. From what Lucky had told them, Patrick had lived up to the very reputation Robin claimed he had. So why the hell would she give a crap if he apologized to his aunt? Elizabeth had a feeling that if he refused to do so, the rest of his family would make his life miserable until he did. "Sure you didn't. So when exactly did you decide that it was up to you to make Patrick apologize?"

Robin's throat went dry. How could she get out of this unscathed? Elizabeth was no idiot and she must have put two and two together. Damn her subconscious for sending her that sensuous dream and making her question her own instincts. She blamed the dream for the way she had reacted to seeing Patrick right after. Why else would she have slapped him? Until he had come into the picture, she hadn't considered herself a violent person. Just in the span of a few days she was a bitter, friend-abandoning, couldn't-tell-a-lie-if-her-life-depended-on-it boozer. "He never would have talked to Bobbie that way if I hadn't been there. I felt responsible, so I stopped by unannounced and demanded that he call and apologize." She sounded convincing if only to her own ears.

Damn. Even though Elizabeth was 99 percent sure there was more to this than Robin was telling, she had made a good point. If she pressed any further, Robin would dig her heels in even more and an actual argument very well could erupt. Robin may be bad at lying, but she was an expert at getting out of sticky situations. Must be the politics in her blood. "You're probably right there. It's no big deal. Just next time give me warning. I didn't realize Courtney was such a blatant matchmaker."

"It's too bad for her that you and Lucky are strictly friends." Robin baited.

Elizabeth crinkled her face in disgust. "We're not friends. I teach his son. We have a strictly professional relationship."

"You don't teach Cam anymore." Robin corrected, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling.

"Oh before I forget, Lars says hi. He's apparently still really sorry your dog died before you two were supposed to get together the last time."

That was all it took. Robin busted out laughing. So Courtney had blabbed? God, but she had been so adamant about them getting together. Her poor disillusioned friend. When she trusted herself to speak, she continued, "He's not a bad back-up...I mean, since you have zero interest in dating Lucky, right?"

"Exactly. And I'm sure you don't have to go over to his place and force him to apologize to his aunt instead of hanging out with your friends." It was lost on Robin, but Elizabeth still smiled triumphantly.

"I have another call coming in." Robin lied.

This time she couldn't suppress it. Her snort of laughter escaped. Something hit a little too close to home. "Well by all means answer it. Lars said he would try to call you later."

Robin made a face. "That is NOT funny!"

"He learned a new Metallica song just for you."

"At least he's got good taste." Robin replied. She wanted so desperately to tell Elizabeth what had happened at Patrick's studio, but she would rather focus the attention on her friend's happiness. "How was tonight? Did you have fun?"

Elizabeth paused, recalling the feeling of dancing with Lucky. She shivered a little, even in the heat, as the words he whispered in her ears replayed in her mind.

_"Thank you for the dance Miss Elizabeth."_

"Yes I had fun. But next time, you are showing. Without you there, Courtney got ridiculously close to getting me to go on stage. ALONE."

"She's a good friend." Robin assured Elizabeth. "After the divorce, she snatched me out of my mausoleum of a house and insisted that I come live with her." Thoughts of Courtney made her think of Logan. Thoughts of Logan led straight to Patrick.

"I'm not saying she's not a good friend. I'm saying she almost got me to sing in public. Two different issues there."

"Did I mention I love having a permanent excuse for not coming to karaoke? Morgan."

"Baby-sitter."

"You play dirty." Robin laughed.

"All's fair in avoiding the karaoke stage."

"I'm home now. We'll talk tomorrow. I want to kiss my son goodnight."

"Ok. I'm just glad you're ok. I'm sorry for the million messages on your cell."

"I felt special." Tears pricked her eyes at that.

"You should. I only imagine grisly deaths being featured on television programs for the elite few."

"Well, rest assured, I can take care of myself. Let's meet for lunch tomorrow."

"Deal. Tell Morgan goodnight for me."

"I will. Goodnight, Liz."

"Goodnight Patrick's conscience." Elizabeth laughed and hung up quickly before Robin could respond to that.

Robin slid out of the car, locked it, and hurried up to her apartment. She really did want to see Morgan tonight. He should still be awake. Why had she wasted so much time driving around when she could have been home with him? If nothing else, she had him to think of and she had been doing a lousy job so far. No wonder he still wasn't speaking. What kind of stable environment had she provided him? When she wasn't home, he was stuck with their neighbor. When she was home, she was distracted. She wanted to slam her face into the large double doors that led to her building, but that would have cost her precious time. She took the stairs two at a time, not trusting the elevator to be fast enough, and thrust open the door, her shoes skidding across the newly-waxed hallway.

Calm down, she told herself. She was going to scare Morgan. She headed into the kitchen for a large glass of ice water and finished it in one gulp. Another glass. She drank slower and let her body sag against the counter to her left.

The apartment was quiet, and, she guessed from the excess clothing strewn over the loveseat that Courtney was already asleep. She might have had the reputation as a party girl, but she rarely did an all-nighter. Morgan's door was cracked, but she still knocked. She wanted him to know that his privacy was respected and upheld. "Morgan, sweetheart, are you still awake?"

Robin stuck her head in-between the door and its frame, spotting a lump of blankets and sheets wound up in the middle of the bed. When she noticed it move, she smiled. She hadn't woken him up after all. "I wonder where Morgan could be." She announced in a sing-song voice, letting herself in the room. "I could have sworn I saw him up here before I left. Where could he have gone?" The lump moved to the left and Robin took a seat on the mattress. "Look at these blankets. I could lay here all night."

She threw back the blankets and stared down at Morgan's mischievous face. "Morgan!" She exclaimed, slapping her hands to her cheeks. "Well, there you are!"

He giggled and tried to dodge her when she reached for him, but she was too quick. He giggled when she tickled his neck and exposed stomach. "It's the attack of the Tickle Monster!" She watched him squirm, listened to him laugh, and felt her anxiety lift. The day's events evaporated from her mind and she was able to center in on the six-year-old in her arms. Finally, she let him go and he slipped under the covers, only her face left uncovered. "I know things have been crazy this week, but it will get better. Grandma Bobbie and I are working on a new project for work. She told me what a big help you were in the kitchen last week when you guys were making cookies, and I got to thinking. Would you like to come to the bakery with me on Friday?" As much as she wanted to take him in the morning, she knew that her distraction would rob him of any fun. Best to set up a day when she could play and have fun with him.

Morgan smacked himself in the face with his sheet and Robin watched him with a raised eyebrow. "Morgan, what do you say?"

She pulled the sheet down and tried the finger spelling approach. Morgan whined loudly and tried to recover his face. "Morgan, stop." Robin ordered, but he wasn't having any of it. What had set him off? She wasn't used to these fits, because they were so few and far between. She had been so sure that they had been making progress.

"What's the matter?" She insisted, trying to avoid his flailing arms and legs. Even with the sheets and blanket as a buffer, she felt the blow of his ankle chopping against her neck. "Ouch, Morgan, calm down!" She hadn't meant to shout and wished that she had reacted some other way. Morgan's bottom lip trembled and he rolled onto his side so that only his back faced her.

"Robin, it's late." Courtney's voice filtered in from the hallway. "Why don't you get some sleep?" It didn't sound like Robin had much of a choice.

"Courtney, something is wrong--" Robin began.

"I'll take care of it." Courtney promised.

"I don't need you to 'take care of it' Courtney!" Robin shot back, her shoulders setting at the very suggestion of her needing help.

"Starting a screaming match in front of Morgan is better?" Courtney challenged, folding her arms.

"I am doing the best I can." Robin countered, storming past her friend.


	22. Indecent Proposal

Patrick was in front of Sweet Indulgence an hour before it opened, scoping the place out from across the street at Elmer's Barber Shop. He threw one leg over the other as he struggled to get comfortable on the wooden bench. It had been a long time since he had gone to these kind of lengths in pursuit of a woman, but he figured he should feel justified. It wasn't everyday he got a visit from an angry woman demanding he apologize. Emily was just stalking him; she wasn't asking for an apology. He stretched his arms above his head and kicked out his legs. His watch announced that he still had a while to wait. If it was anyone but Robin, he might have left and come back, not expecting her to show up early. However, he knew how obsessive she was and that, most likely, she would show up at least half an hour before she was supposed to. He grabbed a newspaper and read through the local news, the worldly news, and smiled once he reached The Funnies.

At half past eight, Robin strolled into his line of vision, her hair pulled back in a single braid. No doubt she had a lot to do that day and didn't want to have to deal with her hair. This also showed in her choice of outfits, a pair of nice-looking blue jeans, a short-sleeved pink top, and white tennis shoes. The heat had yet to abate; when he'd woken up, the temperature gage had screamed ninety-six degrees. No doubt Robin would have the bakery's air conditioner blasting the moment she unlocked the door. He didn't want to spook her, so he stayed where he was, his eyes peeking over the rim of the newspaper in his hands.

The little bell sounded and Patrick's head shot up. Lucas had arrived for work. Now was when he should make his move. Robin would leave Lucas out to watch for customers while she went into the back to fill in orders she might have received via voicemail on her office phone. He really had no idea, but he figured that's what they did in the mornings. How else could she and Bobbie have such a successful side business if she wasn't caught up with her own work? Patrick was proud of himself for remembering that his cousin worked for Robin, because it made the next step so much simpler. Robin would be distracted by her morning crowd of customers as was every morning cafe at this time of day. She wouldn't want to lose face in front of them. She would have to be on his best behavior. This was his chance to catch her at her most vulnerable.

Patrick felt as though he was walking to his death and, considering his single audience, he might very well be. She wouldn't want to hear his excuses. She had been hurt, by his brother no less, and she must have recognized a lot of their similar traits. He had to anticipate what she was going to say and how to buffer it if he expected to get his point across. Mac was still her uncle. If she wanted to, she could get him in a lot of trouble, but Patrick even had a glass-half-full approach to that: at least he would get to ask the Commissioner about his case against Emily since there had been no word.

Lila and Edward Quartermaine were the first customers of the morning and Robin greeted them with her warmest of smiles. The bakery's location made it both popular and inconvenient. Dropping by this early meant that her customers had to deal with slow traffic and endless lights, so she always made sure to add a pastry or two in addition to their order.

"Good morning, Edward. Lila." She welcomed them into the store, flipping the OPEN sign around once she saw that she had missed it this morning. It wasn't like her to forget things as simple as that, but too much had happened yesterday. In addition to her fight with Patrick, Morgan had thrown a fit, and she and Courtney had gotten into their first fight. Her dreams had been action-packed and exhausting, but when she awoke, she couldn't remember their content. Courtney had been gone before she woke up and she must have dropped Morgan off at the new camp Robin had signed him up for last night. It was a day camp three days a week, and she had been lucky to get him on the list for sign-up considering her procrastination.

"Good morning, Robin." Lila answered, fingering a few of Robin's newest items near the register.

"How are you my dear?" Edward wanted to know.

"I'm alright." Robin replied. "What can we get you?"

"I've been craving toffee." Edward admitted.

"It would be a little difficult to get those out of your dentures." Lila reminded him.

"Sometimes, it's worth it." Edward chuckled.

"No donuts?" Robin looked surprised.

"Of course donuts." Edward assured her.

"How many? A dozen?" Robin guessed.

"We might need a bit more since Cook is on strike this week." Lila mused.

"It just goes to show that we should have better quality staff." Edward grumbled.

"Edward, darling," Lila looped her arm in Edward's. "Let's try to stay positive."

"You're right, my dear. There's no reason to fret about it." Edward agreed, smiling over at his wife.

"Lucas, do you know if we got those chocolate covered raisins in?" Robin asked, sneaking a glance at her employee.

"As a matter of fact--" Lucas began.

"Chocolate covered raisins?" Edward's eyes grew to the size of two brown marbles.

"We had them ordered special. It turns out that one of our best customers goes goo-goo over them." Robin replied, hiding her grin.

"I'll take them all." Edward said on impulse.

"Doesn't that seem a bit extreme?" Lila asked.

"Who knows when she'll get more in?" Edward replied, reaching for his credit card.

"How about I start you off with a box and I'll deliver them to your house if you run out." Robin suggested.

"There, now, that sounds better." Lila replied.

They were true joys in the morning. Her face froze when she saw someone come in behind them. She noticed the dark head dip as he sat down at the table nearest the door. What was he doing here? She took the rest of their usual order and let Lucas check them out, handing him the credit card she had forgotten she was holding. To add insult to injury, Patrick looked in no hurry to leave.

"I'm sure these will last us a while." Lila told Robin quietly once Edward was out of earshot. He had stopped to snoop through Robin's spinner rack of cook books.

Robin turned to Lucas. "Do you need me right this second?" She didn't care if it was cowardice, she was going to hide in the back until Patrick left. Maybe he'd get the clue sooner rather than later.

"I'm fine." Lucas promised, noticing that his cousin had stopped by for some reason. From what he understood, he and Robin were mortal enemies. He had been a teenager when Robin had married Logan, so he hadn't actually experienced the tension between these two. He felt it now and it was unpleasant. Best to let Robin avoid Patrick.

"Okay." Robin regretted her answer when she realized that Patrick had heard her voice and decided that now would be the time to approach her. The door was so faraway, she thought somberly. All she would have to do was lock herself in her office. He couldn't pick locks; their childhoods had been very different. This was nuts, but she really didn't think it'd be a good idea to merely share a space with this man.

"Stop right there." Patrick ordered, though she hadn't actually disappeared from sight yet. "You and I have a lot to discuss." He continued, nodding for Lucas to stay out of it. His cousin simply rolled his eyes and straightened the pastry plates in the bake case.

"We have nothing to talk about." Robin corrected him, her arms automatically crossing at the challenge in his voice. She would not be pushed around, not when he was the one in the wrong.

"I see you're still mad about yesterday." Patrick smirked before he could stop himself. Robin's eyes flared. Oh, she was going to kill him. He should have stuck with his original approach. She might have reacted differently if he had come in on his hands and knees. She might have kicked him in the face, a little voice argued. Well, if he wanted her to forgive him, he was going to have to do whatever it took.

"I don't know what you mean. In order to be mad, I'd have to care." Robin pointed out, her left shoe tapping impatiently against the floor. If this was his way of apologizing, she was glad she wasn't holding her breath.

"That vein in your forehead is bound to crack if you don't relax." Patrick informed her.

"I am relaxed!" Robin shot back.

"Let me show you the real meaning of the word." Patrick mumbled under his breath, but Robin must have heard him because she turned an even deeper shade of red.

"We're out of sugar cookies!" Lucas announced in a high-pitched yelp. "I'll go in the back and get some."

Robin held up her hand. "That's not necessary." She told Lucas before returning her angry eyes to settle on Patrick's smug face. "You see? You're scaring my staff."

"You're scaring your staff." Patrick countered.

"I'm not scared. I'm deeply worried about the missing cookies." Lucas lied.

"Can we talk about what happened?" Patrick wondered, training his eyes on the fuming brunette.

"I already told you--" Robin snapped.

"I can see you're busy. Why don't you use the kitchen and I'll take care of the customers...or lack thereof. I'll wait for the customers." Lucas said.

"Lucas, that's really not necessary." Robin's voice was pleading.

"Thanks." Patrick reached behind the employee entrance and unlatched the lock.

"I didn't say you could come back here." Robin reminded him as he marched her into the back.

"You didn't say I couldn't."

"Whatever it is you stopped by to say, I've heard it all before."

"I'm not my brother."

"Did I say you were?"

"No, but I think you're being a little unfair."

"I'm being unfair? I'm not the one who--" Robin let the sentence hang as Patrick blocked her exit. He had his arms spread out in front of him, his right arm level with the freezer door. Robin had her back to the sink and, had she seen a way around this man twice her size, she would have attempted a getaway.

"Who what? I wasn't expecting you yesterday."

"I didn't think--" And that was her problem. She didn't think. She plowed forward without thinking things through and this was her punishment for doing so.

"That I'd be entertaining company?" Patrick finished for her.

Robin made a face of absolute disgust. Why did he have to constantly shove his conquests in her face? It wasn't as though they were dating, or even sleeping together, so why did it feel as though the bottom had dropped out of her stomach?

"Look, I get why you're mad, but you really don't have any reason to be." Back up, a nagging voice insisted. Say something complimentary.

"I guess I don't." Robin gave in, not caring that her answer shocked Patrick into silence.

"You're the one who showed up at my apartment unannounced, and you're the one who tried to kiss me."

"Excuse me?" Robin shrieked.

"You heard me. Honestly, I don't know what took you so long. You've wanted me since the day we met."

"Wanted you like a heat rash." Robin clarified, rolling her eyes.

"You should give into temptation. It's well worth it."

"If I wanted a male hooker, I'd search the yellow pages." Robin pointed a finger at him.

"That's what you think of me?"

"Am I supposed to believe that that offends you?"

"I'm honored that you would devote so much of your time to finding out how I like to spend my time."

"Don't be. I just happen to deal with many of your 'entertained' guests after you've up and left them. You're surprisingly good for business." Robin grinned.

"So you need me?" Patrick guessed.

"You're impossible. Get out of my kitchen."

"What would you do if I kissed you?" Patrick wanted to know. Robin blanched at him. If she hadn't been leaning against the sink, he bet she would have melted in her spot. Damn, he was good.

Robin pushed away from the sink and uncrossed her arms. Let's see how far he was willing to take this. "Go ahead."

"I wouldn't want to be accused of taking advantage later." Patrick countered.

"All talk and no action?"

"Oh, babe, I'm all about action." Patrick argued.

"Then kiss me. I dare you."

Robin reached up and undid the top button on Patrick's blue striped shirt. She slid her hand around his neck, pressing her palm against his skin. Patrick's eyes practically rolled in the back of his head and she heard him sigh. His left hand shot out and he latched her to him. "Well, Drake, I'm waiting for that kiss." She told him, craning her neck to see him.


	23. All You Want

Author's Notes: An update! And on the anniversary of L&L2's first wedding! How perfect is that?!

Slamming his fist against the front door, Lucky felt slightly better. It was stupid, childish, and slightly insane but he didn't really care. It was summer and he knew his sister would be trying to sleep until noon if she could help it. Not today. Not after what happened last night.

He was planning on making as much noise as possible this morning. Let her just try to sleep through this morning. Cameron wouldn't wake up until he smelled the pancakes coming to the table. His mother would just look at him strange, probably yell at him, but he could handle that. At least he was pretty sure he could handle that. Maybe he'd only keep it up until the first time his mom gave him that look. Then he would move on to plan b. Whatever that was.

Lucky gently put Cameron down on the couch, still sound asleep. Sitting down next to his son, Lucky ran his hand through his hair and sighed. Of all the times his sister had to show her Spencer timing she had chosen last night to do it.

"Thank you for the dance Miss Elizabeth." He had thought the song was longer than that. He could have sworn it was.

She smiled shyly, looking into his eyes with her blue ones then quickly looking back towards the stage. She moved her eyes back to him, and whispered as quietly as he had.

"You're welcome."

The crowd around them was applauding and cheering Courtney. Elizabeth had blinked first and turned towards the stage, clapping her friend's performance. Reluctantly he joined her. He was fairly certain Courtney wouldn't even notice if they cheered or not, but he did owe her one hell of a thank you for that dance even happening.

Lucky considered himself a decent dancer, but a first dance was always awkward. Where to put one's hands, how close to hold your partner, what pace worked best for the two of you. As confident as he could be on the dance floor, Lucky knew during a first dance there would be at least one time when there would be a bump or an accidental stepping on the foot. It was part and parcel of the whole first dance experience.

Except with Elizabeth. Somehow they just worked. Where a misstep normally occurred, they had glided across the floor. He hadn't pulled her too close, which surely would have sent her screaming out into the night. Thanks to years of hanging out in his dad's bar, he had been able to correctly read when the drunks near them were about to stumble right into them.

Courtney switched tempos for her final song, having selected Better Than Ezra's "Desperately Wanting". As the crowd began to pump their fists and slam into each other, he had followed her back to the table they had abandoned. Elizabeth bit her lip as she rearranged herself on the chair and mischievously smiled at him. "Do you normally dance that well to poor excuse passing as music?" She threw the words from the pool part back in his face.

He leaned in closer to her, partly so she could hear his answer and partly to try to catch the scent of her perfume again. It had teased him throughout the dance. "Wonderful as Courtney may be, I think that had more to do with my partner than the music selection." Lucky leaned closer, pushing her hair behind her ear to whisper directly into it.

"I have a feeling you dance divinely to any music"

Even in the low light of the bar, he could still see the blush starting on her cheeks and working its way up her face. When she finally turned to face him, he was relatively certain she was surprised at how close they really were. She opened her mouth to speak and he found himself focusing on her lips.

"I'm just a girl, living in captivity..."

Lucky groaned as he fished for his cell phone. Lulu. "Yes?"

"Hey Lucky, I'm sorry to interrupt..."

"No you're not."

"Where are you? It sounds way too fun for you to be there."

He had taken a breath. Lulu had done him a favor tonight. He had to dial it back a notch. "I'm sorry Little Bit." The nickname always worked to soften his sister's mood.

It worked like a charm. "Listen, I wouldn't have called you but Cam's got another new monster. And nothing is working to get rid of it. I think the presence of Super Monster Killer is needed."

Lucky looked sideways at Elizabeth, who was watching Courtney start to dance on stage. "You really need me?"

"I've gone through three cans of Monster Spray."

Duty called. "I'll be right there."

"Thanks Big Brother. And I really am sorry."

"It's ok Sweet Pea. I'll see you shortly." He hung up the phone and gently tapped Elizabeth on the shoulder. For a split second he thought he felt her tense up but he convinced himself he had imagined it.

"I'm really sorry but I've got to go."

Elizabeth smiled at him. There was something off. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but that was definitely not the smile she had on before. "Don't worry about it. I'll tell Courtney you had to go. Be safe!"

She whipped her head around quickly, dismissing him as effectively as when she had hustled him out of her classroom. He started to get the sinking feeling in his stomach that she had overheard his conversation and drawn one very wrong conclusion. Lucky made a move to explain to her, but the crowd roared Courtney's conclusion and Elizabeth jumped up to meet the other woman at the foot of the stage. Whatever explanation he had, it would have to wait. He had a new monster to kill.

Some part of him reminded him that Lulu hadn't any idea what had transpired. She was just trying to get Cameron to bed and it wasn't working. And he was the one who had chosen not to identify his sister as the caller. And it certainly couldn't be her fault that he had not gotten Elizabeth's phone number and she wasn't listed in the phone book.

It was too late. Lulu stumbled down the stairs, rubbing her eyes with her hair still matted down. "You do realize some people are trying to sleep right you psycho?"

"Sorry."

Crossing by the couch on her way to the kitchen, she paused long enough to pat Cameron on the head. Satisfied he was still asleep, she turned around and flipped the bird. "Shove your apology up your..."

"Lucas Lorenzo Spencer and Lesley Lu Spencer!" Laura's stern voice reached both their ears from the kitchen door. "You both know better."

The siblings simultaneously lowered their heads in an identical manner and looked off the left. "Sorry mom," they spoke together.

Laura moved into the room, determined to complete the last of her breakfast preparations in peace. "You were about to be woken up anyway Lulu. You and I have an appointment with Dr. Shelley this morning. Go get dressed." Watching her daughter go back up the stairs she turned her attention to her son. "And don't you have to be going to work soon?"

Lucky shrugged. "I didn't sleep to well last night and Cameron's been having new monsters lately. I called in."

Laura immediately flew to where Cameron still lay curled up on the couch. "New monsters? For how long? Are they all still named Helena?"

"Just the past few nights. And yes."

Laura bent down to push back Cameron's curls and kiss the child's forehead. "Well it maybe nothing but I will always approve of you spending time with him."

She moved back to finish setting the table and paused. "If you aren't going into the office, could you do me a favor?"

Sure. Why not."

"I have a box of items for the hospital auction next week that I need to get over to Audrey Hardy's sometime today. Would you be able to drop it off there for me?"

"Not a problem."

Dancing through the living room, Elizabeth balanced her laundry basket on her hip. It was her first day off in two weeks and she was determined to be productive before she left to meet Robin for lunch. She caught the corner of her iPod before it dropped clear out of the basket and crashed to the laundry room floor. The music helped keep her focused and moving. If she wasn't moving, there was the very real possibility of her mind wandering back to last night at Jake's and the way it had ended. She didn't like to admit how late she had laid in her bed last night wondering what would have happened if he hadn't gotten that phone call. Or who exactly had called him. Someone important enough to leave suddenly, that was for sure. Maybe the mysterious Daphne?

"Just stop that." she whispered to herself. "You knew he was a player when you first met him. You need to listen to your instincts better that's all." She paused as she added the fabric softener to the load. "And learn to discount how hot a man is in your assessment of if he is date worthy."

Leaving the basket on top of the washer, Elizabeth returned to the living room, determined to clean the living room from top to bottom. It was only fair since it was her mail that constantly cluttered the comfortable room. And according to her doctors her grandmother needed to be nicer to her back. The bending and twisting that it took to collect to gather her magazines, flyers and bills off the coffee table would not qualify as being nice.

As she began to collect all her magazines in one pile for recycling, the last copy of US Weekly slipped from her hands. She closed her eyes in a grimace when her eyes registered the picture it had fallen open on. Someone up there must have it in for her. The very face she was trying to keep out of her mind was grinning up at her. With his arm securely around the shoulder of some singer she didn't care to remember at this point, smiling that grin he had directed at her several times the night before.

Elizabeth kicked the offending magazine. Feeling satisfied, she kicked it again. And again. She kicked until she succeeded in it hitting the wall with a gratifying thump. "Ha!" she laughed victoriously.

"Elizabeth?" Her grandmother stood in the doorway to the kitchen. "Are you ok?"

Embarrassed at having been caught acting like a scorned girlfriend, which she was decidedly not, Elizabeth offered up a small smile. "Just taking my work frustrations out on the junk."

Audrey raised an eyebrow, a clear indication she did not completely believe the explanation but she was going to let it go for now. "Darling there will be some items delivered here today for the hospital auction. Could you show them to the den when they come by?"

"Not a problem."

"Excellent. I have to run over to Mrs. Scantoni's quickly. I'll be back before you leave to meet Robin." Audrey moved towards the backdoor.

"Take your time Grams." Elizabeth continued with her bundling of the recyclables and sorting out the trash from what she still needed to keep. Humming along under her breath, she missed the first ring of the doorbell. When the chime rang out for the second time, she hurried over to answer.

"Hello." she answered cheerfully, speaking directly to the huge box that was held in front of her face.

She heard the low chuckle, already familiar to her. It couldn't be, she thought wildly. No way it was really him. The box lowered slowly and she found herself looking directly at the smile that had taunted her just minutes ago. Her blue eyes locked with his green.

"Well Miss Elizabeth." Lucky laughed. "Fancy meeting you here."

She stood dumbfounded, blinking rapidly. Irrationally her hand went to straighten her hair, forgetting that she had braided it that morning in two low pigtails. Realizing that halfway to its destination, her hand flopped awkwardly back to her side, pulling at the side of her oversized orange t-shirt emblazoned with the words "County Jail Inmate" on the front. It had been a joke gift from a college roommate who went to work as a corrections officer. It was long enough to cover the well worn shorts that were stained and frayed, with a hole right smack on her behind. She only ever wore the outfit to clean and laundry in and today of all days she has to greet Lucky Spencer looking like a deranged Heidi on leave from her stint in women's prison.

Registering the box for the first time, she stood aside quickly. "Is that for the hospital auction?" Mentally she rolled her eyes for asking the obvious question. It wasn't like he was moving into her grandmother's home. Why the hell did he have her so flustered? She should be able to handle a conversation better than this!

"Yeah, my mom sent me on an errand since I am playing hooky from work today. Where should I put it?" He adjusted the box, giving her a clear view of his flexing arm muscles.

"This way." Lucky followed behind her to the den and placed the box down on her grandfather's desk. He paused to wipe his hand across his forehead. She was sure if he really was sweating or pretending but she did appreciate seeing those muscles flex again.

"I didn't realize you knew Mrs. Hardy."

She smiled a little. Her grandmother. She could talk about her grandmother. "I've known her for years." Seeing his eyebrow raise at her comment, she laughed a little. "She's my grandmother. I'm staying with her." His smile got wider at that. He was happy to learn that bit of information, she wondered. What was that grin about?

"Well that explains that I guess." He paused, and looked for all the world like he was gathering his thoughts. "Listen Elizabeth about last night..."

Oh no. She did not want to hear this. Elizabeth waved her hand. "It's not necessary. You had to leave. I get it. Courtney was fine with it. She only really minded when Lars got drunk and tried to feel her up."

"No you don't, see my sister called and she was watching Cameron..."

His sister? Cameron? If this was some game he was lower than pond scum to use his son like this. "Did Cameron get sick suddenly?"

"No. Well it sounds stupid, but did he ever tell you about the monsters named Helena that live in his room?"

She could recall the art class where she had the kids draw a monster. The rest of the class had drawn one. Cameron had drawn several and had named every single one of them Helena. Elizabeth nodded. "I think he drew a picture of them in class one day."

"Well for the past few weeks he's been seeing new ones and none of the usual methods of getting him back to sleep have not been working. So I had to leave. Actually that's why I skipped out on work today."

Elizabeth felt as big as an ant. He left her to take care of his son? 'See what you get for judging everyone by Max's standards?' she scolded herself. 'But Max had good explanations too.' A second voice reminded softly.

"I really am sorry. I was having a good time and didn't want to leave." Lucky had crossed the small space between them and was now standing directly in front of her. He offered a small lopsided smile. "Will you ever forgive me?"

It was the smile that did her in. She would probably live to regret this, but this one time she would give him the benefit of the doubt. "This time."

He chuckled softly. "Good. I'd hate to think you were mad at me." He nudged himself closer.

Without realizing it, she found herself moving closer of her own accord. "Nope. Not mad." Her voice had lowered to a whisper, matching his hushed tone.

If either one of them moved just one half inch more, their lips would be touching. The air became electrified as they both realized their position at precisely the same time. Her breath caught in her throat as he leaned closer to her, flipping one of her braids to uncover her ear.

"I forgot to tell you that you look wonderful today." Lucky whispered in her ear.

Blushing she looked down at the floor. "Liar." Why she continued to whisper she didn't know, but speaking at normal level would kill whatever was happening here.

"Didn't your grandmother teach you how to take a compliment?" He playfully pulled on the braid, and continued to play with the hairs bundled at the end.

She pursed her lips together in a pout. "Thank you then."

Lucky winked at her and released her braid. "That's better."

Elizabeth raised her eyes from the floor, immediately locking in with his green ones. Her heart began to pound in her chest as she noticed him sneak his tongue out to wet his lips. She unconsciously mimicked the motion as she felt his arm wrap around her waist and pull her towards him, closing the miniscule distance that had existed.

He bent his head slightly, pressing his hand against her back with no more pressure than he had used the night before when they danced. "Did I mention I was sorry that we didn't get a chance to say goodbye properly?"

Elizabeth didn't trust herself to speak. She was fairly certain she couldn't speak at this point. She shook her head instead.

"Well I am." No sooner had the words left his mouth, than his lips pressed against hers lightly. For a fraction of a second she stood still and then responded, moving her arms up around his neck and moving her mouth lightly over his. His arms squeezed her closer to him, but he made no move to deepen the kiss. It was filled with promise and excitement, hints of things to come.

He broke away first and rested his forehead against hers. "Goodbye Miss Elizabeth" He slowly released his arms and backed away, heading towards the front door. "I will see you again."


	24. Something To Talk About

**SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT**

Robin only remembered feeling this tingling sensation one other time, and it was yesterday when they had ended up in this exact same position. She wasn't about to kiss him, had herself half convinced that no kiss was going to take place between them, but neither could she find any reason to push him away and yell at him. Despite the air conditioner, the kitchen was stifling and she figured she might as well have been standing on the center of the sun. She could feel Patrick sweating underneath her palm and smiled at the effect her touch had on him. Whatever else happened, it was wonderful to know that some part of him craved the feel of her against him.

His hand rested over hers for a second and then slid down her arm to her shoulder, his thumb pushing her sleeve down her arm. Well, he just wasn't wasting any time was he, she thought dreamily. If he had his way, he would get more than a kiss for his efforts. Then, she'd be no better than the countless women he had bedded before her. She would have to see him day in and day out, each one more difficult than the last. He would joke with his friends about how easy she had been persuaded.

"Put your hands where I can see them." She insisted, wiggling out of his grasp. He made a low growl and reached for her, but she was too quick for him and he almost stumbled over his own feet.

"You've got to be kidding me!" He couldn't believe she was stopping him. What did she have against mutual pleasure?

"I said a kiss. What was with that hand of yours?" Robin challenged, tilting her head at him.

"Why do you have to question everything?"

"Because I don't trust you." Robin pointed out.

"Well, that much is obvious." Patrick muttered.

"Why do you sound so put off? You didn't actually think getting me into bed was going to be that simple did you?"

"Who said anything about getting you into bed? I was just entertaining a fantasy."

"A fantasy?" Robin snorted at him.

"This is not what I had in mind at all when I stopped by. I swear." He hurried to assure her.

"Right. Like I'd believe that."

"What if we tried again only I stand completely still and you kiss me?"

"So I have to do all the work? Typical man."

Patrick lightly beat his head into the side of the silver refrigerator.

"You're going to knock something loose." Robin warned, moving toward him.

"Come here." Patrick said a second after he grabbed her and held her against him. "Mmm. Much better." He murmured, nuzzling her neck.

"Patrick, let me go!" Robin felt stupid for giggling like a high school teenager, but she figured it was fitting considering her company.

Robin's eyes shot open when she realized that he was no longer holding her. "Patrick…what--?" Her eyes widened when she noticed the .35mm pressed into Patrick's temple. "What the hell!" She screamed, slapping the gun away when she recognized the eldest of Secret Service Agents, Dennis Wiley.

"I'm sorry, Miss Scorpio, but we heard you scream." Wiley explained somberly, dropping the gun into its holster. His usual crowd of agents were behind him.

"And you just thought you'd investigate?" Robin snapped curtly. "Need I remind you that your job is to protect my mother? Speaking of which, where is my mother?"

"Really, boys, this is getting a little ridiculous. How bad could it be?" Anna Devane's sing-song voice interrupted Robin's rant as she pushed her way through the agents. Once her eyes fell on her daughter, she squealed, "Robin, darling! Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" Before Robin could pull away, Anna hugged her tightly.

"Miss Devane." Patrick obliged her.

Anna's eyes turned a dangerous shade of brown as they settled on the man she blamed for most of her daughter's recent struggles. "Shoot him." She ordered her guards.

"Mom, really!" Robin shook her head at her mother and stepped in front of Patrick. "You're overreacting."

"This is the second time I've had a gun pointed at me in less than two weeks!" Patrick moaned, closing his eyes as he remembered Brenda and her shotgun.

"Stop your whining!" Anna demanded, resisting the urge to shoot him herself.

"I've missed you terribly, but what are you doing here?" Robin wondered.

"I came to town to rally a few votes." Anna explained. "And to see my one and only pride and joy of course."

"Of course." Robin forced a smile.

"How is Morgan? I haven't seen him in ages!" Anna urged.

"Mom, why don't we get some coffee? Patrick, you can see yourself out, can't you?" Robin didn't wait for him to answer.

"Dennis will make sure he gets to his car safely, won't you?" Anna addressed her favorite guard.

"Absolutely not. Patrick can get to his own car without the help of an armed guard." Robin countered, nodding for Patrick to make a break for it.

Anna waited until Patrick was out of earshot and then asked, "Why can't I have him shot?"

"It's called murder." Robin replied.

"It's called necessity." Anna argued, her face set in an adorable pout.

"You can't just go around executing people. How would that look in the election?"

"So, you're saying I should invade other countries and force my beliefs on them?" Anna inquired.

"Of course not." Robin shook her head.

"Darling, what's the fun of having these men following me around if I can't get rid of a few unsavory characters once in a while?"

"Protection?" Robin guessed.

"Might I have a private conversation with my daughter without your constant hovering?" Anna waved her left hand and the guards each took a seat at the table Patrick had vacated.

"What didn't you want them to hear?" Robin whispered.

"They're merely window dressing. They're rather boring." Anna clarified.

"So killing Patrick would be great entertainment, I'm assuming?"

"Patrick? You're on a first-name basis with that slime ball?" Anna's voice rose at the very thought.

"I don't want him knowing about Morgan." Robin told her instead.

"Are you seeing him?"

"No!"

"Then why should it matter if he knows you have a son now?"

"Please, just don't say anything."

"Robin, you can do so much better than him. He's just like his--" Anna began.

"Don't! No, he's not."

"You're defending him too? Luv, I've taught you better than this."

"I'm not asking you to approve. You don't see me calling you out on your illicit affairs."

"What exactly did I walk in on?" Anna wanted to know, her eyebrows drawing together in contemplation.

"We were having an argument."

"That led to what exactly?"

"Nothing. God, why can't we just be normal?"

"Normal is for the weak. Now, answer my question."

"I already did. We were arguing and then, the next thing we knew, Sergeant Dipshit pulled a gun."

"You screamed." Anna pointed out.

"I laughed. There was no screaming."

"Why were you laughing during an argument?"

"I find myself incredibly amusing."

"Robin Cecilia Scorpio, I don't appreciate the sarcasm."

"You wanted to go home and see Morgan right? Let me just tell Lucas--"

"Stop. Turn. Explain." Anna ordered.

"You walked in on absolutely nothing. We were having an argument, he might have mentioned something about me wanting to kiss him, and then there was a gun."

"I should have expecting this. It was only a matter of time before he came sniffing around."

"You're being ridiculous."

"Did you want to kiss him?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Maybe a little."

"Come on; I'm getting you out of here."

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to the spa and then I'm dropping you off with my shrink."

"I don't want to see Dr. Skinner!" Robin gasped.

"You're not five years old anymore, Robin. Please don't argue with me."

"I'll take the spa, but no shrink." Robin planted her hands on her hips.

"Not even a ten-minute consultation?"

"Nothing."

"Dennis, do I have time for a spa day with my daughter?" Anna called to the head of her henchmen.

"No ma'am. You have a lunch scheduled with the former first lady and then a conference for the rest of the afternoon." Dennis explained.

"Double damn." Anna sighed.

"It's all right, Mom. I actually have plans with a friend of mine. Go. Work. We'll spend some time together when you get back into town."

"But that could be another three months!" Anna protested.

"We'll always have Internet."

"Why are you trying to get rid of me? For all I know, you've paid off Dennis to make up appointments for me." Anna narrowed her eyes at her only child.

"Politics have made you paranoid." Robin smiled.

"The first chance I get, I'm going to take you and Morgan away to Paris with me."

"I'm sure he'll love that."

"Has he spoken?"

"Finger spelling."

"That's progress."

"Yes." Robin agreed.

"Don't worry. Soon he'll be talking your ear off." Anna promised, squeezing Robin's shoulder.

"Hug me and get back to your campaigning." Robin insisted.

"Yes Ma'am!" Anna saluted her daughter and hugged her fiercely. "I love you."

"I love you too. Be safe."


	25. The Low Down

Pausing outside of Kelly's, Elizabeth ran her hand down her shirt, smoothing out the invisible wrinkles. Her orange t-shirt and ratty jeans from earlier had been replaced by a crimson blouse and khaki Capri's. Why couldn't she have looked like this earlier, she mused briefly. 'Lucky sure didn't seem to mind' she thought wickedly.

Her mind had been reeling since he left her standing at the door to her grandmother's house. He had just jumped into a beaten up old Jeep with a wink and a wave and driven off. No "I call you." No "Let's go out later." Nothing just a wink and a wave.

She had been racing between anger at his exit and girly mush at remembering his kiss. Her head hurt from trying to figure it out. She needed a drink but it was far too early in the day for that. No what needed was loads of fatty foods followed by chocolate.

Entering the diner, she spotted Robin easily enough and joined her at the table. "Am I late?"

"No, I'm early." Robin assured her. "At least you chose a color that matches your face."

"Well thank goodness for small favors." Elizabeth opened the menu. "Ok so what's the greasiest most non-good for you item here?"

"Do you want to talk about your avoidance issues?"

"Seen Patrick lately?" Elizabeth blinked her eyes and smiled as innocently as she could manage.

"As a matter of fact he stopped by the shop today to give me something."

Elizabeth sat back and arched her eyebrows. "Oh now this sounds fun. Do share."

"There's nothing to tell."

"Sure there's not. That is so why you said it."

"He wanted to apologize for his behavior."

Elizabeth leaned across the table and placed her hand on Robin's forehead. "No…you don't feel feverish to me."

"I'm serious. He never actually said the words, but I have to assume that's what he wanted."

"There must be something in the water. The men in this town are acting strange."

"How's Lucky?"

Inwardly Elizabeth cringed. Of course Robin would pick up on that. Damn him for still screwing with her mind. "Confusing"

"He's confused or the relationship is confusing?"

"There is no relationship."

"Then why is your lipstick smeared?"

Elizabeth grabbed for her purse and pulled out her compact, checking her reflection in the mirror. Suddenly she paused. She hadn't worn any make up earlier. "You think you're clever dont' you?"

"A kiss then." Robin realized.

Elizabeth threw her hands up. "He is so confusing. Last night he ditched me and Courtney."

"He had a good reason. I'm assuming since you let him kiss you." She explained.

"He showed up out of nowhere on laundry day mind you, with stuff for my grandmother, gives me an explanation that I'm not 100 percent sure that I believe, kisses me..." She paused seeing the grin on Robin's face and pointed her finger at her friend. "Not a word. Yes he kissed me and then left without so much as a see you later."

Robin huffed. See how easy it is when you're not a Devane-Scorpio? "He's a guy. They leave us to figure out the meaning of things."

"I have half a mind to kick the crap out of him the next time I see him"

"Ooh foreplay." Robin teased.

Elizabeth smiled wickedly. "Speaking of foreplay, why exactly didn't Patrick apologize today?"

"He got a little sidetracked."

"By what?"

"Well, he had this crazy idea that I was going to kiss him yesterday."

Elizabeth almost spit out the water she was sipping. "Whoa. Back up. What the hell happened last night?"

"Nothing happened. Have you been talking to my mother?"

"Why would I talk to your mother? And if nothing happened why would he think you were going to kiss him then? And does this have anything to do with ditching karoke last night?"

"I told you that I went to see him, but I left out what happened when I got there."

"Start sharing. Its my day off and I have nowhere to be."

"I slapped him."

"Not surprising there. Still not seeing how that leads to him thinking you wanted to kiss him"

"Then I yelled at him. We got into this screaming match and then..."

"You ripped each other's clothes off in a fit of passion?"

"Only in his dreams." And mine, but she kept that part to herself.

Elizabeth held back her snort. "Ok go on"

"Somehow, our fight merged into a discussion about Logan and how I had given up on my marriage."

"Happy small talk then?"

"Are you kidding?"

"Rage inducing verbal blow out then?"

"Somehow, I ended up in his arms--I'm totally blaming the heat wave."

"Sure, the heat. I'll go with that."

"I wasn't going to kiss him. The thought never crossed my mind."

"But it magically appeared in his?"

"According to him, I've wanted to be with him since the day we met. Men."

"Utter assholes."

"So, here's this guy that I've known for a better part of five years. He's never said one nice thing to me, but I'm thinking, I kind of like being in his arms."

"Ok. They are nice arms."

Robin bit the inside of her cheek. "Then, it happens. It turns out he wasn't alone. This redhead calls out to him, says something about 'being lonely' and the rest is kind of a blur."

"Oh, interrupted by a bed buddy? No wonder you bailed."

"Would you have stayed?"

Elizabeth closed her eyes, briefly remembering the last time she had seen Max. "No. I would have kicked him in the 'nads and broken something expensive on the way out."

"I'll have to do that next time." She said quietly. "The worst part of it is, even after all of that, I was kind of relieved to see him this morning. How messed up is that?"

"About as messed up as kissing the guy who ditched you the night before in a bar filled with guys who go by Lars."

"Did he say why he ditched you?"

"He said it was for Cameron. But I'm not sure."

"How would you describe the kiss? I mean, you've had better...right?"

"I think so..."

"You don't know?!"

"I told you he was confusing!"

"Is he worth all this trouble?"

"Is Patrick?"

"Patrick's a passing amusement."

"That's not what I asked you."

"Logan's brother of all people?" Robin covered her face with her hands.

"Could be worse."

"How?"

"Father of a student who could possibly just be trying to get in my pants?"

"I don't see how that's a bad thing."

"He's related to Patrick?"

"They're polar opposites. At least Lucky will be nice enough to find a bed. I doubt Patrick cares whether we're standing up or lying down."

"This is depressing me. I think this calls for an ice cream sundae lunch."

"I'm thinking double scoop."


	26. Dangerous Territory

Raking her fingers through his hair, she placed a light kiss on the top of his head, before slipping out of bed. Pulling on the robe that had been so quickly discarded earlier that morning, she sat down on the flowered overstuffed chair she kept near the window. Bobbie pulled her legs up towards her chin as she watched him reach out in his sleep for her.

The midday sun filtered through the blinds, bathing them in the soft glow. Stretching her arms over her head, Bobbie Spencer rolled over to her side and traced the sleeping face of her lover. She smiled softly, pushing herself up onto one elbow and using the pointer finger of her left hand to trace a line from the center of his forehead, down his nose, and stopped at his chin. Cruz muttered unintelligibly and rolled closer to her, his face stopping just before her breast.

This was quite simply the craziest thing she had ever done. She had two grown children and three grandchildren. She had buried two children, a sister, and a husband. She spent her days planning celebrations for other people and babysitting her two youngest grandchildren. And she was quite happily seeing a man who was only months younger than her nephews. A man that she only knew because he was one of her nephews' best friends.

When Cruz had arranged that follow up interview, she had been impressed by his professionalism. The quiet boy she remembered coming home with Patrick and Lucky from PCU had grown into a confident, quite powerful man. She knew from conversations with both Patrick and Lucky that Cruz was happily single, just like them, and she had found herself wondering at the time why no girl had enough sense to see his boyish games and just hold onto him. He was charming, funny, charismatic, and devastatingly handsome. Why on earth he was still single had baffled her. She had half a mind to start fixing him up right then and there on the spot.

His dinner invitation had startled her. To this very minute, she didn't know what possessed her to say yes. She had opened her mouth to turn him down and found herself asking for directions to his townhouse. The conversation had been wonderful, the food heavenly and the wine sinful. Right up until he insisted she stay in his guest bedroom, she had been planning on fixing him up with the daughter of the florist she used frequently. His chivalry charmed her and she found herself curiously wanting him for herself.

Before her brain could regain control of the situation, she had set out on a plan to seduce him. She left him a note before leaving. When he emailed her, she responded immediately. And when he agreed to come to her place for dinner, she had chosen her outfit with infinite care. She had felt slightly foolish, convinced he only came to see her out of some loyalty to his friends until that first kiss in the parking lot. It had taken every ounce of strength she had that night not to drag him into the car and have him right then and there. That kiss let her know in no uncertain terms that whatever it was between them, it was not one-sided.

Bobbie closed her eyes and savored the memories of their lovemaking. She had feared that part of her life may be over when Tony died a few years ago. Although she prided herself on her slim figure, she was no fool. A woman with two grown children and three grandchildren was not what most men dreamed of finding. There had been a few men here and there since Tony, but none had really excited her, made her feel alive. She had resigned herself to a life without passion.

Until that first night with Cruz. Maybe it was his age. Maybe it was the indefinable aura that seemed to surround them whenever they were in the room together. Maybe it was the thrill of doing something she knew no one would really understand or appreciate. But with Cruz she felt as alive as she had when she was eighteen and just discovering her own sexuality.

Bobbie was hesitant to try to define whatever it was they had. Even now, five months in. She had experienced too much heartache to fall in love again. Each loss she had suffered recently had torn a piece of heart out and buried in the ground with them. Mattie. B.J. Tony. Carly. Saying she loved Cruz was an open invitation for him to leave her someday. And she wasn't quite sure she could survive that. She didn't want to name it, but Bobbie knew deep in her bones she needed it. And she didn't want to be without it.

He turned again and Bobbie began to recognize his waking up routine. Turn away from the offending light source. Grumble something under his breath no one could ever decipher. Rising his head slightly off the pillow, he squinted his eyes and held up one hand to block the light. Sit up in bed, letting the sheet dip to his hip bone, giving her full view of his muscular chest. Bobbie bit back a smile. She may not want to name this, but she sure did enjoy the benefits of it.

She shifted her legs to the floor as Cruz turned his attention towards her. "What time is it?" He asked his voice rough with sleep.

Bobbie glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "Around lunch time."

He whistled low, running his fingers through his matted hair. "Damn, I need to call the office." He leaned over to reach for his cell phone, which at some point had ended up on the floor earlier that morning.

"You already did that this morning."

"I did?" He tilted his head to the left and gave her a quizzical look, looking all the while like a confused little puppy.

Bobbie stood up and moved back towards the bed, pausing to remove the cell phone from his grip. "Remember...you called them right before you threw me back down on this bed and ripped this robe off me?"

Cruz smiled wickedly as he began to play with the ties to the silk garment. Untying it slowly, he watched as her skin began to bathe in the sun. "Now why don't I remember that?" He slipped his hand in between the folds of the robe and gently rubbed her hip bone.

Bobbie affected a pout as she rubbed his bare shoulders. "Am I that forgettable?"

His hands slowly began moving up and down her sides, causing her breath to catch in her throat. "No you I remember." He whispered huskily, drawing himself closer to place his lips millimeters from her ear. "It's everything that doesn't involve you I am having trouble with." He gently began to kiss and nip her neck and ear. "You make me forget everything. You are trouble."

"Tell me about 'Miss Elizabeth.'" Patrick teased, pointing a French fry at his cousin.

Lucky threw a French fry at Patrick and gave him a warning look. "Miss Elizabeth is a wonderful teacher." He gestured with his head to Cameron who was sitting right next to them, staring at the large play place nearby.

"Touchy."

Ignoring Patrick entirely, Lucky leaned down to Cameron. "Hey buddy, you want to go play?" Seeing his son nod, Lucky patted him on the back. "Go on. I'll be right here watching you."

"I was just wondering about this change in your behavior."

"What change?"

"Nothing overly obvious. You haven't stopped smiling since we got here and it's starting to really creep me out."

"Cartoon monkeys creep you out. And even if I have been smiling, why do you think Elizabeth is the cause of it?"

"You called for lunch? What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Can't a guy just have lunch with his cousin?"

"Not you. Does this mean you're over being mad at me?"

"You still owe me big. But yes I am no longer ready to kill you."

"Did you or did you not know about the article on Robin's bakery?"

"I am curious as to why I didn't have to bail you out of jail."

"We don't need to discuss that."

"You brought it up."

"Robin and I had some...creative differences from the beginning, but we worked it out."

Lucky cocked his eyebrow at that comment. "How exactly did you work it out? Last time I saw you two you were shoving each other into the pool."

"She realized how irresistible I can be."

"Oh god, why do I have a feeling this ended badly?"

"It ended with a gun."

"You holding it, or her?"

"Her mother's guard actually."

Lucky snorted. "Explain. Now. And leave nothing out."

"Well, the night of your date with Elizabeth, Robin decided to storm into my studio and harass me."

"I doubt Elizabeth would call it a date but go on."

"Trouble this soon?"

"Lulu interrupted. But we aren't talking about my disaster right now. Nice try."

"After she quit screaming at me, she tried to kiss me."

"Quit lying. Robin did not try to kiss you."

"One minute we're furious with each other and the next she's falling into my arms as if she's always been there."

"Are you drunk?"

"Stone cold sober. Let's just say, I've already had three cold showers since I last saw her."

"You and Robin?" Lucky shook his head. It was unbelievable. Those two hated each other. "You and Robin?"

"Hey, there is no me and Robin, okay?"

"And almost kissing counts as what?"

"A mutual physical attraction."

"That can only lead to disaster."

"How do you figure?"

"Your last mutual physical attraction was your stalker, Romeo."

"Speaking of that, have you heard anything back from the commissioner?"

"Nope. Not a word."

"I wonder if that means she's been arrested."

"I have no idea man. Back to this whole bad idea that is you and Robin."

"We got interrupted."

"By..."

"A candy striper at General Hospital. Candice something."

Lucky rolled his eyes. "And you're alive to tell this tale?"

"She got mad, said she was glad she hadn't wasted any effort, and left."

"Where does her mother's guard come into all this?"

"Oh, that was this morning. I stopped off to convince her to forgive me. Robin, not her mother."

"You went by this morning?" Lucky smacked his cousin on the back of his head. "Were you dropped on your head as a baby or something?"

"What?" Patrick gave him a quizzical look.

"I love Robin to death. You know I do. But the girl carries a grudge. Not to mention a mean left hook."

"Other than the gun, we kept the violence down to a minimum. Lucas gave me all the excuse I needed to get her in the back so we could be alone."

"You're now using Lucas in your conquests? I thought you didn't want Bobbie mad at you."

"I didn't use him. He just happened to be there."

"I'm feeling ill. Just continue."

"I called her on wanting to kiss me, got her to agree that she had no reason to be mad at me, and then she dared me to kiss her." He couldn't hide his grin at that.

"Yeah this just has success written all over it."

"So she goes all nuts when I actually move in to kiss her and we start arguing again. I grab her, intent on shutting her up, and then here comes her mother's guard with his gun ruining everything." Patrick pouted.

"And you still don't see why this is a bad idea?"

"Robin didn't let her mother shoot me. I'm not seeing a problem. She clearly cares about my well-being."

"Her mother is running for election. Shooting you would not have helped the campaign."

"Robin did say something about that I think." Patrick recalled. "There was one other thing I wanted to ask you about."

"Yes I will claim your body from the morgue when Anna's guards shoot you."

"Funny. Robin rushed me out after her mother asked about Morgan. Was she talking about Jason Morgan of all people? I mean, they did date right?"

"Yeah like a lifetime ago."

"Do you think that's what she meant?"

Lucky shrugged. "Could be. If someone was digging for dirt on Anna, Robin's relationship with a convicted mobster would make for some compelling smear ads."

"He's been in prison for the last decade." Patrick couldn't put his finger on it, but something was definitely off. "Maybe I'm reading too much into it."

"All's fair in war and politics. Didn't my dad teach you that?" Lucky slapped Patrick on the back. "I'm sure Anna was just making sure Robin hasn't seen him lately." He grinned. "Besides if it's just a mutual physical attraction, why would you read anything into it at all?"

"I just want to know what I'm getting myself into." Patrick quickly assured him.

"Well sure. Not like you couldn't have figured that out from the five years she was married to Logan or anything."

"I had other things to worry--focus on."

"Keep telling yourself that."

"At least we're upfront with each other."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't get all bent out of shape. I guess I'm just wondering why you shut down every time the conversation turns to Elizabeth."

"Because you keep bringing it up in front of Cameron?"

"Okay, your kid is across the room now. What's stopping you?"

"You're story was much more interesting."

"My almost kiss with a woman I hate? Please. I saw the way you were looking at Elizabeth at the pool."

Lucky smirked. "Well to start with, I don't have to qualify with an almost kiss."

"No?"

"It's not almost when it actually happens my friend."

"And you're just telling me this now?"

"Would you want to hear your dad talk about kissing your teacher in front of you?"

Patrick made a face. "No. Definitely not."

"Well there you go then."

"Avoiding." Patrick accused. "You're really falling hard for this girl, aren't you?"

"I think I might be."

"Have I taught you nothing?" Patrick muttered.


	27. Anything But Ordinary

"Elizabeth? Darling are you home?" Audrey called up the darkened stairs to her granddaughter's bedroom, hoping for an answer but not expecting one. The young woman had made herself scarce in the past week. She had worked double shifts, seen Robin a few times, and returned home only to take Audrey to her doctor's appointments and to sleep.

The ensuing silence confirmed what Audrey had guessed. Elizabeth was not home. A part of her was happy Elizabeth was finally out there meeting people and not staying home every night; she had a suspicion that this was more about Elizabeth avoiding meeting people. Well avoiding one person, Audrey amended.

Lucky Spencer. Elizabeth hadn't mentioned a word about Lucky to her, but Audrey had seen the two the previous week. In her rush to get to Mrs. Scantoni's before the other woman left, she had forgotten to bring the recipe for mint brownies she had promised. It had just meant to be a simple stop back home, rummage through the recipe box in the kitchen, and return to Mrs. Scantoni's. Elizabeth probably wouldn't have even noticed Audrey had returned and left again with her music playing.

It had been the low murmurings of voices that had drawn her attention at first. While she couldn't make out the words, the tone spoke of attraction unrealized, burning curiosity, and nerves. After raising two sons, Audrey remembered those tones well. She had ventured towards the kitchen door and spotted Elizabeth standing not even a breath away from Lucky Spencer in the den.

She had realized months ago that Elizabeth was teaching Lucky's son. It stood to reason they had met at some point during the school year at one function or another. But quite plainly there was something else brewing there. She had attended many parent-teacher conferences in her day and she never stood that close to a teacher before. Not even the one she had to give the Heimlich maneuver to.

When the kiss happened, she has tried to turn away. It was a private moment and her granddaughter was a grown woman, fully capable of making her own decisions on who to date. Certainly Lucky was a better caliber of man than that awful Max Giambetti back in Boulder. She could still feel the rage well up inside of her when she paused to think what that worm had done to Elizabeth. She had tried to turn away, but the moment was over quickly and Lucky had left. Before she could alert Elizabeth to her presence, the young woman had run upstairs, racing to get ready to meet Robin. And she hadn't stopped racing since.

Audrey wanted Elizabeth to be happy. She wanted her to stop hiding in the shell Max had left her in. As a girl Elizabeth had been a happy, vibrant, outgoing, funny child. The vibrancy had faded in the recent months, but since that pool party Robin and Courtney dragged Elizabeth to, Audrey had seen the vibrancy return. And she was willing to bet Lucky Spencer had something to do with that. That kiss was not something that occurred on a whim. Audrey recognized a built-up kiss when she saw one.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures." She announced to the stillness. If she was right, and she knew she was, then Lucky Spencer very well could be the key to her granddaughter's happiness. At the very least he was a step in the right direction to get her to trust other men again. She had known Lucky since he was a child. He had grown into a fine man that would do any mother proud.

Smiling she flipped through the numbers in her address book, pausing to press the correct numbers. She hoped she could get the person she was sure would help her right away. Somehow Audrey doubted Lucky would like this plan and she was certain telling Lulu would lead to Lucky finding out "accidentally."

"Hello Spencer residence." The voice on the other end was melodic, just as it always had been.

"Hello Laura. This is Audrey Hardy. I was wondering if I could discuss something with you."

Her back was to the door, a fact that Cruz was forever grateful for. Not even her signature red hair was visible thanks to the overgrown palm tree that had decided to rest its branches directly over their table. Whatever he had done in life to get a table behind the overgrown plant wall at La Scalla, Cruz was entirely grateful for.

He paused to bite back the grin as she attempted to swat a rather large leaf off of her head. He'd never tell her to her face, but Bobbie was adorable sometimes. Walking to their table, he ducked under to kiss her cheek hello.

"You're late." She pointed one finger at him, but smiled and kissed him anyways.

"I know. I'm sorry. But I swear I thought someone was following me."

She tried to keep the laugh back. "Someone was following you? Honey, don't take this the wrong way, but why would someone follow you?"

He knew it sounded ridiculous. "I don't know. But I swear the entire drive here I saw this black Honda behind me. It creeped me out so I took the long way."

Bobbie was trying her best not to laugh, but he looked so serious about something that was just so silly. No one knew they were dating. She wasn't involved in any illegal activity and Cruz was not that well-known of a writer to merit photographers' interest. "Sweetheart, it was probably a coincidence. There are a lot of black Hondas and this is not an unpopular spot to come." She gestured with her hands at the crowd that filled the dimly lit restaurant. La Scalla was new, but it had attracted a following with its secluded romantic atmosphere and the illusion of privacy it offered its clients.

Cruz took her hand and kissed it. "I know. I'm just being ridiculous." Mentally he made a note to never watch the X-Files movie with Lucky and Patrick again. It made him far too paranoid for days after it.

"Explain to me again how this constitutes as a date." Robin rolled her eyes as Patrick circled the parking lot. At this rate, they were never going to leave the car.

"It doesn't. We aren't dating." Patrick reminded her, sending her a wicked glance.

"How could I forget? Why are we following Cruz? I thought you said you'd forgiven him." Robin pointed out.

"I have forgiven him, but I know he's seeing someone and I don't appreciate being left out of the loop." Patrick explained, finding a spot furthest from the restaurant.

"You poor thing." Robin mocked, folding her arms across the hem of her white camisole. "How dare Cruz have a life without consulting you first?"

"No one forced you to come along Robin." Patrick took the keys from the ignition and slipped them into the pocket of his black slacks.

"You were the one who stopped by the bakery and said you had something fun planned. Trailing Cruz's POS car for forty-five minutes is not what I consider fun." Robin complained.

"At least he didn't spot us."

"What makes you think that?" Robin challenged. "I mean, this is a pretty small town and it took us all that time to get to a restaurant that couldn't be more than ten minutes from my loft."

"The question is how are we going to get in there without being noticed?" Patrick prattled on, his mind ticking away.

"We? Oh, no, you must have me confused with a stupid person."

Patrick thought it best not to comment, but he had to bite back a grin. "Come on, Scorpio. I promise I'll let you have your way with me once this is all over."

"Now there's incentive." Robin responded dryly.

"I know the sexual tension must be eating away at you. Tell you what. You can kiss me right now and then we'll go spy on Cruz." Patrick offered, tucking a wayward curl behind Robin's right ear.

"I'm not in the right shoes." Robin argued, nodding to her choice in footwear.

"You mean there's actually a shoe out there made for screwing around?" Patrick sounded mesmerized at the thought.

"You have so much to learn." Robin patted his cheeks and turned to exit the car.

Patrick followed, keeping his head ducked in case Cruz and his new play thing happened to catch them in the parking lot. Robin let him tug her hand and lead her into the restaurant, from the back entrance no less.

It wasn't often that Cruz found a new restaurant to match the hype it was currently getting. More times than not, he had visited some hot new restaurant whoever his current food critic was at the time recommended and found it lacking. But this place, he had to admit, was perfect. The service had been helpful but they knew how to stay in the background and not interrupt. Always a plus. The plants and the music gave the room a deserted tropical islands feel, even though the fare was standard French food. The candles gave him the impression he and Bobbie were the only two people in the room, even though he could vaguely hear other couples whispering to each other. In addition to ambiance, the plants apparently blocked out the din of conversation as well.

He could well understand why reservations were hard to come by and why he had to name drop his food critic to get one tonight. "Did I tell you how gorgeous you look tonight?" He was pretty sure in his paranoia he had forgotten. Another thing to add to the list to blame Lucky and Patrick for. It would rank right up there with dying his entire wardrobe pink freshman year in college by leaving one red sock in his laundry pile.

She blushed. It was amazing to her that he could make her blush with just the smallest of words. And the lightest of touches, she thought wickedly. Bobbie lifted her foot and traced it up his left calf, rubbing it slowly. "Thank you. You aren't so bad looking yourself there Scoop."

Cruz was trying not to be a horn dog around her. He really as. Truly he was interested in her mind and found her fascinating. Her wit, her dead-on suggestions, her no nonsense approach she took towards her family, everything that made her Bobbie Spencer he found incredible. But the second she touched him, he was magically transformed into a horny eighteen-year-old constantly looking to get laid.

"If you keep that up, we will not complete this date." He growled at her, shaking a finger in her direction. "I thought you wanted a real date."

She had requested that, Bobbie remembered belatedly. It was born over a momentary fit of boredom over the same routine of always eating at his townhouse or her brownstone. As quickly as the moment came it had went. She loved their routine and understood why they stuck to it. Hell she understood it all too well.

The waiters had been exceedingly polite, but she hadn't missed the looks they kept giving her and Cruz. While she looked damn good for her age, Bobbie was under no illusions that she could pass for twenty anymore. Thirty-five was probably out of the question as well. And while she didn't mind her age, and in fact embraced it, the looks were uncomfortable reminders of one of the reasons why they had kept their relationship quiet in the first place. The other of course being his being best friends with both of her nephews.

Smiling she withdrew her foot. "Fine. Have it your way. See if I save you any fun for later."

"Baby, we always have fun, no matter what we are doing."

Robin tapped the shoulder of the man she assumed was the head chef. He wore a long black mustache and a white button-down outfit. He was about a half a foot taller than she was with a wide, bulging gut. He turned to face her, giving Patrick a disgusted "You must be an American" look. Robin smiled and regarded him with half closed eyelids. _"M'excuser Monsieur mais mon nom sont les Scorpions de Robins. Je me demandais si nous pourrions prendre un regard dans votre cuisine."_

His temper showed in his face, his plain features perking up at her question. He began waving his hands absurdly in the air. _"Absurde! Je n'ai jamais été s'insulté dans ma vie entière!"_

"Nice going. Real smooth." Patrick grumbled behind her.

Robin took a moment to collect herself, smacked Patrick in the back of the head, and then said, _"Vous comprenez mal, Monsieur. Nous avons souhaité seulement féliciter le cuisinier sur un travail bien fait."_

His face relaxed and he let out a relieved sigh. _"Pourquoi vous n'avez pas dit juste cela de commencer avec? Je toujours accueille des compliments sur ma cuisine!" _I bet you do, Robin thought to herself. Leave it to her to find the French version of Patrick Drake. _"Si vous avez signifié seulement pour me rencontrer, pourquoi avez-vous voulu voir la cuisine?" _He wondered, raising an eyebrow at her.

_"Nous avons voulu voir où la magie est arrivée. Je, me, suis un cuisinier qui s'efforce, et je long pour apprendre d'un vrai maître." _Robin almost choked on the lie.

"So, what do you say Monsieur?" Patrick asked in an impatient voice.

"_Excuser mon ami. Il n'est pas bien. Les médecins disent ce peuvent être un désordre de personnalité._"They both shared a private chuckle and then he led them into the kitchen. "Je j'ai peur n'a pas attrapé votre nom, monsieur." Robin realized.

_"Le Coup manqué de Leonide de M. Mathieu. C'était un plaisir pour vous rencontrer, le Scorpion de Coup manqué. Me permettre de savoir si je peux vous aider de quelque façon." _

"Impressive." Patrick congratulated, clapping his hands together.

"Shut up. I got us in here, didn't I?" Robin shot back, reaching for a white chef hat and fanning herself with it.

"Axe did not spend the whole day humming 'Walking on Sunshine'" Bobbie laughed.

"I swear to God the man did." Cruz laughed along with her. It had been a hilarious sight to say the least. "I found out later from Laura that Becca finally agreed to go out with him."

"Well that's great. Those two would be great together."

He cocked his eyebrow. "How would you know? You've never met them."

"Do you disagree?"

"No. I'm just curious how you know this about two people you've only heard me talk about is all."

"Well I have talked to both frequently on the phone for one reason or another. Becca is a perfectly sweet girl. And you yourself told me Axe was a teddy bear. Wasn't Monster Spray his idea?"

"True." She had a point. And this conversation was turning too close to discussing Lucky to be comfortable.

"But still it wasn't as funny as the day he hummed 'I Feel Pretty' all day."

Bobbie nodded sagely. "I doubt anything could top that memory. What caused that one?"

"I think it was finding out one of the new artists at L&B really was single. But enough about me. How's the planning going for the wedding of the century?"

Rolling her eyes, Bobbie groaned. "I can't get her to commit to a season much less a date. She changed her mind at least seventeen times today. I'm half tempted to tell her to chuck it all and elope."

"It can't be that bad."

"Her fiancé called today to ask if I knew where to get elephants for the ceremony." She paused and looked Cruz dead in the eyes. "Elephants! And that wasn't the craziest suggestion from the both of them!"

"Her fiancé is in on this too?"

"In on it? He's worse than she is! Partially I think because he's still stunned she said yes."

"I still don't know why you won't tell me who it is that is driving you nuts."

"You will know when the time is right. Trust me, no one in Port Charles will miss this event. If they ever decide when it will be that is."

"Well who's to say it has to be in Port Charles? They could do a location wedding."

"Do not give them any ideas."

"How can I if I don't know who it is getting married?" he countered smiling.

"From this point on, you hear anyone and I mean anyone discussing wedding plans and they ask you for your opinion, you are to act like a commitment phobe and run screaming into the night."

"Act like Patrick when hearing the words 'wedding.' Got it."

"About the only thing they do agree on is it will be in Port Charles. I do not need to the one decision they actually have made to magically become undone because of some comment from some person on the street."

"Relax. I get asked anything about wedding planning I will refer them to you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Cruz felt the hair on the back of his neck raise slightly. He turned his head quickly.

"What's wrong?" Bobbie wondered.

Shaking his head, he returned his eyes to hers. "Paranoia. I just had the strangest sensation we were being watched."

"You really need to stop reading Stephen King in bed honey. He's screwing with your mind."

"You're right. I know you're right." He shook off the momentary panic attack. "So what else did you do today?"

"You want me to do what?" Patrick couldn't help but balk at Robin's suggestion.

"I want you to put on this suit and chef's hat and follow me." Robin repeated, massaging her temple as she felt a headache coming on.

"There's no way they'll buy either of us as chefs." Patrick argued.

"We aren't going to go to their table, idiot." Robin resisted the urge to smack him again.

"What's with the name-calling?" Patrick pouted.

"I swear to God sometimes..."

"It's part of my appeal." Patrick assured her.

"The part I try to block out." Robin replied.

"What's the plan, mademoiselle?"

"Enough French. My head hurts." Robin begged.

"All I want to do is see who he's with and then we can leave." Patrick promised, patting her head.

"You so owe me." Robin poked him in the chest.

"I look forward to paying you back. Do you need help getting into your uniform?"

"Patrick, I don't want to slap you, but I fucking will if you don't cut it out!"

"Killjoy!"

Two minutes later, they exited the kitchen, each of them holding a tray of food. Robin had been the one to suggest they actually look like they were working instead of skulking. They had their hats pulled down so that their eyes were covered. "Let's split up." Patrick suggested.

Robin was about to agree when she spotted Cruz a few feet away. "No." She grabbed him by the shirt collar and pulled him behind the absurdly large piece of foliage.

"So when you told them about the nomination what did they say?"

Cruz shrugged his shoulders, trying to downplay his own excitement. "I don't think they really know what it means." His little magazine had secured several nominations for the New York Association of Journalism Awards. Local magazines rarely were given mention by the group, preferring to focus on newspapers. But the five nominations Cruz found out they had earned this morning was sweet vindication for the last year of headaches. The dinner was in part a celebration for him.

"Well you tell them over and over again. This is huge." She leaned across the table and squeezed his hand. "I am so happy for you sweetie."

He squeezed back. "Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me. You were the first one I wanted to tell." It was the pure truth. He hadn't called his own mother yet. Or Patrick. Or Lucky. Right now the only ones who knew about his triumph were him, his staff, and her.

Bobbie smiled, feeling herself melt a little with his sweet words. She eased her foot out of her Manolo Blanik and worked it inside the leg of his black trousers, rubbing his skin. "So how exactly should we celebrate tonight then?" She grinned wickedly continuing to massage his leg with her foot. "Ice cream? Champagne? Chocolate?" The words seemed innocent, but her tone was anything but.

Cruz shivered a little at the memories each word brought up. Two can play at this game he thought. He leaned forward, capturing her hand in his and tracing his finger along her palm. "What about just watching some movies?" He bit back the smirk that threatened to unleash itself when she caught his meaning.

Bobbie leaned forward, about to respond to his challenge when a booming voice from the doorway stopped her in her tracks.

"Since when does taking pictures of assholes all day mean that my nephew has to wait tables at night?"

Patrick's face turned beet-red as he lifted the hat off of his tousled brown hair. "Luke." He sighed, knowing he was caught. There was no way Cruz and his bed bunny hadn't heard his uncle's unmistakable declaration.

"Hi Luke." Robin welcomed him, stepping into his waiting arms, setting down her tray and watching Patrick do the same out of the corner of her eyes.

"Little Scorpio! I thought that bakery of yours was doing well!" Luke squeezed her into a bear hug.

"I can't complain." Robin mumbled into his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Patrick wondered.

"What he means is, when did you get back to town?" Robin corrected.

Luke shrugged. "I got to Port Chuckles today and had one last meeting to get done before I saw my Angel tonight. What are the two of you doing here?"

"We were trying to figure out who Cruz is banging, but you messed that all up." Patrick snapped sourly.

"He's just mad because Cruz is growing up and he's stuck at the maturity level of a fifteen-year-old." Robin explained.

Clapping Patrick on the back, Luke smiled. "Son, you won't find out any information looking like a Chef Boyardee reject. And didn't I teach you better about spying?"

"Tell this one here." Patrick pointed his thumb in Robin's direction.

"Boy you never bring a distraction like a beautiful woman to the party. You'll be far too tempted to look at her all night."

"I can't argue that." Patrick admitted, causing Robin to blush.

Luke put his hands on both of their shoulders and steered them toward a table. "Now just sit down and I will give you both a refresher course on how to get information no one wants you to have." A quick glance to Patrick right proved that Cruz and his girl had fled.


	28. The Tease

-1**Chapter 28 THE TEASE **

Elizabeth shifted from one foot to the other, glancing at her watch. Audrey swore her ride would arrive at ten a.m. sharp and here it was inching towards ten-thirty. If it wasn't for the fact she had promised her grandmother she would help her out with this hospital auction, she would forget the whole thing and call Robin for another war room lunch to keep both of their minds off the men they did not want to be obsessing over.

She hadn't talked to Robin since right before the other girl's quasi-date with Patrick. Elizabeth had gotten a cryptic voicemail referring to complete disaster and the idiocy of men in general, but she still had no idea of what exactly had happened between Robin and Patrick to cause such a reaction. She was dying of curiosity.

As much as she hated to admit it, part of the reason she had not called Robin back yet was the depressing lack of news in her own life. Lucky had not called. Had not stopped by. Nothing. No word. Elizabeth had started to move past confusion and was working on good and angry. How dare he kiss her like that and then nothing? Maybe girls like Daphne let him get away with that but not her.

The unfamiliar honk broke her out of her reverie. Shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand, she could faintly make out an older model truck coming towards the house. The powder blue 1950s wonder slowed and turned into her driveway. "Well it's about time," she muttered under her breath as she pulled herself up to her feet. "A three-hour drive to Buffalo. The least you could do was show up on time."

The cab door opened and a low whistle hit her ear as she approached the truck. She caught sight of his leg in well worn, well fitted denim first. Slowly her eyes traveled up his vintage Rolling Stones t-shirt, stopping when she saw her reflection in his sunglasses. His slow grin as removed the glasses confirmed that somewhere someone hated her. She had spent the last week and a half trying to avoid him and now here he was.

"I told you I would see you again Elizabeth." Lucky grinned at her. He had never appreciated the simple black tank top and jeans outfit so much before in his life. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She stood before him tapping her foot impatiently.

"Yes you did. Too bad you couldn't accomplish this on some other day."

"Do you have plans?"

"Not that it is any of your concern, but I am waiting on a ride."

"Big date?"

"An all-day affair. In Buffalo." Let him chew on that for a minute. Doesn't bother to call and then shows up like she should just be sitting there waiting for him. Okay she was sitting there waiting, but not for him.

Lucky felt his grin grow wider. When his mother had suggested this as his weekend project he had thought she was nuts. But now he clearly saw his mother truly was the angel his father had always claimed she was. He had spent the better part of the last week trying to figure out the best way to call and ask Elizabeth out. He knew he had messed up when he didn't call her back the next day. Or even the same day. But like an idiot he had listened to the advice of Cruz and Patrick. Don't be too eager, they had counseled.

So like the dolt he was he listened to them, realizing too late he had most likely had pissed her off yet again. Courtney had clued him in a few days ago when she mentioned some unflattering nicknames she had heard slurred in drunken rages at her place.

And now thanks to his mother, he had all day to make it up to her.

He moved towards the passenger door, aware of her eyes watching his every move. With a slight bow, he opened the door and gestured inside the cab. "Your chariot awaits malady."

Elizabeth looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "I'm sorry?"

Catching her confused eyes, Lucky smiled. "I apologize for being late. Now if you would like to get in, we can get on the road. It's a long drive ahead."

"What are you talking about?" Her grandmother loved her. Surely she wouldn't have done this.

"I'm your ride to Buffalo."

It had taken more time than Lucky would care to admit to get her to actually enter the truck. She had stared in disbelief, laughed (not his favorite reaction to his suggestion of spending the whole day together), and had even called her grandmother to confirm that he was, in fact, her ride. Once she had seemingly accepted the answer, she had hoisted herself in, wagging her finger in his face.

"This has nothing to do with you. I am only doing this to help out the auction."

Elizabeth had stared out the window the entire hour they had been on the road. Every early attempt he had made at conversation had fallen flat, so now the only noise in his truck was the radio.

His favorite station had lasted this long and had finally started to give up the fight. It sputtered, cutting in and out. Sighing, he gave up and reached for the dial, determined to find a half-way decent station.

Elizabeth watched the scenery blur by. She had convinced herself that it would be easy to just ride in silence with him. There was no doubt in her mind that she could constantly remind herself why she was mad at him.

That was until she looked at him. And just looking at him made her want to forgive him, especially when he licked his lips. That simple, unconscious action brought her right back to that kiss in her grandmother's den. And these urges she had to kiss him again.

So she stared out of the window. It was safer that way.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him start to turn the dial on the radio. The stations from home were fading. If he hadn't started searching for a station, the car would have been deathly quiet. And then she would have had to respond if he tried to talk to her. The one thing she could not stand was a quiet car.

After a few stations of nothing but static, a familiar guitar rhythm hit her ears. The male voice snarled through the melody singing as the obsessed lover desperate for attention he was. Elizabeth smiled as she immediately recognized one of her favorite bands. His hand's brief movement caught the corner of her eyes and on impulse she turned, stilling his with her own. "Stop!" His eyes caught hers briefly. Blushing, Elizabeth glanced away quickly. "I love Evans Blue." She offered.

Lucky had been sitting and praying for something, anything to break the silence. Some chance to at least get her to talk to him. If they were talking he stood a chance of getting her to not think he was an ass. Well not a complete one at any rate. He smiled. "They are good. I'm surprised you know who they are."

Shrugging, she still refused to look at him. "My brother caught them live when he did a job in Canada once. He introduced me to their music."

"Next time they come to town, I'll introduce them to you."

Part of her was a little outraged that he would use his position like that. The bigger fan girl part of her didn't care one bit. "You do not know them."

"Okay not well but I have met them a few times."

"So you were just trying to be impressive?"

"No I was just trying to get you talk to me." He turned slightly so he could glance at her when he smiled. "And that worked perfectly."

Shit, she thought. He was right.

"So this is your dad's club right?" Elizabeth looked around the dark blues club. The walls were decorated with vintage posters of Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, and Duke Ellington. The walls were plush with red velvet.

Nodding Lucky led her towards the back. "His second. I think mom said the stuff for the auction is back here." He led her towards the storeroom just left of the office.

"So how exactly again did you get roped into this?" She swiped at a cobweb that had threatened to attach itself to her head.

Lucky grimaced as he saw the mess in the small room. It had never been said that his dad was a clean freak. A pack rat, yes. And his mother had thought this would help him impress Elizabeth? "My mother rather forcefully suggested that I help out your grandmother get more donations and that it was finally the perfect time to clean out this office." He offered out a hand to lead her through the maze of junk. A person could get hurt if they didn't know the Luke Spencer storage method.

"So you knew all along you were my ride to Buffalo?" She tried to ignore the jolt of electricity she felt when she placed her hand in his.

"Guilty." He gave her a lop-sided grin that made her knees feel a little weak. "Would you have come if you knew?"

She smiled. "Maybe. But only after thoroughly yelling at you for ignoring me for a week."

"I meant to call but..."

"You were abducted by aliens? No wait. You were paralyzed in the fingers? You temporarily moved out of state?"

He had a feeling that admitting he had listened to some truly terrible advice would not go over well. He hedged his bets. "I was nervous?"

It was true. Not the entire truth but it was true.

"Nervous of me? Why would you be nervous of me?" He had worked with some of the most powerful people in the music industry and he wanted her to believe that he would be nervous of her? A nursery school teacher?

Her foot caught on a cord of microphone wire, sending her stumbling forward. He reached out and caught just before she hit the ground in a graceful face first motion. With an "oof," she collided directly with his chest.

Glancing up, she met his laughing eyes. He gently brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes. "Well this feels familiar."

Blushing, she pushed against him, trying not to think how easy it would have been for him to wrap his arms around her right then and there and kiss her again. "I am not always this clumsy." She straightened out her tank top and met his eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear. "And for the record beautiful women always make me nervous."

The cleaning out of the office had taken longer than either one of them realized. The myriad of collectables had made for good distractions whenever the atmosphere became too charged. Elizabeth had been impressed they had actually found some decent stuff that would raise money for the children's wing.

Noticing the hour, they had decided to stop along the way to eat dinner. Seated across the table in the small mom and pop sandwich shop, it was becoming impossible for Elizabeth to deny the attraction she was feeling.

"Your dad did not do that!" She laughed.

Lucky smiled and took a sip from his water glass. "I swear. He was trying to fit Cameron's diaper to him with duct tape."

"How did Cameron survive to be this old?"

"My mother and my sister. I swear it's all up to them."

"I'm sure you have something to do with it as well."

"Thank you." He smiled as the waitress brought their food. A hamburger for him. A chicken sandwich for her. "So what about you?"

"What about me?"

Everything, he thought. I want to know everything, but that will probably scare you off. "Well why did you decide to move to Port Charles from Boulder?"

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "My grandmother needed help so I moved. It's not that big of a deal."

Lucky cocked his eyebrow. "I love my grandmother, but I admit to having trouble actually spending time with her and she only lives in the next town over. You moved across the country for yours. Excuse me for disagreeing, but that is a big deal."

Only because you don't know the whole story, Elizabeth thought. Moving here helped me out more than it did my grandmother. "Well she needed help. My brother is always away on set. My sister lives in Alaska. My parents are overseas working in France. It wasn't that hard of a decision really."

"Well if you won't acknowledge what a big deal it is, will you at least let me buy dinner?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Nope." Elizabeth quickly bent down and fished through her purse. Finding what she was after; she sat back up, holding up a credit card. "I have the family's emergency road credit card. Dinner is on Grams."

"In that case, I'll get dessert."

"Now that we have a deal on."

The sun was setting as they drove through Port Charles. Lucky drove slowly, mindful of the children still outside playing. Next to him, Elizabeth raised her hands above her head and stretched her arms, giving him a tempting glimpse of her flat stomach. He adverted his eyes, not wanting to cause an accident because he was too mesmerized by that brief glance of skin.

Elizabeth was surprised to realize she didn't want the ride to end. She feared this was a dream and once she got back to her home, she would wake up and Lucky would become Max, just like she feared. Or Daphne would become a reality and not just a mystery. As he turned onto Elm Street, she mused quietly. "Today has been really nice."

"It has."

The car turned into the driveway. Lucky killed the engine and faced her on the bench seat. She fought the urge to trace his face with her hand. "So how long will you ignore me this time?" she teased.

"Not going to happen." His eyes focused on her lips and the way her tongue sneaked out to moisten them when she talked.

"Promises. Promises."

Lucky lowered his head closer to hers. "I swear I will call you this time."

Her breathing slowed and Elizabeth could have sworn the temperature had risen twenty degrees in the cab. She couldn't think; all she could do was feel. From the fog in her brain, some bold part of her spoke. "Prove it."

Her words had barely been above a whisper, but Lucky heard them ringing in his ears as if she had yelled them. "Gladly." He lowered his mouth on hers quickly. This kiss contained none of the gentleness of his first kiss. It was harder, deeper, and more combustible.

Elizabeth found herself responding immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt herself being lowered onto the seat, fleetingly thankful the truck had a bench seat and not buckets. She opened her mouth slightly when she felt him pull her lower lip into his mouth.

Damn this girl could kiss, he thought. His hands traced down her sides, pausing when they found the edge of her tank top. He groaned slightly when she tentatively explored his mouth with her tongue. She quickly became bolder and he returned the favor, the kisses becoming a duel of give and take.

Of their own accord her hands slipped down and traced the outline of his abs through the tight t-shirt that had teased her all day. She wasn't even fully aware of their actions as they pulled at the edges of the shirt, desperately seeking skin to explore. She felt the shiver that went through him when her fingers met the flesh on his back.

He had been idly fingering the hem of her tank top until he felt her hands on his skin. Feeling embolden, he slipped his hands under her shirt, tracing indecipherable patterns at her waist.

This was too fast. She had only met him a handful of times and here she was making out like she was in high school in his front seat. A part of her argued that it felt good; it felt almost natural to be doing this. Another voice answered right back that she didn't want to be hurt again. "Oh...God...Lucky...we...have...to...stop." She could barely get the words out; her brain was so muddled by him.

"What?" He had barely registered she was speaking.

She slowed down her kisses, gently moving her hands back towards his face. Elizabeth pushed his hair back at his forehead, pressing a kiss there. "I think we need to slow down a little." She smiled at him a little. "I mean we haven't even actually gone out on a date yet."

Laughing he grinned down at her, pulling his hand from her side to push her hair behind her ears. "Well I'll just have to fix that won't I? Elizabeth would you like to go out with me next Friday?"

"I'd love to."


	29. Plotting and Prodding

**_Author's Notes: I hope you enjoy this surprise! We're having a celebration and decided a triple update would be the last thing anyone would expect!_**

Laura hummed a happy tune as she set the table with a few extra placemats. Her adventure-seeking husband had finally come home and with him he was bringing the only friend she, herself, had ever approved of her son and her nephew having, Cruz Rodriguez. During their college years, none of the boys had been independently wealthy, but Cruz had had an especially difficult time. He had been incredibly dedicated, still was from what she was told, and fought tooth and nail for every grade he had ever received. She assumed that was why he was granted a small sum of money in a scholarship, one that was insufficient for a college student's expenses. Around finals, Laura would see him at her door and she would keep him fed and clothed. It was something she had never told anyone, not even Lucky. She had married Luke Spencer against the advice of everyone closest to her, so she knew what it was to be unfairly judged.

Lost in thought, she put a hand to her heart when she felt a familiar pair of lips press against the side of her neck. "I missed you, Angel." Luke murmured, taking the plates from her and setting them on the table.

"Don't go away and you won't have a chance to miss me." Laura suggested, folding her arms and tilting her head at his solemn expression.

"Now, Buttercup, don't be that way." He goaded, reaching for her hand and leading her out of the dining room.

"I have to finish setting the table." Laura argued, taking one longing gaze back at her unfinished product.

"That's why we had kids. Lesley Lu, set the table." Luke called up the stairs, opening the door and closing it behind them before she could deny him.

"Where are we going?" Laura wondered, relieved that none of her guests had shown up just yet. The last thing she wanted them to find was an unfinished table setting and a grumbling eighteen-year-old.

"We're going to take a ride on the wild side, baby." Luke told her, motioning toward a shiny new motorcycle.

"You can't be serious." Laura gave him a sideways look. Her mouth about hit the pavement when he released her hand and patted on the seat of the monstrous motorcycle.

"You're not turning down an adventure, are you?" Luke gave her a lopsided grin.

"That's not an adventure. That's a horror story. Besides, I have to finish dinner. I don't want it to burn." Laura reminded him.

"I want to show you something, but you're going to have to get on the bike." Luke explained.

"We could just take my car or we could walk." Laura suggested.

"Your car makes me claustrophobic and it's too far to walk." Luke shook his head.

"Is this a mid-life crisis ten years too late?" Laura asked, dancing from one foot to the other.

"Laura, only old, insecure men have mid-life crises." Luke stated.

"My mistake." Laura couldn't help but giggle.

"God, I missed that smile." Luke lunged toward her, wrapping his arms around her waist and twirling her around.

"Are you going to change for dinner?" Laura inquired.

"Who would you like me to be baby?" Luke chuckled.

"I want you to be presentable just in case we have one more guest for dinner." Laura shook her head at him.

"You make it sound like it's a certainty." Luke pressed his forehead to hers.

"Well, I did get a very nice call from Audrey Hardy about an hour ago." Laura admitted, swatting at a mosquito much like Lucky's old cat, Rusty, used to do.

"Audrey Hardy is coming to dinner?" Luke guessed.

"No, but her lovely granddaughter might. Oh, Luke, it's just too perfect!"

"What is?" Luke felt as if he had gone to sleep and slept a hundred years for all the sense this made to him.

"Lucky and Elizabeth. Apparently, she was Cameron's teacher and they hit it off beautifully."

"Have you been plotting?" Luke raised a brow at her.

"No more than anyone else. We created an opportunity for them to spend some time alone together."

"The charity?" Luke supposed.

"Yes!" Laura exclaimed. "I've been telling that son of yours to go out and meet new people, but he's like a tomcat, never settling on one for too long. When Mrs. Hardy told me about their kiss--"

"A kiss? Now we're getting somewhere." Luke's ears perked up just like Foster's used to do.

"It was fairly innocent, but then Lucky never called her."

"That son of a bitch." Luke muttered, suppressing a laugh when Laura narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's a win-win. She loves Cameron, and, if my sources are correct, they were very comfortable with each other in your son's truck this afternoon."

"That's my boy." It never bothered him that she blamed him for their children's mistakes.

"This is why I think he might be bringing her to dinner."

"It seems a little soon, doesn't it?"

"You never know."

"Cruz is running a little late. He said not to wait for him." Patrick announced, brushing his black leather loafers against the Welcome Mat, glaring at his uncle for the chuckle he heard.

"I do hope he's alright." Laura took Patrick's coat and hung it in the closet nearest the door.

"I'm sure he's fine." Patrick reassured her.

"What time is dinner?" Luke interrupted.

"The same time it always is. Seven sharp." Laura clarified.

"Okay. I'll be back in a while." Luke promised, giving her a quick kiss.

"Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, stop right there!" Using his full name was never a good sign. "Leave that motorcycle alone."

"Motorcycle?" Patrick's eyebrows shot up.

"Yes. Your uncle has decided to celebrate his belated mid-life crisis." Laura told her nephew.

"Damn it, woman, we've been over this." Luke grumbled. Laura gave him a dark look. "Patrick, you want to help?"

"I actually have a call to make, but I'll be out after while." Patrick countered, leaving his aunt and uncle to share an unspoken argument.

"You're going to go out there and get all dirty. What was the point of you putting on a suit if ten minutes in you'll have it covered in oil and grease?" Laura wanted to know.

"I need to make sure that it's in working condition if I'm going to convince Lucky to let Cameron ride on it." As if on cue, Lucky came through the door, Cameron in tow. "You agree that it's necessary, don't you Son?"

"Not falling for it." Lucky had learned long ago to not agree to anything his father asked him when he just walked through the door.

"You don't even know what I was going to say." Luke argued.

"Grandpa!" Cameron squealed and ran towards Luke.

"Don't need to. It was most likely something that would get me in trouble with mom." Lucky moved to put Cameron's discarded overnight bag next to Patrick's shoes.

"Hey Motorcycle Man." He greeted his only grandchild just to get a rise out of his wife.

"Oh the motorcycle." Lucky laughed in a knowing tone. "In that case I don't agree at all."

"That's my boy." Laura wrapped Lucky in a hug, her face buried in her son's sleeve. "Come sit down. Would you like some coffee?"

"No thanks. I had some before we left Tony and Lisa's."

"What were you doing there?" Laura asked in a nonchalant tone.

"Well someone had to baby-sit Cameron while my mother set me up on a quasi-date." He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"What makes you think I had anything to do with that? I mean what? I don't know what you're talking about." Laura backpedaled.

"Someone's busted." Luke called out.

"Are you going upstairs to shave?" Laura implored.

"Of course." Luke replied, skipping up the stairs with Cameron in his arms.

Laura turned back to Lucky. "I pray he doesn't let Cameron do the job for him."

Lucky rolled his eyes. "Oh he most likely will."

"Are you going to keep me in suspense?"

"Suspense about what?"

"About you and Elizabeth. How did the date go?"

"Before or after she laughed at me?" Lucky bit his inside cheek to keep from smiling. Let his mom sweat it out just a little bit.

"Why would she laugh at you? Oh God, you didn't get pointers from your father, did you?"

"No Patrick actually."

"Patrick Drake, get in here this instant!" She was tapping her foot when her nephew came a-running with his head bent.

"Yes, Aunt Laura?"

"Why do you insist on making Lucky's love life miserable by setting such a bad example?" Laura's tone said he needed word his answer carefully.

"I'm a bad example?" Patrick sounded pained.

"Yes. An absolutely horrible one." Lucky deadpanned with a straight face

"You stay out of this!" Patrick warned in what sounded like a growl.

"I'm waiting Patrick."

"Yeah Patrick. She's waiting."

"I've tried to get him to enter into the dating game, Aunt Laura, but he refuses each time saying that he's too busy with work." Let Lucky wiggle his way out of that one. Laura glanced back at her son.

Lucky glared at his cousin. So that was the way he wanted to play it? "I'm the only support my son has. I can't lose my job oh self-employed one."

"You think being self-employed is a piece of cake?" Patrick shot back.

"Boys, please." Laura interjected.

Lucky knew all he had to do was throw Robin's name out in the ring and the spotlight would be right back on Patrick. But he wasn't going to play that card just yet. It wasn't fair to Robin. Deciding instead to just let it go, Lucky shook his head and offered out his hand. "Sorry man. It's been a long day of driving."

"You're forgiven for now." Patrick dropped his cell phone into his pocket and walked into the kitchen to get himself a "Light" beer. Oh, Laura, he thought dejectedly.

"See what sending me to Buffalo does to me?" Lucky asked as he sat down on the couch.

"I see what it leaves you with." Laura responded, reaching for a tissue and wiping off Lucky's upper lip. "Did you get any of your meal in your mouth?"

"Most of it actually."

Laura clamped her hand over her mouth as something occurred to her. "The...biscuits." She wailed, rushing into the kitchen.

The doorbell rang, heralding the arrival of further guests. Lucky jumped off the couch and made his way to the door. Opening it, he found himself looking down on his youngest cousin. Bending down to get a high five, he grinned widely. "Lancelot! My man! What's shaking cuz?"

"Lucky, can you show me that secret handshake?" Lance asked in a small voice.

Of course dude." Lucky stood up to let Lance, Lucas, and Bobbie inside. "But we have to wait till later." He pointed to his aunt. "No girls can know the handshake."

"I know." Lance rolled his eyes and followed behind his grandmother, his plan to extract the brownies she had brought for dessert. Patrick followed the treat with his eyes.

"Lance!" Cameron bounded down the stairs and ran towards his cousin. "You here!"

"I here, all right." Lance was barely able to lift Cameron off the ground. Lucas looped his arms around each little boy and looked over at Laura. "Where should I drop them?"

"You can put them in the playroom. We're still waiting on Cruz."

"Cruz is coming?" Lulu asked, entering from the kitchen. "Good! I wanted to ask him something."

"What would you want to ask Cruz?" Patrick made a face at her.

She shrugged. "I was going to ask if his magazine did internships." Lulu had finally picked her major as journalism.

"Isn't that his entire staff?" Lucky wondered out loud.

"What staff?" Patrick chuckled.

Bobbie arched her eyebrow at him. "The one that got him nominated for those awards."

"Nominations? Awards? What are you talking about Aunt Bobbie?" Lucky tilted his head to left, clearly confused.

"Yeah, what do you mean?" Patrick wondered.

Bobbie silently cursed herself. Shit. He hadn't told them yet. Thankfully Laura came to her rescue.

"Oh isn't it wonderful he was recognized by the state association? I know he's going to win."

"I'm sure he will." Patrick snuck a glance at Lucky. "Did you know about any of this?"

"No. Did you?"

Patrick shook his head.

"Been distracted lately?" Lucas inquired, staring at Patrick.

"Let's see." Patrick got a faraway look in his eyes. "Asshole clients, vengeful ex-girlfriends...nothing out of the ordinary."

"That's funny, because I seem to recall--" Lucas began.

Two cries of "Daddy!" erupted from the playroom. Lucky and Lucas headed up the steps to solve the latest crisis.

Patrick let out a sigh of relief. "Aunt Laura, can I help?"

"No, but Lulu I could use you in the kitchen."

Lulu rolled her eyes. "Oh sure. Send the girl to do it."

"I think I'm going to check on Luke." Patrick excused himself, but Luke met him at the stairs.

"How's it look?" He tilted his head back for inspection.

"Like your neck." Patrick answered noncommittally.

"Why do I ask you anything? You can't even tuck in your shirt." Luke grumbled, moving to hug his sister. "Barbara Jean, you are glowing."

"And you, dear brother, look very nice. Nothing like yourself at all."

"Did you miss me?"

Bobbie hugged her brother hard. "Of course I did. The bigger question is what is going on with that motorcycle?"

"I'm prepping it for the grandchildren."

"He's having an episode." Laura argued.

Lucky came down the steps with Lucas close behind him. "Grandchildren? You only have one old man."

"Not according to your mother. From what she has told me--" He grunted when his lovely wife elbowed him in the stomach.

"Mother..."

"I didn't even suggest grandchildren!" Laura defended, shooting a dangerous look at her husband. Luke's reaction was to kiss her.

Lulu came out of the kitchen then. "Hello! Impressionable children present!"

"And she keeps asking us to refer to her as an 'adult.'" Luke said just loud enough for his daughter to hear him.

"I was going to say 'dinner was ready,' but now I lost my appetite."

"More for us then." Patrick smiled.

Lulu patted her cousin's stomach. "Do you really need more?"

"That's all muscle, little girl."

"Oh, Patrick has developed an even greater sweet tooth." Lucas explained. He had Lance on his shoulders.

Lucky laughed, helping Cameron down the last of the steps. "Yeah. He's developed a weakness for all 'sweet indulgences' these days."

Patrick turned red at this. "Some things should be savored."

Lulu looked confused. "What are you guys talking about?"

The doorbell rang out. Bobbie, being closest, went to answer it. She felt a smile grace her features when she recognized who stood on the other side.

"Well hello Cruz. We were all waiting on you."

Cruz stood dumbstruck. When Laura had invited him to dinner tonight, she had neglected to mention it was a full family dinner. Avoiding Patrick's questions were going to be hard enough without having to pretend he wasn't extremely familiar with Bobbie at the same time. He forced himself to breathe. "I hope not too long. I told Patrick I was running late."

"He told us. Cruz, won't you come and have some coffee?" Laura asked.

"Coffee? I thought we were waiting on him to eat?" Luke pouted.

"He might want coffee." Laura retorted.

"We really shouldn't starve the children longer than necessary." Lucas piped in.

"Oh." Laura looked torn.

Trying to hide the snicker, Lucky attempted to look concerned. "Mom, are we waiting for anyone else?"

"I suppose not." She muttered, taking her seat.


	30. Stay Illogical

Patrick strolled into the bakery around noon, a fifty in his hand. He found his cousin flipping through a magazine at the other side of the room, looking bored. Lucas looked up, slightly amused. "Don't interrupt and I'll let you keep this." He told the younger man. Lucas snatched the bill from Patrick, put it up to the light, studying it, and then shoved it into his pants pocket. "Is she back there?" Lucas shrugged. "Thanks." Patrick muttered dryly.

He let himself into the back room, spotting a familiar brunette with her back to him. She was slumped over the counter, mumbling to herself in French, flipping through a cookbook. Patrick smiled, taking special care to not make any noise as he closed the space between them. Her hair fell into a huge clump at her shoulders, blocking her face from his view. She was dressed in a pair of black pants and a white knitted top which seemed strange considering it was already reaching sweltering temperatures just beyond the front door. "Mademoiselle." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

Patrick was barely able to leap backwards to avoid an angry Anna Scorpio. It was incredible how much the two women resembled each other even as mother and daughter. If she had been standing at her full height, he would have known instantly. Anna's hair was longer too, he realized. Her eyes were blazing and he worked to think of the most appropriate response. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I thought you were Robin." Patrick insisted.

"So this is how you greet my daughter? By grabbing her?" Anna challenged, folding her arms in front of her. It was as if she planned on murdering him with her eyes. Just from the horror stories Luke had told him as a young boy, he was terrified of the woman in front of him. She had never once hesitated to kill someone when the situation called for it. He worried he might have just given her cause.

"No I--" Patrick argued.

"No you what, Mr. Drake? No you don't belong in my daughter's kitchen? No you have no right to touch my daughter? Well, which is it?"

"Where is Robin?" Patrick asked, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"She's not here."

"Clearly. Might you know when she'll be back?"

"I really have no way of knowing that. You're welcome to wait, but I think she might have mentioned making a day of it." Anna smirked.

"Making a day of what?" Patrick countered.

"Shopping for…shopping." Anna decided.

"You're lying. Where is she?" Patrick demanded.

"I think you need to check your tone." Anna warned.

"Will you have me shot if I don't?" Patrick inquired.

"You're pissing me off." Anna told him.

"I have a knack for that." Patrick answered, unperturbed.

"Your brother about ruined my daughter. What makes you think I'm going to let you anywhere near her?"

"You're in town for a visit." Patrick reminded her. "Sooner or later, you're going to have to leave and when you do, you won't be able to monitor Robin's every move."

"I'm not above having you tailed if it means putting distance between you and Robin."

"Do what you will, but Robin's not going to take lightly to being babysat. She's a grown woman."

Damn, he had a point. Robin would be furious if she did it without her knowledge and irritated if she told her the whole truth. She could blame it on the election, say that there were some very unsavory characters looking to settle a score with her and that Robin could be a target. Yes, that could work. Well, it had worked for Robert. She was starting to see the hole in her logic. "What is your endgame?"

"I haven't figured that out yet." Patrick replied.

"I know your type, Drake. You pursue only until you get what you want, and then you're out the door." Anna accused.

"You really think I'm manipulating Robin?"

"No. I think my daughter is far too smart for that."

"Then what is your objection?"

"Other than my overall hatred of you and your family?"

"I understand being angry with Logan, but leave my family out of this."

"Relax. I adore the Spencers. It's the other side that I have to believe made you and your brother the way you are."

"What did I just walk in on?" Robin asked from the doorway, interrupting what looked to be the beginning of a war zone.

"Robin, darling, this man is a--a--pig." Anna declared.

"Yeah, I know. What brings you by?" She directed her question at Patrick.

"You." Patrick ignored Anna's sounds of disgust behind him.

"Mother, can you excuse us please?"

"But Robin, you don't actually--" Anna protested.

"Please."

"Fine, but I'm watching you, Drake." She said, stomping into the center of the bakery.

Robin waited until her mother was out of earshot to laugh. "You picked quite an enemy, Patrick."

"I didn't have to pick her. She singled me out." Patrick explained.

"Well, anyway, I hope she didn't threaten your life or anything."

"Is that concern I hear?"

"Absolutely not." Robin shook her head.

"Good. I don't want you going all mushy on me."

"At least not yet right?" Robin said in a quiet voice.

Patrick caught the belt of Robin's apron and yanked her closer. She was dressed in a sensible sky blue short-sleeved top and a pair of hip hugger jeans. "I'm sorry you didn't get that kiss you've been craving since the other night." He whispered into her hair.

"How can you fit that ego of yours in this tiny kitchen?" Robin wondered.

"I am a man of many talents." Patrick wagged his eyebrows at her.

"So the bathroom stalls insinuate." Robin grinned.

"Bobbie told me about Morgan."

"Does that mean you apologized?"

"Yes. I apologized last night. I remember your mother mentioning him, and I actually thought you were referring to Jason."

"Jason Morgan?" Robin scrunched up her face. "We haven't been together in six, almost seven years. We haven't talked since he was sent to prison."

"How was I to know that? He went away for pedophilia." Patrick reminded her.

"Yeah, but I didn't put him there." Robin clarified with an eye roll.

He had to quit assuming things. It was only getting him into more trouble. By referencing to Morgan, Jason should have been the last name Patrick came up with. If anything, Anna hated him more than she'd ever hate Patrick if for no other reason than the hit man had kept her in constant danger during their entire relationship. "Whatever, you're dodging."

"So what if I am? I don't want to include Morgan in anything that goes on between us."

"You were the one who told me that there's nothing going on here."

"Do you want me?"

"Of course I want you."

"Then stop overanalyzing and kiss me." Robin ordered, tracing the collar of Patrick's navy blue vest.

"Robin, there was one thing--" Anna burst into the kitchen.

Patrick didn't even turn in her direction, just aimed his right arm at her. "Get out. Whatever it is can wait."

"Actually, it's quite important." Anna snapped.

"I'll be right there." Robin assured her mother.

"Robin--"

"Bye Mother." Then she wrapped her left hand around Patrick's neck, pulled his face down until it was level with her, and brushed her lips against his.

Patrick's entire body shook at the light contact, but once the shock wore off, he had his arms around her waist. He used his thumb to tilt her head back and deepened the kiss, amazed at how fast it seemed to flare out of control. Her fingers fisted in his hair and she dragged him closer though it didn't seem possible since she was already flush up against him already. Her instant reaction enticed Patrick to sweep his tongue over her closed mouth. As he had expected, she wasn't quick to part her lips for him. It would take a bit more coaxing on his part. He barely rubbed the spot where her neck met her shoulder with his thumb and index finger and she trembled, her fingers sliding through his hair as his tongue desperately sought entrance to her tightly pressed lips. His fingers bit into her waist and she let out a low, practically never-ending, moan, her mouth surrendering beneath his. She turned her cheek to Patrick's mouth when she heard her mother gasp.

Lucas peeked his head into the room. "Miss Scorpio, did I tell you we got in these great English muffins? I've already got the coffee started. Let's go and have some." He steered a clearly distressed Anna into a chair nearest the front door.

"I guess this means he's worth that fifty bucks I gave him." Patrick mumbled, tracing his thumb over Robin's bottom lip.

"I gave him a hundred." Robin clarified, pushing Patrick deeper into the room so that they wouldn't have an audience. Patrick looked like he wanted to say something so she dissuaded that notion by standing on tiptoe and pressing her breasts into his chest.

Patrick easily lifted her off of her feet and onto the metal counter, settling his body in-between her legs. She stared at him for a second, looking like she wanted to tell him something, but then he was kissing her and she let the moment carry her away to a place where neither of them had a past. She pulled at his shirttails until the material was free of his pants and let her hands move up his back, leaning into Patrick's hands when they slid up and down the outside of her thighs.

She broke the kiss suddenly and said, "Patrick."

"Hmm?" Patrick muffled as he returned to his gentle exploration of her mouth.

"Patrick." Robin tried again, pushing at his shoulders when he made no effort to listen to her. "We're in the kitchen."

"Yes." Patrick agreed, placing biting kisses down her jaw line.

"We're in the kitchen. We need to stop." Robin said slowly, exaggerating every word.

"Okay." Patrick let her go and took a step backwards, shoving a hand through his already tangled hair.

"Now that was something to write home about."

"Why are you surprised?" Patrick sounded offended.

"Men like you rarely live up to their hype." Robin explained.

"Men like me? You didn't seem to mind a man like me kissing you a second ago."

"I didn't mean anything by it." Robin assured him. "Let's not fight."

"Go out with me tonight."

"That's not a question, is it?" Robin guessed.

"Would you please go out with me tonight?" Patrick rephrased.

"I'd love to Patrick…but I can't." Robin hopped off of the counter, hoping that standing on her feet would give her some sense of empowerment.

"You're not going to tell me you actually have plans tonight." Patrick rolled his eyes.

"Is that so unbelievable?"

"Robin, you're trying to get out of being alone with me. Tell me why." Patrick insisted.

"You're crazy, you know that?" Robin giggled.

"Robin."

"Hmm?"

"Fine, I'll believe you since, no, it is not at all unbelievable that you have plans. I do find the timing suspect, but I'll let it go if you can convince me that you're telling the truth."

"I have a date."

"With?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business." Robin said indignantly.

"Now you're trying to pick a fight with me."

"I am not!"

"Then tell me what I want to know."

"Why? So you can play jealous?"

"Jealous of who?"

"I can't talk to you when you're like this." Robin made a beeline past him.

"I don't like to share." Patrick explained, catching the belt of her apron and stopping her in her tracks.

"That implies you own me and you don't."

"Of course I don't own you." Patrick shook his head.

"Then what do you want, Patrick?"

"If you haven't figured that out, you're denser than I am."

"I doubt that's possible." Robin muttered to herself.

"Well?" Patrick urged.

"My son. I have a date with my son. I told you I had plans. I told you I didn't want to fight with you."

"This isn't fighting. This is how we get answers from each other."

"So, this is how we converse?" Robin assumed.

"Yeah." Patrick clarified.

"Satisfied?"

"Not by a long shot, but I'm sure you can do something to fix that. I'll let you off the hook tonight, but what about tomorrow?"

"Busy."

"Robin." Patrick shook his head at her.

"Okay, so I could have been busy." She admitted. "Fine. Tomorrow I'll let you take me out on a date."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. A date?"

"Yes, a date. I want to share a meal with you, one that I'm expecting you, Mr. Big Shot Photographer, to pay for. I want to be picked up. I want to dress up. A date. Deal or not?"

"Deal." Patrick nodded, tugging her to him. "Let's make it official." He suggested dipping his head and letting his lips linger above hers.

"Okay." Robin lifted her mouth the needed quarter-inch and kissed him.


	31. Blink

Robin buttoned up Morgan's gray suit and tied his black shiny shoes as soon as she had his hair combed and parted in the middle of his crown. She had sent this little suit to the cleaners and picked it up on her way home from work. Morgan had been meticulously clean when she walked through the door, so she hadn't seen any reason to force him to take a shower before their evening out. It wasn't until her fight with Courtney over Morgan's tantrum that Robin realized how overly stressed she was and that she was alienating her adopted son from her life. She had long since apologized to Courtney and she hoped tonight would go off without a hitch. She didn't want Morgan to feel like an outsider. He depended on her. Last night Robin had caught him saying his prayers aloud, his little hands pressed together, his eyes closed. She knew he had been raised strictly Catholic but, try as she may, she never got him there on Sunday. She would just have to do better. Sonny had left her in charge. Tonight would put things into perspective for both her and her son. She just knew it somehow.

Robin had booked reservations at Le Bernardin, the most exclusive seafood restaurant in town according to the PC Insider. She had taken off early from work--it was becoming a bad habit lately--and gone to buy a new sundress to battle the blistering heat. Thankfully, on her way home, the night had fallen into a very comfortable sixty degrees so she didn't have to worry about Morgan getting a heatstroke from his navy blue suit. Robin had put together a flexible schedule for them tonight. They would go to dinner first and then it was off to see Ratatouille. Maybe they would stop at Robin's favorite vendor for a few ice cream cones if they had enough time. For two straight weeks Morgan had gone to bed at least an hour late, making him irritable and bringing out the Corinthos temper.

Robin held out her hand for him once she reached the door and asked, "Ready buddy?" Morgan nodded and launched off of the bed, taking the offered hand. She flipped off the overhead lights and locked the door behind them, humming to herself as she watched Morgan skip to the elevator. Maybe it was all going to be okay, she thought to herself.

"Don't you like seafood, Morgan?" Robin inquired, watching the six-year-old stab a shrimp with his fork and drag it across his plate. He glanced up at her with an incredulous look. She took a bite of her calamari when she noticed the waiter come her way and a sip of her wine so that he wouldn't bother them. Morgan was nothing if not polite, but he looked to be struggling with the idea of putting the food in his mouth. "I guess we should have gone to a more kid-friendly place, huh? I'm sorry, Morgan."

At that, Morgan dropped his fork, the metal banging loudly against the china plate. He reached for his small cup of soda and drank it all in one gulp. He fidgeted with his tie looking like a short twenty-something instead of a nervous six-year-old. She was torn between calling it quits and taking him somewhere else, and staying here and making him at least try the dinner. He might like it, she reasoned. Besides, if he always got the say in what they ate, she would make him spoiled. It was a miracle in itself that he wasn't a junk food junkie. Be careful, a voice reminded Robin. You shouldn't speak ill of the dead, especially when you've been put in charge of their child's welfare.

"Did you do anything fun today?" She would at least attempt conversation before throwing in the towel. Miss Guerin, Morgan's camp leader, had informed Robin of each and every one of their activities so there really wasn't any reason to ask Morgan what he did. She had known all along. Of course, she wanted to make sure he was actually having fun; otherwise it was just one more thing she was screwing up.

Robin mentally scratched her head. "You wouldn't believe how big a cake my new client wants. She said that it should reach the ceiling. Can you imagine?" Morgan gave a look that said he was trying to care about what she did all day, but clearly didn't have any use for it. "I asked if she wanted chocolate or vanilla frosting and she insisted on strawberry!" Robin leaned closer, crooking her finger in Morgan's direction so that he would meet her in the middle of the table. "But, it's a secret, so I need to know I can trust you before I go on." Morgan held out his pinkie and Robin wrapped hers around it as they established a pact.

By the time Robin and Morgan made it to the aforementioned ice cream parlor it was nearing nine o'clock. They had gone to see the movie about the rats and, after being a little grossed out, she found most of it hilarious. The best part had been hearing Morgan giggle when the lead rat climbed into the skinny red head's hat and started pulling at his hair, controlling what he did. The evening had been an absolute success. When Robin asked Morgan which flavor of ice cream he wanted, he obediently pointed to chocolate mint and she, who hadn't actually tried that kind before, decided to trust his judgment. Morgan licked away at the green sugary treat and Robin paid, staring at the ice cream cone as if she didn't quite trust it to hold the double scoops she had seen them slap on top of it.

Caught up in the excitement, Robin almost dropped her ice cream when she spotted Patrick Drake coming out of the coffee shop across the street. He didn't spot her right away and started to walk away. She figured she should have let him, after all she didn't want anything to come between her and Morgan's night, but something forced her to call out to him. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

When he turned to face her, he was grinning. "It's your own fault you know."

Robin decided to play innocent. "I don't know what you mean."

Patrick pointed a finger in her direction. "I think you do." He looked behind Robin and noticed a little person with an ice cream for a head and little chubby legs. "You look amazing." Patrick told Robin, licking his bottom lip unconsciously as he took in the sight of her pink dress. He thanked the seamstress who had chosen so sheer a material. He couldn't see through it, but it hugged her every curve and his mind started racing. She looked uncomfortable at the intimate way he was staring at her. He dropped his eyes to his shoes, taking a soundless breath. This was just what she hadn't wanted, for him to interrupt the time she spent with Morgan. He hadn't realized until now that that was exactly what he was doing.

"We were just getting some ice cream." Robin explained unnecessarily. It was obvious what with them holding the evidence in their hands.

"I see that. Well, I won't keep you from your 'date.'" He chuckled, acknowledging Morgan by simply messing with his hair. The child slapped his hand away and he couldn't help but laugh at that too before forcing himself to leave them alone.

"Good night, Patrick." Robin said as he started to walk away. She glanced down at Morgan. "You ready to go home?" He took the time to nod and then buried his face in his ice cream. He was already halfway covered in mint ice cream, but Robin couldn't bring herself to scold him. He was having fun. That was all she had wanted to accomplish tonight.

Patrick was about to disappear into the alley that was a straight shot to his studio when Robin's hair caught his attention and he had no choice but to stop and watch her get Morgan buckled into her 2006 red convertible. She said something to his second cousin to make him giggle and then proceeded to climb into the car and get herself situated. She flipped the radio to some sort of ridiculous pop station and Patrick was sure it was the crudeness of the tune that made him recognize it as one of Lucky's old protégés, but the name escaped him. He wondered if she had turned it to that station just to make him manic, just to make him throw every assumption he had ever made about her out the proverbial window. When he had heard that she had adopted Morgan, he had expected her to be riding around town in a white Lexus or maybe a powder blue minivan. Never in all of his musings had he pictured her in a bright red convertible with the top down, her six-year-old strapped into the back. She continued to surprise him and that thought brought a smile to his face.

Robin forced herself to take a calm relaxing breath. If Morgan noticed her sudden discomfort, he didn't voice his concern. She hadn't expected to see Patrick tonight, had actually thought that she could separate her life with Morgan and her—well whatever it was she had with Patrick—but tonight had proven her wrong. This town was only so big and, despite the fact that they had succeeded in coexisting without ever running into each other six months ago, they were bound to cross paths every once and a while…more by intention than coincidence if she had read the look in his eyes correctly. He had practically undressed her with his scorching gaze and it made her uneasy to say the least. What if she didn't meet his perfect standard of what a woman should look like? But then, he had met her gaze and she felt like…well, he must have liked what he had seen. She had to resist the urge to look back at him when she pulled out of the parking space or she might very well forget her principles and do something stupid…like forget she had a six-year-old in her care and do something she would surely regret.

The song she had switched the radio to was bothering her, but Morgan was bouncing his head to it, so she didn't think she should change it. It wasn't like the singer was cursing or using inappropriate lyrics to get his point across. She glanced down at her hand and saw that she still held her ice cream cone. Now, how had she been expecting to drive with this distraction? The trashcan was only a foot away from her. She took a chance and managed to throw it in the circular opening of the black plastic bin. It was good that she was so mature or she might have done a little victory dance at her accomplishment.

"All right Drake, time to call it a night." Patrick muttered to himself. He forced one foot in front of the other until they started to catch on to what he wanted them to do. What was it actually hurting to watch her drive away? He would be on the phone with her as soon as he got home. She would tell him she had just gotten Morgan to sleep and then make a cute little comment about not understanding why he felt compelled to call her in the first place. He never knew how far he could push Robin. She was far from being submissive to his every whim. Thank God, he smiled to himself. She was a hell of a lot more fun than Emily and, from what he could tell, she was reasonably sane. Still, Robin Scorpio kept herself in a bubble forcing him to tread lightly. He doubted she was quite ready for phone sex, so he'd just have to be a gentleman and stick to polite conversation.

Patrick's head shot up at the sound of metal meeting wood and he was running before he even knew what had happened. The car had been no match for the old Redwood sitting at the Firewheel and Commerce intersection. Shards of glass flew at Robin and Morgan and they screamed. Blood pounded in his ears as he closed in on the car's location and he blinked his eyes several times to make sure that he would focus on every detail instead of becoming overwhelmed. Morgan's tiny body had been thrown in the front floorboard, but he was conscious. His suit was covered in mint ice cream and dried blood. He was on his head, screaming and crying as he struggled to break free.

"It's all right." Patrick heard himself say as he reached in and carefully removed Morgan from the boxed-in vehicle. He checked his forehead for glass, but saw no sign of any. He had cracked his head open on impact. Patrick located a towel from the backseat, his hand almost couldn't fit in-between the seats, and he wrapped it around the child's head. "Hold this. I'm going to get Robin." Patrick explained, convincing Morgan to sit on the grass and wait until he returned.

Robin's face was pressed into the steering wheel and she had her arms held out in front of her. She must have been trying to avoid getting struck by the flying glass, but the end result had been sacrificing the skin on her arms. Her body was twisted in half, her knees pressing into the console, her feet shoved under the seat. She didn't respond to his voice and he knew he had to work fast. He threw his phone across the car to Morgan, but it landed on the grass beside the boy and he knew he would have to call the police in a second. Right now, he had only one agenda: extracting Robin from this car.

The driver's side was shoved into the tree preventing Patrick from opening the door and getting her out that way. He had no choice but to come at this from the backseat, but since the car had shrunk by about half, it wasn't a considerable stretch for him. He touched Robin's uninjured right shoulder and slid his hands under her arms. Her sudden cry surprised but didn't deter him. She turned toward him, her face covered in cuts so deep he could almost see the bones in her cheeks, and shook her head. "Don't touch me!" She screamed, fighting against his unwavering hands.

"Robin, you've been in an accident." Patrick stated, barely able to lift her from the seat before she managed to turn away from him and drop into her same position once more. "I need you to stay still." He said in a breathless tone.

"Morgan? Morgan!" Robin cried, her hair flipping from side to side as she searched the area for her son.

"He's alright, Robin. I got him out. He's sitting in the grass." Patrick assured her, tucking her sticky hair behind her ear.

"He's okay?" Robin felt the need to ask and he forced a smile.

"He's fine, but I told him I would get you out of here and that's what I'm going to do." Patrick replied, returning to his task.

_"But you can't touch me!"_ Robin repeated, slapping his hands away.

"Why not?" Patrick questioned, his voice shaking slightly. He used his free hand to wipe away the sweat and blood that had collected at the center of her forehead.

_"Patrick, c-call General Hospital. I need a paramedic to get me out of the car."_ Robin said slowly, swallowing with some difficulty.

"We don't have time for that!" Patrick couldn't help but yell back at her. "I'm here now."

_"It's not safe for you. Get away from me!"_ Robin repeated, trying to unsnap her seatbelt. It refused to budge and she felt tears slide down her cheeks.

"What are you talking about? Robin, what are you talking about?" Patrick demanded, his hands starting to shake at the crispiness of her voice. She sounded ancient as she spoke to him, having grown old from some unseen burden that she carried with her day in and day out.

"I'm HIV+." She whispered, resting her forehead against the steering wheel.

"What?" He must have heard her wrong.

_"I'm HIV+ positive, Patrick, and I can't have you covered in my blood, okay?"_ She shouted at him, her bottom lip trembling when she lifted her head.

"What do you mean you're HIV+? Robin, you're the healthiest person I know." Patrick argued.

"I have to be." Robin explained.

"How can you be…Logan?" Patrick wasn't sure why his brother's name instantly floated from his lips. Was that why his brother had blown him off this year? Had he tested positive for AIDS and not known how to face Patrick?

"No. Before Logan." Robin countered.

Patrick shut his eyes, hiding his initial reaction to Robin's statement, ignored her warning and, with one good yank, got her out of the car in one piece. Robin shrieked as her mangled body slid over the torn leather seats and Patrick cringed at the sound of it. He picked her up and carried her over to where Morgan sat petrified.

_"What did you think you were doing?"_ Robin screamed, throwing her hands out in front of her when he leaned closer to check for loose glass. Her nails caught on his cheek and she resisted slapping him, wishing he had listened to her for once instead of putting himself at risk.

"Saving your life." Patrick responded, his bloody fingers pushing at the keys mercilessly as he called for help.

_"Who the hell asked you to? Why couldn't you have listened to me? Why? Do you really believe yourself to be invincible?"_ Robin sobbed, rolling onto her side and biting into her bottom lip when the pain registered.

"Yes, there has been an accident. My friend and her son are hurt. Yes, I was able to get them out of the car. The boy cut his head open and my friend is bleeding pretty badly. Tell the paramedics that my friend has HIV. Thank you. No, we're fine. Just send someone." The adrenaline rush gone now, Patrick hit the END button on his cell and fell onto the grass, his eyes closing as he lapsed into immediate exhaustion.

"It's okay, Morgan." Robin whispered, taking short, choking breaths. "The doctors will be here soon and then…they'll give us some lollipops for being such excellent patients.


	32. Wake Up

Lucky raised his hand to knock on Cruz's door. Lance had asked the other night for Cameron to come spend the night and his cousin was a little too eager to allow two hyper active children to spend all night eating sugar. He somewhat suspected Lucas and his husband Dillon were having some sort of fight and the sleepover was a punishment for Dillon's misbehavior.

Pounding on the door, Lucky whistled the last bit of the Beatles tune he had heard on the way over here. "Open up man! I have to talk to you!" he called into the open window.

Cruz threw the white dishtowel over his shoulder when he heard his friend's voice through the solid would door. He couldn't remember the last time Lucky had actually come over, so immediately, he thought something must have been wrong. He reached for the handle and wasted no time opening the door.

Noticing the dishtowel, Lucky smirked. "Nice look there. I bet you bag all the babes like that." Not waiting for an invitation, he walked right in and headed for the living room, settling on the brown leather couch.

"You're awfully chipper after that interrogation." Cruz snuck a sideways glance at his friend, slapping him in the back of the head with the towel.

Lucky rolled his eyes. "I have decided that my mother needs fewer friends."

"What brings you by?"

"Lulu."

Cruz's eyes widened at that. The kid had fallen hard for him over the summer and, despite his best efforts, he couldn't get her to see that he wasn't interested. Lucky must have figured it out. "So, you know."

"About her brilliant decision to volunteer to work for you? I told her she could just wait a few years and still work for no pay with you."

"Work for me?" Cruz's face contorted, but he was managed to force a smile to avoid suspicion.

"Yeah, I don't know why she would want to intern with you..." Lucky's voice trailed off as he noticed his friend's face. Cruz covered it well enough, but Lucky had always been the better poker player of the two. He knew Cruz's every tell. The twitching eyebrow was a dead giveaway. Cruz was confused. "She did talk to you about the whole interning at your magazine in the fall plan right?"

"Yeah, of course. I'm just surprised she told you about it."

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Well, I haven't given an answer yet, and I didn't want to put you in the middle."

"This probably explains why she wanted me to come over here tonight." Lucky concluded. Typical Lulu move. This was probably payback for some comment he made at her expense. "She asked me to come by to tell you the deadline was in two weeks. Why she couldn't pick up the phone herself and call you I have no idea."

"I turned it off, so even if she did..."

"She'd have gotten that voicemail you never check."

"Pretty much." Cruz laughed. "Do you want a beer or something?"

"Sure. Whatever you got." Lucky moved over towards his friend's CD collection while Cruz headed towards the kitchen.

"Corona." Cruz replied. He had severely cut back on his drinking since Bobbie had come into his life. She didn't like the taste on his lips and he had lost his taste for anything stronger than a Corona.

"You wussing out on me man?"

"Nah. I do all my heavy drinking at the beginning of the week." Cruz lied, smirking.

"Well if I had your staff issues I'd drink that early too." Lucky raised the bottle in a mock toast.

Cruz clinked their bottles together and took a rather uneventful gulp of his beer. He didn't know how to be around Lucky and not tell him what was going on. Just as that thought hit him square between the eyes, he reminded himself that Bobbie had asked him not to say anything. Besides, he had already survived one near-death experience with Patrick over the Robin thing. No telling when his luck would run out.

"So Mom was ecstatic you finally showed for a dinner man." Lucky took an unsatisfying swig of his beer. Cruz normally had a fully stocked bar. What was up with this?

"I miss seeing her. If I could get away with it, I'd never go to work and just let your mom cook for me for the rest of my days." Cruz didn't let himself consider the truth in that statement. How many secrets had he kept from his friends over the years? Why were some easier to keep than others?

"So would my dad. Why have you been so scarce lately? My dad used to think he had adopted you at some point but you haven't been around in months." Lucky knew his friend worked hard, but Cruz had rarely missed an opportunity to have Laura cook for him before. The more Lucky thought about it, the longer he realized it had been going on.

"I've been running a company all alone for starters." Cruz wondered if his excuse sounded as hollow to Lucky as it did to him. "Any spare minute I have had I've devoted to sleep."

Lucky cocked his eyebrow. "And how did my mom and Aunt Bobbie know about your nomination thing before Patrick and me?" He paused, taking another swig. "Mom I can understand, but how did Aunt Bobbie know?"

"She just happened to be there when I got the news. She came by to thank me for having you drop off that ad approval for her last week." Cruz answered.

Lucky shrugged at the explanation, satisfied for the moment. "Well I know Mom made you a cake and all last night, but congratulations man."

"Thanks." Cruz was rather proud of himself. Maybe one of these days his magazine would attract a most valuable staff. At this point, he would have settled for a full staff.

Lucky hoisted his bottle up for a toast. "May you win and it bring you a staff that actually shows up to work."

"Here, here!" Cruz watched Lucky finish his bottle and a thought struck him. "What was going on with your mom? I heard her tell Luke that she wished everyone would have shown up for dinner."

Lucky rolled his eyes. "She is trying to play matchmaker. My wonderful mother apparently thought I was going to bring a date with me."

This was the first Cruz had heard of this and he couldn't help but ask, "Who is she?"

"Elizabeth Webber. Audrey Hardy's granddaughter." Please don't ask how we met, he prayed. Just don't ask. "You met her once. Sort of. Robin's friend from the pool party."

"The one you were falling all over? Yeah, I remember her. Pretty brunette. How did your mother even find out about her?"

"I might have stopped over at Audrey's house and I think Audrey may have seen us talking."

"That must have been some pretty intense talking if she called Laura on you."

"Possibly more than talking." Lucky headed towards the couch to sit down. He might as well get comfortable.

"How much more?"

"Kissing."

"And you're just telling me this now?"

"Check your voicemail. I've been trying to get in touch with you."

"The damn thing is so full, I can't figure out how to check it." Cruz argued. "You could have come by." Shut up, a silent voice warned. Just shut up.

Lucky shrugged. "You're never home and Cameron's been having issues with sleeping lately."

"Did you run out of Monster Spray?"

"No. He's got new Monster Spray repellant monsters. I don't know how but I swear my dad is responsible for this."

"You turned out all right." Cruz pointed out. He redirected the conversation. "How serious was this kiss?"

"The first one wasn't that intense..."

"The first? How many have there been?"

"Once in her grandmother's den and the other night in my truck. Would have been one more at Jake's if it hadn't been for Lulu."

"Are you dating her?"

"Do I say yes if we haven't actually been out on a date yet?"

"Good mannered Lucky Spencer has groped a girl twice without actually feeding her?"

"There was no groping." He paused remembering the feel of her skin underneath his fingers. "Well not much." He amended. "And that time we had dinner beforehand."

"She seems awfully skittish. What did you have to do to change her mind?"

"Not piss her off every time I talked to her? And my mom and her grandmother sort of tricked us into spending the day together." Lucky reached out and smacked Cruz's arm. "That's for the lame code of behavior you and Patrick made up while we were in college."

"Well, someone had to point you in the right direction."

"'Don't call her right away' you two told me. 'Don't seem to eager.' That brilliant logic almost made her not come the other day."

"When are you seeing her again?"

"Next Friday."

"What's your endgame?"

Lucky shook his head. "I don't know that I have one. She's different than the girls I've dated since..." he left his voice trail off.

"Since?" Cruz pressed.

He fixed Cruz with a glance. "Since Jess okay?"

"Different how? Different in the fact that she didn't fall all over you when she found out what you did for a living?"

"That. And the fact that she knows Cameron and he already loves her."

"You sound...almost invested in this whole thing."

"I do?"

Cruz nodded slowly. "Yes you do." One of Lucky's statements came back to him. "Wait, did you say you are seeing her next Friday? As in this coming Friday?" Seeing his friend nod with a look of complete confusion, Cruz let out a low whistle. "I thought Daphne Vega's CD was coming out soon and you were in full press mode with her. Doesn't that normally mean you would see her on Friday night?"

"I'm seeing her on Saturday. Daphne's a nice kid and she understands." Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "Her boyfriend's actually relieved. There was some family wedding they were supposed to attend together that night."

Lucky was changing his press routine? Something that had worked like clockwork time and time again? Cruz thought back to the other girls Lucky had briefly dated. He couldn't ever recall Lucky changing something as important as his new artist launch routine just to see a girl. He didn't change much period. The last time...Cruz snapped his head up with a jolt. The last time Lucky had major changes in his life for a girl, it had been Jess. And how well Cruz remembered the disasters that followed after those changes. Not that Cameron was a disaster, he amended, but his parents should have never been together as long as they were.

And this Elizabeth had already met Cameron? Another change from the great routine of Lucky Spencer. Cruz could count on his hand the number of ex-girlfriends who actually knew about Cameron's existence period, much less had met the kid. Lucky had been very clear that he did not want to confuse Cameron with a bunch of women running in and out of his life.

"Damn, this is different." Cruz shook his head. "This sounds serious."

"Serious?" Lucky stood up and rose towards the massive CD rack. "It's not serious. We haven't even gone out." He thumbed through the titles, looking to see if Cruz had any new ones from his last visit to the townhouse.

"'We haven't gone out' he says. Yet you're changing routines and she gets to meet your kid. You dated Katherine for six months before you dropped the Cameron bomb on her!"

"Elizabeth was Cameron's teacher. Technically I met her because of him." Lucky paused as one caught his eye. He pulled it out to make sure he was seeing things correctly.

"You're dating your son's teacher? And you said I was insane for the Patrick/Robin thing!" Cruz finished off his beer with a final swig and headed towards the bar. News like this required something harder than Corona.

"Hey I said you were suicidal and insane. There's a difference."

Lucky didn't even look up to respond to Cruz. His attention was focused on the CD in his hand. What the hell was Cruz doing with the soundtrack of Hairspray? Cruz didn't do soundtracks. He did Broadway even less. So why was it sitting there, between Harvey Danger and Incubus?

In all the years he had known Cruz, Lucky never remembered him liking anything other than hard rock and alternative music. Sure he would listen to other genres just to placate his friends but, if given a choice, Cruz wanted to rock out. In fact the last time he could even recall Cruz venturing out of the rock section at the music store was when the girl he was interested in only listened to opera.

Lucky drew his eyes closer together in concentration. He had laughed every single time Patrick had even suggested that Cruz was seeing someone behind both their backs. It was crazy. Cruz was a newsman. It wasn't in him to sit on a story. But now Lucky was curious. The CD case was dusty with fingerprints. It wasn't one that just sat on the shelf for show. Opening the case, he felt his curiosity grow deeper. The CD was not in its case. Was it in a CD player somewhere?

Lucky couldn't help but wonder. Could Patrick actually be right?


	33. Wish I Knew

"Robin Scorpio?" Patrick demanded, slamming his hands against the information desk. They had brought her and Morgan in by ambulance an hour ago, but had refused to let him ride along. He had called Bobbie and she had contacted Anna. He called Alexis Davis, because, five times out of ten, it was the fastest way to locate Robin's uncle Mac. Anna had tried to get a hold of Robert, according to Bobbie, but he was deep undercover and couldn't be reached. Courtney was Robin's emergency contact the nurse had informed him, so he had shut off his phone and waited.

"She's still in surgery." The tiny blonde explained, swatting at a loose curl and returning her attention to the paperwork in front of her.

"How long is it supposed to take?"

"I don't know, but if you'll go sit down over there, I'm sure the doctor will update you on her condition."

"Actually, he won't, because he already assured me that only family is allowed to see her."

"I didn't say you'd get to see her," The nurse clarified. "I said I'd make sure he lets you know of her progress. Now, go sit down. The ER's a mess tonight."

"Fine." Patrick stomped away, no longer worried how it might damage his reputation. He was used to getting his way, but this was God's way of reminding him that, when it came to Robin, there was always a battle to be fought.

As the hours dragged on, he thought of Logan, and contemplated calling his brother and telling him what had happened to Robin. Sure, they didn't share the same last name anymore, but there must have been a time when Logan cared for her, especially if he'd known about her having HIV. It was rare moments such as this that he wasn't sure what he should think. Robin had always been on top of things down to the last letter. Surely, she must have explained her situation to Logan before they even started seeing each other. What ate him up inside was that this was how she had chosen to tell him.

Doctors and nurses came and went. None stopped to talk to him. He was greeted by an attractive Asian nurse named Kelly Lee. She took one look at his bloodstained hands and clothing and whisked him away to an exam room despite his excuse that he was fine, that he was waiting for his friend. Patrick wasn't sure Robin could even be called his friend. They sure as hell weren't dating and they hadn't slept together, but there was still something there that surpassed friendship.

He meant to tell Nurse Lee to use gloves, but she was already a step ahead of him. She insisted that he get a test done to make sure that he hadn't contracted the disease from rescuing Robin and, if he had been able to keep his voice steady, he might have argued the point into the ground. Robin had been right about him risking his own health by helping her and he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he gave her one more thing to be sorry for.

Her words echoed in his brain and he fought the urge to punch a wall. Morgan had been her first concern. Patrick had been her second. He didn't let himself read too much into that last thought. She didn't hate him after all so what sense would it have made for her not to warn him of exposure? How about the fact that she hadn't mentioned having it when they were fooling around this morning? She must have understood his intentions and yet, she had stayed silent.

Kelly Lee told him that he would have to take a series of tests over the next six months and all he could do was nod in response. What if he had been infected? Would he be able to live with a disease so life-altering? His reputation would be shot to hell. No woman would come within twenty feet of him. His family would look at him differently. Logan would misinterpret how he had contracted it and assume that he and Robin were sleeping together behind his back. Patrick thanked the nurse for her help and disappeared into the men's bathroom where he proceeded to wash his hands until they were blistered and red.

Then there was the matter of Morgan. Logic said that he would stay with Courtney until Robin regained consciousness and that, if the worst happened, she would adopt him and raise him as she had probably expected to do when her sister-in-law had gotten killed and her brother had been sentenced to life in prison. He doubted much would change in the boy's life as far as that, but his sense of security, no matter how shaky, would be forever damaged. He might never trust another person again. Losing one mommy was one thing. Losing two was unthinkable. Patrick could barely get out of bed in the morning when melancholy over his own mother's death struck him to the core, so he actually knew what he was talking about.

Kelly had explained the process to him, but he had listened halfheartedly, his mind a million miles away. He knew his father's old colleague Alan Quartermaine would answer all of his questions when he felt ready to deal with the situation at hand. He had been given a countless supply of Anti-viral medication in which he was expected to take everyday, but he had simply dropped the bottles into his jacket pocket. If he didn't see them, surely he could convince himself that all of this was a nightmare upon which he would awake from soon. He couldn't help but glance down at his bandaged hands, wondering if God were as cruel as he had always accused him of being. He had stolen Mattie away. What was to keep Patrick's results from coming back positive?

Patrick's phone buzzed against his knee and he extracted it from his coat pocket. "Drake." He said unenthusiastically. The nurse gave him the evil eye for using his cell phone in the Intensive Care Unit, so he made his way toward the elevators and prayed his cell service would prevail.

"Is this Patrick?" A small voice wondered. Patrick recognized it as at least somewhat familiar, but he couldn't place her.

"Yes." He answered automatically. "Who's this?"

"Elizabeth Webber. I just got the call about Robin. Are you with her?"

"She's in surgery. I'm sorry, but I don't remember you." Patrick apologized, stepping off of the elevator.

"Elizabeth. I'm Robin's friend. We met at the pool party I think. You got pushed into the pool."

"Cameron's teacher?" Patrick guessed.

"Yes. And Robin's friend." Well, she sure was persistent!

"They won't tell me anything other than that she's in surgery." Patrick explained.

"I'm on my way there now." Elizabeth promised.

"Who called you?" Patrick wanted to know.

"The hospital. Courtney left her phone in my car by accident." Elizabeth told him.

Elizabeth threw her small Hyundai into the parking space, not noticing or caring that her car was dangerously askew between the lines. Courtney's phone was still glued to her ear as she waited for her friend to pick up. Frustrated at having gotten her own voice mail message again, Elizabeth changed tactics and dialed the loft's number. She and Courtney had gone out to the movies earlier and when they left the blonde hadn't really decided exactly what she was doing the rest of the night. Maybe she had just stayed home, although that hadn't been one of the options the other girl had listed. Hearing the answering machine click on, Elizabeth sighed. "Courtney. It's Elizabeth. We switched cell phones apparently. Come to General Hospital as soon as you get this message. Robin and Morgan were in a car accident. A bad one. Call me on your phone."

She burst through the double doors, shaken by memories of coming her to see her own grandmother. Elizabeth shook them aside, reminding herself this was about Robin, not her. She was here to find out information about Robin. But first she had to find one Patrick Drake. Easier said than done considering the last time she had seen the man, he was soaking wet in a bathing suit. She sincerely doubted he would be wearing the same outfit tonight.

The elevator doors open and she made her way towards the waiting room, trying to come up with some better description than Robin's "walking ego". Thankfully the room was mostly empty with only an elderly African American woman knitting in the corner and an attractive man with a worried expression standing at the door. Taking a deep breath, she approached the young man. "Patrick?"

Patrick rubbed his eyes tiredly and nodded. "You're Elizabeth, right?" He assumed since she had call him by name. Hospitals weren't his usual hangouts, so he doubted it was his reputation that made her seek him out.

Nodding her head, she decided to skip the pleasantries for now. What she needed was information. Then she could decide what she needed to do. "Have you heard anything yet?"

"Nothing. If I didn't know better, I'd swear they knew more than they're telling."

"Probably afraid of getting sued or something." She motioned towards the uninviting looking chairs. "Should we sit down?"

"Honestly, you're welcome to. My ass is asleep. Besides, sitting here doesn't accomplish anything."

"Neither does standing at the door and glaring at every passing nurse and doctor." She pointed out.

Patrick couldn't help but smile at her spunk. "I've been told I can be damn scary when I want to be. If it gets us the information we need, I'm willing to do just about anything."

"Anything?" Elizabeth arched her eyebrow. "Does that include calling Robin's mom?"

"Bobbie already did." He wasn't sure why he assumed she knew his aunt, only that she'd have to if she was as close to Robin as he figured she was. "She's trying to get in touch with Robin's dad, but so far, you're the only one who has shown up."

"And so they won't tell you what's going on with either one since you didn't come in with them and you're not listed as the emergency contact or family." Sighing Elizabeth lowered herself into the hard chair.

"There wasn't enough room in the ambulance. They rushed her and Morgan inside before I knew what was happening." Patrick shot back.

"I wasn't blaming you. I was just restating the facts." She shot right back.

"I don't mean to snap at you." Patrick backpedaled, shoving a hand through his matted hair.

"You're worried. It happens. You should have seen what my family did when my grandmother was in the hospital."

"What was she in for?" Patrick asked, more as a way of distracting himself than actually caring.

"Broken hip." Elizabeth glanced in envy as the woman continued to knit quietly in the corner. She wished she had something, anything she could just do to keep herself distracted.

"She's alright now though?"

"If she would actually follow what her doctors tell her, she would be 100 percent fine. Listening isn't her strong suit."

"It must run in the family." Patrick said with a low chuckle.

She looked at him skeptically. "And why exactly would you say that?"

"Because I'm a pompous ass." Patrick reasoned. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"Well that Robin would probably agree with you on." she laughed.

"Does she talk about me a lot?" Patrick heard himself ask.

Elizabeth smiled. So whatever it was between these two did mean something to Patrick more than just a quick lay as Robin feared. "She's mentioned you."

"Enough for you to know my first name." Patrick goaded.

"I know your cousin."

"Which one?"

Very cute. You know I meant Lucky."

"I have a lot of extended family, _Miss Elizabeth_." He teased. Lucky had only mentioned her to him a hundred times over the last week. It just proved what Logan had always said: he was a self-centered prick. Oh well.

Elizabeth smiled calmly. "Don't you have a friend or something that can get information for us? A Candy or something was it?"

"Robin told you about her, huh?"

"Parts. I got the name from your cousin."

"I'll see what I can find out. If you'll excuse me..." He headed toward the elevators.

"I'll try to get Courtney again." she nodded after him.

"Find out what she wants to do with Morgan. He was pretty shaken up."

"Of course he would be." Her heart went out to the small quiet boy with the dark hair. "Maybe you should ask your aunt to come over. They would let her at least see Morgan."

"I'll do that." Patrick agreed just as the elevator doors slid shut.


	34. Hand Of Sorrow

There were exactly fifty-seven steps between the entrance to the ICU and the information desk. The clock on the wall screamed three a.m., but Patrick had lost his ability to care. Robin might have come through surgery; he didn't know. He had been in the bathroom when Anna and Mac had shown up, and they were both in with her now. No one had told him a thing, and it was really starting to piss him off!

Courtney had stopped by to pick up Morgan from Bobbie and, after a twenty-minute conversation; both women and his second cousin had gone home.

Patrick ran a hand through his hair, willing himself to stand in place while the doctors and nurses whisked away countless patients, barking orders, reading charts. He made his way to the information desk once more, only this time he was greeted by a very large black woman with long dark braids wearing a pair of yellow scrubs. "Excuse me, but why haven't I been allowed to visit my friend yet? I've been here since before you shift even started."

"Are you on the list?" Her deep voice was one that was not used to being questioned.

"I should be." Patrick answered.

"Name?"

"Patrick Drake."

Opening the file, she ran her finger down a sheet of paper. Satisfied at what she was looking at, she closed the file with a satisfied smack of the paper. "You're not on the list."

"What do you mean I'm not on the list?" Patrick snapped.

She spoke even slower, pausing between each word. "You. Are. Not. On. The. List."

"Please do not address me that way. I wasn't talking down to you. I'd appreciate it if you would stick to your job and not mock me."

"I am doing my job, sugar. If you are not on the list, you don't get in." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, daring him to continue to challenge her.

"Who has to approve the list?"

Opening the file, she glanced quickly at the paper before responding. "Anna Scorpio."

"Son of a bitch." Patrick ground his teeth together. Well, that explained it all, didn't it? What better way to punish him for arguing with her flawless logic than to keep him from being added to the list of visitors? "Can you at least tell me if she has woken up?" He asked the nurse, doubting she knew anything. Even still, he wasn't family...but he used to be. One call to Logan would fix all of this. Was it worth the cost? Patrick told himself it was.

"Go home honey. There is nothing you can do here."

"I'll be damned if I stayed here all night for no reason!" Patrick retorted, storming off to the lobby. He had his head ducked so he had no way of avoiding the sudden collision with one Anna Devane-Scorpio. "You have a lot of nerve lady."

"'Lady?' And to think my daughter used to be a part of your family." Anna patronized, tucking a strand of chocolate hair behind her ear. "What are you still doing here?"

"I bet you thought I'd have given up by now?" Patrick couldn't keep himself from snarling.

"I assumed you would be onto your next conquest actually." Anna clarified lifting an eyebrow at his assumption.

"You know damn well I wouldn't still be here if I didn't care about your daughter." Patrick countered.

"I must say, your attention span is growing by the minute. Tell me, where was this loyalty six months ago?"

"Robin and I have both made mistakes and we're trying to work through them." Patrick defended.

"Save it!" Anna shouted at him. "I'm not going to let you anywhere near Robin when this is all said and done."

"I'd like to know how you plan on accomplishing that." Patrick sneered.

"I've hired a personal bodyguard for Robin. She started work tonight. You might have passed her on the elevator." Anna explained.

"A bodyguard? Seriously? What makes you think Robin will ever go for that?"

"She won't have a choice. This is for her own good."

"How would you know what's good for Robin?"

"Am I to understand that you can keep her safe and happy? Please! You let her get hurt."

"I pulled her and Morgan out of the car!" Patrick shot back. "That should count for something."

"You want a prize, Mr. Drake?"

"I just want to know that she's alright!"

"She'll never be alright, do you hear me? Whether or not she pulls through this, she will never be completely healed."

"I know about her HIV." Patrick informed her.

"She told you before she passed out then?"

"She didn't want me exposing myself."

"The nurse told me that, when she was brought in, she was drenched in blood. I'm guessing that means you ignored her warning." Anna sighed, massaging her temple.

"I had my first test run last night. It'll be six months before I know for sure." Patrick admitted.

"Why would you do that?"

"For the same reason I've been here all night: I fucking care!"

"Would you two kindly remember you are in a hospital and keep your voices down?" Alexis Davis rounded the corner, her brunette hair pulled back into a sloppy bun. She pushed her glasses up her nose. "I am told people sleep here at night." She remarked dryly.

"He started it." Anna protested.

Alexis rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he did. But the nurses need to ask you and Mac some questions, Anna."

"Of course." Anna nodded, her face losing its color.

Patrick waited for her to leave and then clenched his left fist and punched the wall. Goddamn this waiting! He wasn't cut out for it!

"Down tiger." Alexis put her hand on his shoulder.

"She's purposely keeping me from seeing Robin. I don't even know if she's awake."

"It's past three in the morning, Patrick."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It means even if you could see her, she'd be sleeping."

"You must know."

Alexis sighed and decided to take pity on the younger man. She wasn't clear on all the details just yet but, whatever problem Mac and Anna had with him, it was obvious he cared about Robin. "Come on let's go sit down."

"Why?"

"Because it's late, I'm tired, and I'm older than you."

"I guess those are good reasons. What do you know?" Patrick implored.

Alexis sat down across from him. "She apparently suffered several internal injuries. They aren't even a hundred percent sure what all she damaged yet."

Patrick pinched the bridge of his nose as he took it all in. "But she'll be okay."

Alexis looked him dead in the eye, just like she did when she had to deliver bad news to a client. "She's not woken up yet, Patrick. Robin is in a coma."

"A coma?" Patrick sucked in a breath of air. "How is that possible? She was fully conscious when she was brought in."

"The doctors aren't sure. She never regained consciousness after she passed out."

"This doesn't happen, Alexis. Things like this aren't supposed to happen."

Alexis shook her head sagely. "No they aren't. But this happened and now we have to deal with it."

"I'm not going anywhere." Patrick replied, reaching for her left hand. "Thank you for telling me the truth."

"Just don't tell Mac I'm the one who told you. I do not want to sleep on the couch tonight."

* * *

Courtney watched Morgan sleep soundlessly beside her. She should have been at the hospital waiting for news on Robin, but her first priority was to this little boy. She had to keep it together for him and then she would deal with everything else. Robin would have agreed. Courtney had already received a call from her A.J. earlier--there was no telling how he had come to know of Robin's accident. He had told her he would gladly take Morgan off of her hands, that Michael missed his baby brother. She had vehemently argued her point until she was blue in the face and hung up, bursting into tears. How could some people be so cold?

The accident had left Morgan with twelve stitches extending from one side of his head to the other. The doctor assured her that she could remove them herself in a week. She was about as pleasant as a cactus when it came to bump, bruises, and stitches. No, when the time came, she would take Morgan back to the hospital and let that man do his job.

When she let her mind wander, she couldn't help but taking what A.J. had said to heart. What if Robin didn't wake up? Her health was excellent, but the HIV had still managed to hang over head since she was seventeen years old. She had suffered from and gotten over certain illnesses over the years ranging from strep to a slight case of pneumonia. What if she didn't pull through this time? Courtney didn't think she could care for Morgan alone. What was worse, she couldn't imagine her life without her friend in it.

The light of her cell phone indicated an incoming call. Courtney ran her hair through Morgan's hair as she reached for it. "Hello?" she whispered.

"I was betting you couldn't sleep either. How's Morgan?" Elizabeth's tired voice sounded in her ears.

"He's asleep. It took two Disney movies and a small dose of Nyquil, but he's out for the night." Courtney replied, suppressing a yawn.

"No nightmares?"

"None yet. I'm sure they're not too far away though."

"Probably." Elizabeth paused. "Has there been any change?"

"Nothing. Anna has called me every hour."

"When you are going over tomorrow?"

"Visiting hours begin at eight a.m. I'll be there by seven."

"I'll meet you there."

"Don't you have to work tomorrow?"

"I'm not scheduled until three and I'm seriously considering calling in."

"I hate to ask--"

"But?"

"I'm going to need some help with Morgan. I'm pushing my photo shoot as far back as they'll let me, but do you think I could call you if I have a question?"

"Absolutely. Any time Courtney. You can call anytime."

"Tell me she's going to get through this." Courtney whispered.

"Robin will get through this if only because she wants to prove someone wrong."

Courtney laughed. "If you're not sleeping at home, you're more than welcome to come over here."

"I'll be there in five and bring movies. Any requests?"

"Johnny Depp...doing anything."

"Pirates and Cry Baby it is then."

"I'll leave the door unlocked. Just come on in."

"I'll call before I walk in so I don't wake up Morgan."

"I think we still have some cheesecake." Courtney said, hanging up.


	35. Reconsidering

"He's going to be difficult about this isn't he?" Cruz questioned as he watched the numbers steadily climb while they rode in the elevator.

"When has he ever made anything easy?" Lucky scoffed.

"That's what I was afraid of."

Cruz was convinced they were undertaking a fool's mission. Laura and Bobbie had sent them there to try to get Patrick to leave the hospital at least for a minute. It had been four days since Robin's accident and four days since Patrick had seen actual sunlight. "Remind me to figure out a way to say no to your mother." Cruz remarked as the doors started to open.

"If you figure that out, let me know." Lucky followed his friend out the door and headed towards the waiting room. Anna and Mac had been successful in keeping Patrick out of Robin's room. Even during the rare times they left, mostly when Courtney, Elizabeth, and Morgan visited, the bodyguard blocked him. Amazingly, the tiny woman seemed to be the only one on the planet immune to Patrick's charm.

They saw Alexis Davis leaving the waiting room just seconds before they came upon it. She approached them, placing the tip of her glasses in the corner of her mouth. "I assume you're here for Patrick." She said quietly.

Nodding, Lucky took the lead. "We're under orders to get him out of the hospital and to feed him something my mother would approve of."

"That might be kind of difficult." She reasoned. "I know he hasn't slept a wink since I've been here."

"We're used to Patrick cranky." Cruz assured her.

Any other time, Alexis would have laughed. She had been up here with Mac every afternoon and it was starting to show in her face and her sluggish reactions to people talking to her. "If you can get him out, I'll make sure he can't get back in until he has had a good night's sleep. I have connections with the commissioner." She smiled, her voice slightly teasing.

"Throw in fixing some parking tickets and you have a deal." Lucky offered his hand out to her.

Alexis gave him a look that said she was not amused. Ever since she and Mac had started dating last September, she constantly found herself living from one dilemma to another. There was always some kind of drama. Last month, some idiot with a gun had tried to hold the PCPD hostage. She was sure all the Corinthos/Morgan lackeys had cleared out when their idols had been sent away to prison. At least, that had been her intention when she helped put them there.

Realizing his joke had fallen flat Lucky awkwardly pulled his hand back. Even though he had known Alexis for years, she still intimidated the hell out of him. She was the first and, so far only, Cassadine Luke had ever respected and that alone earned a place of both fear and honor. "We'll get him out of here. At least for an hour or so."

"I'll leave you to it then." Alexis motioned for them to do just that, heading toward the coffee machine. She already had her seventy-five cents in her hand when she brushed past an elderly woman. The woman simply huffed and got behind Alexis, apparently put off at the idea of having to wait in an actual line for stale hospital coffee. Well, she could just wait her turn, couldn't she?

Catching Cruz's eye, the two men squared their shoulders and marched their way into the small room. Patrick was easy enough to spot. His clothes were wrinkled, his eyes were bloodshot, and his face held the same look it had when he stayed up cramming for exams all week during their college years.

"You look like shit." Lucky announced.

"What of it?" Patrick challenged. For all this efforts, he had been awarded bits and pieces of information from Alexis when she gave it, but Mac and Anna had made a combined pact to keep him as far away from Robin as possible. Even Courtney hadn't helped him sneak in, but then, he hadn't expected her to. She hated him just as much as the Scorpios did. God only knew what Robin had said to her family, to her friends, in relation to him. Her own take on things as well as their own preconceived notions had been more than enough reason to keep him waiting like a fool.

"You stink too." Cruz added.

"I do?" Patrick made a face at that last comment. He couldn't say he was surprised, but it wasn't the nicest thing for his friend to say either. They didn't seem all that affected by what had happened to Robin. They woke up with an alarm every morning and went to work, had done so before the accident and continued to do so. Her coma hadn't affected their lives much. He, himself, felt some kind of strange tie to what had happened to Robin. He wasn't a heartless person though he doubted most people would believe that. He was supposed to be here, but he wasn't sure why. He wanted her to wake up just like anyone else, but there was something that almost resembled desperation in the way he handled her family and the useless medical team.

"The massive amounts of cologne cover some of it, but there's no denying you've been taking quickie hospital showers." Cruz sat down across from Patrick as Lucky sat down next to his cousin.

"She hasn't woken up yet." Patrick told them, though they must have known.

"We know." Lucky responded quietly. "But sitting around here all day isn't good for you."

"I don't want to be gone when she comes to." Patrick argued defensively.

"They'll call you." Cruz argued.

"Will they?" Patrick inquired incredulously. They would sooner predict the end of the world than call him about Robin's progress. Alexis could cut him off at any time she wanted without warning. That was why he had to stay here, had to see Robin through this.

"Okay so Anna and Mac probably won't, but Alexis seems to like you." Lucky placed his hand on Patrick's shoulder.

"I don't understand why they won't let me see her." And he didn't! For all their preaching about protecting Robin, it made no sense for them to keep Patrick from visiting with her. Obviously, he didn't expect her eyes to shoot open when she heard his voice, but he didn't want her to think he had abandoned her either, shoved the responsibility onto her family.

"Because you spent the last six months making her life miserable?" Cruz guessed.

"But I saved her. Shouldn't that mean at least limited access?" Patrick had given up sleep completely; the images in his memory far too vivid to allow him even an ounce of peace. All five of his senses were assaulted the moment he closed his eyes. He doubted his own health was an issue, but he had kept up the protocol just in case.

"I think Alexis giving you updates and that bodyguard not shooting you on sight counts as your limited access." Lucky pointed out.

"That damn bodyguard." Patrick grumbled. "She doesn't even know me and yet she judges me anyway." Her lack of reaction to his God-given attributes had at first surprised him and then pissed him off. Didn't she know who he was? Didn't she care? The answer to both questions remained a solid no. She hadn't cared to learn his name, his face, his intentions, or anything else about him. She labeled him as a passing nuisance and he wasn't ashamed to admit that he had gotten in her face more than a few times. She simply tilted her head, gave him a look that stated, "Are you kidding me?' and went back to what she was doing: acting as the only physical barrier between Patrick and Robin.

"Crazy-eyed mad man trying to get in wearing the same clothes from two days ago? Why wouldn't she let you in?" Cruz gestured towards his friend's disheveled appearance.

"I guess I see that." He gave in. They weren't here because his behavior worked as an irritant to their lives. No, they were here because they had to his best interests at heart. He must look pretty ridiculous putting up a fight for a girl he had spent the last half decade despising. Lucky's recent behavior toward Miss Elizabeth Webber had Patrick wondering. And then there was the matter of Cruz and his mystery woman. No matter how many times Patrick tried to convince his cousin of her existence, Lucky would swiftly change the subject. He and his friends were all about endgames, or so they had themselves convinced.

"Come with us to Kelly's. Mike will let you crash in one of the empty rooms. You can shower. Eat Ruby's chili." Lucky tried to make it sound as promising as he could.

"I'll pass." Patrick shook his head, not sure why he was putting up a fight. He would go with them because he could no longer ignore the exhaustion coursing through his body.

"Why? Are we not good enough to hang out with anymore?" Cruz asked.

"You know why I can't go with you." Patrick answered immediately, easily picking up the hurt in Cruz's voice.

"Explain it to us." Lucky challenged matter-of-factly.

"What if--if--damn it, I need sleep." Patrick admitted, dropping his head in his hands. Let them think they had convinced him. He knew the truth.

"We know. Alexis knows. Anna and Mac know. Laura and Bobbie know." Cruz paused before lowering the boom. "Laura and Bobbie sent us up here to get you."

"Since when do you take orders from Bobbie?" Patrick asked Cruz.

"Since she threatened to help Laura not feed me." Cruz countered.

"I don't think I believe you, but I don't have the energy to fight with you either. Where's the exit?"

"This way." Lucky pulled his cousin up by his shoulder. "This is for your own good man."

"It was Ruby's chili that did it. I know when I'm beat." Patrick figured it was half true.

"Thank goodness for small miracles then." Cruz followed the two cousins down the hall.

"How bad do I look?" Patrick asked, pulling his brows together.

"Your more angry jilted conquests would be happy." Lucky answered honestly.

"Great." Patrick muttered. "No time like the present to get cleaned up." He was asleep before Lucky even had time to pull his Jeep out of the parking lot.

Normally during the summer the rooms above Kelly's were full of teenagers out experiencing their first brush of freedom. Somehow, the three friends had lucked out the one day there was a free room. Patrick had fallen onto the soft bed, fully intending to only close his eyes for a minute but awoke an hour later. When he had opened his eyes, he found a pair of jeans and a t-shirt he recognized as his own sitting on the small desk chair, along with a towel, bar of soap, and his hair care items.

Obviously his friends had gone to his studio to get his belongings. And as much as he hated to admit it, he did feel moderately better after having slept in something more comfortable than orange plastic. Plus these showers didn't shut off the hot water after three minutes, an unfortunate fact he had discovered about the showers in the hospital. Spotting a small bag he assumed was for the laundry he was expected to send to Laura's, he shoved the worn clothing in as he descended the steps to the small restaurant.

"He's alive!" Lucky joked upon seeing Patrick's face. Waving his cousin over, he continued. "Come on. Mike said he'd bring fresh chili as soon as you came down."

"That there is incentive." Patrick smiled, following his nose to the kitchen.

"Out!" Ruby shouted, slapping him with a dish towel. He walked to the table, defeated but smiling.

"You know better than to try to breach Ruby's kitchen. You're lucky she just had a dish towel."

"You can't blame a guy for trying." He pressed his lips together and added uncomfortably, "And, um, thanks for taking care of me."

Cruz cupped his hand over his ear. "I'm sorry, what was that? It sounded like a thank you...from Patrick...clearly I heard wrong."

Lucky leaned over and pressed his hand on Patrick's forehead. "You catch something at the hospital we need to know about?"

"Forget it. Last time I say anything nice to either of you." Patrick grumbled, taking a slow drink of his coffee.

"There's the Patrick we all know and the ladies worship." Lucky joked. "Seriously though man, anytime."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I met your Miss Elizabeth." Patrick told Lucky. "I can see why you like her." He added just to bait his cousin and watch his cheeks puff out.

Lucky glared at his cousin. "You lie. You haven't met her."

"What the hell telling her about Candice anyway?"

Apparently he had met her. "She already knew from Robin. All I told her was Candice's name and where she worked."

"Are you always this invested in the women I sleep with?"

"Hey, why does Patrick get to meet this mystery girl and I just hear stories days after they pass?" Cruz crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I don't even know how he met her in the first place. Meeting him generally runs the nice ones off." Lucky defended.

"I resent that." Patrick piped in, but didn't argue. "She picked up Courtney's phone by mistake and got the call about Robin's accident."

"Well that explains it." Lucky was dying of curiosity about what Patrick thought of her, but he would be damned if he was going to ask him outright. He concentrated instead on the sandwich Ruby had placed in front of him.

"You are just dying to ask, aren't you?" Cruz couldn't contain his chuckle. The next time they played poker, he was insisting on this Elizabeth coming. She made the Great Stone Face Spencer a transparent mess.

"Ask what?" Too late Lucky recognized he asked the wrong question. He should have asked what Cruz was even talking about.

"You need my approval there, little cousin?" Patrick chuckled.

"Have I ever?"

"But you want to know what I think, right?"

At same time Lucky said "No!" Cruz chimed in with "Yes!"

"I'll say one thing. I can understand why you were so upset about being late to that parent-teacher conference."

"No that was because mom threatened to disown me if I was late. I hadn't met her yet."

"Right. You know what I think?" He asked Cruz.

"Since I'm apparently not privileged enough yet to meet her? Hell yes. Spill it."

"I think he's been seeing her long before that pool party."

Cruz nodded in agreement. "I did detect familiarity there. He doesn't normally run after girls he just met that day."

"I am sitting right here."

"Lucky, shh, we have to make sure this is in your best interest." Patrick teased.

Carefully checking for Ruby's presence, Lucky flipped them the bird.

"I guess that means he's invested in this one. You ought to meet her, Cruz. She's very attractive with all that curly brown hair." Patrick went on, watching Lucky's face turn redder and redder.

"Very nice. Eyes?"

"Blue."

"You two are pigs."

"All's fair in...Well you know." Patrick insisted.

Figuring that teasing his cousin about camping out in the hospital for a girl that up to two months ago he loudly declared hatred for was a bad move at this point, Lucky turned his attention to Cruz. "Well at least I admit Elizabeth exists. This is more than we can say for some people…"

"Ah, yes, when are we going to get to meet your leading lady?" Patrick wondered, narrowing his eyes at Cruz.

Shit. Cruz had known hanging out with them would lead to trouble. It always had, back to the first day they met. As much as he wanted to tell someone, as hard as it had been to lie to them, he couldn't tell them. Not before he at least talked to Bobbie about it. "You're both delusional. I'm not seeing anyone."

"I knew he would say something like that!" Patrick huffed.

"Then when the hell did you develop an interest in Broadway?" Lucky smiled. He had been waiting to use this particular nugget of information.

"What?" Patrick looked interested.

"What are you talking about?" Cruz stalled.

"The soundtrack to Hairspray. I found it in your CD collection." He looked at Patrick gravely. "It was in alphabetical order."

Patrick didn't say anything, just busted out laughing. Before he knew it, his chair had tipped over and he was on the ground, holding his sides.

"It's not that funny!" Cruz huffed. Just how was he going to explain this one? Suddenly he hit on an idea. "It was a gift from Axe. I can't very well get rid of it. He does stop by my place from time to time."

"Axe is giving you presents? And this makes it better how?" Lucky wondered.

"I didn't realize you two were close enough to be exchanging music." Patrick chuckled dryly.

"It was for Boss's Day." Cruz knew it sounded lame. "He's the music critic. I think it was the free one he scored from the label."

"B-B-Boss's Day?" Patrick had to be sitting down for this. He climbed back into his chair.

"Boss's Day." Cruz practically spat out the words and prayed for the Earth to open up and swallow him whole.

"I'm self-employed, so I guess that means I have Boss's Day everyday." Patrick was pleased at the thought.

Lucky looked as if he was about to press on another point with Cruz when his cell phone rang. Patrick and Cruz raised their eyebrows when they recognized the tune.

"Uninvited? When did you start using Alanis?" Cruz wondered.

Blushing, Lucky answered the phone and made his way outside the restaurant. "Hello?"

"What do you suppose that was about?" Patrick whispered to Cruz who simply shrugged.

"Judging by the way he was blushing, I'm guessing Miss Elizabeth."

"Cancel Friday?" Lucky repeated. "You want to cancel our date?"

She knew he couldn't see her, but Elizabeth still felt the need to look at the ground. Damn she didn't think it would be this hard. "It's not that I don't want to go out with you..."

"And cancelling our date convinces me of this how?"

She blinked when she heard the annoyance in his voice. Well it was probably the first time someone had broken off a date with him, she figured, fingering the picture from the newest People magazine. Lucky Spencer with one Daphne Vega. And just as Elizabeth had secretly feared, Daphne was gorgeous with smooth coco colored skin, black hair done in ringlets, brown eyes shining with excitement. She couldn't be more than nineteen. And he had his arm around her. "Well it's just with Robin in the hospital and all, I just don't..."

"Have time? We can visit Robin before we go if you want." He offered. Stupid, he berated himself. 'Her friend is in a coma and you've haven't been thinking with your actual brain, you ass.'

Elizabeth smiled. "That's sweet, but I was going to say that I don't feel right going out and having fun when she's there."

So she thought it would be fun? He smiled. "I understand. It took Cruz and me a while today to convince Patrick that sleep, shower, and non-hospital food were in his best interest."

"So you finally got him to leave the waiting room then?" she laughed.

"Yes. And now even he agrees getting out and seeing the world is a good thing."

"I'm impressed by your powers of persuasion. Courtney and I fully expected him grow roots on that chair."

"How can I persuade you that cancelling our date is not in your best interest?"

"Lucky..."

"Elizabeth...I understand you feeling guilty about having fun with Robin in the hospital, but I know her too and I don't think she'd want you to cancel just because of her." He felt slightly like an ass right now, using Robin like this, but he didn't think she'd mind. Lucky made a mental note to make sure and send a whole new batch of CDs to her room tomorrow. He thought he remembered reading that music was supposed to help coma patients.

Elizabeth bit her lip. Hell he was right. Robin would kick her ass if she found out that she had cancelled this because of her. And Elizabeth didn't doubt for one second that Courtney would tell her. She wasn't about to tell him she was jealous seeing him with another woman when they hadn't even gone on one date yet. That just sounded insane.

"You don't mind stopping to see her first?"

"Not at all. I'll even visit with Patrick if you want to talk with her alone."

"Okay, fine I won't cancel."

Lucky grinned. "I promise you a night you won't soon forget."


	36. Coin Toss

**Happy Holidays! This is the last segment of our present to you! We really hope you like it! We're wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season!**

Patrick wasn't sure how he managed to break free from his friends, but they must have understood the importance of a good night's sleep. He had slept too, like a baby as a matter of fact, in his very soft, very large bed. For the first time in he didn't know how long he didn't need to have something playing to lull him to sleep. The television was abandoned in the corner and the stereo had gotten unplugged somehow. It just so happened that the cell phone had suffered the same fate. If anyone wanted him tonight, they were going to have to take a number.

He woke up to the sound of silence. His alarm hadn't been brave enough to rouse him and he thanked God for it. Those things were damned expensive despite their nonresistance to being handled roughly. Kicking back his sheets and the comforter Laura had sent him home with last night he stretched and slid off of the bed, padding over to the mirror where he was met by a very handsome reflection. Good morning sexy, he thought to himself as he headed toward the kitchen. Cold cereal was all that waited for him, but it was a huge step-up from hospital candy bars.

Running a hand through his hair, he searched the drawers for a spoon, suddenly feeling very disoriented. It had only been four days and yet it was like he had stepped into a stranger's apartment. Finally, he located one clean spoon and mentally reminded himself to go by the store and pick up a new set. It was just easier to buy all new ones than actually wash them. What happened in his apartment, stayed in his apartment, at least where dinnerware was concerned. One ceramic bowl and half-empty cereal box later he had a hearty breakfast waiting for him.

Patrick ate at the bar since he didn't have a table and chairs available to him. As far as he was concerned, he would stand up for the rest of his life if it meant he never had to spend another second in a hospital chair. He read the paper with mild interest, proving to himself that he hadn't missed anything especially important. Mayor Floyd still insisted that there was crime to be wiped out of their fair town, but it was the same garbage he had been saying since Corinthos and Morgan got sent up the river. Wait, Patrick mused thoughtfully. There was that old lady last month who tried to rob that bank teller with her grandson's water gun. What a monster!

He felt rejuvenated and ready to face whatever the day held in store for him. Today, no one would get in his way. He was going to see Robin with or without permission. All he needed was a plan. Deciding that it had better come to him on his drive to the hospital, Patrick tilted the bowl to finish the milk, and then set the dish and his last remaining spoon in the sink. He grabbed his keys, locked up, and took a minute to say hello to his new neighbor, Greta. She was a nice height: about five foot eight, with a trim, athletic waist, long, slender fingernails, and short blonde hair. Even though she was dressed for an early-morning workout--navy blue stretch pants, white tennis shoes, and a matching blue sports bra--she didn't seem to be in that big of a hurry.

It was barely seven a.m. so Patrick felt justified in talking to her for the next hour. He didn't plan on her inviting him in, but it would have been rude for him to decline her offer of orange juice. He had just run out and had been craving it when he woke up. Her apartment was a bit cluttered, but Patrick wasn't going to judge. His had been a mess when he'd returned to his last night, clothes thrown over chairs and such.

"It looks like I'm all done." He assured her, presenting his glass as evidence.

Greta frowned. "Are you sure you wouldn't like some more?"

"I'm actually due to meet a friend." Patrick explained.

"I'm sure your friend can wait for you to have another glass of juice." Greta went on with conviction.

"I'd love to stay--" Patrick replied.

"Then stay." Greta challenged.

Patrick was whistling when he finally got to his car. He had traded his usual blue on black attire for a pair of crisp blue jeans, a form-fitting white button-down, and a pair of tennis shoes. He had even slapped a bit of gel in his hair, but not an excessive amount. As soon as he turned the engine on, the radio just happened to be playing his favorite song, Free Bird. He sang along with it until he reached traffic and people started regarding him with confused expressions. Chagrinned, he rolled up the window and showed the eavesdroppers a stiff middle finger.

His opportunity to see Robin came a quarter after ten a.m. He had been keeping his distance from the Scorpio groupies, wanting to catch them off guard. It was actually Morgan who provided him with a sure entrance. Courtney had left her nephew to have a few minutes alone with his new mommy. Patrick didn't feel ashamed for taking advantage. They had pushed him this far. Under normal circumstances, he would have certainly respected the private conversation between mother and son.

Morgan noticed him standing in the doorway, his little arms folded over his chest. "You aren't 'posed to be in here." He pointed an accusing finger in Patrick's general direction, hopping down from his chair.

"You aren't supposed to be talking." Patrick countered, smiling when he noticed his second cousin's submission.

"I'm watching you." Morgan was mimicking a scene he had seen in Meet The Parents when Robert De Nero had used his index and middle finger to point once at himself and then at Ben Stiller.

"Right, okay Morgan." Patrick patronized, taking over the spot Morgan had vacated. He took a deep breath, taking the time to brush Robin's bangs away from her face. "I see you've gotten away from those trends and added these tubes and machines to your wardrobe." A quick glance at Morgan said that the joke was stupid. "Okay, so I've been sitting outside for days trying to figure out just what I wanted to say to you."

"Do I have to hear this?" Morgan wanted to know.

"You have to stay in here or they'll suspect something. I need you to be my wingman." Patrick explained.

"What's a wingman?" Morgan asked.

"What's a--a wingman is a friend who has your back, protects you from getting into trouble." Patrick clarified.

"What will you do for me?" Morgan wondered.

"Whatever you want." Patrick insisted hastily.

"A full week at Chuck E. Cheese's?" Morgan's eyes lit up.

"What?" Patrick gasped. "Fine. Whatever. Just shut up." Morgan responded by sticking out his tongue. Patrick looked down at Robin's sleeping face. "You taught him that didn't you?" He whispered, leaning in closer to catch the faintest scent of her perfume. Even after almost a week in the hospital and it still clung to her flawless skin. He wasn't sure if it was the perfume that did it or her natural scent, but he found himself getting lightheaded.

Patrick reached for Robin's left hand, gulping at the tube he saw taped to the outside of her palm. "I don't know why I'm here. It might be just to see for myself that you're still breathing. You scared the hell out of me the other night and I don't just mean about the HIV thing." He whispered to her, not sure this conversation was appropriate for a six-year-old. "What were you thinking, driving like a maniac? You, always so levelheaded and together. I swear you're a walking contradiction. Every time I think I've got you figured out, you go and do something to surprise me. I don't mind saying, it's a major turn-on."

"What are you talking about?" Morgan inquired from across the room.

"The weather." Patrick lied.

"Okay." Morgan went back to his comic book.

"I always heard my kisses were distracting, but I must have underestimated by abilities." He took a breath and then continued. "I guess what I wanted to tell you is life is boring without you. I miss that mouth of yours." Morgan's abrupt movement distracted Patrick. "Is someone coming?" He asked when the child poked his head out the door.

"I don't know, but if they are, I'm not taking the fall." Morgan assured him.

"Some wingman you are." Patrick griped.

"You should have gotten it in writing." Morgan pointed out.

"As I was saying," Patrick turned back to Robin and moved his mouth to her left ear. "I miss your mouth and, if you ever wake up, I have a pretty good idea of what you can do with it. A few ideas actually." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed each of her knuckles. "Can you feel that? You've got me going all kinds of crazy here. If nothing else, you should wake up to laugh at the mockery my life has become in your absence."

"Dude, you gotta get out of here!" Morgan declared.

"How close?" Patrick whispered.

"A minute tops. You've got to hide."

"Hide?" Patrick gave him a look. "Where?"

"Under the bed." Morgan indicated to the ridiculously small space that separated the floor and the bed.

"You're kidding right?"

"You're messing up this wingman thing. Get under the bed!" Morgan ordered.

"Fine!" Patrick shot back, somehow managing to pull his legs underneath him. "Can you see me?"

"Nope. Now, shh." Morgan said just as the door opened. Courtney held out her arms and he ran to her.

"Did you say all you wanted to?" She inquired.

"A lot was said." Morgan answered vaguely.

"All right then. Let's leave Grandma--erm Anna to talk to her." Courtney reached for Morgan's hand and led him out into the hall.

The hour Anna spent talking to her daughter was the longest Patrick could ever remember and that included his hiding in the trunk. At first, the closed in space had intimidated him, but the gun at Anna's hip had about caused him to have an early heart attack. He had met this woman half a dozen times, but that didn't mean the two of them couldn't share a mutual loathing of one another. As usual, she blamed him for his brother's bad choices. Well, there wasn't much he could do to get her on good side from under the bed. He had actually contemplated slithering out of the room, but the door was too far away. For a moment in which he had surely lost all coherent though, he had considered making his presence known. Of course, he hadn't done that either. He wasn't bulletproof and he bet Anna Devane-Scorpio didn't miss.

Their conversation wasn't anything out of the ordinary. Anna felt guilty for not being with Robin the night of her accident. She apologized for not having spent enough time with her daughter and grandson even though she had been in town for a record three weeks. By the time Robert Scorpio's name entered the conversation, Patrick was ready to apologize for every single thing he had ever done including that time he had switched Carly's shampoo with blue hair dye. He couldn't handle much more of this!

"Excuse me Miss Scorpio, but I need to check Robin's blood pressure." A friendly nurse with black hair and pink polka dot scrubs explained as she stepped into the room.

"Yes, of course." Anna nodded, getting to her feet.

If Patrick was ever going to get out of here, he'd have to do it now. Anna's back was turned, but the nurse might be a problem. Yes! They were both focused on Robin--duh!--and speaking quietly about her health history. Anna filled in the blanks for the dutiful nurse and stayed out of the way. Patrick crawled out from under the bed and was just about to slip through the door when he tripped over a small CD player he hadn't noticed before. It read: Property of Lucky Spencer. If he lived through this, he was going to murder his cousin in his sleep!

"You there, you're not allowed in here!" The nurse shouted.

Anna drew her gun.

"Whoa, whoa, you can't just shoot me in the middle of the hospital!" Patrick informed Anna, his voice quivering slightly.

"What did you think you were doing under there?" Anna wanted to know.

"I snuck in to talk to Robin since you've made any other option impossible--" Patrick stated with a wave of his hand.

"Are you some kind of psychotic stalker or something?" Anna inquired, her eyebrows rising in question.

"Of course not! I had to see that Robin was okay." Patrick countered with a shake of his head.

"Well, you've seen that she is, so you'll understand why you have to go."

"I'm not turning my back on you, especially not when you're holding that gun." Patrick argued.

"What gun?" Anna asked innocently.

"That .45." Patrick pointed to the weapon in question.

"Oh, this?" She glanced down at the gun.

"Yes, that!" Patrick clarified.

"I don't think I trust you enough to put my gun away." Anna told him.

"How about we flip for it? Heads you shoot him and tails you let him leave?" The helpful nurse suggested.

"You can't flip a coin--" Patrick protested.

"I think that's a wonderful idea!" Anna beamed, reaching into her pockets. "Does anyone have a quarter?"

"I have one." Patrick handed it over.

Anna took the coin from him and balanced it on her thumbnail. "Now, how does one do this? Oh, of course. Heads, I get to shoot you. Tails, you're free to go." Anna mumbled more to herself than to those in her company.

Robin's left hand came down suddenly, slapping the shiny coin from her hand. "Mom." She shook her head, slowly opening her eyes. "Are you trying to lose this election?


	37. Wake Up Dreaming

**Author's Notes: Did you miss us? Did you think that was it for the year? Were you expecting no more? Well FECK EXPECTATIONS! And remember...feedback inspires us to update sooner...since the next chpater IS written and all...**

"You pull this stunt on me again and I will kill you Robin Scorpio." Elizabeth stood in the doorway of the hospital room, her arms crossed over her chest and with the sternest expression she could fix on her face. Her high heeled, thigh-high black boots tapped on the ground, echoing in the quietness.

Robin grinned, taking full advantage of the button on the left side of her hospital bed. She might have been strong enough to sit up on her own, but why should she? "It wasn't my idea. Besides, who could have predicted a coma?"

"I thought you were psychic."

"Only in the kitchen." Robin countered. "Can you hand me that Jell-O?" She asked, motioning toward the bedside table.

"'Can you hand me that Jell-O?'" Elizabeth mimicked as she walked over. "First time I see her after she awakes from a coma and she asks if I can hand her the Jell-O."

"A girl's gotta eat." Robin pointed out with a small pout.

"True enough. But first things first." Elizabeth flopped on the bed and hugged Robin hard. "You scared the hell out of us girl."

"I didn't mean to." Robin promised, hugging her back. "You managed to get along without me though."

"Barely. You know I need two people to dress me."

"Speaking of that, how's Lucky?"

"Making me nervous with all these cryptic comments about our date tonight."

"Date?" Robin backed up and her eyes widened. "I have missed a lot."

"So have I apparently." Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow. "Why was Patrick so reluctant to leave your side?"

"Patrick Drake?"

"You didn't know?"

"I kept my mother from shooting him." Robin remembered.

"Yeah. Somehow he's outside blaming Lucky for that one."

Robin swallowed down a giggle. "I haven't the faintest idea why he would stick around."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"We kissed and then Morgan and I ran into him across the street from the ice cream stand. Other than wanting to get into my pants, it doesn't make sense for him to put in this kind of effort."

"Back up. You kissed him? Again?"

"No just the one time."

Elizabeth shook her head. "You kiss Patrick. I make out with Lucky in his truck. What is going on with us?"

"We're seeking excitement in our lives." Robin figured.

"Some of us apparently sought a little too much excitement missy."

"I don't know what happened. I wasn't speeding or anything. Morgan and I were listening to the radio and then he started screaming." Robin explained.

"Have you seen him yet?"

"Morgan? No. Courtney took him home so he could rest. It seems he was here all day."

"Most likely. He didn't really want to leave this place."

"God, he must have been so scared. Elizabeth, how did I get to the hospital? I don't remember anything after hitting that tree." Robin whispered.

"Patrick apparently called 911 and the ambulance brought you and Morgan in. He showed up a little bit later and didn't leave until Lucky and Cruz forced him to."

"Why didn't anyone tell me that? How long have I been here?"

"Almost a week. Your mom and uncle have been trying to pretend he wasn't here. That's probably why you didn't know."

"But he saved me. What reason would they have to keep him away?"

"You have spent a lot of time proclaiming you hate him and his no-good brother." Elizabeth guessed.

Robin took a big bite of her Jell-O, deep in contemplation mode. "Can I go home now?"

"Only if your bodyguard goes with you." Elizabeth smoothed out a crease in her denim skirt.

"Bodyguard?" Robin sputtered, slapping her fork off of her plate. "You're kidding, right?"

Elizabeth gestured towards the door. "You did notice the woman just standing outside your door all day right?"

"I thought maybe she was a fan or something." Robin joked. "You've got to get me out of here."

"I almost cancelled on Lucky once already because of you. I actually do cancel on him and he's liable to send you his therapy bills."

"No way are you using me as an excuse to not get laid." Robin shook her head fiercely.

"Who said anything about getting laid?" Elizabeth glanced back to make sure Lucky was nowhere near the door. "And keep your voice down. He could have heard that."

"Aww, aren't you just adorable!" Robin squealed, lunging toward her friend.

Elizabeth hugged her back. "Speaking of getting laid, what are you planning to do about Patrick?"

"I wish I knew."

Sighing, Elizabeth pushed back a stray hair behind her ear. "What time is it?"

"Around six I think."

"I gotta go. I have no idea what we're doing, but Lucky made me swear we would leave here by six."

"You're leaving me with the mutant bodyguard?"

"I thought you wanted me to get laid?"

"I do. I do. Get out of here." Robin waved her hand dismissively.

"If it helps, I'm not leaving you completely alone with She-Ra Princess of Power."

"No?" Robin quirked an eyebrow.

Laughing as she made her way to the door, Elizabeth paused, ready to make a run for it if the occasion called for one. "No. Patrick's still here." Robin sent her friend an evil glare, but said nothing in response. "Bye." Elizabeth called out in a sing-song voice. "I'll stop by tomorrow."

"I want to know everything."

"A lady never tells."

"You can always give me hints."

"True. But only if you share hints of your own."

"Hints about what? What could I possibly do from a hospital bed?" Robin wanted to know. Patrick chose that moment to let himself into the room. Robin would have flopped backwards if her muscles weren't so damn sore.

"You're a creative person. I'm sure you'll figure something out." Elizabeth winked in Robin's direction. "Bye Robin. Bye Patrick."

Patrick waved and shut the door. He would have locked it if he thought he could get away with it. "How are you feeling?"

"Why do you care?" Robin asked instead.

"I have to make sure my one good deed wasn't for nothing." Patrick responded coolly.

"I'm healing I suppose." Robin sighed.

"I can check you out if you like." Patrick offered.

"I'll bet you think you could." Robin teased. "Come sit here." She motioned toward the chair to her left.

Patrick closed the space in-between them, but regarded the chair with something that resembled disgust. "Scoot over." He told her.

"This is my bed!" Robin argued.

"Hey, I'm willing to share mine with you. It's only fair." Patrick persisted.

"Fine, but if I fall off, my mother will shoot you." Robin reminded him.

"Can we not talk about your family right now?" Patrick requested solemnly.

"Well, we're not going to talk about sex, so what does that leave for us?" Robin challenged.

"Who was talking about sex?" Patrick inquired innocently. "You've already made some pretty big assumptions, Scorpio. I can't pretend I'm not flattered, but let's take this one day at a time."

Robin shook her head at him, smiling. "You're incredible."

"That is not the first time I've heard that."

"I said no sex talk." Robin gritted through her teeth.

"This might come as a surprise to you, but I wasn't referring to sex. I happen to be excellent company."

"You can understand my confusion considering the only time we've spent together we're either yelling or making out."

"You make those sound bad." Patrick pouted.

"What I mean is I have no frame of reference."

"You're in luck. I just happen to have the rest of the night off and I have every intention of spending it with you." Patrick told her.

"You didn't even ask if that was what I wanted." Robin pointed out.

"Babe, trust me. I know what you want." Patrick's eyebrows wiggled playfully.

"You know what I want right now?" Robin asked.

"Right now you want..." Patrick put his fingertips to each side of her head. "Something to eat."

"And to think you could be catching bad guys with that kind of talent." Robin replied dryly.

"That's what the police department is for. They take care of the crooks and I take care of the ladies."

It was that comment that made Robin remember why she had kept her distance from this man in the first place. He had saved her life, but there were a million reasons why he would have done that. She couldn't honestly believe him to be noble. Everything he did, and had done, served a higher purpose. Just from what she had learned about him, he had a very short attention span when it came to female companionship. She didn't want to be another conquest.

"What would you like?" Patrick's voice brought her back to reality.

"Let's not bother with anything too healthy. I could really go for something chocolate-y right now." Robin rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

"I'll take care of it." Patrick reached behind him and hit the call button for the nurse's station.

"You can't do that!" Robin scolded him.

"Why not?" Patrick wanted to know. "This button is for you to use when you want something. Since I'm taking care of what you need by simply laying beside you, they can bring you something real to eat."

"You're afraid they won't let you back in, aren't you?" Robin accused.

"Yeah, and I'm not taking any chances." Patrick assured her, tucking a wispy strand behind her ear.

"Why can't I see where I'm going?" Elizabeth gripped his hand tightly as she fumbled along the sidewalk. "Do you enjoy seeing me make a fool out of myself?"

She had been grumbling since he had put the blindfold on her. He paused to hold the door open for her, ushering her inside. "I told you. I like you clumsy."

"You're crazy." Her smile gave away her pleasure. "Are we almost there?"

"We're exactly five steps from the last time you asked me that. I bet you open all your Christmas presents before it's time, don't you?"

"Not always."

Elizabeth felt his hands gently squeeze her shoulders. She felt his breath tickle her neck as he whispered in her ear. "One more second."

She stood still and strained to pick up any clues as to where she was. It was quiet. She could faintly hear the air conditioner circulating the cool air. Familiar smells she just couldn't place danced past her nose. Elizabeth felt herself stiffen as she felt Lucky's fingers undue the knots holding the green bandana in place.

The knot gave way, but he held the bandana in place for a second longer, checking once again to make sure everything was exactly the way he had wanted it to be. "You ready?"

"No, I like wandering around in the dark." She laughed. "Of course I am!"

"In that case, Miss Elizabeth, welcome to our date."

Elizabeth blinked a few times, adjusting to the light. The walls surrounding her were plastered panels with fading gold paint adorning the trim. Old movie posters hung from them, the faces of Bogart, Bacall, Hepburn, and Tracy coolly staring at her. A sign proudly announced the arrival of the new Wurlitzer organ. A small concession stand stood off to the left, with two attendants preparing an enormous bucket of popcorn.

"Where are we?"

"The State Theater. It's the oldest movie theater in Port Charles." Lucky explained, running his hand through his hair. "Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful." She breathed. It was as if he had transported her directly into one of her favorite movies from the fifties. Simply put it was the most elegant place she had ever been in. Suddenly she felt way underdressed.

"I'm glad. It's one of my favorite spots here in town." Lucky gestured to the concession stand. "You do eat at movies right?"

"Don't you have to?"

"Damn good answer." He fixed the popcorn bucket between two sodas already in the carrier. Taking them from the counter, he cocked his head towards the door of the theater and started walking. "Come on. We don't want to be late."

"Wait. Don't you have to pay?"

"It's on my tab." He replied cryptically.

Elizabeth followed him diligently into the theater and promptly stopped dead in her tracks. The lobby should have given a clue but she was unprepared for the beauty in front of her. The screen was covered with red velvet curtains raised above an actual stage. The 1920s style decor continued with the vaulted ceiling and red plush chairs. The carpet was a red and gold palsy pattern trailing all the way to the front of the stage, where an honest to goodness organ stood. "Wow."

Lucky smiled. She had passed the first test. He tended to divide women into two categories. Those who appreciated the State as much as he did and those who found it too much. He had no use for the latter. "Where do you want to sit?"

Grinning, she walked slowly down the aisle, carefully considering where the best view would be and which seats would be least likely to be blocked by a giant behemoth sitting in front of her. She finally chose two dead center of the theater, racing out before him to sink into the seat.

Lucky laughed as he noticed her shift in the chair to get settled. He offered her one of the sodas as he balanced the bucket of popcorn on the arm rest that separated them. "Comfortable?"

"Very."

"Good." He placed his drink on the floor and raised his arm, giving a thumbs up to the air. "Whenever you're ready Joe!" he yelled out.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth glanced around, realizing for the first time that they were alone in the theater. The lights began to dim and the curtains rose slowly. "What is going on? Aren't they waiting for the rest of the audience?"

Lucky caught her eye in the dimming light. The blue light of the projector illuminated his smile. "We are the audience."

Her eyes widen as she began to realize what he had done. "You rented out the entire theater?"

"Well they were the only one who would play this movie." He pointed to the screen.

It was a good thing there was no one else there or surely she would have been shushed loudly. She remembered telling him how much she loved this movie on the ride back from Buffalo but in her wildest dreams she had never thought he'd do something like this for her.

"Say Anything? We're watching Say Anything on the big screen?"

"I promised you a date you'd never forget Elizabeth." He leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear. "I aim to always keep my promises."

It only took about two minutes for the nurse to answer the page. In that time, Patrick had managed to take over the entire bed and convince Robin to sit in his lap. She had proclaimed, rather indignantly, that she was not going to be handled like a rag doll. He had cooled her temper by nibbling on her left earlobe.

When the nurse actually entered the room, Robin was certain she was only half conscious because she couldn't remember why she had called the woman to begin with. She reached behind her and squeezed Patrick shoulder, hoping he wouldn't embarrass her anymore than he already was. He slid both of his arms around her waist and pulled her carefully against him, proving to both Robin and the nurse that this was where he belonged.

"I was wondering if you might bring me something to eat." Robin said to the nurse.

"'Something chocolate-y.'" Patrick added, tilting his head so that he could move his mouth to her neck.

"Ignore him. I do." Robin assured the impatient nurse. "I don't mean to be any trouble."

"You were in a coma." Patrick pointed out. "Let someone else take care of you for a change."

Robin had noticed during this entire exchange that Patrick hadn't actually looked up at the nurse, not even when he was addressing her. He was completely engrossed by Robin's skin under his mouth. "Please." She goaded the nurse further. "I won't ask you for another thing."

"All right." The nurse nodded, leaving the room in a hurry.

"That was very rude." She stated, turning around so that she was face-to-face with Patrick.

"I'm not known for my manners." Patrick replied, kissing the tip of her nose.

"So I've noticed." Robin agreed, slapping his hand away when she felt his fingers slip under her hospital gown. "You keep that up and I'm not going to let you even kiss me anymore."

"You might be swayed when your chocolate gets here." Patrick gave her a heated look.

"Speaking of that, what was up with you and my nurse?" Robin wanted to know, grabbing Patrick's chin and holding it between her index finger and thumb.

"What nurse?" Patrick asked, turning his mouth to kiss the inside of her palm.

"Oh, please!" Robin exclaimed. "She was tall, blonde, pretty green eyes. Are you really going to sit there and pretend not to have noticed how attractive she was?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you are bringing some awfully intriguing thoughts to mind, Scorpio." Patrick mumbled.

"That's it! We have to call her back in here. Hand me that button."

"Absolutely not." Patrick shook his head, grabbing the switch and holding it above her head.

"Give me that button!" Robin snapped, reaching for it without much success.

"You're cute." Patrick chuckled, using his free hand to pull her closer.

"Admit that you thought she was attractive." Robin ordered.

"Babe, I didn't even see what she looked like. And, anyway, what is this really about?"

"You're lying to me!" Robin accused, wishing she could stomp away but accepting her current situation for what it was.

"Robin, calm down."

"Why should I? How can you expect me to trust you when you can't even admit to thinking a person of the opposite sex is attractive?"

"This really bothers you, doesn't it?" Patrick looked incredibly amused.

"This is not about being insecure. I saw the way she was looking at you."

"So why are you yelling at me? I didn't do anything."

"Get out." Robin pointed toward the door.

"No." Patrick argued.

"You can't say no! I'm recovering from a fucking coma. What I say goes!"

"And I'm here to take care of you. Now lie down, shut up, and let me."

"Just admit that you want to sleep with her."

"I can only admit to something if it's true."

"I wasn't sure what kind of chocolate you wanted," The now bashful blonde interrupted, a candy bar dangling from her hand.

"Thank you." Robin took the candy from her and closed her eyes, praying for the ground to swallow her up.

Patrick barely managed to wait for her to leave before he burst into an uncontrollable fit of giggles. "That was classic!"

Robin's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh...this is bad."


	38. Temptation

**For all you do...**

"That was incredible. Thank you." Elizabeth settled into the front seat of the Jeep as Lucky started the engine. "I have never seen that movie up on the big screen like that."

"Well I'm glad you enjoyed it."

She smiled over at him. "Do you normally go to such extravagant measures for a first date?"

Lucky winked in her direction as he turned the radio on low. "It was just a movie."

"That was playing in a theater you rented out."

"I thought you liked it?" He affected a pout. Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth to stop the laughter from spilling out. She had seen that look on Cameron's face the few times she had to redirect him in class. Like father like son.

"I did like it. I'm just saying you set the bar pretty high for a first date is all. If renting out a gorgeous movie theater and playing a girl's favorite movie is date number one, what's to expect for date number two?"

"In the first place, this date isn't over yet." He reached down and took her hand in his. "I wasn't planning on just taking you to the movies."

He played with her fingers and Elizabeth felt her breath become shallow. She had been without a boyfriend entirely too long if his just tracing her fingers like that was turning her on like it was. "It's not?" she managed.

"Not by a long shot."

"And the second thing?"

Lucky had been distracted by the touch of her skin. It was bringing back memories of exactly what had happened in the front seat of his truck the week before. He regretted for a second not bringing the truck, it would have been much easier to pull her close to him on the bench seat. Too late he had realized she spoke. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"You said in the first place, which implies there is a second place. So what's the second thing?" She was impressed by her ability to think at all with his light touch driving her so crazy much less string together a competent sentence.

Slowly, a lazy grin appeared on his face. "In the second place, I'm glad to hear there will be a second date."

"I never said that."

"Yes you did. You asked if I set the bar so high for a first date, what was to be expected on a second. That implies there will be a second."

She scrunched her face up and twisted her lips. Pulling her fingers from his grasp she played with the hem of her red sleeveless blouse. "Well that was when I thought the date was over. You said you had more planned. So the second date is now officially shelved until the date is ended properly." Mentally she snorted. Ended properly. Her mind was spinning a million and six different ways to jump him before the end of the night.

"We shall see Miss Elizabeth. I think I'll have that second date before I even pull into your driveway."

"Awfully full of yourself aren't you?"

"Darling you haven't seen the half of it."

"What are you doing here?" Alexis regarded the commissioner with a funny expression. He was sprawled across her couch, his hands behind his head, looking rather pleased with himself. He had long since torn his tie away and unsnapped the top two buttons of his blue and white striped short-sleeved t-shirt. Moving a sleeping Kristina to her right arm, she waited impatiently for his answer, not displeased he had stopped by, only that he hadn't told her beforehand.

"You told me you were going to be working late, so I thought I'd stop by and bring you something to eat." Mac explained, getting to his feet. He took the snoring child to her bed and returned a minute later, looking smug.

Alexis smiled when she noticed that he had placed two bags full of food in the middle of the dining room table. She read the writing on the sides and almost sighed in relief. "You brought Kelly's!" She couldn't help but shriek, taking his hand and leading him to the dining room table.

"Only the best." Mac grinned devilishly, slowly releasing her hand. "Sit down." He pushed on her shoulders until she did what he wanted and took the nearest chair.

"You always take such good care of me." Alexis moved her shoulders up and down when she realized he was going to give her a massage.

"I have an agenda." Mac replied, kneading away at the numerous knots in her neck.

"I can't wait to hear it." Alexis assured him, her head falling forward.

"I'd rather show you, but first, eat up." Mac suggested, choosing a seat to the left of her.

Alexis almost moaned aloud at the sudden chill surrounding her, but instead focused on the task of extracting the chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and macaroni & cheese from their separate containers. "Thank you for this." She said, stabbing her plastic fork into the macaroni & cheese. Usually she would wait for a plate, but she had skipped breakfast and lunch today, and she was taking no chances. Besides, Mac wouldn't tell on her. At least he wouldn't if he knew what was good for him.

"It's my pleasure. I knew what you would have done if I wasn't here." Mac told her.

"And what's that?" Alexis sounded genuinely interested as she peeled away a rather large piece of chicken from the bone and set it on her tongue, savoring it for a moment.

"You would have had microwave popcorn for dinner and started in on your cases for tomorrow." Mac informed her.

"That is not true." Alexis argued, narrowing her eyes at him. "I would have added some melted butter and you're right about everything else too." "How'd you get to know me so well, anyway?"

"It took a lot of practice." Mac assured her.

"For the record, going to your office subtracts those getting that second date odds." Elizabeth folded her arms and leaned back in the swivel chair. She would have twisted herself so as to not face him, but she was petrified she was going to tear loose a million dollar wire from its position and break it.

"Oh ye of little faith." He teased and chuckled lightly when he saw her stick her tongue out in his direction. "I have a plan here."

"If it's to help you complete your new CD on time, you can outright forget finishing the first date, much less getting a second."

Lucky ignored her, flipping switches and adjusting levels to exactly the place he wanted them. His reputation for perfection in the studio was well known. If a side benefit of this second part of the date was that he would set the sound board up exactly the way it needed to be for the next day's recording, it was just an added bonus. Finally satisfied with the levels, he reached over and flipped the lights in the booth.

The producer who normally used this particular booth, Anthony Rogers, had a strange fixation with white Christmas lights. He decorated his booth, his office, and Lucky had heard rumors of his home completely in the white twinklers. As he had expected, when he flipped the overhead lights in the booth off, the Christmas lights hung from the ceiling began to glow. Anthony was getting a raise, he decided.

"One more thing." He pulled a CD from the stack in the back. Placing it in one of the slots in front of him, he smiled at Elizabeth, who clearly still confused as to what exactly was going on. "This is why we came here."

"I can see Christmas lights..." Her protests died on her lips when she recognized the singer's voice that floated through the speaker through out the room. "Is that..." She paused to take a breath. "Is that Evans Blue?"

"Yeah they used a studio of ours earlier in the week to try out some new stuff. I thought you might enjoy a sneak peek of the new CD they are working on."

"Enjoy? Are you out of your mind?" She sat with her mouth wide open, her eyes still incredulous. "What planet are you from Lucky Spencer?"

"What are you going on about?"

"This...all this...this whole date. It's probably the most personal and extravagant first date ever recorded. Normal people don't do all this for someone they barely know."

"I know you."

"You know I'm a teacher and I work at Chuck E. Cheese's. I live with my grandmother and you know who my friends are in this town. You don't know me." Her head was spinning. No one had ever worked so hard to impress her before. Even in all the time she was with Max, he hadn't ever done something even remotely close to this. She had to get a grip and start thinking rationally before she did something stupid. Like shove him up against that control panel and break her every rule about no sex on the first date.

He pulled his chair closer to hers, using his index finger to trace her face. "I know you are sweet. And kind. I know my son thinks you're the best thing since Sponge Bob. You'd do anything for your family. You have excellent taste in movies and music." He gently pulled her closer to him. "I know enough to know I want to know more."

Elizabeth felt herself melting with his every word. Even though she knew it would intensify faster than she wanted it to right now, she couldn't resist when his lips descended upon hers. Their lips began to move in time to the music and when his tongue sought entrance into her mouth, she readily allowed it.

He massaged his tongue over hers until he heard a low moan in his ears. Was it her or was it him? Lucky wasn't sure and he didn't really care. Wanting to be closer to her, he pulled her over to his chair, her legs straddling his as he leaned them both back in the chair.

Her hands moved of their own accord to his waist, sneaking beneath the tails of his untucked white button down shirt. Following her lead, his hands moved to release her shirt from the waistband of her skirt, which had shifted higher the more she leaned into him. He wasted no time running his hands up and down the length of sides stopping whenever he came in contact with fabric at either end.

Her hands were tracing the outline of his abdomen, his forearms resting on the tops of her thighs. His mouth left hers and started to blaze a trail from her earlobe down her neck. She removed one hand from his waist to steady herself by gripping his neck.

His lips traced a path all the way across her neck to her other ear. Elizabeth gasped when she felt him take her earlobe in his mouth and suck on it. When he released it seconds later, Lucky gently blew on it.

Roughly she pulled his mouth back to her own, plunging her tongue into his mouth. Some small voice begged her to slow down when she felt his hands leave her waist and make their way up to the buttons on her shirt but she was close to the point of not caring.

He fingered the buttons, not sure how far she was going to let him go. Lucky would be lying if he said he hadn't thought about the possibility of this date ending this way, but he had not planned on it. It had been a very special, very private fantasy of his. One that he was happy to report reality far surpassed in every way.

Her constant shifting in his lap was making it extremely hard to remember to be a gentleman. If she moved a millimeter forward he swore he would lift her up on to the sound board and take her right then and there. If she didn't move, he would die from anticipation and most likely do the exact same thing.

Her fingers moved first to unbutton his top button so he followed her lead. Just as he freed the button from its home, he vaguely heard something that was decidedly not Evans Blue in the background. Trying to ignore it, he continued his assault on her lips, but he could tell she was hearing the intruding noise as well. It was a cell phone Lucky realized. Her cell phone. He groaned as she pulled away from him. "Ignore it." he growled, attempting to pull her back.

"I can't. It could be my grandmother." Much as she didn't want to, she slid off his lap and dug in her purse for the offending piece of technology. Right now she was cursing its existence, but she realized things were going way too fast for her. She needed to slow down just a little before she did something she regretted. Like sleep with a guy who possibly was seeing another girl on the first date.

He tried to control his breathing and pretended not to listen as she had a short conversation with her grandmother. It had only gotten this far, this fast once before in his life. And that was with Jess. The fact he had so quickly lost himself in her was scaring him just a little. He and Jess had both realized many of their issues came from the fact that they had based their relationship on sex. While it had been fantastic, they were awful in everything else they tried to do together. This had made co-parenting with her almost completely impossible at times.

He liked this girl. God help him, he really liked this girl. There was no way he wanted whatever this was to crash and burn quickly because they had nothing but the physical between them. He'd probably curse himself later on tonight because of this decision but he was going to slow this train down. Seeing her end the call, he managed to speak in a normal tone of voice. "How's your grandmother?"

Smiling, Elizabeth settled into her original chair, straightening her clothing as she sat down. "She was just worried because she heard there was a bad accident out there and she didn't know if we were caught in it or not."

Belatedly he realized the CD had stopped. Ejecting it from the case, he placed it in the clear cover and handed it to Elizabeth. "Here. Maybe you can listen to it where you won't get so distracted." He winked at her.

Cautiously she took the case. "Are you sure?" She felt a weight lift from her shoulders as she realized he was letting her slow this down and he was being a complete gentleman about it. It was almost enough to make her want to jump him again.

He gestured towards the stack of CDs behind him. "Those are more of the same. But if you are really concerned, I asked them about it and they were fine for their number one fan to have it."

"Thank you." Her smile stole his breath and he seriously debated just grabbing her and kissing the life out of her right then and there. Lucky was reasonably sure she wouldn't put up much of a fight and they would soon end up exactly where they were heading before.

She deserves better than a fast screw on top of the sound board, he lectured himself. You knew you would hate this decision, but it is the right one. Standing up he offered her his hand. "Shall I take you home now?"

Taking Lucky's outstretched hand, Elizabeth raised herself up. Smiling, she poked him in the chest with her index finger. "On one condition."

"Name it."

"You tell me what we are doing on our second date."


	39. Almost Doesn't Count

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Carefully parking his SUV around the corner and a block away from Sweet Indulgence, Cruz felt a little silly as he nonchalantly made his way to the bakery. It reminded him of when he was in high school and tried to see his girlfriend of the minute while she was grounded. There were secret notes, cancelled meetings, and phone conversations that were almost in spy code.

This week had been no exception. Even more so when he thought about it. With Robin in the hospital, Bobbie and Lucas had taken to keeping her bakery running. Every minute she wasn't working on the super secret wedding of the century, she spent in the shop with her son. He didn't care to admit how many times he had hung up on Lucas this week when the young man answered the phone. Or how many times a conversation had shifted abruptly from tentative plans for the weekend to an order for a specialty cake of some sort. Cruz had found himself on the receiving end of the sales pitch for a retirement cake, a baby shower cake, and a birthday cake.

Cruz understood why Bobbie had been scarce since Robin went into the hospital. Besides running two businesses and seeing her grandson, she was also worried about losing a friend. He knew Patrick wasn't a good measuring stick by any means, but he had been a basket case for most of the week and, whatever those two were, they weren't nearly as close as Robin and Bobbie. So he was trying to keep her stress level down. As much fun as sneaking around was, Cruz could admit it was stressful. He fought the battle to tell all to Lucky and Patrick daily. Every time they were together, the thought was always in the back of his mind. What if some one sees us this time? Patrick and Luke had come too close the last time. His heart still raced when he thought about it for too long.

But when he had talked to her this morning, it was impossible to miss the exhaustion in her voice. Bobbie was running herself ragged and it was time he stepped up and took care of her like he should have been doing all week. She hadn't even laughed at his lamest jokes like she always had before. Even his most cheesy come-on line hadn't provoked a mildly amused sigh, much less the sympathy giggle it normally did. Bobbie obviously needed someone to take over on something for her and it was going to be him.

Checking his watch, he smiled as he realized he had timed his arrival exactly right. The shop would be closed and the last lingering customers would have left by now. Bobbie had told him Lucas would only be able to help during the lunch rush as he and Dillon had some sort of parent event at Lance's day camp this afternoon. Coming upon the door, he smiled when he noticed the darkened interior. In the fading summer light, he could make out her silhouette as she leaned over the counter, counting the money from the register. He knocked on the glass, waving when she looked up and caught his eye.

"Hi!" He kissed her cheek as she opened the door just enough for him to squeeze past her and into the shop. "How was your day?"

Sighing Bobbie followed him back to the counter. "Lunch wasn't so bad but breakfast about killed me this morning. Edward is cranky when he doesn't get his muffin just the right way. I have no idea how Lila does it."

"Sit." He steered her towards one of the high stools. "Have you eaten today?"

"I had breakfast when I got here and Lucas brought me lunch when he arrived. Now dinner's another story."

"I see." Cruz made a mental note to pick up on dinner on the way back to her place tonight. Before she collapsed he was going to make sure she was fed at least. "Are you going to see Robin tonight?"

"I thought about it but when I talked to her earlier today she said some of her friends were stopping by later on tonight. I got the distinct impression my nephews were going to be discussed and figured it might be better if I wasn't there."

There it was again. Even the most innocent mention of Lucky and Patrick brought a twinge of guilt in his heart. They had befriended him, made him a part of their family, bailed him out of countless jams with the magazine, and was the reasons he had ever even met Bobbie to begin with. And here he was sneaking around with their aunt and lying to them every chance he had. He should have told them months ago. Pushing away the guilt, he refocused his concentration on the woman sitting in front of him. Tonight was about her, not his guilty conscience. Her.

"So after you close up you plan to go home, is that it?" He started counting the money in the till drawer. "How much remains to open in the morning?"

"$60 total." Bobbie answered automatically. She reached for the drawer. "Give me that."

"Nope. Does she want to leave a ten in the drawer or just fives and ones?"

"A ten. Now hand it over."

"Coin included?" Cruz pulled the drawer closer to her. He had noticed she had written out some figures on a napkin to the side of the drawer. Obviously she had been in the process of adding up the coins when he had arrived.

"Yes. Will you let me continue that? I had a system going." Bobbie made a grab for the till but he eluded her. Removing the access coins, he quickly counted up the remaining money and bundled the extra together.

"There. Now where's the deposit bag?"

Bobbie slid off the stool and made her way back to the small office Robin kept. Locating the blue bank deposit bag in the safe, she turned and found Cruz had followed her in. Motioning with his head to open the bag, he dropped the money in, zipping and locking the bag. Once Bobbie safely locked the bag away, he gently steered her back into the small eating area, lightly massaging her shoulders as he walked behind her.

He directed her to same stool she had vacated. "Now the money is taken care of. What is next?"

"I still have to wipe down the counters, wipe down the tables, wipe down the display shelves, and clean the floors." She made a move back towards the kitchen area.

Cruz quickly raced out to catch her. He has spotted the small cleaning closet when he had followed her inside. Barely beating her to the door, he blocked her entrance. "Go sit down."

"I still have work to do."

"In case you've missed it, I'm trying to do this work for you. Just relax and let me do this for you please?"

"Baby that is sweet, but I can't let you do that."

"Why not?"

"Because Robin has a very high standard and a very specific method of cleaning."

Cruz grinned. Robin would have a field day if she ever saw Patrick's apartment after he had been working non-stop for weeks on end. He was fairly certain battle zones would be cleaner. "I'll have you know I excel at reaching high standards and I happen to be an expert on many techniques I bet even Robin hasn't heard about." He winked at her. "Even techniques you are unfamiliar with."

Bobbie lifted one eyebrow. "Oh really?" she drawled.

He pulled her closer, stopping only when her hands reached his chest. "I tell you what; you let me get started, then if it's not right, then you can instruct me on how to finish properly." Cruz was pretty sure he was still talking about cleaning. If he wasn't, he really didn't want to think about what grade pervert he was to find discussing cleaning techniques as a good cover for talking about sex.

Bobbie bit her lip, looking mischievous as she did. Oh he was in trouble. He had started out with the simple intention of making sure she took it easy tonight. Now, unless he had completely misread her facial expression, and he was ninety-nine point nine percent sure he hadn't, he had apparently succeeded in getting her to consider sex tonight. Not that he was in any way opposed to that, he just hadn't planned on anything happening tonight. And certainly not here.

Bobbie titled her head to the side, and had barely opened her mouth when they heard it. The unmistakable twist of a key in the lock. As quickly as the moment over took them, it left as reality set in. Someone was very close to finding them in a not so innocent looking position. She quickly shoved him into the swinging door and Cruz held himself still on the wall just inside.

"Mom?" Lucas's voice echoed in the stillness. "You still here?"

"Grandma?" He had met Lance a handful of times at Laura's house, but still Cruz knew the sound of the boy's voice.

"Back here!" Bobbie called out. Cruz listened as her footsteps moved towards the door. "I thought you had that parent's night thing? And where is Dillon?"

"Right here." The chimes above the door signaled Dillon's arrival. "The event got out earlier than we thought it would. Lance, of course, was brilliant."

"Dad." If Cruz was a betting man, he would place good money on the boy looking down at the ground and kicking his foot out.

"I'm sure he was." He didn't miss the pride in her voice when she talked to her grandson. That was still strange to him. He was involved with a grandmother. Grandmothers were old ladies with white hair in buns who sat on the porch, baked cookies, and wore flannel nightgowns. They most certainly did not have red hair and have a drawer full of lingerie from Victoria's Secret.

"It still doesn't tell me what you are doing here." He could picture her standing there with her arms crossed and an amused smile on her lips.

"Well you've been doing so much lately, we decided that we would take care of the closing tonight." Lucas explained. "Now get your stuff and go home. We'll take care of all the cleaning."

Cruz was convinced this was what a heart attack felt like. His heart was going to leap out of his chest, run across the shiny floor, and right out the back door he saw there. He should make a quick run for the back door, but he was fairly certain that A- the damn thing would make a noise and B-Lucas, Dillon, Lance, or with his luck all three of them, would spot him running for his life.

"Oh you really don't have to do that." She sounded nervous. This wasn't good. They were going to figure something was going on. Cruz inched his way along the wall, praying he wouldn't send a tower of pans crashing down on top of him. If he could just make his way into the office, there was a small chance he could hide under the desk. He'd probably have to sleep under there for the night, but he could live with that.

Two more feet and he would make it to the relative safety of the office. He could no longer hear what they were saying, the door dulling the conversation to a dull mumble, but as long as it was a mumble he was safe for the moment. A mumble meant they weren't about to come in and find him. A mumble meant he would live another day without Lucky and Patrick finding out who his mystery girlfriend was, because there was no doubt in his mind, just who Lucas would call first if he was discovered.

The door from the front swung open just as he eased his way into the office. "Just let me get my stuff from the back. You boys really don't have to do this."

Lucas and Dillon were too far away for him to hear their response clearly but he didn't care. If he didn't hear them, he was still safe. As soon as the door swung shut, Bobbie whirled around, her eyes racing across the room to find him. He noticed her shoulders sag in relief when she spotted the hand he eased out the door of the office.

"I didn't know." She started to apologize in a whisper.

"I figured that one out on my own." He smiled. Under normal circumstances he may have kissed the tip of her nose, but that was playing with fire. "The bigger issue right now is how do we get out of here? More specifically how do I get out of here?"

Bobbie indicated the back door with her head. "I actually had to use the back door this morning. I had to stop at an early morning supplier and bring it back here first. It just made more sense than coming in through the front. Can you get to the door without being caught? I'll tell them goodbye up there and let you out back here. I'll drive you back to your car."

Had there been no audience and no risk of being caught, he may have just lifted her up and swung her around the room. Instead Cruz settled on a quick kiss. "I owe you my life. I'll have to think of someway to repay you."

"I'm sure we'll come up with something." She playfully pushed at him. "Now go, start heading towards the door. I'll meet you in a few seconds."

Moving quickly, he used the table and the wall as cover so that no one in the front area would notice any movement. His back was certainly going to be reminding him about this one later for all the crouching he was doing but there was no way around it. The only possible trouble spot was right next to the door. If anyone was to look into the kitchen from the front, they would have an unobstructed view of him sitting there, like the proverbial lame duck. Cruz decided the safe option was to stand behind the corner of the wall separating the dishwashing area from the food preparation station and make a crouched run for it when the time came.

"Goodbye boys. I'll see you tomorrow." Bobbie came through the door with her back to him. Thankfully, no one seemed to follow her into the kitchen and when she turned around he assumed no one was watching her walk to the door. She caught his eye when she reached the door and she motioned quickly for him when she opened the heavy steel barrier. Just like he thought, it made noise. He raced for the open air of the back parking lot and the safety her car represented.

Leaning against the door, he couldn't help but look over his shoulder as he waited for her to unlock the door. Hearing the telltale click, he quickly slid in, crouching as low in the seat as could.

"That was close." Bobbie whispered as she fastened her seat belt and turned the engine on.

"Too close." He agreed. It was the second time in almost a month they had almost been caught by family and friends. They had to talk about this. The lies were getting to him. He really didn't want to be an expert at sneaking around and hiding in kitchens and alleyways. He wanted to be able to tell his friends what was going on in his life. He wanted to be able to date Bobbie publicly and not like they were having some seedy affair.

It was time, he decided. It was time they went public.


	40. Trust

Not wanting to feel completely useless while she was recovering, Robin had taken it upon herself to get the shop's books in order. She had noticed a lot more going out than coming in lately what with the new pastries that for some reason refused to entice anyone and the scant amount of customers during the week. It was all she could do to keep the bakery case filled and Lucas paid. Morgan's camp had been made possible by her mother, but Robin refused to think of that as a handout. She would pay Anna back just as soon as she could and she had made that quite clear when her mother had offered her the money. She thanked God she had adequate medical insurance so she had come out of the hospital without having to pay a penny. At least, she didn't have to worry about monthly rent on top of everything else. Though it had seemed extreme to everyone else, Robin had put back enough to cover rent for their loft for the next twenty-four months, just in case.

There were rumors that a Starbuck's was being built a few streets over from Sweet Indulgence, but Robin would not be deterred. She had dealt with competition in stride over the last few months and this was no different. Her customers were loyal and she knew they wouldn't abandon her even if the talk turned out to be true. Several times, she had contemplated asking Courtney for a bit of help, but she would sooner bite her tongue off than bring her financial strains to light. Along with being Robin's best friend, Courtney was also Morgan's aunt. As stated in Sonny's letter, if she was unable to care for Morgan, he would go straight to a family member. Robin assumed Courtney since she was immediate family. So, Robin had kept her mouth shut, and struggled longer than she would ever admit to keep her little shop from going under. If it hadn't been for Bobbie, Robin knew she would have driven herself into the ground. It was that opportunity, that fateful partnership, that proved giving up was not an option.

Robin lifted her legs one at a time, pulling the soft fabric of her violet lounge pants away so that she could inspect the darkening bruise that circled her knee like Venetian red glass. She touched her skin and cringed, her fingers running over the rough texture. Alan had suggested she go through a trial of physical therapy, but Robin had been impatient to leave and more than capable of returning to everyday life as she knew it. Besides, Lucas had called this morning and informed her of the empty-looking feeling her store held now. He had been doing his hardest, had even asked Bobbie to help him, but she still needed to get a handle on things. As soon as she could make it to the elevator without incident, she would hop in the first cab she saw and get to work.

Her right leg wasn't as bad, but there was still a bruise, this one starting at her ankle and running around her leg so that she had a hard time bending her knee. Her ribs had been saved from the list of sore body parts, but her arms hadn't been as lucky. The glass had been removed, but there were scars left in their place, and she had thrown on long-sleeved shirts since she was released from the hospital two days ago to cover the damage. She hadn't suffered whiplash or any further injuries. For the most part, she was sore, lived with a constant headache, and was babied by everyone that came by.

It was then that she heard someone pounding on the door. Thankful for a distraction from her whiny thoughts as well as an excuse to stand up, she hobbled over to the front door and slowly undid the chain. Instead of greeting her sweetly as she had been expecting, Patrick took one look at the way she was leaning against the wall and cursed darkly, "Why aren't you using your crutches?"

"I don't need them. I haven't broken anything." Robin countered, wishing she could cross her arms without fear she would lose her balance and fall into Patrick's rigid arms.

"So I see. Would you do me a favor and…" He paused and dropped his car keys. "Pick those up for me?" His challenge caused Robin's eyes to darken immensely.

"You're just being lazy." Robin insisted.

"You can't bend at all, can you?" Patrick challenged.

"Fine. No, I can't. Get your own damn keys." Robin turned her back to him, hoping she came off as tough instead of a stumbling mess.

"Where are your crutches anyway?" Patrick took a minute to scan the room fully, but he couldn't see anything even resembling them.

"You mention those crutches again and you'll need them." Robin warned, her back still facing him.

"Got it." Patrick replied, retrieving his keys. "How are you feeling?" He asked, watching her take great lengths to sit down without scrunching up her face in obvious pain.

"I don't understand why everyone is making such a big deal about this." Robin grumbled, straightening her work folders and putting them behind the chair pillow for later evaluation.

"What are you hiding?" Patrick wondered, his eyebrow lifting in question.

"Nothing. I haven't the slightest idea what you're even talking about." Robin said, raising her chin.

"You're working, aren't you? When you should be taking it easy." His tone was condemning, but his eyes were playful as he took his seat.

"You won't tell on me, will you?" Robin met his stare with a teary-eyed expression.

"Oh God, you're not going to cry, are you? Please don't do that." Patrick begged.

"I've had it up to here with people telling me what I should and shouldn't be doing." Robin sobbed, making certain that she squeezed out a few more tears. "Don't any of you realize that I know my own body? I know when I'm pushing myself too hard."

"Do you?" Patrick argued, wiping her tears away with his left hand.

"Sure I do." Robin went on.

"Robin, you were in an accident. A serious one. What part of that is not clicking?" Patrick snapped, seeing through her subterfuge at last.

"My car was in an accident. I just happened to be riding in it for moral support." Robin joked, but Patrick didn't take the bait. "Stop being so serious. I'm not sure how to handle you this way."

"Get used to it. Until you get better, you're stuck with me." Patrick promised, shaking his head as if he didn't understand his own logic.

"And when I am better? Is it back to hating each other?" Robin wanted to know. "I'm only asking so that I'll know how to act around you later on." She added in a shaky voice.

Patrick tilted his head to the right and leaned in to kiss her. It was a soft kiss, one that involved absolutely no haste. A comfort kiss, she decided. Her right hand rose to rest upon his cheek as she scooted closer. "I never hated you." He whispered, pulling back too soon.

Robin scoffed at his answer, sitting back in her chair. "Now you're lying to me."

"I wanted to hate you, but I never quite could." Patrick said. "I blamed you for Logan's unhappiness, because it was easier than placing the blame on him. It was unfair and I apologize."

"I don't want your apologies." Robin assured him.

"What do you want?" Patrick asked.

"I don't know."

"I think you do."

"I don't want to be fragile, not for anyone. I've been hurt more than once and I'm not looking to set myself up for another fall."

"We're in agreement about that." Patrick replied.

"Things are already complicated and we're not even together yet." Robin sighed.

"Yet?" Patrick picked up on the one word she hadn't meant to add.

"We can't do messy." Robin declared.

"We've done well so far." Patrick reminded her.

"You can't commit." She motioned her hand toward him.

"And that's a problem for you."

Robin gave him an incredulous look. "I don't like to share either." Repeating his words from the bakery.

"Let's go into this with our eyes wide open." He suggested.

"I don't do casual."

"Have you ever?" Patrick prodded.

"No." She admitted.

"Then, what's the problem?"

"The problem is that I can't enter into this sort of agreement. I wouldn't even know where to start."

"I happen to be an expert at this sort of thing."

"Yes." Robin nodded. "And that's just the trouble."

"You want monogamy?" Patrick offered.

"Do you really think you'd be able to provide me with that kind of reassurance?" Robin pursed her lips together.

"I keep my promises." Patrick insisted.

"And how many times have you left with your countless lovers only for them to wake up alone?"

"That's a very harsh assessment."

"Did I miss anything?"

"I make an excellent breakfast."

Robin dropped her head in her hands. "You just don't get it, do you? My life is a lot more complicated than you seem to realize. Even if you could commit to me, which by the way I'm not saying I believe you can, I'd always have to wonder if I was hurting you."

"My first test came back negative." Patrick emphasized, unconsciously running a hand through his hair.

Robin raised her head and dropped her hands into her lap, her jaw dragging the ground. There were tears in her eyes when she asked, "What do you mean, your test came back negative?"

"You told me you were HIV+ when I tried to get you out of the car."

"I did?"

"Don't you remember?" Robin shook her head, so Patrick went on, "I got tested when you were brought into the hospital. Nurse Lee gave me some meds to take."

"You thought I hurt Logan, didn't you?" Though she posed it as a question, there was guilt in her eyes when she lifted her head.

"No, I thought he'd given it to you." Patrick corrected, intertwining their fingers.

"When I was seventeen, I fell in love with a boy, Stone Cates. Mac automatically assumed that he was trouble--"

"And I bet you were right there defending him."

"Of course. At that age I thought I knew everything."

Patrick coughed loudly. "It's a good thing you've grown out of that phase."

Robin found herself smiling in spite of herself. "The more Mac told me to stay away from Stone, the more I wanted to be with him. I can understand his concern now. If Sonny hadn't taken him under his wing when he did…I don't want to think about it."

"Sonny Corinthos did something good?"

"He thought of Stone as a little brother and would be the first to admit it. The one thing Sonny asked from him before he started work was to get tested. He'd been on the streets for most of his life." Robin took a breath and gripped her fingers into fists. "His first test came back negative, so we thought we were safe."

"Did you use protection?" Patrick asked bluntly.

"What does that matter?" Robin challenged.

"I've been doing a lot of research since I was exposed and, with the right precautions, the transfer rate is minimal."

Robin didn't say anything for a long time. When she spoke, she continued her story, "Once his six-month test came in, there was no denying the results: he had full-blown AIDS. His first thought was that he had spread the disease onto me. I didn't have the energy to even consider that I could be infected." Robin tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "I didn't even want to get tested when the subject came up and trust me, it came up a lot."

"What convinced you?"

"Stone. He told me that he wouldn't be able to die in peace unless he knew. So, I got tested and my first two tests came back negative." She unconsciously squeezed Patrick's hand under hers. "I was lucky. My prognosis was hopeful and Alan kept insisting that my viral load was next to nonexistent…that I could live a full and happy life. All I could see was my first love dying in front of me."

"When did you tell him?"

"Not too long after I found out. I'd been hesitant to, but I finally broke." Robin pulled her hand away so that it was no longer touching Patrick's. "Stone didn't live very long. He was end stage, terminal, and even lost his sight. It wasn't until the day he died that he turned in my direction and shouted that he could see me. I was overjoyed, relieved…some part of me believing that maybe he could beat the AIDS. Then, he closed his eyes." Robin's hand immediately cupped her mouth as she fought for control. "So you see? Even with proper protection and research, I could infect you. It's bad enough you risked your life saving me and exposed yourself."

"Look at me." Patrick insisted, tilting Robin's chin with his thumb. "You just said that your viral load is practically nonexistent. Just because Stone's first test came back negative too doesn't mean that I'll share his fate."

"You don't understand--" Robin argued.

"No. I do understand." Patrick interjected.

"Right. Your research. Your week's worth of research means that you're fully prepared to take on a woman with HIV." Robin's eyes were sharp as razors. "Do you have any idea how many times I've heard that?"

"I'm willing to deal with the HIV." Patrick reiterated stubbornly.

"You don't deal with HIV. You live in fear of it. You pray that you'll continue to be healthy as the years go on…if you even have that long. Stone didn't. I've seen enough during the last seven years to know that I can't be naïve anymore."

"So you're going to live like a nun for the rest of your life?" Patrick surmised.

"However long that is."

"Stop it!" Patrick's anger surprised her. "You're healthy, you're responsible, and you're not going to die!"

"You can't possibly know that!" Robin retorted, slapping his hand away from her face.

"What kind of example are you setting for me if you give up?" Patrick snapped.

"Your chances are excellent. The mere possibility that you contracted this disease puts us worlds apart. Right now, there's a chance. For me, there is no positive or negative. Every morning I wake up is a blessing."

"Then why are you wasting it?" Patrick exploded.

"I know how lucky I am." Robin countered.

"You're hiding." He declared.

"You don't get to judge me! I don't tell you how to live your life." Robin shot back.

"Like hell you don't!" Patrick roared.

"Do you see? This is why it would never work between us. You're too stubborn."

Patrick's eyes widened. "At least I'm willing to take the chance. You'd rather live in your little shell."

"I want you to leave. Now." Robin said through gritted teeth.

"Fine." Patrick rose to his feet and stomped to the door.

Robin cringed when he slammed it loudly behind him.


	41. If I Were You

Shooting a sidelong glance at Robin, Elizabeth wondered just how long they were going to ignore the fact the other girl had obviously been crying when Elizabeth had arrived earlier. She had picked up on Robin's discomfort with her timing and had suggested manicures and pedicures instead to distract them for the moment.

Completing a final stroke, Elizabeth held up her friend's tiny foot for inspection. "Okay color verdict?"

"Pink." Robin replied noncommittally.

Elizabeth fixed her eyes on the ceiling. "Sure give her some baked goods and she'll rattle on for hours, but ask her if she actually likes the color of her nails and it's discussing politics with three year olds. Good. Fine." She stuck her tongue out in Robin's direction. "I should change it to Get Laid Red just for meanness sake."

Robin blinked. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Holding up the bottle of nail polish, Elizabeth waved it around. "I said I'm changing your toes to Get Laid Red unless you actually start joining me here on planet Earth."

"I don't think I'm going to be the best company today." Robin said in an apologetic tone. "Tell me about your date with Lucky."

Remembering all too vividly how the date had almost ended, Elizabeth felt herself blush. "It was nice. I had a good time."

"Explain that blush, Missy." Robin demanded, nodding in her friend's direction.

"Well first we went to the movies, but it wasn't exactly a typical movie date."

"No?"

"Have you ever been to the State Theater?"

"My mother took me when I was a little girl."

"Then you've never had a guy rent it out for you just to play your favorite movie on the big screen?"

"What?" Robin blurted, almost kicking Elizabeth in the face.

"Watch the feet!"

"I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting--wow."

Elizabeth giggled. "Yeah wow was pretty much an overused phrase that night."

"You mean there was talking involved?"

"Yes Smarty Pants. We actually carried on conversations."

"What movie?"

"_Say Anything_."

"I love that movie! When he's outside her window with the stereo..."

"I know! It's good thing no one else was actually in the theater with us because I'm pretty sure my constant chatter would have gotten us kicked out."

"You talk in movies? Good to know."

"Only when I have it memorized and it's John Cusack." Elizabeth fanned Robin's foot with her hand and surveyed her work. Not too bad. "Anyways after the movie, he took me to what he referred to as part two of the date."

"Part two? Sounds very interesting. Is that why you're blushing?"

"Not entirely."

"You're killing me. Tell me!" Robin begged, pouting.

"Well he took me to L&B studios which of course immediately lost him points because you know taking me to where he works?"

"Right."

"So we get there and apparently my favorite band in the whole world just happened to use those studios to record some new tracks for their new CD and oh yeah, they said I could have a copy, so he plays it for me."

"He should write a book on the perfect first date." Robin fanned herself in an overdramatic fashion.

"I know. If it hadn't have happened to me, I would swear it was some cheesy dating reality show."

"What happened next?"

"Well I questioned his sanity for planning all this for someone he barely knows..."

"Barely knows? Elizabeth." Robin patronized.

"Robin. Would you be thinking straight after all that?" Elizabeth arched her eyebrow.

"I may not be the right person to ask."

"Details on that statement please?"

"Later. I'm trying to live vicariously through you."

"So you want to cut right to the part where I almost shoved him against the control panel and had my way with him then." She moved back quickly to duck what she was sure to be another flying foot.

"Surely I did not just hear that right. Elizabeth Webber almost jumped a guy, on the first date no less?"

"Yes, yes she did. And it is so all his fault too."

"I can't believe I'm still paying for cable." Robin grumbled, leaning forward. "Do go on."

"Well after I questioned his sanity, he proceeded to tell me he did know me." Catching Robin about to comment, she pointed a finger in her friend's direction. "Shut it." Satisfied when Robin mimed closing a lock and throwing away the key, she continued. "Well then he kissed me and somehow we both ended up on his chair."

"What stopped you?"

"Cell phone."

"Yours or his?"

"Mine. And it was my grandmother."

"Was everything all right?"

"Oh she was fine. She was just being her concerned self."

"How did Lucky react?"

"He was actually a total gentleman about it. He just gave me a copy of the CD since we didn't actually listen to it and took me back home."

"Do you think you would have slept with him if you hadn't been interrupted?"

"I was undoing buttons. So yes."

"That's one incredible first date. In fact, I think I could add up all of mine and still be left unsatisfied."

"I know it makes me nervous for the second one."

"When are you seeing him again?"

"Friday."

"That's only three days away! What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know. My fashion consultants haven't told me yet."

"Courtney's on location this week. Dare we ask my mother?"

"Only if she doesn't suggest a gun holster. Somehow I think that might frighten him away."

"She's yet to shoot anyone." Robin defended.

"Key word yet." Elizabeth reached over Robin's leg to grab at one of the magazines she had brought with her. "So enough of you living vicariously through me. Please fill me on what happened between you and Patrick."

"What do you mean?"

"He saves your life by pulling you out of a car. He doesn't leave your side while you are in a coma even though your family hires a freaking bodyguard to keep him away." Elizabeth paused and looked around. "Where is She-Rah anyway?"

"She caught something at the hospital and my mother informed her of my medical status."

"So she'll be back once she's better then?"

"Yeah." Robin agreed.

"Okay so where was I?" Elizabeth tapped the magazine to her chin as if in deep thought. "Oh yes, staying around even in the presence of armed resistance. Does all this and he was in your room when I left it. I told you my night. You tell me yours. That was the deal."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Does he have anything to do with the crying you were doing earlier?"

"I had a bad dream."

"Why do I not believe a word of that?"

"We got into a fight, okay? It ended badly."

"How badly? I have to go hire a hit man to club in the knee badly or we'll laugh at this over margaritas later badly?"

"He knows I'm HIV . He says that I told him before he got me out of the car."

"Okay and he was angry about it?"

"No. I was angry."

"Why?"

"He purposely exposed himself to save my life."

"Just playing devil's advocate here, why was this a bad thing?"

"He acts like it's no big deal."

"His being exposed? Like he's not been tested?"

"No, he's been tested. He's negative for now. The nurse put him on anti-viral medication. From what I gathered, he's been taking the pills dutifully."

"Well that's good. So if it's not that, how is he not taking it seriously?"

"He wants me to enter into a no-strings sex agreement."

Elizabeth dropped the magazine straight to the floor and stared open-mouthed at Robin. "He actually said that?"

"He's never been shy."

"What exactly did he say? How exactly did he propose this?"

"I asked him if, when I was well, we were going back to hating each other. Instead of answering me, he kissed me."

"Which is exactly the answer you were looking for right?"

"I didn't say that."

"You wouldn't have asked the question if you really wanted to go back to constant arguing and sniping at each other."

"He tells me some bullshit about how he could never bring himself to hate me, not even in the beginning, which we both knew was a lie."

"You avoided my question. Don't think I didn't notice that." Elizabeth leaned down to pick up the magazine she dropped. "Okay continue after proclamation of bullshit."

"I call him on it, and he makes this snide remark about knowing what I want...that I want him."

"Which you do."

"Doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. You just don't like the fact that he was right."

"He saved me. Of course I feel closer to him because of it."

"Sure that's what it is." Elizabeth shook her head over Robin's denial. "Okay go on."

"Even after we talk about the HIV, and how I first got it, he's still convinced that no-strings is the way to go."

"How exactly did he work the whole no-strings concept into the conversation?"

"We were talking about it first and then he told me that his first test had come back negative by which point I found out that he knew about the exposure."

"Fighting ensued soon after?"

"Yes."

"How did it end?"

"I told him to leave and he stormed out."

"Slam or no slam?"

"Slam."

Elizabeth let out a low whistle. "Okay it's burn his pictures bad."

"Do you think I was out of line?"

"Well if he was really proposing a no-strings sex thing then no. If there was some possible way you misinterpreted? Then yes."

"He offered a concession which I didn't for a second believe."

"What concession?"

"Monogamy."

For a second time the magazine hit the floor. "Say what?"

"He said he was willing to give it a try if I really wanted him to."

"So he offered a string-attached sex thing?"

"More or less."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Okay now I am officially confused."

"I can't carry on any kind of relationship with Patrick."

"Can't because you don't want to or can't because he confuses you?"

"I don't trust him."

"I can't argue with you there."

"Plus, he's Logan's brother. How awkward would that be?"

"Very. But a great way to tell Logan to kiss your ass." Elizabeth reached down again to pick up the magazine on the floor. At this rate she was going to get a great workout.

"What's in that magazine?" Robin wondered, snatching it away from her. She flipped through a few pages until she spotted a face she recognized. "Look it's Luck--"

Elizabeth grabbed at the magazine and felt her face drain of color. Robin had flipped to a page with a picture of Lucky, his arm around Daphne. She closed her eyes and shoved it back at Robin. "The date. Tell me what day they say that picture was taken."

"Saturday."

Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying and concentrated on her breathing. "Last Saturday?"

"This past Saturday."

She began blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay. This was ridiculous. She had known Daphne existed. Hell she had even seen pictures of them together before. It had been one night. One incredible night, but still one night. "I don't know why I'm acting like this. It's not like we discussed being exclusive or anything."

She would be fine. She would be fine. And she would keep on repeating that in her head until she believed it. "It's not like I didn't know about that Daphne girl beforehand. I mean I saw a picture of them together last week."

"Elizabeth, you need to take a deep breath or you're going to pass out." Robin reached for friend's hands and squeezed them tight.

Returning the squeeze, Elizabeth followed the advice and took a deep breath. "It was just one date."

"I don't think Lucky would agree with you on that."

"I'm not the one in a national magazine with my arms around some twiggy gorgeous thing."

"He put more effort into that one date than most men do in an entire relationship."

"Yeah, then why was he out with her the very next day?"

"Publicity?" Robin posed the question carefully.

"He doesn't need the publicity."

"I didn't say for him."

"I'm not following. Explain."

"You have to figure being Lucky Spencer requires a few public appearances. Let the papers say what they will. I think you should take this to Lucky before you start jumping to conclusions."

"And say what? I had a second jealous freak-out over seeing a picture of him with another woman?" Elizabeth snorted. "Yeah that move brings all relationships to the next level!"

"You deserve an explanation."

"What if I don't like the one I get?"

"Then you'll know he's a creep and you can go onto someone better."

Elizabeth sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "On second thought, I think that gun holster may come in handy after all. Think your mom would mind parting with it for the night?"

"Just make sure you don't shoot off anything important...you know, in case he's innocent."

"How about if I only threaten him with it?"

"You better make sure the chamber is empty." Robin advised.

"The what?"

"There's no way I'm giving you a gun."

"I'll get someone to beat up Patrick for you."

"Beating up is one thing. Blowing off someone's head is quite another."

"Okay, what if first I threaten Patrick and then I move onto Lucky? Do I get to borrow the gun then?"

"What would Patrick have to do to keep from being shot?"

"Burn his not-so-little black book and promise to abide by whatever strings you set?"

"On the one hand, I honestly think you'll end up shooting off a toe. On the other..." Robin mused.

"On the other hand you also think I would shoot off something far more valuable to him and it excites you."

Robin put her hand over her mouth and turned her back, having not considered that possibility. "I can't give you a gun." She said finally.

"Damn." Elizabeth caught Robin's eye and smiled. "Can we come up with a plan B over margaritas?"

"Yes please."


	42. Under Pressure

It was still unbearably hot so Jake's was even more crowded than usual with people trying to beat the heat. Lucky avoided being shoved forward and dumping his drink by keeping one hand on the table at all times. Making sure taking an actual drinking his drink wouldn't result in him wearing it, he took a cautious sip. "How's Robin? I heard she was out of the hospital." he asked Patrick.

"She hid her crutches."

"Which translates to what exactly?"

"I don't know. The last time I saw her, she was stumbling from place to place."

"Trouble in paradise already?"

"Is this paradise? That must explain the heat." Patrick scoffed.

"Avoiding, Drake. Not a good move."

"She's mad at me for absolutely no reason at all."

"Patrick, women are always mad at you for a reason."

"I don't know what else I could have said."

"What did you say?" Lucky wondered.

"Exactly what she wanted to hear."

"Why do I think that is where it all went wrong?" Lucky groaned.

"I figured she wanted some sort of commitment, so I offered her one. Next thing I know, she's yelling at me and demanding that I get out."

If he would have taken a sip at that exact second, Lucky would have spit it right across the table. "You offered her a what?"

"A commitment of sorts."

"Why does your idea of commitment scare me?"

"I knew she would never agree to no-strings sex, so I tried another approach."

"Tell me you didn't. Tell me you didn't."

"Tell you I didn't what?"

"Tell me you didn't offer monogamy just to get sex."

"Of course not. I just wanted to get her comfortable with the idea."

"You do realize you sound insane right?"

"How am I insane? It's a mutual attraction and I know she's been through a lot."

"It's a mutual attraction with your ex-sister-in-law that up until a few weeks ago you very publicly bad-mouthed every chance you got. You're part of the stuff she's been through!"

"There's a lot you don't know."

"Do I want to know?"

"Let's just say I'm getting a taste of some of the things she's going through, things that normally wouldn't involve me."

"I'm re-phrasing the question. Is this something I need to know?"

"It's about Robin's accident."

Cruz ambled up to the table slowly, looking to rest of the world that he wasn't freaking out. When Lucky had invited him out tonight, he had figured that once again, he would be waiting on his friends. He glanced at his watch and confirmed he wasn't late. By the looks of things, both had been there awhile. This wasn't good. The two of them meeting without him often involved public humiliation of some sort. Deciding a joke was the best way to approach the situation, he greeted his friends. "Did hell freeze over? No way you two beat me here."

"We thought we should start early." Patrick pushed a Corona toward Cruz. "Hear you're into light beer now."

Cruz narrowed his eyes in Lucky's direction. "How long did you wait to spread that news around?"

Lucky held up his hands in mock surrender. "I was just concerned my friend was making major life changes without telling anyone. Sue me for caring."

"I changed my drinking habits not my career."

"You gonna join us or stand there and whine?" Patrick teased.

Cruz sat down and took a swig of the offered beer. "So what had you two in deep discussion?"

"Nothing important." Patrick assured him.

"Yeah Patrick's love life is never important." Lucky chimed in.

"How is Robin then?" Cruz teased.

"Hell if I know." Patrick grumbled.

"They're not talking." Lucky mock stage whispered to Cruz.

"We should be sensitive and not discuss any further." Cruz replied in mock seriousness.

"We should. Although it mostly like is his fault she's not talking to him."

"Well of course it is." Cruz nodded.

"It's good to know that I can count on my friends to kick me when I'm down."

Raising his glass in a toast, Lucky smiled as he clapped Patrick on the back. "If you can't count on your friends who can you count on?"

"We can't all engage in secret relationships."

"An excellent point." Lucky turned and looked right at Cruz. "Care to elaborate on that idea buddy?"

Stalling for time, Cruz took another drink. He should have known eventually it would come around to this. They had laid out a trap and he had stupidly walked right into it. He hadn't even talked with Bobbie yet about going public and here he was faced with lying yet again. He decided to go on the offensive. At least until he decided exactly what he wanted to do here. "Well we can't all find dates through parent-teacher conferences now can we?"

"Ooh, low blow." Patrick licked his lips and took a long pull of his beer. He wasn't opposed to getting shit-faced, but it was still early.

"Hey I can admit to having a second date lined up. You didn't answer the question."

"When do you see her again?"

"Tomorrow night."

Cruz leaned towards Patrick. "Remind me not to talk to him for the next three days or so. He'll be all annoying and mushy-like."

"Can you blame him? Have you seen Elizabeth?"

"Only soaking wet in a bathing suit, but now that you mention it, you do make an excellent point."

"Are you two quite finished mentally undressing her yet?"

"Wait...wait...okay done." Patrick replied.

"Besides, we weren't talking about the woman I'm seeing. We were talking about the woman Cruz has been seeing that he keeps denying exists."

"There is that." Patrick stroked his fake beard, resembling the Godfather.

"You look like a moron when you do that." Cruz pointed out.

"Still stalling." Lucky responded. "It's not going to work."

"You ever wonder what would have happened if you'd taken a stab at law instead of music?" Patrick asked Lucky.

"Given my dad a heart attack and gotten myself disowned?"

"Hey Luke likes Alexis and she's a lawyer." Cruz pointed out.

"Yeah but she's a Cassadine and she's dating Mac. He considers it further signs of her mental instability."

"Do me a favor. Don't mention any of this in front of Mac. I don't need another reason to get beat up tonight."

Lucky snorted. "Like my dad keeps any of his opinions to himself. Trust me, Mac and Alexis know what he thinks."

"Back to Cruz's mystery date. Is she too young to drink? Is that why you've switched alcohols on us?"

"Yes please tell us we won't have to bail you out of jail or find you a lawyer."

Cruz shook his head. "What is with your obsession with one of us ending up in jail?"

Lucky shrugged. "It's Port Charles. It's bound to happen sooner or later. But she is legal at least right?"

"Do you think I'm a total pervert? I wouldn't date someone underage."

"So she's at least 18 then?" Lucky guessed.

"There goes my dream of Chuck E. Cheese passes."

"I'm lost."

Lucky rolled his eyes. "He's hoping to stall again by bringing in Elizabeth's second job. She works at Chuck E. Cheese during the summer."

"That explains why she's attracted to you."

Lucky paused and looked thoughtful. "No wonder he's been able to keep this secret for however long he's kept it. He's incredibly skilled at distracting us."

"I thought only shiny objects could do that."

"That only works on the women you usually date."

"You might as well tell us. We're going to figure it out." Patrick assured Cruz.

"Oh really?" Cruz leaned back in his chair. "Like you've been so right before?"

"Robin and I got pretty close the other night."

"You know nothing." They may have gotten close, but they hadn't seen anything.

"Luke caught up with us at the restaurant and spooked you."

"Hello. Restaurant? What restaurant? What about my father and a restaurant?"

"Robin got us into the kitchen and then we spotted Cruz and his date sitting at a table behind some unnaturally tall plant."

"Damn vegetation. How does my dad fit into all this?"

"He caught us spying."

"Yelled a lot, didn't he?"

"Yes and completely ruined our chance to surprise Cruz."

"I'll get mom to yell at him for that." Lucky turned his attention back towards Cruz. "So you see we will figure this all out. I mean we already know a lot."

"Oh please." Cruz rolled his eyes.

"We know she exists despite your claims to the contrary." Lucky ticked off.

"There must be a reason he's keeping her from us."

"Is she ugly?" Lucky guessed.

"I'm not that shallow." Cruz defended himself.

"Cruz, this is us." Patrick reminded him.

"Yeah. Weren't you the one who dumped that Amber chick because she died her hair green?"

"It was fucking green! How could I take her out in public with green hair?"

"My point is we still got to meet Amber, green hair and all. What the fuck is the problem with us meeting this one?" Lucky argued.

"Amber was a girl I barely dated in college. That was different. She lived a floor up from us."

"So this one lives on the other side of the moon then?" Lucky offered. "Is that why you are rarely home anymore?"

"How many weekends have you lost with this girl? I only ask to determine how serious this is."

"You two are worse than Foster and Roul fighting over the last bone from Thanksgiving."

Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "Then you should recognize it and just tell us what we want to know."

"Oh for the love of God!" Cruz groaned, putting his hand over his eyes. His head was throbbing and he knew it was just going to get worse. Part of him wanted to do nothing but jump and run from the table. A juvenile but completely effective way of ending the conversation. A second part begged him just to come clean, tell the truth that he was actually dating their aunt and that was the reason they hadn't introduced them. Still a more reasonable third part pointed out he hadn't exactly broached going public with Bobbie just yet and he should probably tell her he wanted to before exposing them to her entire family.

"Somebody's flustered." Patrick crooned, looking quite pleased with himself.

"An interesting turn of events for someone who has nothing to hide." Lucky nodded his head in Cruz's direction.

"Brenda, we're going to need something a little stronger than Coronas." Patrick called, peeking behind the bar. "Where's Brenda? I haven't seen her all night."

Cruz shrugged. "Now that you mention it, I haven't seen her in awhile."

"But this is her bar. I'll be the first to admit, she's a big of why I come to Jake's."

"There's the understatement of the year." Cruz looked over at the burly man standing in Brenda's place at the bar. "No offense to Sven there, but it's just not the same looking at him."

"Wait...I know! It's Brenda! Brenda is your secret girlfriend!" Lucky pounded his fist on the table with excitement.

Patrick gave Lucky a sideways look, but remained silent.

Cruz gave his friend a look of pure pity. "Are you terminally stupid? If I was dating Brenda I would announce it on the cover of my own magazine."

"It was worth a shot." Lucky defended himself. "You've never kept any woman you've dated a secret. Ever. We've always met every single one, no matter how short term."

"You've not met all of them."

"No I think it's all of them. You held out on Nicole for awhile but that was because she was also dating that football playing steroid abuser." Lucky paused as a revelation came to him. "Wait a second. That's it!"

"Do you keep them hidden in a secret vault?" Patrick wondered, missing his cousin's sudden outburst.

Lucky hit his cousin in the back of his head. "Pay attention would you? I figured it out!"

"You did?" Patrick asked, rubbing his scalp and pouting.

"Listen to me. The only one we didn't meet right away was seeing someone else at the same time. So obviously he must be keeping her secret. He's her dirty little plaything! He's somebody's side action!"

"Did you start watching soaps again?" Cruz wondered.

"Is that it?" He asked Cruz.

"No." Cruz answered, a little too forcefully.

"Oooh, touchy." Patrick chuckled.

"So this other guy? Does he have a neck? Will he kill you if you are discovered? Do I need to send a security detail over for you?"

"Cancel his SoapNet will you?" Cruz pleaded with Patrick.

"I have to ask the all-important question." Patrick told him.

"Oh good Lord, what's that?"

"Is she good in bed?"

"Yes. Because if she is, well then by all means share. Anything goes in the pursuit of good sex right?"

Cruz bit his lip to keep his beer from being spit across the table. If they only knew the truth..."I'm not answering that."

Looking over at his cousin, Lucky nodded. "That's a yes."

"I didn't even say anything!" Cruz protested.

"And that says it all." Patrick replied, grinning.

"Completely." Lucky nodded.

"There is no stopping you two until you are satisfied is there?"

"It's your own fault. We never would have carried it this far if you had just owned up."

"Yup. Fess up and cleanse your soul." Lucky did an imitation of the preacher at the church Laura made sure they all attended every Christmas.

He had to tell them something that much was clear. "Fine. I am seeing someone. No she's not underage. She doesn't have a boyfriend or a husband. She's not ugly. I'm just not ready to have you two run her off just yet."

"Do you hear him? Like we would ever do that."

"Yeah we only run off the losers." Lucky defended.

"This one is different."

"Different how?" Patrick urged.

Cruz decided he was not nearly drunk enough to go into that just yet. "More mature. Watching you two try to belch the alphabet in Spanish will not help me with her."

"Hey that was one drunken formal in college!" Lucky protested. "And you were the one coaching us!"

"I had to get through Spanish somehow." Patrick grumbled.

"My point is when the time is right, you'll meet her but not before I have a chance to warn her about the two of you."

"She sounds like a snob." Patrick stated matter-of-factly.

"She's not. Just meeting you two is not something you drop the good ones into right away."

"'The good ones'? Do you hear this guy?" Patrick took a long pull of his beer.

"It's worse than we thought. It sounds serious." Lucky shook his head. "And we are not that bad. We'd behave."

Cruz gave him an incredulous look over the top of his drink. "Then I guess Elizabeth will be joining us the next time we all go out then?"

Lucky opened his mouth and promptly closed it. "Point taken."

"Look you'll meet her. I promise. Now can we move on to something else to talk about?" Cruz asked.

"Lucky was just about to tell us about his date with Miss Elizabeth." Patrick declared, hopping behind the bar and grabbing another beer for himself. Sven turned in his direction, but said nothing. "Now, go ahead." He waved his hand toward his cousin.

"Nothing to tell. We are going out tomorrow. End of story."

"That good huh?"

"You can thank me for the movie suggestion later." Patrick assured him.

"You can use the private listening party in the studio when Robin is talking to you again."

"Deal."

Patrick rested his chin in his left palm, looking dazed by all that was going on around him. He had one friend dating the Invisible Woman and the other trying his damndest to keep his girl happy. And he? He was moping and he needed to get out of here before he started mumbling like an idiot. Showing up at Robin's drunk would probably do irreparable damage. He just wanted to climb into a cab and go home. How was he going to get out of this conversation?


	43. Smooth

Elizabeth re-braided her hair down the middle of her back. Finishing she adjusted the hemline of dark green halter top she had on with black jeans. As she bent to tie her black wedge sandals, it occurred to her this was the dressiest any of her co-workers would ever see her.

Sasha, the 16 year old girl with cat-eye glasses, walked into the employee women's bathroom and whistled. "Damn girl. Hot date tonight?"

Smiling sweetly, she patted the younger girl's shoulder as she made her way out the door. "Funny. See you later Sasha."

"Do something I'm not allowed to do!" Sasha bellowed as the door swung close in her face.

Adjusting her bag on her shoulder, she exited the screaming playroom for the relative quiet of the parking lot. Her grandmother had dropped her off at the start of her shift and Lucky was bringing her home tonight after their date. Something she was still debating the wisdom on, even now, standing waiting for him to show.

Robin had argued that she should demand an explanation of that damn photo. She should tell him how it ticked her off and then refuse to see him again until whatever it was with Daphne was either explained or over. Elizabeth wasn't entirely sure she bought into Robin's publicity theory so she had mainly agreed with the explanation part of it to keep Robin calm.

She probably should have just called him up and cancelled. But he would have demanded an explanation. And somehow she couldn't make her jealousy seem like a rational response considering they had one official date and two admittedly intense make out sessions. Hell calling him her boyfriend at this point would be premature!

After Max, she had decided that she was done with players. It was going to be all or nothing with her. Seeing Max with her former best friend had all but killed her. She had thought after six months of dating the monogamy would be implied with him but apparently she was wrong. He had even had the unmitigated gall to say he hadn't really cheated since they didn't say they were exclusive and she was the one overreacting. That was when she kicked him in the groin and packed her bags for Port Charles.

She liked Lucky. She could finally admit that much. And she did not want to screw this up, either by pushing him to make a commitment way too early or being a jealous shrew for no reason. Not seeing him, much as she could declare it to Robin in a fit of rage, was not an option at this point. So she had made herself a compromise, one she was sure her friend would laugh herself sick over if she ever heard it. She'd continue to see Lucky, but nothing that happened the previous two times they had been together would occur until they had at least discussed what exactly they were.

No button popping, no underclothing movements, no kissing. She tilted her head to the side and reconsidered the last one. The man could kiss. Okay there could be kissing, but no tongue. If she kept the limits firmly in mind, she should be fine.

The rumble of the truck engine interrupted her musing. In the sunset she could make out the powder blue classic she had learned was named Bessie. Lucky pulled right up to where she was standing and jumped out of the driver's seat to open her door. Cowboy boots peeked out under the jeans and the plain white t-shirt. He grinned when he saw her and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "You look beautiful." Spying her shoes, he pointed at them. "I hope you have back ups in that bag of yours."

Damn she was in trouble. He couldn't have come out with a zit on his face or just sat there and honked the horn or something? Smiling, she patted her bag. "In here but I figured I could change them when we get to wherever you are taking me."

He opened the door and offered his hand to help her inside. "I promise you will enjoy our destination."

Even though she was fully capable of entering the truck herself, she accepted his hand and felt a shiver race down her spine when she felt his hand steady her on the small of her back. Yup she was so in trouble here.

"Do you have some fetish about blindfolds I need to be aware of?" Elizabeth grumbled as she tried to pull his hand down off her eyes.

As they neared their destination, he had felt the urge to pull her close and cover her eyes with his free hand. Partly because she had looked so cute when he surprised her the week before at the State and partly just to have her close to his body again. He pondered the many possibilities her questions implied.

"Seems to be one I only have with you. I guess you're going to have to help me figure out exactly why I feel this urge when you are near." He grinned as he noticed the blush start up her neck towards her cheeks. Pulling the truck into a spot, he killed the engine. "Besides we're here and you need to change your shoes."

"Oh you don't want to change them for me?" she pouted.

"Cute Cinderella." Releasing his hand from her face, he gestured outside. "Well what do you think Princess?"

After a few blinks, the picture came into clear focus. Behind a wooden plank fence, horses roamed back and forth, some nibbling on the grass, some looking curiously right at them. A young boy or she supposed it could be a jockey--it was hard to tell from the back--sat on one fence post feeding a chestnut beauty. An old stable stood behind it all, with people streaming in and out.

"Horseback riding? We're going horseback riding?" She all but squealed in delight.

"Have you been before?" She seemed happy with the idea. Lucky felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had been unsure about up until she had squealed.

"I used to go when I was younger but haven't been in a long time." Elizabeth quickly changed to her more suitable sneakers.

Chuckling at her enthusiasm, Lucky went to open her side of the truck and help her down. "Watch your step. The horses tend to go this way when it's not so crowded."

He had gently released her once both feet were steady on the ground and for once Elizabeth was sorry she wasn't as clumsy as she normally was around him. Falling into him would have been a great way to feel his arms around her without breaking any of the rules she had laid down for herself. "Thank you."

Winking at her, he smiled. "You're welcome little lady." His attempt at a Southern drawl was pathetic but cute. "Now let's go see your chariot for the night."

"So how long have you been coming here anyways?" Elizabeth gently prodded the grey mare named Snowflake along the path. The full moon was just beginning to show itself and the fireflies were blinking through the field the trail cut across.

"What gave you that impression?" Lucky never quite figured out how but somehow he always ended up on the horse that wanted to spend the whole ride eating. This white and chestnut stallion called Santa appeared to be no exception.

Giggling as he tried to maneuver his horse around yet another pocket of wildflowers, she tried her best skeptical look. "So total strangers hug you and call you Cowboy then?"

Lou Ann had met them at the stables and insisted on giving them these two to ride. He seriously wondered what he had ever done to the older woman to deserve this stubborn hungry fool he was riding. "Lulu had a serious case of horse fever, and guess who got roped into taking her down here every weekend until he escaped for college?"

"I got the impression that it had been months since that woman had seen you, not years."

"My sister is trying to get Cameron riding."

"Not working so well?"

"The ponies he does okay. Big ones like this still scare him."

They fell into silence as the horses plodded along the well worn path. The stars appeared brighter out here, even though Elizabeth was well aware they weren't all that far away from the city. Crickets began their evening serenade. "It's so peaceful out here." she breathed.

"You really can hear yourself think out here." He managed to maneuver his horse so he was actually right next to her instead of slightly behind.

"And it's so beautiful with the stars and everything." She waved her hand to indicate the scenery that surrounded them.

Catching her hand with his, he squeezed it tight. "Still the most beautiful thing out here tonight is you."

She caught his eye and smiled. It was corny but still sweet. He was so close that she could just lean over and kiss him with ease. Just lean out a few inches to the left and she could feel his lips underneath hers once again. And she could pretty much guarantee the horses would keep it from getting to intense too quickly. Just a few inches away temptation lay waiting. "Thank you."

Pulling their intertwined hands to his lips, he gently brushed hers with his lips. "I'd attempt more but I think Santa is looking at those flowers a little too long."

True to his prediction, Santa promptly stopped, causing them to release their grips as Snowflake continued to meander forward. Giggling she stopped Snowflake so they wouldn't get too separated. Several curse words and threats later, he succeeded in getting the stubborn stallion moving again.

"This is not the way I pictured this going." he grumbled.

As they drove back towards her grandmother's house, Lucky resisted the urge to kiss her on the top of her head. She had curled up into his side, with her feet resting on the bench seat, the shoes long since discarded on the floorboards. His arm hung around her shoulders, playing with her fingers.

"You sleeping down there?"

Nestled comfortably between his arm and his chest, Elizabeth shook her head. "No." she denied through a yawn.

He chuckled softly. "Did Cinderella over-exert herself tonight?"

"Some of us worked on our feet for eight hours before riding horses for two hours. We don't all spend all day listening to Evans Blue record new stuff."

"Touché. But did you at least have fun?"

She pulled her head back just far enough to catch his eye and smiled at him. "Yes. I had a wonderful time."

"Then that's all that matters then." He pulled her back to him, determined to enjoy this before the night ended.

Lapsing into comfortable silence, Elizabeth played over the events of the night. So far she hadn't broken any of her rules. Alright so being curled up into his chest probably would but she hadn't made a rule against such an act. Beyond a few innocent kisses on her cheek and her hand, there had been no kissing that would lead to the danger zone. All touching had been concentrated on the hand and face area. It had been a great date and she had followed every rule she had laid out for herself. She was very proud of herself.

Much too soon for her liking, Elizabeth realized they were pulling into her driveway. The porch light was on, but otherwise the house looked dark. Grams must be in bed. As Lucky switched off the ignition, Elizabeth slowly and reluctantly untangled herself from his arms. She stretched her arms over her head and grimaced when a slight pain shot through her back.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Lucky gently touched the small of her back when he noticed the grimace.

"It's nothing. Just stiff."

"You sure?"

She smiled at the concern in his voice. "I just need to put a heating pad on it when I get in. Over did it a little bit today."

"Let me help." Lucky began to move her so her back was facing him as he sat sideways.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh. Just let me do this."

"Lucky, you don't have to do anything."

He began gently rubbing the tops of her shoulders and protests flew from her mind. All she could concentrate on was the feel on his hands on her bare skin. Her brain warned this was going to lead to trouble but her body wasn't about to listen and he moved his hands towards the center of her shoulders and his fingers began to play with the muscles in her neck.

"It was my idea to go horseback riding. The least I can do is to make sure you're relaxed when you go inside. Can you let me do that? Relax you?"

She barely nodded as his breath tickled the back of her neck.

"Good."

Her eyes slid shut as he concentrated on her shoulders and neck. His hands felt cool somehow against her warm skin. His hands moved down slightly, his fingers gently brushing her sides. Moving his hands in circles, they continued their decent until they reached the small of her back.

His hands nearly spanned her waist when they stopped. Gently pressing his thumbs and working them in circles, he worked the muscles in her back until she was sure she wouldn't be able to stand anymore. They hadn't spoken a word but the air in the cab had grown thick and heavy. Her breathing had become more and more shallow the longer he massaged her back. She was going to melt into the seat. Her hands reached for something to hold onto, settling on grabbing his muscular thigh.

She felt him his intake of breath against the back of her neck when she had squeezed his leg. He nudged her braid to the side with his nose, laying a small kiss at the nape of her neck. Elizabeth whimpered in response.

"Are you relaxed yet? Should I stop?" he teased.

"Do and die." She managed.

Chuckling softly, he moved his hands under her shirt, causing a shiver to run up her spine as he continued his massage. His fingers gently tapped on her stomach as he continued his assault on her back, kissing her neck and nibbling on her shoulders. She moved one of her hands to the back of his neck, trying to turn her head so she could capture his lips with her own.

His hands started to climb higher, continuing the slow torture he had started earlier. His lips had found a spot where her neck and her shoulders met that was driving her crazy and he lavished attention on it. He bit, licked, sucked, and kissed the rapidly overheating skin and was rewarded by her moan in response.

"Oh God," she whispered, overwhelmed by his kisses on her neck and the feel of his hands moving up her back.

She hadn't realized how high he climbed until she felt his fingers brush the undersides of her breasts. She tightened her grip on his thigh as he stilled his hands, lightly tickling her with the smallest of touches.

He moved his lips towards her ear. "You okay?" he whispered.

Not trusting herself to speak, Elizabeth nodded.

She managed to secure one hand around the back of his neck as he nibbled on her earlobe. She gripped him tightly as his right hand began to massage the breast it held. He rolled it slowly in his hand, and then kneaded it, feeling the nipple harden underneath the strapless bra. She leaned back against him, feeling his erection pressing against her back. She moaned as his left hand began mimicking what his right was doing.

"Lucky."

His right hand began to trace down her stomach, teasingly tracing her belly button. He slipped the hand out to trace the curve of her hip, squeezing tightly. She managed to succeed in bringing his face forward enough to capture his lips with her own, their tongues moving to mingle with each other. She made a move to twist herself fully around so she could straddle his hips, when the lights blinded them.

Turning their heads towards the blinding glare, they could barely make out a car turning into the driveway and pulling towards them. Just as quickly the driver threw the car in reverse and started back the way they came. A lost driver who had missed their turn in the dark.

Elizabeth rested her forehead on his. "He has timing."

"Yeah the bad kind." Lucky grumbled.

Pulling back towards the relative safety of the passenger side she smiled at him. "I should have stopped you before then." She whispered.

"Why?"

"Because we still barely know each other."

He leaned forward and kissed her neck. "We're getting to know each other." He pointed out.

"I know but…" She reluctantly pulled away. Touching him was dangerous. "I just need more time."

He played with the ends of her braid. "Do we get to spend this time you need together?"

"Yes."

"Can we spend some of it at my aunt's birthday party this weekend?"

"I wouldn't know anyone there." She hedged. Meeting his family so soon? She had met Laura a few times through school events. And of course she knew Patrick a little bit by now thanks to his vigil at Robin's bedside but the rest of the clan?

"You've met Patrick and not run away screaming. I know you've met my mom. And Robin's coming."

"She is?" Well she was reasonably sure she could count on Robin to keep her from making a total fool of herself. Unless of course the other girl got into another fight with Patrick in the middle of the party. That actually may be fun to watch as she thought about it for a minute.

"Yes. So will you come tomorrow?"

"Fine. I'll come."

Lucky kissed her on the forehead. "I'll pick you up around three okay?" Seeing her nod, he gently kissed her lips, careful to keep the touch light. "You better get inside."

"You aren't walking me to the door?"

"I still need a minute here."

Blushing at the realization, she nodded quickly and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I'll see you tomorrow then."


	44. Pieces

**In honor of successfully wrapping up another chapter, here is Chapter 44!**

"Don't make me look fat." Nettie Adlam insisted as she took her seat on the soft white couch at the back of the studio. She threw her toothpick-thin legs onto the cushions, her strawberry-blonde hair bunched up at her shoulders. She wore a very provocative black suit and four-inch matching pumps, giving the look of a professional hooker. Patrick shook his head. How did he get saddled with clients like this? She was barely legal and yet she walked around his studio as if she was somehow above him, her fingers brushing over equipment that, should she break it, would cost half his yearly paycheck to replace. It had taken three years to get his studio just as he wanted it. Almost instantly, he had done away with the white sheet he often found at Sears Portrait Studios and other such places, because he thought it incredibly tacky. He had spent four years learning about bending light and catching shadows. He didn't go halfway when it came to his work and it severely pissed him off when others in his field did just that. Oh well. Their loss was his gain. Quite literally since Miss Adlam had recently left her previous photographer and sought him out. His business was based on his reputation and he was never actively available to anyone. Sharon Stone could storm into his apartment demanding that he take her picture and he doubted he would blink an eye. Actually, first he would ask how she was referred to him, then he would say something she would find incredibly adorable and, after all of that…"Did you hear me?"

"I couldn't make you fat." Patrick replied in a professional tone, a voice in the back of his mind saying that the model in front of him couldn't weigh ninety pounds.

"I'm here because I was told you're the best." Miss Adlam went on.

"I am. You're in good hands." Patrick answered noncommittally. He was in photographer mode now--checking his camera, taking a few practice shots to be loaded onto his LCD monitor, cursing his decision to buy a tripod--so he didn't hear her go on and on about how different her life was, who she had been introduced to, or even which movie producer thought she would be perfect for the leading role in his next movie.

"I wasn't ready!" Miss Adlam complained, folding her arms across her unappealing A-cup chest. Her suit nearly swallowed her up and he desperately wanted to force-feed her something if only to prove to himself that she wouldn't pass out during this photo shoot.

"Those weren't the custom shots. It'll just be one more minute." Patrick said through gritted teeth. Why hadn't he majored in still-life photography? At least fruit was healthy. At least fruit didn't talk back to him.

"Some of us have lives." He heard her grumble.

"And some of us have deadlines. Do you want to reschedule this? I have something open around this time next year." Patrick figured he should at least offer it to her.

"Next year? I can't possibly put this off until then! These shots are supposed to go in next month's issue of Vogue!" She shrieked and Patrick narrowed his eyes at her.

"You might want to reconsider your tone." Patrick threatened softly.

"I have anger issues." She countered, flipping her hair from side to side.

She had some issues alright. "Get it under control." Patrick ordered.

"You can't talk to me that way!" She shrieked again and Patrick was about ready to sacrifice his pricey equipment for some peace and quiet.

"Get out of my studio." He nodded toward the door.

"What?" It was as if she had been so bored by the entire exchange that she had actually blocked it out. "Why?"

"Get the hell out of my studio!" Patrick roared, clicking off his camera and closing the distance in-between them. He brought his face down so that it was level with hers. "I can't work with you."

"But you're the best!" She pleaded. The desperation was obvious in her tone. Shunning her this way would mean public humiliation. He would be on the phone with Cruz as soon as she was gone, defaming her newfound popularity. She would be considered used goods and no one would hire her for anything else.

"Do I need to call your agent and tell him what a pain in the ass you're being?" It cracked him up that he had to talk to her as he suspected her father had done when she had lived at home to get his point across.

"N-no." She shook her head. "Let's get this over with."

"Let's get something straight. I am the professional. No one has even heard of you. This is my life's work, little girl. I do some of my best work here. You will sit down, shut up, and leave me to it. "

"You're kind of scary." She whispered.

"Sit down." He snapped, pointing toward the couch.

"Jacket on or off?" She wanted to know.

"On. I'd like to at least give the impression that you're not anorexic." Patrick explained.

"I gained five whole pounds this week."

"And that puts you at what? Ten?" Patrick needed to shut up and do what he was being paid to do, but something about her made him see red. Why couldn't she be even the slightest bit intelligent? A year from now she'd still be nobody no matter who she was forced to sleep with in that time. It was a pathetic way to live your life, but he wouldn't go so far as to say that he pitied her. It was sick the kind of effect she would most likely have on the insecure twelve year old girls in the world.

"I didn't say anything about your two-day beard, Mr. Professional." She sneered.

"It's called dedication…you know for those of us who don't have a ten o'clock bedtime." Patrick thumbed his 35mm back on and peeked through the lens.

"It's called sloppy. If you're at all interested, I can send my stylist up here--" She suggested.

"Miss Adlam, shut up. You're going to smear the picture if you keep talking."

"Is this better?" She squeezed through her tightly clasped lips.

"Silence. History is being made." Don't strangle her. She's a kid. Take the picture. Take it right the first time. Don't fuck it up. Don't fuck it up. "There. Now, get out."

Robin smacked herself in the neck with the forest-green clothes hanger, debating on the outfit in her hand. The mirror was full-length at least giving her a pretty good idea of how it would look on. She had already selected a pair of white sandaled heels, so really it was just locating an outfit that matched and looked respectable. She had decided early on to not battle with her hair until after she picked the outfit, because she already knew it was going to give her trouble.

"I liked the white one." Morgan announced from the doorway. He was clad in footie Oscar the Grouch pajamas and she noticed him rubbing the sleep from his walnut-brown eyes.

Robin smiled, having not realized he was watching her. "You don't think wearing white is asking for trouble?" Robin chewed on her bottom lip, staring down at the aforementioned ensemble. It wasn't foreign for her to ruin a white dress when red wine was offered at a party.

"I like the fluffy sleeves." Morgan assured her, referring to the tiny pieces of lace that barely covered the top of her shoulders. The dress itself was short and spaghetti-strapped, but the sleeves kept it looking sexy instead of slutty. She did not want to show up at Bobbie's looking sexy, especially since she knew Patrick would be attending. They hadn't talked in almost a week, but she bet that would all change if he managed to get her away from his family long enough to get his point across once more.

"I like it too." Robin nodded, returning the Froot Loop array of colorful dresses to their hangers and placing them in the closet. "Curly or straight?" She wasn't sure why his opinion mattered to her, maybe because he was honest and far too young to understand the importance of a little white lie.

"Curly." Morgan giggled, jumping onto the mattress and resting in-between the two pillows, making himself comfortable.

Guiding her silver earrings into the available holes at the lower tip of her ears, she studied herself in the mirror. "Are your eyes closed?" Morgan put his hands over his eyes. Stripping out of her purple and gray flannel pajamas, Robin latched her bra into place and slid the dress over her head, the silk fanning over her skin. "Okay, you said curly?" She said, watching the small boy drop his hands in his laps only to bring them together and clap in delight.

"Yeah. Little twisty curls." Morgan clarified, opening the nightstand drawer and extracting her curling iron.

"You've been spending far too much time with Aunt Courtney." Robin claimed, reaching across the mattress to tickle Morgan's belly. He rolled onto his side, evading her touch, his giggles bouncing off the walls. "Miss Elizabeth told me that you were with me everyday at the hospital." Morgan's lips pursed together and he could no longer meet her eyes. "I could hear you talking to me." She informed him and his head lifted, his eyes glowing.

"I missed you lots." Morgan wasn't ashamed to admit, crawling over to Robin and giving her a hug.

"I missed you too." Robin whispered, turning to kiss his right cheek.

"Aunt Courtney didn't understand about the crayons." Morgan whispered.

"What about them?" Robin whispered back, biting back a smile.

"That there needs to be sixty-four. One of them broke and now I can't finish my pages." Morgan explained, looking physically pained by the ordeal.

"What color was it?" Robin inquired.

"Wisteria." Morgan replied, gulping down a tear or two.

"I might have it." Robin walked over to her closet, stood on tiptoe, and retrieved a small plastic box with a white lid. It was shoe-box size and dusty with age. She flipped the lid up and it made a cracking noise, proving that the plastic had cracked. Morgan put both of his hands over his mouth, but Robin waved her hand at his concern. She took her spare box of crayons and ran her fingers over each one, pulling out a couple that might have been the color Morgan was desperate for. "Here you go." She handed the violet crayon over and closed the paper box before setting it in the crumbling plastic container.

"But don't you need it?" Morgan wanted to know when he urged her to go to his own room and change into party clothes.

"Maybe I can borrow yours sometimes?" Robin asked.

"Sure, Robin." Morgan agreed, slipping out of the room.

"And that's with the personal massage?" Laura asked the clerk, moving her purse around so she could pluck out her credit card.

"Yes ma'am." The tall and skinny pimple-faced redhead clarified, looking bored with his choice of professions.

"What do you think? We're talking manicures, pedicures, massages, facials..." Laura prattled on.

"It sounds heavenly Laura, but I can't let you do all this." Bobbie laughed, shaking her hair back and forth. "You're throwing the party later tonight. At least let me pay for my part." She rummaged in her purse, determined to find her credit card.

"Nonsense." Laura lightly slapped her sister-in-law's hand and threw her Visa on the table. The clerk jumped a foot in the air. "I do apologize."

"No problem, ma'am." He assured her, swiping her card and handing it back in two seconds flat. "If you'll just take your seats, two of our employees will come and get you in five minutes." He explained, nodding toward the cream-colored couches facing the back window.

Bobbie sank down into the plush cushions and waited for Laura to do the same. Satisfied with her comfort level, she turned towards her sister-in-law. "So how crazy is Luke driving you with that motorcycle?"

"Let's just say agreeing to let him keep it funded our trip today." Laura smirked, snapping her brown leather purse shut.

Bobbie giggled. Her brother had been fighting a one man war against being called old ever since Cameron was born. It was just fine for his younger sister to be a grandmother, but he was far too young to be a grandfather. She had never tried to follow her brother's logic, and she wasn't about to start now.

"Do you think he'll actually get Cameron on it?" she mused aloud.

"God, I hope not. I've got Lulu convinced that that kid needs to be on a horse and I think she's influencing Lucky's decision to return to the stables." Laura replied confidently.

"Good. If you need any extra influence, I'm sure I can convince Lucas and Dillon Lance would love horseback riding lessons."

"How is Lance? I feel like I haven't seen him in ages."

"I'm sure we'll be talking him out of jumping off the roof tonight."

"You're not serious."

"As a heart attack. I suspect when they worked the bakery last week, they weren't watching how many cookies he was sneaking."

"I was going over the list for the party and I noticed that you didn't add anyone to it." Laura veered cautiously.

"Did you expect me to?" Bobbie had noticed Lucky and Patrick had invited Cruz like she had suspected they were going to. It was going to be a long night of being able to see him but not be with him. They had barely had any time together since Robin's accident and she found herself missing him desperately.

"Well, you haven't been answering your phone lately, so I just assumed you were busy with other things...other people perhaps." Laura reached into her purse for her lip gloss.

"I've been helping Lucas at the bakery while Robin is recovering. And then that wedding is driving me crazy!"

"I guess that must be it. Well, no worries, today you're going to leave your stress on the massage table." She leaned in close and whispered, "I don't suppose you'll let me in on the identity of the secret bride?"

"Only if I wanted to lose the commission." This wedding was going to be the death of her if the bride didn't start sticking to a decision she made. At this exact second they were working on theme wedding number 900.

"Ladies." A slim Latino woman called to them, her dark hair pinned up, curls falling in front of her matching dark eyes. "My name is Francesca. Which of you would be Barbara?"

"That would be me. Please call me Bobbie."

"Very well. I hear you're celebrating a birthday today." She smiled at Bobbie's loss of color. "Not to worry. We don't have any balloons or funny hats hidden in the back. Will you come with me please?" Francesca glanced over at Laura.

"Laura, Arturo will be out to meet you very soon. He's finishing up with another client. It should only be a moment."

"Are you going to be okay by yourself?" Bobbie asked Laura.

"Of course. They have enough Vogue here to keep me entertained. Please go enjoy your birthday."

Francesca led Bobbie to the first door to the left at the top of the stairs, reaching past her and pushing the clear doors open. She handed Bobbie a white terrycloth robe. "This is your changing room. As you can see, the door locks from the inside. There are bathrooms and a shower behind the lockers. I'll come and get you in a few minutes. What can I get you to drink? Wine? Cola? Something stronger?" She winked at the last suggestion.

"Do you have champagne?" Bobbie wondered.

"Of course. It's your decision whether or not you want to wear panties during your massage. You can pick any of these lockers and keep your clothing in here. Choose any four-digit code and then simply close it."

"Thank you." Bobbie watched the friendly woman exit the locker room and then sank onto the wooden bench provided.

She was far too old to be lying naked on a table with an unfamiliar person pinching and pulling at her wrinkles. She figured she had aged very well, but the idea of letting a stranger touch her sent a chill down her spine. Still, this was Luke and Laura's birthday present to her and she knew it hadn't been a cheap expense. Plus, Laura swore by massages being a gift from God. "Get it together." She whispered to the empty room, moving to the bathroom and locking herself inside a stall. She undressed hastily, not wanting Francesca to find that she hadn't done what she was told. Bobbie wondered how old the woman was. Her skin was flawless and she had some curves, but nothing about her screamed unattractive. Maybe Bobbie should have agreed to have her hair done for the party.

No, she didn't want to put out her brother and sister-in-law anymore than she already had.

"Bobbie?" Francesca called a split second later. Bobbie stumbled out of the maroon stall, hurrying to her locker and using her birthday as the secret code. Stuffing her clothing inside, she tied the robe tightly around her and opened the door. "Are you ready?"

"Yes. Yes I am." Bobbie declared with a warm smile.

The noon day sun beat down on them as they struggled with the oversized table. Patrick accidentally stepped into a hole, causing him to almost drop his end. Lucky struggled to maintain his balance and keep the heavy top from crashing down on his foot.

"Watch it!" Lucky yelped as he adjusted the weight in his hands.

"Only your dad would dig a hole in the middle of the yard." Patrick grumbled.

"Don't ruin the future home of my motorcycle garage!" Luke shouted from the top of the yard. "It took me forever to find the perfect spot!"

"Jesus. You're going to get somebody killed you kook!" Patrick called across the lawn.

"He'll get himself killed if mom hears about a motorcycle garage."

"How much more of this is there to do?" Patrick asked his cousin.

Lucky shrugged his shoulders as they finally placed the table down in the spot Laura had marked on the map. "Dad, what's left on the list?"

Luke consulted the list of instructions Laura had left taped on the refrigerator this morning before she left for the spa with Bobbie. Somehow she had the notion that if she didn't' write it all down specifically her husband would take over the decorating with his own ideas. He snorted. As if that could be bad.

"You need to pitch something your mother calls a sun tent over the tables." He cautiously kicked a large box by his feet. "This could be what she's talking about."

"What exactly is your role in all of this Uncle Luke?"

"Supervisor my boy. Supervisor."

"Remind me to call that position next time." Patrick said to Lucky.

"Good luck on that one. I've been trying to call that my whole life."

"How did Lucas get out of this?" Patrick wondered, wiping his sweaty forehead with the tail of his gray t-shirt.

"My misguided nephew seems to think I'm a bad influence on Lance." Luke paused as he passed a soda can to Cameron. "You don't think that do you Sport?"

Cameron laughed and shook his head. "No Grampa."

Lucky managed to disengage his son's fingers from around the can of straight sugar. "Later pal. You can have that later." He fixed a stern look at his father. "Gee I wonder where he got that idea."

"You can't cut the kid off from sugar." Patrick argued.

"I can try to keep him from jumping off the roof."

"It was just that one time." Patrick pointed out.

"Once is enough." Lucky held up one end of the box Luke had indicated. "Come on, we need to get this done."

"Sure. It looks easy enough." Patrick shrugged, glancing at the picture splayed across the front of the box.

"Cameron, do you want to go do something fun?" Luke bent towards his grandson, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Yes!"

"Come on then!" Glancing to make sure his son was busy trying to set up the tent, Luke began to move towards the garage. "Let's go for a ride!"

"Freeze!" Lucky had seen his dad start to move out of the corner of his eye. "Where are you going?"

"That's between my grandson and me." Luke countered, hiding the helmet behind his back.

"Grampa take me for a ride Daddy!"

"I gotta teach you to lie kid." Luke grumbled.

Lucky cocked his eyebrow at his father. "A ride huh?"

A crash sounded behind the trio and they laughed at the sight of Patrick trapped beneath the plastic equipment. "Lucky!"

With a wave of his finger, he addressed his father. "You. Don't move. Just supervise. Cameron, you come with me to help Uncle Patrick."

"It's faulty!" Patrick declared hotly.

Cameron cheerfully ran towards his father and second cousin. Reaching Patrick, he patted his hand. "You stuck."

"You're very observant, Cam." Patrick answered dryly.

"He's a genius." Lucky responded, lifting one of the offending pieces up enough for Patrick to wiggle his way out from under it.

"Luke, make yourself useful and get us something to drink." Patrick ordered, gesturing toward the kitchen door.

"I'm supervising." Turning towards the kitchen door, he yelled. "Lulu! Bring us out some beers!"

"Get your own!" a female voice yelled down from the second floor window. "Or I tell mom you tried to get Cameron on the motorcycle again."

"If I go back in that house," Patrick said to Lucky through clenched teeth, "you're on your own with this tent.

"If I go back in that house, my dad takes off on his mid-life crisis machine with my son."

"Let's get this over with."


	45. I Found A Reason

_What are we going to do tonight, Brain? Same thing we do every night, Pinky: Take over the world...one update at a time. By all means, enjoy the visual._

Patrick peeled the sticky shirt over his head and threw it into a heap on the bathroom floor along with his gray-green pants, socks, and tennis shoes. He turned on the shower, reaching out to test the temperature before exposing his body to anything especially unpleasant. Having lived at the Spencer house off and on most of his life, he had managed to stash a lot of his hair products and shaving accessories off the back corner of the grainy cream counter. Having accidentally left a load of laundry here, Patrick hadn't expected Laura to fold it up and put it in the spare bedroom for him.

Climbing in under the steamy spray, he stood there for the longest time, just thinking. A lot had happened in a very short amount of time. He had been thrown into a surreal kind of existence where seeing Robin Scorpio was the best part of his day. He didn't know anyone else who talked as brazenly as she did only to feel guilty about it later. When she did speak bad of him, it was never without cause; he deserved a lot of what he got. Still, he couldn't justify her reaction to his proposition when it had been sincere. Logan had taken her through the wringer for sure and Patrick was doing his best to work around her insecurities. It wasn't so much that he expected trust. Trust would lead to feelings and that's where things got really fuzzy. He had only offered monogamy, much to Lucky's bewilderment, because he knew she would never consider him any other way. Her main reason for breaking things off with Logan had been his inability to commit to her. Patrick didn't think he would have a problem paying Robin all of his attention for however long this lasted. There would always be other opportunities out there, but that didn't mean he had to pursue them all right now.

Patrick smiled, recognizing the small bottle of hair conditioner Laura had left for him. He dropped a quarter amount in his hands and worked it through his hair, wondering how he should go about getting Robin to talk to him. She would be expecting him to pick a fight with her since it was the fastest way to resolve issues when it came to their shaky relationship. Relationship in that they were actively participating in a common goal, not in the way that they planned on picking out china patterns any time soon. He wasn't willing to change his lifestyle too much, but he wasn't opposed to a few alterations. Robin's insistence on keeping Morgan in the dark about their affair meant that they would be spending a lot of time at his place. He already knew she was a neat freak and, while he wasn't incredibly messy, his apartment's usual level of clutter might give her just enough reason to think twice about pursuing this any farther. She worked like crazy and would be even more unavailable once she could get around without needing help. His schedule stayed flexible during the summer months, but once fall got here, he wasn't sure when he'd be able to see her. It was going to be a give-and-take system for them and she would have to be willing to help out just a little bit.

The water ran to cold as his thoughts floated into more dangerous areas. He reached for his towel and tried to keep his brother's face out of his mind. After the stunt the younger man had pulled on the anniversary of their mother's death, he would automatically assume that Patrick getting with Robin was be a ploy to pay him back. Patrick was almost certain that that wasn't it at all. It was that smile, he concluded. On the rare occasions where she would let a bit of pleasant emotion sweep across her face, she was incredibly beautiful. If she wasn't so quick to fight with him, he might have tried harder to get her to react differently to him. He wanted her to look forward to spending time with him, wanted to witness what it was she constantly held back. Basically, he wanted her to break loose and have some fun.

Logan would consider this the biggest betrayal, but surely it would all be over before his brother even knew what was going on. Patrick wouldn't hide it if his brother asked him directly, but he wasn't going to brag about Robin to his friends or family either. He didn't want to cause her anymore heartache. Logan had left her wary and vulnerable. While Patrick's conscience was conflicted, his brain pointed out that he would have to play on her emotions if he expected her to ever come to his side.

Slapping a moderate amount of goo into his hair, he combed it through every strand and wrapped the towel around his waist with his free hand. In his effort to approach her, he would have to be both subtle and noninvasive. He would lure her away from the family and be open and honest about what he wanted. He would convince her that he had considered every possibility, had thought of everything.

He hadn't been lying about the research he had done, had actually spent the last few days printing out page after page, making sure that he knew what he was getting himself into. His watch beeped at him and he had no choice but to take the single dose of pills from his pants pocket and swallow them dry. He was nothing if not punctual. While he understood his family's need to know, their concern would overwhelm him and he wouldn't be able to function after that. He needed to handle this on his own, needed to take every precaution if and when Robin decided that sleeping with him was in her best interest.

* * *

The house was silent as he left the confines of the bathroom, having cleaned up his mess and put his dirty clothes in the hamper. He made his way to the guest room and selected an outfit of jeans and cotton shirt from the bureau. He buttoned his jeans and pulled the shirt on, stuffing his feet into socks and then searching for his tennis shoes. Realizing that he had left them in the bathroom, he headed back across the hall and retrieved them. He heard a few cars pull into the driveway and knew that he had finished just in time. Running a hand through his damp hair, he cursed himself for not drying it, and put himself in charge of opening the door for guests. He could always tell his family, because not one of them bothered knocking. By the time he reached for the handle, they were already dropping onto the couch, carrying on small conversation with Patrick as they passed him.

Both Lucky and Cruz had gone back to their apartments to change clothes, so he was met with mostly family members he hadn't seen in a couple of years. No one was quite brave enough to pinch his cheeks or comment on his bare hand that should have held a wedding ring by now. When they did speak to him, it was always in reference to his company. He would tell them all they wanted, being sure not to overwhelm them, and then they would make a beeline for the fruit and vegetable trays. Lulu had set up the snack table and disappeared upstairs--Patrick assumed she was slapping on a lot of makeup to impress Cruz. It was comical how much effort she put into making herself look like a completely different person when she only ever received an obligatory compliment from Cruz. If he didn't know his friend like he did, he might have thought Lulu was the girl he was seeing, but that image left Patrick tasting something metallic. Cruz was practically his brother and Lulu might as well have been his little sister. His friend was a lot of things, but he wasn't fearless. If he showed even the slightest bit of interest in Lulu, Lucky would hit the ceiling.

Laura and Bobbie still hadn't arrived fifteen minutes later and Patrick began to let himself fret a bit. Lulu came down the stairs with Cameron in tow, looking just as conflicted. He and Lulu were supposed to keep a party going without any help at all? Without the birthday girl herself? Without Laura? They had gone through the complimentary snacks already so Patrick was forced to hire a caterer. Polite conversation was made as they awaited their guest of honor's arrival and Patrick found himself bored of the whole affair.

Leaning against the counter, Elizabeth paused long enough to splash her face with the cool water before resuming her self-appointed task of cleaning fresh vegetables for the rapidly dwindling trays. She began rummaging through the drawers, searching for the proper knife in the strange kitchen. Finding it, she blew a stray piece of hair out of her eyes as she began chopping.

When she had been at home, she had almost called and cancelled at least three times. She and Lucky had gone on two official dates, three if she counted the trip to Buffalo like Robin and Courtney did. And here she was getting ready to meet not only his mother and father, but his entire extended family as well. Plus she was also going through this audition process in front of her grandmother. Audrey had been invited to the party as well but had insisted on coming separately than her granddaughter, saying she didn't want to disrupt or cancel any plans that she and Lucky may have after the party. Elizabeth felt herself blush as she wondered if her grandmother had really been asleep when she finally made it into the house the other night.

She should just open the phone book and start looking for a good therapist. Or start asking for recommendations. This was insanity of the highest order! It ranked right up there with 55 hour marriages in Vegas. She hadn't even confronted him on the pictures with this Daphne girl yet and here she was meeting his family.

Elizabeth paused and amended her thoughts. She was about to meet his family. His mother and aunt still hadn't arrived yet. When Lucky ushered her into the home, his sister Lulu had cornered them in a panic. The guests kept coming and no one had a clue where the guest of honor was or how much longer they would be. Lulu had surrendered Cameron to one relative or another and the toddler had been swept away in the sea of well meaning relatives he barely knew. Lucky had left on a mission to save his son from having his cheeks seriously damaged from pinching and Elizabeth had decided the safest place for her right now was the kitchen. With no birthday girl present, suddenly being the new girlfriend or whatever it is she was would become the only topic of conversation in the room.

She blamed the still lingering heat. There was no way she would have agreed to this had the heat not affected her brain. And his uncanny talent for planning unbelievable dates. Horseback riding under the moon? She would have agreed to go on some sleazy talk show had he asked at that point. And his hands. Those terrible, damnable, wonderful, way too effective hands.

Lulu Spencer rushed through the swinging kitchen doors and stopped the second she spotted Elizabeth standing at the counter, stopping Elizabeth from further rumination about Lucky Spencer's talents, the ones she had experienced and fantasized about. One did not think about what exactly a guy could do with his hands when his baby sister was in the room. While she wasn't completely sure, Elizabeth was fairly certain Ann Landers would frown on it. Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth saw the younger blonde let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank God!" Lulu exclaimed. "I thought you had run in terror at the sheer numbers." Lifting herself up on the counter next to where Elizabeth stood cutting, she grabbed at one of the carrot sticks. "Don't let them scare you. We never see three-fourths of them anyway."

"You don't?"

"Nope the only ones you really need to impress are mom, dad, Aunt Bobbie, Lucas, Lance, Dillon, Aunt Ruby, Patrick and me."

Elizabeth laughed. "Oh is that all?"

Lulu shrugged. "Well Cameron already thinks you are the coolest thing ever since you know Chuck E. Cheese. Honestly Mom's a fan since you've managed to keep my brother interested three dates in a row, a rare accomplishment these days. Dad's a sucker for a pretty face. Patrick's easy as long as you don't plan on ruining Guy's Night for him. If Aunt Bobbie approves, Lucas and the rest will fall into place pretty easy. Never interfere with Aunt Ruby's cooking and you'll do fine."

"And what of you Miss Lulu?"

The younger woman smiled brightly. "Just treat my brother right and we'll get along fine." She looked over Elizabeth's Bermuda shorts, sandals, and rose colored cap sleeved peasant top. "You already get points for not dressing like a slutty extra from a video Lucky's had produced. Those I'm not always sure Lucky brings home just to scare Mom into not bugging him about his love life."

Elizabeth felt her trepidation rise with every word Lulu spoke. She hadn't for a second thought she was the only person Lucky Spencer had ever brought home. He was a handsome, successful single guy. He, most obviously, had a son. At some point, he had to have brought girls home to meet his family. But bringing girls home to scare his mother into not asking about his love life? And his mom being impressed that she had kept his attention for three, technically two, dates? It only added to Elizabeth's uncertainties about whatever it was she had started into with Lucky. Damn his hands!

Before she could press the younger woman for more information, a loud cheer erupted from the other room. Lulu hopped down from her perch, sticking her head barely out the swinging door. "Mom and Aunt Bobbie just got here," she announced over her shoulder as she left to greet the latecomers.

Elizabeth stood frozen by the sink. Did she bite the bullet and go meet members of the Spencer family? Or did she remain back here, until someone asked point blank where she had disappeared to?

She began arranging the chopped carrots on the tray. She'd just wait until she finished refilling this plate. Then she would go in. It was a job she had started and she was going to finish it. She wasn't going to stay in the kitchen forever. But she sure could try to delay her departure as long as she could.

* * *

"Quit being a pussy! It's just a party!" Cruz pounded on the steering wheel of his beloved Expedition for emphasis. "One you were invited to as a family friend. So suck it up and be the family friend. You didn't think hiding this was going to be easy for one second so quit avoiding it Rodriguez and get your ass in there before you raise more suspicions by sitting out here talking to yourself."

With a false sense of bravado, Cruz left the safety of his car and moved towards the Spencer family front door. Charles Street was crowed with cars all striving to park right next to the white home. It was impossible to miss the constant murmur of voices from inside the party, even with the door closed. He reached his hand to ring the bell and froze. This was it.

"Don't stand there. Just do it already." Cruz whispered to himself harshly. "Eventually Lucky or Patrick will see you standing out here like an idiot and wonder what is going on."

The reassuring peel of the doorbell signaled he was crossing the point of no return. For better or for worse, he was about to enter his own girlfriend's birthday party and pretend he was nothing more than a distant family friend.

And it was going to kill him.

"It's bad enough Elizabeth's hiding in the kitchen," Patrick explained without preamble throwing the door open. "Did I mention it amuses the he--heck out of me that you still ring the bell?" He corrected himself, locking eyes with Great Grandma Lindsey.

Cruz cocked his eyebrow. "It's called manners. Something Laura has been trying for years to teach you without success obviously." He entered into the familiar living room, filled with various distant relatives he had met once or twice since he first met Patrick and Lucky.

"What did you say to Elizabeth to cause her to hide in the kitchen?"

"I didn't even get to say hello. Lucky stashed her in the kitchen to protect her from the out-of-town relatives." Patrick replied defensively.

"He always was the smarter one." Cruz nodded his head. He glanced around the sea of faces, searching for two in particular. "Where's Lulu?"

"Don't worry old buddy. I convinced her to take the kids into the backyard." Patrick smirked.

Cruz let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. Lulu was a sweet kid but she was still just a kid to him. As of yet, Lucky hadn't seem to notice his kid's sister crush on his friend, but it was just a matter of time. At some point, her habit of flying up the stairs and returning considerably more dressed up when he stopped by for Laura's cooking would penetrate Lucky's brain. "Thanks. I owe you one."

"You didn't happen to pass Robin on the way over did you?" Cruz and Robin lived within a mile of each other and it would make sense for them to take similar routes to the party.

Cruz struggled to keep his smirk in check. Now there was a development. Plenty of Patrick's former conquests lived near him, hell he at one point had four on his own payroll before Patrick agreed to stop dating every new hire Cruz had. But never once had he ever asked Cruz if he had seen one of them outside of trying to ditch them. "Nope. Sure didn't. But she may have stopped by the bakery since she did the cake."

"It's not like her to be late, is it?" Patrick mused.

Cruz shrugged. "You know her better than me. I've never known her to be late so I'm sure there is some explanation."

Patrick did his best to keep from stomping his foot like a four-year-old. Robin's absence disturbed him and severely pissed him off. What reason would she have to keep her distance? She and Bobbie were friends, business partners..."Okay, thanks. Do you want something to drink?"

Cruz waved his hand. "I'll get it myself. So what's the verdict? Do I risk scaring the mysterious Elizabeth off by introducing myself or go find Bobbie and wish her happy birthday?"

"I'll take you to Elizabeth. It's about time you meet the 'special' lady in Lucky's life." Patrick chuckled.

"Is he using the 'special' or is that Laura? Cause we are in trouble if it's him."

"I haven't heard him mention special in the same sentence as her, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was encouraging Laura's enthusiasm." He said silently.

Cruz caught his old friend's eye, ever watchful of Great Grandmother Lindsey's presence. "Crap. This is serious isn't it? This is like Jess-level serious."

"I don't know for sure. He's not saying anything and I haven't really gotten a chance to be alone with her since Robin's accident. Even then, she was pretty shady on the details. I don't think they're sleeping together yet."

"Key word yet."

"How many times has he used the 'L' word?" Patrick whispered.

"I can count it on one hand."

"Yeah, me too. I was just hoping I might have missed some. He's definitely fu--"

"Falling hard?" Cruz cut in, saving his friend from offending the nearby elderly woman.

"Yeah. Thanks." He said through clenched teeth.

"No problem. So take me to meet this special lady who has Laura planning weddings as we speak."

Cruz gamely followed Patrick through the maze of relatives towards the kitchen. He really was interested in meeting this Elizabeth. No woman had ever so completely made Lucky jump the way he was doing right now since he and Jess had met. It was also an excellent way to prolong actually having to pretend to not want to do anything more than kiss Bobbie's cheek hello when he really wanted to give her a proper kiss to celebrate her birthday.

Patrick motioned for him to be quiet as they moved through the swinging door. Cruz caught sight of the back of her first. She was bent forward, rummaging through the refrigerator for some item or another. Well so far he could see the attraction. Patrick cleared his throat, causing her to jump up, clutching a head of lettuce to her chest as she turned. Cruz amended his thought immediately. He could completely understand the attraction. She was a looker. Skittish as hell but a looker.

"Elizabeth Webber, meet Cruz Rodriguez." Patrick motioned his hand from one of them to the other.

She had the presence of mind to put the lettuce head down on the counter next to her before offering her hand. "Hi. It's nice to meet you."

"You too. I've heard lots of wonderful things." Now that he really had a chance to look at her, he had this strange feeling that he had met her before. Even her voice sounded familiar to him.

Patrick turned to Elizabeth, "I don't suppose you've seen Robin tonight."

Cruz bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud. Oh now this was rich.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. I've called her a couple of times, but I keep getting her voice mail."

"I'll leave you two to talk." Patrick headed out the back door.

"You do realize he's trying to figure out some way to find out why she's late without making it obvious that he's asking about her right?" Cruz asked.

Elizabeth laughed and nodded. "And if he knows what's good for him, he won't let her know that right now."

"So she's still not talking to him?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nope." She busied herself with starting to prepare the lettuce. "So you and Lucky met in college right?"

Cruz nodded, opening the refrigerator to pull out the bottle of RC Cola he knew Laura bought just for him. "I was roommates with Patrick. And somehow got myself adopted by the Spencer's." Opening the bottle, he turned towards her. "You taught Cameron I hear."

Cruz settled back to get to know Elizabeth Webber. Eventually if they kept talking, he reasoned, he would figure out why he kept getting this feeling he had met her before. And as long as she stayed in the kitchen, he wouldn't have to come up with explanations as to why he was watching Bobbie's every move like a hawk. It was a win-win situation.

"Better late than never!" Lucas called, shouldering the front door open. Cruz and Elizabeth left the kitchen, Elizabeth automatically spotting Lucky over by the fireplace. He was tapping Cameron's head with the fluffy part of the feather duster and then hiding it so that the boy was utterly confused. Cruz and Bobbie shared a split-second smile and then turned their attention to Lucas. Dillon helped him get the monster cake over to the only empty table. Laura had decorated the simple fold-out table with a beautiful yellow tablecloth and streamers. She might as well have put Place Cake Here in big letters, Lucas thought to himself. Lance looked from Lucas to Dillon, wordlessly asking them if he could sneak a bit of frosting.

"Cake!" Luke exclaimed, sliding down the banister, startling the other guests.

Cameron began to laugh and Lucky and Lulu covered their eyes with their hands.

Cruz tapped Elizabeth's shoulder subtly and murmured, "If you want some cake, you should really get some now. Once Patrick realizes it's here he'll--" He glanced around. The open back door slammed against the kitchen counter. Patrick was gone.


	46. A Shift In the Weather

Robin had been on hold for the past fifteen minutes and she was about this close to wringing a few necks at Port Charles General. What kind of pediatrician put a concerned parent on hold?! Was that even allowed? Morgan lay completely still, his eyes drowsy as he watched her. She had found that, as long as she didn't talk, she could at least appear in control. She didn't want to worry her son. He was feeling miserable as it was. Elizabeth would have known what to do, but she hadn't answered one of the hundred times Robin had phoned her. She was probably busy with Lucky and Robin wanted to cry at the thought. The one time she really needed her friend and her phone was probably turned to silent.

She glanced over at the thermometer and re-read the three digits: one hundred and two. She had called her mother, but voicemails were the new automated receptionists these days, and she hadn't been able to reach her either. So here she was, on the phone with a woman who had spent thousands and thousands of dollars putting herself through medical school for the sole purpose of putting her patient's mothers on hold.

"You shouldn't grind your teeth, Robin." Morgan whispered, catching her gaze. They had tried to break the fever with a cold bath, a hot bath, and a million other little lies Robin had overheard in the past. Nothing had worked.

"Miss Scorpio?" Dr. Veronica Bedford's voice finally flooded through the receiver.

"Yes. I'm still here." Robin made sure her voice conveyed both hostility and frustration for being treated like a second-rate citizen when her child's health was at risk.

"The best thing to do is wait the fever out. It should break on its own." Dr. Bedford assured her.

"What if it doesn't? He came down with this fever two hours ago!" Robin hadn't meant to shout. The fact that this woman had a medical degree should have made her feel more secure in trusting the advice she was getting, but it didn't.

"A fever in itself is the body's way of fighting off illnesses. If it doesn't break in the next two days--"

"Two days?!" Robin shrieked.

"Miss Scorpio, if you'll just calm down…"

"I will not calm down." Robin argued, taking the phone into the other room with her. "You're telling me there's nothing I can do for him?"

"Some parents find it helpful to rub their children down with alcohol, but, as I said before, it really isn't necessary."

"How can it not be necessary? He's suffering!"

"The therapy you'd be inflicting on him would be just as uncomfortable."

Robin bit the inside of her cheek. She had been referred to Dr. Bedford and she was the best pediatrician in the state. It'd be best not to resort to name-calling. "I didn't mean to overreact." Though I felt completely justified, she said to herself.

"It happens. I want you to call me if you have anymore questions." Dr. Bedford suggested, her tone saying the complete opposite.

"Thank you for your help." Robin hung up the phone and sunk down into the couch, letting her body slide over the cushions and drop onto the floor. She needed a minute to collect herself and then she could face Morgan. Tears fell shamelessly down her cheeks and she fought off the wave of hiccups that followed soon after. She had to get a hold of herself. Morgan couldn't see her like this. She fisted her hands, stabbing her nails into tender flesh. She brought both hands to her mouth and let out a muffled cry, her eyes stinging from the excessive tears.

"Robin, are you in there?" Robin released her fists and covered her eyes with her hands, peeking through them. She had never considered herself a paranoid person, but she still found herself reaching for a fire poker. This was still New York and her apartment was located on The City and Port Charles' border. Where was the damn bodyguard when she needed her?

"Who's there?" Robin demanded, tiptoeing toward the door.

"Patrick."

Patrick heard something hit the floor--metal maybe--and then the door was flung open and he was met with a very distraught-looking Robin Scorpio. She was dressed in a faded pair of blue jeans and a petal-pink camisole, her hair tied back in a haphazard ponytail. "Babe, what's the matter?"

Robin tried to remind herself why she was mad at him, tried to recall why she had avoided him as long as she had, but she couldn't. She should have backed away when he jumped over the threshold and pulled her into his arms, but she felt immobile. Her legs gave out under her and she sunk into him. His left hand reached under the back of her knees and he used his hold on her to sweep her into his arms and carry her into the apartment. She buried her face in his neck and clung to him, not caring how much this would end up costing her later on.

"Robin, look at me." Patrick cajoled, tracing his index finger down her cheek.

"I'm being ridiculous." Robin whimpered, staring down at the floor.

"Why are you crying?" Patrick insisted, settling them onto the couch so that she would have no choice but to meet his concerned stare.

"I'm not." Robin lied her voice strained and pitiful.

"Good to know. I wouldn't want you going soft on me, Scorpio." Patrick teased, brushing his lips across her forehead.

"Morgan's upstairs." Robin remembered, struggling to get out of Patrick's lap. "I have to get to him."

"Hush." Patrick whispered, folding his arms around her tiny frame. "I'll go and check on him if you promise to stay here."

"I won't." Robin shook her head.

"Then neither of us are moving from this spot." Patrick decided.

"But he's sick--" Robin went on.

"What's wrong with him?" Patrick wondered.

"He's got a hundred-and-two temperature." Robin explained.

"Then let me check on him." Patrick persisted, running his left hand through her cinnamon strands.

"Alright." Robin bobbed her head and got to her feet shakily. She fell into a nearby chair.

Ten minutes later, Patrick returned with a sleeping Morgan in his arms.

"What took you so long?" Robin wanted to know.

"I was teaching him Poker." Patrick answered with a cunning smile.

"Poker? You were teaching my six-year-old Poker?" Robin asked incredulously.

"You'd prefer I started him off with something he'd never use like Old Maid?" Patrick assumed, placing a few pillows behind Morgan's dark head. "Have you called the doctor?"

"Of course, but she was no help. She said we had to wait it out." Robin grimaced, folding her arms over the arm of the couch and settling her chin in-between them.

"Then wait it out we will." Patrick decided, reaching for Robin's hands and pulling her to her feet.

"You're staying?" Robin couldn't help but sound surprised.

"I'm staying." Patrick agreed, taking her spot and then yanking her into his arms.

"This is like the smallest piece of furniture I own. It could prove to be very uncomfortable." Robin warned linking her fingers with Patrick's as if it was a common thing.

"We're going to need movies." Patrick responded instead, peering across the living room where he expected to see a large shelf dedicated to entertainment.

"I don't have any action movies--" Robin began.

"No action movies?" Patrick looked pained. "What do you have?"

"Every version of Pride and Prejudice ever made." Robin answered, smiling at Patrick's bewilderment.

"As long as it's not Little Women. Never in my life has a movie bothered me to such proportions."

Robin smiled warmly as she gazed up at Patrick's tired face. They had gotten through all of the Pride and Prejudice movies, Say Anything (John Cusack's level of awesomeness was about the only thing they could agree on), The Notebook (He had almost stormed out of the apartment at what he called "an unfair ending"), and then turned the TV off and sat saying nothing for over an hour. It was amazing how pleasant silence could be. She hadn't known she could enjoy a moment like this with a man like Patrick Drake and she cursed herself for constantly cutting him down just because his brother was a soulless bastard. "You're pretty incredible, you know that?"

"I keep telling you." Patrick turned away and let out a yawn, stretching his arms above his head. The way the blue cotton shirt clung to his shoulders, rippled chest, and abdomen made Robin visibly gulp. She had already guessed that he worked out when they had run into each other at the pool, but she decided then and there that she needed to be sure. Tracing her fingers over each and every contour, Robin softly gnawed on her lip as her eyes took in every detail. Her fingers fisted and she pressed them against his skin as she slid the shirt up inch by inch. Curious, she dropped a kiss to his stomach and listened to Patrick suck in a breath.

Patrick's barely tugged on her ponytail and her head tilted backwards. He kept the kiss soft and careful, his tongue flicking over her lips in a non-possessive way. Flattening his palms into her back, he pressed his left knee into the cushion, pushing her onto her back. Her knees shot up around his waist and she braced her hand over his chest, his heart pounding against her palm. Her mouth fell open on a moan, "Mmm, you taste like chocolate."

"I snuck some cake on the way over." Patrick admitted, knocking the straps of her camisole off her right shoulder and lowering his lips to her skin. Robin breath caught and held when he filled his hand with one covered breast, the other skidding down her waist and curving around the inside of her left thigh.

"And just what do you think you're going to do with those hands?" Robin asked, shivering when Patrick applied the slightest bit of her pressure to her skin.

"Well, I can tell you, or I can show you." Patrick suggested, pinching the nipple into a tight little point.

"Oh…God." Robin whimpered, unconsciously lifting off of the couch to give him easier access. She wanted Patrick closer, but the chair wouldn't allow it. If they moved around too much, they would be on the floor and…well that wouldn't be the worst thing. A faint voice reminded her that her son was sleeping less than ten feet away.

"Feels good, doesn't it?" Patrick prodded, capturing Robin's bottom lip in his teeth and biting into the vulnerable flesh.

"P-Patrick," Robin slid her tongue over the roof of his mouth, coaxing him into another kiss. She was barely aware of his free hand sliding in-between her legs until she felt a wicked finger grind against her center. She started to cry out, but Patrick smothered the sound with his mouth.

"Shh." He fondled her breast in his other hand, splintering her sensations. "You don't want to disturb Morgan."

"W-wait." Robin pleaded.

"You don't want me to touch you?" Patrick challenged, moving his hand to her other breast.

"No, that's not it at all." Robin explained, forcing her eyes to stay open. "B-but not here."

"Here?" Patrick inquired, stroking her softly between the legs.

"I'm serious." Robin bit out.

"I know." Patrick sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I guess going upstairs is out of the question."

"Does it help to know that I'm really, _really _tempted to give in?" Robin wondered sheepishly.

"No. That does _not _help." Patrick grumbled, bracing his hands on either side of her waist.

"I understand if you don't want to stay…" Robin stated, adjusting the straps of her camisole.

"You don't give me too much credit, do you?" Patrick muttered.

"No, I guess I don't." Robin glanced down at her hands.

"What do you want?" Patrick asked, lifting Robin's chin with the pad of his thumb.

"Stay." Robin replied.

* * *

"How's the newspaper business treating you son?" Jeremy Detwiller, a second or third cousin of some sort, slapped Cruz on the back hard, causing him to almost drop the beer he had been nursing all over Laura's freshly scrubbed deck. Catching himself just in time to prevent disaster, Cruz forced himself to smile pleasantly at the other man.

"It's the magazine business actually." He tried not to clench his teeth when he talked but somehow he always got cornered by this man and he always asked the same questions.

"My mistake. The way Laura brags on you, you'd think I could keep it straight." Jeremy laughed heartily at his own lame joke.

With only half his mind paying attention to him at all, Cruz laughed right along with him. He had this conversation at least a dozen times with Jeremy before. He wouldn't notice at all if Cruz was on autopilot the entire time. And by looking over his shoulder, there was a wonderful view.

A clear, unobstructed view of Bobbie.

The entire party she had floated in and out of his eyesight. Being the birthday girl, she was understandably in high demand. Out of town relatives wanted updates on all the kids, the grandkids and the business. And her love life. He had been close enough to overhear a few innocent questions about if she was seeing anyone. And had seen her merely laugh and change the subject.

Under normal circumstances, her laugh delighted him. He had once devoted an entire Saturday afternoon to making her laugh. But today it had kicked him in the gut. It had been irrational to hope that she would at least allude to being in a relationship. He hadn't fully realized how much he had hoped for it until he heard that laugh.

Admitting to Patrick and Lucky he was even in a relationship had been a leap of faith. He knew his friends. Eventually, Patrick would either get Robin to talk to him or his attention would be distracted elsewhere. At some point Lucky would come out of this happy fog Elizabeth had him in. Sooner or later, they were going to stop pretending to be satisfied with his half answers. Or one of them would mention it to Laura, and she had never taken no for an answer.

Sipping his beer slowly, Cruz found himself staring at Bobbie, as she talked with Elizabeth across the lawn. He wanted to leave this boring ass and hug her, kiss her on the lips and at the end of the night leave with her. But he couldn't. He had to maintain this facade of being just a distant family friend to her. The lying. The sneaking around. The constant denials. It had been fun at first; he could even admit it had been part of the attraction to dating her. But now? He was in deeper than he had ever imagined he would be. And it was all slowly killing him.

He had to talk to her, make her understand. Patrick and Lucky would be pissed off, but eventually they would get over it. Luke and Laura would eventually come around. Lucas had always said he just wanted Bobbie happy. Initially Lulu would be crushed, but she was young, she would survive to love again. The reactions just couldn't be as bad as they had imagined them to be.

The fact that Jeremy had left and he was standing there staring hadn't even registered with him. His first inclination something had changed was feeling Lucky's hand on his shoulder.

"What's so fascinating man? I was calling your name for a good ten minutes?"

Cruz shook himself out of his reverie. "Nothing man. I was just talking to Jeremy and you know how he is."

Rolling his eyes sympathetically, Lucky shook his head. "I saw him cornering you. I tried to get here but Cameron got scared by Aunt Chrissie."

"It's all good."

Catching sight of Bobbie and Elizabeth for the first time, Lucky smiled. "So I saw you talking with Elizabeth earlier."

Cruz tried to stifle his laugh. Was he this obvious about wanting to know what his friends thought about the girls he brought around them? God he hoped not. "Yeah. I think I'm going to have to steal her away from you man."

"Like she'd go."

"Like I'd give her a choice."

Cruz smirked. "Actually man I like her a lot. You done good brother."

"She is pretty special isn't she?"

Cruz found himself focusing yet again on Bobbie as she threw her head back and laughed. He had to talk to her and soon.

"Yeah she is." He responded, never taking his eyes off of Bobbie. "She most certainly is."


	47. Free Fall

This part of the park was peaceful today. The heat had dulled some, leaving most of the families still choosing the pool, but a brave few stood near the playground area. The small fountain had no shade nearby and wasn't even big enough to justify sticking one's feet inside. There was no one about. Elizabeth had chosen one of the stone benches because of the silence. She could just sit there and think. Figure out exactly what she wanted to do about Lucky Spencer without interruption.

The family audition had not been as entirely nerve racking as she had feared. Luke and Cruz had been charming. Patrick had all but disappeared once the cake came. The rest of the family had been too busy catching up with each other to really notice her. Of course she hadn't spent that much time with any of them to make an impression on them. For all they knew, she had been a cater hired to keep the family fed.

Cameron being asleep in the backseat of the Jeep had prevented any repeat of their previous goodbye when Lucky had driven her home. This, while disappointing on some level, was a good thing since she still hadn't confronted him yet regarding Daphne. She had already broken her rules once and she was determined not to do it again. Their work schedules were going to help. Lucky had told her he was in the finishing stages of launching a new artist. She was scheduled to work the closing shift for the next three nights. Other than the promise of phone calls, she didn't expect to talk to him much or spend a lot of time with him anytime soon.

The last time she hear from him was asking her out for Thursday. Elizabeth had gotten the message late last night and she still hadn't completely decided if she wanted to see him again or not. Some part of her said she should see him just to ask him about Daphne. And some other part that had read The Rules years ago argued she shouldn't just say yes every time he asked to see her.

Don't be naïve Elizabeth she could hear Robin's voice telling her. You don't want to say yes, because you don't want to find out that Daphne is more important to him than you. Daphne had become the mythic phantom in her mind. She teased her and taunted her all night long. As much as she wanted answers about Daphne, she could admit enough to herself that answers would make Daphne real, too real. She had to confront him but she was terrified to at the same time.

She could finally admit to herself that she liked Lucky, that she wanted whatever this was between them, and that she wanted to explore it more. Elizabeth had sworn off men and had only been on a handful of dates since she had left Max in the dust. The intensity between her and Lucky was something she had never experienced before and somehow she sensed, would never really experience again. It scared how much she craved it, looked forward to it and how often she secretly plotted on how take advantage of it. Confronting Lucky about Daphne required her to take a very real risk of losing this by pushing too hard, too fast. Elizabeth had to approach this carefully. There had to be a way to discuss Daphne without coming off like a screaming harpy. She just had to find it.

"Miss Lizabeth! Miss Lizabeth!" She heard Cameron before she could see him clearly. The three-year old was a blur of legs and arms as he sprinted towards her spot on the bench. He stopped with the precision of a finely tuned race car immediately in front of her feet. "Hi Miss Lizabeth!"

She could feel herself smile. "Hello there Cameron. You here all by yourself today?" She glanced over his head, hoping to see Lucky trailing behind his son, grinning that knee-shaking grin of his.

Cameron shook his head, his curls swinging. "Gramma here." He explained just as she caught sight of Laura Spencer racing to catch up with her grandson.

"Cameron Lucas Spencer! You know better than to run off like that." Laura scolded gently.

"You could have gotten hurt."

"I see Miss Lizabeth Gramma."

"I see that." Laura smiled up at Elizabeth. "Hello Elizabeth."

"Hello Mrs. Spencer."

"Cameron, I know you like Miss Elizabeth but you can't run off like that sweetheart."

"I sorry Gramma."

Laura reached out and hugged the young boy. He was a handful, but she never could be mad at him for too long. He reminded her far too much of his father at that same age. "It's okay. Now are you ready to go to the playground?"

"Yeah!" Cameron reached up and tugged on Elizabeth's hand. "You come Miss Lizabeth?"

"Yes Elizabeth, if you aren't busy, please join us." Lucky had managed to keep Laura away from the new woman in his life for most of the party. She had managed a few brief pleasantries with the younger woman but nothing along the lines of what she had wanted. It had been three years since she had seen her son this interested in a woman and Laura was not ashamed to admit she was dying of curiosity. It seemed fate had just handed her the perfect opportunity to receive answers to some of her questions.

"Oh I don't want to intrude." For reasons not entirely clear to Elizabeth, spending time alone with Laura Spencer seemed infinitely more intimidating than facing his entire extended family. It made no sense but there it was.

"Nonsense. I insist."

"Please Miss Lizabeth? Please?"

She could feel herself caving. Damn if Cameron wasn't just as persuasive as his father was. In entirely different ways of course, but Elizabeth could already see the future clearly. Cameron Spencer was a born heartbreaker.

"Alright. I love the swings."

Cameron happily scampered off to play with some new friends on the teeter-totters, blissfully unaware of the terror his leaving left in Elizabeth's heart. As long as Cameron was nearby, she had this false sense of hope that Laura Spencer wouldn't ask too many prying questions. Now that he had left, there were no protection.

Laura smiled in Elizabeth's direction. "So your grandmother tells me you just moved to town not that long ago."

"About seven months or so. I moved to help her out when she had her accident."

"I must tell you that is quite admirable of you." Laura nodded her approval. Family was obviously important to the young woman. Audrey Hardy was a wonderful woman who quite clearly doted on her granddaughter.

Elizabeth felt the starting of a blush. "Really it wasn't that big of a deal." And not the selfless act everyone thought it was. It had been a convenient act of self-preservation.

"Well I disagree. I must say you were certainly lucky to find a teaching position so quickly after the school year had started."

"It was lucky. My grandmother happened to hear about Miss Colleen leaving so unexpectedly because she is friends with some of the directors. She suggested me and the rest went fairly quickly."

"It was a seamless transition at any rate. Cameron couldn't stop talking about you."

"His father can't stop talking about you either you know."

The blush on her cheeks deepened. Laura was good. She was very good. "Mrs. Spencer..."

"Laura. Please call me Laura."

"Laura, I don't know what Lucky has told you..."

"Not much actually. He's been quite evasive about actual details."

"Probably because there aren't that many details to tell." Well not any details she would willingly share with his mother at any rate. "We've been out a few times."

Laura smiled amusedly. "That much I know. But I confess to being curious about someone he brings to meet his entire family after just being out a few times. Normally we meet them after several months of dating, not several dates."

"I was surprised by the invitation myself."

"Surprised?" Laura laughed. "Surprised? Darling if it was me I would have been terrified."

Elizabeth laughed as well. "That too."

"What on Earth possessed you to say yes?"

The blush threatened to overtake her face completely. She knew full well why she wasn't exactly thinking straight when the invitation had been made. There was no way she was going to explain that to his mother. "He said Robin was coming."

Laura noticed the blush but wisely opted not to comment on it. There were some things a mother did not want to know or even suspect about her son.

Robin rolled over, burying her face in a nearby pillow. Her eyes blinked open and she yawned, noticing that she was in her own bed. She could hear The Wild Thornberry's on in the next room, which meant that Morgan was awake. She knew she needed to get up, but there was nothing pushing her to. She vaguely remembered Patrick waking her up at the crack of dawn, but she figured she could have dreamed that. There was no sign that he had been here at all. Had he been a hallucination?

It was only when she tried to stretch to her full height that her muscles protested and she thought back to that damn chair last night. If Morgan had been in the chair and they had been on the couch…yeah, she definitely hadn't imagined his being here. Skipping out of the room like a damned fool, she poked her head inside Morgan's room, smiling when she noticed that he was working on what appeared to be the most detailed house built of Lego's she had ever seen. The TV was apparently just background noise.

"Hey buddy. How are you feeling?" Robin cleared her throat, stepping into the room and bending down in front of him. He matched her smile and sat still while she pressed her palm to his forehead.

"All better." Morgan assured her.

"Humor me. Come on. Let's see what the thermometer says." Robin reached for his left hand and led him to her room. The thermometer was hidden behind a white piece of folded paper. Morgan looked like he might grab it, so she dropped it into the nightstand drawer, and proceeded to check his temperature.

"How long do I have to hold this in my mouth?" Morgan wanted to know.

"Not too much longer." Robin promised.

"Now?" He urged.

"Yes." Robin took the thermometer and read the double digits letting out a sigh. "Perfect 98.6."

"Can I go play?" Morgan asked impatiently.

"By all means. The little Lego people must be in dire need of a home." Robin laughed at her own joke and Morgan hurried back to his room. After she finished making the bed, she took the note from the drawer and unfolded it. She couldn't fight back a smile.

Good morning, beautiful. I would have liked to stay, but I had an early meeting that I couldn't put off. Don't be mad. I'm going to make it up to you tonight. Do me a favor, will you? Get a babysitter and pack a change of clothes. Why does your mind automatically jump the wrong conclusion, Scorpio? I'll be on my best behavior. I don't mind saying that I can't wait to see you back in that bathing suit. Bring that sweet mouth of yours to my apartment at ten o'clock and I'll be sure to pack the sun block.

Patrick

He wasn't traditional at all and he almost always said the first thing that came to his mind. She bet that was the root of the attraction. Where he lacked in modesty, he more than made up for in spontaneity. Last night had opened her eyes and she could no longer say that she was keeping him around strictly out of curiosity. She lost her senses when he was around and all too often said something out of turn, always regretting it later, always wondering why she resorted to his childish tendencies when she had clear, concise reasons for keeping her distance.

She had no way of knowing if it was his exposure that made him feel invincible when they were together or when he spoke of them being together physically. Part of her said that she didn't need to know. He didn't mind being the guy who brought her back to life and, she would admit, she had been hiding for quite some time. She might never be as free as Patrick seemed to think he was, but she could close her eyes and fake it. Something told her when the time came, she wouldn't have to.

She wanted desperately to call Elizabeth and tell her about the note, but first things first: she had to prioritize. Who could she get to watch Morgan while she and Patrick were…well wherever it was he was planning on taking her? Courtney should be in town either today or tomorrow, but she couldn't inflict a six-year-old on her jet-lagged friend. Her neighbor was out of town too, or she would have just asked her. The Spencer's might be willing to. Was it unfair to assume that they wouldn't be busy? No, she told herself. Even if this was slightly selfish, she couldn't imagine turning Patrick down.

Snatching her cell phone from the desk, she dialed a familiar set of digits and put it to her ear. The phone rang for what seemed like an eternity and then Elizabeth's recorded message flooded through the receiver. Damn it. "Charge your phone! This is an emergency!"


	48. Undone

_**If you'd like to show your gratitude, leave a comment. If not, I guess we can leave you with your Patrick and Whore-La scenes.**_

"How was the party?" Robin inquired, sipping her Strawberries & Cream frappuccino through a white bendy straw. Kelly's was quiet for the morning and she still couldn't believe she had talked Elizabeth into coming here of all places. She hadn't said anything of Lucky Spencer, but Robin could feel the tension surrounding her friend. Something was definitely going on.

"Fine. The party was fine." Elizabeth idly swirled the straw in her Mocha Cappuccino. Talking with Laura had left her drained.

"I didn't mean to leave you all alone." Robin promised. "Morgan came down with a hundred-and-two temperature."

"I totally understand that. I'm just sorry I missed all your voice mails."

"I was a little neurotic." Robin admitted, glancing down at her drink.

"Just a tad." Elizabeth set her drink aside. "So what is this mass emergency?"

Robin handed over the note, having no other way to explain her giddiness. "He left it for me this morning."

Elizabeth's eye widened as she read the note. "Wait. He left it this morning?"

"He stopped by when I didn't show at the party." Robin explained, not missing the way Elizabeth was watching her. "We fell asleep."

"You keep saying I'm naïve but I know you don't get a note like that just because you fall asleep together."

Robin blushed. "It was innocent really."

"That blush says otherwise."

"I was a mess over Morgan and Patrick managed to distract me. That's all I'm saying." Robin held up her hand.

"Must have been one hell of a distraction since all frantic messages stopped after he showed up." Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow and fought the urge to laugh. No wonder Robin had pressed her so much for details. This was fun. "So after your 'innocent' distraction, you fell asleep together?"

"Yes. We fell asleep in Courtney's God-awful chair and I woke up in my bed."

"And how did you get to the bed?" Elizabeth couldn't contain her smirk.

"I don't know." Robin took a large gulp of her drink.

"You don't know? How distracted were you?"

"He must have carried me up there. I was asleep."

"Very sweet of him. So I assume the emergency is related to this note?"

"Yes." Robin replied slowly. "Tell me you're free today."

"I am scheduled to work close shift, but I'll be out about 9:30."

Double damn. Maybe this was a bad idea. Patrick would just have to understand. "Oh." Robin couldn't contain her disappointment.

"Oh no. You are not going to cancel out on this one." Elizabeth flipped out her cell phone. "Just you wait one second missy."

"Who are you calling?"

"My Grams. If she has no plans, then maybe she can watch Morgan at least till I get home."

"I don't want to be any trouble." But damn if I'm going to talk you out of it, Robin thought smugly.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Keep working on that and one day I'll believe you." She paused as her grandmother answered the phone. "Hey Grams? I have a question for you. Robin has a date and needs a babysitter. I'm working till 9:30. Is it possible for you to help out until I get home? I swear Morgan won't be any trouble." She paused and listened for her grandmother's answer. "No problem. I will tell her. Thanks Grams." Elizabeth flipped her phone shut with a satisfied air. "Grams said bring him over whenever you need to."

"Am I really going through with this?"

"Yes you are. It's my turn to live vicariously through you for a change." Elizabeth answered cheerfully. "Now what do we pack for you to wear? Simple? Sexy? Nothing?"

"I have to pack something!" Robin blurted out. If Patrick had his way, she'd wear nothing but her bathing suit. She, however, wasn't comfortable with the idea.

"I'm sure Patrick would have no arguments with it. But if you are going to be a spoilsport about it, I'm guessing simple, sexy yet tasteful?"

"Yes. That sounds right." Robin agreed.

"The green sundress? You know the one with the little spaghetti straps?"

"I have the cutest jacket that I bought for that particular dress." Robin recalled.

"Perfect. With those gold sandals?"

"Maybe I should pack more than sandals, just in case we're going to be walking around. He wasn't very specific about what we were going to be doing."

"The wedges then too. The yellow ones."

"Yes!" Robin put her hands over her mouth. She hadn't realized she was being loud until a few other diner patrons looked in their direction.

"A bit excited there Robin?" Elizabeth laughed. "So now the big question. Sleepwear?"

"I'm thinking long sleeves and sweatpants." She was only half joking.

"Nope. Not killing this vicarious living for me. I know you'd kill me if I say nothing..."

"I'll have to be in an iron belt and a foot of chain if I expect to get any sleep at all."

"Then do you have any cute cami and short sets?"

"I have a yellow cami and gray lounge pants. I haven't exactly needed..." Robin stopped herself.

"Needed what?"

"I burned all of the clothes from my marriage and that included everything but my most basic nightgowns."

"Ahh so a quick shopping trip then is a necessity?" Elizabeth quickly checked her watch. "I have a few hours before I have to be at work. We can go right now and find out exactly what Victoria's Secret actually is."

"Lead the way." Robin smirked.

Robin showed up at Patrick's door at six forty-five, punctual to a fault. She rapped on the door, taking a deep breath as her ears picked up on movement inside. Elizabeth must have used three dozen bobby pins to hold Robin's heavy mane of hair to her head. They had parted her bangs and curled them on either side of her face. As she waited for him to answer the door, she picked at the thin straps of her dress and ran her hand over the front to smooth out invisible wrinkles. Why was she so flustered? This wasn't the first date she had ever been on. She hadn't put herself out there--God she hated that statement--since Logan, but she hadn't exactly been hiding under a paper bag either, so what was with all the fidgeting?

These last few weeks she had seen a different side of Patrick and she wanted to believe that it was real, that it wasn't all for her benefit. She had been blind sighted before, but surely this was different. Calm down, she told the insecure voice. You look incredible and, really, even if you didn't, Patrick would be stunned speechless. The way he watched her always left her feeling incredibly self-conscious, wondering if he could see into some deeper level of her subconscious. Oh really Robin. Why don't you just put on a pink gypsy outfit and tell people their fortunes?

The door flung open a moment later and Patrick met her deer-in-the-headlights stare with a smug expression. She had never thought a pair of khaki-colored chinos and a blue canvas button-down could look so good on a man, but she had obviously underestimated this man. His hair was its usual frayed self, but he had at least attempted a comb-through. She glanced down at his shoes to see if maybe she could guess their destination, but frowned at his dark brown clogs. They could be going rock climbing for all she knew.

"Where's your bag?" Patrick asked, glancing past her to see if maybe she had set it down.

"In the car. Will you tell me where we're going?" Robin insisted.

"Nope. But I can promise you'll need your bag." Patrick replied, sending her a dimpled smile.

"What is this all about?" Robin heard herself ask. Did it really matter to her? Yes, yes it mattered!

"A first date. You are familiar with the concept aren't you?" Patrick teased, closing the space between them. "Of course, if you're not one for surprises, I can call the whole thing off and take you to bed right now."

If that was supposed to be a threat, Robin thought faintly. "I-I'll get my bag." She turned on her heel and was almost to the elevator when she felt a hand tug her backwards. She was barely able to keep her footing and made sure the look she gave Patrick mirrored her frustration.

"I'll walk you to your car." He explained, ushering her into the elevator.

"I'm not a child. I can get to my car by myself." Robin assured him.

"I don't doubt it, but I have to wonder if you'd come back." Patrick gave her a sideways look.

"So this is an actual date? We have a real destination and we'll be around other people?" Robin hadn't meant to sound so frightened, but his bluntness always came out of left field.

"You aren't afraid of airplanes are you?" Patrick asked instead.

"Airplanes? No. I couldn't be with all of the traveling I've done with my parents." Robin answered.

"Then relax." He settled his hands on her shoulders. "I want to spend a little time with you away from Port Charles. Is that a crime?"

"No. Okay, I'll trust you. Don't make me regret it." Robin warned, pointing a finger at him.

"You haven't said anything the entire flight. Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Patrick waved his hand in front of Robin's face and was rewarded with a scowl.

"I'm overwhelmed." Robin admitted, yanking the earphones from her ears and turning to face Patrick. The inside of the jet was so quiet they could hear Tom Cruise's voice pouring out of the speakers.

"You've never ridden in a jet?" Patrick guessed, giving her a toothy grin.

"I don't believe for a second that this is yours. How'd you manage this?" Robin asked skeptically.

"I happen to have some very generous clients." Patrick explained.

"They just let you take this out whenever you want?" Robin couldn't wrap her mind around this.

"I called in a favor." Patrick shrugged noncommittally.

"Where are we going?" Robin hadn't asked the question since they were standing in front of his apartment two hours ago.

"Robin, finish the movie. It's worthwhile." Patrick suggested, settling more comfortably against the upholstery.

"Hmm." Robin couldn't pretend she wasn't going out of her mind with curiosity, but she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"We'll stop by the hotel and then get this date started." Patrick informed her, taking each of their bags and pressing his hand to the middle of her bare back, leading her into the yellow taxi cab.

Robin bit her tongue. She didn't want to ask how many rooms they had, because she was an adult and that question would only lead to a fight. She had told him she would trust him, so what was her problem? Free trip. Free hotel. A chance at a great first date. "Are we in California?" Their arrival time and the scenery around her more than proved the possibility. This was the one state she hadn't visited, but she had seen plenty of movies and collected brochures for places she wanted to someday see.

"Did you sneak a brochure?" Patrick's voice mimicked that of a parent and their impatient child. He didn't mind letting her know where they were just as long as she didn't figure out what he had in store for them.

"No." Her head whipped from side to side, her hair having fallen from its restraints an hour or so ago.

"We're in Santa Monica." Patrick clarified, pushing her hair off of her shoulder and placing a soft kiss against her neck. "Relax."

"I'm relaxed. I promise. I'll be better." Robin promised, squeezing his right hand when he offered it to her.

"Where are we going?" The cab driver wondered, lightly tapping his fingers across the glass to gain their attention.

"Le Merigot." Patrick told him.

"Right on the pier." The driver nodded, clearly pleased with Patrick's choice of hotels.

Robin tried to hide her smile when she heard Patrick grumble under his breath. "I haven't guessed. Relax." Somehow repeating his own words to him made her feel better.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Patrick wanted to know.

"I am very much." Robin answered with a crooked smile.

The Le Merigot opened up to a spacious lobby decorated in honeysuckle yellow paint and spotless white furniture. As they headed for the front desk, Robin let Patrick get ahead of her. Standing beside a particularly large plant, she was almost completely obstructed from his view. She zigzagged between the half dozen tables that lined right wall and the glow from the yellow chandelier caught her eye. It wasn't very stunning to the naked eye and kind of took away from the elegance of the hotel. It looked like something she might have purchased at a garage sale. She decided to just stay away from it. The rest of the room was stunning and the artwork won her over.

"There you are." Patrick reached for his hand, sliding the room key cards into his right pocket.

"This place is incredible." Robin couldn't keep the awe out of her voice.

"Just wait until you see the room. I'll have to drag you out of it." Patrick assured her, pressing the up arrow adjacent to the elevators. The doors opened instantly and they stepped inside.

"Tell me." Robin smiled.

"Whirlpool bath, perfect view of the Pier, large bed." Patrick continued, setting their bags down. If he thought hers was lighter than he had expected, he didn't comment.

The doors swung open and Patrick bent down to retrieve the bags. Robin snatched one of the cards from his pocket, glanced at the number, and then trotted off to find the room. She might never be the most patient person, but he had to know how excited she was at seeing what his surprise might be. Not wanting to spoil the day, she didn't offer a second thought to his explanation of the single room and the single bed, because she hadn't expected anything less. Elizabeth had insisted on her purchasing the most provocative nightgown they had come across. Robin figured there were places where she could get into big trouble wearing such a thing, but she didn't think this was one of those places. The sleepwear gave the impression that she might sleep with him, but she knew better.

Robin found the room at the very end of the hallway. She hadn't noticed how far she had gone until she heard Patrick panting after her. Sliding the card into the little machine, she smiled even brighter when she heard the lock release. He reached past her to push open the door and she hurried inside, realizing that the owner of this hotel must have loved giant green plants and the color yellow. Of course, their room wasn't nearly as bright and intimidating as the lobby had been. Sidling toward a bed that could have held six, Robin fell onto the feathery comforter and closed her eyes. She heard the door shut and Patrick moving toward her, but she refused to open her eyes. The jet had been quicker than any charter flight would have been, but she felt exhausted.

"Don't you want to see where we're going?" She knew he was trying to drag her to her feet, but she refused to be swayed.

"Sleepy." She protested, not caring if she sounded whiny.

"How long do you have that babysitter?" Patrick wondered.

Groaning, Robin sat up; her eyes dangerous slits of brown as she caught Patrick's stare. Unless God himself was waiting outside to meet her, she couldn't understand his insistence that she see anything right then.

Robin blinked, soaking up everything that stretched out in front of her. Taking a few quick steps, she reached the end of the balcony wall and gaped. The Pacific Ocean was so close it was a wonder the waves weren't slapping against the lobby doors. It held the sort of blue tint that writers spent their entire lives trying to describe and the sun hung high above it, its rays adding an almost magical tint to the carnival in the distance.

"Welcome to Santa Monica Pier." She heard Patrick say from behind her. "Where would you like to go first? This pier is famous for its rides, games, aquarium, and museum." He went on.

"You never really know how much you've missed a corndog until you're a half mile from a carnival." Robin mused, resisting the urge to chew on her bottom lip.

"I hope you brought different shoes." Patrick replied.

"I did. In my bag." Robin answered softly.

"What else is in that bag?" Patrick asked.

"Why do you want to know?" Robin challenged lightly.

"I just want to know if I need to pace myself." Patrick explained.

"No worries." Robin promised, patting his shoulder and snatching up her bag from the middle of the bed. She disappeared in the bathroom and flipped the lock just in case.

Robin was glad that they had arrived so early in the day, because the crowds would have surely been suffocating otherwise. She and Patrick weaved through the other tourists and went to work on locating a nearby corndog stand. Just when she thought she had imagined the smell altogether, that was about the time she felt a sizzling corndog being pressed into her palm. Having been so used to the heat wave back in New York, she wasn't quite sure what to make of the cool breeze as it played with the hem of her pearl-white dress.

"Since we're eating, the rides are definitely out. Would you like to see the aquarium?" Patrick suggested. While the temperature was at least ten degrees cooler, it was barely noon and would continue to get hotter as the day progressed. Stealing a brochure from a plastic stand in front of a little shop, Robin thumbed through it.

"Let's start with something small and work our way up to the rollercoaster." Robin pointed at the monstrous piece of equipment in question. "I've never been on one."

"You've never been on a rollercoaster?" Patrick sputtered.

"Nope. When I would travel with my parents, it would always be business-related. I've been to Coney Island, but we had to leave before I could ride the rollercoaster. Let's get tickets." Robin's yellow wedges skidded across the smooth boardwalk as he dragged her toward the booth.

A few minutes later, they climbed into a yellow bench seat and pulled a metal bar down over their knees. "Did you know," Robin began, "that they use an anti-rollback device to keep the rollercoaster from sliding backwards when they have to climb lifts?"

"You're not nervous?" Patrick's question insinuated that the very idea was preposterous.

"Of course I'm not nervous. I've seen these things in action plenty of times."

"I'll let you hold my hand if you get scared."

"Not necessary. I was clearly pointing out an interesting fact that I picked up."

"This ride will last maybe ten seconds."

"I know. The odds of the track breaking are very minimal."

"Robin."

"I'm completely in control." She closed her eyes as the cars jerked forward.

"Did you know that the hotel has a twenty-four hour spa?" Patrick folded his hand over hers.

"Really? No, I didn't."

"Open your eyes. I'm not letting go."

The trip to the aquarium didn't come until it was almost time to leave. Robin had enjoyed the rollercoaster enough to insist that they go on it again until Patrick actually took her up on the offer. At that point, she had stuffed a pretzel in her mouth and said that they should probably wait until her stomach settled.

As the day went on, the number of visitors tripled, and still there was room to walk around. The place was truly remarkable. Patrick had proved his brilliance in a game of laser tag, but Robin had totally gotten him back when they reached the Skee Ball table. She wished the activities didn't have to end so early, but Patrick promised to take her to the beach once it got dark. Somehow she had known he would make good use of that bathing suit.

The first table they came to was covered in volunteer signs, index cards, and name tags. Deciding that they should be decked out in red and white My Name Is stickers, Patrick grabbed a handful along with two black markers and spent the next few seconds pressing them to his and Robin's foreheads, her chest, the hem of his shirt, and each of their right hands. Robin took a marker from him and wrote three word sentences in the white space provided, refusing to tell him what they broadcasted. She let Patrick do the same to her. Satisfied with themselves, they set about to enjoy the ambience of the dim aquarium.

About the height and width of CD rack, the first exhibit they came to went all the way around, forming a U. Where the ends should have met the wall two smaller aquariums sat on either side. The sign on the wall advertised: Look before You Touch. Patrick read the index card taped to a black podium. "Touch all you like but please be gentle with our sea stars, crabs, sea urchins, snails, kelp and sea cucumbers."

"We can touch them?" Robin scrunched up her face.

"It's not like it's the shark tank." Patrick pointed out.

"There's a shark tank?" Robin couldn't hide her amusement at this.

"Of course there's a shark tank." Patrick rolled his eyes, grinning. "I think it says somewhere in the Aquarium handbook that there must be at least one shark exhibit."

"Oh, well, I wouldn't dare question the handbook." Robin snickered.

"Give me your hand."

"Why?"

"Don't you want to hold them?"

"Last time I checked, sea creatures weren't cute and cuddly like puppies and kittens."

"You don't do them justice. Why, I bet you just hurt that crab's feelings."

"Let me see the crab." Robin gave in, snatching up the aforementioned creature.

"Watch out for the--"

"Claws." Robin glared at the animal, biting her lip as Patrick tried to remove the claws from around her thumb.

"You're not going to do that at the shark tank, are you?" Patrick inquired, returning the crab to his home.

"You're a laugh riot." Robin stuck out her tongue at him.

"Don't tempt me." Patrick murmured in a low voice, intertwining their hands and tucking her into a small corner away from the crowd. Before she could protest, he pressed his lips roughly to hers, looping his arms around her. The air conditioning was on full blast, so it made absolutely no sense for her to be melting against him. Sliding her arms around his neck, she stood on her tip toes to move the kiss from innocent to mind-bending.

His hands started at her waist, working their way over her stomach and up to her breasts. "Someone could see." Robin heard herself say.

"Half the fun." Patrick responded, tugging at the straps of her dress. He pressed his open mouth to her neck and drew the straps off of her shoulders. Needing him closer, Robin reached for his belt at which point he reacted by helping her off of her feet and balancing her with the help of the wall. "God, I've wanted to touch you all day." He whispered, smiling against her skin when he heard her sigh in agreement.

Robin wanted to lose herself in the feel of him, but the situation wouldn't allow it. At any time, they could be interrupted and she didn't think she could handle the embarrassment. Who was she kidding? If he'd move half an inch to the left she might forget all about pride.

They never made it to the shark tank. Disentangling themselves from one another, they got back to the hotel and stumbled into their room. Stumbled was the correct description, because it was practically an obstacle course on the way to the bed from the doorway. The bellman had placed their bags in the center of the room along with a tray full of desserts and a bottle of wine, none of which Robin remembered them ordering.

The second the door shut, Patrick's shirt came off followed by Robin's dress. Grumbling at her need to wear a silk slip under the garment, he inched it up her waist while she unbuckled his belt and threw it across the room. "Bed." Robin insisted, pushing him onto the mattress and straddling him. Running his hand up her leg, Patrick caught the thin white strap of her panties and slid his palm inside. Her nails bit into his back as he strummed his fingers against her, his middle finger delving inside of her. Her voice caught on a scream and he pushed harder, capturing her mouth with his.

"Do you like that?" He asked, closing his eyes as she shuddered above him. Her mouth was sweet as he swept his tongue over hers robbing her of breath she would have surely used to scream even louder. The way she gripped his finger made his head spin, but he wasn't so far gone that he felt the need to be rough with her. She might be strong and opinionated on the outside but inside? Inside she was soft and vulnerable.

Her legs trembled as he held her steady, his finger slow and long as he worked it even deeper. Sliding one hand down his chest, she thumbed the button on his pants, unable to focus on the simple task of tearing the restraint away. He reached for her and pressed her palm into his shaft, his breath hissing through his teeth when she wrapped her fingers around him.

Forcing his eyes open, he noticed that she was crying and his breath caught at the sight. Though it absolutely killed him, he had no choice but to stop touching her altogether. "What are you doing?" Robin shrieked when he rolled them over and set her on the mattress. He didn't stop walking until he had succeeded in putting adequate distance between them.

"You're nowhere near ready for this." Patrick told her.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Robin bit into her lip when she felt it start to tremble.

"It's not that I don't want you. Nothing could be further from the truth…"

"Then what is it?" Robin asked her tone both soft and seductive as she moved her fingers to the front latch of her bra.

"Please don't do that." Patrick begged. He was trying to be a good guy, an honorable one, but if she kept this up, he was going to have her anyway. He would end up hurting her. The pleasure coursing through him was far too unpredictable.

"Don't you want to be with me?" She murmured.

"You have no idea." Not the thing to say, Drake.

"Then finish what you started." Robin insisted, standing up and walking over to him. "Because, I'm here to tell you, this is your golden opportunity."

You're a bastard Drake he heard a little voice declare. Don't want her. Hurt her feelings. Pick a fight. Do something. "I want her." He said aloud.

"You know, you never showed me that whirlpool bath." Robin reminded him, touching her lips to his.


	49. Best of Intentions

Who wants an update? Who wants one?

Lucky paused long enough to crack his neck before entering his parents' home. It was the last full week before Daphne's CD dropped. From now until a week from Tuesday, his already hectic schedule would morph into hyper drive. Final printing approvals, shipping confirmations, press releases and interviews, media appearances. He was taking a personal interest in launching Daphne into the world and right now her CD was his world.

It was weeks like this that reminded him why he put up with his mother's constant nagging about his love life and settling down. The constant lectures from his baby sister about how he was in danger of ruining his son's life. Without them being so close by and willing to watch Cameron, he could not imagine what he would do.

"Hello?" he called walking through the front door. "Anyone here?"

"Daddy!" Cameron ran out of the kitchen at the sound of his father's voice. His small face was smeared with cookie dough batter. "You home!"

Deftly, Lucky picked Cameron up and swung him in the air. "Well hey there Mr. Messy."

Cameron laughed and help onto Lucky's neck for dear life. "I make cookies with Gramma."

"Make them or wear them, bud? I did teach you the difference right?"

Standing in the kitchen door wiping her hand, Laura's laughter floated over to both of them. "Cameron's been a very good helper today." Walking over to them, she gently pulled Cameron from Lucky's arms and placed him on the ground. "Time to go wash up Cameron."

Cameron raced towards the first floor bathroom to wash his hands. Lucky smiled as he watched him go. "Thanks again Mom."

"It's not a problem. How is everything coming together for the new CD?"

Lucky fell onto the overstuffed couch. "If I'm living up to my name, it should go like clockwork."

"Well good." Laura smiled as her grandson returned, carefully rubbing his face. "Get all cleaned up Cameron?"

Cameron nodded and pulled himself up on the couch to sit next to Lucky. Smiling down at his son, Lucky patted his head. "So Cams, what did you with Gramma?"

"We went to the park."

"You did?"

Cameron nodded. "We saw Miss Lizabeth there."

Laura quickly busied herself with straightening the placemats on the dinning room table. Lucky raised his eyebrow and kept one eye trained directly on his mother. "Miss Elizabeth? Well that sounds fun."

Oblivious to his father's stare, Cameron cheerfully continued. "Miss Lizabeth played with me."

"She did?" Lucky did not miss how quickly his mother's movements sped up.

"Is that the timer? I better go check on those cookies." Laura's hands fluttered by her face as she attempted to return to the kitchen.

"I think the cookies are fine Mom." Lucky called out. "Why don't you come and listen to Cameron's story?"

"Miss Lizabeth swung on the swings with me." Cameron tugged on Lucky's arm, indicating his father should lower his ear. "Daddy? I like Miss Lizabeth. She's fun."

Laura caught the smile on Lucky's face when he heard whatever it was Cameron had whispered to him. It was her favorite picture of the two them, their heads close together, sharing secrets. She attempted to steer Cameron's story away from a recital of all that had happened when Elizabeth had joined them. "And you saw Josh and Leo at the park as well honey."

Cameron nodded but he was clearly more interested in sharing his day with his teacher. "Miss Lizabeth and Gramma had a grown up talk Daddy."

Lucky carefully looked at his mother. She sat in the chair, trying to fight down the blush. Why did he have a feeling this wasn't going to be a good thing where he was concerned? "Mom..." he started in a warning tone.

Laura moved quickly. "Cameron, why don't you go see what your Aunt Lulu is doing upstairs? She may want cookies later and you have to tell her about them."

Instantly understanding the seriousness of his mission, Cameron nodded and made his way up the stairs. When she saw his feet disappear up the stairs, she turned to face her son. "Now Lucky, it wasn't as bad as you are thinking."

"It's not?"

"We had a perfectly pleasant conversation."

"That you probably cornered her into." Lucky crossed his arms over his chest. He had seen his mother in action many times. He was well aware of her methods.

"I most certainly did not!"

"How far away were Josh and Leo when you pointed them out to Cameron?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

Lucky shook his head slowly. "Mom, I'm not that out of touch that I don't know who Cameron's usual playmates are. Josh and Leo are not on the list. If he was playing with them, it's because you pointed them out to get Elizabeth alone."

"I would not use my grandson in such a manner."

Lucky burst out laughing. "Mom, you use him in every guilt trip you've laid on me since his birth. Even if he has nothing to do with the question at hand."

Laura threw her hands up in defeat. "Fine, maybe I did point out Josh and Leo just to talk to her. But it's your own fault."

"My fault?" Lucky sputtered incredulously. "How is it my fault?"

"You've created such an air of mystery around whatever it is that is happening between the two of you. You bring her to the house and then hide her in the kitchen the entire party. Sue me for wanting to know more about her."

"Mom, you've actually seen her more times than I have at Cameron's school." It was a weak point he knew, but it was the only one he had.

Laura cocked her head to the side and shook her head. "Your father would disown you if he heard that excuse. That was pretty bad son."

Lucky shrugged. "It was all I had." He shook his finger in his mother's direction. "What exactly did you two talk about?"

"It was a private conversation."

"Mom, she's already spends half her time pissed at me for things I admit I've stupidly done. I just need to know what amount of damage control I have to do."

"Not every conversation I have is about you my boy. For your information your name hardly came up."

"Mother."

"We mainly talked about her and her family."

Lucky closed his eyes tightly. "Just answer me these questions. Embarrassing childhood storied involving nudity?"

"No."

"Ugly childhood pictures that I know are in your wallet shown?"

"No."

"Probing slightly veiled questions about her intentions with your son and grandson?"

Laura paused. It was confirmation enough for Lucky. "Mom" he groaned covering his hands with his eyes.

"Lucky you have to admit you don't normally bring a girl home so soon after you meet her. I didn't ask anything blatant."

"You never do."

"But this relationship," she corrected herself when she caught the look on her son's face. Too soon for him to admit that she realized belatedly. "Or whatever it is you call it right now, is not following your normal pattern. You are never this secretive with someone we know you are seeing. You don't date women who know about Cameron. You certainly don't introduce them to us after three dates."

"Two." He automatically corrected. "That trip to Buffalo does not count."

"Well two dates then. You can't blame a mother for asking certain questions."

"Did she run away screaming?"

"No Mr. Smart Mouth she did not."

"I have to talk to her. Tell her my entire family isn't crazy." he muttered under his breath.

"Too late for that dear. She's already met your father."

"Courtney Matthews." Courtney answered, placing her hand over the phone. "Thank you," she said to the doorman when he reached out to open the door for her. She still couldn't believe three years of modeling had led to her being cast in one of the coolest movies ever. And who should be the lead man in the movie, but Collin Farrell? Oh, she was so giddy she almost dropped the phone. "I'm sorry, hello?"

"Courtney, it's Anna. Robin's mother." Anna wasn't sure why she was being so formal. Of course Courtney would know who she was. They had met hundreds of times usually only for a few minutes. She supposed her need to be specific had more to do with the fact that she couldn't reach her daughter. It wasn't like Robin to not carry her phone with her everywhere she went. If she had it on silent surely she would see the eleven flashing messages from her mother!

"Anna, hello!" Courtney greeted her friend's mother as she would a friend. Balancing her bag on her left shoulder, she sandwiched the phone between her shoulder and cheek while she used her free hand to unlock the loft. "What can I do for you?" She couldn't think of another reason for her roommate's mother to be calling her.

"I was wondering if perhaps I could talk to Robin." Anna explained her voice soft, her tone hopeful.

"She's not with me. I just got home from a week's worth of shooting. I'm an actress now." Courtney doubted she'd ever grow tired of saying that. "Collin Farrell, can you believe it?"

"No." Anna replied impatiently. "What I mean is...that's great news. Listen Courtney, I've been trying to reach Robin since last night. She called and left a message about Morgan on my voicemail…"

That got Courtney's attention. Setting her bag next to the desk, she shut the door behind her and reached for the phone. "What about Morgan?"

"Poor little thing had a hundred and two temperature last night." Anna told her.

"Is he all right?" Courtney asked.

"I assume. The phone calls stopped. She must have gotten a hold of the pediatrician." Anna stated simply.

"Wait…there's a note here." Courtney picked up the pink message tab. She read it aloud, "'Court, I'll probably be gone when you get home. Morgan is staying at Elizabeth's for the night. I should be back in the morning. Love Robin.'"

"Does it say anything else? Where she is perhaps?" Anna pressed.

"No. That's all it says." Courtney shook her head.

"Does it look like her handwriting?" Anna wondered.

"Who else would have written this?"

"I've collected a handful of enemies over the years. It's inevitable in politics. Please check it next to something else she has written that you know of." Anna insisted.

"I somehow doubt--" Courtney began.

"Courtney, please. This could be life-threatening." Anna's voice never rose, but Courtney caught onto the worried tone immediately.

"I'm going to set the phone down and see what I can find." Courtney explained, spending the next five minutes looking for even a scrap of paper Robin might have written on.

"Well?" She asked when Courtney picked up the phone.

"She wrote a thank-you note to our neighbor for…watching Morgan." Courtney stared at the note skeptically.

"Check it!" Anna all but screamed.

"I did. They match." Courtney promised.

"Do they look identical, because someone could have--" Anna prattled on.

"I'm going to call Elizabeth and make sure. Let me call you right back." She waited for Anna to hang up and then did the same, finding Elizabeth's cell number taped to the fridge under a picture Morgan had drawn of the three of them. Robin's stick-person was extremely lifelike: everyone else in the picture was taller than she was.

"Hello?"

"Liz, it's Courtney."

"Hey big time actress! You completely famous yet?"

"Collin Farrell is the lead! Can you believe that?" Courtney paused. "There's an actual reason I'm calling though."

"Besides gloating?" Elizabeth laughed. "Let me guess. Morgan?"

"Yes. I see Robin's note here and Anna tells me he had a fever last night."

"Yeah. It was pretty high but apparently it broke some time during the night."

"That's good." Courtney put her hand to her chest. "I was surprised to see that Robin left Morgan with you. What I mean is do you know where she is? Her mother is going crazy trying to reach her."

"Well she wasn't even sure where she was going. But I know who she's with if that helps."

"What? I'm afraid I'm confused."

"Have you tried her cell phone?" Elizabeth prodded.

"Yes. And so has her mother." So she hadn't actually tried to reach her yet. This was faster.

"It must be going better than she expected if she's not answering her phone." Elizabeth mused to herself.

"What does that mean?" Courtney had a feeling she didn't want to know.

"Promise you won't freak out."

"Elizabeth Webber, what aren't you telling me?"

"That she's out on a date with Patrick Drake and he wouldn't tell her where he was going, just to pack a bag?" Elizabeth spoke quickly, bracing herself as if Courtney could reach through the phone and hit her.

"WHAT?! I'm gone one week and she completely loses her senses?"

"Well he was apparently really sweet when Morgan was sick..."

"He was here...at the loft with them?"

"Apparently he got concerned when she missed Bobbie's party and came to see them. And ended up staying for..."Elizabeth paused realizing that Courtney would not like the rest of the story Robin had told her. "Well staying for awhile."

"How long is awhile, Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth bit her lip and closed her eyes tightly. This was not going to go over well. "Falling asleep in your chair?"

"M-my chair?!" She had just sat down in the aforementioned piece of furniture and now she had to jump out of it. "Falling asleep doing what?"

"Robin said it was totally innocent. Morgan was right there on the couch."

"He was right there when they were fooling around in my chair?"

"She never said fooling around."

"What exactly did she say?"

"That he came over, taught Morgan how to play Poker, they watched movies, kissed a little, and then she fell asleep and Patrick put both her and Morgan in bed."

"She hates Patrick. Why would she agree to go with him anywhere overnight? I mean, Morgan is recovering from a deadly fever."

"The pediatrician never said deadly and my grandmother has been watching him all night. He's been fine. As for Patrick...there's been some thawing in that area."

"I can't believe she would do that. It's not like her at all."

"I know but I think it might be a good thing Court. She seems to really like him."

Taking a breath, she prepared herself for the answer to her next question. "How serious is this between them?"

"I have no idea. She gets really defensive when I question her about it and immediately switches the subject to me and Lucky."

"Is it just sex?" She asked quietly.

"I think she thinks it's just sex for him. I'm not sure what it is for her."

"Do you need me to come and get Morgan?"

"Don't rush. He's having a blast. He's discovered my grandmother's attic and thinks it's the coolest toy store ever invented. Come when you are ready."

"I'll get him in the morning...just in case Robin isn't back from her date."

"That's fine. He's actually helping me out. Just give me a call before you come."

"I will. Thank you, Liz."


	50. Famous Last Words

Robin let herself into the loft, rolling her shoulders to try and relieve the tension she held there. If she wasn't careful, she was going to go over to the couch and pass out. There were so many things to be done, so many decisions to make, but her brain was mush. She thanked God that they had been on the jet instead of a commercial flight otherwise they surely would have slept through it. Using the doorway to hold her steady, she took each shoe off and threw them across the room. The phrase "dead on your feet" would have been a welcomed feeling right now. She barely made it to the couch without collapsing.

Her cell phone crashed to the ground, but she couldn't bring herself to bend down and retrieve it, couldn't bring herself to care. The purse slid off of her shoulder about the time she closed the door and she left it next to the phone. Her bag dragged behind her like a lead weight though she was certain she had packed almost nothing. Patrick had been sore about her not showing off the sexy lingerie she had hinted at, but she had insisted that she had forgotten it at home. She had made one concession; she had stolen his oversized T-shirt and worn it to bed.

She and Patrick had shared a cab back to her apartment and she had somehow convinced him to go back to his. He had grabbed her when she had started toward the apartment, claiming that she had forgotten something, and held her against the door of the cab. His warm body above her and the cold yellow door behind her, Robin had completely surrendered to his mouth, his hands, and his body. The fact that the cab driver was right there watching hadn't rendered Robin embarrassed and, if anything, it had made Patrick completely arrogant. It was only when his hands slid up her shirt did Robin find herself pulling back. There was a time and a place for fondling and outside on a street corner with any kind of audience was not it.

The message on her cell phone this morning had been from Elizabeth informing her that Morgan had gone home with Courtney last night. Robin hadn't put in a call to confirm this, because she had seen her roommate's car in the garage when she was crossing the parking lot. It didn't strike her as strange that Courtney had gone to get him, only that she hadn't called to tell Robin herself. Elizabeth was suddenly the in-between. This alone should have prepared her for what was to come.

Flawless as usual, Courtney crossed the living room and took a seat in her chair, one perfectly tanned leg crossed over the other. She set her hands in her lap and took in Robin's disheveled hair with mild interest. The deep frown she wore had morphed her face into something ugly and Robin couldn't help but blanch. What was the matter? Why did she look so angry? Courtney never took anything to heart, so something must have happened that Robin didn't know about. She had never been more afraid to strike up a conversation with her friend than she was now. Clearing her throat, she braced her hands in her lap, and said, "You got in last night?"

"Yes. Your mother is looking for you. You might want to give her a call." Courtney replied distantly.

"Did something happen?" Robin asked tentatively, placing her hands under her lap to keep from digging her nails into the fabric of her Capri's.

"You tell me, Roby." Any other time, Robin might have taken the use of her nickname as a good sign, but the strained way her friend said it caused all the blood to rush to her head, leaving her feeling dizzy.

"Is Morgan upstairs?" Robin wondered, glancing behind her.

"Yes, but he's got the TV on loud." Courtney's answer implied that she had it in her to start a screaming fight.

Elizabeth must have told Courtney about her and Patrick. Her tight posture and unflattering expression more than supported the theory. Robin was going to have to bite the bullet. Taking her hands out from under her, she folded them together and lifted her gaze to meet her roommate's. "Patrick and I went on a date." At Courtney's scoff, she continued, "I know you already knew that, but I wanted you to hear it from me."

"For what reason? Do you feel noble being the second person to tell me instead of coming to me in the first place? How long did you really think you could keep this a secret?" Courtney was talking so fast, Robin bet she was the only person alive who could translate it into anything more than a string of mumbles.

"I didn't try to hide anything. If you'd asked--" Robin began.

"Because you and Patrick is suddenly an obvious thing? You've only expressed bitter hatred for him for the last five years. I wonder why I can't just accept this." Courtney snapped.

"That's not fair." Robin pointed her finger at Courtney in warning. "I didn't keep this from you."

"Skewed reasoning will not get you out of this." Courtney assured her.

"I'm not trying to get out of anything. Up until yesterday, I didn't know that Patrick and I had anything in common…" Robin explained.

"But now you do? One date and you're both ready to commit to a relationship? Robin, come on." Courtney pressed.

"No. I never said commitment." Robin shook her head. "We have fun together."

"Don't sell yourself short. You're worth a lot more than this." Courtney insisted.

"A lot more than what?" Robin couldn't help but take offense. "I'm going into this with my eyes wide open."

"Like hell you are. Robin, I know you feel indebted to Patrick for saving you and Morgan from the car crash, but how far are you willing to carry gratitude?" Courtney inquired.

"And just what do you mean by that?"

"Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't sleep with Patrick last night." Courtney challenged, one eyebrow lifting in question.

"Is this an interrogation?" Robin wanted to know.

"Robin, what are you doing?" Courtney asked. "Logan didn't take enough from you? Now you've moved onto his brother?"

"Patrick is not Logan!" Robin hadn't meant to shout. She glanced down at her hands.

"You're right. He's a hundred times worse. Thanks to Logan, he knows just how to work you to his advantage." Courtney assured her.

"Why are you saying these things to me?"

"I don't want to see you hurt again."

"You're the one who said that I need to get a life. Make up my mind." Robin shot back.

"I never meant with Patrick Drake. God, you can't be this naïve." Courtney's voice was soft with awe.

"I'm not being naïve. I don't believe that Patrick and I have anything serious. I don't want serious. He understands that. We're just having fun." Robin clarified.

"At what cost? Have you even thought about how this could affect Morgan?" Courtney retorted.

"Have I thought about it? I think about it every damn day Courtney! I've second-guessed myself since Sonny left me in charge of that little boy and I would not be entering into something like this if I thought there was even a chance that I could end up invested."

"He's never going to love you, Robin." Courtney tried to convince her.

"Who said anything about love?" Robin countered, meeting Courtney's solemn stare.

"I'm trying to protect you." Courtney insisted.

"I didn't ask for you to, did I?" Robin shot back. "This is my life, not anyone else's. I'm so tired of being told how I should live, how I should approach every situation. Yes, Patrick can be an asshole. No one knows that better than I do. When he first brought up the subject of monogamy, I laughed in his face. Then, I yelled at him. And you know what? He's done everything since then to prove me wrong about him. We went and had a really good time yesterday. I feel like a different person when I'm around him. I'm not damaged when we're together, I'm just me."

"I can't support this decision." Courtney murmured firmly.

"Then don't." Robin responded coldly.

"Grandma? Can I watch this one?" Lance held out the DVD of The Muppet Movie with a hopeful smile on his face. The five year old adored The Muppets and had every single one of their movies memorized, which generally led to him repeating the dialogue seconds after it had been said. Bobbie blamed Dillon for that habit.

Bobbie glanced down from her desk, where she had been working on the plans for three of her upcoming weddings. Placed in the living room, it faced out the large front window. It allowed her to work from home and keep an eye on both Morgan and Lance when she needed to. Lucas was busy at the bakery and Dillon had gotten called in last minute to complete some edits for a music video he had shot for a new group Lucky signed. Ruffling her youngest grandson's hair, she smiled. At least he hadn't watched this particular movie in awhile. "Sure Lance. Go ahead."

Lance happily skipped towards the television, singing The Rainbow Connection under his breath as he set up the machines to watch his favorite friends. Bobbie smiled happily at his excitement and turned her attention to the detailed list she had been working on for the past two hours.

It should have been several pages long by now. Filled with contact names, numbers, price quotes, schedules, guest lists and the ever changing table assignments for the reception. But the blank paper mocked her. Nothing was listed, even though she knew work had been done. Her job for this afternoon had been simple. Transfer all the information for this wedding to one single list. It was a practice she had started when her business had started and it had saved her myriad of headaches and hassles as the years went on. The blank paper mocked her. She couldn't even blame the couple for this one. They had come to the table fully prepared and with a clear vision of what they wanted for their ceremony.   
No the fault was hers. Every time she went to write down anything, even the smallest most banal detail, including the couple's name, her mind wandered. Wandered right to Cruz.

Ever her since her birthday party she had noticed a change in him. He was easily distracted and at times almost aloof with her. Questions that he had normally answered quickly were now met with silence and then a stilted joking response. At first she had feared that he had finally come to his senses. Realized that he should be with someone closer to his own age than the aunt of his best friends. But his kisses were still as passionate, his attention to her just as intense as ever. He still pouted when she had to send him home early in the evening due to an early morning babysitting session with Morgan or Lance.

Bobbie had long ago learned to recognize the signs when a man was on his way out the door. And Cruz was showing none of them so far. She was starting to suspect was something far more serious. He wanted to go public. Not that he had said anything to her about it. Hadn't dropped a hint, breached a conversation, or even took her out to a place where they were guaranteed to be seen. No he had stayed true to their previous commitment. Private dates in secluded restaurants. Dinners at their homes. Emails and phone calls done almost in code. Yet something was different.

It was gnawing at her. Cruz wanted to go public. He was going to bring it up sooner or later, she realized. He did not get to be en editor at age 25 by avoiding hard questions. Bobbie was a realist above all else, with a romantic streak a mile wide but she was still a realist. Eventually he would force the conversation upon them and she would have to deal with it.

The mere idea of going public terrified her. Bobbie could admit seeing other women flirt with him or listening to Laura's attempts to set him up on blind dates infuriated her. Part of her longed to tell everyone he was hers and hers alone. That they could look all they wanted but he was coming home with her. She hated lying to her family constantly when she knew they just wanted her to find happiness. And Cruz did make her happy.

But would her family's definition of her happiness include dating a man young enough to be her son? One that she had met through her nephews? While she loved her family dearly and knew they were more open-minded than most, she sincerely doubted it. All of Laura's matchmaking attempts since Tony's death had centered on widows and divorcees with grown children just like her. The youngest of that lot had been a mere three months younger than her.

To be completely fair, it wasn't really her brother or sister-in-law's reaction she was worried about. Or Ruby's. They would be shocked at first but they would eventually come around to the idea. She could even hear some of the inappropriate jokes Luke would make at Cruz's expense. That wasn't her worry. It was the kids.

Lucas had only recently come around to the idea of his mother dating again. The few times she had introduced him to a man she was seeing had been excruciating for all parties involved. He had been getting better about it before she started seeing Cruz, but it was still an uncomfortable situation for him. She knew, through conversations with Dillon, her son did want her to be happy but he still felt she would be disloyal to Tony if she did find happiness. Lucas put on a brave front around her but she knew he was still hurting as much as the day Tony died. More so since Lance's birth.

Lulu would be crushed. Her niece had confided in her about the crush she had on her brother's best friend. The young girl would see their relationship as the ultimate betrayal. Bobbie knew her niece. She was her father's daughter. Slow to forgive and quick to anger. There would be other crushes, but none would end as hurtfully as this one would.

Resting her chin in her hands, Bobbie pondered the most troublesome aspect of going public. Lucky and Patrick's reactions. She loved both her nephews dearly. They both had practically grown up in her house and found it a safe refuge when they couldn't deal with their parents during high school and college. Before telling his parents about Cameron's impending birth, Lucky had even half jokingly asked her if he could move in.

She knew how close all three boys were. Brothers from other mothers. They would tease and fight, but never serious, never for long. It had been a long standing joke between herself and Laura that if something was to happen to Lucky, Patrick and Cruz were probably named as Cameron's legal guardians. But she was also aware that nothing this big had been kept a secret between them. Patrick and Lucky would see Cruz's secrecy as a deception, a breach of the code. They would be furious with him. As much as she loved her nephews, she knew both could be rash when angered, do things they may later regret and not be able to take back. Like cast Cruz out of their lives forever.

She couldn't do that to Cruz. He was still estranged from most of his family for turning his back on a more illegal way of life. While he had a strained relationship with his mother, his family didn't understand him and didn't hesitate to tell him so. He had often said being taken under the wing of the Spencer family probably was the best thing that had happened to him. Even if she could admit that she wanted to go public with their relationship, she was not going to do it at the expense of him losing his family.

Squaring her shoulders, Bobbie took a deep breath. They couldn't go public. Cruz would lose too much. She would just have to convince him this was the best way. Even if it drove them both crazy.


	51. Is This Okay?

He had tracked her to the school, spotting her gold colored Toyota Camry with the Evans Blue bumper sticker in the parking lot. Audrey had been fairly certain Elizabeth was spending the day setting up her classroom for the upcoming school year, but actually seeing her car caused relief to spread through Lucky's system. She was here and there was very little chance she could really avoid him if he showed up where she worked. At least in theory she couldn't.

He followed the hallway to her classroom from vague memory, only realizing he was heading in the right direction when he recognized the faint sounds of Toby Lightman in the hallway. Her love of obscure pop artists was going to give her away every single time. Lucky smiled as he paused outside her doorway, hearing for the first time her half humming half singing along with acoustic version of "Real Love."

It had not escaped his notice that since his mother had what she claimed was a friendly conversation with her, Elizabeth had been avoiding him. He had left her a message about meeting up on Thursday at least two days ago and she had yet to return his call. His attempts to reach her through her grandmother had also been met with silence. Finally the older woman had taken pity on him and told him Elizabeth had been planning to spend her day setting up her classroom again for the start of school in the upcoming two weeks. Obviously something his mother had said had spooked her. First he needed to find out what exactly had freaked her out and then he had find a way to fix it.

Elizabeth was lost in her own world as she unpacked another plastic storage container, perfectly content to be setting up her art station. Every tub of crayons was opened and examined. Ones to small to be used anymore were thrown to the trash. Next would be the paints. Only then would she be able to accurately judge what needed replacing and what could last a little while longer.

As Toby let out her anguish tale of searching for a real love, Elizabeth hummed along, content to have something completely her own to focus on. This was her classroom, her kingdom and she was determined that it would work in the exact manner she wanted it to. She was so lost in her task, it did not register she was no longer alone in the room until she felt a hand gently tap her shoulder.

Figuring it was another teacher or her principal, Elizabeth glanced up quickly from her seated position on the floor. The crayon container in her hand fell to the floor when Lucky's features came into focus for her. She looked to the floor quickly hoping he didn't notice the blush Elizabeth was positive was rising up her cheeks, and busied herself with picking up the mess she had just created.

"Oh hi." She managed. "This is a surprise."

It was worse than Lucky had thought if that was the greeting he was going to get. That was something he said when an out of town relative dropped by his home. It was not something he ever wanted said to him by someone he was seriously interested in. At least not in that flat, forced tone of hers. He bent to his knees and began to help her gather the scattered crayons. "Your grandmother told me where you might be."

Dropping the last of the crayons into the carton, Elizabeth rose to her feet. Lucky followed her as she made her way across the room to her desk. "She did? Well that was nice of her." Mentally Elizabeth made a note to have a discussion with her grandmother about not meddling in her relationships. She was trying to put some distance between herself and Lucky until she could figure out this Daphne thing. Distance meant not seeing him, which also included not having him surprise her in her classroom.

He ran his hand through his hair. "Well I may have played the guilt card on her since I told her you hadn't returned any of my calls."

Perching on the edge of her desk, Elizabeth looked away. It was hard to remember to she wanted distance when he looked so darn adorable. "Lucky you told me you were going to be busy this week."

Stubbornly he shook his head. "I would have answered your calls. And I did ask you out for Thursday, which you never responded to."

She waved her arm around the room, indicating the chaos of boxes and tubs surrounding them. "I've not exactly been relaxing around the pool here."

Lucky allowed himself a small smile at memory of her in a bathing suit. "I didn't think you were. But I do think you are avoiding me."

She was startled by his directness. "Why would I be avoiding you?"

He leaned closer to her, causing her to move further back on the desk. "Maybe a certain conversation you had with my mother in the park the other day?"

Elizabeth felt her eyes widen. "Your mother was perfectly nice Lucky."

He shook his head and chuckled softly. "I'm sure she was perfectly nice. And perfectly nosy. I've lived with the woman for 25 years. I know how she is around women her boys bring around the family. She can't help herself, she's a total romantic."

Her hands moved towards his, without her permission. Her traitorous body was responding to very nearness of him, making her mission to maintain distance all but impossible. Her fingers intertwined with his slowly. "She only wants you to be happy."

Leaning closer, he stopped a breath short of her lips. "I'm so sorry if she freaked you out."

"She wasn't that bad. Really." She took a deep breath. "She wasn't exactly the reason I wasn't returning your calls."

If it wasn't his mother, then what exactly was it? "Go on." He urged her.

Biting her lips, she trained her gaze on their fingers. She should ask him straight out about Daphne. But a little voice in her head still begged her not to. They still hadn't even figured out what exactly they were and he certainly hadn't promised her exclusivity just yet. The feeling that she would be viewed as a jealous shrew was still strong.

Taking a deep breath, she made her decision. "Remember when I told you that moving here was not all that great of an act?" Seeing him nod, she continued. "Well that's because moving here was as much for me as it was for my grandmother."

"Go on."

"Back in Boulder, I was seeing this guy Max. Max Giambetti. Anyways, we had been seeing each other for about six months and I thought we were getting serious. You know talking about meeting each other's families, going to the work parties together, having the keys to each other's place, even some talk about moving in together. The works."

A faint idea of what had made her so skittish, as Cruz had called her, was beginning to form in his mind. Already Lucky knew he hated this Max person. "Were you happy?"

Elizabeth smiled faintly as she allowed herself to remember the good times. "Yeah I was." She let out a breath, blowing a piece of her hair off the side of her face. "Anyways, one day I was out of school earlier than I thought I was going to be. Some parent was late for their conference."

"We had plans to meet later that night at his place, so I just decided to go over there and wait for him. It wasn't any big deal; I had let myself into his place a million times before that. I heard some music playing when I got there so I thought he had left work early too, so I went in, determined to surprise him." She looked at the floor as she spoke about the last moments in her relationship with Max. "He had left work early. And so had my best friend at the time. I found them in his bed."

Lucky clenched his fist as the rage filled him. He made himself a promise the next time he went to Boulder for L&B business he was going to find this asshole and beat him senseless. "Asshole." He swore under his breath.

"Yeah he is."

"So what happened next?"

"Well he tried to tell me that it wasn't what it looked like. This of course caused me to throw everything I could reach at his head. When he stood up to stop me, he started to say we had never said we were exclusive..."

"Idiotic bastard. Thank you." She met his eyes. "So it's not really you that I'm avoiding. I'm just a little unsure about relationships in general right now."

"This is why I kicked him in a sensitive area."

Lucky thanked whatever watched out over him that he hadn't made her that mad so far. He was willing to bet she had done some serious damage to Max. Not that the cock sucker didn't deserve it.

"Grams hurt herself shortly after that and I decided to leave town. I didn't have anything to keep me there if my so-called friend would betray me like that with the guy I was in love with. It just hurt too much you know?"

He ran a finger across her face, stopping at the tip of her chin. "How many guys have you been out with since then?"

"None." She whispered.

Her soft admission hit him like a ton of bricks. She really did need time, just like she had told him. He softly squeezed her fingers. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"Thank you." She met his eyes. "So it's not really you that I'm avoiding. I'm just a little unsure about relationships in general right now."

"I completely understand."

"There's one other thing."

"What?"

"See every time we see each other I think we have a good time."

"So do I."

"Then I see you in a magazine with this girl in a picture dated the next day and it confuses me." He had taken her story about Max well and seemed to understand where she was coming from. Maybe she could ask about Daphne and not completely ruin this.

Lucky's brow furrowed in confusion. Another girl? He hadn't been seen with anyone since he had met Elizabeth. Well no one but Daphne. Oh God. Had she seen the pictures from his publicity push with Daphne? "Was her name Daphne Vega?"

Elizabeth nodded and forced herself to breath normally. "Look I know we haven't been seeing each other all that long..."

He glanced at his watch. "Look I can explain everything about Daphne and I will. Just I think you need to see something first. Can you get away for a couple of hours? Come somewhere with me?"

"Lucky…what are you..."

"I know you have no reason to trust me at this moment, but I think that seeing this will explain it better than I could. Will you just come with me? If you don't believe me, you have every right to kick me in the same sensitive area and never see me again."

She allowed a small smile. "Okay. I'll go with you. But I'm driving myself."

"Are you sure you're tall enough to be answering the door?" Patrick asked the tiny brunette, leaning against the doorframe while the moment stretched into two.

"It's never stopped Robin." Morgan replied flippantly, making no move to invite Patrick in.

"Am I keeping you from something?"

"Yes, but I guess you can come in." Morgan gave in, turning his back to his second cousin.

"Don't put yourself out." Patrick threw back, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his relative's curt response.

"Why are you here?" Morgan wanted to know.

"You get right to the point, don't you?" Patrick jested, but Morgan was having none of it. "I came to ask Robin a question."

"She's busy. You can ask me." Morgan's tone said that it wasn't up for discussion.

"Look, I get that you're protective of Robin, but there is no way I'm going to discuss this with a six-year-old. This is grown-up stuff." Patrick countered stubbornly.

Morgan knew all about "grown-up stuff." His daddy used to send him out of the room when he would talk business with his partners and/or enemies. Morgan would always hide at the top of the stairs in a corner that was just big enough for him to squeeze into. For Patrick to even imply that he was just a kid in need of babying was a joke. He had heard his daddy order dozens of people to be killed, but Patrick felt the need to omit information where he was concerned?

Unbelievable!

He had a really bad habit of hiding at the top of the stairs. He had been there when Aunt Courtney and Robin had started yelling at each other. He hadn't meant to listen, but they'd been louder than 101 Dalmatians and he had come out of his room to investigate. There had been plenty of times he had heard Aunt Courtney raise her voice, especially when a guy was mentioned, but Robin so rarely did. He still remembered her snapping at him, but he had been bad. The way she had talked to Aunt Courtney had been much different and vice versa. It was as if they had tried to say whatever they could just to hurt each other. He had snuck into Robin's room at bedtime because she hadn't told him goodnight and he found her with tears still fresh on her cheeks.

Morgan sometimes found it hard to go to sleep without Mommy, but Robin had always been there in her place. In the beginning he had fought her, hurt her feelings, and been an all-around brat, but she had never given up on him. He had finally started to trust her. Plenty of people had promised to be there for him, but she was the only one he felt he could actually count on.

And then Patrick had showed up, seemingly out of nowhere, and wrecked everything! The nights when she had been kept awake Patrick had been the cause! Worse, she had started to doubt her abilities as a parent even more since he had come into the picture. At first, she had been cautious but loving. Now, she was almost afraid to spend time with him out of fear that she was doing the wrong thing, saying the wrong thing. He hadn't protested when she had suggested camp, because she had been so excited about him having something to do, something that she thought other kids did. He wished he could tell her that he wasn't like other kids, but she was so sure of the opposite that he had no choice but to lock up his mouth and throw away the key.

Parents were so funny sometimes. His daddy had always told him how he didn't ever want to be away from Michael and Morgan, but he had spent almost no time with them. If it weren't for Leticia, Morgan bet he never would have gotten through all of his homework. She had been a kind lady, but he hadn't included her in his circle of his friends, because she had been paid to be that way. Mommy had always been there…except when she thought a new guy in town was cute and she felt compelled to chase after him. How many times had he sat on the couch with some guy his mother was lusting after? How many lies had he been fed about them becoming the "best of friends?" If Patrick so much as tried it, he was going to punch him in the nose. He might get in trouble--he would get in trouble--but he figured it'd be worth it.

"I'm not some dumb kid, Patrick. I know why you're here, and I'm going to tell you what I've told the others." Morgan informed his clueless cousin, making sure that their eyes locked. Patrick was like a puppy in that he had a very short attention span.

"'Others'?" Patrick parroted.

"Robin is okay by herself. She doesn't need you in her life. I can take care of her." Morgan explained, tilting his head, daring Patrick to argue the point.

"Maybe you should let her make her own decisions."

"Girls never pick the right guys. Haven't you been paying attention?" Morgan muttered.

Having not expected that reaction, Patrick couldn't help but laugh out loud. He doubled over, holding his sides as if he thought he might fly apart at any minute. Wiping tears away from his eyes, he swallowed hard and met Morgan's impatient stare. "I appreciate the pep talk, Morgan. I don't want Robin to get hurt anymore than you do."

"Then why are you still here?" Morgan challenged, crossing his arms.

"Because I'm not going to be scared away, not by you or anyone. Okay?" Patrick held the boy's stare until the boy finally yielded.

"Fine, but I'm not going to start calling you 'Sir.'" Morgan warned him.

"My dad was always trying to get my brother and me to call him that. I thought the whole thing was stupid. I wasn't in the Army." Patrick told him.

"My daddy made me do the same thing, but it was Mommy who made sure we said it." Morgan recalled.

"I bet you miss them."

"I don't miss Michael's snoring."

"What is going on down here?" Robin wondered, standing on the second to last step of the stairs. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and she had been on her way to the dryer to pick out a different blouse since the one she'd worn earlier in the day was covered in orange soda. The blood drained out of her face when she spotted Patrick on the couch. Though she was still half dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a flowery pink bra, she felt completely exposed. Patrick looked up, recognizing her voice, and his lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile.

"We were having a very important discussion about crazy parents." Patrick explained, forcing himself to look away. So he had stared? What man in his right mind wouldn't have done the exact same thing? He tried to bite back the smile he knew he wore, but he couldn't. Glancing down at his hands, he waited until he heard the door to the 

dryer fling open to continue, "I should have probably called first."

"That is why we have telephones." Robin patronized, returning to the living room dressed in a sexy red blouse buttoned up to her throat. She could do whatever she wanted from this point; the mental image of her half naked on the stairs was enough to send him screaming for a cold shower. Getting to his feet, he brushed a hand over his pants, pretending to have found a wrinkle. Morgan paid little attention, but Robin's face turned almost as dark as her top.

"I have a real reason for coming…for stopping by." Patrick continued, wanting to look away, knowing it was best considering his current state. She was a beautiful creature. It didn't matter that her hair was tousled a bit, because he could just imagine that he was the cause. One of these days, very soon if he had his way, he would be.

"Yes?" Robin prodded, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. "Morgan, why don't you go upstairs and play?" It wasn't a question and the six-year-old seemed to pick up on this.

"Okay." Morgan replied, stealing the oversized coloring book from the desk table adjacent to the stairs and disappearing from sight.

"Are you okay?" Robin asked tentatively, keeping her feet rooted out of fear that she might leap into his arms if she didn't. She hadn't seen him in a couple days. The fight with Courtney had left her feeling wary and uncertain. If they were truly entering into a moderate-strings-still-basically-just-sex agreement she needed to know.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Patrick answered truthfully.

"If this is some sleazy come-on…" Robin let the threat hang in the air.

"It's not." Patrick promised, shaking his head.

"Then what…?" Robin insisted, her impatience getting the best of her.

"I didn't want to go the doctor in case it's nothing." Patrick explained.

"In case what's nothing? Are you sick?"

"I don't know. It could be something as simple as side effects from my meds." Patrick said, running a hand through his hair.

"And you happened to remember that I'm an expert with a thermometer?" Robin goaded him.

"You've been through this…you're still going through it. I thought you might shed some light on it." Patrick hated how vulnerable he must sound right now, but he had run out of alternatives. The only place left was the hospital and he knew he wouldn't be able to handle the news that he had in fact contracted HIV over the last few weeks. Up until this morning, he hadn't even entertained the possibility.

"What are your symptoms?" Robin inquired ruefully, taking a few steps toward him.

"Dizzy spells. I can't keep any food down. If you could just tell me that I've become a hypochondriac over night, I'd really appreciate it." Patrick admitted.

"It sounds like side effects, but let me feel your head." Robin ordered, closing the space between them. Her palm was like ice against his skin and he instinctively took a step back. She grabbed his wrist, pulling him closer, and he could tell by the slant of her eyebrows that she might believe him. "I'll get the thermometer." Robin decided, heading up the stairs.

Patrick sunk onto the couch, his hands automatically reaching up to hold his head as his eyes slid shut. Robin was no doctor, but he hadn't liked the split-second fear he had seen swimming around in dark her hazel eyes. What if he was sick? What if he had taken a turn for the worst and was already infected? He'd have to tell the Spencers. His next call would be to Logan and then Noah. He wasn't sure why he felt compelled to include his immediate family, but, if he was symptomatic, he wanted them to know. This was going to break Laura's heart, he already knew that much. Bobbie would be supportive, but in her quiet moments she would cry. Lucky and Cruz would handle him with kid gloves. This was exactly why he hadn't told anyone but Robin and his doctor. He wasn't prepared for lives to be altered to make way for a disease he might have.

"Open your mouth." Robin instructed, falling into the seat beside him.

"I knew you couldn't resist me." Patrick teased, watching her through half-closed eyelids. Doing as he was told, he let her place the thermometer on his bottom lip.

"Now close your mouth." Robin ordered lightly.

"Will I get a lollipop if I'm good, Dr. Scorpio?" Patrick baited.

"You might." Robin beamed at him. "Now be a good boy and shut your mouth."

"I'd rather be bad." Patrick countered, but he closed his lips over the tiny instrument anyway. It might have been a corny response, but it still got her blushing and that had been his goal. Reaching up to frame her face between his hands, he lost his fingers in her silky cinnamon strands. She sighed, her eyes slamming shut when he started kneading her scalp. Her skin warmed under his hands and he wanted so badly to kiss her.

"You know," Robin whispered, her eyelids slowly lifting, "You don't need a reason to stop by." Patrick shrugged and she continued, "Still, it wouldn't kill you to bring flowers once in a while. I'd feel much better knowing that your visit had something to do with me, instead of just yourself."

Patrick took the thermometer from his mouth assuming that Robin had a lot more to say and wanting to put in his two cents if at all possible. He glanced down at the thermometer and frowned. "What was with getting me all worked up? My temperature isn't even in the triple digits."

"Maybe I wanted to be sure." Robin shot back. "You've been taking your medications right?"

"Ever diligently." Patrick replied in a strained voice.

"Then there really isn't anything to worry about. You might still stop by the hospital and get a real medical opinion." Robin suggested.

"Nah, I trust you." Patrick argued, catching her right hand and turning it over so that he could run his thumb over the inside of her palm.

"I have to get back to work pretty soon," Robin explained, "But you're more than welcome to stay and have lunch with us."

Patrick didn't say anything for a long time. She could see the refusal in his eyes, but she still forced a smile and practiced patience. "What's on the menu?"

"Chicken Pot Pie. Do you think you can keep that down?"

"I think I can try." Patrick responded.


	52. Foolish Games

Bobbie paused, checking to make sure every last detail was in place. In exactly three minutes her most troublesome clients were due to arrive and she wanted to make sure every contingency was covered.

They had changed their theme at last count 57 times. The size had ballooned from intimate to gargantuan to middle of the road and back to intimate. Poor Robin had at least 93 cake designs sent her way and every last one had ultimately been decided against for some slightly neurotic reason or another. They had gone through every color of the rainbow and flower ever created twice. Bobbie didn't have an organizational list for this wedding; she had a copy of the Complete Oxford English Dictionary.

Normally this much indecision was the result of a Bridezilla. But Bobbie had to be fair. The groom was just as bad as his fiancée was. Almost every insane idea had originated from him. This wedding planning was enough to drive a sane woman to drink and change careers to something less stressful. Like the getaway driver for the mob, something easy like that.

Bobbie ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. She shouldn't complain. This wedding, whenever it was actually going to happen was going to be the social event of not only Port Charles but the international business set as well. It was going to put her and Robin's businesses on the map. There was a reward at the end of this race. But that didn't mean she couldn't wish to continue the race, instead of starting and stopping constantly.

The powerful knock on her door, broke Bobbie out of her contemplation. It was show time. Time to find out exactly what had changed in the past 48 hours since the last time she had seen them. Opening her door, she smiled warmly, ushering them into her office area.

"Jax. Brenda. Nice to see you again."

The jovial couple matched her smile with one of their own. Ever since announcing the engagement, they had done everything together. Brenda had been the one to suggest working on the wedding together, wanting to have one last project with her fiancée before they were legally named man and wife. Jax hadn't exactly been tickled pink at the idea, but she had brought him around when she threatened to withhold sex if he refused her. Men were so easy.

He had tried his hardest to get out of it over the last week or so and she supposed that was why there had been so much indecision on their part. Bobbie was a saint to put up with it, but Brenda knew better than to read too much into her kindness. She and Robin were being paid extremely well and, in turn, they were to provide Brenda with the wedding of her dreams. Jax had insisted that all he should have to worry about was renting a tuxedo and showing up on time. She had burst into tears, something she so rarely did, and he had finally caved. If sex didn't get them, tears always did.

Jax's first wife, the ever-popular Skye Quartermaine, had been Brenda's polar opposite. Where she was dainty and soft spoken Brenda was tough skinned and had a very bad tendency of raising her voice when people tried to ignore her. She had to be the way she was, the bar required it. During this entire debacle, she had tried to run the bar too, but it had robbed her of the tiniest bit of energy the wedding preparations had been nice enough to leave her with. Jax had all-out refused to let her return to work until they were legally tied. While she had agreed, she had made it abundantly clear that she would take up the reins just as soon as they were married.

"Bobbie, thank you so much for agreeing to meet with us in the middle of the week." Jax obliged, reaching for her hand and giving it a friendly squeeze. Bobbie placed her free hand over their interwoven fingers and smiled.

"It's not a problem." she assured them both. "Now shall we sit down and get started?"

Brenda let herself relax when Jax's hand pressed into the small of her back, leading her into the cookie-cutter house she had grown so fond of. She hoped she and Jax would get a house just like this. While children weren't exactly part of the agenda, she couldn't exactly move them into a one-bedroom penthouse, now could she? "I admit it. I'm the reason we called you. You see, I'm afraid the seating arrangements need to be altered."

Bobbie bit back the smile. Robin was going to owe her twenty bucks. The younger woman was sure it was going to be the reception hall changed this time. She flipped through her stack of papers until she found the seating arrangement they had come up with two weeks ago. Thankfully Bobbie had thought to create in pencil.

"Now what exactly needs to be changed?"

"Well, my sister Julia found out that we invited her ex-husband, Bennie, and she threw a fit that we put her next to someone else. Then, she and I got to talking and I happened to mention that Jax's partner, Garrett was to be a late arrival--I sent you the new guest list didn't I?--anyway, now she wants to be seated with him. To do that, we'll have to move Grandma Lewis and Uncle Edgar to another table if we expect to have only immediate family at the table with us." Brenda wasn't sure how she kept it all straight. Her sister was a drama queen and had been a blistering bitch since she'd learned of upcoming nuptials. If she kept this up, she was going to get a plastic fold-out chair expertly placed in the parking lot.

Bobbie's pencil flew across the paper with each dropped name, arrows indicating the movement of each guest from where they were to where they would be. "Something like this?"

"Uncle Edgar can't be that close to the open bar. He's a recovering alcoholic." Jax chimed in.

"So we're supposed to serve him apple juice?" Brenda flared.

Sensing yet another fight in the making Bobbie quickly made some more marks on the paper. "What if we just move the bar instead?"

"I guess that'd be all right. Let's be sure to not make Grandma Lewis' seat too far from the exit. She's got a bad hip." Brenda explained.

Moving the exit was not going to be an option. Grandma Lewis would just have to be seated at the far end of the table. "That can be arranged."

"Do you have anything else you'd like to add?" Brenda asked Jax. He shook his head. They turned to Bobbie. "Well, it looks like that's the last of the changes."

Jax cell chirped. "Please excuse me ladies."

"Why don't you just turn that damn thing off?" Brenda wanted to know.

"It's the office." Jax responded coolly.

"Jax, this is our wedding. Sometimes I wonder if you'll be called away when I'm walking down the aisle." Brenda prattled on.

"You're being ridiculous." Jax insisted.

Brenda's face was the color of Bobbie's beautiful roses on either side of the stone walkway. "Ridiculous?"

Catching on, Jax tried to take it back, "I didn't mean it." He promised, reaching for her hands.

"Don't touch me. Maybe I don't want to marry you at all." Brenda shot back.

The unanswered cell phone was persistent as it hung from Jax's left hand. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me. Why'd I want to marry a man who can talk to a woman that way?" Brenda charged, poking him in the chest when she rose to her feet.

"Bren, we've been planning this wedding forever. You can't call it off now." Jax reminded her.

"So now marrying me is inconvenient?" Brenda gasped.

Bobbie struggled for a way to stop all this. It wasn't the first time the couple had started a fight in her office but it was the first time it had gotten this far. "Now, I think you both need to take a step back here. You are both under high amounts of stress and don't want to do something you regret."

"You know last Christmas when your mother gave us a gravy boat? I never told you, but I switched the gifts. We were actually supposed to get some ugly bronze knickknacks for the kitchen." Brenda admitted, folding her arms over her chest.

"You told me the bronze had gotten lost in the mail. My grandparents gave that to my parents when they first got married." Jax raged.

"They were tacky and I wasn't putting them in my kitchen." Brenda answered without hesitation.

Jax glanced from his fiancée to his wedding planner. How had things gotten so screwed up? He had gotten to the point where fighting with Brenda was absolutely pointless. Agreeing with her was just as bad. He wished he had just kept his mouth shut. Why did she feel the need to pick a fight now, mere weeks from their wedding day? He had to reel in his temper and he knew it. Mentally cursing, he turned to Brenda and lifted her chin with his thumb. "Do you want to marry me?"

Brenda wanted to look away, but she was lost in the intensity of his stare. She had always imagined he would look at her just like this when they were vowing to spent the rest of their lives together. She was going to have to swallow her pride and let him win this one time. In the end, they'd both be winners. She had wanted to be Mrs. Jasper Jacks for as long as she could remember. No way was she going to let some well-intentioned bronze knickknacks stand in her way of a happy and loving marriage. "Of course I want to marry you. I love you." She replied in a wobbly voice.

"I love you too. Work is a pain, but it's paying for this wedding and it allows me to provide you with the kind of life you deserve." Jax told her, drawing his index finger down her face.

"Call them back. Bobbie and I can find something to do to entertain ourselves while you're on the phone." Brenda decided, taking her seat.

Bobbie massaged her forehead as Jax kissed Brenda's cheek and stepped outside to make his call. There had to be an easier way to make a living.

Elizabeth reluctantly allowed herself to be pulled through the offices of L&B, trailing behind Lucky. She wasn't one hundred percent sure why he had insisted on coming here, other than his vague assurances this would explain everything. It wasn't quite clear what he had against actual words being used to explain a point or why he needed visual aids.

They passed a huge poster in the hallway. While Elizabeth had always acknowledged Daphne's beauty, in this picture she was luminous, sexy, the definition of the woman every man should and would want. The sight of it made her stop immediately and drop Lucky's hand. Realizing almost immediately she had stopped, Lucky paused and made his way back to her.

Catching sight of him out of the corner of her eye, she pointed at the picture. "She's beautiful."

Lucky shrugged. "It's a good shot, but wasn't right for the cover. So now it's part of the ad campaign." He gently took her hand in his. "Come on. That wasn't what I was going to show you."

She allowed herself to be pulled by him again, her gaze transfixed at the other woman she had been competing with in her own mind for the past few weeks. It dawned on her that she still sounded completely insane. Competing with a magazine image? An ad picture? Was she 12 again? Hadn't she moved pass all that on the road to health self esteem and all that?

"Here we are." Lucky stopped directly in front of the doorway at the very end of the hall. The etched gold letters proudly announced it was the office of "Lucas Spencer Jr., Vice President."

As he inserted the key in the lock, she couldn't help but laugh. "You can't keep taking me to your office when you want to impress me Lucky."

"Believe me that is not what this is about." He ushered her inside and flipped on the lights.

"Please just wait here two minutes. I'll be right back."

Elizabeth nodded as he retreated out of the doorway, lightly closing it behind him. She wandered around the room, trying to gauge some sort of impression of the owner from the decor. A comfortable overstuffed sage green couch occupied one wall with a matching set of oversized chairs across from it, separated by an oak coffee table. The obvious choice for wall hanging would have been gold and platinum albums sales plaques. Instead framed LP covers of the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, The Who, the Clash, Sex Pistols, Billie Holliday and Elvis were distributed among the framed pictures of a spectacular mountain view. Two huge picture windows framed his desk, the same oak color as the coffee table. What she assumed was a state of the art stereo system lined the back wall. Idly, Elizabeth picked up a small picture frame and smiled when she saw a picture of Lulu and Cameron sitting on a horse together. It didn't look like the owner of such a room was seeing someone who looked like a gorgeous barely legal jail bait trap at the same time as her.

She was second-guessing the wisdom of telling him all about Max and her constant sightings of him with Daphne. They had barely gone on two dates, or three or even four if she counted karaoke at Jake's. She still barely knew him and she laid out her entire sorted last relationship at his feet? Plus confessed insecurities over a girl before they had even discussed what exactly they were? She was one couch jump away from being on Oprah was what she was. Elizabeth wouldn't have been able to pick out his favorite color if her life had depended on it and he knew all about Max? Sinking down into the couch, Elizabeth held her head in her hands. "You are in such deep trouble here girl."

The click of the door opening shook her from her thoughts. Looking up, she caught Lucky's eye as he fully opened the door. "Elizabeth, there are some people I want you to meet."

Standing from the couch she stared in shock as Daphne Vega phantom perfect girl came bouncing in. Her brown hair was in tight curls and her brown eyes sparkled. Her smile was even more radiant than her pictures hinted. She wore a red gingham baby doll top over jeans and no shoes. Daphne eagerly reached out and shook Elizabeth's hand.

"Hey sweetie." Her southern drawl made the simple words sound beautiful. "It's so nice to meet you. That tall drink of water over there just talks about you all the time." Daphne turned her head to shoot a grin in Lucky's direction. "Shoot, why you standing back there honey?"

Elizabeth only now noticed the other man standing next to Lucky. He strode out to meet Daphne in the middle of the room, his bald head a cool contrast to Daphne's bouncing curls.

"Elizabeth this is my sugar, Marcus. But everyone calls him Taggert."


	53. Fade Into You

**To celebrate the completion of our latest chapter, we hope you will enjoy this update along with the other nine. Patience, patience, it's a process.**

Robin hadn't realized her absence would cause such uproar at her little shop. The moment she stepped back from lunch, she was hit with three dozen customers without another break in sight. She had long since memorized their favorite treats and was more than willing to show them the newest items she had just gotten in.

By four o'clock, she was half dead on her feet, her ankles swollen to size of melons. She had almost called Lucas back in. Instead, she had disappeared inside her office when she was granted a few minutes of silence and soaked her feet in a water bucket she kept under her desk. If anyone had questioned its placement before, she doubted they ever would again.

She had managed to go another day without running into her roommate and for this she was thankful. If Courtney had showed up when Patrick had been there, she would have reacted like a child and Robin really didn't think she would have been able to hold her tongue after that. Although she understood her friend's resistance to the idea, she had basically called Robin an idiot for even attempting to break away and have her own life outside of her roommate and son.

She and Patrick had only been gone one night and, really, for all the hoopla Courtney was making about it, Robin almost wished they had gone through with it and had sex. Patrick had talked her out of it--had to be one of the strangest conversations Robin could ever remember having with the man--and into a late-night swim since they were leaving in the morning and hadn't gotten a chance to see the beach. Having taken a couple towels from the hotel, they had stretched out together on the crystal-white sand and enjoyed the strangely-deserted beach. When they got tired of talking about random things, they dove into the freezing water and shivered their way back to the hotel. It turned out someone had taken off with their towels. She gave the hotel clerk a few points for not raising an eyebrow as they hurried through the lobby, their shoes squeaky against the flawless carpet.

The bell hanging above the front door chimed and Robin quickly got to her feet, tapping them on the towel provided, and slipping into her shoes. How long had she been daydreaming? Wasn't her business in trouble? Shouldn't she be focusing on that? Even as she walked, she had a hard time concentrating on the matter at hand. Her mind kept wandering back to today's lunch. She and Patrick hadn't really gotten a chance to talk, but he had promised to call her later. Half the day was already gone and she hadn't heard a peep, but she wasn't exactly waiting by the phone either. It didn't matter one way or the other. It was casual. She needed to relax.

God had a sense of humor; she decided when she came face-to-face with the star of her current fantasy. Worse than that, he looked like he had stepped out of a catalog while she…Robin ran her hand over her hair and cringed. It had fallen from its loose restraint and was stuck to the back of her neck. Having left her coke in the freezer too long, she had been rewarded with an exploding can, soaking her white apron through and through. It was a miracle it hadn't seeped into the clothing underneath. She was a mess, so his greeting took her off guard.

"Hello beautiful." He made an exaggerated bow and wagged his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Throwing her head back, she laughed until she was gripping her sides. "Incorrigible." She accused reaching for a towel and slapping him in the shoulder with it.

"You keep that up and I'm going to come back there and get you." Patrick warned with a grin that lit up his eyes.

"Nope. You have to work here." Robin told him.

"Babe, I am working here." Patrick countered, folding his arms in a pout.

"You can do better." Robin argued, rolling her eyes and shrugging her shoulders as if she found it both hard to believe and a real shame.

"I was wondering if you could help me. You see, I have a very special evening planned and I need to pick up a few things." Patrick replied smugly.

"What kind of things?" Robin wondered, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Well, this girl of mine is crazy for desserts." Patrick explained.

"Maybe if I knew what was so special about tonight then I could better assist you." Robin replied distractedly.

"Nice try." He muttered under his breath. "What about something classic like whipped cream?"

"Just whipped cream?" Robin asked, wiping a smudge of flour off of her forehead. She hadn't baked since this morning which meant only one thing.

"Maybe some chocolate sauce." Patrick went on. "And a dozen gooey chocolate chip cookies."

"A man after my own heart." Robin whispered, not letting the truth of the statement sink in. "Of course, I'm afraid we're all out of desserts."

"A bakery without desserts?" Patrick tilted his head in confusion.

"The morning and afternoon rush just about cleaned us out." Robin lied, swallowing thickly at the unveiled passion she saw swirling in his eyes.

"What should I do then?" Patrick challenged lightly.

"I guess you're out of luck. You could try a grocery store…" Robin suggested airily.

"I wish it were that simple, but I've been spoiled to your desserts."

"That does present a problem, doesn't it?" Robin reasoned.

"I wouldn't mind waiting for you to make another batch." Patrick promised, leaning against the counter.

"But then you'd know the special ingredient." Robin shook her index finger at him.

"I am the special ingredient." Patrick grumbled, crooking his finger around the tie of her apron and dragging her toward him. She giggled when his mouth settled over hers.

"You're lucky I have a soft spot for underdogs." She told him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Less talking. More kissing." Patrick insisted, tilting her head back with his thumb.

"So…" Robin murmured as she moved her hands to rest against Patrick's spine. "I'm your girl now?"

"Well, I thought it'd be a nice code when we're in public." He clarified, dancing Robin behind the counter.

"And in private?" Robin wanted to know, closing her eyes when she felt his knuckles brush over the front of her shirt.

"I'll call you whatever you want me to." Patrick muttered, dropping his mouth to her ear and casually licking the tip.

"You're making it hard to concentrate." Robin insisted, leaning into his touch.

"You're making it hard all right." Patrick countered in a smoky voice. "Tell me you have the apartment to yourself tonight." He nuzzled her neck with his nose and thumbed each of her breasts into impossibly tight points.

"C-Courtney left a message. She shouldn't be home until tomorrow." Robin answered shakily.

"And Morgan?" Patrick inquired, turning her face and capturing her lips with his.

"Laura wanted to keep him for the night. She wanted to see him before school starts back." Robin managed in-between breaths.

"I have to warn you…" Patrick told her as he steered her into the kitchen. "You might find that you can't control yourself when I get you alone." Patrick explained.

"Only if you do it right." Robin assured him, letting out a quiet moan when she felt his shaft tick against her hand a second time.

"When do you want me?" Patrick tore his lips from hers long enough to mutter the question and then regained his hold on her swollen lips.

"Almost always." Robin replied seductively. "I close the shop in about two hours."

"So I should be by about…?"

"Eight. I want a chance to get cleaned up--" Robin began.

"I like you messy." Patrick argued, kissing her nose. "If I show up before eight is there any chance--?"

"No!" Robin shook her head vehemently.

"Killjoy." Patrick accused, snatching a can of unopened whipped cream from the counter and letting himself out of the shop.

As she hugged Daphne good-bye, Elizabeth glared at Lucky's chuckling form. He had been fighting back laughing during the entire conversation the two women had. It was just too funny to watch the dawning realization on Elizabeth's face as it became clear that the only person Daphne was interested in was Marcus Taggert.

"See you later Darling. I gotta go keep my Sugar fed." Daphne reached up and hugged him.

Taggert rolled his eyes. The other man acted annoyed but Lucky would lay good money out that he secretly loved Daphne's nicknames and open displays of affection for him. "Lord Woman, could you use my name once in awhile around people we just meet?" he grumbled, the smile belaying his tone.

Daphne turned from her position in Lucky's arm to stick her tongue out at him. "Hush you. They understand. Don't you Precious?" She looked at Elizabeth for support.

Seeing Elizabeth nod, Daphne turned her eye to Lucky. "You get it don't you Darling?"

"Of course I do." Lucky smirked at Taggert. They had their differences during the production of Daphne's CD but the two men had grown to respect and like each other. Of course Elizabeth's presence in his life had helped calm down Taggert's belief that Lucky was secretly trying to date his girl. "I totally get it Sugar."

"Pardon me Elizabeth but you'll learn that this person you're seeing brings out an immature side of me." With that explanation out of the way, Taggert flipped the bird.

Elizabeth and Lucky burst out laughing as Daphne's eyes widened in horror. "Sugar!" She marched her tiny body over to him and swatted him on his chest. "I can't believe you're embarrassed me in front of our new friend." Her Southern accent became heavier with each angry word she spat at him. She shook her finger at him. "March mister. We got some talking to do."

"But baby..."

"I said, march." Daphne hustled them to the door. "I am so sorry y'all. Sometimes he's just so immature."

Elizabeth cocked her head in Lucky's direction. "So's this one. No wonder they get along."

Daphne smiled and waved her finger in Lucky's direction. "I like this one. You don't go letting her get away from you, ya hear me?"

Giving his new artist a mock salute, Lucky smiled. "Not in the plan ma'am."

"Good. Well I gotta go teach this one some manners. I think a call to his mamma might just do the trick." She waved at the two of them, pushing a protesting Taggert with her. "See ya'll!"

Lucky laughed as he followed the couple to shut the door behind him. When he turned back around Elizabeth fixed a glare in his direction, crossing her arms and throwing herself on his couch.

"You could have just told me she had a boyfriend you know."

"Yes but I don't think you would have believed me." He pointed out, perching himself on top of his desk.

She pursed her lips as if trying to make a point but realizing too late he was right. Blowing out an angry sigh, she shifted to look him dead in the eyes. "So all the pictures in the magazines?"

"Publicity scam I've worked a million times. Nine times out of ten Taggert was at the same club or event, he just arrived earlier than us. I'd show up with Daphne, take some pictures, walk in and she'd go meet him in about twenty seconds."

"And the tenth time?"

"I think he was sick or something."

Elizabeth stood up and began to walk towards him. "So you've run this a million times huh?"

"More or less. Not the most sophisticated of schemes I admit, but it works."

"So every girl I've ever seen you photographed with has been a scam?"

"Well no. There are some of me with my mother and sister out there after all."

"Not the question I was asking and you know it." She stopped directly in front of him. "Just tell me. Has every woman you have been photographed with been purely a scam?"

"Elizabeth..."

"Look Lucky, I'm not a moron. I taught your son. I am well aware you've had a romantic life before we met. It's just the list of women you've allegedly been with is damn intimidating and I'd like to know exactly how flipped out I'm supposed to be about this." Her eyes widened as she finished speaking, almost as if she didn't intend for the words to come flying out of her mouth at all. She blushed and covered her face with her hands, turning around to face the door. "You know what? Forget I asked that. I'll leave now. I'll call you later."

She rushed to open the door but Lucky was faster. He placed his hand on the door to prevent her from opening it. "If I wasn't so sure you would conveniently forget how the phone worked, I might let you leave now."

"Step away from the door Lucky."

"Nope." He crossed his arms and moved his entire body in front of the door.

"Look I've embarrassed myself enough for one day. I just want to go home and forget this whole day ever happened."

"Too bad." He moved forward and grabbed one her flying hands in his, holding it gently. "Can I say something please?"

Taking her silence for yes, he started to rub her hand with his as led her back towards his desk. Sitting them both on top, he took a breath. "First off Max was an asshole."

"Already been said." She wouldn't look up and met his eyes.

"Yes but it deserves to be said again." He caught the smile she gave before she bit it back. "Oh no you don't. I saw that smile."

Reluctantly she met eyes and smiled. It was small but it was a start. "Secondly I'm sorry."

Elizabeth gave him a startled glance. "You're sorry? For what exactly?"

"I should have told you what was going on with Daphne weeks ago. Hell I probably should have told you on our first date. I try my best to keep my personal and professional life separate and I forget sometimes how much they overlap. Most of the people in town know exactly what it is I'm doing. I just didn't remember you're still pretty new here and people might not tell you."

"To be completely fair here, Robin did try to tell me something about it. I was just too angry to listen to her."

"Still you should have heard it from me and for that I'm sorry."

Elizabeth paused to take a deep breath, looking down at their still intertwined hands. When she looked back at him, she smiled. "Apology accepted only if you accept mine for acting like a freak. I should have told you what was going on instead of making insane rule lists and shutting you out."

"Rules lists?" Lucky cocked his eyebrow and leaned towards her. "We were on a rules list?"

She bit her lip and looked at her feet. "Yeah."

"How'd we do?" He continued to inch closer to her.

"Failed pretty miserably." When she looked up, she let out a startled gasp, not realizing how close they now were. "This for example would be a complete violation." Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"I see." He kept glancing down to look at her lips and then refocusing on her eyes. "How about we make a deal?"

"Mmm-hmm?"

"How about we tell each other what is going on?"

She giggled. "Sounds good to me."

His finger reached out to trace her face. "So these miserable failings we had. Were they worth it?"

She smiled and pulled him towards her. "Definitely." She whispered before crushing her lips to his.


	54. Crash Into Me

Patrick danced from one foot to the other anxiously willing Robin to open the door. He might as well have been a teenager waiting to take out his first girlfriend for the worry that was coursing through his body. Although he could hear her moving around, she had yet to let him in. He didn't make empty threats and had gone to pick up a few treats in case she had second thoughts about it. He knew she was hesitant, but hopefully that wouldn't still be the case after tonight.

He caught a flash of green silk before Robin had even fully opened the door. When she had said she wanted time to get cleaned up, he hadn't realized she meant she was going to answer the door like this. Whatever dirty comment he had been practicing in the hallway died on his tongue. "I know you disapprove of slips," She recalled, leaning against the doorframe so that her left breast was propped up on her arm. "But how do you feel about nightgowns?"

"Jesus." Patrick breathed, his mouth agape, eyes wide. He had had plenty of women come onto him, so it didn't make sense for him to be this shocked that Robin had followed in their footsteps. No, a voice argued. Her tactic was very different. She knew he wanted her and she wanted him just as badly. There was no need for foreplay or little white lies, but he had a feeling the evening would be filled with plenty of both once he regained the ability to speak in full sentences.

"I picked up dinner for us, but I understand if you want to skip straight to dessert." Robin whispered, her eyes going dark as her teeth clutched a hold of her bottom lip.

"Uh-huh." Patrick managed, showing her the bag of goodies he had brought with him. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his foggy brain. A thin scrap of material, the nightgown enhanced every luscious curve of her petite body. He could have sculpted out the curve of her hips by just looking at her. Giving her a slow once-over, he smiled when he caught her nipples stand to attention.

"Would you like to come in?" Robin asked her voice still impossibly quiet. Stepping over the threshold, he slid his right arm around her waist and pulled her to him, his mouth finding hers without incident, the bag falling at their feet. She surrendered to his overpowering kiss, her lips parting at the subtle swipe of his tongue. Standing on tiptoe, she pressed her fingertips into the back of his neck and moaned when he cupped her bottom in his palm.

"I have to know one thing." Patrick said in-between kisses.

"What's that?" Robin wondered, making history of his belt.

"Did you buy this nightgown for me?" Patrick inquired, helping her off of her feet.

"Who else?" Robin replied, tangling her fingers in his hair.

"Would you stop wiggling?" Patrick insisted, almost dropping her twice on the way to the stairs. He had no issue with having her on the couch, or against any of the walls, but he didn't want that to be how she remembered their first time together.

"What's the matter, Drake? Can't handle the pressure?" Robin teased, drawing the right strap of her nightgown down her arm.

"I'm all about pressure, babe." He argued, swallowing thickly as he braced the railing with his free hand.

"Patrick." She shuddered, gnawing on his ear and licking the tip.

"Damn it, woman." He grumbled, setting her back on her feet and dragging her over to the couch. "Lay down."

"You first." Robin countered, letting go of his hand and folding her arms across her chest. Feeling cheated at her sly attempt to shield his eyes from her beautiful rack, Patrick pouted but stretched out on the couch anyway.

"Come here baby." He goaded, crooking his finger and grinning up at her. Throwing her right leg over his left, she waited for him to adjust her just right, almost losing her balance a few times.

Robin lay above him offering her breasts up to his avid mouth, her nipples taunting him. Licking his bottom lip, he pressed a soft, openmouthed kiss to each breast. While his mouth worked wonders on one tightening bud, he placed one hand on her remaining breast and the other in-between her legs. Rubbing his thumb over her clothed sex, he continued to suck her breast mercilessly. Even through the material, he could feel her moistening for him, little by little. His fingertips scraped over her skin and she lunged forward wildly, her knees tightening around his waist. Blindly, she caught his zipper between her thumb and index finger and hastily jerked it down.

He grabbed her wrist and held it long enough for her to release her death grip on the metal zipper and look at him. "What do you say we open that bottle of wine?"

"You mean you don't want…" Robin's voice trailed off.

"Oh, trust me, I want." Patrick assured her, tilting her head back with his thumb. He kissed her slowly, savoring her taste.

Unperturbed, Robin pushed the charcoal-black blazer off of Patrick's shoulders and got to work on the buttons running from his collar to his waist, the white shirttails tucked into the waistband of his black slacks. A nibble to the neck and his eyes flickered, his arms banding around her waist. Discarding the shirt in one fluid motion, she touched her lips to his skin, leaving a trail of kisses in her wake. She used the palm of her hand to entice him further, distracting him long enough to unbutton his slacks and regain control of the zipper.

"R-Robin." He groaned squeezing his eyes shut.

"That's it." Robin coerced him further, applying the slightest bit of pressure to his most delicate body part.

"Jesus. God." Patrick's breath caught long enough to satisfy Robin's curiosity and she peeled the pants over his hips and down his legs, shaking her head. She should have known he was a briefs kind of guy. Cupping him hard, she could hear his teeth clattering together. His hands roamed up her back and he pulled her to him as if there were no clothes separating them at all. Leaning into him on a moan, she readjusted herself in his lap and felt his shaft brush against her. "It'll be just like this." Patrick promised, grinding his finger up inside of her. "You'll be clinging to me, giddy with pleasure, begging me to go faster, but I'm going to make you work for it."

Robin didn't let herself think about why Patrick was so good at seducing her, only that he had a God-given talent for it. Her voice caught and held as he continued his frustrating ministrations with little regard for the clothing that separated them. She wasn't sure whether or not to be thankful that she had decided against a thong. He would already be inside of her if she had.

Yanking his underwear down to pool at his ankles with his slacks, she dipped her head and lightly licked him. His eyes shot open and his sex jumped so she did it again, taking him into her mouth completely. Making a loud smacking sound with her lips as she teased him, she swore she saw his eyes roll into the back of his head. Unconsciously, he thrust his shaft against her lips and she smiled, barely kissing every inch of the slick member. His taste was about the same bitterness as salt and she could smell the sweat clinging to his entire body. She snatched his shaft in her hand and held it in place, knowing that a few more licks and she'd lose her hold on him. "That's enough I think." Robin decided, laughing when his immediate reaction was to grab her waist and pull her under him. "I thought you wanted dessert."

"I do and I'll have it." He answered, dropping his lips to hers to give her a long, slow kiss. Her eyes glazing over at the feel of his tongue plunging into her mouth, she let her head loll to one side.

* * *

He could kiss. She had to give him that. The man could flat out kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck to hold him to her securely. His tongue teased her lips and she willingly opened to welcome it in her mouth.

Elizabeth let out a sigh as she felt Lucky's fingers dance up her back. In the back of her mind, she knew Robin was going to gloat for days on this one. "Just ask him," her friend had told her. "Just ask him." Robin had been right. While there would be hell to pay later, she was sure going to enjoy this now.

Elizabeth tightened her arms around Lucky's neck as she felt herself being lowered onto the desk. She was vaguely aware of picture frames and desk accessories hitting the soft carpet as she brought her leg up against his hip. Burying her fingers in his hair, she felt a slight shiver as Lucky dipped his fingers underneath her shirt. "This was always where we failed." she whispered.

"This is failing?" Lucky chuckled in between soft kisses to her neck. "I should have failed more often in school."

She giggled. "I would say there would be no touching and then this would start..." She paused to capture his lips with her own.

"And?" He dipped his head to nibble at her ear.

"And then this would start and I'd change my mind." Elizabeth was in enough control of her senses to know saying she'd forget her own rules was a bad idea.

He cocked his eyebrow, as if he realized she wasn't telling the truth one hundred percent. "Change your mind? Good to know." Resting his forehead against hers briefly, he paused to kiss the tip of her nose. "Any other rules you'd change your mind on?"

"No." Elizabeth giggled. "But I think maybe we need to set some to avoid this in the future."

"So there is a future?"

"Only if you follow the rules." She pushed back an errant hair on his forehead.

"Why do I have a feeling you already decided on these rules?"

"Well your mom did say you were extremely intelligent. I think genius was mentioned?"

Lucky groaned. "I'm going to disown my mother."

"Don't do that. You'd be down a babysitter."

"I'll consider it. Do I get a chance to amend these rules?"

"Within reason. I may even let you create a few." Elizabeth used her hands to push herself to a seated position.

Smiling, Lucky kissed her forehead. "Generous woman. I like that. Go ahead."

"No publicity plots without telling me."

"Fine. You have to speak up if you feel uncomfortable with any publicity stuff."

"Okay. No more dates at the office. Very tacky." She stuck her tongue out.

"Damn. I had big plans for that finger-paint." Leaning closer to her, Lucky smiled. "No more hiding behind Robin to cancel out."

"I did that once!"

"One time too many."

"No using your son to get a date. Ask me yourself or don't."

"I wouldn't do that."

"Please. No one lets their three year old go to Chuck E Cheese twice within two weeks. It's begging for trouble."

"Okay fine, he was my icebreaker."

"I thought so." Elizabeth smiled triumphantly. "Since we brought him up..."

"Yeah we need to talk about Cam." Lucky took a deep breath. "This is already against my rules for him."

"Explain please." She squeezed his fingers in encouragement.

"Normally he doesn't meet the women I date. At least not until I think it's getting serious. But he already knows you."

"And he still goes to my school."

"Yeah and I don't want to confuse him with different women coming and going. I don't really bring dates home."

"Okay first off, the different women comment doesn't help with the whole you don't live up to your reputation thing we're working on here, and we'll come back to that. But I get it. We'll avoid your house and Cameron until we know better what's going on here."

"The media really does blow everything out of proportion."

"Quit making comments like that and I'll believe you."

"I knew I left you alone with Lulu too long."

She leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "I'm pretty sure she was just trying to scare me off. I'll live. If I could just make one little request regarding Cameron?"

"Go on."

"Can we keep it strictly professional when you come to the school? I'm still new and there's some whispers I only got my job because of my grandmother."

"You're a wonderful teacher if Cameron's anything to go on."

"As much as I value the opinion of my students, I do still have to work with other people and I really don't want to give them any reason to doubt my ability to do my job. Dating the father of a student is not the best way of going about that."

"He's no longer in your class. You promoted him."

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow at him. "How exactly did we meet again?"

"Point taken. Fine I can live with being professional when I see you at school."

"Thank you."

Lucky moved in closer to her. "So is there anything else we desperately need to talk about right now?"

His lips were millimeters away from her own. Elizabeth was fairly certain there was something else she wanted to say to him, but all rational thought had fled. Her entire body was focused on those lips. "Not desperately." she managed to whisper.

"Good. I'm tired of talking." He closed the gap and lowered her back onto the desk.


	55. Best Laid Plans

**I'm not trying to rush those of you who haven't had a chance to read yet, but a plan is a plan, and I have to keep my part of the bargain. I really want to see your reaction to this chapter.**

Cruz let out a low whistle as he eased himself into Bobbie's living room. He had used the spare key from the back door hide-a-key to let himself in. The original plan had been to surprise Bobbie with breakfast in bed so she would be more receptive to his question. Surveying the wreck of a living room, he quickly amended the plan to include cleaning up the disaster area he was currently staring at.

He started by stacking the wild array of papers. The familiar markings of Bobbie's organization system made the task go quickly. Arrangements for seating and staging in one folder. Price quotes from vendors in a second. Samples of the invitation, napkins and programs in a third.

Methodically he worked along, throwing trash over his shoulder towards the trash can he knew lived by the corner of the desk. When Jax and Brenda had finally announced their engagement, he completely understood why this wedding had driven Bobbie insane. He adored Brenda, but she was not the most docile person on the planet. While helpful in the bar, he doubted it would endear her to her wedding planner.

Glancing quickly at the clock, Cruz realized he had plenty of time to still cook breakfast. It was barely 7am. Bobbie would sleep as late as she could on mornings she didn't watch Morgan and she didn't make it a practice to schedule clients before 10am. A morning person his girl was not. If he just kept moving, he could easily still make her breakfast and enact his plan.

Cruz wanted Bobbie to come with him to his awards dinner next week. In his mind, it as the perfect test run for them. There would be no real press at this event. No one actually wanted to cover this event. Sure everyone wanted to toot their own horn when they won, but no one actually wanted to cover the damn thing. An exciting evening it was not. Hell not even his entire staff was attending. Only the ones who were actually responsible for the nominations were coming. None of the Spencer's were going. None of his family were going. They could be together in public. It was a win-win.

Of course convincing Bobbie of that was going to be a completely different story. This was why he had come up with the idea of breakfast in bed.

"What is all this?" Bobbie's sleep-filled voice floated down the stairs. "Baby what are you doing?"

He grinned up at her. "I was trying to surprise you."

She smiled at him. "Well congratulations. Mission accomplished." She paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Looks much better than when I went to bed last night."

Cruz moved across the room to kiss her good morning. Pulling away from her, he brushed back her hair. "What are you doing up so early? I thought for sure I had at least until ten to cook you breakfast."

"You were going to cook me breakfast?"

"It was the plan. Surprise you with breakfast in bed. Why are up?"

Bobbie shrugged. "Just one of those nights I couldn't sleep. It happens sometimes." She leaned forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. "But I love this. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Cruz wiggled his eyebrows at her, a move that never failed to cause her to laugh. "Play your cards right and you still might get that breakfast."

"Do I get to make a request?"

"Well you are aware of my limitations in the kitchen, so go ahead."

Bobbie wrapped her arms around his waist. "Two things."

"Ohhh the lady is bossy."

"Be quiet. One - can I still have it in bed?"

"If the lady wants."

"Good. Two." She paused to smile slowly at him and pull him closer to her. "Can I have you for breakfast?"

"Whatever the lady wants."

Laura carried a sleeping Morgan into the apartment, having gotten a key from Bobbie at dinner last night. If she hadn't had to be at work early this morning, she would have waited, she would have called, and she certainly never would just shown up. Shifting her great nephew to her right arm, she dropped the spare key next to the side table adjacent to the couch, and carefully lowered her purse onto the ground to keep from dropping it, or Morgan.

She had tried to get Luke to bring Morgan home when he woke up, but her crabby never-been-a-morning-man-sure-as-hell-not-gonna-start-now husband had simply rolled over and pressed a pillow over his right ear, drowning out of her voice. She had had a moment of temporary insanity when she had considered driving his precious motorcycle off a nearby cliff.

Laura glanced around the apartment and frowned illogically at how clean it was. She could work on her house every hour of every day, and it would still be messy. God, sometimes she missed being single even if only because at least then everything had been clean. Luke complained all the time that her method of cleaning was confusing and that it took him longer to find his socks than it would have been to pick them up and put them in the laundry basket himself. A good thing had come from that argument: now Luke did all the laundry.

Taking the steps one at a time, she found Morgan's room easily: it was decorated in gray elephants and brown monkeys. Everyone had a different style, she told herself. Pulling back the Spider-Man sheets, Laura carefully lowered the boy onto the mattress and tucked him in tight. Lucky had always preferred to be "snug like a bug in a rug" while Lulu had slept mostly without blankets, claiming that some poor animal was naked out there so why should she take advantage? She had been an odd seven year old.

* * *

Laura stood watching him for a moment and then quietly closed the door, leaving it propped open enough so that Robin would be able to hear him. She wasn't even sure what drove her down the hall, but she was in front of the door that next instant. Her fingers wrapped around the silver doorknob and she felt an irrational sliver of fear slide down her neck. She just wanted to let Robin know that Morgan was home so that she wouldn't go off and leave without realizing it. Laura took another look at her watch. If she was going to tell Robin anything, she had about another five minutes to do so, and then she was expected at work.

While she had expected to find the young asleep in her bed, she hadn't realized she wouldn't be alone. Laura turned her face, darting her eyes in every other direction as she stood there, frozen. If she had been holding her purse, it would have plummeted to the ground and spooked the young woman. Robin was wearing a chic green nightgown and Patrick was without a shirt. Laura didn't let herself think about whether or not he was dressed under the maroon comforter. She was stretched across Patrick's waist, her cheek pressed against his chest while his right arm was thrown over her stomach and his mouth was placed right next to her ear. The room had been turned upside it seemed with the sheets thrown into a heap on the floor at the end of the bed and one of the pillows lying at Laura's feet. If she had turned around and dropped her gaze, she'd have seen the half empty bottle of whipped cream and turned-over jar of melted dark chocolate.

As she was stepping backwards, her right white sandal scraped across the wood and she watched her nephew's head rise off of the bed. He sleepily moved the pillow under Robin's head without opening his eyes and let out a weary sigh. Laura couldn't move nor could she speak. This was horrible. In just a second, his eyes would shoot open and then they'd both be embarrassed. What would Luke do in this situation? Well, she didn't exactly have a camera with her, now did she? Lulu would take notes and send them to Cruz to print in his magazine. Lucky wouldn't have made any noise leaving the scene.

Patrick's heavy eyelids lifted and his aunt blanched at him. He looked like he might be attempting some sort of speech, but no sound leaked from his mouth. He sat up--making sure to keep everything south of his stomach covered--and folded his arms, clearly waiting for some kind of explanation.

"What are you doing here?" They asked in unison.

"I happen to have a perfectly good reason for being here." Laura defended, still unable to meet her nephew's eyes. "I came to bring Morgan home."

"And you didn't think to maybe call first?" Patrick interrogated his shoulders tense, his voice low to keep from waking Robin.

"How was I to know you'd be here?" Laura countered, planting her hands on her hips. So what if the move was juvenile? She'd seen plenty of younger women get away with it.

"The door was locked. How did you get in?" Patrick wondered.

"You've never heard of a spare key, smart aleck?" Laura charged, pointing an accusatory finger in his direction, her eyes lifting to meet his. "For goodness sake Patrick, I used to change your diapers." Laura shook her head fervently.

"Out." Patrick ordered, nodding toward the door.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." Laura assured him.

"Can you at least wait in the hall? We can talk out there." That said, Patrick gazed down at Robin's face. For all the fire that ran through her, she was a peaceful sleeper. He would return to her side just as soon as he had convinced Aunt Laura to a) leave and b) never mention this to anyone.

"I can do that." Laura agreed, turning on her heel in a huff.

Robin hadn't slept next to a man since Logan so she woke up feeling a little disoriented. Even the time she and Patrick had spent in California hadn't prepared her for this particular situation. There had been a bit more clothing involved for one thing. Patrick's right arm was thrown over her waist, one hand resting over hers while the other was tucked under her head. She could feel his warm breath brushing over her right shoulder and couldn't help but sigh in contentment. Morning light was beginning to seep through the weak, semi-transparent lilac drapes. Robin turned her face into the pillow and she felt Patrick's fingers dance up and down her back.

He kissed the top of her head, the back of her neck, and the middle of her back. "Let's just lay here quietly and pretend it's still nighttime." Patrick whispered, wrapping his arms around Robin's middle to gather her to him.

"And you plan on doing that by talking to me, waking me up?" She teased, rolling onto her back so that she could stare up at him. Trademark dimple in place, he cradled her face in his right hand, bracing his body on his left arm to keep from smothering her.

"You woke me up!" He countered, kissing the right side of her mouth when she looked like she might argue the point. She leaned into his warm touch, reaching around him to rest her right hand against his neck. Her fingers tickled his skin and he moved to kiss her pouted lips.

"Maybe I had a good reason for waking you up." Robin murmured, softly stroking his bottom lip with her right index finger. He responded by moving his hand from her face to the back of her head and lifting her mouth to his in a mind-numbing kiss.

"How are you feeling this morning?" Patrick asked, his lips softening over hers as he lowered her head to the pillow and slowly slid on top of her.

"I haven't felt this good in a long time." Robin replied, letting her tongue meet his in a subtle caress.

"I'm glad to hear it. I would have made something for us to eat, but you just looked like an angel and I couldn't wake you up." He explained in a lulling voice.

"That's no excuse. I hear you make an 'excellent breakfast.'" Her own words actually knocked some sense into her. Barely pressing her right hand to his shoulder, she was able to push him away and collect her legs under her.

"Is everything okay?" He inquired, wanting to press his lips to that sweet spot where her neck and shoulder met but afraid she wouldn't welcome the touch.

"Fine." Robin promised in a voice that said otherwise. Reaching over to her nightstand, she threw on her pink terrycloth robe and got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Patrick wanted to know.

"To brush my teeth. You can meet me downstairs if you want to, but you might want to put on some pants." Robin suggested, closing the door before she could hear what he might have to say.

Patrick sat on the bed for another minute, trying to figure out what had just happened and wondering if there was a way he could have avoided it. He hadn't meant to bring about unwelcome thoughts concerning him and Robin, but he must have said something out of turn. She was so delicate when it came to the subject of men, not just him but in general. He had his stupid brother to thank for that. Last night he had seen another glance of the Robin Scorpio he had never known was hiding behind the cage she lived in. The only other time he had seen her break loose was when he had taken her to Santa Monica Pier.

Robin watched herself in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. What the hell was she doing in here when she had a gorgeous naked man across the hall in her bed? She was hiding and doing a damn good job of it too. She wasn't physically locked inside the bathroom--they had had the lock taken off the door after Morgan got himself trapped inside--but she didn't see Patrick coming in to join her any time soon. What must he think of her?

You know, a disgusted voice said. You never used to care what he thought of you. Why does it matter now? The only reason he's still hanging around is because he knows you'll break sooner or later and sleep with him. Robin wanted to shut the voice off, to kill it, but even she couldn't ignore the logic. Last night had been a close call, but it had actually been Patrick's insistence that they have some wine that sealed the deal. They had finished the bottle and passed out.

She glanced over at the door, willing it to open, hoping she'd find Patrick on the other side. Tears began to build in her eyes as she stood there, redundantly brushing the same part of her mouth countless times. What if he was already gone? Last night had been an incredible groundbreaker and now he must assume there was more where that came from. He hadn't seemed overly demanding that they have sex this morning, but would he have been if she had stayed in bed with him?

Robin was no longer naïve of the attraction that lay between them like a live wire. One minute she was terrified that she would do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing, and the next she was wondering how she had managed to stay away from him as long as she had. Her body had never longed for a man as it did for him, for his mouth, for his hands. There wasn't a spot of flesh she hadn't become familiar with last night. Her knees began to tremble in such a way that she had no choice but to drop the toothbrush and brace the counter. Spitting out the foamy paste, she hung her head and tried to steady herself.

"Roby, are you in there? I have to go to the bathroom." Morgan explained matter-of-factly. She hadn't even known he was home. Why hadn't she gone to check his room for him?

"Come on in sweetheart. I'm just brushing my teeth." Robin assured him lightly, forcing herself into an upright position.

The door opened and closed in a hurry and he stood there looking conflicted. "Roby, you're a girl." He told her, his brown eyes imploring.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Robin moved to the door. "Let me know if you need any help."

"I can do it." Morgan replied confidently.

Stepping out of the bathroom backwards, Robin managed to smack right into a surprised Patrick. Catching her by the shoulders, he was able to right her and keep a safe distance between them. She had to blink a few times to figure out just what was happening around her. She thanked God Patrick had put some clothes on, because Morgan was only a few feet away. This was a nightmare. She was supposed to have gone over to Laura's to pick up her son. He shouldn't have already been here. How long had he been left unsupervised? What if he had walked in on her and Patrick? "Did you know Morgan was here?"

Patrick didn't answer right away. He didn't exactly shuffle from foot to foot, but he looked like he might be thinking about the smartest way to respond to her question. "Courtney brought him over when you were asleep. He was out so I didn't think it necessary to wake you up."

"Courtney was here? And there wasn't any yelling? Did she say anything?" Robin wondered, her tone almost hysterical in pitch.

"Is there something I need to know?" Patrick asked instead. Hating that he was avoiding the question at hand, she turned her face away from him. "Robin?"

"So she just dropped him off and left. Well, that's just fu--fantastic isn't it?" With that, she hurried down the stairs hoping to find refuge in her coffee cup.

"What aren't you telling me?" Suddenly, he was right behind her and the kitchen seemed far too small to hold the both of them.

"How do you take your coffee?" She inquired, unable to meet his eyes.

"Robin, tell me what's going on." He persisted, taking the coffee can from her and setting it on the counter to the right of him.

"If you didn't want coffee all you had to do was say so. I, however, need it to survive." She snapped, reaching past him, leaving herself vulnerable to being grabbed or turned around. Since he did neither of these things, she proceeded to scoop out two small cups of coffee grounds and pour them into the top of the coffee maker. Putting the pitcher under the faucet until the water reached the eight mark, she returned it to its spot and flipped the black button to the on position, her free hand twisting the faucet off.

"Would you look at me?" He shot back.

"What for? Do you think I'll suddenly become so overwhelmed by the sight of you that I'll tell you whatever it is you want to hear?" She challenged angrily.

"It wouldn't be the first time." He was barely able to duck before she grabbed the coffee pitcher and flung it at him. The brown liquid splashed off of the metal bottom of the maker, sizzling and dying. "What the hell is the matter with you?"

"Did Morgan see you?"

"Is that what you're worried about?" Realization hit Patrick like a ton of bricks. Robin saw the apprehension in his gaze.

"Did he or didn't he? I need to know so I can figure out which explanation I need to give him." Robin ignored his outburst, biting her tongue against all she wanted to say.

"No, he didn't see me. You still win Mother of the Year." Patrick managed through gritted teeth, snatching up his wallet and keys from the mantle in the living room and closing the front door behind him.


	56. What I Want

**Scrubs and CuB fans alike get the opportunity to revel in both on none other than Valentine's Day!**

"Claude! If you don't move your lazy ass, I'll fire you this second!" Luke shouted behind him as he stormed into his back office. With normal employees the threat of losing employment was a motivating factor. But Claude was not a normal employee. Luke knew the other man would just shrug his shoulders and go on with what he was doing before his boss walked in. Somehow Lucky thought that Luke's constant firing of Claude may have something to do with the bartender's deaf ear where the management was concerned, but Luke disagreed. It had to be something else.

Sitting down at his desk, he carefully opened the lowest desk drawer and pulled out the bottle of Scotch he kept there. Grabbing a shot glass from the low shelf behind him, Luke poured himself the first shot of the day. Laura would frown at the drinking at lunchtime, but he was bar owner damn it. He had a reputation to maintain. Somehow a nasty rumor had started that he had gotten old after Cameron had been born. He may have a grandson but he was not old. Snapping his fingers, Luke scratched a note out on a random file folder to have the motorcycle checked. It was making that pinging sound again and if there was to be any success in getting Cameron on that bike, it had to run perfectly.

Even through the thick oak door, he could hear the door to the main floor slam shut. Had it finally happened? Had Claude actually taken him seriously and left? His family had warned him for years it would happen but surely it really hadn't. He waited for a moment to hear something, anything but heard nothing but silence. When he reached his office door, he flung it open wide and bellowed "Claude! You better be out there or I really will fire you!"

"Sorry to disappoint, Uncle Luke..." Patrick drawled, throwing his jacket in one of the empty chairs near the entrance.

"Nephew! You are always welcome!" Luke went to slap Patrick across the back in greeting. He shook his finger in Claude's direction. "I should fire you for not telling me The Lady-killer was here." he threatened.

"I don't know about Lady-killer." Patrick answered noncommittally. "Got any scotch?"

Shooting him an incredulous look, Luke gestured towards his office. "Did I not help raise you right? Back to the office my boy."

"I don't want to drink alone." Patrick told him, already heading toward the office.

Pointing to the already opened bottle and used shot glass on his desk, Luke laughed as he closed the door. "Have a seat and don't tell your aunt I had already started."

"As long as you don't tell Aunt Bobbie anything I tell you."

Setting down the second glass, Luke poured a full measure. "Barbara Jean? What does she have to do with this? Did you track more mud on her carpets again?"

"Ha-ha. No, but I don't need anymore bad publicity."

"There is no such thing as a Spencer with bad publicity."

"Tell that to Robin."

"Little Scorpio? What does she have to do with this?" Luke shook his head confusedly. He sensed danger. Something involving feelings was coming up. There was a reason he and Laura had an agreement about this stuff. She would take care of the heart stuff and he would do the fun stuff. Damn these kids for screwing with a well-established deal.

"She's making my life miserable." Patrick grumbled.

Luke poured himself another drink and immediately tossed it back. He was so going to need a new bottle before this was done. "Go on."

"It was so much easier before. She couldn't stand the sight of me. The feeling was mutual. Now, I'm stumbling all over myself trying to avoid a fight."

"You two have never avoided fights before." Luke remembered vividly some very loud Christmases during Robin and Logan's brief marriage.

"I don't even know how to explain it. Cruz blackmailed me into helping her with her bakery, there was a bathing suit, and now she's mad at me for something I didn't even really have anything to do with." Patrick swallowed the shot, cringing as it bubbled against the thin layer of his throat.

"You lost me at bathing suit."

"It was just supposed to be about mutual attraction." Patrick waited for his uncle to interrupt, expected the incredulous, 'What are you talking about? You hate the girl,' he had gotten from everyone else. He grabbed a second shot glass, filled each to the rim, and threw them down his throat one right after the other. "I guess I've always just been a little too curious for my own good."

Luke lifted an eyebrow. "Oh just a bit. Your aunt still blames you for Lulu's broken arm when she was six."

"You dared her to climb that tree." Patrick countered with a wave of his hand. "I just didn't dissuade her."

"Tell that to Laura. So this curiosity has gotten you into trouble with Little Scorpio has it?"

"Yes. I thought things were going so well. We made this deal of sorts, and she seemed fine with it. Now, it's like we're back to Square One and I just know I'm going to be blamed for everything."

"Why would anyone blame you?"

"They always blame me when Robin is involved." Patrick replied instantly. Begrudgingly, he added, "And I might be partially responsible."

Luke shook his head. "I might actually be getting old because I'm still not getting this." He shook his finger in Patrick's direction. "Do not tell anyone that."

"Your secret is safe with me, gramps." Patrick teased and then went on, "I knew Robin would never go into a casual relationship with anyone, so I offered her an ultimatum...one that, until a couple of days ago, she was completely fine with. I didn't expect Laura to drop off Morgan or I never would have been there in the first place. It was one of the things she had told me she didn't want when we first started this fling of ours." Patrick almost choked as he spoke the words "relationship" and "ultimatum."

So that's why his wife had been walking around in a daze for the past few days. He had come damn close to succeeding in getting Cameron on the bike before she had even noticed what was going on. They had actually made it to the garage and had Lulu not chosen that exact moment to come through the door, Luke was convinced he would have gotten away with it. "So what's happened since then?"

"Nothing. She got all huffy and I left." Patrick replied, shaking his head at the half empty bottle of scotch.

"After that?" Seeing his nephew's confused look, Luke shook his head. "You have talked to her since then haven't you?"

"I don't think I'm wrong."

"You may not be. But you can't let her know that."

"This is most complicated fling I've ever had." Patrick buried his head in his hands, leaving the empty glasses on the table to his right.

"Probably because it's not a fling anymore. It's a relationship my boy."

Surely Patrick hadn't heard him right. "But I didn't make any promises." He protested.

"Did you have an agreement about what you two would and would not do?"

"I wouldn't call it an agreement per se."

Luke nodded in understanding. He didn't call his nephew "Lady-killer" for nothing. "Were you seeing some other beautiful thing at the same time?"

"I would have, but she was in the hospital, and then when she got out she admitted that she didn't want to share me."

"And you agreed?"

"She wouldn't see reason until I did. She needed to be able to trust that I wasn't going to hurt her."

"So you're not seeing anyone else. You've discussed things in some manner or another. You want her trust." Luke raised his newly filled glass towards Patrick. "Congratulations my boy. You are in an actual relationship."

"I don't want her trust; I'm just trying to avoid a fight, damn it. And stop saying the 'R' word."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Don't be dense boy. I know you are smarter than this. Use the word or don't, you are in a relationship." He shrugged his shoulders. "It happens to the best of us at one time or another."

"How did this happen?" Patrick demanded, slamming his palm against the table.

"If we knew that, we wouldn't be in relationships."

"If this is the part where you tell me it's all worth it, you can save your breath. I've seen what relationships and love get a person. Look at Noah." Patrick sighed.

"Your father is a piss poor example and you know it."

Patrick knew his uncle was right. How had he entered into a relationship with Robin without even knowing it? She must have had something to do with it. And he thought she could handle casual. HA! She had roped him into a committed relationship. "What do I do?"

"The better question is what do you want to do?"

"If I go back now, I'm admitting that I was wrong and I just don't think I was." Did that mean he was ready to call it quits? Could he really walk away from Robin after everything they had already been together? In that moment he wanted so badly to tell Luke about his infection. He snatched up the bottle and poured himself a final shot.

"So pick the fight." Luke paused to raise his eyebrows in a mock leer. "Sometimes the making up is the best part."

Three days. It had been three fucking days since he had tried to surprise Bobbie with breakfast in bed. Three days since she had successfully distracted him from even asking her anything remotely important outside of the bedroom. Since then she had avoided him, scheduled meetings and used his own desire for her as a weapon against him. As much as it shamed him to admit it, it really had been only a few hours since Cruz realized she had been playing him. He thought that he had outgrown hormone lead thinking but apparently he was wrong.

He paused to run his hand through his hair before he walked through her backdoor. The timing had to be perfect. Last night he had managed to sneak a glance at her day planner. Bobbie had no appointments with clients today. He had heard Patrick bitching over the phone yesterday about Robin using Morgan to hide from him again so he was reasonably sure she wasn't baby-sitting today. This was it. Nothing was going to stop him today.

Opening the door, he smiled as he caught sight of her sitting at the small kitchen table. A half eaten sandwich and an empty glass sat next to her elbow. She was so fully engrossed in a magazine article of some sort that she hadn't even heard him come in. Her red hair was clipped to the back of her head, leaving messy tendrils hanging down. Cruz smiled even wider when he recognized the oversized blue dress shirt she wore over jeans was one of his that he had thought the cleaners had lost.

"Thief!" he called out teasingly, causing her to jump and drop her magazine.

Bobbie lifted one hand to her chest, feeling it race beneath her fingers. Granted Cruz generally made her heart skip a beat or two, but that was from more pleasant pursuits. She smiled, willing her heart to slow down. "Declaring war on the phrase 'hello' are we?"

He leaned down to pick up her magazine, kissing her check when he rose up. "Hello."

"Hello to you too."

Cruz glanced at the magazine in his hand and threw it to the table. "A thief and a traitor. Reading the competition now are you?"

Reaching out to snatch her copy of P.C. Gazette from his hands, Bobbie stuck her tongue out at him. "It's research."

Holding it just out of her reach, he lifted one eyebrow. "Research?"

"Yes." She stood up and succeed in grabbing it back from him. "I was researching just how much superior The Insider is to this rag."

"Very clever."

"Thank you." Bobbie tilted her head and laughed. "Not that it took much research. They aren't even nominated for the SPJ awards." She had meant it as a compliment but too late Bobbie realized she had accidentally brought up the one situation she had been hoping to avoid. It his fault for sitting there looking so damn desirable, distracting her from her game.

He smiled slowly. "Well that is true. You know..." he drawled out. "The award dinner is coming up next week."

"Is it? I had forgotten." Lie. She memorized the date the second he had told her.

"Yes."

"So will your mom be able to make it in?"

His mother? His mother couldn't afford the plane fare up to upstate New York. Bobbie knew that. Cruz suppressed the urge to smirk. "No she can't."

"Well I'm sure Laura, Lucky, and Patrick will cheer loud enough to make up the difference."

"If they were coming, I'm sure they would. But Lucky has some awards thing or another to attend himself and Laura already promised to baby-sit Cam. Patrick has a job lined up with clients he actually likes, so he's not pissing them off."

"The staff?" She felt her heart dropping. There was no way she would let him go to something so important all alone. It was just too sad to think about it.

"Only Axe." This was working too well. He was pretty sure he wasn't going have to argue with her nearly as much as he had anticipated.

"Just Axe?"

"Well he is the one who wrote the article. And he's the longest serving staff member besides me."

Bobbie bit her lip and Cruz decided it was the perfect time to ask. It perfectly clear that she was feeling sorry for him. He wasn't above using her pity to get what he wanted. She may have him almost completely whipped but he was still a man. "Since you brought it up, there was something I was wondering about the dinner."

"Is there?" She braced herself. Here it comes.

"Why don't you come with me?"

She paused. On one hand she wanted to be with him on such an important night for him. But yet, it was a giant step for them. Going with him to such a public dinner, with his peers and at least one staff member? The stares. The gossip. Could she sit through an entire evening of it?

"Look I know what you are thinking." Cruz started, reaching out to take her hand.

"Oh you do?"

"It's more public than we normally do. And crawling with press. And you are right. Sort of. Trust me. No one actually covers this award dinner. They don't give a shit who came with whom; they just want to blow their own horn if they win. And most are too drunk an hour or so in to remember anything the next day."

"How are you the expert? You've never been before this year." She pointed out.

Cruz shrugged. "I asked some friends at other papers. I read some blogs. All the same story."

"Oh you read some blogs. That makes me feel better." She rolled her eyes.

"Look it's not like there's going to be a red carpet. It's being held in the banquet room at a Holiday Inn."

"Even if the rest of the room is drunk, there is still the issue of your staff. They know me or at least of me."

"Staff? What staff?"

"Cute. I have met Axe before as you well know."

"Axe? Axe can't remember names of people he's known for years. Patrick is Photograph dude. Lucky is Music Man. I'm convinced he calls me Boss Man because he doesn't know my name."

"He could tell Becca."

"Becca dates him and doesn't understand him half the time. You need a code book to understand him. Even if he did remember you, no one would understand him enough to figure out who he was talking about."

"I still don't know."

"Just think about it. That's all I ask. Think about it." Cruz squeezed her fingers and gave her his best puppy dog pout, the one Laura had always told him would get him whatever he wanted.

Bobbie shook her head at his puppy dog eyes. He was bringing in the big guns now. She knew she was most likely going to cave, but she was not going to do it now. He would think it was because of the eyes, but that was not the case. It was about the way he filled out those jeans he was wearing. And the fact that she did not want him to be alone.

"Fine. I'll think about it."


	57. Nothing Left To Lose

Her car keys dangled from her left index finger as she shuffled from one foot to the other. She thought about just barging in, but he probably wouldn't be too receptive to that and she needed him to hear her out. She wanted to have at least one conversation with him that didn't end in a screaming match or one of them walking out. Knowing all of this did nothing in the way of lifting her courage level. She was going to have to take that step forward and bang her clenched right fist against the door until he let her in.

Her voice caught in her throat when the door was unexpectedly thrown open revealing her convenient archenemy on the other side. The forest green dress shirt buttoned almost all the way to his throat was accompanied by a pair of cotton denim jeans and black tennis shoes. His hair was still wet from his shower and his dark almond eyes were wide as he stared back at her. He had his left hand braced on the doorframe and the other shoved in his front pocket. She couldn't tell if he was still angry or just unsure if he should be the one to initiate conversation.

Clearing her throat to speak, Robin found herself immediately taking a step back only to have Patrick reach out and take hold of her right wrist, stilling any movement. "I assume you came by for a reason." He practically growled at her, his mouth set in a pinched line. Robin glanced down at his hand, wishing he would relinquish his hold as much as she prayed he wouldn't. She met his malevolent gaze with a softer, more vulnerable one. "Well?"

"I can see now that it was a mistake coming here…" Her voice trailed off as she tried to step out of his tight grip. He didn't release her, nor did he show any signs of wanting to.

"What do you want, Robin?" Patrick demanded coarsely, pushing her arm toward her and letting it go as if he couldn't bear to touch her for another second. Her eyes grew even softer and she tried to look away, but he made sure to keep her doing so, his stare so intense now that it caused her bottom lip to tremble.

"You." Robin whispered, waiting for some kind of reaction but not receiving anything. She cleared her throat and said it again, "I want you." He must have heard her that time, because his eyes flew to his shoes. When he glanced up, Robin's shoulders were stiff enough for her to have played goalie without any equipment whatsoever.

"All of the sudden?" Patrick challenged, moving his free hand to his left hip. He wasn't going to make this easy, but she hadn't expected him to. Slowly, she saw his features relax a little and felt a wave of relief wash over her.

"No, not all of the sudden. It took a while for me to realize it." Robin admitted, forcing her eyes to stay on his, willing neither of them to look away. This was serious shit and she didn't want to miss a single reaction.

"Realize what?" Patrick prodded, tilting his head in mock confusion. If she wasn't shaking, she might have leaned over and slapped him hard across the face. As it were, she was bare, vulnerable, and well-deserving of his resistance to what she was telling him.

Narrowing her eyes at him, Robin let out a silent growl of frustration. She hoped he made a mistake very soon, because she wanted the opportunity to be on the other side of the argument. She wanted to see him squirm. Okay Scorpio, get it together. "I shouldn't have treated you the way I did the other morning. It wasn't deserved. I just hadn't known Morgan was home and he could have, at any time, walked in on us. It's one of the reasons I've been separating the two of you." She blinked furiously at something that felt oddly like a mass of tears.

"Why didn't you just say that?" He wondered, resisting the urge to brush the moisture off of her cheeks.

"I was afraid." Robin murmured, lifting her chin with some difficulty.

"Why were you afraid?" He couldn't stand to see her cry, but if he didn't get her admission now, he never would. If he so much as touched her, he wouldn't be able to stop.

"You're so guarded. I didn't want you to think that I was pushing you into something you didn't want." She told him, fighting back sobs. Why was she all weepy? Why couldn't she keep it locked away like usual?

"You know what I want?" Patrick asked as he watched her through half-closed eyelids. "I want you to smile." He answered seriously taking a cautious step toward her. She wasn't running away. That was a good sign.

"Sorry to disappoint." Robin replied lamely. "Anything else?"

"Come on. Smile for me." Patrick insisted pressing his right index finger to her temple and drawing it over her lips. "You're sexy as hell when you smile."

"You're not going to want me anymore." Robin mumbled as he closed the distance between them and planted a careful kiss to her lips.

"How do you figure that?" Patrick inquired incredulously as her little arms wrapped around his neck.

"I'm a means to an end. I can't be a means to an end for you. I can't get hurt again." Robin trembled when Patrick's left hand skimmed inside her thin white jacket and pushed it off of her shoulders, leaving the flimsy straps of her pink sundress to keep her warm.

"It's physically impossible for me to stop wanting you. I need you…" Patrick countered, tugging her into him. "Right here." He clarified, sliding his right leg in-between hers and smiling when she started to lose her balance. Collecting her petite body in his arms, he held her protectively against him, feeling her heart gallop under his hand.

Robin was left with no other alternative but to breathe through her nose once Patrick captured her mouth with his. Her breath came in choppy pants as he softly massaged her breast in his palm, making certain that only the two of them could see what he was doing. His fingers tickled her skin but not in the sort of way that she would feel compelled to laugh. He used the heel of his hand to push the fabric away from her skin. Slowly scraping his teeth over her tongue as he pulled back, he felt a spasm run through her. Repeating the motion once he was certain she liked it, he cradled her face in his left hand and stared down at her fluttering eyelids.

A few droplets from his hair slid down the side of his face and fell into her mouth. This close to him, she could smell the cinnamon of his cologne. Kissing every inch of his face she could reach, she stood on tiptoe and pushed him into the door, letting him slide his hand under her bottom and lift her off of her feet. Braced against him, she held him tightly, not because she thought he might drop her but because she wanted to be as close to him as possible.

"See what you do to me?" Patrick accused gruffly shifting her in his arms. If she had thought he was frustrated in the bakery or on her couch, at this point her ego must be growing as rapidly as his shaft was.

"It does that on its own." Robin argued, bending her right leg enough to lift her dress a few inches. He took the opportunity given and pressed his shaft to her throbbing center. "Can we go upstairs now?" She didn't have to ask him twice. Dropping on arm to his side, he proceeded to shut them inside the apartment. "My purse…" She scrambled to get to her feet.

"I'll get it." Patrick assured her, setting her on her feet and going into the hall to retrieve the purse and jacket for her just in case she suddenly needed both of them. Throwing her keys into the front pocket of her purse, he joined her in his living room and threw the deadbolt.

He found Robin sitting on the arm of his recliner, her legs crossed, and her eyes darker than he could ever remember seeing them. She crooked her finger at him even though he didn't need a bit of coaxing. Drawing each of her straps down her arms, he dropped his mouth to her neck and sucked her skin there. She fussed with the button on his jeans, chewing on her bottom lip as she silently thanked the person who had invented tight jeans.

"I thought you were taking me upstairs." Robin recalled, yanking his shirt up his back by pulling at the collar.

"You really think I'd make it that far?" Patrick challenged, bunching up the skirt of her dress.

"I know I won't." Robin whispered, leaning up to place a teasing kiss on his lips before pulling away.

Robin's cell phone screamed from her purse a mere foot from them. Ignoring it, she clutched Patrick's shaft in her hand and tried to tackle the zipper. Patrick didn't seem all that worried about who might be calling her either as he was lifting her off of the arm of the chair and lowering her onto the cream-colored couch. Still, the phone chirped away. The damn thing was distracting and she couldn't ignore it any longer.

"Don't." Patrick heard himself beg as she crawled out from under him.

"I'm so sorry." Robin apologized, taking the phone from her bag and mentally reading off the number. "It's my uncle."

"Of course it is." Patrick had always known the commissioner hated him, but he must have underestimated just how much.

"I have dinner with him and Alexis. I have to go." Robin told him, slowly meeting his eyes.

"Why can't you cancel?" Patrick whined.

"You think I don't want to!" Robin shot back, squeezing her eyes shut to try and calm herself down. "It's my uncle's birthday. I told them I'd be there. Coming over here was a last-minute decision."

The phone, having done its job, was silent now. Patrick wondered how she would react if he chucked it into the wall with all the force he could muster. Her gaze was defensive and he knew he needed to take a step back and say he was sorry. Swallowing his pride, he said, "How long are you planning on staying over there?"

"I don't have a timetable, Patrick." Robin explained, folding her arms over her chest.

"What time does the party start?" Patrick wondered.

"Five minutes ago." Robin informed him, crouching down to get her purse. She had readjusted the dress and decided to leave her hair looking tousled as she had no other choice.

"I'm going with you." Patrick announced, the words leaving his mouth the second he thought them.

"Wha-what? Wait…what? Why?" Robin stumbled over her words, her eyes wide with shock.

"I don't want you to go alone." Patrick replied.

"I've gone alone plenty." Robin insisted.

"And that's just why I'm not going to make you do so tonight." Patrick countered.

"You're not making any sense." Robin shook her head.

"What's there to understand? Obviously, you'll have to leave before me because there's no way I'm stepping into your uncle's house in this condition." Patrick reasoned.

"Constant family. Pestering questions." Robin tried to get him to reconsider. She wasn't sure how else to explain his being there.

"Ever been to a Spencer family gathering?" Patrick challenged.

"Patrick, I'm serious." Robin stressed each word.

"I know." Patrick responded with a smug grin. "Now give me a kiss and I'll see you in a few minutes."

"I hope you don't expect to get lucky there." Robin said after she granted him his request.

"I think my balls just withered up in fear." They both glanced down to make sure.

"Are you sure you're going to be able to make it? You're in pretty bad shape." Robin noticed.

"I wouldn't miss it." Patrick promised.


	58. How Far

His weight pressed her into the heavy oak desk, causing her to grip her hands tightly into his hair. Their tongues began to battle for dominance as their legs became intertwined and shoved even more of his desk accessories to the floor. There was some vague care on Elizabeth's part that they would end up breaking picture frames and cover the floor with shattered glass, effectively trapping them the both of them on top of the desk. But as her black ballet flats fell from her feet to the floor, she realized she didn't care enough to stop anytime soon. She groaned when he moved away from her mouth, starting to concentrate on a particularly sensitive spot behind her earlobe. Her hands moved down Lucy's back, determined to fulfill their own mission. When they reached the edge of his shirt, they pulled it from the band of his black jeans with hurried movements.

Lucky paused just long enough to realize she was opening the buttons. "Someone's eager," he whispered teasingly in her ear.

She grinned at him and lightly brushed over the bulge in his jeans, causing him to hiss and jump. "Looks like that would be you." She whispered right back, nipping his ear in the process.

"Evil woman," he muttered darkly, moving his lips to the base of her throat. "You're going to pay for that."

"Promise?" It had been over a week since she has seen him and they had spent God knows how long on this desk just barely kissing and touching each other before she had been very nearly driven mad. She had realized during that long week just how much she missed kissing him and she wasn't about to be interrupted this time. The mind was a wonderful thing but it could only work so well, she reasoned.

Her fingers continued their mission to strip him of his shirt until he moved just out of her reach. She groaned her frustration and swore she could hear the grin on his face when he laughed at her.

"Patience Cinderella."

His fingers played with the edge of her top, drawing it up just enough to expose her navel to him. Elizabeth felt a shiver rush through her as she felt Lucky blow around her belly button before gently kissing it. She gripped his head as he continued to kiss up her stomach, gently raising her shirt with each passing second, and stopping just below the undersides of her breasts.

She was confused when he stopped and suddenly began kissing back down her stomach, tracing the same path he had just wandered up. Their eyes met for a split second as he looked up from her flat stomach. Lucky winked at the bewilderment he saw mirrored in her eyes.

"I told you, you would pay." He chuckled as his fingers moved towards the snap of her jean shorts.

"That was such a wonderful movie!" Audrey exclaimed clapping her hands.

Elizabeth blinked her eyes rapidly and shook her head, realizing that she was not back on top of Lucky's desk, but in fact in a movie theater with her grandmother. They had gone to see a movie Elizabeth had wanted to see before school started back up again, but for the life of her she didn't remember one single frame of the movie. Six dollars wasted because she had once again been distracted by thoughts of Lucky. Not that it was a bad thing necessarily.

"Um, yeah. Really good." She prayed her grandmother would not ask her what her favorite scene was. She didn't remember a darn thing past the lights dimming. First a preview of a new John Cusack movie reminded her of their first date, which lead to thoughts of how that ended, which lead to thoughts of the second, and then their state of the relationship discussion they had a few days ago.

As they rose to leave, Audrey paused and looked her granddaughter in the eye. "So what was your favorite part?"

"You know, the movie was so good I don't think I could pick out just one part." she stammered out quickly.

"So the part about the space alien was believable then?"

The part about the...Elizabeth shook her head in confusion. She may not have been paying that close of attention but the idea of space aliens being in a movie with Jane Austen surely would have registered in her brain. "There was no space alien." She protested.

"How would you know? You were distracted the entire movie my dear." Audrey pointed out as she paused to throw away her soda cup.

"I was not."

Audrey stopped and adjusted her purse on her shoulder. "Darling, I have known you your entire life and I have never known you to be quiet during a scene you found romantic. You didn't sigh. You didn't lean over in your seat and whisper to me about how wonderful that was. That entire movie and you didn't move once."

Elizabeth squirmed and looked at her feet. "Well school is coming up and I was just concerned about all my new students and what's going to work best with them."

Audrey laughed. "School? Are you sure it was school and not say Lucky Spencer that had you so distracted?"

"Lucky? Why would I be distracted by Lucky?" She scoffed.

"Since you've been calmer since the day I sent him over to your classroom. I take it the two of you worked things out?"

They certainly had worked something out. Would have worked more things out if his secretary hadn't chosen the exact moment she did to call him incessantly with "important calls that just can't wait." As they had reluctantly separated, Lucky had mumbled something under his breath about understanding just what she had against coming to his office now.

"Yeah we talked."

"Good. I'm glad." Audrey was no fool. She knew the blush that currently stained her granddaughter's cheeks meant something more than just talking had occurred. But it had also not escaped her notice that Elizabeth was happier since that day. Calmer, too since she wasn't running all over town to avoid the young man. For that, Audrey decided, she would happy about.

* * *

Robin telepathically blamed Patrick for her not having time to go home and change while he stayed back and made her come over here alone. Of course, he would be by later, but he wasn't here now and she couldn't ignore the "oh, she's still alone" looks her family was giving her as they accepted her into the house. It was a small gathering, because the Devane-Scorpio-Jones' family was spread across the globe all the time. Quite literally considering Frisco, Anna, and Robert's chosen professions. The guest list consisted of her uncle Mac, Alexis, Georgie, and her. Small. Intimate. She had expected more people. She hadn't realized. There wasn't time to call Patrick and warn him. A naughty part of her was happy she had forgotten her phone at his apartment and taken his by mistake.

"How are you sweetheart?" Mac greeted her, pulling her into a bear hug she would never be too old to share with him. He was dressed in a dark blue pinstriped suit and a wrinkled pair of dark khakis. He must have just gotten home from work; otherwise Alexis would have "helped" him into something a little less casual.

"Mac, you're squishing her!" Robin noticed Alexis run up and disentangle the uncle and niece. While their relationship had been a surprise, Robin couldn't think of a single person better suited for Mac. They both had incredibly volatile tempers and were stubborn to the very core, but they had been thrown together on too many assignments to avoid spending an awful lot of time together in the beginning. Though the little girl in Robin wished that her Uncle Mac and Felicia had been able to work through her aunt's infidelity years ago, the adult in her said that she wanted him to be happy and Alexis took care of him in that department.

"I'm doing really good." Robin answered, smiling at the silent acknowledgement Mac made toward Alexis. "Happy birthday old man."

"Old? You hear her?!" Mac asked in a mocking tone.

Alexis chimed in, "So what if you can get into the movies for free, Gramps? I still love you."

He glared at her, his lips curving into a genuine smile. "Where's my present?" He wanted to know, looking behind Robin to see if maybe she had it hidden.

Robin gulped and continued, "It's a surprise." How could she have forgotten his present? It was still at her apartment, wrapped up. She had made sure to buy it six months in advance. And for what?

"Let her in for God's sake. It's a boiler out here." Alexis ushered Robin into the house, leading her to the punch bowl.

"Robin!" Georgie called, running down the stairs. No matter how old Georgie got, Robin would always see her as a little kid. "Thank God!"

"What do you mean by that Georgie Jones?" Mac challenged in a pout.

"It's so good to see you, Georgie. How have you been?" Robin asked, ignoring her uncle's outburst.

"Really good. I'm gearing up to go to Paris this fall." Georgie half-whispered.

"Would you please explain to your cousin that Paris is a dangerous city and she really shouldn't leave her old man here alone?" Mac persisted.

"What do you mean, alone?" Alexis inquired, folding her arms.

"Well, I will be alone. You refuse to move in here." Mac shot back.

"I-I..." Alexis looked from one Scorpio to the next. "I'll be in the kitchen."

"Now you've done it!" Georgie snapped at her father, moving past her cousin and joining Alexis.

"So, how's the birthday so far?" Robin wondered awkwardly.

"I can't complain. Come sit down. I'm much more interested in what you've been up to." Mac led her to the couch and they each sat down.

"Well, you know the bakery is finally starting to pull its own weight..." Robin rambled.

"I'm so relieved. I know how much you love that little shop." Mac grinned proudly. She could never be wrong in her uncle's eyes. She had thought that since the day she met him.

"And I guess you already know that Morgan started talking again." Robin wished it hadn't been her accident that steered her son to open his mouth without fear, but she had ached for the sound of his sweet voice too much to complain.

"When you were brought into the hospital, he snuck behind the nurse's desk and called me at the station." Mac told her.

"He did?" Robin felt tears build up behind her eyes. The mother in her wanted to be mad at him for sneaking off, but in her heart she knew it had been selfless. "I never really understood what it was to love a child until Morgan came to live with me." She admitted in a soft voice.

"You're great with him." Mac let the compliment hang between them before he was compelled to pull her into another hug. "God, I just don't get over to see either of you as much as I should." He whispered against her hair.

"You're busy. I know that. We both are. It just makes our visits that much more special." Robin assured him, slightly drawing back.

"You forgot my present didn't you?" The look he gave her said that he already knew she had. Tearing up again, Robin nodded. "That's okay. You're more of a gift than anything you could have bought me."

"A Special Edition Die Hard DVD collection?" Robin inquired.

"Special Edition?" Mac looked pained. "Yeah, I love you more than that."

"Please." Robin shook her head. "You can admit to loving Bruce Willis. I know I do."

"You said you had a surprise for me though." Mac recalled, not missing his niece's immediate reaction to avert his eyes. "Robin, what is it?"

"I know you've been having trouble with your blood pressure lately. Just let it be a surprise." Robin begged him.

"It's the heat, and that's more than enough reason to prepare me for it." Mac wasn't above using his illness if it meant that she'd be straight with him. Really, he was perfectly healthy. It was the new fad to be medicated. Back in his day…God he felt old.

"Just promise me that you're not going to overreact. I mean, it's silly." Robin insisted lamely.

"Robin Cecilia Scorpio." Mac gritted through his teeth. Robin hadn't realized Alexis had already opened the door.

"Is the full name really necessary?" Robin whined.

"Yeah, I think it is." Mac answered breathlessly.

"Uncle Mac? What's the--"

"Happy Birthday Sir." Patrick addressed the old commissioner. Any other time, Robin might have laughed at how nervous his voice was.

"Look who's here!" Alexis announced with fake sincerity.

Robin dropped her head in her hands. Could he not have waited a few more minutes? She glanced up in time to see her uncle turn an unhealthy shade of red. "Uncle Mac, calm down."

"Oh, I'm calm." Mac lied, getting to his feet quickly.

"Isn't it nice of Patrick to stop by and…look he brought you a present!" Georgie declared, taking the small wrapped box from him.

"Courtney called and said Robin forgot it at home." Patrick admitted, unable to do anything else when Mac was staring at him the way he was: eyes dark, mouth set in a tight line, hands fisted.

"Thank you, Patrick." Robin moved toward him more out of necessity than anything else.

"Drake, you didn't get an invitation so I have to wonder what the fuck you're doing in my home." Mac didn't think he had to yell to get his point across. He noticed the way Robin gripped the punk's right arm and he felt his blood pressure spike to unbelievable levels.

"Malcolm Scorpio, watch your mouth." Alexis' warning was enough to make Mac bite his anger back. She was damn scary when she used that tone and he didn't want to compromise the gift she had waiting for him.

"I invited him." Robin didn't care that it was a lie. No one would have believed that Patrick had volunteered to accompany her.

"I need to sit down." Mac pressed his right hand to his forehead dramatically.

"Here Dad." Georgie pushed a glass of water into his left palm. "Drink up or I'm going to call Dr. Pinkerton."

"What happened to this being my birthday? Why don't I get to decide who can come to my party and who can't?" Mac griped.

"You're acting like a child." Alexis retorted with a huff.

"I don't want him here." Mac explained, throwing his hand out with enough force to knock some of the water out of his glass.

"If he leaves, so do I." Robin threatened darkly. Four sets of eyes jumped to hers, all of them shocked.

"Robin, he wasn't invited and he is not welcome here. I want him out of this house right now." Mac couldn't understand why his logic only made sense to him. Even Alexis was arguing the point and that made him angry. Nobody ever sided with him.

"I really hope you don't mean that." Robin told him, hands on hips. "You're sure not acting like the man I grew up admiring." Mac narrowed his eyes at the low blow. She continued, "The man who raised me not to discriminate against anyone, to treat everyone fairly and equally."

"I knew those life lessons were going to come back to bite me in the ass." Mac grumbled, not even caring that Alexis and Robin mimicked each other in posture.

"Can he stay?" Robin asked, stomping her left foot impatiently.

"Just stay out of my way, Drake." Mac stalked off to the punch bowl.

"Phew. That was close." Robin whispered to Patrick.

"I tried to talk, but…nothing." Patrick told her.

"Don't worry about it." Robin smiled at his pale face and kissed his right cheek.

Georgie moved toward him and turned her head in his direction, still not able to see his eyes. "You better toughen up if you're going to make it in this family." She advised quietly.

"He's tough as nails. Right Patrick?" Robin asked, glancing over at where he had been standing. "Patrick?"

"He's at the punch bowl. Oh, here we go." Alexis clarified, covering her eyes with one hand.


	59. Suddenly I See

"Hi Hannah!" She spoke brightly as she knocked. "Great weather we've been having isn't it?"

Hannah barely glanced in her direction. Apparently she didn't deem Elizabeth enough of a threat to warrant more than a cursorily glance. Inwardly Elizabeth bristled at the notion of not being a threat. She was the master of dodge ball. Give her a rubber ball and she would show She-Rah over there something to fear.

"So obviously Anna hired you for your conversational skills." Elizabeth grumbled under her breath, impatiently shifting from one foot to the next. "Come on girls, I know you are in there."

"Quit pestering Hannah." Robin cooed in a sickeningly sweet voice. Hannah glared at her. Contact! Mission accomplished. "Come on in. I apologize for the mess." The mess that Courtney had been wreaking on their poor loft all morning. Robin had been relieved when Bobbie showed up and took Morgan from her last night, saying that Lance wanted him to spend the night. She knew she had made the right decision in letting him stay over there.

Elizabeth looked around the loft in shock as she made her way in. "Did a natural disaster occur? Do I need to organize a star studded telethon for you?"

"Don't. Please." Robin murmured to her. "Courtney is in a really bad mood."

"I'm not deaf Robin Scorpio!" Courtney snapped from the kitchen.

"Still pissed about the date with Patrick thing is she?" Elizabeth asked. SLAM! Courtney slammed a cabinet in the kitchen so hard; the other two women could hear the glasses shake in the sink.

"Not just that. She called my phone and got him instead."

"Oh that doesn't sound good at all."

"Enough about that. Tell me about Lucky."

Elizabeth pushed off some discarded clothes off the couch and onto the floor. "Well we finally talked."

"Is that why you're avoiding my gaze?" Robin challenged. "Because you talked each other into utter madness?"

"I'm avoiding an 'I told you so.'"

"I'll hold off on it then. So, what happened?"

"Well after he realized his mother cornered me at the park..."

"Cornered you? Why would Laura...oh she has high hopes for you then." Robin realized giving her friend an unwelcome wink.

"Why do I tell you anything?" Elizabeth asked throwing up her hands.

"Because I am the voice of reason." Robin declared arrogantly.

"Says she who is dating her ex-brother-in law." Another slam echoed from the kitchen.

"Guilty." Robin shot her eyes to the kitchen. No noise accompanied her admission.

"That's scary. At least when she's slamming things we know she's not sharpening knives or something." Elizabeth whispered.

"Back to Lucky. How exactly did you work things out? Don't give me that look. I don't mean anything dirty by it. Really, Elizabeth." Robin patronized with an eye-roll.

"Sure you didn't." Elizabeth returned with an eye-roll of her own. "Well after he figured out why I was avoiding him, he cornered me in my classroom."

"And made you talk to him? Good boy." Robin clapped.

"Oh he did a lot more than make me talk about that with him."

"I'll take the bait. What happened?"

"Like a babbling lunatic I told him everything about Max and how that fiasco ended."

"How did that go? Did he agree that Max is a son of a bitch?"

"The word asshole and bastard was repeated a few times and I'm 75 sure he's planning on possibly running him over with a car the next time he has to go to Boulder."

"Can I go too? I'd like to give that prick a piece of my mind." Robin insisted.

"Sure. You can make sure that he doesn't go out and kill like I'm 25 sure he's thinking about. I hear it really sucks visiting people you date in jail."

"Yeah." Robin agreed knowing all about that.

"So after that then I decided to take the plunge and tell him I'd seen him and Daphne."

"And? And?" Robin prodded.

"He dragged me to his office, talked in freaking code the entire time, and then set me up to meet her and her boyfriend."

"I don't give Lucky enough credit." Robin giggled.

"And the worst part is she's nice, and sweet, and just about the cutest thing that ever walked the Earth. God help me I like her. It would be so much easier to be mad at him about this if I could hate her."

"So it was all publicity scam...like I said?" Robin would never tire of being right. Now that she was dating Patrick, she knew she had to take what she could get.

"Go ahead and say it. I know you are just dancing in your seat over there to do it."

"I told you! Talking is the key!"

"Well it does lead a person to use time productively."

"What did you do with the rest of your evening? If you don't mind me asking." Robin asked.

"I'll just say that I really hate his secretary."

"What did she do?" Robin pried though she could guess.

"I think she's in cahoots with my grandmother. And the driver of that car." Elizabeth huffed, falling back on the couch with her arms crossed. "It's a conspiracy I tell you."

"Were you wearing clothes?" Robin wondered, not missing the shocked gasp she got from her friend. "Okay, I guess you were."

"Enough about my frustration. It just leads me to getting all pissy again. Not good. So what happened to turn this place into World War III?"

"Oh, where should I begin? Patrick took me to Santa Monica for our date." Robin replied.

"Santa Monica?" Elizabeth's eyebrows shot up. "Damn that's impressive."

"I think it was all for show. You know, I think he was trying to one-up Lucky. You know how men are." Robin glanced over at the kitchen. "Courtney, you okay?" Her roommate grunted in response. "Anyway, it was incredible. He was so sweet."

"I love being the beneficiaries of a pissing contest between men. We must continue to compare notes. But please explain said sweetness."

"Well, I hadn't ever been on a rollercoaster and I was a little scared..."

"So he held your hand the entire time? Or did he re-enact the roller coaster scene from Fear?"

"He held my hand and distracted me with talk about the hotel's spa." Robin grinned.

Nodding her head approvingly, Elizabeth smiled. "Very good. Continue."

"We made it to the aquarium and then this little bastard of a crab clamped onto my finger--"

"And Patrick had to clamp onto it in other ways to make it all better?" Elizabeth gasped, keeping one eye carefully on Courtney to duck any flying lethal weapons.

"He pulled me into the corner and we started making out. We barely made it back to the hotel." Robin remembered, unintentionally blushing.

"Does anybody listen to me? No. Damn Patrick could have some kind of fungal disease." They heard Courtney mutter.

"Getting that hot in public? Girl you could have scared the fish and children with that action." Elizabeth pointed out laughing.

"There were no children!" Robin responded in a harsh whisper.

"That you saw."

"Oh." Robin covered her eyes with each of her hands. "It was his fault really."

Out of the corner of Elizabeth's eye she could see Courtney roll her eyes with such force it was a wonder her head didn't snap off. "That would be a violation of the code that it is always their fault Robin. You better be prepared to defend such a blatant shift of reality."

"I might have had something to do with it, but he started it." Robin countered.

"Well yes we figured that one out all on our own." Elizabeth snorted. Robin couldn't even bring herself to admit she wanted Patrick the last time she was over here and she thought for one second everyone wouldn't think she started it? Please.

"We got back to the room and everything was moving so fast--"

Elizabeth clapped her hands as Courtney covered her ears muttering, "I don't want to hear this. I don't need to be traumatized."

"Would you rather we saved this for when you have to leave for work?" Robin offered. Courtney stuck out her tongue and slammed a few more cabinet doors. "I won't go into it, but the only reason we didn't sleep together was because of Patrick." Robin hoped she had said it quiet enough for Courtney to miss it.

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth nearly fell off the couch in her shock. "All that and you didn't sleep with him?"

"He wouldn't let me." Robin complained, wrapping her arms around her waist. "And you are not to breathe a word of this to Lucky. I mean it Elizabeth."

"Like he'd believe any of this. But my lips are sealed."

"He said that I wasn't ready and then we went to the beach." Robin hoped her friend would leave it at that. She wondered if she should admit to the numerous almost attempts she and Patrick had made over the last couple of days. God and his sense of humor again. Robin bit the inside of her cheek. "Two more failed attempts."

Elizabeth whistled. "I feel that frustration."

"I invited him over two nights ago wearing that nightgown we picked up for the date that I never wore." Robin explained. "You were right about that thing. His jaw was dragging the ground."

"Told you so."

"You've been waiting to say that haven't you?"

"Since the nanosecond I realized you were going to say it to me."

"How much of this to do you really want to know?" Robin scrunched up her face.

"Enough to get the picture but not enough to make me want to blush when I inevitably run into Patrick at some Spencer family get together." Elizabeth suggested helpfully.

"We probably would have slept together the other night, but we finished a bottle of wine and passed out in my bed." Thank God they had made it there. She didn't know how she would have faced Courtney otherwise.

"What do you mean passed out in your bed?" Courtney asked from the kitchen.

"Patrick told me you came to drop off Morgan." Robin explained.

"He was lying." Courtney assured her.

"Courtney, isn't it time for you to get going?"

"Hey don't hate me because I'm right." Courtney waved her hand in Robin's direction.

"But you're not." Robin argued. "Patrick said--"

"Patrick lied."

Elizabeth could sense this was going to get real ugly real quick if she didn't step in. "Courtney, if you didn't drop Morgan off then where were you?"

"My flight was delayed and I didn't get in until after Robin left for work."

"Then how did he get here?" Robin challenged, folding her arms.

"Who did you have watching him?" Elizabeth asked.

"Laura." Robin said.

"Does she have a key?"

"No. Only Bobby has one." Robin's mouth dropped open. "Oh my God. Oh, my God!"

"What? What?" Obviously Robin had realized something but Elizabeth would be damned if she knew what it was.

"Patrick knew Morgan was home before I did." Robin replied shaking her head. "Which means one of two things: either Morgan walked in on us or Laura did."

"Oh. My. God." Elizabeth moved quickly to hug her friend. "I don't know which situation would scare me more."

"Oh my God." Robin moaned into Elizabeth's shoulder. "I'll never be able to face her again."

"Guess he's not so reputable now is he?" Courtney badgered further.

"Shut the hell up!" Robin ground through her teeth.

"Guys...calm down. Not the time for this crisis. What we need to do is plan damage control here." Elizabeth tried to sound cool and in control.

"Good luck with that. I already warned you." Courtney turned on her heel and hurried to the door, throwing it open and ignoring it as it crashed into the wall. She was in the elevator before Robin even knew what was going on.

"Who woke up on the bitch side of the bed this morning?" Elizabeth wondered.

"She's been like that since I came home from Santa Monica. She accused me of abandoning Morgan in favor of Patrick." Robin clarified, working her way through threatening tears.

"Ouch. She never struck me as insane."

"Is she really unfounded? I've made so many mistakes with Morgan already."

"Stop it. Stop right now." Elizabeth pulled back. "Did you suffer a brain injury I am not aware of?"

"What must Laura think of me?" Robin sniffled.

"Well from what I gather she thinks both Lucky and Patrick hung the moon and she seems to like you as well, I'm going to guess she's pretty darn happy and planning how to ambush you somewhere in town as well."

"Why did Patrick lie? I asked him point-blank."

"I know I'm going to regret asking this, but what exactly did Laura walk in on? Was Patrick fully dressed for example?"

"I don't think he was, but I was still in my nightgown. Oh God."

"So basically his aunt walked in on what looked the aftermath of a Sex and the City romp from Samantha and you wonder why he didn't tell you the truth?"

"I deserved to know, Elizabeth."

"Yes you did. And for that we will punish him horribly. But you have to understand why he lied."

"And he let me go over there and apologize when he knew damn well I had more than enough reason to be mad at him!"

"He's a guy. Of course he let you apologize. We'll have to make the punishment extra evil just for that."

"I never thought I'd say this, but I'm really glad I didn't make the mistake of sleeping with him. I'm still in control here."

"Exactly. I'm beginning to suspect control is everything with these Spencer boys."

"He's going to pay for humiliating me."


	60. I Love The Way You Love Me

God he was bored. The featured keynote speaker had been droning on about the Internet revolution and its impact on journalism for what Cruz assumed was an eternity. It would have helped if the speaker didn't speak in a monotone whisper even Ben Stein would find exhausting. The topic was at least three years out of date. Most of the magazines and papers represented had a thriving online edition. There were even awards scheduled to be handed out later tonight for them, but Captain Drone seemed content to point out the obvious.

The only bright spot of the evening was Bobbie had agreed to accompany him. She looked stunning in the simple dark blue dress she wore. It set off her creamy skin and made her hair resemble a flame even more than usual. The dark lights of the banquet hall, even if it was a Holiday Inn, made her glow. She was gorgeous and she was here with him. Cruz felt it in his bones that there were men just drooling with envy that he got to walk in with her.

She sat next to him, her knee brushing his every so often as she shifted. Clearly not paying attention to Captain Drone, her eyes kept darting around the room. Was she looking to see if she recognized someone or they recognized her? It was doubtful. As high profile as Brenda and Jax's wedding had become, Bobbie herself had kept a low profile with only her name and her business being made public. Jax had assigned a media relations expert from one of his many companies to be the spokesperson for the couple to the press. Idly Cruz wondered if that would be considered a promotion or a demotion for the lackey. It wasn't quite clear.

Even Axe had trouble placing her. True to his prediction, Axe had stared several minutes before he could place Bobbie's name, voice or even her face as a resident of Port Charles, much less related to Patrick and Lucky. He had even started calling her a nickname. Somewhere between the salad and the start of the speech she had become Earth Momma. Cruz recognized her eyes soften the more Axe called her by the nickname and he knew at least Axe no longer worried her.

Of course if Axe ever did start to connect actual people with names and faces, it would be a different story. But for now they would be fine. It didn't matter if Axe did spread the word the boss was seeing someone. No one would be able to figure out who Earth Momma was by Axe's descriptions. It was part of the other man's charm. And while at times it annoyed Cruz, tonight he was grateful for it.

So far their age gap appeared to be largely ignored by the larger crowd. Some tiny evil part of Cruz's brain reminded him that journalists were paid to be neutral. They were skilled at showing no reaction to things. Of course the free flowing alcohol at the even would probably lessen that professionalism as the night went on. The Insider was a small local magazine. No one wanted to network with him. Outside of his connection to L&B Records, he had no connections in the capital or New York City that could help get a big story before deadline. He was small time, a fact Cruz had long ago accepted. It didn't bother him and it actually inspired him to work twice hard to put out a publication better than those with more money and resources. A screw you to the old boys network.

And he was in no way ashamed to admit that he was using his under the radar status to test run going public with Bobbie. No one cared to know The Insider, so no one was looking at their table, which was situated in the far back corner of the room. Cruz felt like the starts that were nominated for the Golden Globes that no one thought would win, sitting far back in the dark and miles away from cameras.

Tonight had to be perfect. He knew he had to convince Bobbie going public could not be as awful as they both had feared. If no one reacted badly tonight, it would go along way in convincing her. No stares, no comments, no jokes. All good things.

Okay so he had rigged the deck a bit in knowing only Axe, who couldn't remember non-musical details, would be attending from home. And yes he lied to her shamelessly about the rest of the Spencer's not being able to make it. He may have causally mentioned to Laura that his mother was coming and she backed off. He may not exactly have told Patrick or Lucky exactly when the dinner was going to be held. And just maybe he put off Lulu from starting on the internship he agreed for her until after this was over. Alright, he admitted, maybe putting off Lulu wasn't entirely connected to this but it was a factor. The girl was a snoop. No telling what she would find in his desk should he leave it unattended.

The tepid applause broke through his thoughts and Cruz sighed in relief. The droning was over. Across the table he bit back his smile when he noticed Axe rolling his eyes to heaven. If Cruz had found it boring, his computer expert had probably found it pandering to the extreme. Bobbie leaned closer to him and whispered in his ear. "I'm supposed to remind you this is all worth it about now aren't I? That it wasn't that bad."

"Yes. Reassure me."

"If I was a good girlfriend I'd tell you, you would win, and we would celebrate all night." She caught his eye and winked.

"You are a good girlfriend. But I do sense a but coming."

Bobbie squeezed his knee under the table and traced a pattern on his upper thigh with her fingers. "But right now I'm a bored girlfriend and I need some incentive to be supportive."

Cruz leaned closer, running his hand on her thigh, moving the skirt of her dress upwards to expose her knee just enough so he could run his hands under the fabric with ease. Moving his hand teasingly slow, he leaned his forward and nipped her ear. "Does this help?"

"Maybe just a little." She lowered her voice but kept it steady. Catching her eyes, he noticed the challenge that lit them. She wanted to see how far he was going to push this.

Oblivious to Axe's presence at the table, he moved his hand towards her inner thigh, squeezing gently. Teasingly tracing patterns with his fingers, he whispered in her ear again. "What about this?"

He didn't miss the catch in her breath. She was getting caught up in this game as much as he was. Cruz battled for control. On the outside chance he actually won an award, there was no way he was going to walk up stage with a giant neon sign expressing just how hot he was for his girlfriend. But on the other hand, he was damned if he was going to stop right this second.

His fingers inched closer to their goal, slowly and gently gliding along her skin. Back and forth. Back and forth. He fought to keep his eyes focused on hers. Quickly he brushed along the edges of her panties and just as soon as he did, he pulled his fingers back, earning a barely audible whimper in the process.

"Careful, you'll get Axe's attention," he teased.

She reached under the table and pulled his hand off her thigh. Bringing his hand up to his mouth, she quickly placed the tip of one of his fingers in her mouth, sucked lightly and released him. "Careful or you won't get any attention at all."

"And the winner is The PC Insider!"

Axe leapt from his chair, pumping his fist in a celebration dance, chanting "Yes we won!" repeatedly. Cruz blinked several times trying to re-orientate himself. Where was he? Why was Axe here? More importantly, why was someone calling his name from way up front?

"Boss man! We won! You gotta go get the trophy!" Axe insisted, still beaming in excitement.

"There's no trophy. It's a plaque Axe." He said on autopilot. It was all starting to come back to him now. The awards dinner. He had been nominated. Apparently he had even won something. Although at this exact moment, Cruz didn't have a clue what he won. "You go get it."

"But dude, it's for editing and stuff. You do that. It's your award. You gotta get it."

Bobbie kissed his cheek and gently prodded him to stand up. "Go on Tiger. Get your award. We'll celebrate later tonight."

Patrick traced the path of raindrops as they splashed across his apartment window. His mother used to get onto him for smudging the car windows when he was a young boy. Noah hadn't really cared one way or the other; he had only ever scolded him when Mattie asked him to. In many ways, Mattie had been a single parent. Noah had supported his family financially and Patrick really believed the old man had loved his wife. If only he could have paid his sons that kind of respect and admiration.

Swallowing down the bitterness, he glanced down at the street, the cars represented by multicolored dots, the streetlights blurry and run together like an artist's pallet. He pressed his forehead to the glass, a chill starting at the tip of his fingers, moving up his arm, and settling in-between his shoulder blades. The apartment was warm and cozy, but the chill remained. God, he loved it when it rained. If only it had waited until tomorrow; maybe then he and Robin would have been able to enjoy the races. She had laughed when he'd first invited her along, saying something along the lines of, "I should have known you were an adrenaline junkie." It was strange to see it raining when the entire summer had been full of scorching sunny days so neither had expected the sudden change in weather. At least they hadn't gotten all the way there only to turn back; the rain had started as soon as he arrived to pick her up.

The decision to bring Morgan along had been Patrick's. Robin had been running late, very unlike her, and hadn't had a chance to drop him off at a babysitter's for the evening. Both guilty for putting her in such a compromising position and amazed at how incredibly adorable she was as this flustered woman he had come to like, Patrick had suggested she bring Morgan along. They could be stuck in his apartment together. He would show them his "secret" racetrack he kept up in the hall closet and even cook dinner for them. Robin had given him a speculative look, asked if he was certain, and then gotten Morgan bundled up in a long-sleeved shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and a parka. Patrick hadn't realized they lived in Alaska, but he wasn't stupid enough to let such a comment slip past his smirking lips.

Lost in his thoughts, he jumped slightly when Robin's tiny arms wrapped around his waist, leaning into him and pressing her nose to the middle of his back. He settled his hands over hers, squeezing them softly, and closed his eyes. The chill abandoned him immediately, leaving him hot and uncomfortable in his jacket. Robin, completely oblivious, snuggled him closer. Lifting his feverish forehead from the window pane, he snuck a glance at her over his right shoulder.

Having been soaked through and through, she was now almost completely swallowed up in the t-shirt Patrick had lent her while hers dried, the material hitting her jean clad knees. Her hair had dried long ago leaving it a disheveled mess upon her shoulders. With all the grace and well-intentioned directness he could manage, he had offered his shower to her, but she had turned him down. He didn't use her same shampoo, she had tried to explain, and she didn't want to come out of the bathroom smelling like a boy. She smelled pretty nice at the moment and her hair was remarkably soft he noticed as he turned around in her arms and held a few strands between his fingers.

"You looked lonely over here all by yourself." Robin explained, making an exaggerated sniffing sound as she let his scent overtake her senses. Patrick stared down at her, his initial reaction to tilt her head back and kiss her…a reaction that was quickly replaced by a more rational one when he saw the deadly look Morgan was sending him from across the room.

"Thank you for thinking of me." He murmured, sliding his left hand through her hair. Her eyes sparkled as they locked on his and he felt his resolve breaking. Returning his eyes to Morgan, he asked, "You ready to get beat little man."

"Bring it on, Patty." Morgan sneered in a sickeningly sweet voice. The kid had it in for him and, while he couldn't entirely blame him, he wasn't going to let anything taint the smile on Robin's face.

"I thought you were going to let me play." Robin adorably pouted, folding her arms.

Watching the entire garment shift as she did this, Patrick shook his head arrogantly. "You're a girl. This is a man's sport."

"A remote controlled racetrack is too sophisticated for a woman?" Robin squinted her eyes and lifted her eyebrows audaciously.

"You don't see me slaving over a hot oven, do you? Women have their talents, and men have theirs. It's best that you just accept it honey." Patrick bestowed confidently.

"That is so sexist!" Robin accused, poking him in the chest.

"It's not sexist, it's true. It doesn't mean you don't have a lot of other great qualities." Patrick grinned, clearly enjoying himself.

"Wanna go first?" Morgan offered her his controller, his brown eyes full of wisdom, his mouth twisted in irony as he took in their easy banter.

"No, that's okay. Can I sit by you though?" Robin inquired, receiving a nod before she settled in next to her son.

"You aren't going to help him cheat are you Robin, because that's not what you should be teaching him?" Patrick assured her with a wink.

"He doesn't need to cheat." Robin countered with an eye roll. "Now come over here so we can beat you. That is, unless you're scared."

"I don't understand." Morgan looked truly confused. "Why would I throw rocks at her?" He was especially plagued by the illicit advice he was receiving from his oldest cousin.

"You like the girl, don't you?" Patrick asked and was met with an adamant nod from the younger boy. "You can't exactly let her know that, now can you?"

"I guess not." Morgan considered resting his chin in his palms.

"What makes her special?" Patrick wondered flipping over his card at the same time his cousin did. The kid was lucky, that was all. He had drawn the higher card again and was able to add Patrick's card to his pile.

"Mostly, she can color in the lines and she knows how to read better than me." Morgan admitted sheepishly.

"There's your in. Let her tutor you." Patrick told him.

"What does that mean?" Sometimes he forgot Morgan was still a little kid.

"Tell her you're having trouble and ask if she can help you." Patrick clarified.

"He could just ask me or Miss Rosenbloom for help if throwing rocks and conning a little girl doesn't work out." Robin interrupted, bending down to peck Morgan's forehead.

"What about me?" Patrick feigned hurt.

"What about you?" Robin inquired playfully.

"Somebody's bitter about being beat." Patrick whispered to Morgan.

"It was rigged!" Robin charged, her smile never leaving her face.

"Sure it was." Morgan teased, blinking at Patrick.

"Oh, now you're rubbing off on him. Just what I need. Two Patricks." Robin rubbed her forehead dramatically.

"You say that like it's a bad thing. I always wanted a twin." Patrick stated simply.

"To wreak havoc no less?" Robin assumed.

"Of course. And to go to the classes I didn't like." Patrick admitted.

"You don't like school?" Morgan questioned incredulously.

"Of course he likes school." Robin shot Patrick a dirty look.

"Oh, I loved school. I especially loved third grade." Patrick recalled a glimmer in his eye.

"What happened in third grade?" Morgan glanced from one adult to the other.

"Well, our old teacher Mrs. Montgomery quit and was replaced by a much prettier--" Patrick began.

"Morgan, can you help me with the dishes?" Robin's voice said that it wasn't a request. Sighing in resignation, the boy got to his feet and retreated to the kitchen.

"What'd I do?" Patrick challenged, looking lost.


	61. Wicked Game

Elizabeth blinked in confusion at the sign on Kelly's door. Lucky had asked her specifically to meet him here at seven and yet the closed sign was flipped over, the shades drawn and the lights were off. She had spotted Lucky's Jeep in the small parking lot so he had to be close by somewhere. Of all the times to play hide and seek, standing outside a closed diner in a rainstorm waiting on your date was not high on her list of appropriate times.

"Damn it Spencer, if you don't show yourself soon I am so kicking your ass." She muttered, readjusting her tan trench coat around her slim frame with one hand. The other struggled to hold her umbrella in place, rapping it against the windows of the diner.

The corner of her eye caught the movement of shade on the door being pulled back. She turned rapidly on her heel to investigate, accidentally stepping directly into a rather large puddle. Elizabeth felt herself falling directly onto the wet pavement behind her, when she felt two arms wrap themselves around her waist and steady her.

"I thought you said you weren't always this clumsy." Lucky laughed as he set her upright, kissing her forehead quickly.

"I'm not. I think the question is why do I only seem to have these accidents around you?"

Lucky held open the door for her and motioned for her to enter. "My irresistible charm has you falling at my feet?"

Closing her umbrella, she resisted the childish urge to shake the access water off in his general direction. She was far too mature for that. Instead she stuck her tongue out at him. "Change that to your overbearing ego and you may be right."

His hands stilled on her shoulders as he held her coat for her to step out of. "Careful with that tongue." He whispered in her ear. "You just may lose it."

Elizabeth turned her head just enough so he could see her smile. "Promises. Promises," she sang as she shrugged her coat off her shoulders into his waiting hands.

Her eyes danced around the room as the transformation of the small dinning room made an imprint on her. Every surface was covered in candles, flames flickering against each other, almost competing for who would set the more perfect mood. A few of the tables near the jukebox had been lined up against the back wall, creating what she assumed was a dance floor. A single table was covered in a white linen cloth with a single rose resting on a plate. Twirling back to where Lucky stood behind her, she clapped her hands. "Are you kidding me?"

Lucky knew she had spoken but for the life of him he could not figure out what she had said. He was transfixed by her. The strapless red dress she had on stopped just above her knee, giving him a full view of the legs he had only seen three times before. Her tiny feet were incased in heels so tall it was no wonder she had almost fallen. Her hair was held up by a clip of some sort that he had a powerful urge to remove just to watch her hair fall down around her shoulders. He shook his head. "I'm sorry. You completely distracted me."

Elizabeth bit her lips to keep back the grin. The last time she had gone shopping with Robin and Courtney both had insisted she buy this particular dress and shoes. "It will drive him crazy," Robin had promised her. Courtney had been much blunter. "He'll want to rip it off of you," the blonde swore. Never again would she doubt the wisdom of her friends. Walking towards him, she smiled. "Distracted good or distracted bad?"

Lucky circled his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Definitely good. Very, very good." He leaned down to capture his mouth with his own.

The kiss was brief but memorable. How was it even the simplest of kisses from him made her crave more? Elizabeth rested her forehead on his and giggled. "Well good, because you have me distracted too."

Instead of jeans, Lucky had opted for black trousers, with a French blue dress shirt with the top two buttons undone. She could be wrong but it looked like his black loafers were freshly shined as well.

His hands gently rubbed up and down her bare arms, sending tingles up her spine. "As much fun as all this distraction is, I think we better sit down before the dinner I worked so hard on gets cold."

With his hand on the small of her back, he led her to the table and pulled out her chair for her. "You cooked?" she asked shocked as she sat down.

"Yes. I am a man of many talents." He laughed with a wink in her direction as he made his way towards the kitchen.

Elizabeth smelled the sweet fragrance of the rose as she watched him bring two covered plates from the back. "Funny, when Cameron did any cooking projects in school, he never mentioned you. It was all Gramma this and Gramma that."

"He doesn't want to hurt his grandmother's feelings." With a flourish he pulled off the covers at the same time, revealing a plate teeming with angel hair pasta, meatballs and a marinara sauce. "Viola!"

"When exactly did you talk to my grandmother and find out about my favorite meal of all time?"

"I did no such thing."

"Lucky I know my grandmother's homemade marinara sauce when I smell it. How did you convince her to give you the recipe?"

"You aren't going to just let this go are you?"

"Never. But if you want to stick to this story that you didn't call her and didn't get the recipe from her, then I will feel so terrible for doubting you that I will just go sit way over there in the corner…" She made a grab for her plate and started to stand up.

"Sit down you faker."

With a triumphant grin, she sat back down and crossed her arms. "Spill."

Lucky ran his hand through his hair. "Fine. I called your grandmother for ideas for what to make you and she suggested this."

"And she just gave you the recipe?"

"Not exactly." He sighed in defeat. "She gave it to my Aunt Ruby. Aunt Ruby had this crazy idea I would burn down her kitchen if I tried it."

Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth to stop the giggles. "So you were going to pass off your aunt's cooking as your own?"

"Lucky Spencer. Professional kitchen disaster at your service."

"Elizabeth Webber. Professional klutz in all things culinary. Nice to meet you."

The dinner passed quickly and the conversation had flown easily between them. Elizabeth held the glass of wine in her hand as she wandered through the room, floating her other hand above the flickering flames. Lucky had refused her offer to help clean up, swearing all he was allowed to do in his aunt's kitchen was place the dishes in the dishwasher and shut the door. She smiled when she saw him come out from the back in the exact two minutes he had promised his chore would take.

He brushed past her, gently pressing the small of her back as he did, making his way towards the jukebox. Smiling, she placed her glass down on an empty table and made her way towards him, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

"Thank you for dinner."

Lucky squeezed her hands. "You're welcome Cinderella."

He turned to face her as soft music began to fill the room. Elizabeth readjusted her arms to go around her neck as they began to sway together. "This is nice." she sighed softly.

Tucking a loose strand behind her ear, Lucky let his finger trace all the way down to her chin. "Did I tell you yet that you look gorgeous?"

Her eyes locked into his and Elizabeth didn't think she could speak even if she wanted to. She was trapped in a spell of attraction that she was powerless to break. Not that she really wanted to. She shook her head at his question.

"Well in that case, you look beautiful tonight."

Somehow she found a way to speak, although her voice was barely over a whisper. "Just tonight?"

"Every night."

"Damn good answer," she whispered pulling him closer to her and moving her lips on top of his.

If he ever stopped touching her tonight, he seriously had a death wish. His hands hadn't stopped moving over her skin since they had started dancing. Every little touch on her arm was re-igniting a memory from another kissing session.

Their lips met in a heated exchange. The small sweet kisses had long since melted away into something deeper and hotter. Tongues danced together as she tightened her grip behind his head, only breaking apart when the need for oxygen became all too obvious. She struggled to regain her breath as she lay teasing small kisses towards his earlobe.

His hands moved off her arms and held onto her waist. Why exactly did he need to breathe? Kissing her was much more important. He moved to kiss the skin of her neck, earning a gasp as his reward.

As Lucky's mouth moved its way down towards her collar bone, Elizabeth felt her knees start to sway. "Lucky..." she managed to breathe out.

He needed to hold her steady that much he could figure out. There was no way he could taste enough of her skin without having something to help him keep her steady. He backed them towards the bar, pressing her up against it and continuing his assault on her neck.

Her hands took on a life of their own, moving to remove the ends of his shirt from his trousers. After finally freeing it, she immediately slipped under the fabric, lightly scratching her nails on his back. Lucky growled against her skin and nipped it slightly.

Blindly Elizabeth moved her hands up his back, barely noticing Lucky's hands following their own journey down towards her knees. He lifted her up slightly, pushing the fabric of her dress up with his hands by mere inches. She moaned as his mouth found a particularly sensitive area behind her ear to concentrate on. On autopilot, she positioned her legs on either side of one of his, pressing down on his thigh to relieve some of the building pressure she felt growing.

Somehow through the fog, the fact that he was in fact in his the dinning room of his aunt's restaurant did cross his mind. Of course with her moving like that on his leg, it was hard to remember why exactly it was he cared at this point, but somehow he knew it was wrong. If this was going to go where he was certain it would, he did not want it to happen in the dinning room at Kelly's. He pulled back his lips just far enough so he could whisper to her. She groaned in frustration when she felt the absence of his lips from her skin.

Elizabeth moved to kiss his lips and he struggled to get the words out. In between kisses he managed to say what he needed to say. "We. Shouldn't. Do. This. Here."

He had a point. But there was no way she wanted to stop this. She even doubted if she could. It was as if all the times they had been interrupted before had used up all her will power. She wanted him. She wanted this. And she wanted it tonight. Going to his place was out of the questions as was going to hers. She doubted very much if either one of them would be able to drive to another destination. Her eyes spied the set of stairs that led up to the boarding rooms upstairs. "Are there any spare rooms?" she whispered, pointing with her finger towards the stairs.

Maybe his father really did have something when he named him Lucky, because it was by sure luck he had gotten them up to the room in one piece. Or that he had even been able to find the room. From the second he lifted her up off the ground, Elizabeth had hooked her legs around his waist and that and kissing her was about all he had been able to focus on.

He closed the door with a thud, falling backwards onto it. Elizabeth continued to kiss him as he moved his hands up and down her legs, pushing the fabric of her dress higher with each pass of his fingers. He could feel her shiver and heard her breaths becoming shallower. Flipping their position, he pinned her against the wall, raising her up just enough so his mouth was level with her bare upper chest. Immediately, he began to lay kisses on the skin that lay there, causing her to grip both her arms tightly around his head.

The combination of his kisses and feeling his hands on her upper thighs was becoming too much for her. She groaned and started to rock her hips towards him. She heard her shoes clatter to the floor before she fully realized she had kicked them off. Pulling his head towards her, she caught his mouth in a searing kiss.

She felt the cool air of the room hit her over heated skin as his fingers found the side zipper of her dress and drew it slowly down about halfway. Moving her feet to the ground to steady herself, her fingers went to work loosening the buttons of his shirt. Finally succeeding in her task, she pushed the offending garment off his shoulders, letting her hands glide over his smooth chest.

Lucky reacted quickly, picking her up and moving towards the bed on the other side of the room, kicking his shoes off as he walked. His mouth never stopped moving over hers and his hands pushed her dress up to the very top of her thighs. Laying her down on the bed, he teasingly brushed over the apex of her thighs, causing her to buck her hips up wildly. He chuckled softly, leaning up to whisper in her ear.

"I never did repay you."

Elizabeth shivered in anticipation of her payback as he took both her hands in his pinning them above her head while the other hand slowly completed lowering her zipper all the way. She lifted her hips off the bed as he began to slide the dress down off her body, leaving her clad only in the matching red bra and bikini underwear. Releasing her hands, his hands went to her hips.

"This will be fun." he chuckled softly, lowering his mouth towards her navel.

With an evil glint in her eyes, Elizabeth pushed his head up. "You know you keep making promises that you just don't seem to keep." she teased.

He crushed his lips to hers immediately threading one hand in her hair, sending her hair clip skipping across the floor. As both her hands came up to grip his neck, his other hand worked to release the snap of her bra. Throwing the offending yet beautiful garment to the floor, Lucky began to lower her back onto the bed kissing the valley between her breasts.

Elizabeth felt warmth pool in her lower stomach as he lavished attention first on one breast and then the other with his mouth and hands. If this was payback she was going to play dirty more often. Her breaths started to become even shallower as she wondered if she would pass out from lack of air. Her legs rose up to hold his still trouser clad hips in place. Now there was an unfair situation. Using what little voluntary control she had left, she let her hands wander down his back, gently caressing his stomach. Sliding to the front, she began to gently stroke his arousal through the thin material of his pants.

He rewarded her efforts with a growl muffled by her own skin. Smiling in triumph, she moved to undo the zipper and work down the button. She had barely begun to slid his pants down past his hips, when his hands gripped hers, pinning them to the bed.

Looking into his eyes, she caught the smile as he shook his head. "Patience Cinderella. All in good time."

"I'm feeling you are a little overdressed for this occasion." She threw him her best pout.

Lucky gently brushed past her center with his fingers causing her to raise her hips up. Moving quickly, he pinned her hands beneath herself. Pressing his forehead to hers, he winked. "All part of the payback."

His finger slowly began to stroke her through her dampening underwear in a slow circular motion. His other hand held her hips in place, as he kissed her slowly. Deftly he pushed aside the thin barrier separating his fingers from her and slipped one inside of her.

Her hips began to rock as he worked his finger in and out of her in a steady rhythm. With precision, he slipped a second finger inside, scissoring them back and forth. Her moans were caught by his lips, kissing her senseless. Her legs tightened around his hips and her hips rose up just enough for her to move her hands and attach them to his back, scratching at him with her nails.

She was close, so close. Just a tiny bit more and she would be there. Elizabeth rocked her hips harder. "Lucky..." she managed breathlessly.

"Yes Elizabeth?" Lucky lifted his head so he could see her eyes clearly. They had darkened to an almost black blue. It was the sexiest thing he had ever seen. He removed his fingers from her, earning a groan in response as he raised his fingers to her hips. "Do you need something?"

She managed to raise her hips enough to brush her center over his still covered arousal. Hearing him hiss she grinned. "I know you do."

Lucky lowered his head until they were mere millimeters apart. Breaths mingling, lips just shy of touching, she could swear she could feel him speak rather than hear him.

"I know what I want. What do you want Elizabeth?"

"You." She managed to get out before his lips crashed directly into hers, his tongue dancing with hers almost immediately.

Somehow he managed to retrieve the condom out of his back pocket before she succeed in finally removing his pants, taking his boxers with them in one fell swoop, her hands running over his bare behind, as her feet worked the clothing off his limbs and onto the floor. She managed to pull the condom from his hand and opened it with an ease he knew he wasn't capable of at this moment. Obligingly she raised her hips as he removed her now soaked panties from her and dropped them with the rest of the discarded garments.

He almost lost all control when she rolled the condom down on him. And again when he positioned himself at her entrance and began to ease his way in. Their bodies quickly found a rhythm, moving in tandem and learning the other with infinite care. She tightened her grip on his hips as he reached down between them, pressing the tiny bundle of nerves that sent her head spinning even more.

She almost shouted when her release flooded through her. A few seconds later, he did shout as he reached his own end. He collapsed on top of her, rolling to his side to cradle her against his chest. They laid in a tangle of arms and legs as their breathing and heart rates began to return to normal.

Tracing her fingers up and down his chest, Elizabeth managed to find her voice first. "Damn. I think I like paybacks."

Laughing, Lucky titled her head up just enough so he could kiss her gently. "You ok?"

"Good." Running his fingers through her hair, he decided that this was when she looked the most gorgeous. And he planned on seeing her this way as often as he could.

"How long do you have a babysitter for?" she wondered aloud.

"He's with Lulu. She can wait as long as we need."

"Good." Elizabeth lifted herself up to kiss him, positioning her body on top of his. "Because now I have paybacks of my own to give."


	62. So Sweet

**SO SWEET**

_**The song credit goes to Johnathan Rice's "So Sweet."**_

_Back then when the heartbreak came yeah it hit me pretty hard  
I waved hello and goodbye to the ghosts on the boulevard  
Well oh my baby you're so sweet it makes me cry  
Well oh my baby you're so sweet it makes me cry_

You're so sweet  
You're so sweet  
You're so sweet  
I wanna cry 

"I'll have my phone turned to silent, but leave a message if you need me. I've left you the emergency contact information right, if you can't get a hold me?" Robin looked from one Jones to the other. Technically Dillon wasn't recognized by the state as Lucas' husband, but they had made it official a year before Lance's birth. That was when they had sought out a surrogate. Sage Alcazar had been the appropriate choice. They had given her the offer of an open adoption, but she had skipped town two days after giving birth to their only son.

Dillon nodded enthusiastically, his eyes wide as he tried to take in everything she was telling them. He snaked his arms around Lance and rocked his little body from side to side. "Robin, everything will be fine. Go. Enjoy your night." Dillon replied confidently. Lucas ruffled Lance's hair and the boy shoved away from his parents, his attention now focused on his new train set. The boy motioned an amused Morgan over to play with him. Robin watched her son bounce toward his cousin.

"Lance has been begging for Morgan to come and stay the night." Lucas admitted, looking sheepish for not setting it up earlier. He lowered his voice adding, "I just didn't want to push, you know so soon after my sister's death."

"Lucas, there's no need to apologize. With all you've done for me, I should be able to make time for you and your family. It's my fault for keeping Morgan cooped up with me." Robin waved off his apology.

"Alright kids," Dillon directed Lucas and Robin. "We've got the emergency numbers and we all remember 911 just in case we forget everything else."

Noticing that his husband's answer hadn't put Robin's stressed features at ease, Lucas took Robin's hands in his. "We won't let him out of our sight. Now, don't you have a party to plan?" That said, he shoved a clumsy Robin out the door and turned toward the children. "Smells like dinner is done." He lifted his nose to further prove his point.

"Smells like cookies." Morgan noticed.

"And--?" Dillon looked confused.

Robin stabbed her key into the driver's side door lock and twisted it until she heard a satisfying click. Forcing her frayed nerves to relax, she gripped the steering wheel, flipped on the headlights, and took a look at herself in the rearview mirror. The mirror proved that her makeup was flawless and her hair was still cooperating in its crown of ringlets. The dress she had chosen on was burgundy and the sleeves were barely wide enough to cover her shoulders, leaving her arms exposed to the chilly night air. For a town that hadn't seen rain all summer, the ground was moist and the smell of fresh-cut sunk in through the rolled-up windows. Robin leaned back against the seat glancing down at her black pumps. Her painted toenails matched her dress and the barrette she had the sides of her hair pulled into. The light application of mascara she had applied added volume and intensity to her normally bland brown eyes. Her lips were slick and shiny with strawberry lip-gloss. Why was she so nervous? She knew what tonight held. She was in total control.

Though she tried to give Morgan a normal, structured, cookie-cutter life, she, herself, missed the spontaneity she used to crave. How many other twenty-four-year-olds had taken over responsibility for a six-year-old boy while still trying to balance a social life? She figured a few, but she wasn't exactly cut out for the job. It was why she would have stayed hidden in her little shell. She would have been perfectly content, would have convinced herself that motherhood was all she needed to make her complete.

And then there was the matter of Patrick Drake. She had been just fine with him hating her. He made her a nutcase when he was around, still did, knowing how to push her buttons to get the desired reactions. She had written him off as a soulless bastard with commitment issues and the ability to bury a grudge without so much as blinking an eye. It baffled her how fast things had escalated between them, how much had changed in the short time they had spent together. No longer did she go to sleep feeling forgotten and left out, especially when she would get a card from an old friend announcing an engagement.

Engagement? She doubted it was in the cards for her and Patrick. For one thing, she wanted to be in love if and when she remarried, no more Logan's or she might as well step through the gates of hell and make herself comfortable. She didn't want to be with someone who blamed all of their shortcomings on her, nor did she want to hold them back from anything. Patrick was perfect in that respect, because he was so self-assured she'd never be able to change his way of thinking. She didn't want to change him. She just wanted to be with him.

Finally pulling out of the driveway, she signaled a left turn and then swerved into traffic, the driver behind her clearly not paying attention. It was lucky for him that she was such a cautious and intelligent person, because if he had crashed into her and knocked her hair loose, she would have surely killed him. Tonight had to be just right. She doubted Patrick would expect her to make such a big deal about it and, while she knew the Spencer's would celebrate later in the week, probably the weekend since it was mid-week now, she knew he was alone. Neither Noah nor Logan would pay the day any attention and that realization pissed her off.

Having already picked up the party decorations--candles, balloons, confetti, wine, blanket, wicker basket, etc--and gotten a spare key from the super at Patrick's apartment, Robin had no trouble getting up to the roof to lay the groundwork for her surprise. She unpacked her bag of goodies and spread the thin purple and white blanket down first smiling when she thought about how Patrick would regard it once he saw it for himself. She would save lighting the candles for last in case it took longer than she anticipated. She didn't want to set the roof ablaze. Finding a black plastic crate in the corner, she pulled it over to the little area and covered it with a navy blue tablecloth. In the bottom of the bag, she discovered the silver metal pail and bag of ice. Wanting to have the wine chilling for a few minutes while she distracted Patrick somehow, she carefully placed the green bottle inside the pail with ease. She sighed when the sweet garlic aroma of their dinner tickled her nose. She didn't care whether it was lazy or not: she had bought already blown-up balloons. Hiding the large bag of confetti behind the crate, she went over every painstaking detail and didn't make her way to the stairs until she was absolutely satisfied.

Patrick slowly padded toward the door, his hair standing in all directions as he wondered who would bother him right now. The family brigade had given him days to prepare for his birthday celebration. Plus, it was the middle of the week. He couldn't expect anyone to put together something special after a long day at work. He, himself, had only been customer-free for an hour, and, in that hour, he had snuggled in for an early bedtime. Let the guys say he was getting old; they didn't deal with his clientele.

He had never enjoyed a surprise so much in his life, and that included the time Lucky had introduced him to Sarah McLachlan. The sight of Robin Scorpio standing in his doorway was enough to bring an instant smile to his face. She must have been trying to hide the balloons behind her back, but they kept bobbing out and smacking her in the back of the head. Laughing, he licked his bottom lip and reveled in how beautiful she was. She preferred to keep her hair tied back in a strict ponytail most days so Patrick was completely undone by the thick cinnamon ringlets dancing in front of her face. He took a step toward her, wanting to touch them, his smile widening when he realized that he could touch them, could play with them, and she wouldn't mind a bit. That was the difference, he supposed, in a relationship.

Along with a million other little things, he reminded himself. It was no longer all about him, and when he was available; now he had to work around her schedule and get used to not always getting his way. He had never been a patient man, but he noticed himself satisfied with simply touching Robin, kissing her know-it-all mouth, or losing his breath at the sight of her smiling at him. She was smiling now, her eyes closed, reveling in the feel of his hand on her cheek. He wanted to kiss her, so he did that too, closed the distance separating them and tugged her toward him, groaning dramatically when she stumbled into his arms. Not waiting for her tentative lips to part for him, he slipped his tongue between them and let her taste fill him, distract him, drive him crazy. Kissing her was like tasting a candy bar and he wanted to devour her.

Robin pulled back first, her sweet lips dark and swollen from his avid mouth, and rested her forehead against his to catch her breath. "I would have settled for a nice hello." She assured him, though her glittering eyes gave her away. Patrick stroked her face softly, looking like he might kiss her again but holding back.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Only Patrick could make every word that came out of his mouth sensual and Robin giggled like an idiot in response. She had to focus. The wine should be chilled by now. Grabbing Patrick's wrist, momentarily confusing him, she calculated that they had made out for a good five minutes, a record where she was concerned. If she didn't have a party waiting for him on the roof, she might have lingered a bit longer.

"Happy birthday!" Robin shrieked, retrieving the balloons from their spot on the carpet behind her. They surely would have flown away if not for the paper weight she had tied to them to. Closer inspection proved that it was a yellow ducky. He knew he should learn to control himself, but she just made it so hard. Snatching her to him again, he nuzzled her neck, listening to her girly giggle.

"Well it is now." Patrick told her, dropping his head to her shoulder and planting a few kisses there. With her this close to him, his hands on her forearms, he was able to pick up on the way her skin warmed under his touch. "Isn't it past your bedtime, Scorpio?"

Robin shook her head, looking like she might want to say something snide, but letting the silence stretch on. She was still smiling so he knew he shouldn't push his luck. Taking a giant step backwards, he disentangled himself from her.

"You know, I just seem to have forgotten my pajamas." She didn't mind teasing him and he was never going to complain. If her eyes didn't look so damn purposeful, he might have said to hell with whatever she had planned and kiss her again.

"I can help you with that." He murmured his eyes darker than she had ever seen them. A shiver slid down her back and she swallowed hard, the lump in her throat growing every second she remained silent.

"Nice try, but I have other plans for us tonight." Robin explained, finding her voice at last.

"Do you now?" Patrick challenged, lifting an eyebrow at her.

"I most certainly do. Now--" Though he had just been holding her, Robin hadn't realized that Patrick was only in a long t-shirt and a pair of boxers. She definitely couldn't drag him out onto the roof in this little clothing. "Get dressed. I have a surprise for you."

"And it requires clothing? Sounds much more complicated than my idea." Patrick grumbled good-naturedly.

Robin leaned in as if she was about to let him in on something private. Intrigued, he followed the movement with his eyes and didn't step back when her hair brushed over his forehead. "I wasn't going to tell you this…" She began, her eyes heavy lidded. "But you aren't as cute as you think you are."

Patrick hopped back. "And on my birthday!" He feigned hurt, bringing his right hand to slam into his chest and resting it over his heart. "I am pained, Robin. Truly broken."

"I bet I can make you feel better." Robin replied unfazed.

"Oh yeah?" Patrick didn't look convinced, but his arched brows proved that he was at least interested.

"Clothes! Now!" Robin insisted, shoving him into the apartment.

"You are such a baby." Robin crooned as she leaned back in Patrick's arms. Instantly, his free hand rested across her stomach while he used the other to shove a bite of spaghetti into her mouth.

"You don't like me feeding you?" Patrick asked, spotting a bit of sauce on Robin's chin. Wiping it off with his thumb, he brought to his lips and sucked it dry.

"You made me feed you first." Robin reminded him, though really she hadn't minded.

"It's my birthday." He said for the hundredth time that night.

"You know, after tonight, that excuse isn't going to work." Robin assured him.

"Yes, but I can wear the hell out of it tonight." Patrick reasoned, lifting the fork to her mouth.

"Oh!" Robin started to get up, but he caught her wrist in his hand.

"Get back down here." He ordered.

"I forgot to light the candles." She informed him, hoping he would release her hand while also glancing around for the matches.

"I don't need candles." Patrick argued, trying to convince her to sit back down.

"You can't have a cake without candles." Robin shook her head.

"I'm not five, Robin." Patrick pointed out.

"I just want it to be special for you." Robin pouted thoughtfully.

"Babe." He didn't say anything else, just got to his feet and helped her look for the damn candles.

"There!" Robin snatched the box of matches and Patrick found the candles. Leaving him alone for a second, she reached behind the crate and took the white pastry box from where she had hidden it. It had been a split-second decision to move the confetti to the picnic basket. Taking the metal pail from the top of the crate, she set the box down and lifted the lid so that Patrick could inspect the cake for himself. It was a chocolate cake with white icing and green writing that spelled out "Happy Birthday." Patrick couldn't understand why those two little words brought tears to his eyes.

"What do you think?" Robin's attention was focused on the cake so she didn't notice him wipe the corner of his eyes with the back of his hand.

"It's perfect. You didn't have to do all of this." Patrick told her.

"Do you not like it?" At her concern, he quickly shook his head.

"I love it." He promised, kissing the tip of her nose.

"I just…I know how much I always loved having a cake on my birthday. I thought you might like one too." Taking a breath, she continued, "I didn't want you to be alone. I wanted to spend tonight with you." Robin explained, not sure why she felt compelled to do so. There was something almost melancholic in Patrick's tone as he spoke to her.

"I want that too. You know, I've never had a birthday cake on my birthday. The Spencers always plan it for a time when we're not so busy." Patrick divulged the information without a hint of hesitation. He wanted her to know; he just wasn't sure why.

"What about your parents?" Robin wondered. She had heard plenty of stories about Noah, but she had never actually met him. Just from what she knew about Mattie Drake, it was hard to imagine her not giving her son a cake on his birthday.

"Logan was a sick baby, a sick kid really. Her attention was always torn between us and, while she'd apologize later for it, my birthday was always celebrated late." He waited for the guilt of being with his brother's ex-wife to creep in, but it didn't. What's more, Robin didn't look hurt by the mention of his brother.

There wasn't a thing she could think to say. Speaking at all would have trampled all over the moment. He was allowing himself to be vulnerable to her and she didn't want to make him sorry for it. Tugging on his right sleeve, she wrapped both of her arms around his right one and buried her face in his gray button-down. He scooped a hand through her hair, his touch so incredibly gentle she knew she didn't have to worry about him messing it up. Not that she cared. 


	63. Open Your Eyes

"Damn it woman, this is entirely appropriate!" Luke looked down at his semi-clean shirt promoting his blues club and jeans. The jeans were not only clean, but they had no holes in them, a feat Laura knew was rare in his closet.

"I cannot have you greeting our guests looking like a homeless beggar." Laura assured him as she smoothed out invisible wrinkles.

"Guests?" Luke snorted. "Since when does family count as guests?"

"I appreciate your effort on my behalf dear brother." Bobbie laughed from her spot on the couch.

"See? Barbara Jean doesn't mind! And the boys don't even know how to tuck in their shirts!"

"Oh, they'll learn tonight!" Laura shot back. "Now are you going to go comb your hair, or am I going to have to help you with that too?"

Luke paused and regarded his wife critically. "Who else is coming to dinner that I don't know about?"

"Why do you ask?" Laura was a bad liar and she knew she couldn't keep up the pretense much longer.

Quickly glancing at the table, Luke smiled. "Because with just the boys that is seven places. You had me set the table for ten."

"So we're expecting a few new faces? You don't have to be so grouchy about it."

Seeing her brother about to protest, Bobbie stood up and walked towards him. Placing her hands on his shoulders she looked him dead in the eyes. "Now don't you want to show Lucky and Patrick's new girlfriends what a real man looks like?"

Luke tilted his head to side, pondering her question. "Well there is that fact."

Sensing weakness Bobbie moved in for the kill. "And Lulu's young man? Do you really want him to think you are an old fuddy-duddy he can just get around?"

Watching her husband's eyes go ablaze at that little tidbit of information, Laura tugged on his collar. "Relax."

"Relax? Lulu is entirely too young—"

"She's the same age I was when we met." Laura cut him off wryly. "Now go change so you can scare him properly like you are currently planning." Once her husband had disappeared up the stairs, Laura turned to her sister-in-law. "I don't know if I trust that man to dress himself."

"You probably shouldn't. Isn't that why we clean out his closet once a week?" Bobbie countered.

"Can I tell you something?" Laura asked in a quiet voice. Her husband was notorious for listening at the top of the stairs.

Bobbie nodded, holding one finger up as she moved towards the stairs. Glancing up and not seeing her brother sitting there, she gave Laura an all-clear thumbs up. "Yes please."

"I kind of interrupted something I wasn't supposed to, and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I haven't told anyone...until now." Laura explained sheepishly.

Bobbie moved towards the couch, patting the cushion next to her. "Well feel free to explain."

"It's kind of how I found out about Patrick and Robin." Laura went on, taking a seat next to Bobbie.

Bobbie nodded. She had been curious as to how her sister-in-law had found out. If Cruz hadn't had told her, she doubted Robin would have said anything. Apparently even her son had been aware of this and actually kept quiet about it. For once in his life Lucas Jones had managed to keep a secret.

"I should have phoned before stopping by, but I had an early meeting--I wasn't going to leave Morgan with Lulu. Lord knows what she'd let happen." Laura pressed a hand to her forehead, trying to block out the image of her naked nephew snuggled up next to his archenemy.

Bobbie laughed. She loved her niece dearly, but she did have a reputation of letting things happen when she baby sat her nephew and cousins. Bobbie was almost sure that there were many stories Cameron had been bribed to keep from his father. "Perfectly understandable. But you didn't call because you had my key." She guessed.

"Yes, that's right." Laura nodded. "Morgan was asleep so I put him in his bed. It was pretty early, but I expected Robin to be awake."

"She is an early riser."

"She had a good reason to sleep in." Laura replied, hoping Bobbie would catch on. She didn't know just how to articulate what she had seen. It wasn't so much that they had slept together, only that she had felt as if it had come out of nowhere.

Bobbie arched an eyebrow. Was Laura implying what she thought she was? "You didn't..." She could barely get the words out.

"I didn't mean to. The door wasn't locked…" Laura let the excuse hang in the air.

"How much?"

"Robin in her nightgown and Patrick buck-naked. He wasn't quick enough to shift the sheet." Laura answered softly.

Bobbie whistled through her teeth. "I assume you were caught and that's why he's actually bringing her here tonight?"

"I have to think that's why. She was still asleep. I don't think she even realizes..."

"You don't think he's told her?" Bobbie was horrified. She had thought Patrick would have had more sense than that.

"I really have no way of knowing until I ask her."

"This will either embarrass her horribly or set off a mighty fight if he didn't tell her."

"Don't you think she has a right to know?" Laura asked defensively.

"I do."

"Then there's really no other option."

Lulu raced for the door, hoping to open it before her father came down the stairs. It was bad enough her mother and aunt were about three minutes away from bringing out the naked baby pictures. Brad was already nervous enough. Luke coming down the stairs at this point would run him off forever. Hopefully it was one of the boys with Robin or Elizabeth. That would effectively distract her mother for a few minutes. Throwing open the door, her face fell. "Oh it's you."

Cruz laughed and felt a rush of relief run through him. Maybe she had finally gotten over that silly crush. "Well hello to you Pippi."

She groaned at the nickname. When she had first met him she had gone through a phase of only wearing her hair in braids. Even though it only lasted a few months, Cruz never let her forget it.

"Pippi?" Cruz turned his head as unfamiliar male voice hit his ear. He grinned as he caught sight of the clearly nervous young man seated between Laura and Bobbie. The boyfriend. Oh this was going to be a fun night.

"It's her middle name." Cruz hugged Lulu close to him, crushing her against his side.

"Cruz!" Lulu pushed him away. "Don't listen to him Brad. He's no one important."

Cruz fought the urge to laugh. This was going to be too easy. He moved towards Laura and Bobbie. "I'm important, aren't I Laura?"

"You're the son I always wanted." Laura answered, watching her daughter turn an even deeper shade of red.

"See I even outrank your brother!"

"Oh sure when I have the kid with me, I'm the best son she could have ever want. Take Cameron away I'm chopped liver." Lucky's voice boomed as he held the door open for Elizabeth to follow him inside.

"Well we all have our usefulness." Cruz quipped.

"Boys, let's not fight. I have pie." Glancing up, she thought maybe she would catch Patrick coming up behind her son. "Did you make sure to give Patrick the correct time?" She asked Lucky.

"Yes. But is he capable of arriving on time? That's a different question."

"I'd have thought Robin would help him get a handle on things." Turning toward her son's girlfriend, she smiled and said, "Elizabeth, it is so nice to see you again. My son tells me that I might need to apologize for our last conversation. I didn't mean to come on so strong."

"Your son is full of paranoia. No apology necessary." Elizabeth smiled at Laura.

"Would you like to help me in the kitchen?" Laura offered. It wouldn't be very hostess-like of her if she didn't do whatever was necessary to make her guests comfortable. Besides, Lucky looked like he might have her head for her direct greeting.

"That is very kind of you, but I don't want to poison you all tonight."

"Poison?" Brad's voice cracked.

"Don't listen to her, Bradley dear. She's just being modest. Elizabeth, please." She prodded.

Elizabeth did not miss the way Lucky's eyes lit up when he spotted the young man on the couch. Judging by Lulu's mortified expression, Bradley had to be her boyfriend. The poor girl. She probably thought her brother was going to be nice. Elizabeth held up a small tin. "Actually I brought the only thing I can make well. Brownies."

Lucky moved towards the couch his eyes locking in with Cruz's. He kissed his aunt hello on the cheek and sat down directly next to the increasingly nervous looking boy. The kid was practically sweating and dad hadn't even made it down yet. "So Aunt Bobbie, is this your new boy toy?"

Cruz immediately started a coughing fit to hide his shocked face. Bobbie struggled to keep her expression neutral. If Lucky only knew. "Very funny. This is your sister's boyfriend, Bradley."

"Buford! Nice to meet you!" Lucky enthusiastically shook his hand.

"Actually it's Bradley. Brad really."

"Sure it is Brady. So I'm Lucky…the brother. This over here is Cruz, he's our bodyguard. Obviously you know Lulu and you've met my mom and aunt. That beautiful woman is my girlfriend Elizabeth. And anyone else is completely unimportant. Well except for dad of course. But don't worry. He's gotten better with medication."

Cruz nodded. "Yeah just keep sudden movements to a minimum. And don't use words that start with 'g.' It makes him crazy."

"Mom! Make them stop!" Lulu pleaded.

"Act your age or I'm not going to feed you." Laura warned the boys sternly.

Seeing them both immediately look down, Elizabeth smiled in admiration. "You have got to teach me how to do that."

"It comes with being a mother." Laura replied nonchalantly.

"Danger Will Robinson. Danger! Danger!" Lulu called out in a sing-song voice.

"Mother." Lucky fairly growled as he moved towards Elizabeth, who was blushing fiercely. "We talked about this."

"I don't know what you mean." Laura answered suppressing her smile with some difficulty. "I wasn't suggesting that Elizabeth--"

"Don't even think of finishing that."

"Luke, your son is threatening his mother." Laura accused, knowing she had won when she saw her husband come running down the stairs.

"Junior what have I told you about that?"

Lucky blinked in confusion as he took in his father's outfit. Who had told him that Lulu had a boyfriend coming over? His father had a red velvet blazer over a white shirt, hanging loosely over jeans. He had also tied a bandana over his head and had put in the skull earring. "I know what my father told me but I don't know about you there Captain Hook."

"Lucas Lorenzo Spencer!" Laura shrieked, causing both father and son to turn and stare at her.

"What?" they asked at the same time causing the rest of the room to dissolve into laughter.

"You get upstairs and change right this instant or I'm taking your precious motorcycle to the dump!" Laura stated, her mouth set in a tight line. As if Lulu didn't have enough on her plate already. The first boyfriend she had felt brave enough to bring home and her boys were making the poor young man an absolute mess.

"Woman sometimes you take all the fun out of life." Luke paused long enough to make eye contact with the newest person sitting on his couch. "Sit tight there Bubba. I'll be right back."

Laura retreated the kitchen, seething.

"Wipe your feet." Patrick told Robin as they stood in front of the Spencer house. She and her "five more minutes" spiel had been what caused them to be so late. With his luck, the family had finished off the dessert. The party itself was to serve two purposes: celebrating his twenty-sixth birthday and congratulating Cruz on his big win for his magazine.

"You are such a strange little person." Robin regarded him with a raised eyebrow and a half smile. After twenty minutes of whining at her about being late to his own party, she had blasted the radio to drown him out. Sometimes he was about as mature as a four-year-old. It was rare moments in history when he actually acted his age. He hadn't thought her poking fun at his ripe old age of twenty-six was all that funny when she had called him this morning. He had been in a bad mood ever since, no matter how much she tried to cheer him up.

"Says Thumbelina." Patrick teased, lifting his right hand to the top of her head and measuring her for the simple purpose of pissing her off. She was such an easy target sometimes. When she caught his smug stare with narrowed cinnamon eyes, he knew he was in trouble.

"Go ahead. Keep it up." Her tone warned of what was to come, or rather what might not happen at all. She wouldn't mind staying away from him for a few days, ignoring his phone calls, and leaving him alone if she thought she would get her way.

"But it's okay to swear you saw a gray hair on my head the other night?" His voice was challenging and his hands were thrown out in front of him in frustration.

"It could have just been the moonlight." Robin supposed, her tone light, her eyes playful.

"And if it wasn't?" Patrick wanted to know.

"Stop pouting." Robin ordered. "Did you make sure to wipe your feet?" She asked just to watch him do it again. Biting the inside of her cheek to suppress her smile, she raised her hand to knock.

"Why are you knocking? They're expecting us." Patrick reminded her.

"It's polite?" Robin tried.

"Watch and learn Scorpio." Patrick twisted the doorknob and let them into a house bustling with noise and activity. Everyone was huddled around the couch and he found himself wondering what had attracted so much attention.

Elizabeth looked up from the crowd long enough to see Patrick and Robin enter the home. Realizing she couldn't really do anything at this point to help Brad, she left the crowd to greet her friend. "Oh I think Lulu is going to kiss your feet."

"What happened?" Robin asked, concerned but not sure why. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a shock of golden blonde hair and a golf ball sized welt growing on his tanned forehead. This must be the boyfriend. That poor kid. What had the guys done to him?

"Robin, can I move in with you and Morgan?" the young blonde whispered seriously.

Placing a smile on her face for her benefit, Robin brushed the golden hair off of the forehead inspecting the bruise more carefully. "Have you tried smelling salts?" She asked no one in particular.

"Salts smell?" Luke asked. "Since when?"

"Never mind. How long has he been out?"

"Not long enough." Lucky muttered under his breath. For the life of him he could not figure out why his sister was interested in this kid. He had no spunk. He was too easily spooked. Lucky would put very good money down that the guy had never made it through a Haunted Trail walk. Lulu would lose interest quickly.

A soft moan proved that the young boy was at least conscious. His golden-green eyes were narrowed in confusion as he took in the strangers around him. "Did I fall?"

Lucky and Cruz turned quickly to muffle their laughter, missing the dirty look Bobbie and Laura shot them. Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Must have caused brain damage." Patrick muttered, looking like he wanted to laugh but wasn't brave enough to let it leave his tightly closed lips out of fear of what Robin would do.

"If there was one to damage." Luke responded just as quietly.

"So are we done inspecting the kid? Can we get to the cake?" Patrick asked impatiently.

All four women groaned at his immaturity and looked on to see if they should help the kid up. It was only the sharp glance Laura sent the guys' way that made them drag Brad to his feet. He stumbled a little, glancing at his still knotted tennis shoes.

"Come on Barney. Easy does it." Lucky patted the younger man on the back.

Looking startled, Brad shuffled from foot to foot, not sure what to do. The door wasn't too far away. If he laced-up his sneakers, he might make it before anyone noticed what was going on around him. Lulu was a nice girl and all, but she wasn't worth physical injury. "Thank you." He said to the group, attempting a genuine smile.

Lulu mentally started counting down the minutes until Brad attempted to leave with a lame excuse. Narrowing her eyes into a glare, she vowed to make Lucky and Cruz pay for their running off yet another guy.

Laura noticed this as well and tried to think of the best way to keep the boy from leaving her home. No way was going to have a disgruntled guest. "Brad, would you like some ice for your forehead? It doesn't look as bad as it probably feels." Ignoring the looks she got from her wary guests, she continued on in her soothing, motherly voice, "I baked my famous chocolate cake and there is nothing else like it."

Bobbie hurriedly offered, "And now we are all set to eat with both guests of honor here. Come and sit right here." She said, patting the chair at the head of the table.

"Hey that's where I sit!" Luke almost roared.

"Is he seriously getting a piece of cake before I do?" Patrick complained, shaking his head in confusion.

Laura fixed her best stern look to her face. "Or we could just forget dinner altogether."

"See what you did?" Cruz snapped at Patrick.

"What I did? I didn't trip the guy!" Patrick argued hotly.

"Are you going to start throwing rocks soon?" Robin wondered.

Elizabeth let out a relieved breath and muttered just low enough for Robin to hear. "And I thought the motherhood proposition was bad."

"Motherhood?" Robin whispered back, her eyebrows drawn together.

"Horror story only fit for girl's night over a bottle of wine."

"For goodness sake..." Laura didn't feel she had to explain further. Luke, looking sheepish, motioned for everyone to head over to the table. He took her chair out for her, but the stiffness in her shoulders proved that he had a lot to apologize for later.


	64. Pushing The Shine

"How can you not be a Mets fan?" With the way Patrick said it, one might have thought Robin had two heads.

"I guess I'm just not much of a sports girl." Robin replied noncommittally.

"And to think, I thought we had so much in common." Patrick mused, leaning against the back of the couch.

"We have nothing in common." Robin clarified, folding her arms.

"This makes me wonder if maybe we jumped into this whole thing way too fast." Patrick rambled to himself.

"Only you would base a relationship on the Mets." Robin sighed.

"It's an issue!" Patrick argued.

Cruz paused as he was crossing from the kitchen towards the couch. "Yeah even Barnaby over there likes the Mets."

Robin gave him a look that said, quite frankly, 'Stay out of it' and he twirled back around. Laura placed her right hand on Robin's shoulder, startling her. "Let them have their game. I was actually hoping we could talk."

If not for Patrick's pleased expression, Robin might not have found herself worrying about the content of a talk with Laura Spencer. "A talk?" she repeated, feigning confusion.

"Just a talk between us girls." Laura stressed each word causing little tingles of dread to slide up and down Robin's back.

Hoping her eyes conveyed her situation, Robin locked gazes with Elizabeth. "I guess a talk would be okay."

"Famous last words" Elizabeth mouthed.

Laura led Robin out onto the porch and they each took a seat on the ivory-white swing Luke had put in when Laura was pregnant with Lucky. "It can get a little overwhelming with a crowd that size, can't it?"

I don't know what you're talking about, Robin thought worriedly. I felt much more comfortable in there than I do out here alone with you. "Um...yeah."

"So I just feel like we haven't gotten a real chance to talk with all that's happened." Though she was using simple English, she might as well have been speaking in tongues for as much sense as her words made to Robin.

"I saw that Luke got a motorcycle." Robin was thankful for something to talk about, something so far away from Patrick that maybe Laura would forget whatever it was she wanted to ask. She knows. I know she knows.

"He assures me that it's not the result of a mid-life crisis." Laura smiled, her eyes saying she didn't have to understand everything her husband did. "He keeps trying to get Cameron on it."

"Oh, how funny." Robin felt as if she was standing on a thin piece of cardboard in the middle of a running river. If she made any sudden movements, she would surely fall in.

"I have a confession to make." Laura had managed to steer the conversation full circle with as little effort as changing her tone.

"Are you sure you want me to know? I never could keep a secret--" Robin's voice was desperate.

"This actually concerns you." Laura cut her off smoothly.

She knows. Oh, God. Until now, she had been able to convince herself that maybe, just maybe she hadn't seen them in bed together. She knew her face was beet-red and had to avert the older woman's poignant gaze.

"Concerns me?" Robin asked in a small voice. This was worse than any nightmare she had ever had.

Laura rested her hands over Robin's icy ones. "I actually feel a little embarrassed about it."

"Embarrassed about what?" She would take it now as she had no other choice. It'd be best to get it out now.

Laura had done all she could to hint at what she knew to be an almost absolute certainty. Patrick hadn't told her then. Great, she cringed inwardly. She could make a life out of embarrassing her boys' girlfriends. It was really that easy. She wasn't exactly happy about it. "When I dropped Morgan off the other morning, I came to tell you--"

"I'm sorry I missed you." Robin responded lamely.

"I figured you were home and forgot to knock..." Laura admitted shamefacedly, lifting her eyes to Robin's.

Robin squeezed Laura's hands, not wanting her to keep going. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Laura beat her to the punch.

"I know both you and my nephew are consenting adults so I feel as though I'm flying without a parachute here." Laura told her.

"Laura, really you don't need to--" Please stop, Robin begged her telepathically. Please!

"I was surprised to say the least." Robin knew she had no right to be mad, but that statement was all it took to make her defenses shoot up around her.

"I know, Laura. I'm so sorry you had to walk in on that."

"I should have knocked." Laura whispered.

"And we should have locked the door." Robin added solemnly. Hell would have been a welcome place to hang out after tonight's girl talk, she thought morosely. "I'm embarrassed--"

"Don't be!" Laura interrupted, her lips curving into a smile. "I couldn't be happier."

And the award for well-intentioned statements goes to Laura Spencer. Robin had to wonder just how much she knew about their relationship. It wasn't exactly strong in foundation and she couldn't say for certain that it would last. Most of all, she felt rage build up inside of her. What if she hadn't known? What if she hadn't figured it out? Would Patrick have sent her out here blindly? Well, he basically had. He hadn't warned her, hadn't even attempted to.

"Patrick deserves a nice girl and I think he's stumbled upon one. It's perfect, because we already love you." Laura beamed.

If Robin hadn't known Laura her entire life, she might not have read a little more into the comment than the older woman intended. "It's still pretty new." Robin tried to assure her, feeling like a quicksand victim. She could struggle all she wanted. It wouldn't affect the outcome in the slightest.

"I have a feeling about this one." Laura replied, her sweet tone making Robin shiver all over. So this was what Elizabeth had gone through. And she had teased her friend because of it? Talk about eating her words. There had to be a way to fix this. Surely! Then Laura said it, "I've missed seeing you at the family table."

Say your prayers, Patrick Drake. I'm going to kill you!

If Patrick noticed Robin and Laura re-enter the house, he didn't feel the need to look up from the tied game. Laura headed toward the kitchen where she could work on getting the dishes finished and Robin went in search of her friend, finding Elizabeth squeezed between three rowdy boys and a slightly inebriated young man. Tapping her on the shoulder lightly, she moved her head toward the stairs, hoping she wouldn't have to explain.

Sensing the need to debrief after a Laura Spencer ambush, Elizabeth stood up carefully. She motioned for Robin to lead the way upstairs. She assumed Robin knew the house way better than she did.

Robin led her friend to the guest room across the hall from the bathroom. Dropping into a heap on the floor, she put her head between her drawn-up knees and forced out a few short breaths.

"How bad was it?" Elizabeth slumped down on the ground and rubbed her friend's back.

"She thinks Patrick and I are meant to be. I wouldn't put it past her to be calling a wedding planner from the kitchen." Robin murmured her breaths still uneven.

Elizabeth whistled low. "Did she mention motherhood yet?"

"I think the only reason she didn't had more to do with Morgan." Robin grumbled.

"Good point." Elizabeth hugged her friend's shoulder. "So scale of one to ten, how dead is Patrick?"

"One million."

"Reconsidering loaning me Anna's gun then, are we?"

"I want to watch him squirm."

"Squirm is good. Humiliated is better."

"Publicly humiliated is the best."

"Truer words never spoken. Now how do we go about accomplishing this?"

The sound of the toilet flushing silenced the young women. Cruz emerged from the bathroom and stretched his arms out wide letting out a long sigh. Thinking he was alone, he did a little victory dance past the guest room and caught the sight of Patrick's dark bobbing up the stairs. Stilling all movements, he made his way toward his friend. "Trying to ruin my reputation?" He teased, watching Patrick's eyes narrow.

"You're not my type, but thanks for helping me win that bet about which way you swing. I tried to tell Lucky." Patrick mocked.

Elizabeth held Robin back as the smaller woman physically lunged at Patrick from her position on the floor. Holding her finger to her mouth, she motioned for Robin to keep quiet and moved further back into the dark room.

Cruz rolled his eyes. "Did he even process that you were talking?"

"I'll let you get back to your--" Patrick coughed and then continued, "Dancing."

"Don't hate on those of who actually have rhythm there Captain Overbite."

"Please." Robin mouthed to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth held her hand up to her mouth to suppress the giggles she felt threatening to erupt.

"What are you doing up here anyway?" Cruz wanted to know, noticing that Patrick's hands were free.

"Laura wanted me to get her necklace for her." Patrick replied.

"Which is code for?" Cruz prodded.

"I guess she wants me to look for Robin."

"Is she missing?" Cruz inquired.

"Her and Elizabeth." Patrick shrugged.

"You'd think Lucky would be looking for Elizabeth." Cruz's smile was wide as he said this.

"You think he's not?" Patrick snorted. "If he hadn't driven her over here, I think he would be convinced she left to go home."

"I'm surprised she could talk him out of bed." Cruz chuckled.

Elizabeth felt her eyes go wide and knew if there was any light in the room Robin would see her blush a deep shade of red.

"You really think any of that was true?" Patrick didn't sound all that convinced.

Robin placed a warning hand on Elizabeth's arm. She may be the police commissioner's niece, but there was no way she could get her friend out of a murder charge.

"All I know is I'm surprised he can still walk at all." Cruz answered.

"The red number would have done me in." Patrick agreed.

Robin felt her hold on her friend's arm slacken a little. This had moved into justifiable homicide category.

Elizabeth felt her breaths come in short bursts as she quickly cycled from embarrassed to furious. Lucky Spencer wasn't going to walk alright, just for entirely different reasons.

"Four times. Where do you think he got all that energy?" Cruz asked.

"Maybe he's been a little more than friendly with some of his protégés." Patrick replied.

"Boys? Are you okay up there?" Laura's voice sounded from the stairs.

"Right here, Aunt Laura. We'll be right down." Patrick called to her.

"Maybe we just underestimated Elizabeth." Cruz said, putting an end to the conversation. There was always Jake's.

Robin carefully stuck her head out to watch the retreating backs of the two men. Making sure they were safely away, she turned back to her stricken friend. "Are you alright?" She asked cautiously.

"He's dead." Elizabeth said hollowly. "He's dead."

"We'll get him. We'll get them both." Robin promised, nodding adamantly.

Laura shook her head as Patrick called back down to her question. She had sent him up there to find Robin and he found Cruz instead. She should have known. "Well there's one missing person found I guess." She sighed.

"I forgot to get your...necklace." Patrick admitted sheepishly.

Bobbie laughed. Sending Patrick after anything was a fifty-fifty shot at best.

Luke stood and moved to stand behind his wife. "It was just a code for the womenfolk to talk about you behind your back anyways."

"We know about the code." Cruz assured the older man. Bobbie's expression said that he still had a lot to learn about the code.

Lucky came in from the kitchen, holding a small flat package. Lulu had been giving him nine kinds of hell for doing her the favor of running that loser off. This had been a welcome excuse to get out another pointless go around. "Hey why is this here for Cruz?"

"What do you mean?" Bobbie couldn't help but ask. All eyes turned toward her and she blushed.

Laura moved to grab the package from her son's hands. "Since he refused to let us come to the ceremony last week, I bought him a little something to celebrate his wins."

Bobbie recovered quickly. "Re-refused to let you come?"

Laura nodded as she handed Cruz the present. "Can you believe he said that it wasn't that important?"

"That is pretty unbelievable." Bobbie responded in a tight voice.

Cruz tried to stammer a defense. "Well I know you were busy..."

"Busy? You're family, Cruz. I must say, I was a little surprised at your insistence we not bother. And then you won? I, for one, wouldn't have minded seeing you accept the award." Laura's answered sadly.

"Yes Cruz. I'm sure the whole family would have loved to see that." Bobbie kept her voice even and her eyes trained directly on him. Lie to her would he?

Robin and Elizabeth had only caught the end of the exchange. Confused and otherwise pissed off, Robin decided to trust the first emotion and ask, "What's going on?"

Patrick answered her, "It seems Cruz thought we were too busy to come to his awards dinner."

She resisted the urge to beat him in the shin with the heel of her shoe.

Lucky moved towards Elizabeth and tried to put his arm around her waist. Not trusting herself not to grab a knife and cut off a vital part of his anatomy, she pulled away and closer to Robin, leaving a clearly confused Lucky to stare at his hand. He better get used to looking at that hand, she thought darkly.

Bobbie attempt a smile that, on any other night, someone in her family would notice was forced. "Well it's been a wonderful night but I do have to get going."

"You know, we should go with you. I'm sure the guys are too drunk to handle a car right now. Laura, would you mind letting them stay here until they sober up?" Robin made sure to speak quickly so that none of them would have a chance to argue with her. Elizabeth had that murderous look back in her eye. Bobbie had provided them with the perfect escape route.

"Of course not. They can all bunk in Lucky's old room."

"But we're not drunk," Patrick insisted reaching for Robin's right arm.

Robin pulled back and grabbed Elizabeth's arm at the same time Lucky attempted to pull her over towards him. Elizabeth allowed Robin to pull her towards the door where their purses lay. "Well we don't want to take any chances now do we?" she forced out in an insincere sweet voice.


	65. Elementary My Dear Spencer

"How the hell did you two blow it?" Lulu asked, smirking from her position at the kitchen doorway. Not that seeing her brother and cousin being so ceremonially dumped in front of family bothered her much. They deserved it for running Brad off the way they did. But the question needed to be asked and Lulu Spencer was more than happy to ask the obvious question if it meant embarrassing Lucky and Patrick.

"Blow what?" Patrick asked, confused. "Do you know what that was all about, Les?" He didn't mind taking advice from the Drama Queen if it got him some answers. He was a little afraid to follow Robin after the way she had dismissed him in front of everyone. When he had reached for her, she hadn't exactly been subtle in yanking her arm out of his grasp. He wished he would have been allowed to see her face: she was an open book when it came to her emotions. But she had kept her face from his view.

"I don't know genius but it's obvious you did something to piss them off. They were both fine before they went upstairs." Lulu stopped just short of sticking her tongue out at Patrick. She needed to tone down the enjoyment factor or her mother was really going to let her have it later. The sympathy ride she was currently getting for Brad's treatment at their hands was only going to last so long.

Patrick shook his head, clearly at a loss. Why hadn't he just gone looking for her, instead of standing in the hall bullshitting with Cruz? The night might have gone out on a far less dramatic note. He still had no idea what Laura had taken her outside to talk about, but she had looked so overwhelmed once entering the house, he knew it was bad and that he'd just end up making her mad if he pushed for details.

Lucky shook his head in absolute confusion. Lulu was right: Elizabeth was fine before she had left with Robin. In fact she had even joked about her status as old news when his mom had led Robin out the door. What happened between then and now? It had to have something to do with that conversation between his mom and Robin. "Mom, what did you and Robin talk about?"

Laura's eyes dropped to her shoes, but not before Patrick could spot the blush creeping across her cheeks. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. She had done it. She had called Robin out on what she had walked in on after she had promised him she wouldn't bring the subject up again. A few days ago, he and Robin had been on incredible terms. He had managed to not piss her off by saying the wrong thing and actually fell asleep in her arms, completely content with her mere presence.

And now it was all over. Laura had unintentionally thrown him into a bottomless pit and he had no idea how he was going to get back out. Why hadn't he just told Robin the truth? He hadn't even made it hard for her to seek the truth on her own, claiming that it had been Courtney who dropped her son off at home when he knew it to be a lie.

He had to find out what Laura had said, word for word. How was he supposed to do that without everyone knowing his and Robin's business? Why hadn't he just told Robin before tonight? He could have avoided all of this. He could have at least warned her. But, like an idiot, he had expected it to blow over. This was the last time he depended on his cousin to distract his aunt efficiently. Obviously, he had put too much faith in Lucky.

"What? What?" Cruz hadn't missed the way Patrick's eyes had widened when Laura looked away. His friend had figured out something, that much was obvious. And right now it was probably far safer to stay here and figure out how they went wrong than go near Bobbie. He was a dead man the next time she saw him. And he realized he just effectively killed any chance he ever had at getting her to agree to go public.

Patrick's head shot up at the sound of his friend's insistent voice. While he knew Cruz probably had ulterior motives for putting any kind of interest in Laura and Robin's conversation, he was no closer to putting the pieces together. At least Lucky finally believed him. He felt like an ass for not going to Cruz's award dinner. It was a major accomplishment and yet he had let his friend convince him otherwise. The way Bobbie and Laura went on about it had left Patrick feeling about three inches tall.

"Aunt Laura, how could you do this to me?" Patrick would do his best to be respectful, but she had to be held accountable for what she had done. He knew he'd be feeling the repercussions for a long time now. The next time Robin let him anywhere near her would be next to never. He was such an asshole. He could think of all the things he wanted to say to her, but he doubted anything would soothe Robin's battered pride. No doubt Laura had embarrassed her. She wasn't a halfway kind of person.

"What did Mom do?" Lucky wondered. And how the hell had it pissed Elizabeth off?

"Patrick, she knew what I was talking about." Laura didn't think that made the situation any better, but she was not going to blamed for her nephew's incompetence.

"She knew what? Talking about what?" Damn her family for talking in riddles, Lulu cursed.

"Patience daughter." Luke quieted her from his spot near the stairs. Lulu was pushing a thin line here. It wouldn't take much to shove his wife over the edge right now and he did not need another family feud busting out after a good night like tonight. He had spent time with two beautiful young women, tortured some thing that was obviously not good enough to be Spencer material, and ate a good meal. Life had been good until it became painfully clear his boys had screwed something up.

Patrick was going to have to bite the bullet or his family would never get off of his back. What's more, there was no point in trying to return to where he had been, because that bridge was burned. Swallowing what remained of his pride and ego, he explained, "Aunt Laura let herself into Robin's apartment the other night...without calling or letting anyone know...to drop off Morgan and she just happened to get lost and end up in the bedroom where she found both of us asleep." He turned his anger on his aunt unable to push it down. "And I'll be lucky if she talks to me after this. I want to know what you said to her and I want to know now!"

Lucky and Cruz stared in absolute shock at their friend. Even Luke and Lulu appeared as if a stiff wind would knock them right over. How had he been so stupid? They all wondered.

Luke found his voice first. "Did you have a camera?" he asked Laura.

"This is a nightmare." Patrick grumbled, tangling his left hand in his hair and turning away from his overwhelmed family. He could blame Laura all day long and it still wouldn't make the situation any less his fault. Robin probably thought she was a running joke. And just when he had started to get her to trust him. Patrick couldn't be in this house any longer. He couldn't handle the looks and he couldn't believe how he had just spoken to Laura. Stepping around the crowd, he let himself out the front door. He had to do damage control.

"Freeze." Luke hollered. "Don't do it boy."

Caught mid-step, Patrick twirled around, more than ready to let the old man have it. But when he saw the concern in his uncle's expression, he let his body relax. They weren't the enemy. Letting out a bitter laugh, he said, "I guess it was only a matter of time before she wised-up anyway right?"

"There is no sense in going over there till we figure out what pissed Elizabeth off as well. They left together and I will wager they are still together plotting to murder the two of you." He motioned to both Patrick and Lucky with his hand.

"She wasn't exactly talking my ear off." Patrick assured the family.

"Well Elizabeth was perfectly fine before she went upstairs with your girlfriend." Lucky muttered. It had been going so well since their date at Kelly's. He hadn't seen that look of outright hatred since the last time he had accidentally confused her about Daphne. Or was it when he had kissed her and not called her for a week? Well whenever it was, he hadn't seen it in a while.

"Suddenly I can read her mind? What about you? Why am I automatically to blame?" Patrick wanted to know.

"Guys!" Cruz stepped in-between the two cousins, trying to prevent with his mere presence a full out fight from breaking up. "Blaming each other isn't helping."

"Listen to the Secret King." Lulu advised. "You two brainiacs may want to try re-tracing their steps to figure out what pissed each one off."

Cruz did a double take at Lulu's new nickname before he realized she was referring to the secrecy regarding his award. There was no way she knew about him and Bobbie. She wouldn't have been able to refrain from jumping in on him as well if she did know. "The Drama Queen is right. Now after Laura cornered Robin, they came back in right?"

Patrick nodded. The time that would now be referred to as The Beginning of the End.

Lulu decided to show some pity on her poor clueless male relatives. They would be at this all night if she didn't step in. "I saw them go upstairs. I'm assuming to debrief after a classic Laura Spencer intention attack."

"Attack?" Laura shrieked.

"Attack." Lucky and Patrick said in unison.

"Attack." Luke agreed.

"Attack." Cruz nodded.

"I'm going with the crowd here. Attack." Lulu chimed in.

"Okay so they went upstairs to debrief. The question is, what happened upstairs?" Luke paused to look at Cruz and Patrick. "You two were up there. Didn't you see them?"

Patrick refrained from scratching his head. He met Cruz's startled stare.

Cruz shook his head. He hadn't seen them when he went upstairs, but now that he was concentrating on it, had the door to the guest room been open when he had gone upstairs? His eyes widened. That room was the closest to the stairs. If the girls went upstairs to hide, it would the first one they would go to.

"Oh shit." Cruz whispered.

"No." Patrick shook his head vehemently.

"Yes." Cruz nodded his head just as forcefully.

"Did they already figure it out, because I am so lost?" Luke admitted, looking from one family member to the next.

Lucky narrowed his eyes to slits. "What? What are you talking about?"

Cruz looked towards his feet sheepishly. "Well we may not have seen them, but I think maybe it's possible they could have heard Patrick and I talking."

"About?" Lucky's voice was calm. Too calm. Patrick and Cruz instinctively took a step away from him. That voice always preceded someone getting a verbal or physical blow delivered to them.

"It was just guy talk."

"I don't think I want to hear this." Laura made a motion to put her hands over her ears.

"You don't want to hear the great reveal?" Luke looked disappointed.

"Well that could be any number of stupid topics." Lulu started ticking off items on her fingers. "Sports. Movies. Farts. Drinking. Sex." Her eyes caught the guilty look Patrick and Cruz shared. "That's it! You were talking about sex and they overheard you!"

Patrick now understood what it was like to be on the other side of the argument. No wonder Cruz had avoided him for so long.

"I really don't want to hear this." Laura made a move to leave for the safety of her kitchen, but Luke held out his hand to stop her.

"Wait just a minute Angel. This is just now getting interesting."

"It couldn't have just been about sex. I mean Robin and Elizabeth are smart. Just talking about sex wouldn't have pissed them off." Lulu continued, oblivious to her mother's discomfort. "Unless you did something moronic like discuss sex with them..." Lulu froze and dropped her mouth wide open. "Oh God. Tell me you didn't do that. Tell me you weren't really that stupid."

"They were nowhere to be found." Patrick promised, meeting Cruz's eyes for assurance.

"Did you look before you started rating them?" Lulu asked.

Lucky felt the floor begin to sway beneath him and he sank back into the couch. Oh he was so beyond fucked here. If they talked about what he was beginning to think they did... "Please tell me it wasn't what I think it was." The look that passed between Patrick and Cruz was all the confirmation he needed. "I am so beyond dead."

"This is all your fault." Laura told her husband. "I raised our boys to be smarter than this. It must have been your influence."

"Mine?" Luke placed his hand over his heart. "Your son won't even admit what he did! How can it be my fault?" he protested

"Maybe if Lucky could keep a secret, neither of the girls would be upset." Patrick threw in.

"Maybe if Patrick had told Robin the truth, she wouldn't have to cry on Elizabeth's shoulder." Lucky threw right back. If he was going down, he was taking Patrick with him

"I guess we know the cause now. Robin and Elizabeth went upstairs to escape Laura and the rest of us. We didn't realize they were so close by when we started shooting off our mouths. And it was us, Cruz. Don't think you're getting out of this."

"Did you see me trying to? I'm the one who figured this out."

"The question is, what are you going to do about it now? You've done all you can to hurt those girls tonight and neither deserved it." Laura's withering tone caused all three guys to stare at their shoes.

She was thankful she had let someone else drive, because she didn't think she could focus on little things like signaling to passing cars and staying in the little white speckled lines. Her head hadn't hurt this bad since the morning following her college graduation party. Her right cheek resting on the passenger window, she watched the world pass her in a hurry. The neon signs began to blur and she was slow to realize she was crying. The exit signs were lost in the shadows. The highway was pretty deserted for this time of night.

The sound of the door opening had caused Courtney's head to fling up. She had a long day at the studio and the last thing she needed tonight was yet another fight with Robin. With Morgan at camp this week, she had no doubt that any conversation between them would lead to a fight and quickly. Courtney had risen from her chair, with every intention to flee to the safety of her room, when the sight of the two figures in the doorway made her stop. "What the hell happened?"

Both girls eyes were glassy with unshed tears, Courtney could tell that much. And they both held their bodies stiffly, as if anger was the only thing keeping them moving right now when all they wanted to do was collapse.

Courtney approached the pair carefully. "Roby, I'm not trying to pick a fight here. But you both look like hell. What happened? What do you need?" she said in a low even voice laced with concern. It was a long time since she had seen her friend like this. Even catching Logan hadn't caused this much of a reaction out of Robin.

"You were right, okay?" Robin snapped at her, even as she knew it wouldn't make her feel one iota better. She needed to be yelling at Patrick, but, like a coward, she had backed out and run home.

"Guys...can we not do this right now?" Elizabeth whispered. "I can not handle breaking up another fight between you two right now."

"I'm sorry, you're right." Robin gave in, closing the door behind them. This was bigger than chocolate, wine, and gossip. This was a place she had never wanted to be again. "Apparently the guys think we're both a couple of jokes. At least Patrick thinks I am."

Courtney ushered them both to the overstuff couch and raced to the kitchen for the pot of coffee she had just started making. "Drink." She commanded, forcing mugs into their hands. "It will shock your system into responding."

Robin didn't think she deserved her roommate's support, but she couldn't exactly turn her away either. It was too needed. She needed to hear someone, anyone, say that this wasn't her fault, that she hadn't been stupid to put her faith in another unreliable source. It didn't matter that Courtney hadn't said it. It didn't even matter that Courtney hated Patrick. It had been so tense between them lately and Robin hadn't been sure how she should approach the countless subjects on which they'd get fired up about. It had started with the fight about Morgan's tantrum and grown to her apparent neglect of her son. Seeing Patrick was just the cherry on top of the cake. "Thank you." She took a cautious sip.

"Now scale it out for me. One to ten how big is this screw up?" Courtney asked.

"A million." Elizabeth muttered darkly.

"Both guys are involved. Why don't you tell me how?" Courtney suggested.

Elizabeth started after taking one more sip of the warm beverage. The other girl had been right. The coffee was strangely settling her nerves. "Well it started when Patrick never told Robin the truth about the other day and let Robin be ambushed by Laura tonight."

"I was wondering how that would play itself out." Courtney noticed that Robin was staring blankly into her cup. It was too much of a risk to reach out and touch her friend's shoulder, but that didn't make the temptation any less.

"Yeah so while we were upstairs dealing with that, we got front row seats for Cruz and Patrick discussing information from my night with Lucky that could have only come from one person." Elizabeth couldn't go into many details. She hadn't thought anything would have hurt her worst than walking in on Max and Melissa, but she had been wrong. He had been so damn reassuring and pretended to be such a great guy and he went and did that?

That didn't sound like Lucky. Now, she could see Patrick doing what he had done without even a smidge of evidence, but it was a much larger leap to think Lucky capable of such a heinous act. Not wanting to upset the women further, she struggled for the right thing to say. "And I'm guessing neither of you confronted these assholes?"

Robin took offense to that, her shoulders stiffening a bit more, but then the feeling was gone and she could have cared less. She had called Patrick much worse in her mind.

"No we left. Bobbie was leaving so we basically forced ourselves on her." Elizabeth answered.

"Were you at all aloof?" Courtney wondered.

"Nope." Robin chuckled humorlessly.

"Murderously angry is probably closer." Elizabeth agreed.

"This means they're on their way here." Courtney deduced.

"Don't count on it." Robin muttered.

Courtney raised an eyebrow in her friend's direction. "You made it no secret that you were angry? You left together? You dumped them in front of their family? If I know nothing else about Laura Spencer I know she will shame them into coming looking for you two. Trust me. Sooner or later one or both will show up here."

"Then we can't be here." Robin decided, setting her cup down hard enough to make the coffee spill over onto the table.

Elizabeth glanced up at her friends. "Where would we go? It's not like there's many places to hide here. And they know everyone we know."

A smile settled across Courtney's features as the proverbial light bulb clicked on in her brain. "What if I put the two of you in a spa in the city? It'd be under my name so it'd at least slow them down."

"That could work." Elizabeth spoke slowly.

"But we both work. I, for one, can't ask everyone to take up the slack for me when I've just gotten back to work." Robin shook her head.

Elizabeth bit her lip. "Well technically I'm just setting up my room at school. And I got most of it done the last time I was avoiding Lucky. Also I'm through at the Cheese. I always take the last two weeks of summer off so I can get back into the teaching groove."

"What if you put a 'family emergency' sign up?" Courtney suggested. "You just need to hide out for a couple of days." Before Robin could protest, she added, "Or I could run the bakery in your absence."

Robin wiped a set of newfound tears from her eyes. "Courtney, you can't cook." She pointed out.

"It's all pre-made right? And I could order more if we run out." Courtney was not going to back down from this. Her friends needed a vacation.

"What about the movie?" Robin pressed.

"I have the week off." Courtney promised.

"Courtney, you really don't have to do this." Elizabeth started.

"I want to!" Courtney assured them. "Really, it's no problem. I can pick up the slack where I'm needed. Morgan is in camp for the rest of the week, so there's no worry about him. Please let me do this."

Elizabeth and Robin looked at each other. Courtney was always impossible to resist when she pressed a point like this. And the idea of just disappearing for a few days seemed both a perfect way to make those bastards pay and just a good break. Robin was the one to voice the surrender.

"Okay. Let's do it."

The green mile marker told her she was eighty-five miles to New York City. Eighty-five miles to freedom and peace of mind that the brochure Courtney had thrown hurriedly at them promised. Elizabeth blinked her eyes rapidly in an attempted to keep them focused and to keep tears from forming there.

She was damned if she was going to waste one tear on Lucky Spencer. After Max, she had promised herself she was through wasting her tears on men that did not deserve it or her. It was why she had stayed single for so long, kept so many at bay. Obviously she was going to need her radar re-adjusted if Lucky had slipped through.

Except he hadn't seemed like a bad guy. A little clueless. He certainly had an ego the size of Texas. And somehow he never did quite manage to grasp the concept that she should know certain pieces of information. But overall, he did not seem like the type of guy who would have run to his buddies and brag about his sex life immediately afterwards. She hadn't even told Robin the vaguest information about that last date and he had given details to Patrick and Cruz they had no right to know. She was angry. She was humiliated. She was hurt.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Robin resting her head against the window, staring blankly outside. Reaching over, Elizabeth squeezed Robin's hand. "Hey. At least we have each other right?"

"Yeah, and I don't think that's a bad thing." Robin responded, her tone remote, her eyes unfocused.

Elizabeth smiled. "After all, it will take both of our brilliant natures to make sure they completely and totally pay for this humiliation."

"Why do you think he lied to me?" She knew it wasn't safe to ask this, not now when they were getting away, but she doubted it'd be the best idea to discuss Patrick once they were there.

Elizabeth shrugged. "Because he didn't know how to tell you the truth? Why do you think Lucky told them?"

"Secrets have never been his strong point." Robin answered.

"Or common sense." Elizabeth muttered.

She had thrown herself out there to get hurt again. Until the night of his birthday, Robin thought maybe she could walk away, maybe she could avoid the fallout. But then that night had happened and she found herself invested. She had almost forgotten about his lying to her until Laura cornered and embarrassed her. Granted, she didn't blame Laura for the way she had reacted; she just wished she had been given some kind of warning beforehand. Maybe then she could have believed Patrick had been clueless on how to tell her the truth instead of the cold, hard truth: he simply hadn't considered how it would affect her.

"Robin?" Elizabeth's voice interrupted her thoughts. "You know this isn't your fault right? You do know that, don't you?"

"You know how the saying goes, 'Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.' I knew better." Robin scoffed, disgusted with herself.

"You know what Courtney would say right now?"

"Tell me." Robin urged her to continue.

"That we were being ridiculous for blaming ourselves for the actions of two shitheads. She'd then say our priorities should be pissing them off by disappearing, getting even more gorgeous than we already are, and then returning to town prepared to wreak revenge on all males who have done us wrong."

Robin was startled by the sound of her own laughing. Elizabeth was absolutely right. The only thing worse than self-doubt was self-blame. She hadn't deserved what had happened to her tonight any more than Elizabeth had. She hoped they were especially creative in how they chose to get the boys back because she wanted Patrick to know what it felt like to be humiliated. How could he treat her this way and still question her resistance to trust him? "You're right. You're so right."

"So what are we waiting for?" Elizabeth pressed her foot to the accelerator and watched the needle climb higher. Lucky Spencer was going to eat dirt before she let him near her again. "The night is young."


	66. Stolen

**_I guess we could update! Here's to keeping you all on your toes!_**

**_Kristin_**

"Bobbie, open the door." Cruz pounded on the locked door. He had looked for the spare key but apparently Bobbie had removed it when she got home. The lights were on in the living room and he could swear he had seen movement when he first approached the door but she hadn't made a move towards the door since he started knocking fifteen minutes ago. "Baby I know you are angry but I can explain."

Inside, curled into her favorite chair, Bobbie rolled her eyes at the understatement of the night. "I'm sure you think you can buddy" she muttered.

Still getting no reaction from the inside, Cruz tried another tactic. "I'm not leaving till I talk to you. Even if it takes all night. I'll still stand right here tomorrow morning if I need to."

She resisted the urge to go upstairs and drop the clothes he left there on top of his arrogant lying head. Bobbie narrowed her eyes in anger at his threat. Try and use her concerns about going public against her would he? If he did try to stay all night, she'd get the neighbors to call the police on him. Mac would certainly help her out.

Cruz held his breath and waited. Surely that would get her to move. As he continued to wait and he didn't see even the smallest hint of movement, he began to get worried. She was home right? She wouldn't have gone with Robin and Elizabeth to plot his murder as well. At least he didn't think she would have since it would mean revealing their secret. It wasn't entirely out of the realm of possibility, he reasoned but there was no way he was going to call Patrick or Lucky and ask if they found their aunt when they found their angry girlfriends.

The minutes continued to tick by as the stalemate continued. Bobbie kept a tight grip on the mug of tea she held in her hand, concentrating her entire energy on watching the steam evaporate. He would be gone by the time the drink would be cold. She repeated the phrase as a mantra. He would be gone by the time the drink would be cold. He would be gone by the time the drink would be cold.

Cruz slid down the stoop and sat by the door. A quick glance at his watch revealed it had been thirty minutes since he had arrived. Thirty minutes. He fingered the slot of the mail drop, opening it slowly. "Baby? Baby I'm sorry."

Bobbie had heard the telltale squeak of the opening. Oiling that brass nuisance had been on the bottom of her list of home improvement projects for months now. In the back of her mind she knew Cruz had done it to speak with her, but the sound of his voice still made her jump. Just a little.

"I shouldn't have lied. But there was no other way to get you to come. If there was even the smallest chance that the rest of them would show up, you would have left so fast my head would spin. Axe really was the only person on my staff that was coming. And honestly I didn't' think I was going to win. So I figured you would never know. It's stupid I know."

Cruz shook his head. He was rambling. What was he 12 again? He never had to work this hard for a woman's forgiveness. Of course the flip side of that was he had never really wanted to work for a woman's forgiveness before. Normally he was gone long before the relationship progressed to this point.

The door opened just enough for a sliver of light to fall on him. Cruz jumped up, ready to enter and plead his case further. His heart sank just a little when he noticed she still had the privacy chain pulled tight. He could just make out her eye.

"Go home." She whispered. "Just go home."

"I just need to talk to you."

"Go home."

"Just let me explain."

"I heard you. Go home."

"If you would just give me a minute..."

"What we have to discuss will take longer than a minute. I heard what you said. I understand what you said. I am still mad. I am still hurt. And what I need is for you to go home right now. We will talk later."

"But..."

"Later." She closed the door with all the strength she had. She could not face him right now. If they talked right now, she would say something she would end up regretting. Bobbie forced herself up the stairs, turning the lights off as she went.

Cruz stared in shock as the door shut and the lights went out. What was he supposed to do now? This was completely foreign territory for him. Sure he knew he had pissed some of his exes off before but never over something like this. And never had he wanted to stick around long enough to make it right. He knew he needed to do something but what? Cruz was on his own right now and he knew it. It wasn't like he could call up Lucky or Patrick and ask for their best tips on how to beg for forgiveness. In the first place, they needed all the tips they could get right now. In the second, they weren't so distracted that they wouldn't want to know who he had pissed off and when.

He moved towards his car and sat in behind the wheel, flexing his fingers along the leather. Something in him was telling him not to leave. Not to give her a chance to make an escape. The moonlight would keep his car hidden with its dark paint job. He told her he would stay all night until she talked to him and he was going to do it.

Patrick glanced over at his nervous cousin as they stood outside Robin and Courtney's loft.

"Quit stalling and knock." Lucky sighed. "We know they are here. We're going to eat dirt. Might as well get it over with."

Patrick smirked. Leave it to Lucky to be assertive and strong-willed when he was scared to death. Taking a step forward, Patrick balled his left fist and knocked twice. Movement sounded just inside and they each held their breaths, not sure what they should expect on the other side of the door.

"Robin doesn't have a gun does she?" The thought had just occurred to Lucky.

"Not unless she borrowed it from her mother." Patrick reasoned.

"What about that bodyguard?"

Patrick didn't answer. Surely Robin wouldn't shoot him in the presence of witnesses. The bodyguard was another story. She wouldn't blink an eye at the sight of him bleeding on the hallway floor.

The door opened and they both let out a breath they were unaware they had been holding. Courtney stood in the doorway, her blonde hair piled in a messy ponytail on her forehead. She tilted her head and a slow smile began to cross her face. "Well. Well. Well. Look what the dogs dug up." She drawled.

Lucky glanced over at Patrick and saw his cousin standing there silent. Of all the times for his cousin to lose his charm and Patrick had to pick this exact second to become a statue. "Hi Courtney."

Courtney nodded in Lucky's direction. "Dirt bag." Turning towards Patrick she extended a similar greeting. "Asshole."

"Courtney." Patrick greeted her in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Making a production out of looking at her watch, Courtney clicked her tongue behind her teeth. "Two hours boys? That's not good time. Even I had given you an hour tops."

Asking her if she knew what was going on would be about as pointless as asking her to stick up for him. Sighing, Patrick said, "Can we come in?"

"I take the trash out, not invite it in."

"Courtney we know we screwed up." Lucky started.

"Oh you think?" The sarcasm fairly dripped off of her tongue.

"We showed up, didn't we? Shouldn't that count for something?" Patrick wanted to know.

"No."

"How did I know you were going to say that? I'm surprised you opened the door at all. Where's the bodyguard?" Patrick grumbled.

"Looking for where to bury your bodies."

"Courtney, we know they are in there. Just ask them to come to the door." Lucky was not above begging her. After the lecture he got from his mother, he had no pride left.

Courtney leaned her small frame against the door, crossing her arms. "And why exactly would you think that?"

"Where else would they be? We've already checked Audrey's." Patrick stated.

"Well try again because they aren't here."

"Where are they?" Patrick demanded.

"I'm not their keeper."

Lucky rolled his eyes. "They are here Courtney. They are just hiding."

"You can let us in or we'll barge in. Your choice." Patrick threatened.

Courtney narrowed her eyes and glared at Patrick. "You just try it."

"Sounds like she made her choice." Lucky shrugged moving towards the door.

"On three?" Patrick lifted an eyebrow in his cousin's direction.

"One."

"You wouldn't dare." Courtney placed her hands on her hips.

"Two."

"I'll scream." She promised.

Patrick opened his mouth and waited a beat or two before saying, "Boo." Momentarily distracted, she hesitated long enough to allow them to push their way into the apartment.

Courtney stomped her foot and let out a howl as they began pacing through the loft, opening every door, every closet. Patrick started near the kitchen with Lucky moving further back. Their voices echoed off each.

"Robin?"

"Elizabeth?"

Courtney hoisted herself up on the kitchen island and crossed her arms. If she wasn't so ready to strangle both of them, this scenario would have been amusing. "I told you they aren't here."

"Where are they Courtney?" Patrick insisted, stopping only a foot away from where she sat.

"If I knew that, why would I tell the two shitheels who hurt them?"

"We know we screwed up. How can we make it right if we don't know where they are?" Lucky countered.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Listen here and listen quick. My first loyalty is to my friends. And right now they don't include you."

Mentally, Patrick ticked off all of the places Robin and Elizabeth might have gone. Maybe Audrey's and the loft were just too simple. They would want to stay hidden until they either worked their way through their anger or plotted their revenge. Robin wouldn't have gone far. Morgan in camp or not, she would still want to be within driving distance of him. Was New York City too obvious as well? He had no proof one way or the other, and, if she broke, Courtney would make sure he and Lucky paid for what they had done to Robin and Elizabeth.

Lucky tried not to grab the finger that Courtney was pointing at them. He understood her anger on behalf of Robin and Elizabeth. Hell a part of him even admired her for it. But right now it was royally pissing him off. The longer he went without apologizing to Elizabeth, the angrier she was going to get and the more crazed places her mind would go. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. There had to be another way to do this.

"Tell us what you want." Time wasn't exactly on his side. If the stress in Lucky's features was anything to go by, he felt the same way. He had spent far too long gaining Robin's trust; he wasn't about to risk all of that now. He wasn't about to have wasted his time and his pride for nothing. Courtney would have to see reason. There was no other alternative.

"Come again?" She had expected threats. She had expected more yelling but this? Patrick was up to something.

"What do we, or I, have to do to convince you to tell us where the girls have gone?"

"What are you offering?" She knew wasn't going to tell them, but there was no reason she couldn't at least see what fun she could have along the way.

"My pride on a silver platter. What do you have in mind?" Patrick bargained.

Cocking an eyebrow, Courtney turned towards Lucky. "And you?"

"My pride and anything else you want to kick around."

"Welcome to the Belmont Spa." The bellman ushered both girls into the spacious suite with a flourish of his hands. "I hope you find the accommodations satisfactory."

Elizabeth blinked as she walked into the large suite. Everything was decorated in a shabby chic style. The yellow couch looked worn and old but Elizabeth was willing to bet it cost more than her car. The matching tan and yellow striped armchairs sat on the corners of the couch. A balcony beckoned with a clear view into the nighttime Manhattan skyline. To the right, a door stood open, leading to one bedroom with a huge queen- size four poster bed standing proudly in the middle. To the left, another door opened to a similarly decorated bedroom. She couldn't see it but Elizabeth was willing to bet an even more impressive bathroom was hiding somewhere in here. She whistled low as Robin tipped the bellman and sent him on his way.

"When Courtney treats, she treats." Elizabeth exclaimed, dropping her bags in the middle of the floor.

"I can't believe she did this." Robin sighed. The room she walked into, unconsciously claiming it as her own, was the size of her entire loft. There was a large king-size bed pushed back against the wall at the center of the room, an oak dresser, a walk-in closet, and dozens of abstracts littering the pearl-white wall.

"Oh I can believe it." Elizabeth wandered towards the balcony, pausing only to press her hands against the cool glass. "This must have been what she meant when she told them she wanted us treated special."

Setting her bags on the beige comforter, Robin began to slowly unpack. If she left anything right this minute--for one it was the middle of the night--it would bug her until she returned. It would be in the back of her mind, nagging at her. Her father swore she had a mild case of obsessive-compulsive disorder, but she disagreed. She just wanted things to be neat and calm. "Are you hungry at all?" She asked Elizabeth as she snatched up a dessert menu. She assumed there was one full of healthy food, but she didn't want to waste her time with it.

"Surprisingly enough murderous intent does leave one famished." Elizabeth kicked her bags into the room she would spend the next few days in. Unpacking could wait at least until food arrived.

"So food-food or dessert-food?"

"Isn't dessert-food food-food?"

"No. Dessert-food falls under sweets and all other things bad for you. Food-food provides nourishment and all that jazz." Robin clarified with a shake of her head.

"Then I say this situation calls for one thing." Elizabeth paused dramatically before launching herself onto Robin's bed, bouncing as she landed. "Dessert-food all the way."

Robin moved her bags out of the way so as to prevent a possibly damaging effect and felt a smile break through. It was going to be okay. She could breathe. They were away. Nothing could hurt her here. "Dessert-food it is. How about 'Death by Chocolate' to start off with?"

"Perfection. Anything that has the phrase 'triple chocolate' listed there by chance?"

"Take a look." Robin tossed the menu over and returned to the mundane task of unpacking. Maybe she'd feel more at ease once everything was put away.

Elizabeth focused on the menu. "Ohhh what about Caramel Kiss Sundaes?"


	67. Addicted

Lucky kicked the trashcan as he threw away the rest of his morning coffee. Glancing at his watch, he realized he still had ten minutes before he was actually scheduled to meet Patrick. While Cameron loved the two weeks he spent with Tony and Lisa every summer, Lucky had to admit not having him around really messed with his schedule.

They had tried all night. Courtney had been true to her word and not given them anything remotely useful in finding the girls. He was not inclined to take her up on any of her suggestions about where exactly they could wait until Robin and Elizabeth decided to return. His ears still burned with the names she had tossed in their directions. Apparently someone had decided to teach Courtney how to curse people out in Spanish.

Not that he didn't deserve it. He had one mother of an apology to deliver to Elizabeth. If he could find her to give it. Or if she stuck around long enough to hear it. At this very second he was almost positive that Max was ranking better than he was. How could he have been so stupid? Had he been drunk? There had been drinking involved, but thanks to Cruz's newfound love of weak beer, Lucky hadn't been close to a buzz much less drunk. High? He hadn't even managed a way to stand cigarette smoke and his father smoked a cigar! There was no logical explanation for his loose lips except one. He had been one stupid asshole.

Lucky kicked the defenseless trash can again. Kevin Collins lied. Taking anger out on inanimate objects didn't help. It made him angrier and his foot hurt. "Spend all night looking and all you got is a hurt foot. Real tribute to your Spencer genes," he muttered.

"Are you ever a tribute to the Spencer genes?" Patrick wondered as he walked upon his cousin.

Lucky narrowed his eyes at his cousin. "Sleep on the lawn?"

Patrick thought about taking offense to his cousin's comment, but he, himself, hadn't even consulted his mirror this morning. He knew what he'd find if he looked: puffy red eyes from little sleep and tangled, messy hair. He wasn't sure why he had thought Courtney might break eventually, especially with all that was going on between the two roommates, but he had underestimated her loyalty. For all the time they spent reasoning with her, he could have found Robin. "Sleep is overrated."

Lucky managed a shrug in agreement. It wasn't as if he was standing on any higher ground. He was still in the same clothes he had worn last night, once clean and pressed, now completely wrinkled and crumpled. The bags that always appeared when he worked all night were more than likely visible beneath his bloodshot eyes. It was probably a good thing they hadn't actually found where the girls had run to last night. Their current appearance would probably scare them off for good. "How much crow do you think he'll make us eat?" He gestured to the door.

It was a crap shoot. Family was one thing, but there were more than a few conflicts of interest in this situation. They had come here because they were literally out of ideas. The longer the girls were gone, the more trouble they would be in. As far as Robin was concerned, he didn't want to think that he had given her enough time to revert back to hating him. "Our situations will probably amuse him like they always do."

"So the usual. We're just going to give him a million more jokes to use at the dinners." Lucky squared his shoulders and moved to enter the small store front. "Come on. The longer we wait out here, the more he's going to make fun of us. We both know he saw us out here."

"Probably made a list of all the hoops he wants us to jump through." Patrick figured, following Lucky into the office.

Lucas tried to hide his smile as he watched his cousins walk into his office. He had been wondering when they were going to ask him for help ever since Lulu had called him last night and given all the gory details. Glancing at his watch, he noted the time. 8:15 a.m. Damn, he was going to owe Dillon ten bucks. He had thought it would at least take them until noon to show up.

"Lucky. Patrick. What are you doing here?" It was hard, but Lucas did manage to keep the laugh out of his voice.

Lucky rolled his eyes. "Don't pretend you don't know. Lulu probably called you five seconds after we left." He pushed back one of the two chairs Lucas had for client consultations and dropped himself in. Holding a hand up to block the morning sun from blinding him in the eyes, he glared at his cousin. "I thought private eyes were supposed to have dark, gritty offices."

"Yeah but gay private eyes are supposed to have neon and pink everywhere. I split the difference."

"You know why we're here, so let's cut through the yellow tape and get to business." Patrick suggested, taking the seat next to Lucky and folding down into it. Amazing how he could feel so small when he was the tallest of the three men.

Lucas turned towards his computer, preparing to type in the need information. "Ok I know the basics on both girls. Aunt Laura is very good at getting information. I bet if I really needed their social security numbers she would have already had them. I'm assuming that they stopped and changed before they took off so what they wore last night won't be helpful. Where did you all look?"

"Audrey Hardy's, Robin and Courtney's and, on a real long shot, Kelly's." Lucky ticked off.

Lucas shot them both an incredulous stare. "Kelly's? You actually thought they would have gone to Kelly's? Everyone runs to Kelly's. It's way too obvious."

"We also checked the train and bus stations along with the airport. Wherever they've gone, they aren't too far. Robin would never put an incredible distance between her and Morgan." Patrick added with a shake of his head.

Lucas nodded his agreement. Both Morgan and Lance were in the same camp this week. "Did you check car rental agencies?"

"Why would they rent a car? They each have their own." Patrick glanced over at Lucky for verification.

"And we found Elizabeth's at Audrey's and Robin's at the loft." Lucky remembered with a groan. "Remember? We thought Courtney had driven them to the airport or somewhere."

"That's right." Patrick recalled vaguely. Though he knew it was a long shot, he really hoped Robin would let him catch a few hours' sleep once they made up.

"I'll start there. Probably won't lead anywhere unless they turn the car in wherever they are but it's a start. Any ideas where they would have gone?"

"They were really upset." Patrick told Lucas solemnly. "They could be anywhere."

"You think Courtney helped them any?"

"Since she cussed us up one side and back down the other all night? Yeah she helped." Lucky answered.

"No doubt about it. And she thinks she's so clever." Patrick muttered.

"So major metropolitan area, within driving distance, close enough to return in case of emergency. And knowing Courtney, I'd say a spa is involved somehow."

Her "pool shoes," as the taffy-pink flip flops had been dubbed, slapped angrily against the smooth concrete as Robin rounded the pool, spotting her friend in the hot tub with cucumbers over her eyes and her hair done-up in a strict bun. The noise barely alerted Elizabeth, but a simple tap on the shoulder sent the cucumbers flying and her friend sputtering water as she tried to find her bearings.

"Got kicked out of the kitchen?" Elizabeth smirked as Robin lowered herself into the heated water. She had tried to tell her friend going to "help out in the kitchen" was a bad idea, but Robin hadn't listened.

"You'd think I was a nutritionist by the way they were carrying on." Robin leaned back so that her neck was rested on the edge of the hot tub.

"Robin you do realize the point of a spa is to relax right? Trying to convince the kitchen staff to change the way they make bagels is not anyone's idea of relaxing."

"It was only a suggestion. They tasted like burnt cardboard." Robin argued, forcing her eyes to close. To say she had "relaxed" at all would have been a flat-out lie. Having woken up every three hours, she finally gave up and watched the night give way to the day. She had already been asleep by the time Elizabeth found her in the balcony lounge chair.

"How long are we going to avoid it?" Elizabeth wondered. She hadn't slept at all last night and fought the urge to pick up her cell phone every ten minutes. Giving up on sleep, she had put the TV on mute and watched the flickering images until sunlight blinded her eyes.

"I'm sure we can find something else to eat for breakfast." Robin reasoned.

"Not what I meant and you know it."

"Talking about it doesn't make it hurt any less." Robin pointed out.

"True. Alright. I have a proposal."

"Please share." Robin was desperate. Elizabeth could suggest anything short of moving to Vegas and becoming pole dancers and she bet she'd go along with it.

"Unless it is to plot the sheer tonnage of glass they will be forced to eat, we do not mention the Princes of Dickville while we are here. We will be hot, single women out for nothing but a good time."

Robin was glad she had learned to think before she spoke otherwise she would have admitted a very clear truth: she didn't want to be single. For all of his flaws, and there were a lot, Patrick gave her the attention she needed. Just as long as she kept reminding herself why she was so mad at him and why she'd never trust him again, she might survive this mini-vacation. "Okay." She said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster.

Elizabeth could hear the insincerity in Robin's voice. In her heart, she knew she wouldn't be able to follow through with it either. She had not wanted to fall for anyone, much less someone with Lucky's reputation, and yet she had. And here she was hurt, just like she knew she would be. But the craziest thing was, she was actually considering accepting an apology should he give one. Then she would remember why she was mad at him in the first place and hurt all over again. "We are so pathetic."

"We're not pathetic. We're just sick of being hurt. You'd think our pasts would make us less susceptible to the opposite sex." Robin sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"It would help if it made us less susceptible to sex period." Elizabeth leaned her head back on the edge of the tub.

Robin made a face. "I don't think I'd survive a convent."

"Well the outfits would do nothing for our complexions."

"We'd piss off a lot of penguins." Robin offered her friend a smile and found that the effort it took wasn't quite as destabilizing as she had expected.

Elizabeth did manage a small smile. "Well penguins are all kinds of hot right now. We don't want to piss them off."

"Do we forget them completely, or get to work on their punishments?" Robin wondered, opening her eyes and catching Elizabeth's weary expression.

In her humble opinion, revenge was best served while gorging on chocolate and getting good and wasted on a bottle of wine. Was it too early for that? Since they had just eaten breakfast, it most likely was. "The type of punishments they deserve require much alcohol and fattening dessert type food."

"I love dessert type food!" Robin exclaimed, catching the attention of a group of teenage boys splashing each other in the pool.

"So chocolate covered strawberries, champagne, revenge, and manicures in the salon then?"

Robin smiled. "Absolutely. Let's show these guys who they're messing with."

Bobbie wandered out onto her back porch with her morning cup of coffee in her hand. Placing the mug down on the patio table, she adjusted the belt of her short cotton robe tightly against her body. Sitting down in the padded chair, she pulled her knees up under her, bringing the steaming mug up to her lips.

Before she had come down the stairs this morning, she had peeked through the blinds and spotted his SUV still parked in her driveway. Before she had gone to bed, she had put earplugs in to drown out any additional attempts of Cruz to get into the house, so she could not say for sure if he had left last night and come back or stayed out there all night.

As mad as she was with him, she hated to admit she missed him. She missed feeling his arms around her as she slept, feeling his breath on the back of her neck. Hell she even missed his habit of stealing all the covers. She just plain missed him.

Bobbie was woman enough to admit that if he started to apologize again, she would most likely cave and forgive him. Especially if he gave her those puppy dog eyes of his. Even when she knew he was just trying to manipulate her with those, she could not resist them. But that didn't meant she couldn't make him sweat out there in the car just a bit longer.

There was something about sleeping on plywood without a pillow, blanket, or mattress to speak of that made Cruz feel about a hundred years old. The idea might not have been the smartest thing he had ever done, but he had read plenty of horror stories about idiotic teenagers falling asleep in a car and never waking up to know that he didn't want to tempt Fate. She was, most likely, on Bobbie's side. The tree house had looked abandoned, but still well-kept. Of course, it had been a hit or miss if it could support his weight. At least if he fell, he had reasoned the previous night, Bobbie would feel obligated to nurse him back to health.

Before last night he had thought maybe the rumor of the evil Blue Jay was nothing more than that. Before last night he hadn't held a special hatred for all things poultry. Before last night he had been so sure his relationship with Bobbie was steady and could weather anything. The fact that she hadn't let him in the house despite his dogged attempts made him uneasy. The concept of them as a couple had always felt too good to be true, and maybe now God had decided it was time to cut him off. Cruz could hear his friends in the back of his mind reminding him that now was probably the best time to cut all ties before he got himself hurt. Having never been dumped, Cruz admitted he might be a little spoiled and egotistical. The mere idea that a woman could decide to live her life without him in it was preposterous.

And then there was Barbara Jean Spencer. He had thought that maybe he was to thank for her learning to live and trust again, but he now saw how backwards he had gotten it. She had changed him...for the better. She had pushed him. She had supported him. Hell, she hadn't seem the least bit surprised when his magazine took home that award. It was her faith in him, her unwillingness to let him settle, that made her the one person he felt he could count on no matter what.

Now he had possibly lost his best friend. What if she never forgave him? What if he couldn't get her to see his side of things? If that were the case, he was not above announcing their relationship to anyone within a hundred-mile radius. He couldn't lose her. He didn't want all of her fine work to have been for nothing. He could trust in his own talent and she was the driving force behind his confidence. Cruz had always put up a convincing front for his friends, usually poking fun at their life choices, but, until Barbara Jean Spencer, he had been hiding his true self. Who was to say that Lucky and Patrick would even be able to recognize him anymore?

It was the creaking of the boards that caught her attention first. The tree house Tony had built Lucas and BJ when they were small had always had a problem with creaks. It had made it easy to tell exactly where the kids were at all times. Looking up, she squinted to see if she could see anyone. Morgan and Lance were at camp. Cameron was visiting his other grandparents. It wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility Michael had run from AJ and camped out there but it was unlikely. AJ called every time Michael had attempted that stunt.

"Michael? Is that you sweetie?" she called up just to be sure.

The voice was muffled but it was unmistakably Bobbie's. She must have found him out. Her tone was friendly, goading. For a brief couple of seconds, he entertained the idea that she had spotted him and was ready to make-up. Calling back down to her, he caught the sight of her standing on the last step, the sun surrounding her perfect frame in a flawless silhouette.

Hurrying down the toothpick-thin stairs, he stumbled to the ground and half-jogged, half-ran to where his girlfriend waited. As soon as her eyes fell upon his, she turned slightly to the left, looking like she might dash inside, but his hand was on her right wrist and she didn't move an inch. "Bobbie."

She had frozen the second he made his way down the stairs. He was in no way her grandson. And how the hell could he look so appealing still after sleeping outside all night? She hurriedly ran a hand through her hair. "I didn't think it was you."

"Are you going to stand there and tell me that you're upset it is me?" His very breath rested on her answer.

"Did you sleep there are all night?" She hedged, trying to avoid answering his question. It was one thing to know you would cave and forgive him; it was quite another to speed up the timetable because of his unexpected appearance.

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are when you're asleep?" Her window slightly open, the curtains slapping against the pale yellow walls of her bedroom, giving Cruz an unobstructed view of her restless form. It was then that he decided to leave her for the night, but not to go too far. He hadn't wanted to disturb her.

"Flattery? You are seriously trying flattery at this point?"

"I was going more for honesty." Cruz kept his tone level, not wanting to press his luck.

She pulled her arm out of his grasp and crossed her arms across her chest. "Funny. I didn't realize you were acquainted with the concept of honesty these days."

"I made a mistake. I've never claimed to be perfect." Cruz defended.

"I never asked you to be perfect. I do recall asking you to be honest."

"Would you have come with me if I'd told you the truth? No. You would have stayed hidden, just like always." Cruz scoffed.

So they were here already. Not that it was that big of a surprise to her, Bobbie supposed. She knew this part of the fight at least was coming. "You know I have my reasons for that."

"What do I really know Bobbie? The longer we hide, the more it makes me think…" Cruz let the uncertainty hang in the air between them.

"Think what?" When he started to look away from her, Bobbie reached out and grabbed his shoulder. "You brought this up. Don't walk away like that."

"That you're ashamed to be with me." Cruz whispered brokenly.

Shocked, Bobbie sunk down on the steps. Ashamed of him? Why on earth would she be ashamed of him? It should be the other way around, shouldn't it? There were many reasons she wanted to hide away with him, but shame wasn't one of them. "Baby," she whispered reaching for his hand. "I'd never be ashamed to be with you. Never."

Cruz wanted to lean into her, wanted to show her just a little of the vulnerability he knew to be swirling around in his hazelnut brown eyes, but his reaction was far more knee-jerk. He turned away from her touch as if she had burned him. He recognized the pity in her tone. How could he have thought there was more here than that? She wasn't with him because she wanted a future with him; she just didn't want to hurt him. He had gotten invested and she was trying her best to backpedal before she lost a part of herself too.

"If anything baby I'm afraid of what would happen if we went public." She continued, walking slowly up behind him.

"You're not the only one with something to lose Bobbie." Cruz reminded her.

"It's not me I'm worried about. It's you."

"I don't care. Don't you see? As long as I've got you, I don't care what the cost is." Cruz knew it'd kill him if Lucky and Patrick found that they couldn't stand the sight of him anymore, but he might as well lay down in his grave now if he was going to have to give up the woman he loved.

Bobbie wiped at her eyes stinging with tears. Although she was fairly certain she had heard similar words before, never had they touched her so deeply as they did right now. She could see clearly for the first time just how empty her life would be now if she lost him. She had lost so many over the years for various reasons. Some serious and some entirely stupid. This fight was inching closer and closer to the stupid side with every passing second. Lovingly running her fingers through his hair, she smiled softly. "What about a compromise?"

"I don't want a compromise." Cruz shook his head, facing her now. "I want all of you."

"You already have all of me. What I need is time. And that is what I am proposing here."

"We're not doing anything wrong." Cruz insisted, trailing his thumb over her left cheek.

"I know we aren't. But letting everyone else in on this is not going to be easy."

"I'm not looking for easy." Cruz challenged.

"I'm getting that." She nuzzled her cheek against his hand. "I will promise to be more willing to go public, but you have to be honest about it from here on out. No more lies or guilt trips." She moved to kiss the inside of his palm. "If you had just told me you really wanted me there, I would have found it impossible to tell you no."

"When did you get so logical Miss Spencer?" Cruz teased, kissing the tip of her nose.

"It's a curse of old age."

Cruz chuckled. "I don't see Patrick anywhere, so you'll forgive me if I don't see anyone suffering from old age around here."

"And now we're back to flattery are we?" Bobbie teased pulling him closer to her. "That still won't get you out of the apology you owe me."

"Yes, but I have all day to show you just how sorry I am." Cruz whispered, pressing his mouth to her ear.


	68. Do I Ever?

When Patrick and Lucky had come to Lucas for help finding their significant others, he had had such a hard time keeping a straight face. Patrick "commitment phobic, love-'em-and-leave-'em" Drake was taking on a woman who not only used to be married to his brother, but was also an instant mother with a struggling career and an obsession for turning him into a decent guy. And then there was his other cousin, Lucky "don't introduce a woman to the family, don't introduce Cameron to anyone" Spencer.

It just floored Lucas to think about the one-eighty each of the men must have gone through in order to prove their worth to their lady loves. The defining factor couldn't be merely sex or Patrick would have lost interest long ago. As far as Lucky went, he must have decided early on that he could trust Elizabeth with the subject of Cameron, because he was so overprotective of his son. Lucas couldn't say he wasn't exactly the same way when it came to Lance, his miracle baby.

Dillon had stayed behind with Lance at the house because his presence hadn't been necessary for the simple task of going through the attic and looking for a box of old pictures the couple had asked Bobbie to keep for them. She was incredible in that none of her pictures, not even the ones from forty or fifty years previous, were slightly yellow. She took such good care of her memories and Lucas knew why. The moment you stopped thinking about someone, remembering the good as well as the bad times you had with them…that was when they truly ceased to exist. He had discovered that five years ago when his father suffered a massive heart attack. Tony had been a reasonably healthy man, never abusing alcohol or excessive greasy foods, so the heart attack caught everyone off guard. He had been on a flight back to Port Charles from Miami having just received the call that his first grandchild was well on his way.

Lucas wiped away a few warranted tears from the corner of each eye and headed up the stairs to the bathroom where the entrance to the attic was located. It was just a small square piece of wood taped to a similarly rectangular hole. Bobbie had asked him to fix it all the time, to add stairs, to secure the hatch better, but he hadn't found a moment to do anything. Five years in, and he was still learning how to balance his life around a husband and a little boy. He really should have been here sooner to do what she asked. Mentally kicking himself, he proceeded to the entrance and stepped up on the commode easing his body up. Flipping a switch, he was left with weak light and a spooky mess of spider webs. Wiping his hands from one side to the other, ripping the intricate fly catchers apart seam by seam, he cleared a path for himself and climbed the rest of the way into the attic. As long as he stayed on the beams, he wouldn't fall through the unstable foundation. It only took him a minute to spot the box labeled Lucas Jones and Dillon Quartermaine-Hornsby-Jones. His better half's life had always intimidated Lucas and he had made no secret of it when they had decided to marry. Dillon had said he was more than happy to trade his two last names for one that would last him a lifetime. Lucas had been relieved, knowing he'd never be able to abandon his family name, that fact even more real after Tony's death.

Sliding his right hand into his back jeans pocket, Lucas retrieved a pocket knife and softly tore the aging tape away from the top of the box. He should really wait until he got downstairs, but sometimes logic wasn't factored in when you were striving to remember a specific moment in time. His and Dillon's six year anniversary was coming up and he desperately wanted to put something together. The first apartment the men had shared together had caught fire one night and destroyed all of their pictures, save the ones in this box. Dillon hadn't been obvious in his grief, but Lucas had known him long enough, loved him long enough, to see through the subtle subterfuge and offer him all the support he possessed. They had been through so much in their time together and their love grew stronger as the days went by because of it.

Deciding it'd be best to get the box downstairs before it all spilled out and he was left with a big mess, Lucas dragged the half opened box toward the exit and took extra care with how he climbed onto the commode and settled the box onto the sink. The bottom of the box started to lean toward the of the edge, the tape making it slide around. Lucas grasped it, his heart in his throat, as if the contents were as fragile as glass. It was then that he noticed something he had missed before: an extra toothbrush. While he knew his mother was famous for having her family guests over--there was a toothbrush for Patrick, Lucky, Lulu, Morgan, and all of the Spencer side really--she never kept them out in plain sight like this. Plus, this toothbrush wasn't a dollar-store knockoff: it was a blue and white SpinBrush. It sat right by her simple maroon toothbrush. Lucas couldn't figure out why it seemed so out of place, any of their relatives or any of her friends could have come over at any time and forgotten their toothbrushes. But there was something about this one that stood out.

Curious, as was a family trait, Lucas opened each drawer one at a time and studied the contents inside. His mother would not appreciate this invasion of her privacy and that was exactly why he wasn't going to tell her. She had been very distant lately, very secretive, and her behavior pushed him to dig deeper, to search harder, to examine every single thing he could get his hands on or wrap his mind around. He knew she was lonely, but he wasn't so naïve to believe she had had no lovers since Tony. She never involved her family for obvious reasons.

Why did his mind automatically move to affair? An extra toothbrush did not constitute this kind of thinking. The PI in him wanted to take pictures and enter them into evidence, but the case would have been weak. A razor that clearly his mother wouldn't have been brave enough to try out herself. An aerosol can of deodorant when she kept a small stick of it in her purse along with a hundred other little knickknacks every grandmother seemed to have with them at all times. There was nothing so obvious as shaving cream or cologne or even aftershave. His mother was good, but then she'd always had to be what with Lucas' insistence in joining a PI firm and Tony seeking out international terrorists for the government.

His phone chirped and he cursed its use for the hundredth time that day. It was one thing both he and Patrick agreed the world would be better without. Glancing down at the neon screen, he rolled his eyes and set the phone to silent. He had only been over her for a few minutes and already Lulu was calling him, wanting to know if he was still on the case of her "boyfriend's" exploits when she was away. He should make his family members pay him for the side assignments they kept sticking him with, but somehow they always suckered him into doing it for free. Brad hadn't so much as called Lucas' little cousin since the last family dinner--Lucas almost wished he had made more of an effort to go to the family dinner after all the hoopla it had caused--and she was certain he was cheating on her. One of these days she was going to have to accept that she needed a man strong enough and smart enough to deal with her family and enjoy it. Granted, he had yet to meet the young man, but it was clear from just seeing his picture that he'd never measure up to the family's standards.

Returning his attention to the box, Lucas carried it to his wine-red 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. He had fought long and hard for this car, both in price and purpose. Dillon had cackled when he'd driven it into the garage, wondering why Lucas hadn't just gone with a real minivan like the sissy he was. Lucas had been the mother hen of sorts ever since he and Dillon decided to take on parenthood and he was constantly reminded of this. Lucas had sworn up and down that the car was a necessity, that it was safe and practical. Dillon, realizing he was not going to win this one, grin and bear the vehicle when he was left with no other solution but to ride in it with his family. Most times, Dillon would take his cobalt blue nineteen fifty-one Chevrolet, the car itself making him look like he belonged in a black-and-white detective movie.

Patrick had always been the car expert, his baby blue Ferrari having recently been the innocent bystander of his last breakup. Lucas never took that much interest in his cousins' affairs, that is unless they were thrust upon him, so he had no idea who the woman had been. Lucas entertained a small fantasy of what Robin might do to any number of his equipment if she happened to come in contact with it in the near future. Just from what Patrick had told him about the latest fight, Lucas knew Robin and Elizabeth had gone underground to plot the worst kind of revenge. Seeing Lucky suffer the same fate might prove to be entertaining since he was the family's leading Romeo more times than not. It was a nice change to see one cousin stumbling over himself while the other actually kept a mental log of all the conversations he and his girl had had to try and figure out where he'd gone wrong. They were a mess and, as usual, Lucas was going to be the one to clean it up.

Using his super-secret detective skills, Lucas had stopped underestimating the girls. They must have known that, if they put their hotel rooms under their own names, they'd be caught in a second. Even his cousins would have been able to find them. They had taken it a step farther. Courtney's attitude toward the guys that clued Lucas in. Then, he started looking under her name, under her previous hotels, resorts, and spas. Twenty-four hours into his search and he had a location for his cousins, one which he hoped they would get to the girls in time and make-up, because he was exhausted. Sometimes he wondered if he would be able to retire from the PI business just on cases from his family alone. Of course he would have to start actually charging them a fee, but it was worth considering.

It was amazing how much fun just window shopping in New York City could be. Robin and Elizabeth had spent most of their day getting lost in the upscale stores on Fifth Avenue. They had drooled over the newest Jimmy Choo stilettos. A side trip to Tiffany's had erupted into laughter as they each pointed out even more outrageously expensive pieces as suggestions for their well deserved apologies. The door attendants at Chanel, Gucci, and Prada had ignored them, intuiting from some sixth sense that there was no way on Earth they would ever buy anything behind those doors. Giggling, they swung their famous brown bag from Bloomingdale's between them.

"I still can't believe you let me buy this." Elizabeth glanced down into the bag. The dress had just enough material to qualify as an actual garment and not a stitch more. In the back of her mind she wasn't completely convinced she would be arrested for solicitation the second she walked outside in it.

"Let you? You were drooling over it. I was just fortunate enough to get out of the way before you ran me down." Robin smiled.

Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow as she searched her bag for the room key. "Oh and I supposed I just imagined you shoving that woman out of the way for that little white number in there."

Robin blushed. She had become quite fond of thin straps of material passing as nightgowns. This particular beauty was decorated in lace, moderate sequins, and made to spin around her body as it was strapless and there were tiny hooks on the back of it. "Hey, there's no telling when we'll be back in The City. I want to stock up now."

"Denial ain't just a river in Egypt my friend." Elizabeth laughed as she heard the lock release and pushed her way inside to the room, fully intent on falling on top of the enormous comforter and not moving until it was time to eat. Spinning around, she immediately dropped her bag on the floor and found her mouth fall open in shock.

"Oh holy shit." She whispered.

"What's the ma--" Robin did a double take when she saw that they had company, two delivery guys in blue suits and white nametags. There was no way she wouldn't have recognized Patrick; it didn't matter that she couldn't see his face. Other than knowing every intimate curve of his body, she was familiar with his posture, the arrogant tilt of his head, and most importantly, the purposefulness in his walk as he and Lucky went about setting up the last of the assortment of roses, chocolates, balloons, and a few dozen Teddy Bears. The room was covered in Hallmark and Robin wanted to gag. Nice to know Patrick would show his regret with store-bought crap.

If Elizabeth were a cat, her fur would surely be standing on end at the very sight of one unwelcome Lucky Spencer. "Get out." She hissed. "Get the hell out."

"Liz." Robin placed her left hand on Elizabeth's right shoulder, knowing that they would be the first questioned if some kind of tragedy was to befall their boyfriends. Her mind was going a mile a minute. She couldn't tell up from down, open from closed, logic from insanity.

Both Lucky and Patrick had frozen when they heard the voices behind them. This was going to be bad. They were supposed to be finished setting this up and waiting safely down the hall before they came back. Catching each other's eye, they both squared their shoulders to turn and face the two fuming women.

"We were going to surprise you." Patrick answered stupidly. Obviously bonehead, his mind grumbled. He had seen Robin pissed off and that in itself could send him retreating to a corner to hide. It was the pain he now picked up on that stole his breath. He could handle pissed off. He had hoped for pissed off. She was so far beyond single emotions right now that he was afraid to approach her.

"Shocker." Elizabeth crossed her arms and barely controlled the urge to roll her eyes.

"I'm calling security." Robin informed them, moving toward the phone.

"Considering they're the ones that let us in, I'm not so sure how well that would work." Lucky pointed out, realizing too late he hadn't really helped the situation.

"So stalking is on your list of skills now?" Prior to actually seeing him, Elizabeth had thought she was past the murderous rage stage. Well maybe she was actually; seeing him standing there right now only inspired the urge to hurt and maim, not actually kill him. All the planning, desserts, and alcohol in the world hadn't prepared her for seeing him right here, right now.

"Stalking?" Patrick snapped incredulously. Robin had yet to look in his direction. He had to talk to her and he wanted to get her alone to do it. As long as she was this close to Elizabeth, the women could merge their anger and there'd be no reasoning with them at that point. "I guess you'd think that considering how sneaky you both were in hiding out under Courtney's name."

"We didn't leave immediately." Robin clarified, folding her arms, her gaze still on the window. "Where were you?"

"Where were we? Looking for the two of you all over town! And playing twenty questions with Courtney, who I'm sure you'll both be proud to know, has no problem saying nothing." Lucky shot right back. He had spent the past three hours with Patrick, stuck in his Jeep, calling every florist, chocolateer, and toy store in the entire city to set this up. Elizabeth had yet to acknowledge him or even look in his direction since she had hissed her greeting out to them. This was going nowhere fast.

"Saying nothing? There's a fascinating concept you should look into." Elizabeth spit back with as much fury as she could muster, grabbing Robin's arm and heading towards the relative safety of her room.

"That was my fault." Patrick defended his cousin, taking a giant step in the girls' direction to prevent them from getting away.

"I really don't think you should take on your cousin's problems." Robin suggested, her voice barely above a whisper. "You've done more than enough damage on your own."

The bedroom was less than ten feet away. If they could distract him with something shiny, they might just make it inside. Once they were safely inside, they could flip the lock and call the actual police since hotel security was a joke! Patrick was no fool though and he immediately moved to stand in front of the door, leaving them no escape route.

Thinking quickly Elizabeth spun them fast towards Robin's room, tossing teddy bears and flowers out of their way, causing both Patrick and Lucky to cover their faces on instinct. Sensing their best chance for escape, the two friends dashed across the suite, diving for the other door.

Lucky brought his hands down just in time to see the other door shut forcefully behind Robin's fleeting back. He raced to turn the knob before he heard the telltale click but it was too late. Almost the second he reached the door, the unmistakable sound of a lock tumbling into place reached his ears. Smacking his palm against the door, he turned to where Patrick still stood stunned. "We forgot the second bedroom. How did we do that?"

"We weren't expecting them yet. I thought women spent days shopping." Patrick reasoned.

"This calls for the big guns." Lucky rummaged through the assorted gifs to find the backpack he had hauled up here with them. Patrick had laughed when he spotted the old ratty item but it was about to prove its usefulness right now. Digging to the bottom, Lucky grinned when he found exactly what he was looking for. Pulling the lock pick kit his father had given him years ago from the depths he shot his cousin a grin. "Do we risk it?"

"The longer we leave them in there, the quicker they'll go out the window."

"Then we must do what we've got to do."

Patrick made a dramatic wave with his arms and waited impatiently.

"There, that ought to stop them." Elizabeth laughed as she heard the sound of someone hitting the heavy door.

"When they get in here, how do you want to handle this? You know they'll find a way in." Robin pointed out, rubbing the center of her forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Throwing herself on top of Robin's bed, Elizabeth shot Robin a quizzical look. "How would they get in? I locked the door."

"Have you met them? They are nothing if not resilient. What's to stop the manager from giving them a damn key?"

"Ok they may figure out someway to get in here." Elizabeth was doubtful but Robin had actually been married into this family so she would trust her instincts on this one. "How do you think they found us?"

"Only one way. They used Lucas." Robin answered without a hint of hesitation.

"Rat."

"Bastard. He's so on the Naughty list this year."

"No doubt." Looking around the room, Elizabeth began to weigh her options. The window could have been option, but that was looking less attractive by the minute. "First things first, how sorry do we suspect they really are?"

"Enough to spend a lot of money, but not enough to consider our exit strategies."

"So, sorry, but still underestimating us then?"

"That's right. Let the squirming begin." Robin didn't continue with the dangerous path her mind had begun to travel. Had they really spent the last two days looking for them?

"No matter how cute they look? No matter how many puppy dog eyes they throw our way?" Elizabeth could very clearly see herself caving if she didn't keep reminding herself why she was so mad at Lucky. If her previous experience with making rules were any indication, she was far more prone to break them than follow them where he was concerned. She was going to need backup here if their plans were going to work.

"Even if they get on their hands and knees and beg us to forgive them, we still hold fast." Robin advised her friend. "And we have to stick together. No going off alone with one of them. We're strongest together." She added.

"Yes. No alone time. Alone bad." Elizabeth nodded enthusiastically.

Robin repeated all of the little mantras they had come up with last night to empower herself. Patrick was going to use the big guns and that meant the puppy dog pout. He was going to try to hypnotize her with his touch as he had so many times before. She could already feel her resolve breaking and there was a door separating them. "Alone is very bad."

"They deserve to pay." Elizabeth caught sight of the door opening slightly. "They deserve to pay."


	69. My Give A Damn's Busted

"Are you done yet?" Patrick wasn't above stomping his foot at Lucky's sluggishness. Lock picking had never been his forte, but Lucky had been born with the skill.

Lucky rolled his eyes at his cousin's behavior. "Contrary to what you may believe, you don't actually want to ruin the lock when you pick it. For one thing we would have to replace it. Now shut up and let me do this."

"Take your time. For God's sake, it's not like either of us is in a hurry. I'm sure they are just waiting for us to come and rescue them from their own illogical thinking." Patrick growled.

"Yeah make sure to mention that to Robin will you? I'm sure it will help your case there."

"Shut up." Patrick didn't want to waste his good retorts on Lucky when he was stringing together everything he could for Robin. He had to make her see reason. He wasn't leaving until she forgave him.

"So what's the strategy going in? You know they are in there planning how to murder us without ending up on CSI."

"We have to split them up, weaken their resistance." Patrick replied.

"Not going to be easy."

"Other than throwing her over my shoulder, I have no idea how to go about this." It wasn't like he spent his life apologizing.

"Word of advice? That's not going to work."

Robin's reaction would have been to stick out her tongue. Men and women were so different. He flipped his cousin the bird.

Ignoring Patrick was always the best course of action. Not only did it drive his cousin crazy, it was also possible to continue on the task you were originally working on. Concentrating on the lock, Lucky continued speaking. "I think we are talking groveling territory."

"Groveling?" Patrick had never heard something so ridiculous.

"Apologizing profusely, promising anything to make up for it, and accepting all blame. You are familiar with the concept. You did make Cruz do all that for the bakery stunt."

"That's different." Patrick hadn't planned on murdering Cruz. He couldn't say for certain that Robin hadn't at least entertained the idea.

"I'm just telling you my plan. Do what you want, but I bet I get further with groveling than you do with caveman actions."

"You are in way more trouble than I am." Patrick argued just for the point of arguing.

"True. But I have more experience in apologizing to women than you do." Lucky paused. "Almost there..."

Patrick showed little interest in the intricate task his cousin was performing. His thoughts were rattling together inside his head. What if he said the wrong thing? It wasn't often that he questioned himself, but this was unfamiliar ground. He didn't need to give Robin more ammunition than she already had.

"Figure out your game plan now. I got it!" Lucky announced.

Patrick was half a step behind Lucky as they threw the door open revealing two confused women. He lowered his eyes to the ground and took a deep breath before allowing his gaze to travel up Robin's quivering form. She wasn't crying. She wasn't whimpering. No, she was furious. Nothing he hadn't expected. He held out his hand for her and said, "Can I talk to you?"

"There's nothing left to say." Robin cut him off, her eyes falling to her shoes. She could feel him moving forward even though his footsteps were silent. Her head shooting up, she startled him. Throwing her hand out in front of her to ward him off, she curled her lips in disgust and held them so tightly against her mouth, Patrick could see the indentions of her teeth.

Lucky hesitantly approached Elizabeth, who immediately launched herself towards the bathroom. Reaching out a hand to stop her, he regretted it when she pulled back immediately. "It's a bit hard to apologize to you if you keep running from me. Listen I messed up. Big time." Lucky started to explain but Elizabeth's snort of disbelief cut him off immediately.

"Oh there's a news flash. Thanks for sharing that shocking insight with me!" She turned on her heel, determined once again to make it into the bathroom and feel the satisfaction that would come with slamming the door in his face. The only downside to the plan was she would be abandoning Robin. Maybe she could get into the bathroom and grab a hold of something good to throw at him.

"What do want me to say? What was I supposed to do?" Patrick challenged, his eyes nothing but dark brown slits as he regarded her anger.

"You were supposed to tell me the truth!" Robin clarified passionately. "You were supposed to warn me." She ground out through bared teeth. "If nothing else, you could have at least factored in how everyone knowing our private business would affect me!"

"Before or after you threw me out without a single explanation as to why? If you were that ashamed to be seen with me, you sure as hell shouldn't have shown up at my apartment demanding that I apologize to Bobbie. You started this!"

"You are a low-grade asshole of the highest order." Elizabeth hissed. "You need to leave right now and not look back."

"I can't do that." Lucky moved his body in front of hers, keeping her from moving closer to the door leading to the main door of the suite. She had been determined to hide from him in the bathroom and he was just as determined to follow her right in there. At least in the bathroom she wouldn't have an escape route.

Stepping backwards, working her way closer to the bathroom wall, Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow. "Oh you are hardly in the position to dictate how this conversation is going to go."

"You're right. You seem to know exactly what you want to say to me, so why don't you go for it?" Maybe if he could get her yelling, she might exhaust herself enough to let him apologize. It wasn't like he didn't have it coming.

"There aren't enough words in the world to express how mad I am at you." Elizabeth turned away, determined not to let him see how much he had actually hurt her. "This is worse than anything Max ever did."

Nothing could diffuse Patrick's temper or render him speechless like the sight of Robin crying. She seemed to be doing so in spite of herself. It had been too long since he'd seen her smile; he was almost certain he had imagined the rare occasions when she'd let him see such an emotion spread across her features. He hadn't meant to accuse her of anything, but her insistence that there was nothing left for them to salvage, that he had already done something so incredible there was no way it could be fixed, had left him feeling defensive. He wanted to fight with her. What's more, he wanted to make her see reason.

"Did you think you'd get away with it?" Robin's voice was cruel, her eyes wet, the scene almost too familiar. Patrick felt guilt seep into his chest and squeeze his heart painfully. He almost had to brace himself against a wall to keep from passing out; the air was rushing out of his lungs that fast.

"You have to know that I didn't mean for any of it to happen!" Patrick insisted, touching her bare shoulder.

Her words stung him to the core. Lucky had fully expected to be compared to Max at some point today, but to hear that that creep was being considered better than him? That thought had only jokingly passed his mind. "Harsh." He managed.

"Sure he was an asshole, but looking back now, he had all the signs around him. I was just too stupid to realize them. You just hid yours better is all." Elizabeth continued on as if he hadn't offered any commentary.

"You aren't stupid. If anyone here was stupid, it was me. " Lucky argued. He had forgotten how hard groveling really was.

"Oh you were stupid. And egotistical. And an asshole." Elizabeth turned, her eyes flashing. "Do you have any idea how humiliating it was to listen to your friends basically rate me?"

"No." He couldn't imagine that at all, didn't particularly want to imagine it really. He knew how his friends talked and silently he groaned about what Elizabeth had most likely overheard. But the problem wasn't Patrick and Cruz's language. It was his big mouth.

"I told you everything about Max. You knew what a big deal us even dating was for me and you went and told them details? I trusted you." Elizabeth bit the inside of her lip. Damn it, she was not going to cry in front of him. He was going to get her angry, get her hurt, but she would be damned if he got her tears.

"Baby..." Lucky reached for her. Her shoulders were shaking and it was obvious she was seconds away from crying. He had barely touched her shoulders when she jerked back.

"You don't get to touch me right now and you sure as hell don't get to call me baby." Elizabeth threw up a finger in warning.

"Do you have any idea what I've sacrificed to be with you? How about my pride? My self-respect? My morals?" Robin was not above blaming him for every bad thing that had ever happened to her if it would knock him off of his damn pedestal!

"I didn't ask you to give up any of those things! Damn it, you pushed for this, not me!" Patrick shouted, old resentment creeping up when it was neither welcome nor relevant. He had gotten rid of it, pushed it so far down inside of himself he was certain he'd never be able to use it against Robin again. His words agitated her further and she swallowed hard, seemingly sucking all of the air out of the room.

"It's a good thing you discovered this when you did." She said through clenched teeth, her chin wanting to wobble, but her current rein on her emotions holding it steady. "I'd hate to think you'd wasted all of this effort on me for nothing."

"It wasn't wasted effort." This was not going how he had expected it to. Instead of realizing her importance, she had gone and assumed the worst. All of the defenses he had worked away to nothing were shooting up all around her so that only her tearful expression could be seen. Even her features were starting to mold into something far more stoic. "I wouldn't trade a single minute with you over the last few weeks. By allowing me to simply share a space with you, you've shown me a part of myself I thought had died long ago."

"These are just words. They're absolutely meaningless." Robin sighed.

Taking his pride out and beating it with a mallet, Patrick bent his knees and crouched down in front of her. "I never meant to hurt you. When you asked me, I couldn't even lie properly. It's like I wanted you to catch me, because my conscience was eating away at me." He watched her bottom lip start to tremble as he took hold of each of her hands. "I'm so incredibly sorry babe." He whispered, his eyes glassy.

Lucky carefully used his finger to force her to look at him in the eyes. "I have no excuse for this. I was an asshole. I shouldn't have done any of it. I can't blame being drunk or anything else. I was just stupid. You deserved better than that."

Elizabeth flipped her head quickly trying not to look in his eyes. There were puppy dog eyes staring right at her. And they were tear-filled puppy dog eyes. If she looked at him any second longer she was going to cave here. They deserve to pay, she reminded herself. They deserve to pay.

"I can't." Robin stumbled backwards, shaking her head furiously.

"Robin, don't do this. You can't do this!" Patrick declared, getting to his feet the instant he noticed the retreat in her gaze.

"Yes she can." Elizabeth pointed out. "We want both of you to leave. This is our room."

"Elizabeth..." Lucky started.

Elizabeth shook her head as she held onto Robin's shoulder. She could feel her friend shaking underneath her. "No. You came to apologize and you did. Accepting your apologies is on our timetable not yours. You need to go now."

"Robin, listen to me." Patrick pleaded, taking a cautious step toward her.

"Go away Patrick." Robin told him.

"You want to forgive me." Patrick snapped.

"No, I want you to go. Please just go."

Lucky moved towards his cousin. If there was one thing Luke had taught him about apologizing, it was know when to retreat and let a woman decide for herself. "Come on man. They're right. We should go."

"I'm not going anywhere. We're not done!" Patrick swore heatedly.

"Patrick, please." Robin begged.

"You are making this worse right now." Lucky kept his hand on Patrick's shoulder.

"We're not leaving the city." Patrick promised. "Call me when you're ready to."

Robin nodded, no words left.

The girls watched as the guys grabbed their discarded bags from the still littered living room area and quietly left the room. Seemingly satisfied they had really left, the two friends turned to each other. Throwing her arms around Robin, Elizabeth hugged her hard. "Now what?"


	70. Battle Lines

Never let it be said that women didn't stick together. Lois Cruello-Ashton had never met Elizabeth Webber. She knew Robin Scorpio only socially. But all she needed to hear was the barest outlines of the situation Patrick and Lucky currently found themselves in and she banished them to the couches instead of offering the guest room she normally gave Lucky when he visited. Unceremoniously she had thrown exactly two pillows and two blankets at them, shaking her long highly polished finger in their faces.

"You only got this much because of Nedly." Turning dramatically on her high heeled boots, she had thrown her arms up in the air. "Men. Always sticking together."

Lucky sat up slowly. He hadn't so much slept as much as tossed and turned all night. It would be simple to blame the couch, but it was obvious that Lois had bought the furniture with comfort in mind, not punishment. Had Elizabeth's hurt eyes not taunted him every time he tried to close his eyes he may have actually been able to sleep last night. But every time he tried, all he saw was the tears she was trying to keep back. 

Glancing at his cousin and seeing the other man awake, Lucky launched his pillow towards Patrick's face, their standard morning routine since they had been ten. "Rise and shine Sunshine."

Patrick watched his cousin through half closed eyelids, his head feeling about two sizes too big as he pushed himself up onto his elbows. His eyes lifted to the ceiling and that was when he saw a haphazard lock of dark hair resting across his forehead. He was sure he looked like a cross between Cory Mathews from Boy Meets World and Animal from The Muppets. "Maybe you should try sleeping on your side." Every time Patrick had even thought he might be falling asleep, Lucky's grizzly bear snore had startled him. It wasn't as if he could have fallen asleep anyway, not with the guilt resting on his chest.

"I don't snore."

"Right." Patrick rolled his eyes and sat up fully, letting the couch support his back.

Lois moved through the living room, pausing only long enough to mumble something neither could quite understand, which they both realized was probably a good thing. Ned followed soon after, sitting down next to Lucky.

"Sleep any last night?" he teased, knowing full well neither one of the younger men had. Ned had spent quite a few nights on the couch since he met Lois and was well experienced in braving the furies of an angry woman. 

"Oh yeah. These bloodshot eyes are the newest in high fashion." Patrick replied sardonically, trying to release some of the tension in his body by cupping his hand over his neck and massaging the skin beneath his fingertips.

A loud banging in the kitchen caused all three men to jump. Nervously Lucky looked to Ned. "Lois isn't trying to kill us is she?"

Patrick got a playful look in his eyes and whispered, "She isn't going to try and cook, is she?"

"I wouldn't make too many jokes boys. She called Laura last night."

"Shit." The cousins muffled in unison. The whole family would have been notified as of this morning.

"Yeah. So it's in your best interest to make nice with my wife or an even worse report will go out in a few hours." Ned gestured his head towards the kitchen. 

Patrick had always liked Lois. She had taught him how to ballroom dance a few weeks before his first prom and schooled him on just the right things to say to a girl to get the most favorable results. She was as tenacious as a pit bull and had a quick wit that he often had a hard time keeping up with. This Lois though, this one who blamed him just as Robin blamed him, just as he blamed himself, showed no mercy. She would make sure he paid for his mistake everywhere he went. She must have called Laura to make sure that, once he and Lucky were back in Port Charles, they'd still get as much hell as Laura could muster.

Lucky shuddered. Lois was a spit fire even when she was in a good mood and now, she was ready to kill them both. When he was younger he had nightmares of her fingernails coming right at him, aiming directly for his eyes. It looked like those nightmares were going to become reality. And now that his mom knew how spectacularly wrong it had all gone last night? Not only would mom still give them hell, but dad, Lulu and Lucas would laugh for days at their expense. It didn't matter right now if the girls by some miracle did decide not to kill them, their family was going to do it for them.

"She likes you more." They both said in unison.

Patrick had been up all night going over what he had said as well as what he should have said to Robin, trying to pinpoint the exact moment that she had started to lean toward forgiving him. Was it when she had started to cry? He hated that he was to blame for those precious tears. He didn't want to add to her burden. If he thought there was a way he could go on without her in his life, he might have called it quits last night, but the truth of the matter was that he couldn't, didn't want to. If it made him selfish so be it. He had never claimed to be anything else. "Thanks for letting us stay last night." Patrick directed his announcement to both Ned and Lois. Ned smiled his same old goofy smile, but Lois turned her back on him and started banging a few cast-iron pans together as she started breakfast for the four of them.

Lucky moved slowly into the kitchen. He still wasn't convinced that Lois wouldn't try to poison them if they didn't at least try to get her to soften up. "Lois, did I tell you Cameron's been begging to see you?"

"No, you didn't." She answered shortly, slicing up a few pieces of bread for toast.

"Well he's been missing you. Said I couldn't make French toast nearly as good as you." He felt like the slime Elizabeth had accused him of being using his son like this but he knew right now Cameron was their only saving grace. Ok so maybe Cameron hadn't ever said that, but it probably would be true if he ever tried to make French toast.

"I didn't know Cameron liked French toast. I thought he was strictly a cereal and honey kind of kid." Lois recalled, seeing through his subterfuge.

"Well I've been trying to learn and we both know what I am like in the kitchen. He thinks everyone is a better cook than me."

"He's one smart kid. Just tell him I'll cook for him anytime." Lois replied, feeling her resolve softening. She loved these boys, for their flaws, for their successes, and she knew she should cut them some slack, whether or not they deserved it.

Feeling brave, Lucky attempt to kiss her cheek. "You are a key component in my plan to keep him alive until he is able to fend for himself."

"He's Luke's grandchild. I can only do so much." Lois teased him.

"But I can guard him with the best defense system I can."

"What are you going to do to redeem yourselves?" Lois asked, directing her question toward two boys had become family to her. When Patrick's mother had died, she had hosted Thanksgiving, unable to let him miss out on having a turkey and pie as his mother had always provided him with. When Lucky had discovered Jess was pregnant with Cameron, she had made sure he was never scheduled to work when he was to be at a Lamaze meeting.

"We tried surprising them..." Lucky started.

"And that worked out super." Patrick drawled.

Both Ned and Lois shook their heads. "While they were still mad?" Ned asked. "You obviously have death wishes."

"It took two days to find them. Once we tracked them down, there was no giving up and going home." Though it hadn't worked out how he had expected or wanted it to, Patrick couldn't regret showing up and making her hear what he had to say.

"And they kicked you out so now what?" Lois asked. Seeing the blank looks on their faces, she sighed in exasperation. "You didn't have a back-up plan in case this didn't work?"

"We didn't consider it not working." Patrick admitted shamefacedly.

Lois stepped toward Patrick and, with a flick of her hand, slapped him in the back of the head. She turned to Lucky and did the same thing. "Have I taught you nothing?"

"Ow! Lois!" Lucky cried out. "It's not like we do this all the time!" It was true. Normally they had both cut and run a long time before it got this bad.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Lois challenged.

Ned took a sip of his coffee and suppressed a smile. "Boys, when you go after a new client do you just have one plan?" 

"No." They both admitted.

"Then why would you go about apologizing to a woman with only one plan?" Ned paused to take another sip. "Personally I always have at least three plans in mind."

Patrick resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was easy for Ned to say: he already had Lois come hell or high water.

"And he usually he has to use all three before he's even close to being forgiven." Lois cracked, lovingly smacking Ned on the butt.

"Call them." Ned advised.

"They'll slam the phone in our ears." Lucky pointed out. 

"It's nothing you don't deserve." Lois muttered quietly.

"But if you get rung through, then they haven't put you on the no-call list." Ned pointed out. "At least you'll have that much going for you."

"Can we use your phone?" Patrick wondered.

Lois motioned over her shoulder. "You know where it is."

"Do you want to go first?" Patrick would never admit to being a coward, but Lucky must have seen it in his eyes.

"Hand it over you baby." Lucky took the phone and began dialing, rolling his eyes. "Don't think this won't get back to Cruz either."

Patrick bit his tongue to keep back his retort and half listened as Lucky asked for the suite. He was prepared for Lucky to get at least a hello out before the phone was slammed down. Maybe he'd even spot him "How was your night?" but the loud "What?" his cousin shouted before slamming down the phone was not on the list.

"They're gone. They checked out last night."

"You owe us and we're not leaving until you pay up." Robin assured the man in front of her as she and Elizabeth each took their seats on his overstuffed couch.

Cruz knew better than to refuse the two fusing women. It wouldn't be smart, not when he had just made-up with Bobbie. "What is it you think I can do for you?"

"You are going to help us make your friends pay." Elizabeth said simply folding her arms. "You are the key to our plan."

"The key?" Cruz repeated nervously.

"The key." Elizabeth responded calmly. "See you are going to help get them exactly where we want them."

"I can't." Cruz knew it had to be said nonetheless. He would help them and that was that.

"You can." Robin argued.

"You will." Elizabeth pointed out.

"After what you did, you're lucky to keep your balls." Robin assured him pointing an accusing finger in his direction.

"Me? What did I do?" Ok he realized he was somewhat responsible for the mess Lucky found himself in. And alright he was the reason Patrick and Robin had even considered dropping their cold war. Now that he thought about it, a very good argument could be made for this entire mess being his fault but it was better to play dumb at the moment.

"You manipulated me to get a story." Robin reminded him.

"That story gave you great press." Cruz argued.

"You rated me in the hallway." Elizabeth pointed out icily.

"I wasn't alone in that." Cruz replied.

"No but Robin will take care of Patrick for me." 

Robin smiled wickedly and Cruz swallowed hard. When the world ended, he wanted to be on their side. Lucky and Patrick would just have to understand.

"Oh and if you were to consider not helping us or even warning them?" Elizabeth grinned. "Well we have a little plan for you should be aware of."

"What's that?" Cruz asked worriedly.

"You would agree that Laura likes us correct?"

"Yes." Cruz answered slowly. If they were invoking Laura, this was going to be bad.

"It's simple really. Cross us and Laura's getting a phone call about this secret girlfriend Patrick and Lucky know you have." Robin explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about." It was a last ditch effort, but he had to try.

"Don't try it. Lucky told me everything they think they've figured out." Elizabeth smiled. Who knew his inability to keep information to himself would actually work to her advantage? 

"What he thinks he's figured out you mean." Cruz corrected her.

"Either way, you don't want Laura to know about it for some reason. I, for one, have no problem cluing her in." Elizabeth shrugged.

"What do you want?" Cruz gave in.

"It's simple really." Robin got to her feet and started playing with a little paperweight Cruz kept on his desk. "When the guys go to check our stories, you need to make sure they don't find anything wrong with them."

"What does that mean?"

"It means we are aware they compare notes on dates. We are aware they try to one up each other. So when they come to you and ask where the other one is, you are going to tell them exactly what we tell you." Elizabeth rose and perched herself on the edge of Cruz's desk, swinging her feet in his direction.

"I don't know if you know this, but I'm not the best liar." Cruz told them.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "That's why they didn't realize you had a secret girlfriend for however long it has been until last month. Try again."

"They knew me too well. They'll know I'm lying to them." Cruz reasoned.

"Then it looks like you're going to have to try a new approach." Robin suggested impatiently. She closed the distance between them. "And if they suspect anything, we go to Laura."

"You're not being fair." Cruz snapped.

"All's fair in love and war." Elizabeth pointed out. "And this is war."

"What kind of stories do I have to spoon-feed them?" Cruz wondered.

Smiling in victory, Elizabeth moved closer to him. "All they are doing is taking a couple of small trips."


	71. Talk of the Town

Dillon situated himself down on the park bench directly next to Lucas. It had been impossible to miss the distracted look in his husband's eyes the past two days. Normally he would have dismissed it as the normal stress Lucas felt when doing case work for his family, but Lucky and Patrick's case was over. Lulu's wasn't going to happen. So that couldn't be it. No Lucas had been distracted since he came back from Bobbie's house. Keeping one careful eye on Lance as he played on the swings, Dillon reached out and took Lucas's hand in his.

"You ok there babe? You've been awfully quiet over there."

"I'm just glad to be out of the office." Lucas assured him, squeezing his hand softly.

"Not that Lance and I don't appreciate the company, but are you sure you're ok? You seem a million miles away."

"I saw something, and I'm not sure if I'm overreacting or not." Lucus murmured, his eyes darting to his shoes.

Dillon moved his finger under Lucas's chin and raised his husband's head until their eyes met. "Why don't you tell me what you saw and I'll be the judge of that ok? I'm the dramatic one here remember?"

Lucas laughed softly. Dillon kept him grounded and he wondered if he would ever even realize how important he was to Lucas and Lance. "I went over to my mother's to get a few things that she had stored in the attic." He began, knowing he was going to have to work himself up to what was bothering him.

"And you found a dead body there?" Dillon clapped his hands. "It would be exactly like this scene Hitchcock filmed once..."

"Honey." Lucas settled his hand over the inside of Dillon's palm. "Focus."

"Focusing. Sorry." Dillon smiled sheepishly. "Go on."

Taking a deep breath, he continued, "As I was closing up the attic door, I noticed a few things on the countertop, things that couldn't possibly belong to my mother."

Knowing what he knew about Bobbie and her past, Dillon really couldn't image what exactly that would include. He loved Bobbie dearly but the woman was Luke's sister. Innocent to the ways of the world she was not. "What? Like boxes of Viagra?"

Lucas made a look of disgust. "That is NOT funny!" He scolded. Of course, it would have further supported what he was leaning toward.

"It's a little bit funny."

"Okay, a little." Lucas admitted begrudgingly. "No, like one of those SpinBrush toothbrushes, a three-blade razor my mother would be terrified to use, and a deodorant spray can."

"Do I even want to know how you know what razor your mother would be terrified to use?"

"She's a one blade kind of person. She's always going on that anything more would kill her." Lucas clarified. "But the other things. You have to admit, that's a little strange."

"They are off but I'm sorry I still don't see why you are obviously freaking out. I know I've freaked out on less but you need something more than this to rattle you."

"You've noticed her distance lately too, haven't you?" Lucas asked quietly.

"Define for me please."

"Like when we showed up to help her close down the bakery when Robin was in the hospital." Lucas pointed out.

Thinking back to that night, Dillon had to admit she was a bit high strung. "Ok maybe she was a little Reese Witherspoon in Election that day."

Lucas cocked an eyebrow at his husband, but didn't push it. "She couldn't wait to get away from us."

"We had video of Lance's star turn as tree number two. People across the country tend to run from us when we have that."

"Didn't she seem kind of distracted? Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but Lance is her world. She barely said a word to him, or us that night."

"Honey what you really trying to figure out? You don't bring Columbo home with you like this."

Lucas slowly lifted his gaze to settle upon Dillon's quirky face. "My mother hasn't exactly been open about her relationships...since my dad, but I know there have been a few. I think she might be involved now and I think she's trying her hardest to keep me out of it."

Titling his head sideways, Dillon looked thoughtful. "If she is, do you really want to know? You don't have the best track records with the few you have met."

"What does that mean?" Lucas inquired briskly.

"It means I love you but you are a beast when it comes to meeting your mom's boyfriends. I don't think I saw snarling and baring of teeth, but you have come darn close to a White Fang imitation."

"I just want my mom to be happy. She spent a better part of her life being in love with my father." Lucas defended.

"I know you do but you appear to have impossibly high standards. I don't think Spielberg could create a man good enough for you to like with your mom."

"Spielberg better never show any interest." Lucas teased lamely. "It doesn't matter, I guess. She's not going to tell me." Lucas answered resignedly.

"Not if you don't ask her she won't." Dillon pointed out. "Act all passive aggressive like my family and she will keep it to herself."

"Do you think it's serious? She's never left that stuff out before." Lucas' eyes moved to his giggling son as he pumped his little legs harder and harder to get the swing to go a little higher.

"Did she know you were coming over?"

"I didn't exactly tell her, no."

"Was she home?"

"No. She was out getting groceries I think."

"So my beloved Sherlock, would it be a safe guess to say that maybe she didn't have a chance to hide this evidence from you? Maybe it's not a case of her allowing the stuff to be out but you being in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

"It's like she wanted to get caught." Lucas insisted.

Dillon shook his head. "Ok you are starting to sound like me now. I need you to dial it back and actually tap into your inner Lucas."

"I'm not being paranoid...maybe a little irrational, but not paranoid. I know what I saw."

"You saw nothing. Less than nothing. You wouldn't even go to a client with evidence that flimsy."

"No. I saw evidence. Evidence of a guy my mother doesn't want me to know about." Lucas paused as a more sensible idea came to his mind. "Or he doesn't want her to tell me about him. That must be it. He's using her and knows I would stop it in a second."

"Ok see. That right there is probably why she hasn't told you anything, if there is anything to tell."

"What other explanation is there? She's vulnerable." Lucas declared.

"You don't even know if there is a guy in the first place and you already have him using Bobbie. Don't you hear how crazy you sound? You are getting close to talking like Edward!"

"That old guys does make a good, solid point once in a while. No one ever got anything over on him." Lucas knew he had gone so far past irrational when he started praising Edward's way of thinking.

Dillon stood up. "Ok I'm going to go over there and play with my son. If you see my husband return will you send him over please?"

Lucas snatched his husband's hand and held him in place. "Will you at least give me the benefit of the doubt?"

"I will grant you the possibility that Bobbie seeing someone but you have to give me at least the same possibility that if she is, that he really does like her for her."

"Fine." Lucas gave in. "Now, let's go play with our boy."

"Oh my God! Baby what happened to you?" Bobbie exclaimed as Cruz entered his townhouse in a daze. She had decided to surprise him by making dinner but it looked like she was in for the surprise. Bobbie had seen him come home from work exhausted, angry, annoyed and even though it was rare, even excited. But never had she seen him like this.

He looked as if a truck had run over him, stopped, reversed and run him over again. The tie he normally kept crisply tied was dangling open across his chest. The sport coat she knew for a fact was one of his favorites was slung haphazardly over his shoulder. The normally pressed shirt was untucked and crumpled. 

Under normal circumstances, her unexpected presence in his home would merit her a smile and a kiss. Today he barely managed a glance and a small smile before he fell onto his couch with a groan. Something was seriously wrong.

Bobbie made her way over to the couch and sat next to him, barely touching his shoulder. "Baby what happened?"

"Robin and Elizabeth happened." Cruz groaned and fell backwards onto the couch. "They happened."

Now she was lost. When she talked to Laura this morning, she heard the girls had been found in New York City. A few hours later Lois had spread the word they had apparently left in the middle night after a disastrous run in with her nephews. Now it appeared they were apparently back in Port Charles? Bobbie shook her head and made a mental note to ask Robin to consult with her on destination weddings. Obviously the girl knew a thing or two about traveling. 

"Did they mistake you for Patrick or Lucky?"

Remembering the small part of the revenge plan he was let in on, Cruz shuddered. "God no. I don't want to be them when they catch up with them."

"So why do you look like they ran you over with a garbage truck?"

Cruz sighed. It could be the death of him if either girl found out but they had only threatened if he had warned his friends. They said nothing if he talked to Bobbie. "They are planning revenge on Patrick and Lucky."

"Well we all expected that much. I think Luke even has money on it with Lulu."

"Who will pay first?"

"More like who will pay more." 

In spite of himself, Cruz laughed. That sounded about right for Luke. "I think they tried to apologize last night and it didn't go so well."

"Understatement. Laura heard from Lois. I think you need to give them some pointers." She laced her fingers with his and offered a comforting squeeze, pulling her legs up onto the couch beside her.

"Yeah well if they survive what the girls have planned for them I'll consider that."

"Oh so they came and told you their plans did they?"

"Sort of. They made me a partner in their plans. Which may be worse."

Alexis reached over Mac's left shoulder and flipped off the desk lamp, winning a weary scowl from her better half. "I'm trying to do something here." Mac insisted with a huff.

"Yes, well now you're done." Alexis declared just as stubbornly. "What are you doing up here, tucked away in your office?"

"It's a private matter." Mac bit back, rubbing his eyes and leaning back against his chair.

Alexis gave him an incredulous look. So now he thought he could keep things from her? "Try again." She suggested softly.

"If you must know, Robin called me in tears this morning." Mac gave in, knowing it was easier to just give in than to fight with her.

Alexis bristled at that little bit of information. "Crying? Why? What happened? Who did this to her? Have you tracked him down? Are you doing all you can to--" Mac touched his fingertips to her lips to silent her.

"Sweetheart, breathe." Mac told her. "And yes, I've been working all afternoon to track down that son of a bitch." He gritted through his teeth.

Alexis had a disgusting thought and let it pass through her slightly painted pink lips, "Did she run into Logan?"

"Logan?" Mac repeated, confused. "Is he back in town?"

"Who can really trust the gossip in this town?" Alexis reasoned. "I assume this means I guessed wrong."

"I knew I shouldn't have let that slime ball in my home, but did anyone listen to me?" Mac ranted and pointed a finger at her. "You didn't even back me up."

"I don't understand. And where do you get off blaming me for who you let into the house?" Alexis snapped, planting her hands on her hips.

"Patrick Drake announced to his entire family that they were sleeping together." Mac clarified with a disgruntled sigh.

"Mac, you don't really believe that, do you?" Alexis needed to hear all of the facts before she could make an informed decision. "The fact that you hate him hasn't affected your judgment at all?" She lifted an eyebrow at him.

"Of course not. I heard it straight from the horse's mouth. And I've spent the better part of the day calling in all of my favors. So far, they haven't been able to find him." Mac replied.

Alexis smiled uncomfortably. 

"What do you know?" Mac prodded.

All those years defending Sonny and Jason and she couldn't lie to save her life. The irony was deafening. If she knew them only to be rumors, she might have thought nothing of it. However, Lulu couldn't keep a secret any better than her brother and had announced to everyone in Kelly's where the boys could be found. "He and Lucky stayed at Ned and Lois' last night."

"In telling you that..." Alexis added, resting her hand over Mac's as it started to reach for the phone, "I have to warn you that, if something happens to either of those boys, I'll have to turn you in."

"Oh you will, huh?" Mac challenged, spinning his chair around so that his eyes were level with her cream camisole covered breasts.

"Whatever it is you're thinking, you can forget it. I'm going on pure adrenaline here." Alexis assured him.

"That's not a problem for me." Mac whispered, flicking his thumb over her right breast and smiling when it puckered under his touch. "Oh, would you look at that? It looks to me like this new evidence doesn't support your case, Counselor."

"You can't blame me for pleading anyway." Alexis replied breathlessly as he swept his hands under the thin piece of material.

Her knees buckled when he began kneading her breasts softly, pinching her nipples into points and listening to her purr. He yanked her into his lap and eased her knee-length black skirt up her legs and over her hips, his finger sliding inside the lace of her panties as her mouth found his without incident.

"Malcolm." She whispered against his ear, her hips bucking wildly as he slid his body up and over hers.

Moving his hands under her knees, Mac picked her up and set her on the desk, swiping at a few miscellaneous items that were in the way.

Alexis reached into his back pants pocket and found the condom she had been looking for, closing her eyes as he brushed brazenly against her. He snatched the foil package from her hands and struggled with the button on his pants. "Let me." Alexis offered, easing the zipper down and getting the button free.

Ten seconds later, they were no longer bothered by clothing but joined in the most intimate way two people could be. As his eyes rolled in the back of his head, Mac reminded himself to give Ned Ashton a call.


	72. Next Stop Vegas Please

_**Author's Notes: There was something I was supposed to tell you. Let me see if I can recall. Hmm, this is why Beth tells you all the important stuff...OH YEAH. We have adopted a new update strategy in an effort to no longer be approximately 100 chapters ahead of our readers. Every weeknight...at 9:30 EST...there will be a new chapter posted. Part of our plot to get everyone away from the cancelled show. Good "ratings" may result in more updates...I'm just saying we are fairly easy to bribe... So, without further adieu...  
**_

Shifting in his seat, Lucky tried to find a comfortable position on the crowded flight. It had been years since he had actually flown a commercial plane: these days he tended to use the private L&B plane when he needed to fly. But Daphne had use of the plane this week for the Radio Music Awards this week and he needed to get to Vegas pronto.

Cruz's phone call had shocked the hell out of him. "Hey man, any reason why Elizabeth is taking off to Vegas with your latest protégée? Axe swears he just saw them in the airport..." He might have dismissed any information from Axe if it hadn't been for the follow up call from one very angry Marcus Taggert.

"What the hell did you do man? My girl gets a call from yours and all I hear is men are scum and I'm sitting here while they go flying off to Vegas, swearing to work it like it has never been worked before. I don't know what that means but I don't think it's good."

If he had learned nothing from the disaster in New York, it was that two angry women together was bad. Two angry women out of town was worse. He had to get to Vegas and try to talk to Elizabeth before he had not only his mother and Lois coming after him for screwing this up, but Taggert as well.

Glancing at his watch, he realized he had approximately two hours left on his flight. Two hours to divine a solution to the mess his life had become. Resting his head against the window, he prayed he could do it.

Elizabeth stood in the middle of her room, smoothing out wrinkles on her new skirt. Daphne had insisted on a shopping spree the second they landed in Vegas. She had barely dropped her bags in the room, before the younger girl drug her out onto the strip in search of the perfect "make him drool at his own stupidity outfit" as she had called it.

"I'm under 21 so I can't gamble Precious. So let me have my fun in the stores." Holding up the credit card, Daphne had smiled widely. "And since Lucky was so kind enough to help me get this credit card, I think it only fair that Sugar pay for this piece of deliciousness don't you?"

The denim skirt was far shorter than she would have normally bought, but that could be said for most of the outfits she, Robin and Courtney had picked. Only the outfits all three girls had deemed drool worthy had made the cut. Daphne's choice would fit right in.

Glancing at her watch, she realized that if everything had gone to plan, and if Cruz and Taggert knew what was good for them it had better, Lucky most likely would be arriving in under an hour. Forcing him to fly commercial had been Courtney's suggestion and Elizabeth had to admit it had been a brilliant one. It had meant inviting Daphne in on the fun, which she readily agreed. Elizabeth felt the first tremors of nerves float up in her stomach and was grateful for the other girl's presence. For the plans to fully work, Elizabeth realized that she and Robin had to be separated but she needed back up here. Someone to tell her to stand firm, keep it together and remember the goal. If Daphne wasn't with her, Elizabeth feared she may cave the second she saw Lucky. And that wouldn't work at all.

The knock on her door jarred Elizabeth from her thoughts. Glancing through the peep hole, she saw Daphne bouncing on the heels of her feet, cell phone planted firmly on her ear. Opening the door, Daphne blew her way into the room, a flurry of hands and arms. "Ok Sweetie. Thank you. I miss you. Bye Sugar."

With a firm click of the cell phone, Daphne whirled around to face Elizabeth. "My Sugar said your Sugar is on his way. According to the computer, he should arrive soon."

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Elizabeth managed a smile. "Then I guess we better get ready for game time."

"Come on Precious. We both know where he's going to look first. We better get ready."

He felt like a stalker. The second he had landed, Lucky had made a beeline for the L&B Artist Suite at the New York New York Casino on the Strip. Some people rolled their eyes when the heard where their Artists Suite was located but it had been Lois's suggestion. And no one went against Lois. Almost as soon as he had found a room and checked his bags with the bellman, he had spotted both of them walking through the lobby. He knew Daphne was there as well, but all he could see was Elizabeth and what she was wearing. That denim skirt was shorter than anything he could recall seeing her wear. And she knew he had a weakness for her in a simple tank top. He was half expecting her to trip on her own feet, the heels of those sandals were so high. As he trailed behind the pair, there was no way Lucky missed the appreciative glances other men were throwing his girlfriend's way. Or the smiles she was returning.

The girls ducked into the Bellagio and Lucky quickly moved to keep them insight. He could approach them here, he rationalized. They would expect him to try in the casino they were all staying in. He didn't for one second think they wouldn't realize he would use the same casino. As they moved down one of the many corridors of stores, he began to formulate his approach in his mind. He needed suave. He needed confident. He needed Patrick, minus his cousin's ego.

Seeing them stop in front of a perfume shop, Lucky sensed this was his chance. He paused to run his hands through his hair and straighten out an wrinkles the flight may have caused. This required perfection. If this was to work, he needed everything to go perfectly. He was bumped from behind and turned to see a man, about his height, possibly a little older with curly blonde hair, backing up.

"Whoa. Sorry. Wasn't watching where I was going." The other man offered his hand out in apology.

"No harm." Lucky smiled good naturedly and shook the offered hand. He turned long enough to check his appearance in a nearby shop window. Satisfied that what he saw was as good as he was going to get, he turned determined to make his move. This is when he saw it.

Elizabeth jumping up to hug the very man who had just bumped into him.

"Precious, I'm telling you if you could have seen his face..." Daphne collapsed into giggles. "I never thought I would ever see him look so completely lost as to what to do. If I only had a camera. Sugar is never going to believe me when I tell him."

Elizabeth smiled as she adjusted the skirt of her new dress. The emerald green number hugged her every curve. The straps were so tiny they really shouldn't have been considered straps at all. It stopped just at the mid-thigh and the black stilettos made her normally petite frame look supermodel tall. The whole outfit made her feel sexy and ready to go out and break some hearts. Spinning around, she threw her arms out wide. "So how do I look? Award pre-show party ready?"

"Precious, you are going to melt him to the floor."

She was trying to kill him, Lucky decided. She was definitely trying to kill him.

It hadn't been that hard to realize that Daphne would take Elizabeth along with her to the award pre-party. And he had been invited to this shindig after all. But what he hadn't realized was just how gorgeous she was going to look tonight. One of these days, if he was truly lucky, he would learn to not underestimate her.

They had been dancing all night, which amazed him considering the height of Elizabeth's heels. Maybe she really wasn't clumsy as she had always claimed. To his relief they had been turning down attention from most of the males, although a few were determined to hang on. Lucky made a mental note of their descriptions to pass on to Taggert. It was important for the other man to know. He leaned against the bar, trying to figure out what to do, when Elizabeth made the decision for him.

He couldn't tell if she had spotted him or not. Probably not since it was a wall to wall sea of people. But she was moving directly towards the bar and directly towards him.

When she arrived at the bar, she rested her elbows on the counter. In what he would never be able to tell was real surprised or faked, she spoke the first words she had said to him in exactly five days. "Well what a surprise to see you here." She drawled.

"Elizabeth, I could say the same thing about you."

"There's a lot of things you could say, but should you say them? That's a different question."

Tentatively, he placed a hand on her arm, equal parts surprised and relieved when she didn't immediately jerk away from his touch. That had to be a sign of progress. "Can we go somewhere and talk about this?"

Elizabeth forced herself to take a deep breath and to focus. She had to play the game and not focus on the touch of his skin on hers. Remember the end goal, she reminded herself. Remember the end goal. "No I don't think we can."

He hadn't really expected her to say yes but he had to try. "Can we meet later and talk?"

"No. I have plans."

"Daphne won't mind. I'll talk with her."

"My plans aren't with Daphne."

Not with Daphne? What was she talking about? "You came here with Daphne. Why wouldn't your plans be with Daphne?"

"Because I'm meeting up with someone else. Someone I can trust."

He tried to stop her but in the end he could do nothing but watch her as she walked away.

It amazed him to no end that in a city the size of Vegas, he saw Elizabeth everywhere he went. He saw her in the lobby. In the shops. At the events leading up to the awards. Everywhere he went, there she was. Each time looking more beautiful than the last. It was driving him absolutely crazy.

He'd seen her with Daphne. He'd seen her alone. He'd seen her with that other guy a few times, holding his hand and laughing like there was no tomorrow. Sometimes she would talk to him in short brief sentences, other times she outright ignored him. And sometimes he wasn't sure if she even knew he was there at all.

A few times he had caught her looking at him and glancing away quickly. Those brief moments gave him hope. Somewhere there was a crack in her foundation. He was going to work at that crack until the wall he admitted he put up came tumbling down. And he was starting to get an idea of how to at least attempt it.

Elizabeth opened the door to her room, noticing the small envelope that had been pushed under the door. Picking it up she smiled as she noticed Lucky's handwriting.

"Please meet me tomorrow at 6pm. Room 1526."

She tapped the note against her chest, smiling. "Right on time."

Pausing to adjust her dress, Elizabeth raised her hand to knock on the door to room 1526. Daphne had spent the past hour curling and pinning her hair. The simple black dress wasn't the skimpiest thing she had packed but the sexiness of the dress was in its simplicity. As she waited for Lucky to answer the door, she rubbed the front of her gold high heels against the back of her leg.

"You came." Lucky opened the door far enough for her to brush past him. He had cleaned up nicely, she determined, wearing a simple white shirt with black trousers.

Turning to meet his gaze, she cocked her eyebrow at him. "Only for a minute. I do have a date tonight." Ok so it was with Daphne, room service and a marathon of Sex and The City they discovered but he didn't need to know that.

It surprised her exactly none that Lucky had a suite. She figured the managers would have bent over backwards to keep a key client happy. And she knew he was planning something big to beg for forgiveness but as always, he had surprised her.

He must have bought out every candle store in the city. They were everywhere she looked. The shades were drawn against the desert sun so the flickering lights were all the illumination she had. The carpeted floor was covered in rose petals. Pink, white, and red all made patterns on the floor. Where there weren't candles, he had covered the surface in flowers. Arrangements that she was sure would be beautiful once she could identify all the shades in better light. A table was set up with two elaborate carts full of food. Moving closer to inspect, she realized every last item was one of her favorite foods. Oh he was good.

She turned to make some comment but had to bite her lip when she noticed him holding the Teddy bear that was as tall as he was. When he ducked his head over the stuffed animal's shoulder, the look on his face was so pathetic she almost caved right then and there. But she quickly pulled herself together. There would be no caving until he made the speech.

Lucky took her silence as a good sign. It had to be progress if she wasn't making a joke or running for the exit like she had before. Moving slowly, keeping the bear between them as a shield should she decide to throw something, he started to approach her.

"I know I screwed up."

"You really need to work on this understatement thing."

"I was an ass. I was a thoughtless, insensitive, crude ass."

"If you are waiting for me to disagree, I'm not going to."

"There is no excuse for what I did and I do know better. You gave me your trust and I abused it in favor of stupid guy talk with my buddies. And even though you probably don't believe it you are worth more than some cheap locker room conversations."

Elizabeth forced herself to look at her feet to hide the expression on her face. If she looked at him, he'd never finish this and he had to. She needed to hear all of it before she would touch him again. It was the one rule that she was going to follow when it came to him.

"I'm sorry. If it takes the rest of whatever time we have together to prove it to you I'll do it. I'll repeat this speech everyday if you need me to. I don't care. If you ask I'll do it. I think what we have is pretty special here and I don't want to lose it."

He moved the bear to his side and tried to catch her eye. "And if you've already decided that you'd be better off, then know this will be one of the biggest regrets of my life. But if you think you'd be happier with someone new..."

She couldn't help herself. The snort of laughter escaped. Lucky was completely confused by her reaction. He had prepared for yelling. He had prepared for throwing. Even tears. But laughter? "I'm sorry but I'm not seeing what's so funny here."

Elizabeth took a deep breath to try to calm down but she continued to giggle. "I'm sorry but do you think the someone else is the guy you've been seeing me with this whole trip?"

Seeing him nodded, her shoulders shook harder with laughter. "I just find it hilarious that you think I'd move on from you with...with...my own brother."

His mouth dropped opened and Lucky dropped the bear as Elizabeth shook with laughter. Her brother? "Your brother?"

"Yup. He really wants to meet you by the way."

"So you knew I was there the entire time."

"Yup."

"The entire time?"

"I've known your whereabouts from the minute Cruz and Taggert called you." She continued to laugh as his eyes widened with the implications of what she just revealed. "Yeah. Gotcha." She laughed.

"So this whole thing..."

"Total setup."

Lucky moved closer to her, partly impressed by her ability to con him, party outraged at himself for not figuring this out on his own. Leaning his hand on one of the food covered trays, he cocked his head to the left. "I suppose you think you are clever."

"Completely. You'll learn not to underestimate me."

Closing his fist around a meatball, he smiled. "Absolutely."

And with that he let the meatball fly, landing splat on the neckline of her dress. Elizabeth's eyes widened for a split second before she attacked back with a flying spoonful of whipped cream. It wasn't long before an all out food fight was being raged. Sauces, pasta, wine, ice cream, nothing was sacred. The work of a five star chef was becoming a mangled sticky mass embedded on their clothes, the furniture and the carpet. Elizabeth did not want to be the cleaning crew who had to clean this room.

Laughing they chased each other around the room, climbing over tables, jumping on the couch, knocking over chairs. Lucky caught her mid leap by her waist, pulling her close to him. They were covered in food on every visible body surface including their hair. He pushed back a particularly messy lock behind her ear. "You are beautiful."

She shot him an incredulous look. "You are demented."

"Do you forgive me?"

"Are you going to do this again?"

"I promise. Never again. I don't think I could take another setup like this."

"Good. Then I guess I'll forgive you but you are on probation there buddy." She tucked away Robin's definition of probation. That may come in handy later.

"If it's possible, I think you are even more beautiful now."

"I look like the bottom of a kitchen drain."

Lucky winked at her and leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "Then why don't we go clean up?"


	73. With Or Without You

With his hands stretched behind his head on either side of him, Patrick was barely able to balance his long body on the bright blue inflatable ball Robin had insisted he pick up. She had was in an alternative position with her arms in front of her, her stomach resting on a yellow inflatable ball, and her legs behind her. Before the blood rushed completely to his brain, he asked tentatively, "How exactly is this exercising?"

Swiping the bangs spread across her sweaty forehead away, Robin responded, "Are you kidding? It works out your entire body." Assuming he was satisfied with her answer, she shot her eyes to the television in which a workout model was telling them what to do. She had muted the big-breasted boneheaded blonde a few minutes ago, deciding they were smart enough to see the position and attempt it.

"All we're doing is lying on a ball." Patrick pointed out, his hands going numb from the stress of pressing them into the beige hotel carpet. It was a beautiful day outside, the temperature nowhere near Port Charles', and yet, they were inside playing with balls in the most literal sense.

"Don't you feel the pull of your body?" Robin inquired with a huff, rolling onto her back. Her hair was pulled back in a haphazard ponytail and she was clad in tight black and white workout clothes. Patrick had opted for a long white t-shirt and a pair of black workout shorts.

"I feel something pulling." Patrick muttered to himself, but he was sure Robin heard him.

"Would you get me a water bottle from the fridge please?" She requested, closing her eyes.

"Sure." Patrick replied, happy to have something productive to do. This isn't exactly how he had seen today going. "What's on the agenda for today?" He knew she had peeked at the hotel brochure on their way in about two hours ago.

"I thought maybe I would get a massage." Robin answered, sighing when Patrick pressed the cool water bottle into her open palm. "This hotel promises a very stimulating experience."

"I bet it does. But I don't see why you have to leave our room to get a massage." Patrick reasoned, stretching out on the couch while she continued her game with the exercise ball.

"Of course I thought of you…" Robin told him, unscrewing the cap on the water bottle.

"Well now." Patrick grinned like a child about to be rewarded with an extra scoop of ice cream.

"But then I…" Robin took a long drink and averted her boyfriend's eyes.

"You what?" Patrick prodded, about ready to snatch the water bottle from her for all the attention it was stealing away from him.

"I remembered about your probation." Robin explained, getting to her feet and putting both of the exercise balls in the corner.

"My…what?" Patrick looked dumbfounded.

"Your probation. I told you all about this--" Robin smiled.

"No." Patrick put his hand out in front of him. "No, I was not party to any kind of probation discussion."

"Oh, well…" Robin glanced down at her bare feet.

"Why am I on probation? You said you'd forgiven me." Patrick reminded her.

"I never said such a thing." Robin shook her head. "I said I was willing to give you a chance to prove to me that you deserve to be forgiven."

Instead of asking, "What did you say?" because it would have gotten him in even more trouble, Patrick simply inquired, "I seem to have gotten confused on the terms of this particular probation."

"Well, you can look all you want, but there will be no touching." The words were barely out of her mouth before Patrick was on his feet, more than ready to argue the point into the ground.

"No touching? That's a pretty harsh probation." Patrick whined.

"Maybe if you had been paying attention to my mouth when I was telling you the terms, you might have had the chance to put in your two cents. Since you obviously blocked out what I was saying, you're just stuck." Robin declared.

"How long does this probation last?" Patrick wondered, his expression pitiful.

"Until I can trust you again." Robin clarified.

"It doesn't make you any less of a man." Robin promised, air patting his left leg as he sat on the right side of her in a stiff black computer chair.

"We're at a nail salon." Patrick shot back, glaring at the tiny Asian woman seated at the table in front of him because she kept pulling on his fingers and scraping away at his cuticles.

"You should really take more pride in those fingers. Lord only knows where they've been and you should be taking better care of them." Robin mumbled to him, handing over her desired color of nail polish.

"We both know where they could be if you didn't keep dragging us all over town." Patrick whispered back, his words causing the middle-aged woman in charge of his hand to slice at a piece of skin, causing him to cringe.

Robin gave him a withering glance. "I thought you were going to try to see past your own needs today."

"Did I say that? Then I guess I'll try harder." Patrick bit back every other response that rested sizzling on the tip of his tongue.

"I need to know whether or not you're committed to what you said. Otherwise, I'd rather not waste my time." Robin said, her eyes drifting back to her hands.

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Patrick challenged in a soft voice.

"Yes, but are you under the impression that I'm going to reward you for your efforts today?" Robin wondered, lifting an eyebrow in his direction.

"You already are." Patrick responded without a moment's hesitation, his answer silencing Robin.

"It'll take two seconds honestly." Robin rolled her eyes at Patrick's impatience that they head back to the hotel. There was no way she was going to spend that much time alone with him. It was sure to cloud her judgment and she had been doing so well today. All she had to do was make it a bit longer and surely he would break.

"Khaki shopping? Who does that?" Patrick grumbled, staring at the mall activity that lay beyond them. They were still in the entrance. If only he could convince her to turn back now…

"We do. Come on. I want your opinion." Robin explained, taking his hand and dragging him into the first store she saw. He thought about complaining further, but was too caught up in the feel of her skin touching his to want to. She didn't seem to have realized her mistake either.

There must have been twenty clothes racks on the way to the khaki section. If he had wanted to eat his words, he might have mentioned that he wasn't particular when it came to what she wore around him. She had great taste. He might have peeked in her suitcase and found a nice little reminder of the last night they had spent together. He wondered if she had brought the little green number on purpose or done so on an unconscious level, much like she was doing now, her hand firmly tucked in his.

She chose that moment to disentangle their fingers and throw a pair of perfectly pressed khakis across his shoulder as if he was standing in for the clothes rack she had just taken it off of. She repeated the motion with each rack they came to, and it only began with khakis. By the time they reached the dressing room, he looked like a Christmas display with multicolored pants, tank tops, and even a pair of pea-green flip-flops tossed over each of his shoulders. And he had had thought working on his upper body strength had been a waste of time?

"Are we clothing a whole army?" He mocked as she started to reach for one last item.

"No." Robin replied curtly, relieving him of his current responsibility and stepping into the dressing room. The curtain made a loud swooshing sound as she pulled it shut.

"Not much of a shield is it?" Patrick asked, fingering the folds of the pale pink curtain. "I bet it doesn't provide much cover for you."

"Patrick Drake, don't you dare." Robin warned him, stressing each word.

He knew her well enough to know that it wasn't an invitation, but her tone was challenging and he'd never been able to walk away from a challenge before. Think damn you, a little voice snapped at him. You pull back that curtain you'll get what? A few seconds left on this earth to live? A chuckle? To die without ever having sex again? "No worries, babe. The only one who gets to see you naked is me."

"Are you done? Can I show you this outfit?" Robin wanted to know. He could almost hear her tapping the bottom of her black flats against the floor.

"By all means." He didn't add, "I'll have a lot of fun taking it off of you."

Robin pushed the curtain back and folded her arms, trying to look put off, but coming off as adorable. She had chosen a pair of white khakis that, on her, reached her ankles and a blue tank top with rice-thin straps. On her feet, she wore a pair of white sandals. He hadn't even noticed her pick them out and he had been paying attention, not wanting to be caught with his foot in his mouth again. "What do you think?"

"Beautiful." Patrick responded, knowing never to actually look the outfit over before commenting. It was a charming little outfit, but she could have worn a paper bag and even that wouldn't have been able to offset her natural beauty.

"Sitting-out-on-a-yacht beautiful or stick-to-bike-rides-in-a-secluded-area beautiful?" Robin inquired ambiguously.

"What does that even mean? You're beautiful. The outfit is fine." Patrick assured her.

Robin lifted a quizzical eyebrow at his explanation. "What do you mean, 'fine'? Is it really that bad?" Staring down at the shirt and khakis as if they had suddenly gone out of style, she met his eyes with an expression that could only be described as hurt.

"It's not bad at all. It fits nicely." He was screwing this up. He knew he was. This was why women were not supposed to bring their boyfriends khaki shopping with them! It was amazing the clerks had even allowed him in the store.

"Forget it. Maybe this was a mistake." Robin started to retreat back to the dressing room where, she hoped, less offensive alternatives were.

"What was a mistake? I told you I liked it. Why are you mad?" Patrick felt as if he was in a house of mirrors, not sure which way to turn.

"I'm not mad." Robin argued, shutting the curtain quickly.

"Then what's the matter? What are we even doing here?" Patrick insisted.

"Are you not having a good time? Well why don't you just leave? I'll call a cab." Robin snapped from behind the curtain.

"You're being ridiculous. We're talking khakis Robin."

"No. This isn't about khakis anymore. It's never been about khakis." Robin countered, stripping the outfit off and throwing on the white knit top and hip hugger jeans she had come in.

At five, Robin left Patrick alone in the room while she went off to get her massage. He wasn't brave enough to offer up his own hands out of fear she might break them. She hadn't said a word to him on the drive back to the hotel or even as she was leaving. If she hadn't pointed to the picture that advertised the spa, he would have thought she had gone back to Port Charles.

He didn't want to analyze the scene they had started in the store because it would just make him mad all over again. He still had no idea what he had done to make her turn on him the way she had. She was irrational. She was upset. And now, she had traded in his hands for a stranger's. Patrick didn't want to think about her being naked under a sheer white towel while some paid professional touched her skin when he, himself, wasn't allowed to.

Would there be soft music and dim lights? Would there be any light at all? Would, at one point, this professional suggest she lose the towel altogether, his excuse being that he needed to touch her in places the towel covered up? Patrick hadn't more than glanced at the name on the pamphlet. Taking it from its place on the side table, he read off the name: Pierre. There was no last name listed. Pierre? What the hell? Were they down in the spa now speaking to each other in a language only they understood? He couldn't stand this. He had to get out of here!

Stumbling to the front door with an uncertain agenda, Patrick stuffed the plastic key card into his back pocket and went in search of this Pierre, went to see what exactly about his process was so damn stimulating! If he appeared crazy and desperate to the passing guests, they didn't mention it as he was scrambling into the elevator. He didn't have a set plan; he would just have to make it up as he went along. The mental image of the surname-less masseuse leaning over Robin's half naked body propelled Patrick out of the elevator and onto the seventh floor landing.

Amazing that he could be out of breath when the spa center was just in front of him, but he blamed the adrenaline. Once he spent that, he'd be a pile on the floor. Startling the receptionist with his abrupt entrance, Patrick braced his hands on her desk and asked, "Can you tell me if Robin Scorpio has already gone in for her massage?"

Maybe it was her training that had prepared her for irate boyfriends showing up at her desk, demanding answers that made her type a few commands on her computer so quickly. Maybe she just understood his desperation. "Robin…Scorpio? Can you spell the last name for me?" She urged, pushing her tortoiseshell glasses back onto her nose when she met his gaze.

"Just like the zodiac sign." Patrick told her.

"She isn't on the list. Are you sure she had an appointment for this afternoon?" She asked politely.

"Yes, of course. She left at five to get her on time." Patrick nodded.

"The office has been pretty empty since after five. I'm certain I didn't notice anyone coming in to inquire about rescheduling an appointment." She assured him.

"Thank you." Patrick felt like he should apologize, but he worried he might just make it worse since his anger had reached an unhealthy level. Where was Robin, and why had she lied to him?

Robin frowned at the empty hotel room. Leaving for twenty minutes constituted Patrick leaving the hotel altogether? She checked the bedroom, but his suitcase was still there. His clothes were still in the drawer. His hair products were still on the bathroom sink right next to hers. The only thing missing was Patrick. She could admit that she had felt a little guilty leaving him all alone like she had and the simplest solution had been to jump in a cab and get her butt back here.

What had been her rush? Patrick wasn't even here. She had rushed back for nothing. She bet he was off somewhere sulking like a child. And she had thought he was starting to grow up a little. Maybe that had been wishful thinking on her part. He had, after all, been asshole enough to talk about Lucky and Elizabeth having sex without so much as a worry or care about how Elizabeth might have liked to keep her private business private.

As if the cosmos had alerted him that his morals were being called into question, Patrick found his way back to the room and his reaction to seeing her was to throw out an accusing finger and demand, "Where the hell were you?"

"I could ask you the same question! What, I leave for a few minutes and you go off to find some other willing woman?" Robin didn't know where her response had come from. Surely she hadn't just insinuated that he was cheating on her. She wasn't that insecure. But, as she stood here, mere feet from her dazed boyfriend, she realized that she didn't trust him any more today than she had when they had first kissed.

"Is that what you think? Or are you hoping that's what I did so you can keep up this little charade of yours?" Patrick shot back furiously.

"I don't know what you mean." Robin was mentally and emotionally exhausted from this tug-of-war game that they constantly forced the other to play. She had thought this whole revenge thing was going to be fun, but Patrick had done everything he could to ruin it!

"The hell you don't! You've got me running errands with you when we're supposed to be on vacation…" Patrick ticked each offense off on his fingers, "Getting our nails done, taking me mall shopping, and then you go and disappear when you were supposed to be on the seventh floor with that sleazy masseuse so that I could defend your honor and beat the crap out of him for touching you!"

"You were jealous?" Robin asked lightly, taking a step toward him.

"No I wasn't jealous. I don't even know the meaning of the word." Patrick countered with a huff.

"You know, if you'd shown up at the spa a few minutes earlier, you might have seen--" Robin baited him easily.

"Fine! I was jealous. And then you weren't even there. But, you wanted me to think you were. Why?" Patrick snarled.

"You mean, other than to see your reaction? It was damn hysterical." Robin admitted readily.

"Hysterical? So this was all a game to you?" Patrick asked incredulously.

"Not that different from the game you made out of trying to get me into bed." Robin recalled, closing the last few feet separating them.

"What are you talking about? It's too damn difficult to play games with you. You see right through them." Patrick retorted.

"And you'll do well to remember that I always win and can change the rules at any time." Robin poked him in the chest with her finger, smiling.

"I don't think I like that gleam in your eye." Patrick muttered.

"Have a good day, Patrick." Robin bid him farewell and slipped into the bedroom. Patrick was right on her heel, but he wasn't able to keep her from throwing the lock. Damn it!


	74. Foundation

Patrick punched in a familiar set of digits and waited for his damn cousin to answer the damn phone.

Lucky fumbled through the cushions of the couch, looking for the ringing menace. Elizabeth at this moment was preparing a bath and the last thing he needed was to be caught on the cell phone. Finally finding it, he answered in exasperation. "Yeah?"

"Oh no, you don't get to sound put off, okay? Not you. Not right now. This is all your fault you selfish son of a bitch." Patrick ground through his teeth.

"Hello to you too Miss Mary Sunshine."

"You got laid. At my expense. I'd ask if you were proud of yourself, but you're my cousin. I already know the answer." Patrick grumbled.

"Ok what the hell is wrong with you and why the hell are you blaming me?" Lucky knew Robin was still freezing Patrick out, but that was hardly his fault. He wasn't the one who sent her in to a Laura Spencer Intention Attack unaware.

"You couldn't have given me a heads up, could you? Get distracted did you? God, and you're always going on about family loyalty." Patrick snapped.

"Are you going to stop talking gibberish anytime soon and get to the point?"

"You told me to do whatever it took. You told me to be at her damn beckon call if that's what I had to do to get her to trust me again." Patrick explained, his voice rising.

"I'm guessing there was an argument of sorts."

"She started the whole thing and now she's thrown the lock on me." Patrick shot back.

"Where the hell are you?"

"I'm in Manhattan. Where the hell did you go? Oh right. You went to Vegas to track down your girlfriend who, I know, had something to do with this."

"Wait a second! What does our being in Vegas have anything to do with you and Robin?"

"This whole thing was a setup which you failed to tell me. And don't even pretend you didn't know." Patrick warned coldly.

Lucky glanced at the clock on the bedroom table. "Dude I didn't know until about an hour ago."

"One hour? And you've let her lead me by the ear all damn day?" Patrick contemplated throwing the cell phone against the wall, but pushed back the urge. He wanted to yell, he wanted to blame, but most importantly, he wanted to not feel so damn helpless on the wrong side of the bedroom door.

"You call yourself family, but you betray me the first chance you get!"

"Number one I was concentrating on saving my own ass."

"Typical Spencer answer." Patrick complained.

"And then I was a bit distracted making up."

"Oh, I don't want to hear any of this." Patrick didn't want to dig his grave any deeper and discussing Lucky's sexploits seemed to just get him into more trouble.

"I take it you are crashing miserably?" Lucky glanced towards the closed bathroom door, listening to the sound of the running water.

"I was doing fine earlier until she lied and I caught her." Patrick explained vaguely.

"Why do I have a feeling this isn't good?"

"She said she was going to go down to the spa to get a massage and when I went to see for myself, she wasn't there. She still won't tell me where she went. Worse than that, when she got back we got into another fight and she told me that this whole day was a game for her. THEN she locked the damn bedroom door." Patrick clarified gruffly.

"You do realize that when you are attempting to apologize you really aren't in a position to demand answers right?"

"But she lied--" Patrick protested.

"Probably as part of her plan Dipshit." Lucky rolled his eyes.

"Great. Just great. Last time I listen to you." Patrick closed the phone with enough force to make it sting Lucky's ear and stared at the notorious bedroom door.

Robin smoothed the moisturizer over her face, closing her eyes as her skin soaked it up. She wasn't sure if it was the makeup she used or the radical climate change from Port Charles to Manhattan, but her face looked blotchy under her own inspection. Touching the mirror, she stared at herself skeptically. Maybe she had been a little harsh at the mall. Patrick had called her beautiful, hadn't he? And she had stopped talking to him after that. Way to accept a compliment gracefully Robin, she silently scolded herself.

Leaving the safety of the bathroom, she stepped into the bedroom and stared at the cold, empty bed. She bet Patrick had pulled out the couch bed and her heart squeezed a little bit. She would just unlock the door for a second and check on him. He hadn't said a word to her for over an hour. Really, she was only making sure he was still alive. Her actions in no way meant that she had forgiven him for jumping all over her when her stories didn't match up.

Just the sight of Patrick curled up on the couch bed when he was clearly too tall to achieve a comfortable position was enough to make Robin feel guilty. He had done everything she had asked him to do today and he had actually admitted to being jealous of a hotel masseuse. It was almost too much to take in the span of a day. He, Patrick Drake, was invested in their relationship. She knew she wouldn't allow herself to completely trust him until he said the words aloud, but, for now, his actions were enough to convince her.

Was he asleep? Robin couldn't tell from the doorway. One quick look to make sure and then she could go back to bed. She had been reading, not even the slightest bit tired, but it was the relaxing routine of putting on her night cream that lulled her into tranquility. If she hadn't known Patrick was on the other side of the door struggling to figure out where he had gone wrong, she might have just closed her eyes and gone some sleep. She hadn't heard the actual words he had yelled to Lucky through the phone, but the tone of his voice was enough of an indication. This too might have been why she left her bed.

Any other guy would have left her there until she came to her senses. Angry beyond belief, Patrick had stayed, not knowing whether or not she would ever open the door for him. He had stuck around for one purpose and one purpose only: to make sure she was safe. The irony struck her as odd. How many people in her life had warned her against him, told her that he was out for himself and no one else, that she would end up getting hurt and he'd get the last laugh? And yet, here he was, sleeping on an uncomfortable couch bed when he paid for a king-size bed for the mere chance that she might forgive him.

Perhaps Patrick wasn't the only one hanging on to old resentments. How many times had she looked at him and seen his brother, or tried to compare his actions with those of her ex-husband? It wasn't fair. Old habits and all that, but she had to cut her ties or she'd never be happy. Patrick made her crazy. He made her mad beyond belief. He made her happy. She couldn't explain it any more than she could understand it.

She noticed her own hand running through Patrick's hair before she even knew what she was doing. Somehow, she had materialized beside him. It was as if her heart had carried her the few necessary feet. Curling her fingers around the short hair at his right ear, she listened to him murmur in his sleep. Not wanting to disturb him, Robin pulled back the sheet and settled in beside him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and, even in his sleep, his hands slid down over hers to hold them against his stomach. Her breathing slowed almost immediately and she let sleep overtake her.

The buzzing of his cell phone on the coffee table broke Cruz out of his Saturday afternoon stupor. He had been mindlessly watching coverage of the golf tournament, more out of lack of college football than anything else. Glancing at the clock, he distractedly answered his phone, "Hello."

"Traitor."

Cruz grimaced. He knew this was coming. "So Elizabeth told you did she?"

Lucky paced along the length of the suite's living room, still sticky from the food fight the night before. "To think, I protected you from Patrick when you pulled the bakery stunt."

"Which you reminded him of for days on end whenever he started teasing you just a bit too much." Cruz argued.

"I never actively plotted with your girlfriend against you though." Lucky grumbled. "Of course it would help if I knew who she was."

"There was no active plotting. She had already decided what she was doing. Your girlfriend bullied me into helping her."

"You could have said no."

Cruz couldn't help the snort that escaped him. "Have you been able to figure out how to say that to her yet?"

Lucky opened his mouth to protest but conceded the point. He really hadn't. "You could have at least warned me."

"She threatened to plot against me if I did. The little bit she told me about what was in store for you already scared me."

"Aww did Elizabeth scare you?" Lucky teased in his best baby voice.

"Angry woman, determined to get you alone from family and friends in a desert. That is the start of many bad horror movies my friend."

"And good..."

Cruz interrupted before Lucky could finish his thought. "If Elizabeth is in ear shot then you might not want to finish that. You'll be right back to where you were."

Lucky glanced towards the door of the bedroom to make sure Elizabeth wasn't standing nearby. Cruz was right. She would have kicked his ass for that remark. And he would be right back where he started from. This wasn't fun. The making up however was very enjoyable.

"So I take it all went well?" Cruz asked.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because if it hadn't she would have sent your ass home in UPS boxes." Cruz explained calmly.

A discrete cough distracted Lucky's attention. Elizabeth stood in the doorway of the bedroom, her hair falling haphazardly down her shoulders, her body wrapped only in the white sheet that had covered his bed the night before. She had wrapped the sheet around her to resemble a strapless dress, hugging her curves and trailing down behind her in an almost elegant train. Leaning her head against the door, she smiled slowly at him.

"Gossiping again?" she teased.

Lucky stood up slowly, shaking his head in answer to her question. Remembering Cruz was on the phone, he spoke distractedly to his friend. "Listen I've got to go."

Cruz laughed. "So it went that well huh? I'd ask for details but I think you've learned your lesson."

"You know it. And hey Cruz? Thanks man."

"Anytime brother. Anytime."

Lucky slapped his phone shut and threw it over his shoulder as he reached her. Elizabeth grabbed at the tie of the complimentary robe from the room. "Talking about me again?" she asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"Just trying to find out exactly how you got my friend to conspire against me."

Laughing, she winked her eyes, playing with the ends of the belt. "I'm good."

Moving them backwards towards the bed, Lucky fingered the edge of the sheet she had tucked in to cover herself. Pulling it out slowly and beginning to unravel her creation, he kissed her softly.

"Trust me. That much I know."


	75. Make Damn Sure

Patrick felt domesticated as he pulled his Ferrari into the only available space, opened his girlfriend's door for her, and unbuckled her six-year-old's seatbelt. He could say for certain that, as an adult, he had never been to an elementary school carnival to celebrate the beginning of a new school year. The John L. Bernstein's Elementary School was one of two schools that the children of Port Charles had to choose from, but the event itself was far from small. As they neared the entrance of the school, he could see that the hallway was already crowded with excited children and anxious parents. He was about to retreat back to the car when Robin caught his right hand and steepled their fingers together. Her touch was like his life preserver and the reassuring gaze resting in the depths of her cinnamon eyes instantly calmed his frayed nerves.

"They're just little kids." She whispered to him, her expression teasing. He was still amazed when he woke up and found her beside him, her face pressed into his back, her scent entrancing him in the most spectacular sense.

"Easy for you to say," Patrick chuckled. "You fit right in." He dodged the elbow blow to his side and anchored her to him.

"Grown-ups." Morgan grumbled quietly, his eyes frantic as he stepped inside.

"Morgan, wait just a second." Robin ordered as she handed over the twelve necessary blue tickets to enter the carnival. She hadn't even had to look up. The small boy sighed and waited for the couple to follow behind him though Patrick saw the conflicted look in his eyes.

"Too bad they don't have an aquarium." Patrick said to himself, his hand finding the small of Robin's back as they followed Morgan through the double glass doors.

"They have popcorn though and corn dogs." Robin reasoned, making sure to only let Morgan stay a foot or two away from them.

"What do you want to do first?" Patrick asked, looking from Morgan to Robin and then back again. He wasn't leaving their sides, because he doubted he'd be able to find his way out if he did.

"Bounce house." Morgan replied, holding out his hand for Robin to hand over the needed tickets. "Four." He told her.

"Alright. We'll come with you. If we didn't have the Hulk here, we could both go in." She went on in a tiny voice.

"Babe." Patrick shook his head, amused.

"Grown-ups are not allowed in the bounce house, Roby." Morgan admonished with a little giggle as if he didn't now, nor would he ever, understand his mother.

"'Roby, huh?'" Patrick smirked, looking over his girlfriend's shoulder when he noticed Lucky, Elizabeth, and Cameron heading their way.

Robin followed his gaze and beamed. "Elizabeth!" She hadn't seen her friend since their little spa vacation so she didn't feel like an idiot when she left her son in the care of her boyfriend and threw her arms around her friend.

"Robin. I need to breathe babe." Elizabeth laughed. Life had been crazy since returning from Vegas and almost immediately starting the school year again. If it didn't sound a little crazy she would have been convinced she was still jetlagged.

"Damn, I wish I could get that kind of reaction." Patrick muttered with an eye roll.

"Daddy! I go bounce?" Cameron tugged on his father's arm, excited by the gigantic balloon house, with all the kids jumping. He spotted Morgan and waved excitedly. "Morgan! Hi Morgan!"

"Hi Cameron!" Morgan waved happily.

Lucky smiled and counted out the tickets that were required for admission to the Bounce Hut. Lucas and Dillon had convinced him to come to the carnival, even though Cameron was still a year away from entering the school. They had spun a tale of making sure Cameron was comfortable with the bigger school when it was time to start kindergarten. He was of the impression they wanted him to keep an eye on Lance while they had to work the pop toss booth.

"You going too Morgan?" he asked, ready to count out the extra tickets should the small boy say yes.

"Yep." Morgan held up his tickets proudly. "Come on Cam." A quick look of approval from Robin is all he waited for before dragging his cousin over to the Bounce Hut.

"Get a little color in Vegas?" Patrick teased Lucky. His cousin was sporting full-body sunburn.

Lucky shot Patrick a confused look, noticing his cousin's bruised knuckles. "What did she make you box a wall or something?"

"I fell off of the couch and landed on my hand." Patrick lied, remembering all too well the sound of his hand connecting with that bastard's nose.

"He's like James Bond or something." Elizabeth mock whispered to Robin.

"Secret Agent Man." The women teased in unison. "Can you believe Morgan thought we were going to infect him with grown-up cooties?" Robin replied, nudging Patrick in the side when he looked like he might continue on with his banter.

"Patrick? Give off grown-up cooties?" Lucky snorted. "Has he seen the toy car collection? Or the race track?"

"The race track is a touchy subject." Patrick whispered harshly, watching Robin's eyes narrow.

"As you can see we are still working on the whole 'not sticking your foot in your mouth' concept." Elizabeth explained. "So when did you get back you sneak? You didn't call me."

"I meant to, but half the town showed up in my bakery demanding cookies and cakes for this little get-together and you don't want to turn down soccer moms." Robin explained.

"Well not if you want to live." Elizabeth nodded.

"This is unreal." Patrick declared, poking his dark head out the side door when a familiar middle-aged dishwater-blonde caught his attention.

"What is?" Robin asked, chewing on her bottom lip as she tried to make sense of the bewilderment in Patrick's expression.

"My fifth-grade P.E. teacher Ms. Cooper." Patrick explained, pointing toward the blonde as she sat on the edge of a small diving board in the Dunk Tank while several children lined up to hit the target.

"I thought you weren't from Port Charles?" Robin recalled, taking a long look at the woman who had caught her boyfriend's complete attention.

"I'm not. She taught at my school for years. She must have transferred here." Patrick figured his voice thin and wispy.

"We should go say hi." Robin suggested, already moving toward the door. Her eyes bugged out when Patrick's right hand latched onto her left one pinning her into the corner. "What the hell?" Robin demanded, not looking pleased for his reaction.

"I want to surprise her." He explained in a scheming voice.

"Let's go there!" Lance was practically dragging Cameron behind him as the two darted off towards a set of trailers located on the other end of the fair. The two boys started off at a rapid pace, threatening to leave Lucky and Elizabeth in the dust.

Sticking two fingers in her mouth, Elizabeth let loose a loud whistle. The two boys turned around with shock on their faces. They had grown up hearing Luke, Patrick, Cruz and their dads whistling like that. Never had they heard a girl make such a loud noise.

"Whoa. She's louder than Cruz." Lance whispered.

"Freeze. You need to stay where we can see you two munchkins. Understood?" It was amazing how quickly the authoritative teacher voice came out of her once school was back in session.

The two boys nodded and started off again, this time at a much slower rate, glancing backwards every few feet to make sure the grown ups were close behind.

Lucky applauded as they started walking again. "I'm going to have to upgrade you from Cinderella to Wonder Woman."

Elizabeth blushed. "That's called bringing my work home with me."

"Whatever you call it, it worked. I was wondering how long it would take Lance to ditch us with my kid in tow." He leaned his closer to her ear and whispered in it. "Not that I would mind spending time alone with you."

"We're at a school fair with your son. Somehow I think that is against the rules buddy."

"Possibly, but isn't half the fun of having rules breaking them?"

Whatever response Elizabeth was going to make was lost as they came upon the two cousins stopped in front of a large trailer. Smoke poured out of it and a strobe light flashed every few seconds. Mechanical laughter rang out from inside, sounding remarkably like the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. Every few seconds, the building shook and the terrified screams of the children inside would reach the ears of all that stood nearby.

The two boys turned around, Lance's eyes shining in excitement. Cameron's were terrified. Jumping up and down, Lance practically shook from excitement. "We need to go in! We need to go in!"

"Sir, it's four tickets a turn." The pimple-faced twelve-year-old explained to Patrick impatiently.

The young photographer would not be perturbed. He was going to throw away as many tickets as he had to if it meant dunking his old P.E. teacher. He had been a quiet little kid, surprising as it seemed now, and she had teased him worse than anyone else about it. How high and mighty was she now, sitting on the brink of a diving board at the mercy of his aim?

"I know that." Patrick shot back, tossing the ball forward confidently. "So why can't I just give you as many as I want as long as it's a multiple of four?" He challenged.

"Patrick, you have to let the other kids have a turn." Robin whispered to him, a smile forming across her lips as she clarified the rules for him.

"Well if it isn't Pretty Boy Drake? You're a big boy now." Ms. Cooper announced in a sing-song voice.

Robin closed her eyes. This was not going to end well.

The ball skidded to the left of the Bull's-eye and the little kids behind them laughed hysterically. "I've still got two left." Patrick told the evil children coldly, bending down to retrieve the remaining yellow balls.

"Maybe you should let the girl throw." Ms. Cooper suggested cruelly as Patrick missed a second time.

"You know what…?" Patrick threatened, taking a few steps toward the menacing voice.

Robin linked arms with him and stopped him in his tracks. "Maybe we should just forget the whole thing and go get some cotton candy." She offered in a pleading voice.

"I'm not a child, Robin." Patrick snapped, gripping the last ball tightly in his fist.

"You could have fooled me." Robin spat back.

"You don't get it." Patrick insisted.

"Patty-Boy and I have some unfinished business." Ms. Cooper tried to explain to Robin, her voice patronizing. Patrick watched in amusement as Robin bristled up like a cat.

"Give me the ball." Robin made a grab for it, but Patrick held it over her head.

"You'll get your turn." Patrick promised, training his eyes on the target.

"Kristina, stop it!" Morgan's yelp startled the young couple and they each turned toward the sound. The eight-year-old was on top of another little girl--it was impossible to determine her age from this distance--pulling her hair and beating her head against the grass. Watching his girlfriend take off in a run, Patrick distractedly threw the ball and followed after her, missing the target and smacking the teacher in the middle of the forehead. The sound of her flipping off of the diving board and into the two foot pool barely registered in his ears.

"You want to go the fish pond?" Elizabeth offered helpfully. Lance had begged to go into the Haunted House and Cameron just as adamantly refused to go near the attraction. Truthfully Elizabeth thought Cameron had the right idea. Carnival haunted houses and rides had always freaked her out for reasons she had never figured out fully. Lucky couldn't figure out a way to allow Lance to go in alone without risking the fury of the boy's parents, so he allowed himself to be dragged inside. Which explained why she sitting next to her former student, desperately trying to figure out a way to entertain him.

Cameron shook his head, watching the exit carefully. "I wait for Daddy." He explained seriously.

"It may take a while. It looks pretty big." Elizabeth nudged him a little and pointed out the fish pond booth. "We'd just be over there. You won't miss him."

When Lucky had called and asked her to come with them to the school carnival, she had been confused. Time with Cameron was a definite rule violation. But the rules apparently needed to be revised.

When Lucky had called and asked her to come with them to the school carnival, she had been confused. Time with Cameron was a definite rule violation. But the rules apparently needed to be revised.

Their return from Vegas came one day after Cameron returned from his two weeks with his other grandparents. While he spent the night with Luke and Laura, apparently Luke had taken it upon himself to tell the three year old that his father was dating his former teacher. When Lucky had picked Cameron up, he had been bombarded with questions about what dating meant and why Miss Lizabeth was his girlfriend, not to mention what the heck a girlfriend was.

Giving up on explaining after a few days, Lucky had decided actually including Cameron on a few dates might make the concept more understandable. However it did mean that school was going to be a lot more interesting this year. Already she was wondering how she was going to keep a professional front on when Lucky came by the school to see Cameron, but now she had Cameron and more than likely all his questions as well.

Cameron shook his head, determined not to leave his spot. "I stay here."

Elizabeth bit her lip. She genuinely liked Cameron and had since before she started dating his father. She had thought he liked her too. However it was hard to shake the feeling that she was getting the cold shoulder here. "Then we'll wait here. What about we make a list of the things we want to do when they get out?"

Cameron looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Even if Lance don't want to?"

"Even if Lance doesn't want to."

He pointed toward a nearby booth decorated with balloons and stuffed animals. "There."

"Dart game it is. What's next?"

"Just what did you think you were doing?" Mac scolded Kristina as he pressed a cold compress to her left cheek. She was in far better shape than her opponent, but neither girl had divulged the details leading up to the fight. Alexis was going to kill him, Mac realized. He was bringing her only child home with a scraped up face. He had been waiting outside the Bounce Hut for her and somehow she had gotten away from him and caught up with a new enemy. The young blonde to their left was sobbing in her mother's arms and the woman was giving Mac death glares. He offered up an apologetic smile, one which she cut in half with her eyes.

"It was her own fault. She started it!" Kristina accused pointing furiously at the other girl.

"Did not!" The distraught little blonde shouted back, sticking her tongue out at Kristina. Figuring that was as good as a challenge, the little brunette got to her feet and started toward her.

"Kristina, stay." Mac advised, patting the spot of grass she had just vacated.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Robin asked Morgan. They were stationed just behind Mac and Kristina and Patrick was watching the countless kids at the Dunk Tank knock his old teacher into the pool one by one. Apparently, there was a lot of revenge to deliver.

"Can't." Morgan shook his head, knowing better than to go against his older sister.

"You were right here, Morgan. You must have heard something." Robin added sternly.

"I didn't hear anything. It all happened really fast." Morgan insisted, his little arms thrown out in front of him for emphasis.

"Don't make him rat out his sister." Patrick murmured to Robin, his eyes finally meeting hers.

"I'm going to check on her. Stay here with Patrick." Robin told her son, getting to her feet and heading over to her uncle and the little girl in his care. "Kristina, how are you feeling?"

"She thought she could take me down." Kristina explained to Robin, her answer surprising both adults. "Stupid little brat."

"What started it?" Robin wondered. Maybe she would have better luck with Kristina.

"She started talking crap about my daddy." Kristina clarified, her hazel eyes dark as they were cold. Ah, well that explained it all, didn't it?

"You should have walked away." Mac scolded her lightly though Robin bet he agreed with how she had handled the situation as he was all about family pride.

"No." Kristina argued. "She was picking on Morgan. I shouldn't have walked away."

"Little girls can be really nasty." Robin admitted with a slow shake of her head. "But if you beat them up every time they say something mean, they'll always win."

"You don't get it. I had to protect my brother." Kristina went on adamantly.

"I do get it." Robin promised, taking the compress from her uncle and lightly brushing it across her cheek, cleaning up the dirt.

Morgan gazed up at Thunder Coaster in a mix of excitement and fear. Standing at about fifty-four inches from the ground, the ride was made up of four beams that, where they connected at the peak, were interconnected with a fifth beam that hung at a forty-five degree angle, the rollercoaster dangling from it. "Are you sure about this?" Where was Robin when he needed her? She would take one look at this contraption and cross it off of his list, insisting that it was about as stable as a house of toothpicks. As luck would have it, he was stuck with Patrick, Robin off with the other children.

"Of course. I know it looks kind of nuts, but I've ridden it a hundred times and I've yet to fall off." Patrick promised, his answer causing Morgan's nerves to fray. "You aren't scared are you?"

"No!" Morgan shot back in a sour tone.

"Good, because I've been saving my tickets for this ride and your mom would never agree to go on here with me." Patrick replied, leading the small boy toward the monstrosity.

"Let's just get this over with." Morgan grumbled, wishing he had told Robin he loved her before he agreed to this.

"You know, if you're not careful, you might actually have fun." Patrick warning derisively. Morgan stuck out his tongue and the young adult smiled at his pint sized counterpart.

Morgan took his seat the second he saw his cousin hand over the tickets and waited impatiently for Patrick to join him. This whole ride wouldn't last more than a few seconds, right? He would be fine. No way would the school put his life in jeopardy. Robin would murder them. Pleased with that last thought, Morgan closed his eyes and felt the metal bar being lowered down onto his legs, holding him in.

The ride hummed to life and Morgan swallowed hard. As the little car rounded the small corner of track, he tried to find Robin in the crowd. A quick dip and his vision began to blur.

"Morgan, open your eyes." Patrick suggested, disentangling the boy's death grip from the bar.

"Nuh-uh. I'm not looking." Morgan argued, squeezing his eyes tighter.

"Come on. It's incredible." Patrick cajoled lightly.

At his insistence, Morgan eyelids lifted slowly, his brown eyes turning amber when he noticed how high off the ground they were. The car flipped and he found his little legs hanging in thin air. Wanting to cry out, but not wanting to seem like a baby, he swallowed a second lump in his throat and focused on Patrick's expression. Unlike him, Patrick's eyes were alive and his arms were thrown up above his head. He called out to the crowd in a loud yell and some of the others did the same. Shrugging, Morgan followed suit and let out an insane-sounding yelp.

"Having fun?" Patrick guessed, noticing a bit of color in his cousin's cheeks. His big brown eyes were wide, in alarm or exhilaration Patrick didn't know.

"Yeah!" Morgan declared and then clamped his hand over his mouth when the car lurched forward.

"Focus on something that's not spinning. Look at the ring toss over there." Patrick ordered quickly, motioning his right hand toward the game directly in front of the coaster.

"I'm going to throw up." Morgan shook his head seriously.

"Calm down. It's okay." Patrick assured him, rubbing his back softly, trying to stop the inevitable.

They made it to the Bounce House before Morgan's face turned an awful shade of green and he had to empty his system. Amazing how fast they were able to clear out the other children. Dropping to his hands and sitting on the ground, Morgan glanced over nervously at Patrick. "I'm sorry I got sick."

Patrick couldn't stop the look of surprise from splaying across his face. "It's not anything you could have controlled. I shouldn't have taken you on that ride." He countered, patting the boy's shoulder.

"I liked the ride. Maybe we can go back on it later?" Morgan's voice was hopeful.

The sides of his mouth twitching, Patrick waited a beat before answering, "Maybe when your face goes back to its normal color."

"I think he hates me." Elizabeth moaned. The only way she had been able to keep Cameron talking had been to list out the itinerary for the rest of the day. After that had been completed, the three year old had fallen silent until his father and cousin emerged unharmed from the haunted house. Only then did he become the chatter box she remembered so well from her class last year.

"Cameron?" Lucky kept one eye on the two young boys as they ran ahead to meet the clown just in front of them. "Cameron doesn't hate you. He couldn't stop talking about you last year."

"That was last year. Then I was just his teacher. Now I can't get him to talk about anything for longer than two seconds."

"Calm down Princess. I'm sure you are just reading way too much into this." Lucky rubbed her shoulder gently and pulled her close to his side. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "He's still trying to figure out what this whole dating thing means and I'm sure my dad didn't make it any easier on him. I'm sure his idea of explaining was just to throw the words out there and walk away."

"Maybe."

"No maybes. He loves you, he's just confused. Give him some time and he'll come around." Lucky raised a hand in greeting to Dillon, who was currently being tackled by both Lance and Cameron. Dillon pantomimed taking the two boys over towards the petting zoo. Nodding his understanding of the plan, Lucky looked down at the top of Elizabeth's head. "So you want to go on any of the rides?"

Raising her eyebrow, Elizabeth looked up at him incredulously. "The death traps? I don't think so."

"They aren't death traps."

"Lucky, come on they look like they are held together with chewing gum!"

"They are perfectly safe." Patrick announced, throwing his arms around Lucky and Elizabeth's shoulders as Robin and Morgan hurried to keep up.

"Some of them are. Some of them...well I won't be getting anywhere near them." Robin declared sagely.

"See Robin agrees with me." Elizabeth pointed out triumphantly.

"There's a surprise." Patrick whispered, catching Lucky's smile.

"Yeah that was a big shock." Lucky laughed.

"What is that supposed to mean? We don't always agree." Robin told them.

Elizabeth crossed her arms and affected her best put-out stance. "Yeah because I know you two would not be trying to pick a fight right now." She could barely keep back the laugh.

Both cousins went pale and Robin tilted back her head and laughed. "There's always Yoga if they get out of line."

"You promised never to mention that." Patrick reminded her, softly poking her in the ribs with his index finger.

"Did I?" Robin asked innocently. "Hmm."

"Yoga? You had to do yoga?" Lucky laughed. "Please tell me you got that on video?"

"Well it's not on par with thinking I was dating my brother, but I have to admit it is an amusing image." Elizabeth smiled sweetly.

"Dating your brother? Is that legal in this state?" Patrick teased, catching Robin's eye roll.

"They were in Vegas. Isn't anything possible there?" Robin recalled, watching Elizabeth's eyes narrow in mock frustration.

Lucky pulled Elizabeth closer to him. "Jealousy doesn't become them does it? They have to hate since they didn't go any place exciting like Vegas." He mock whispered, counting down the seconds until Patrick would respond about the slight on his hometown.

Patrick made a face at his cousin's response, but then his eyes lit up. "Who's up for a little water gun and balloons fight?" He asked, gesturing toward the game. Morgan started forward, but then he saw a large picture of a white and orange clown and quickly retreated behind Robin's back.

"Looks like Ms. Cooper is sitting this one out." Robin ignored her boyfriend's suggestion and nodded toward the empty Dunk Tank.

"Personally I think an empty dunk tank is a crime against nature." Lucky declared.

"I have to agree. Why don't you do your part and join in on the festivities?" Patrick nodded toward the pool in question.

"Because I know you would feel compelled to try to take me out." Lucky clasped his hand on Patrick's shoulder. "I've seen how you throw man. It's not pretty."

"What? You're on little man. Go on. Get in."

"Nope. To protect you from further public humiliation, I can't."

"Do you hear them? Who do you think is the bigger chicken?" Robin murmured to Elizabeth.

"It was a toss up but I think Lucky is leading by a slight margin." Elizabeth mused.

"And turning down those little kids too when all they want is to dunk a teacher." Robin shook her head dramatically and then she got an idea. It must have been clear in her eyes, because Elizabeth looked like she might protest. "Lucky for us, we have one."

"We are no longer friends. I want that stated in the record."

"Oh, come on Liz." Robin nudged Elizabeth toward the Dunk Tank. "It's for the children."

Lucky knew he was playing with fire but he couldn't help it. "Yeah, think of how much Cameron would love it."

"Please Miss Lizabeth." All three remaining adults begged.

An idea began to form in Elizabeth's head. They thought they were so clever didn't they? Backing her into a corner and using her love of kids against her? Had Lucky not learned anything from their recent trip to Vegas? She smiled in anticipatory glee and began to walk towards the dunk tank. "Be right back."

"That went a little too smoothly. I thought she was going to fight us at least a few minutes more." Lucky commented. He had a bad feeling about this.

"Did it just get chilly?" Robin looked uncertain.

"You're both worrying for nothing. She agreed, didn't she?" Patrick pointed out.

"Yes but it's the way she agreed." Lucky pointed out, seeing Robin nod in understanding.

"I'm going to get a corn dog." Patrick decided, clearly not affected. "Anybody want one?"

The loud yelling from the twelve-year-olds near the dunk tank distracted them all. Lucky's mouth dropped open in shock as he watched Elizabeth climb into the tank in an oversized white t-shirt and jeans. The shirt was just big enough that a view of her bare shoulder was visible if she shifted in just the right manner.

She found the group easily enough and waved at them. "It's for the children right?" she called over with a grin plastered all over her face.

"Yeah, the ones who are considering renewing their subscription to Playboy." Robin answered in a soft voice.

Lucky shook his head and closed his eyes. "This is not the way I pictured this going down."

"I never thought she'd agree." Robin shook her head as her friend climbed upon the plastic blue diving board.

With a groan, Lucky pushed Patrick with one hand. "Come on. You're coming with me."

"What about my corn dog?" Patrick pouted, not putting up much of a fight because it was no use. Lucky couldn't see reason right now.

"I'll buy you the whole damn stand. Right now you need to help me keep horny teenagers from soaking my girlfriend."

"How are we going to do that? Buy them off?" Patrick's smile died on his lips when Lucky turned to him with a cold expression on his face. "A joke, cousin."

"Even better. We're going to use your crappy throwing skills. Now come on. We've got tickets to buy."


	76. Surrender

"Okay Rocky, let me see that hand." Robin ordered, patting the spot next to her on the couch. He had played tough all this time, but there was no ignoring it now. Until today, it hadn't started to turn colors and she inwardly berated herself for not insisting on him going to the doctor after he hurt it in the first place. While his story seemed a little suspicious to her, she couldn't figure out any other way he could have injured his poor little hand.

"It's fine." Patrick assured her, but let her snatch up his hand for closer inspection anyway. She turned her head to the side, a few strands falling out of the clip she had vigorously strapped them into hours ago. Her hair was lighter than it had been before they'd left for Manhattan, because she had gotten it dyed while he was getting them coffee across the street. He tried not to let the memory of the coffee shop flood his mind, but it came anyway and there was no way to avoid it.

He had been flabbergasted to see Emily Quartermaine show up there at the exact moment he had, but really he shouldn't have been. She had gone underground for a while, but she had resurfaced as he had figured she would. What surprised him most was not her sudden presence at all. No, it was the company she kept. Nikolas Cassadine had made Lucky and Patrick's stint in high school a living hell. They had, in turn, gotten him back every time, but he was always ready to deliver another humiliation, each one worse than the one before it.

Emily had glanced up, surprise in her eyes, when she had heard the barista call Patrick's name. Nikolas had been in tow when she had left their table and started toward her ex, a wide smile playing across her thin lips. He wondered if anyone else could see the evil behind that smile as he could. "Well, Patrick Drake, you are a long way from home." She had greeted him despite the fact that he hadn't even acknowledged her. He wouldn't have known she was smiling if he hadn't the distinctive slam of her high heels skidding across the linoleum. "I believe you're acquainted with my boyfriend, Nikolas Cassadine?" Emily announced the name as if Patrick should give a god damn.

"Patrick Drake?" Nikolas looked amused and Patrick wanted to punch him. "You haven't changed much. Still following after your Daddy?"

Biting the inside of his jaw, Patrick regarded them with a shake of his head. "Nikolas Cassadine. Run out of women to drug?"

"Oh, Drake is that the best you can come up with?" Nikolas asked, disappointed.

"I have to get going." Patrick made a beeline for the door, but a hand on his right arm stopped him in his tracks.

It was Nikolas and, somehow in the last five seconds, he had managed to get rid of Emily. "She came to me with open arms and, I have to say, I've never found such an easy lay. Thanks for that by the way."

"It is not 'fine.' You've been holding it funny for a couple of days now." Robin shot back, unconvinced. She carefully flipped his hand over and studied his palm. So the bruise was concentrated on the back of his hand extending from his knuckles to his wrist. Dropping her mouth to press her lips to each scraped knuckle, she kept her kisses light and lingering.

"Careful." Patrick cringed though she hadn't hurt him at all. Her eyes lifted to his and he saw how worried she looked. Now, he kind of felt like an asshole.

"Your poor little hand." She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"It doesn't hurt at all. I promise. I was only teasing. It was a horrible thing to do. Please don't cry." Patrick said all of this very fast, his free hand moving to her face as his mouth found hers in an almost desperate fashion. Her fingers grabbed a hold of his shirt collar, the material bunching up in her hand as he eased her onto her back. Morgan was asleep. There was very little chance of him walking in on them. Besides, they hadn't kissed since before the fight and he was worried he might start to forget her taste.

"Patrick." Robin moaned his name as her hips surged against his in an unconscious motion. His fingers were making quick work of the white button-down she wore and it wasn't long before his hands would be on her bare skin.

"Beautiful." Patrick admired the sight of her puckering nipples as he pulled the shirt completely away from her and pushed it off of her arms. Robin was barely able to suck in a breath before his mouth was on her left breast, his hand molding and massaging the other. She ran her fingers through his hair, her nails digging into his crown when she felt his teeth softly graze her nipple.

Her hands moved to the hem of his shirt and she started to work it up his back, letting out a long sigh when he started to suck her a little harder than she was used to. Usually at this point she would lose herself in the feel of his mouth, tongue, and teeth working in silent agreement, but not this time. Yanking the shirt up, she pressed her palms into his spine, arching her back as his thumb brushed over her other nipple as if to prepare it for his mouth.

She could feel him hard and urgent against her, but he seemed to be content with the simple act of turning her on. Her fingers traced the muscles in his back and neck and he lifted his mouth long enough to let her pull the shirt over his head. "Kiss me." She begged, smiling darkly at his swollen lips.

"Where would you like me to kiss you?" Patrick taunted, purposely flicking each of her nipples with his thumbs as he waited for her to direct him.

Robin wasn't familiar with sex talk so, when she didn't answer, Patrick made the decision for her and slid down the couch. Pulling at the button on her jeans, he urged the zipper down and touched his mouth to the skin he had uncovered. "Ohhh." Robin panted, trembling when he palmed her through the coarse material.

"I bet you taste like strawberries." Patrick whispered to her, working his hand and mouth so that he tugged the jeans down a little farther each time.

A strangled sound exploded from Robin's throat and she fisted her fingers in his hair. She knew what she wanted him to do with that devilish mouth, but she didn't think she had enough courage to ask him. Reading her thoughts as her body gave away all of her secrets, Patrick jerked the jeans and panties down in one fluid motion.

His patience was going to kill her, she realized. He was studying her, taking in every bit of flesh he could see, and, at this moment, he had decided to separate each of her folds and tickle her clit with the heel of his hand. She wasn't sure if he did it on purpose or not, but it was having an unraveling effect on her.

"Please." She pleaded pitifully, her body no longer hers as he dipped his tongue inside of her. Her body bucked and lifted into his mouth, causing him to groan gruffly and move his hand to her stomach. If he was trying to restrain her, it wasn't going to work. Her body was already spoiled to his exploring tongue and she wasn't going to let him stop. He wouldn't really stop, would he?

He alternated between catching her clit in his mouth and sinking even farther inside of her at which point he would strum her softly with his finger. Each time he pressed the pad of his thumb to her clit, holding it against one drenched fold, she would stop breathing. He moved his hands over her waist and cupped her bottom gently, thrusting her lower body into his mouth again and again. Burying his mouth in the dark curls at the apex of her thighs, he worked two fingers up inside of her and she jackknifed, almost breaking his nose in the process.

Patrick wanted to suck her dry, but the moisture was building at a faster pace than he was lapping it up. She was so close; he could feel her slow pull away from reality. He was right about her tasting like strawberries and he smiled at that. The curve of his lips molded into her sodden folds was too much for her and she threw her head back, whimpering breathlessly. If she weren't as tight as she was against his fingers, he might have added a digit, but he didn't want to hurt her. It had been less than a year since her divorce, but it must have been a lot longer since her last orgasm for her to be reacting this way.

"Do you trust me?" He asked his voice gentle as he lifted his mouth from her lower body.

"Yes." Robin replied her eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Then I need you to look at me." Patrick urged, slowing his ministrations until she obliged him.

"Don't stop." Robin insisted, her voice as rough as sandpaper.

"Open your eyes." Patrick kept his voice low. A lover's whisper.

In his eyes, Robin saw intent. His mouth was red and swollen and she thought she might fly apart when he tentatively brushed his tongue over his bottom lip.

"Please trust me enough." Patrick implored in a guttural moan.

Before she could ask him what exactly he meant, Patrick stabbed a third finger inside of her and Robin's lower body clenched painfully. Her stomach was twisted in knots and she couldn't keep her eyes focused on any one thing. She thought she might have asked him to caress her harder, to reach farther inside of her, but even the sound of her own voice was muffled. She could hear Patrick saying something to her and, while she was trying her hardest to make sense of his words, she was only able to read the tone. Her entire body jerked restlessly and she felt herself spill over into Patrick's hand and then, as if she had been struck in the back of the head, a light exploded in front of her eyes and she couldn't move for several beats.

Patrick kissed the top of her shoulder, losing a hand in her honey-brown hair. She reached for his free hand and rolled onto her back. Once his hand settled across her stomach, the act was familiar enough to relax her a little. "That's never happened before." Robin divulged uneasily.

"I hurt you, didn't I?" Patrick bet he had. She had been so soft and vulnerable and he had pushed her body before it was ready anyway. He was disgusted with himself.

"No." Robin replied quickly.

"Then what--?" Patrick caught the nervous stare she was trying to hide in the crook of his arm. "Never?" He hadn't meant to sound so shocked, but it seemed impossible.

"Never." Robin had always done whatever she could to please her partners in bed, but when it came time to take care of her, they usually lost interest or fell asleep.

He was trying to be understanding, but some immature part of him crept into his expression and he smiled in spite of himself. "That would make me the first."

"Whoa. Easy there." Cruz moved quickly behind Bobbie as she began to sway in the doorway. He easily wrapped his arms around her waist and helped her steady herself. "You doing ok there?" he asked as she balanced her weight against the doorframe.

"Yeah. Just a little dizzy for a second." Bobbie rested her head briefly on his shoulder. "I'll move in a second."

Kissing her forehead, he smiled. "Don't rush on my account."

"Charmer." She laughed. They had planned to go to out to the exact same restaurant that was the site of their first date. Yes it was secluded but it was more public than they had been in months. Bobbie was trying to keep her promise to be more open to the possibility of going public and this was a first step for her. She wasn't sure if it was fate or someone's idea of a bad joke that she had woken up that morning feeling completely nauseous. The feeling had faded as the day went on but the second she had the barest smell from the restaurant and it came right back.

And now there was the dizziness. Bobbie had rarely fainted in her life and now she had almost fallen over twice. Once getting out of the car and now coming in the house.

"I really am sorry about this." S he offered as she moved to lay down on the couch. With half closed eyes, she watched as Cruz took care of locking the door and putting up her light jacket. Coming to sit down next to her, she smiled as he took off her shoes and placed her feet in his lap.

"You're lucky I know you aren't that good of an actress to fake being sick."

Propping herself up on her elbows, she playfully kicked at him. "I'll have you know I got out of plenty of school by faking illness."

Cruz cocked his eyebrow. "Probably relying on tips and assists from your brother."

"He didn't help that much." True Luke did help out, but he wasn't the total mastermind of it. Well not the complete mastermind at any rate.

Absentmindedly, Cruz began rubbing her feet. "Do you need anything? Are you hungry?"

"Right now if I get near food I think it is straight to the bathroom for me." She groaned.

"Something to drink?"

"I think I have some tea." Bobbie swung her feet down to the ground and made an attempt to move to the kitchen. Cruz was too fast for her and stood in front of her, gently pushing her back into the couch cushions with his hands.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"The kitchen?"

He shook his head. "You are obviously sick. So you aren't going anywhere. Sit. I'll get it."

"Cruz, don't' be ridiculous. I am perfectly capable of getting myself something to drink." Bobbie stood up quickly and regretted it almost immediately. The room spun in front of her and she felt herself begin to sway again. She couldn't afford to get sick. She had four weddings in the next two weeks that she had to put the finishing touches on. Morgan and Lance were starting back at school and she was determined to volunteer in their classes this year. She could not be sick.

Cruz put his hands out to steady her. "Listen Wonder Woman. I have no doubt that you could save the world tonight if you have to but you're sick. And I'm here to introduce a foreign concept to you. It's called help. Now sit down and let me take care of you."

"I appreciate it but..."

"No buts woman or I'll have to take drastic action." Apparently deciding she was most likely going to continue to argue, he bent down and swept her up in his arms, moving them towards the steps with her head tucked onto his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Welcome to the whole concept of being helped. Now shut up and enjoy this will you?"


	77. Omission

_**I suppose you can have your update since you're so wonderful!**_

_"I have to go up to New Jersey for a few days." Patrick told Robin as she lay on his chest, her hand resting over his heart. He watched her smile dim a little and her eyelids lift in confusion._

_"What's in New Jersey?" Robin asked, sitting up on her left elbow._

_"A new client." He answered, sliding his hands through her silky honey strands._

_"How many days?" She pressed on, lowering her head to his shoulder._

_"Two. Three at the most." He explained, rubbing little circles over her lower back._

_"Since when do you go out of state for a client?" She inquired in a low voice._

_"I'm trying to remind myself why I got into this business in the first place, and I've about tapped out New York." He reasoned, reaching behind the couch pillow for his t-shirt. Robin followed suit and threw on her own shirt, fumbling with the buttons as she hurried her fingers along._

_"Then you should do it." She agreed enthusiastically even though the idea of him being gone that long made her stomach do somersaults. How much time had they spent apart already, and here he was, taking off? It's for work, her mind rationalized._

_"Hey." Patrick pulled himself into a sitting position and traced his index finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "This is a great chance for you to polish up on your phone sex skills."_

_"Is that right?" Robin was barely able to keep from rolling her eyes at his suggestion._

_"Yes. I'll be calling you every night, asking crude things, checking on you. You know, all those things a boyfriend is supposed to do." Patrick clarified with a small chuckle._

_Robin couldn't help but smile. "I guess you want me to come by and check the mail for you?"_

_"Yeah, but don't do anything crazy like climb up in my bed without me." Patrick advised with a mocking finger wave._

_"I wouldn't dream of it." Robin promised with a small nod of her head._

_"Funny. In my dreams, you're always in my bed." Patrick told her._

_"Well, yes, in your dreams." Robin teased, touching her lips to his in a smoldering kiss._

Robin let herself into Patrick's apartment, feeling giddy at the feel of the key in her right palm, at the prospect of one day having one of her own. It wasn't the safest thing to consider what with the kind of man Patrick was and the kind of woman she strived to be. These facts didn't do anything to deter the careless thinking so she decided to let her imagination run away with her. She had never really paid that much attention the apartment's décor or lack thereof. Everything matched, she mused. Of course, what didn't match with black? The couch needed throw pillows. The living room needed color. The walls were boring and neutral. How could he call himself a photographer and live in such a secluded looking studio? Where were the abstract pictures from artists he admired? Why were the walls covered in dozens and dozens of NASCAR drivers? He was an enigma this one.

"Stop snooping." Robin said aloud, trying to steer herself back out the door. She was only supposed to collect the mail. He didn't have any plants to water. There was no reason for her to be inside the actual apartment. She had the mailbox key in her other pocket.

"Then why did he give me a key? He must have known that I would come inside." Robin argued with herself.

Why didn't he have any plants anyway? He was not as dull as his living room and she thanked God for it. She made her way quickly to the kitchen, not to pry, but because he had never let her see it. The one time he had cooked her dinner, he had managed to keep her away from the kitchen by distracting her with Morgan. He thought he was so clever. As she took in the pots, pans, and bare countertops, Robin couldn't figure out why he had been so adamant about her staying out of his kitchen. She had at least been expecting some kind of Playboy calendar. Curious, she opened the refrigerator and saw that he was in desperate need of some groceries. The only items left were a half dozen case of beer and a block of cheddar cheese. Shaking her head, she closed the door and turned toward the cabinets, opening them hastily in case something unexpected was waiting for her. They were empty. No plates, bowls, or glasses. The silverware drawer was empty too. What the hell?

"What the hell was he doing in here? How did he cook anything?" She asked, again talking to herself. Who cares? It's not like anyone was going to catch her. You need to get out of here and you know it, a little voice spoke up. "In a minute." Robin insisted, glancing up the stairs. She knew that bedroom had seen a lot in its time. She couldn't help but wonder what it looked like. Any time it got serious between them, they were either on his couch or at her loft. When he got back here, she was going to know that room from top to bottom. It seemed ridiculous that she had paid such little attention to the apartment as a whole. She wouldn't tell Patrick any of this. No need to inflate that oversized ego.

"Hello?" Robin's head snapped up when someone greeted her. From where she stood, she couldn't see the uninvited guest, but she knew the tone was definitely feminine. Part of her wanted to stay silent for a long time and see how much the woman blubbered out. Logic pushed her toward the end of the kitchen even as she cursed it. She needed to stop assuming the worst. She wasn't being possessive, but the fact was simple: Patrick was hers.

Still, she didn't have to speak up just yet. Let whoever had stopped by to greet her boyfriend say whatever it was she wanted so Robin could figure out what exactly she was dealing with here. She wasn't illogical. Patrick's career choice meant that the company he kept was mostly female. She bet that had something to do with why he had gotten into it in the first place. Quit it Robin, the little voice scolded. Well, what is she doing here, and when Patrick is out of town? Wouldn't his clients know when he was or wasn't at his studio? This wasn't a client. This was personal. What other reason was there?

"Patrick, are you here?" Patrick? So this woman was on a first-name basis with him? It was the way she said his name that made Robin's blood boil. What was the matter with her? She had never been the jealous type…well not to this extreme. She was practically stalking her prey at this point. Patrick would get such a kick out of this. He'll get a kick alright, Robin told herself, if this turns out to be anything more than a misunderstanding.

"Can I help you with something?" Robin offered, sneaking up on the five foot eight inch blonde and causing her to leap into the air. Good, she thought. Be afraid. Be very afraid. "I sure didn't mean to scare you." She lied, extending her hand toward the woman, not feeling even slightly intimidated by her height, "I'm Robin. I'm assuming you're looking for Patrick." She didn't go on to say that he was her boyfriend, because she wanted to see just how much information she could extract first. You trust Patrick, don't you, her mind screamed at her. Sure I do, Robin answered. I'm just sowing up some of his wild oats for him. I'm being considerate.

"I live across the hall. My name is Greta." She introduced herself, taking Robin's hand and shaking it fiercely.

Robin watched the woman bounce from one foot to the other and she tried to rein in her impatience a little. Greta, if that was her real name, was not all that unattractive. In fact, she was kind of Patrick's type with her short blonde hair, trim waist, and giant fake breasts. Okay, so they might have been real. Robin doubted it though. She doubted it because she didn't want to think that this woman had something to brag about.

"Anyways, I was just dropping by to see if maybe I could catch Patrick--" Greta began sweetly.

"As you can see, he isn't here." Robin informed her, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I can see that, yes." Greta replied unnecessarily. "I wanted to bring him a little present." She gestured toward the grocery bag she had brought over and set on the floor by the front door.

"I'll be sure to give it to him." Robin promised tightly.

"I'd rather give it to him myself. It's kind of a little joke we share." Greta countered with a stupid little wave of her hand. Robin wanted to break her wrist.

"What is it?" Robin was already moving around Greta before she felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. If you become a murderer, your mother will lose the election. She couldn't hide the sneer that was settling into her features. Why did she think it was okay to touch her? Uncle Mac can't get you out of this one. Alexis can't keep you out of prison.

"A carton of orange juice." Greta explained with a giggle, bending down to unwrap the present and show it off. Orange juice? Did she want to know? Yes, of course she wanted to know. God help that man, if this was some kind of sexual joke that she didn't understand, he would get to talk to her answering machine tonight and every night after it.

"The refrigerator is in there." Robin told her, knowing it wouldn't be living in there once this little twit left. No way was her boyfriend accepting gifts from strange neighbors, especially female neighbors.

Greta moved toward the kitchen and placed the new carton among the bottles of beer as comfortable as a roommate. Robin felt like a stranger and she didn't like it. How many times had Greta been over here? Enough to think she could just walk in unannounced. "I really didn't mean to bother you, but the door was open…" Greta said in an apologetic tone.

Liar! Robin wanted to shout. She had closed the door behind her. Greta was now breaking and entering. She wondered if she had a strong enough case. "It's not a problem. I'll be sure to tell Patrick you stopped by when he gets home."

"I'm guessing you'll be here until then?" Greta assumed in a disapproving voice. What will happen to Morgan if his mother becomes a murderer? Think about that. Focus on your son.

"I'll be here some days." Robin answered vaguely. Let her drop on by again. Maybe the lights would be out that night and she could say she had thought Greta was a burglar. Don't mess with this Scorpio you big-breasted bimbo, Robin silently warned her.

"Okay." Greta grabbed the empty grocery bag and stepped out into the hallway. "See you l--" Robin slammed the door in her face. She hoped that was subtle enough.

It felt a little bizarre shopping for Christmas crafts at the end of August, but that was when Dede's Crafts held the teacher appreciation sale and Elizabeth never had been one to pass up on a deal. She pushed her cart through the aisle, pausing to weigh the consequences of buying more finger-paint. Yes the kids loved it but the clean up was almost always more hassle than it was worth.

"Elizabeth? Is that you?" The voice of Laura Spencer was anything but threatening but it still struck fear in Elizabeth's heart. Which was ridiculous since Laura had been nothing but nice to her since the moment they met. Dropping the paints in her cart, Elizabeth turned around to find Laura standing at the other end of the aisle, smiling at her.

"Hi Laura. How are you?"

Laura moved closer, laughing. "I'm very happy to see you didn't decide to permanently harm my son."

Elizabeth couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. "Well it was seriously considered."

"I would expect nothing less. He deserved it." Laura had to admire the younger woman. Of the few women Lucky had allowed her to meet, she could count on her hand the ones that would have made him work to forgive them. Even less that he would have actually worked to earn the forgiveness. It had been refreshing to see.

Noticing the assortment of wedding related decorations in Laura's basket, Elizabeth felt a momentary stab of panic. Surely Laura wouldn't have been thinking about that, would she? It wasn't a secret that Laura had been making plans, to Lucky's eternal embarrassment. But actually buying supplies? Would she go that far? She couldn't. Could she? As casually as she could manage it, she pointed to the decorations. "Helping Bobbie with a wedding?"

She had tried to hide it well, but Laura caught the quiver of nerves in Elizabeth's voice. Never having been one to resist a tease, she shrugged. "Not at the moment but it never hurts to be prepared. Especially when there is such a good sale going on."

She felt herself pale. The earth could open up and swallow her whole right now. "Well I do love a good sale." Elizabeth managed to squeak out.

The poor girl looked as if she had seen a ghost. She couldn't keep this up or Lucky really would have a reason to be mad when he found out about this one. "Relax Elizabeth. I'm helping Bobbie throw an anniversary party for Lucas and Dillon."

Relief rushed through her, starting at her head and heading straight for her toes. A blush threatened to erupt all over her face and Elizabeth did her best to hide her face with her hand. "Okay that wasn't embarrassing at all."

"Don't worry about it. I meant nothing of it. My son accuses me of over planning his life, but I swear I do let him make his own decisions." Laura paused as a thought occurred to her. "Of course if you wish to insinuate the opposite the next time he makes a mistake, feel free to mention this incident to him."

"Now that has intriguing possibilities." Elizabeth laughed.

"Shopping for supplies?"

"Yeah. I like to stock up early and hopefully make what I have last throughout the school year. It's yet to work, but I keep on trying."

In the corner of the basket, Laura spotted a small wooden model train set. She had considered buying it several times herself for Cameron. Smiling, she pointed to the item. "That looks a bit small to last in a classroom. A present for Cameron?"

"I remembered he always liked to play with the cars so I thought he'd like it." It was a bribe. An all out bribe. Lucky could talk all he wanted that Cameron did not hate her, but she knew when she was getting the cold shoulder. Right now she was in Antarctica.

"He'll love it. How has he been taking the news?" Sometimes she could shake her husband. He had walked into the living room and announced that Lucky had made up with his "lady love" and would be back that night without even noticing Cameron sitting on the couch. When the three year old had questioned him about what he meant, Luke had offered up, "Ask your father," and run up the stairs.

"Quietly." Cameron had kept up his talking only as long as Morgan, Lance, or Kristina was near them. The second it had been just the three of them, he had gone silent. The first hour of their trip to Buffalo had been more talkative.

"If you ever wonder where Lucky gets his talent for sticking his foot in his mouth, look no further than his father." Laura shook her head. "Just give him time. He'll come around."

"That's what Lucky keeps telling me."

"And I'm agreeing with him so you know this time he may actually be right." Laura placed her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and squeezed gently. "It's weird for him too you know. I have every confidence you'll figure out this spot and move on." And if they did, it wouldn't hurt to hold onto these decorations, purely on a just in case basis, Laura thought.

He wished he hadn't lied to Robin, but he didn't want her here with him right now. She would be around for plenty else, and he wanted to spare her as much pain as possible. Sure, he played it cool, and had from the get go, but it was all a lie. What if all he had worked so hard for would be nothing more than a distant memory when this was all over?

He didn't want to make her deal with it. She had enough on her plate. She had more than enough to worry about without him adding his own fears and insecurities to the load. Her life was starting to calm down a little and he wanted her to have that kind of security. No, this was his deal. She would disagree. God, she would never shut up about how she was responsible for what had happened to him even though he had been the one to make the decision in the first place.

Patrick wondered if anyone actually knew how much he hated hospitals. It wasn't the blood and needles that bothered him so much; it was the atmosphere. Noah had been a dedicated surgeon, but the end result hadn't been a convincing enough reason for Patrick to follow in his footsteps. It was Mattie's passion for art and photography that steered her son toward his chosen profession and, as much as he complained, he really did love it. He loved when the clients went home, when he was alone. He longed for the quiet.

He had told her that he was going to New Jersey for a new client and, more importantly, to rediscover himself. He wished that was why he was actually away from her right now. How much would she hate him if she knew where he really was right now? Still in New York. Still in Port Charles. At General Hospital. Waiting to get some blood work done so he could check on his progress. Wait to see if he had contracted HIV, or worse, AIDS. One would eventually lead to the other no matter how much he wanted to close his eyes and wish it all away. It would happen to one or both of them. Robin had been a survivor for seven years now, but this disease was quiet and deadly. There wouldn't be much warning. She would get sick and then they'd know.

Tears weren't welcome here, but he felt them threatening at the corner of his eyes anyway. His emotions cared little for his need to keep his pride intact. He shouldn't be thinking this way, not before he knew for certain that he was HIV positive. He couldn't help it though. He couldn't help but worry that he was sick. He had had himself checked out when he first came down with that fever a few weeks previous, but he hadn't mentioned it to Robin. She thought he had been convinced with her diagnosis that there was nothing to worry about. Okay, so those hadn't been her words exactly, but he had heard what he wanted to hear.

How am I ever going to tell her? Before or after she kicks your ass for lying in the first place? I don't want to hurt her. You don't want to face this. I'm here, aren't I? Just because you're scared. Of course I'm scared. Patrick dropped his head in his hands, cursing himself for keeping this all inside. He hadn't let it sink in before, but he had no control any longer. His fears had been ignored too long and they were getting their revenge. He could see the tremor in his hands; he could hear the quickening of his shallow breath. He wanted to yell, to hit someone, to throw something, but he was at a loss where to start. It was a good thing Robin wasn't here. She wouldn't have understood his anger.

A small part of him said that she would understand better than anyone because she had been through it, was still going through it, but Patrick had already made up his mind. He would include her when the time came. Until then, it was his cross to bear. He would lose it here, but, once he was back in her presence, in the presence of his family and friends, he would be cool, calm, and unaffected Patrick Drake. It was a personality he had long since perfected. It was so easy to slip on the mask, he sometimes worried he was losing himself. At least, for now, he could come back. Robin was his trigger. He wondered if she knew that. Probably not. And he wasn't going to tell her. That'd make him way more vulnerable than he ever wanted to appear in front of her.

He didn't care how much of a coward it made him; he wished his mother was sitting here with him. She would hold his hand and remind him of better times. He needed that reassurance, needed to hear that everything was going to be okay. Most of all, he needed it to be December so that there would be no more guessing. He knew he'd have to monitor himself after that, but he wanted to know. He had to know.

"Mr. Drake?" Nurse Lee's steady voice brought him back to reality.

"Yes." She must have recognized him from the last time he had been in. Of course. She was the only one besides Robin who knew he had been exposed.

"Can you come on back?" Nurse Lee held out a hand for him, but he walked past her. That shriveling mess in the waiting room wasn't him anymore. He could do this.

Patrick paid little attention to the room around him. White, sterile walls. Neutral floor tiles. Metal exam table. He always felt cold when the nurse brushed over his skin with a cotton swab but something was different today. The chill went all the way through him and he was thankful she hadn't been holding the needle at the time.

"How are you feeling?" She asked in a cheery voice that said she could have cared less.

"I can't complain." Patrick answered in a clipped tone.

"What brings you in today?" She inquired as she took the needle off of the counter.

"Nothing in particular. I want to check my status." Patrick informed her.

"Have you been taking your meds?" She wanted to know.

"Yes. Like clockwork." Patrick assured her.

"Any nausea or dizziness?"

"Not since I last came to see you."

"Good. That's good." She smiled. The needle pierced through his skin and he blew out a long breath, the tip of the needle inflicting an incredible amount of pain. It had never bothered him before. What wasn't she telling him? Had something changed?

"All done." Nurse Lee told him, showing him the blood she had just extracted as if she expected him to give her a sticker or something. Congratulations, you vampire, he thought morosely. He was going home. He had had enough of this. He'd tell Robin something. It didn't much matter; he just wanted to see her. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and hold her, wanted to feel her heart beating in time with his. He wanted to be anywhere but here. "Your results should be back in a few weeks--"

"Could you put a rush on them please?" Patrick insisted, meeting her surprised stare with one of fear.

"Any particular reason?"

"Other than the obvious? No. I just want to be sure."

"Consider it done." She promised.


	78. Low

On a normal Guy's night, his claim of having to stop by Club Liquid for a minute because of work would have been met with jeers and inappropriate jokes. Even if it was actually a legitimate reason this time. But Lucky was increasingly beginning to realize this was not a normal night. Patrick had been distant for the past few days. Sure he still told the same jokes, made the same moves, but something was off, Lucky just couldn't quite put his finger on it. And Cruz had been distracted all week. He was ninety-nine percent sure it had something to do with the mysterious girlfriend but all hints to that nature had been met with silence and a completely random subject change.

"I swear this will just take one minute." He offered. He didn't expect it to take even that long. All he had to do was run to the DJ booth, ask about the reaction to the newest dance mix of Daphne's first single and then it was over, they could leave. And it wasn't like they actually paid to get into the club in the first place so they would be out no money whatsoever.

"Are you in a hurry to get rid of us?" Patrick asked in a mocking voice.

"No more than usual." Lucky responded.

"We both know you're really going to call Miss Elizabeth." Cruz teased. Not that he would be much better. Bobbie was still battling whatever flu she had caught. She had refused to go to the doctor but had finally relented late last night. The first chance he got he was calling her and checking in.

"Those of us without secret girlfriends don't have to sneak to call them." Lucky pointed out. Countdown to subject change, he thought. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

"Is it just me or have the clubs in this town gotten louder?" Cruz wondered.

"And you accuse me of being an old man?" Patrick inquired incredulously, slapping Cruz on the back.

Lucky tried to hold back his laugh. It was textbook. He motioned to the DJ booth. "I'll be right back," and made his way up the stairs to talk shop.

"What's with him?" Patrick asked Cruz as he watched his cousin walk away.

"Besides the usual?"

"He seems a little off tonight." Patrick didn't know if he really believed that or not, but it was the fastest way to divert attention from himself. He had come home early and Robin had gone after him with questions. He hated lying to her but, really, at this point, who wasn't he lying to?

Cruz shrugged. "First weekend since they got back he's not spent it with Elizabeth attached at his hip. Probably the shock to see that they do detach."

"I guess." Patrick answered distractedly. Usually the bar scene would relax him, but not tonight. No, tonight he could think of somewhere else he'd rather be.

"What's the verdict? Wait here or make him think we ditched him?" Cruz snuck a look at his watch. Lucas, Dillon, and Lance had planned to come over to spend time with Bobbie tonight. They should be gone by ten. At least Cruz thought so. Lance was five. He didn't need to be out that late. He could sneak a phone call in two hours. Plenty of time. Maybe even a quick visit. He was betting Patrick and Lucky would both come up with lame excuses to leave well before that.

"Which would bring more enjoyment for us? It's not often we get to see him pissed off." Patrick reasoned with a chuckle.

"So ditch it is then?"

Patrick was about to agree when he noticed two familiar brunettes heading their way. "Well, what do you know? Look who followed us here." He said once they were in hearing distance.

Elizabeth cocked her head to the side and smiled. "Oh I'm sure Courtney would have been all over that plan."

"Where is Courtney?" Patrick glanced over their heads, ready to hop over the bar if she showed herself.

"She's parking the car." Robin explained barely suppressing her smile.

"Quick Patrick there's still time for you to escape." Cruz teased

Patrick cut him a sharp glance, "That's not funny."

"Actually it is a little funny." Robin pointed out.

"More than a little." Elizabeth agreed.

"So what is your lame excuse for being here since it's obvious you couldn't stay away?" Patrick wondered, cocking an eyebrow at his girlfriend.

"Because when you look as good as we do, you don't sit home on a Saturday night because of some stupid bullshit like Guys' Night." Courtney answered coming up behind her friends. "Hello Patrick." She drawled out slowly.

"Medusa. Nice to see you out and about." Patrick greeted her, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Patrick!" Robin scolded him. "Be nice."

"It's ok Robin. I know how to forgive little people." Courtney over-emphasized the word little and teamed it with a pointed look as to insinuate she knew something no one else in the room did.

"Drinks? Anybody want a drink?" Robin gestured toward the bar, slamming the heel of her silver shoe into Patrick's left shin.

"See I told you it wouldn't take..." Lucky stopped dead in his tracks when he recognized who was standing with his friends. "I thought this was Girls' Night. Doesn't that include girly movies and face junk?" he teasingly asked his girlfriend.

"Well I was under the impression that Guy's Night involved going to Jake's, watching some sports thing, and drinking until you're stupid." Elizabeth smiled.

"Lucky brought his work home with him and we ended up here." Patrick clarified.

Courtney nodded. "Well then you can move on now can't you?"

"We were here first." Patrick reminded her.

Lucky moved closer to Elizabeth and whispered in her ear. "I sense a bloodbath about to start. Want to dance and avoid it?"

"You owe me if I miss all the fun."

"Then we'll just have to make our own won't we?" he drawled leading her out onto the floor.

"I always knew you drove men away, but there goes Elizabeth too. Your powers must be growing." Patrick teased Courtney curtly.

"What is the matter with you?" Robin demanded barely able to keep from stomping her foot at her boyfriend's behavior.

"You know Courtney, I was thinking about doing a profile on you and your up and coming film career." It was a bold face lie but he was about three seconds away from being a witness to someone's murder and Cruz had to do something. "Can we talk about that over by the bar?"

She was almost certain he was making this up, but publicity was publicity. And Courtney did have a career to think about. Besides it wasn't like she wanted to spend all night with Patrick anyways. "Sure. I feel the need to spend time in more intelligent company anyway."

Robin mouthed a "thank-you" to Cruz and spun around to face Patrick, "You have about thirty seconds to explain to me what the hell that was all about."

"Robin, you know she hates me." Patrick started with reason, but he doubted it'd be all that effective.

"Courtney is my best friend. How dare you talk to her that way? It was uncalled for." Robin insisted angrily.

"She'd like nothing better than for us to break-up and I'm not underestimating her anymore. How else could she convince you to wear...that, and in public no less?" Patrick motioned toward her outfit. The sapphire blue dress was held up by a single two-inch strap and hung well above her knees. Her toes were freshly polished and shown off by a pair of metallic silver high heels.

Robin's eyes widened at his explanation and she gaped at him for a few seconds, not sure that the next words out of her mouth wouldn't be in relation to his murder. What was wrong with her dress? She had gotten it on her lunch break today and, while Courtney had been the one to suggest Girls' Night, she certainly hadn't been malicious about it. "What?" She choked out, her eyes going from a soft brown color to a bottomless black shade.

"You heard me. You shouldn't be wearing a dress like that." Patrick stressed each word.

"A dress like what?" Robin's voice rose in irritation.

"You were the one who insisted on the relationship thing and you come in wearing that dress. Why not just hop up on the bar and give all the assholes in this place a free show?" Patrick shot back unhinged.

Robin reached over and slapped him hard across the face. "Why are you saying these things to me? What's got you so angry, because it sure as hell can't be a dress?"

"Do whatever you want, Robin. I really don't care anymore." With that, Patrick stalked out of the bar, leaving his friends with uncertain looks on their faces.

"Do you want to follow him?" Elizabeth asked in concern.

"If I thought he would tell me what has been bugging him for the past few days I would. But right now I think I'd just get my head bitten off worse than Robin." Lucky grinned a little. "Besides I drove so he'll either have to walk home or wait for me anyways."

He pushed her in Robin's direction. "Go check on her. I know you want to."

Elizabeth kissed his cheek. "I'll make it up to you."

"I'll hold you to that. Now go check."

Elizabeth moved through the sea of dancers as quickly as she could, watching Lucky head towards the end of the bar. When she reached Robin, she gently tapped her friend on her shoulder. "So did I miss anything?"

Robin shook her head. "I don't understand. He was so upset."

"Yeah that was way more than just Courtney setting him off."

"He practically said I'm dressed like a slut. He's not going to let me in and tell me what it was really about." Robin whispered embarrassed.

Elizabeth hugged Robin hard. "In the first place you look fabulous. Don't let him tell you differently. Now let's go over the bar, let someone else buy us drinks, and curse him for awhile."

"Tequila it is." Robin decided, hurrying over to the bar. How many drinks did it take to forget the ugly things your boyfriend just said to you? She was about to find out.

"Do you want to go over there?" Cruz offered Courtney when Elizabeth and Robin took up spots at the other end of the bar. Lucky had shot him a "save me" look when it became clear he was about to play babysitter to two women determined to figure out what was wrong with Patrick and more than likely men in general.

"Somehow I think it may be safer over here." Courtney smiled. "Robin has this crazy idea that I provoke Patrick."

"And I wonder where she would get that idea from?" Cruz mumbled under his breath. "I am just tragically misunderstood."

"What exactly is it you have against Patrick anyways?" At first the war between the two of them was amusing but now it was starting to affect Cruz's life. There was no way he or Lucky would leave without trying to contact Patrick and find out where he was. If he came back in, round two was most likely to start and Cruz wouldn't be able to leave then. If Patrick had left and found other company, then he was most likely going to be on the receiving end of another Robin Scorpio revenge ambush.

"You mean besides the five years of hell he put Robin through while she was married to his slug of a brother? Besides the living hell he made her life because he didn't want to face the truth about his brother? Besides his 'love em and leave em' reputation? Besides all that?"

"Yes." Cruz knew his friend had more than his fair share of flaws, but underneath it all he was a good guy. Ok so his exes may beg to differ with that impression but there were very few people Cruz wanted standing behind him in a fight besides Patrick Drake.

"I don't want Robin hurt. He's going to hurt her. He just did it again or did you miss that?"

"Believe it or not he doesn't want to hurt her either you know."

"You have to say that as his friend."

"No as his friend, I'm supposed to be honest about what type of guy he is." Cruz paused to take a sip of his beer. "He really is trying Courtney."

"A leopard can't change his spots."

"But a confused zebra can." Cruz smiled as his remark got the desired puzzled stare from Courtney. It had shut her up and ended that conversation quite nicely, he congratulated himself.

He sneaked a glance at his watch. Still plenty of time if Patrick was just out in the parking lot, kicking Lucky's tires. He missed the smirk Courtney gave him when she noticed the action.

"Hot date tonight Cruz?" She purred.

"No just trying to remember the bus schedule to track down Patrick later if I need to." It was scaring him how quickly the lies could fall out of his mouth these days.

"The bus schedule? You're sure it's not a hot date?" Courtney affected a pout.

"Courtney I think I would know if I had a date or not."

"Well I guess you would, but I just thought you would with Bobbie being sick the past few days. I do hope she's feeling better."

"She was a little..." he stopped himself, realizing too late his mistake. Cruz narrowed his eyes. "What are talking about?"

Courtney laughed and shook her head. "You are dating Bobbie Spencer right? I just assumed since I keep seeing her car in your drive and vice versa."

"What are you stalking me?"

"Don't flatter yourself. You live near us remember? And sometimes to get to work I drive past Bobbie's house." Courtney shook her head in disgust. "Stalk you? Hardly. You are so not my type."

"Who have you told?"

"Why would I tell anyone? You obviously want to keep it a secret and that's fine with me. Your business is your business."

"Look we're going to tell people, the time just isn't right yet."

Courtney placed her hand on Cruz's arm. "Relax. No one will find out from me before the time is right." She smiled and patted his forearm. "I promise Cruz. No one will hear anything from me."

Silently Lucky cursed his cousin. The night had started out so well. And it had promised only to get better when they had bumped into the girls. With that dark green tank top with spaghetti straps and those black pants that hugged her curves, Elizabeth had only added to his enjoyment of the evening. But then Patrick had to take out whatever the hell crawled up his ass and died this week on Robin and now he was stuck babysitting her and Elizabeth as the downed shot after shot of tequila. He thought he had paid for his mistakes in Vegas. Apparently he had thought wrong.

"Is it such a crazy thing to want a guy to say what he means and mean what he says?" Robin asked her friends, running her right index finger over the rim of her shot glass. This place wasn't nearly as dark and dreary as Jake's, but she figured out that the atmosphere had nothing to do with how fast she could get wasted.

"Nope. Not at all." Elizabeth chimed in. She pointed in Lucky's direction. "Pay attention here, you'll learn something."

He didn't know whether to laugh or groan. He settled for a mock salute.

"Patrick is your cousin. Why is he such a...a...you know?" Robin was trying to make them understand by snapping her fingers together.

When Patrick showed his face again, he was dead. Plain and simple. "I don't know Robin. He's normally not that bad."

"When do you see him as 'not so bad'? I want to see that Patrick." Robin sighed wistfully.

"Do we need another round?" Elizabeth asked.

"Do you have a spare liver?" Robin asked in a teasing voice.

Lucky snorted. "She didn't drive, did she?"

"Hey I'm still here you know." Elizabeth protested.

"Are you sure about that?" Teasingly Lucky held up three fingers. "Quick how many fingers am I holding up?"

Smacking his hand down, Elizabeth offered up one finger of her own. "How many am I?"

"You guys are killing me softly with your cuteness." Robin grumbled, stumbling off of the bar stool.

"I think we drove Robin away instead of cheering her up." Elizabeth mused.

"Damn. Alone again naturally."

"I should go after her." Elizabeth slid off her chair and immediately stumbled when she tried to walk.

"Steady there." Across the crowd, Lucky spotted Patrick wandering back into the club, obviously looking for a specific someone. Smiling, Lucky pointed in his cousin's direction. "I think you should let him take care of this one."

"But he's..."

"Her boyfriend and he's the one who made this mess. He gets to clean it up."

Sighing Elizabeth leaned her head into his shoulder. "You're so smart sometimes."

"Try to remember that when your sober."


	79. Disarm

Throw pillows, Robin recalled vaguely as she tried to open her eyes. Her lashes were laced together and it was almost as if someone had glued them shut. Opening her eyes was like lifting a set of ton weights with her eyelashes. Who hit me? She wondered immediately upon noticing the splitting migraine that reached from one side of her head to the other. She could almost trace it as if there were little one-inch stitches outlining the way for her. As she tried to open her mouth, she was met with even more resistance. There wasn't a bit of moisture left in her mouth and her lips were dry and cracked because of it.

Shoot me, she thought morosely as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She cringed at the sound of her eyelids rising and tried to roll over to get off of the bed, the urge to throw up strong enough to make her lose her balance. Stumbling off of the king-size bed and over to the dresser, she tried to regain some kind of composure only to feel her hands collide with something and hear it shatter.

"Hey, you're up." Patrick addressed her, helping her back to the bed. She didn't tell him about the motion sickness she was suddenly experiencing but it was made apparent when she caught a whiff of his aftershave and her face turned a nasty shade of green. "Got it." He placed her on the mattress and handed her a wastebasket, one which she handed back a moment later.

Robin's head found his right shoulder somehow and she buried her face in his blue button-down, curling into a ball as the sound of a faucet dripping caused her to cover her ears and whimper slightly. Patrick collected her carefully to him and rubbed her back. "You'll be okay." Sure, it was easy for him to say. He hadn't woken up with the hangover from hell. "Are you cold?" He wondered, easing her head back with his hand.

"No. Too hot." She spoke at last, pushing him away a little. He caught her arms and put adequate distance between them while still keeping her from falling into a heap on the floor.

"Are you still feeling dizzy?"

"No. I need to get home." She realized, glancing over at the window, proving to herself that it was still evening.

"You aren't going anywhere right this second." Patrick argued. "But how about something for that hangover?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?" She challenged tightly.

"I can be nice." Patrick insisted, ignoring Robin's scoff.

"You're only nice when you want something." She countered, reaching for the end of the mattress to try and get to her feet.

"Careful there, Bambi. I don't know if you should attempt that just yet. Remember what happened last time?" He reminded her.

"I am _not_ a child." She shot back, using his right hand to help balance herself. "There. See. Did it."

"Yes you did."

"Are you mocking me?" She cut him a sideways glance.

"No. Do you want some relief or not?" He had to have known she did.

"Do you have to be there with me?" She redirected.

"To make sure you actually drink it, yes." He clarified.

"Where are we going?" She asked, latching onto his left arm as they left the bedroom.

"Downstairs." Patrick replied, moving her hand to his right arm so that he could hold her up with the other.

"I can hold myself up." Robin snapped.

"Sure you can." Patrick muttered, slowly stepping down the stairs with her holding onto him like a lifesaver.

"Where do you get off--" She began.

"Robin, shh. All this yelling is not going to help your head." He advised, watching his words convince her to lean into him even more heavily.

"What's in this special drink?" Robin queried as he sat her down in a chair and disappeared into the kitchen.

"It doesn't matter." She heard him call from the kitchen. Was that…? Yep, a blender. She held her head and a long string of whimpers escaped her lips. Then it was over and there was a glass full of some kind of pink foam being pushed into her hand. "You like pink, don't you?"

"Not when I don't know what makes it that color." Robin grumbled, giving him a skeptical look.

"If you drink it really fast, you can't taste it." He promised, lifting the hand that grasped the glass so that it was level with her mouth.

"I don't know, Patrick. Can't I just have some aspirin or something?" She whined.

"If you want to wait a while for the hangover to subside. Trust me. I know what I'm talking about. Drink up." He stood over her and would until she drained the glass.

"There. Happy?" She asked once she had taken a small sip.

"All of it, Robin." He pressed on, resting his hand on the back of her neck.

As she brought the glass to her lips again, the smell assaulted her nose and she had to swallow down a mouthful of bile. She wanted to give it back to him and go find some aspirin, but he wouldn't let her leave this chair until she did what she was told. Damned stubborn man.

"That's a good girl." He teased, taking the glass from her and leaving it in the kitchen.

"Shut up." She murmured, sliding off of the chair and keeping her balance for a full minute before she had to reach out and accept the support Patrick was offering. "I took your miracle drink. Why don't I feel better yet?"

"Because that's only one of two. Without the second part, the drink was all for show." Patrick explained ushering her over to the couch and letting her sit down.

"I don't care. Whatever the second thing is, I don't want it. I just want to sleep." Robin insisted, slowly lowering her head to the arm of the couch. The leather squeaked under her and she reached for her head again.

"If you can sleep, do so. I'm going to get to work on some breakfast--" His voice sounded distant.

"Breakfast? It's the middle of the night." Robin pointed out.

"It'll help." He promised.

"All that grease…" She mused, clamping her hand over her mouth. Patrick nudged over a trashcan with his right boot and then headed for the kitchen to prepare a meal for her.

When Patrick returned to the living room about ten minutes later, Robin was sprawled out on the couch, her left leg hanging over the side and her arms thrown haphazardly across her stomach. He smirked when he heard her voice change from a soft purr to the unmistakable sound of a snore. Reaching for a forest green throw he kept to the left of the couch, he tucked her in, careful not to disturb her. He had already called Elizabeth and Courtney to let them know that she'd probably be staying over. Courtney had assured him that getting Morgan ready for school had become so common, she could do it alone. Elizabeth had agreed that staying over was probably the best thing, but he had noticed a bit of hesitancy in her tone. She was a good friend.

"What am I going to do with you, huh?" He asked, dropping onto the floor beside the couch. Brushing away her sweaty bangs, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm an asshole. We've pretty much established that." He chuckled, resting his forehead against hers, her breath catching slightly. Rubbing a series of circles over her stomach, he waited for her body to relax under his subtle touch before continuing, "I don't understand what it is you see in me that makes you stay, makes you take all of the crap that comes spewing out of my mouth."

He needed her to be awake for this. He was already in enough trouble and he knew she was in so much pain. The outfit had set him off, but he had never meant for the fight to go as far as it had. He didn't want to think that she was dressing like this for anyone but him. Listening to his own mind piece together his thoughts, he had to laugh at his moronic logic. So he had figured calling her a whore was the way to get her to come to his side? He was lucky she had stopped herself with a cruel slap to the cheek. She could have done some major damage. But, unlike him, she didn't seem all that interested in making him pay for his mistakes. In fact, since Manhattan, she had been especially loving toward him.

"Robin, honey, wake up." Patrick barely rubbed her shoulders until she started to stir. "I need you to look at me, hear what I'm about to tell you." He went on breathlessly.

"I'm so sleepy." She answered pitifully, pushing his hands away from her shoulders and snuggling into the blanket.

"I know, but I need you to wake up." He whispered into her ear.

"Fine. I'm up. I'm up." She promised, pushing her feet out from under her and settling the blanket over her shoulders like a makeshift cape. "What?"

"I didn't go to New Jersey." Patrick admitted, feeling as though all of the air had been sucked out of the room.

"What do you mean you didn't go to New Jersey? Didn't you have a client there?" Robin asked, rubbing her eyes and trying to focus.

"No. I lied to you." Patrick shook his head, glancing down at his hands.

"Why would you do that?" Though it hadn't seemed possible, she had missed him terribly in the mere day he had been away from her. And, come to find out, he hadn't actually gone away to meet a client when that's what he had told her.

"I had to do something…and I didn't want you to know about it." Patrick explained, his eyes finding hers at last.

Feeling a lump build inside her throat, Robin tentatively asked, "Where did you really go?"

"I went to have some blood drawn at General." Patrick clarified, his tongue darting out to wet his dry bottom lip.

"General Hospital?" Robin guessed.

"Yeah." Patrick nodded.

"Why didn't you think you could tell me that?" She inquired, hurt.

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Should I be worried?" Robin asked in a quiet, tormented whisper.

"No." Patrick reached for her hand but she backed away from him. "I just wanted to be sure."

"I see." Robin responded in a remote tone. "Is this because of what happened between us the afternoon you left?"

"No, of course not!" Patrick replied resolutely.

"Then explain the timing to me, because I don't understand what would make you rush off to the hospital to have another set of tests run." Robin's voice cracked and she wouldn't let him see her eyes. She, instead, focused on the wall behind him.

"I told you: I wanted to be sure." Patrick repeated.

"If you were so scared, why didn't you use some kind of protection? God, why didn't I insist that you--" Robin couldn't finish the thought.

"My going to General had nothing to do with you." Patrick stated unwaveringly.

"It has everything to do with me! I'm the one who exposed you to this disease." Her eyes shifted to his. "What affects you affects me too. I couldn't stand it if--"

"I don't know anything for certain. The first two tests have been negative. I didn't want to involve you…"

"That doesn't make any sense, Patrick. I know what you're going through. I get it. You don't have to hide things from me. I want you to be able to trust me--"

"I trust you implicitly." Patrick retorted.

"Obviously not or you wouldn't have lied." Robin's chin began to wobble, but she never let her eyes stray from his.

"I didn't want to worry you over nothing. How can you say I don't trust you? Don't you see? Don't you see that I'm trying to spare you from unnecessary pain?"

"I didn't ask you to save me. I've been just fine on my own." Robin sneered.

"I still get to try whether or not you decide to make it easy on me. You've been through so much already."

"So what? I live everyday with a disease I can't see, can only feel. It's scary as hell and I begged you to leave me in that car, but you wouldn't listen." Her eyelids fluttered restlessly as she fought back oncoming tears.

Patrick brushed her tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "You're damn right I wouldn't listen. I was stubborn and terrified that I was going to lose you. Given another chance, I'd do the same thing."

"Don't say that! You can't mean that!" She shook her head fervently.

Patrick leaned in closer, pressing his mouth to each tear and soaking them into his mouth. "Do you have any idea how important you are to me? I would do anything for you."

"Patrick--"

"No, let me finish." He settled his hands over hers, brushing their cheeks together. As always, her scent distracted him and he had to struggle to focus because he wouldn't be able to continue otherwise. "I've watched everyone leave you at one point or another in your life. I didn't know Stone, but just from what you've told me--"

"Please stop it." Robin pleaded, struggling for breath as her tears threatened to choke her.

"And then Jason. You thought you had a real connection with him I bet, but he was just a cold, heartless son of a bitch who used you and then had nothing to do with you after that."

"That isn't--"

"You went on to marry another cold, heartless son of a bitch. And when he hurt you…" Patrick had to look away for a second and then his eyes were on hers again. "I wanted you to be wrong. I wanted to believe that he was right. I inflicted an immeasurable amount of pain and stress on you when you weren't even at fault." He whispered harshly.

"You didn't know." Robin insisted.

"But I should have known." He replied angrily. "I should have seen through the bullshit and trust that you were telling the truth. Everyone else could see it, but I refused to. I wasted so much time." Patrick wiped away the moisture building under his eyes.

"But we've got time now." Robin reminded him. "The past doesn't matter. This, you and me, matters." She promised, squeezing his hands tightly.

"When I was sitting in that hospital, all I wanted was to be back with you. I thought about you the whole time." Patrick disclosed, intertwining their hands and bringing her knuckles to his mouth.

"I wish you had let me go with you." Robin sighed brokenly.

"I am sorry I lied to you, but it was good that you weren't there. Until we know--" Patrick explained.

"No!" Robin's response surprised him. "No more secret appointments. I'm going with you every time, so you just need to swallow your pride and accept that."

"It's not about pride." Patrick argued. "Or at least, not all about pride."

"I know you want to protect me, but lying isn't the way to go. Let me help you." Robin begged.

"I don't know how." Patrick admitted shamefacedly.

"You're not alone anymore." Robin assured him, placing a kiss on his forehead, the tip of his nose, and the corner of his mouth. He turned his mouth into hers, feeling some of the tension leave his body as she surrendered beneath his powerful kiss.

Their lips moved together, restlessly at first, and then lazily as they familiarized themselves with one another. He could taste their combined tears as he drank hungrily from her mouth, swallowing her every moan. Her fingertips pressed into his neck and he drew her closer, pulling at the top button of her dress and sliding his hand inside the material to caress her velvet skin. Pressing his mouth to the tip of her ear, he whispered, "I love you."


	80. Fall

"And you said?" Elizabeth nearly fell off her grandmother's couch in her excitement. It was like the episode of Emergency Room when the two doctor characters kissed for the first time and then the screen went black for the rest of the afternoon. Not that she watched that stupid soap opera; it was completely unrealistic.

Robin tucked a golden curl behind her left ear, fidgeting slightly. If it had been anyone but Elizabeth, she wouldn't have said a word. But it was Elizabeth and she knew she couldn't keep it in any longer. It had only been a couple of days, but already so much had changed. "I didn't say anything." She admitted, glancing down at her chipping peach nail polish.

Elizabeth sat there dazed, blinking rapidly. For several minutes she could just stare at her friend in complete silence. That couldn't be right. A man with Patrick's reputation said that and Robin hadn't said a word? She had to have heard wrong. Grasping her friend's hand, she looked into Robin's eyes, determined to see if she was joking on any level. "By that do you mean you kissed him madly and demonstrated your feelings for him?"

"The silence was deafening." Robin remembered, pulling at the denim of her blue jeans. "It's not that I didn't believe him when he said that he...when he said what he did. I think he has actually convinced himself that he feels that way for me." She explained her mind spinning as she tried to word everything just right.

"So if you think he meant it, why didn't you say anything?" Elizabeth held up one finger before  
Robin could even respond. "Don't even try this 'you don't have feelings for him that way' crap with me. I know it's a lie and I will call you on it."

Robin chewed nervously on his lip. "It's not practical to feel that way about him." She replied instead, closing her eyes as she heard the bitterness escape her lips.

"Since when is love practical?"

"Don't say that word. Honestly, it doesn't have the meaning it should for me anymore."

"Explain please. Explain how the woman who has the most complete collection of classic romantic movies can be so down on love?" Elizabeth purposely overemphasized the last word just to prove her point.

Robin cringed slightly and spoke softly, "Patrick proved to be the perfect distraction for me. He gave me confidence and showed me that I'm still capable of a lot of things..." She didn't want to say anymore, because it would have sounded cheap. And they had something. That was what scared her, made her want to throw a caution sigh in Patrick's face. "I don't need or want his love...or any man's for that matter."

Elizabeth felt a realization start to dawn on her. "This is all Logan's fault, isn't it?"

"Logan has nothing to do with this. I've stopped blaming Patrick for his brother's stupid mistakes." Robin insisted sharply.

"Now you're blaming yourself."

"I'm just preparing myself for the inevitable. What's wrong with that?" Robin challenged,  
snatching her hand away from Elizabeth's and standing, needing the movement to distance herself from the truth in her friend's words.

"Nothing is wrong with that if you are seeing red flags. But unless you are holding back on me, you've not seen any of those."

"He lied about going to New Jersey." Robin whispered, feeling a particularly familiar lump build up in her throat. "He went to have more blood tests done here in Port Charles."

"I'm assuming he had a reason?"

"He just wanted to be sure, he tells me. But I think something spooked him. And then for him to say that he loves me so soon afterwards? I don't trust it. I've heard the words too many times and they've only been true once." Robin pointed out.

"So it's the moment that you doubt?" Elizabeth was a bit confused. She knew Robin had been hurt in the past, and her last relationship had done a number on her. Being a bit gun shy was understandable, but she could have sworn three days ago Patrick's declaration would have been met with something. Robin was at war with Courtney over how important this relationship was to her.

"God, that's not even true." Robin rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I couldn't repeat the words back to him. It was too hard. I saw everything I would be giving up instead of what I'd be gaining. It was easier when I knew he was a player, when I had to second-guess everything he did, everyone he was with. When he told me he had lied about Jersey, my first thought was that he'd gone to see some other woman." Robin let out a shaky breath and reached out to let the mantel support her weight.

Elizabeth walked over to her friend and gently placed her hand on her shoulder. "So how are we not right back to Logan again?"

"Maybe we are. God, I thought..." She didn't finish; she didn't have to. Placing her hand over her mouth, she worked to control herself. "His face when I got up and walked out...I never want to see him look like that again. And I know he's never said it to anyone else. So how do I react? I use his declaration as an excuse to leave."

"I'm going to give you some advice a good friend gave to me once. Talk to him. Tell him the truth."

"I can't. He won't talk to me."

"And you're letting him get away with that?" Elizabeth asked incredulously. "The same woman who barged over to his place to yell at him for being rude to his aunt?"

"He knew better than to treat her that way." She defended, a smile forcing its way past her serious frown.

"And the shove in the pool was?"

"I didn't do that! It was all an accident."

"Tell that to the management who strongly encouraged Courtney not to bring you again."  
Elizabeth chuckled. "And must I remind you of the genius that was New York Yoga revenge?"

"All of that and this terrifies me." Robin sighed dejectedly. "Maybe I should just tell him...tell him that I don't feel the same way." She felt tears build up in her eyes at her own suggestion.

"Is that the truth? Do you really not feel that way about him?" Elizabeth took a step closer to Robin. "Look I know we really haven't known each other that long, but I don't think you would do all you have for a guy that you just liked."

Robin met her friend's eyes, something in them radiating wisdom and understanding. She let herself think back to when Patrick had showed up at Uncle Mac's for the birthday celebration and then again when he had gone off with Lucky to find her and Elizabeth. More tears worked their way past her lashes when she saw him kneeled down in front of her, begging for forgiveness. Her throat closed up and she had to stare at the floor. "I have to protect him."

Bobbie smiled at her newest clients over the rim of her tea cup. She felt guilty for putting them off for the past few days but this flu she had just wouldn't let go. It was getting better, but mornings were still a bit touch and go. Tea and toast were about all she could manage for breakfast these days. At least the dizziness had stopped.

She wasn't all that concerned about it really. It was more than likely a mild case of the flu and it would pass. But Cruz was concerned. It was cute really. So no matter how trivial she was sure it would come up to be, she had gone ahead and made an appointment with her doctor in a few days. The relieved grin Cruz had given her had almost made up for the waiting with the world's  
worst music playing in her ear.

"I am so glad you could make it. Again I apologize for having to reschedule so frequently. I have not been feeling well the past few days." She leaned forward towards the young couple, holding her pen at the ready over her legal pad, eager to learn all the initial thoughts her newest clients had about the wedding of their dreams.

"Are you feeling better?" Kimberlee Cilento asked anxiously. Her short auburn hair was styled into an attractive pageboy, and she flipped on stray strand behind her ears, revealing the simple antique ring her fiancé had purchased. She had waited months to start planning this wedding and she wanted the woman who planned Jasper Jacks and Brenda Barrett's wedding. She wanted the best. Kimberlee didn't want to turn into a bridezilla but if she had to, she had to.

"Perfectly fine. Nothing serious at all." Bobbie reassured her. She had seen the signs before. The young woman had barely glanced at the brag book Bobbie had placed on the table for the couple to look at. From what she had gathered from Kimberlee during their first phone conversation, she had waited for this ring for a long time and she wanted this wedding to be perfect. Bobbie smiled at her groom-to-be, looking adoringly at his future bride. "First off let me say, congratulations to  
you both."

Seth Bailey looked away from Kimberlee long enough to manage a smile in Bobbie's direction. "Thank you."

"Now, I understand from Kimberlee you two have known each other for quite some time."

Nodding, the young woman leaned forward, eager to tell her story the way all fiancés were. "We met in high school but he didn't notice me."

"I was blind." Seth chimed in, shaking his head.

"And stupid." Kimberlee added. When Seth didn't immediately take offense, Bobbie realized this was an affection joke between the two of them and made a note that humor may work to diffuse any tense situations in the upcoming months. "So anyways, I moved away during junior year and somehow we ended up at the same college. I was invited to some party he was at and the rest is history."

"And he proposed on graduation day?" Bobbie guessed.

"No the day our son was born." Seth corrected the quickly added. "Well I asked before then, but that is when she finally accepted."

"You have a son? How old is he?"

"Six months. Would you like to see pictures?" Kimberlee reached into her bag, eager to show off her pride and joy.

"Of course." Bobbie remembered well showing complete strangers pictures on BJ and Lucas. The lone picture she had of Carly before her adoption had been dog-eared it had been pulled out and admired so often. The baby was adorable with his father's dark blue eyes and mother's dark red hair. "He's just precious. What's his name?" Bobbie jotted herself a note to make sure to find ways in the ceremony to include the obvious center of his parent's world.

"Daniel Wayne. Danny for short." Sighing Kimberlee looked down at her son. "I was so scared when I found out he was coming, but Seth took such good care of me that I could look forward to it. He held my hand through the morning sickness, caught me when I was dizzy. When he proposed Danny was born, I couldn't say yes fast enough."

"That's wonderful. Now I'm sure you have some ideas." Bobbie half listened as she jotted down notes. Kimberlee had come prepared with books of ideas already, it would be easy enough to figure out what the couple had talked about. Outside she looked the very picture of a competent professional. Inside she was quaking.

Illness. Nausea. Dizziness. The inability to stand certain smells. The memories of her pregnancy with Carly started to return. It all seemed so familiar and yet so foreign to her. She had to be wrong. She was a grandmother of three. Her son was going to celebrate his fifth wedding anniversary this year. There was no way this flu was what she was thinking it was. It was ludicrous. It was impossible. She couldn't be pregnant.


	81. Kick In The Head

**There were a few things I had to consider before updating almost five hours early. Michael got shot in the head today. I've never liked the kid, but that scene doesn't sit well with me. What kind of monsters do we have writing for that god damn show?! I actually feel kind of sick to my stomach to think that this is what the writers view as must-see TV, but I'll let it drop. Another thing I had to consider is that I'm flying solo tonight since Beth had this crazy idea to work and celebrate her birthday tomorrow. The final realization was that it's Friday and, I don't know about the rest of you but this is the day I seem to get the least amount of, well, anything done. I hope you enjoy this chapter and we'll be getting the next set to you next week. Enjoy! I forgot to add, this is the first chapter of our sweeps. Enjoy!**

This had to rank up there as one of the strangest parties his family had ever thrown Lucky mused. Lucas and Dillon had been surprised, but that seemed to be the only thing going according to plan. From what he could tell, Cruz had been distracted since the second he walked through the door. His friend had the expression of someone who wanted to ask a question but kept chickening out entirely. For some reason, Patrick and Robin were on the opposite side of the party, wavering between not looking at each other and outright glares.

And then there was Elizabeth. She had sworn being at yet another family party would be no big deal. She had already survived his mother's ambush and was most likely old news in the family gossip chain. He had agreed, figuring most of the attention would be on Patrick or even Lulu if she brought the new boyfriend over, but the second they arrived, it appeared his family was determined to make a liar out of him.

He had only left her side for two minutes to get them something to drink but that was all it took. Someone, at this point Lucky didn't know who, but someone had said something or looked some way at her and off she had fled. He had tried to catch her at least a half dozen times, but each time she had flown away on some errand for his mother or Bobbie or even once his father's behalf. Right now she was hiding in the kitchen, an area of the house his mother had long ago forbid him ever to enter.

At least he had figured out what Elizabeth was doing. Cruz and Patrick on the other hand, were complete mysteries. Glancing between his two friends, Lucky wondered which one he would have more success with. Patrick had been a bear since the night they had run into the girls at the bar but a few good retorts and Lucky was pretty sure he would back down. The look on Cruz's face told Lucky he was probably closer than he had ever been to spilling all about his secrets. Which one to choose? Swallowing the rest of his drink, he squared his shoulders and made his move.

He wanted to make some comment when he noticed Lucky coming his way, but he held his tongue. He didn't need to make another enemy. The one he had acquired was more than enough. Lucky would want to know what had happened, why he and Robin were obviously avoiding one another--seemed like there was always drama when a family gathering was going on--and, most importantly, what had sparked his anger toward his girlfriend. Patrick wasn't ready to answer any of these questions, but he mentally prepared himself for the discussion. Lucky didn't know how to take a hint, never had. It had made him one easy target as a teenager.

"Having fun?" Lucky decided to start slow and work up to the big questions.

"Looks like this party is going off without a hitch." Patrick answered monotonously.

"Yeah that contortionist was a big hit with the kids." Okay he lied. He had been on the receiving  
end of monosyllabic retorts since whatever happened between Patrick and Robin happened and to be perfectly honest, Lucky was tired of it. It was too much work trying to figure out the drama in other people's relationships when his own provided enough on its own.

"You know what?" Patrick asked, twisting around to stare Lucky in the eye. "No one asked you to come over here."

"And no one asked me to put up with your shit for the past week either yet I did."

Patrick exhaled through his nostrils, but let his shoulders relax. "Would you like a badge, Dudley Do Right?"

"We can discuss my payment later, but you can tell what the hell crawled up your ass and died before Mom and Aunt Bobbie pound you for ruining this party."

He didn't dare look in her direction, but he knew Robin was watching the exchange. No way was he going to tell Lucky anything. "I was just about to leave as a matter of fact."

"Before the cake? I'm not stupid you know."

"No, you're just killing time while your girlfriend successfully hides from you in the kitchen. Did you come together, because I'm pretty sure you won't leave together?"

Cruz who had just entered the forbidden room of categorized spices and stick-free pots and pans.  
Lucky snorted. "Elizabeth isn't pissed at me, she's hiding from another relative ambush." Nodding towards Robin who had leaned down to say something in Morgan's ear, he continued, "And at least I can drive her home. Robin can't move an inch without you moving to give her the death ray eyes."

"I'm not giving her any kind of 'death ray' eyes." Patrick scoffed, hearing the hollowness of his voice. He was hurt. He could admit it to himself. The fact that she hadn't approached him once all evening wasn't improving his mood any. What, he wanted to see just how to drive her away for sure? He hadn't had enough fun during their last fight?

"If you were in Spiderman, you'd be Venom."

"You're comparing me to a comic book character?" Patrick gave his cousin a sideways glance.

"You're the one who always loved them. It's called relating on your level here."

"I need some air." Patrick glanced toward the double glass doors leading to the patio.

Lucas patted his husband's right thigh as he addressed the crowd of family and friends. To say that this party had been cool and conflict-free would have been a lie. He had picked up on the tension almost immediately, but he hadn't mentioned it to Dillon, not wanting to spoil the evening. "First off, thank you for this party. We really had no idea." He had suspected, but he hadn't known for certain. He was about the only Spencer who liked surprises. Everyone  
else...well it was one of the reasons no one had ever thought to throw Patrick a party without his knowledge and approval.

"Tell the story, Daddy." Lance begged, tugging on the leg of Lucas' baby blue slacks.

He didn't have to ask "which story" his son was referring to. Lance was obsessed with how he and Dillon had met and how they had known almost instantly that they were each other's soul mates. Still, he humored the rest of his family. "What story would that be?"

"The story of the Baskerville Hounds!" Lucky teased yelling out from the back.

"Don't torture him. We both know which story he means." Dillon scolded playfully, intertwining their hands. Lance climbed into his lap and snuggled close to each of his parents. His blonde hair was combed nicely and gelled back. It must have been an outside influence.

Lucas cleared his throat, prepared to make a production out of it, "A lot of you may not know how Dillon and I met and, since it's our party, I'm totally going to tell you all about it and I expect my cousins to take notes." He didn't miss the surprised look he got from Lucky, the put-off stare he received from Patrick, or the generally annoyed glance Lulu sent his way. Morgan whispered something to Robin and she had to bend down to understand him. Laughing quietly, she shook her head and turned back toward Lucas.

"I was investigating the lead actress in the first movie he ever directed. She had a very jealous boyfriend and my job was to prove whether or not he was justified. When I first met Dillon, I knew for certain that, if she was being unfaithful, she wasn't doing so with him." Everything about Dillon from his perfectly pressed gray suit and white tucked-in shirt to his OCD tendencies and his attitude toward the people he came into contact to--people that made it their business to get in the way of his "masterpiece"--had been more than enough proof for Lucas.

"You were such a pain in the butt." Dillon told him with a nod of his head. "Coming there, messing up my movie set, scaring my actors..." He ticked off each offense on his fingers.

"We soon realized that the quickest way to solve both of our problems was to use Dillon as a spy between the actress and any man she came into contact with. It took what, two days or did you know sooner?" Lucas asked him.

Dillon's expression gave him away instantly. He bit softly into his lip and contemplated the best answer, his blonde head tilting to the left. Instantly, his eyes darted to the floor but, even that, couldn't hide the brilliant smile his mouth was broadcasting. "I knew way before you did...but you were kind of cute and I couldn't help myself."

Lucas bit the inside of his cheek before continuing, "Just goes to show. Once you go Spencer, you don't go back."

"You keep that attitude up and your ego will reach the size of your--" Dillon blushed.

"CHILDREN PRESENT!" Lulu screamed.

"Well, the multi-billion dollar condo kind of helped in that regard." Dillon explained, his coffee eyes almost black as he watched his husband's slight pout.

"Anyways..." Lucas managed to drag out the word so that it had at least three extra syllables.  
"Once the case was over and done with, I invited Dillon out for a cup of coffee."

"You did not! I invited you." Dillon argued, stomping his foot.

"No honey. Your old age must be catching up with you. I was the one who offered. You couldn't say yes fast enough." Lucas insisted.

"It wasn't like I didn't have plenty of other offers," Dillon countered, "I just happened to be free that night."

"Right." Lucas chuckled. "So we went out for coffee and we knew just knew."

"How did you know?" Lance persisted, shifting on Dillon's left knee.

"When we first met, there was an immediate spark. Granted, Dillon was yelling at me, but I could tell."

"You flipped the fire alarm! You were lucky I didn't throw your butt out into the street. Those bodyguards never proved their purpose." Dillon mused. They had served only one purpose, but he didn't think his husband needed to know that story.

"I got you to talk to me though and you have to admit, it was love at first sight." Lucas pressed on.

"Don't get all mushy on me." Dillon warned, wagging a finger at Lucas.

"To Dillon and Lucas!" Someone in the crowd shouted and everyone got to their feet, their glasses raised.

Bringing the glass to his lips, Patrick finished it off and set it on the table, daring to look in Robin and Morgan's direction. The spot was vacant. Morgan and Cameron were talking quite loudly with one another about Sponge Bob and Robin...? The patio doors were pushed open. He didn't have to be a private eye to know she had sought refuge on the old white back porch swing. Now or never, he told himself.


	82. The Weakness In Me

There was exactly one problem with attending anniversary parties, Elizabeth decided as she retreated to the safety of the kitchen. Anniversary parties made the people attending them think of weddings. And thinking of weddings led to pointed questions and lingering glances on you when you were there as the girlfriend of someone.

The glances had started almost as soon as she had walked through the door. So much for her theory she would be old news. Once again it had slipped her mind that Robin had actually been married to Logan so her presence didn't cause so much as a curious eyebrow raise. Lulu had absolutely refused to bring anyone she could even be remotely interested in the future. So she was it. The lone girlfriend.

Then came the murmuring that would stop the second she and Lucky came upon a group of relatives. At least twice she could have sworn she had seen people kneel down to Cameron and point towards her, which made her feel oh so confident. Yes, she thought, ask the three-year-old who hates me no matter what everyone else says. And then it happened.

Lucky had left her alone. She wanted to blame him for this, she should blame for this. But she couldn't. Or maybe she just wouldn't. He had walked away to get them something to drink when an Aunt Somebody or Another had slid right up next to her, placing her hand on Elizabeth's arm, squeezing gently.

"This inspiring the two of you any?" Aunt Whoever-She-Was asked with a smile. "Any bells ringing in the near future?"

She bolted and ran straight for the kitchen. It was one thing when Laura was sort of joking with her. Or even Robin. But a relative that was a complete stranger to her? It was too much. She had to get away.

So what if she couldn't cook or would end up poisoning most of the guests if she actually made something other than carrot sticks? Better to only potentially kill someone than have to face those questions again. Ok so this was the second family function she had attended, but she couldn't' be the first girl Lucky had brought to two family events in a row! Cameron's mother must have come to one or two.

"Quick question. Did Lucky do something that will require me to help you plan revenge again or are you just hiding the barely well-meaning questions?" Cruz stood in the doorway of the kitchen, smiling at her. He had tried to talk with her before the toast, but there had been entirely too many people standing around. If he was going to be drawn into helping her again, he had a feeling the less witnesses to the planning the better. You couldn't be arrested for a crime if no one knew you had helped planned it.

"Questions, glances, and stopped conversations the second I walk up."

"Ouch." Cruz whistled. "Can't say I've been there."

Elizabeth shrugged. "Well I guess that is the one benefit of dating someone secretly I suppose."

Shaking his head, Cruz managed a low chuckle. "And Lucky wonders why he's the last to know anything."

"Well sometimes such cluelessness is adorable. But only sometimes." Elizabeth was about to say something more when she noticed Cruz wasn't looking at her. Oh he was looking in her direction but not at her. More like directly over her shoulder and out the window in the backdoor. And he wasn't so much looking as staring. But at what? Or who?

Confused Elizabeth turned around and looked outside, determined to see what was just so captivating. The party was still in full swing and everyone was mingling back and forth in the backyard. A quick glance at Cruz's eyes showed he wasn't following the motion. His gaze was fixed. The closer she looked at his eyes, the more she saw. Concern, longing, and could that even be love? Suddenly the reason for his stare hit her like a ton of bricks. She twisted around quickly, gasping in surprise.

"Oh my god! She's here isn't she? She's here at this party!"

Cruz sputtered and dropped the drink he had to the floor. "What? What? Who? I don't know what you are talking about." He tried to protest.

Elizabeth continued excitedly as if he hadn't spoken. "Your secret girlfriend is here right now and you've been trying to avoid each other all day."

"No. You're crazy."

"I'm brilliant and the quicker you learn it the better off you'll be." Elizabeth pursed her lips. "Now who is she?"

Cruz felt panic rise up in him. There was no way she would figure this out. Please don't let her figure this out.

"Obviously it's some one who is in town so that excludes all the out-of-town relatives." Elizabeth paused mentally crossing off figures in her mind as they passed by her. "For some reason you don't want Lucky and Patrick to know about her and being a relative would fit that bill. Someone they care about. And your eyes weren't moving a lot so it's not someone who's moving around a lot right now."

Her eyes widened as she focused in on the one group in her eyesight that wasn't moving. Bobbie, Laura, and Lulu stood at the table, organizing the distribution of the cake.

"Lulu? You're dating Lulu?"

There was no way he could fake the indignation that crossed his face. "What? Lulu? No. She's a little kid."

"And now that I think of it she wouldn't bring home a random guy for you all to torture. So if it's not Lulu..." If she hadn't thought of it herself, she would have never believed it. "Oh. My. God. Bobbie?" Her voice rose with every word she spoke.

Cruz moved quickly, rushing to keep her quiet. Placing his hand over her mouth, he glanced behind them to make sure no one else had come into the kitchen. "Keep it down."

Elizabeth pulled his hand off her mouth and took a few steps back in shock. "Bobbie? You're dating Aunt Bobbie?"

"She's not my aunt," he protested weakly.

"Obviously not. That's a whole different talk show. This is Sally Jesse and that is so Jerry." She started to pace holding her head with her hands. "Holy shit. You're dating Bobbie?"

"Keep saying it. There may be a few guests near the door who want to hear."

She ignored him completely. "No wonder you haven't told them. Oh it all makes so much sense now."

"It does?"

"Well the secrecy does. And why Bobbie knew about your award before everyone else. And why she was so pissed that night!" Elizabeth stopped pacing long enough to look him in the eye. "You lied about something didn't you?"

"Not answering on the grounds you may decide to punish me."

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long as this been going on? I'm assuming longer than Patrick or Lucky noticed." If it was longer than the few months the other guys had suspected something, it was way more serious than either one had even begun to suspect.

With a sigh Cruz surrendered. Part of him was still freaking out that Elizabeth had figured this out but another part of him was relieved. He had been wanting someone to talk about this for the past few months and now however unexpectedly, he was being presented with that exact opportunity. "Seven and a half months."

Elizabeth blinked. That was at least four months longer than Lucky had even been willing to speculate whenever he mentioned Cruz's secret relationship. "Level of seriousness?"

"Not living together obviously but she has keys to my place and I have a key to hers." That had been a new development, Bobbie's promise to him that she was serious about thinking about going more public with their relationship.

"This is real isn't it? Ok that sounded dumb. I mean this is serious isn't it? You really care about her."

Cruz squared his shoulder and looked her right in the eyes. "It's more than care Elizabeth. I love her." There he had said it, out loud to someone. It was real. He loved Bobbie Spencer. Cruz felt a weight lift off his shoulders as the words left his lips. He loved Bobbie Spencer and now it was true. He didn't care who knew about it.

Elizabeth was shocked. That was the last declaration she expected to hear today. What was it with her and learning about declarations of love these days? "Does she know this?"

"I haven't been able to say it to her yet but I think she does."

"So you're in this for the long haul then."

"As long as she wants me around." He smiled when he caught sight of Bobbie laughing something Luke said.

His smile was contagious. It was obvious however this started, Bobbie made Cruz happy. She recognized that smile. It was the smile of a man in love. However there was still one small issue.

"You realize you have to tell them soon right? I mean really soon."

"I know I need to tell them, but why the 'really soon' part?" he questioned.

"Because you are standing here staring at her, and grinning like an idiot I'm assuming because of her. I know some ideas take time to penetrate their skulls but eventually Patrick and Lucky will start to figure this stuff out."

"I know and I will. I promise I will."

"He did a real number on you, didn't he?" Robin was easy enough to find. As he had guessed, she was curled up in the swing, her knees to her chest, and her arms around her legs. She stared out at the nothingness that lay stretched before them in all directions. The sun had surrendered to the overbearing darkness ages ago.

Robin glanced up, but the words died on her tongue. She didn't know what she would have said, what she wanted to say. He had reacted the exact way she had expected, the way she had prayed he would, and now she was left to deal with the fallout. His ego was bruised for sure and, though no one else--save Elizabeth--even knew what he had said, it was a fresh wound, one he had been licking at all night.

"Would you at least look at me? You owe me that." Patrick stressed out the last few words, his eyes glossing over even though she knew for certain he wasn't crying. His voice was rough and impatient, his fingers gripping the belt loops of his blue jeans as he stood mere feet--might as well have been miles--from her.

Her first instinct said to fight back, to take his words as a challenge, and throw them back at him with volatile force. The woman she had been before marrying Logan would have let him have it. The woman before the one she was now would have twisted everything around and blamed Patrick's anger on him. She would call him irresponsible for telling her that he loved her. Where was that woman tonight? Where was the woman who had told Elizabeth, in no uncertain terms, that love wasn't in the cards for her and Patrick?

"I can't." She forced out, her hands shaking as she reached out to brace herself against the left side of the swing. What was he doing out here anyway? Why wasn't he fed up with her yet? She did whatever she could to make their lives together harder than their lives apart. It wasn't an intentional thing, but old habits, right? She wanted to push him, see how far he would let her go before deciding that she wasn't worth the effort.

But he wasn't backing down and she was on unfamiliar ground. God, what had compelled him to speak those treacherous words aloud in the first place? She would have been fine if she never heard them again. Yet, he had said them. He had said them over and over again, his lips carefully brushing over her temple. She couldn't have gotten out of there any faster than she had. If there had been a fire, she would have been out before the alarm could be thrown, before even a bit of smoke could be spotted.

Patrick watched her shrink into herself as he edged closer, but he wasn't going to keep his distance tonight. He wasn't going to wait and wonder when she would feel brave again, when she would convince herself that they were right for each other, that they fit. He had spent far too much time doing that and look where it had gotten him! She couldn't even face him without a cluster of tears building up in her eyes. He was far too angry to care if he brought her pain because she had done far worse to him over the last six days.

"Look at me, god damn it!" He cursed darkly, grabbing her right wrist and pulling her to her feet, startling her. Good. Let her be a little afraid. He could feel her pulse quicken under his tight grasp and the air between them was thick enough to silence the crickets.

Robin met his furious glare with a meek stare, swallowing hard as she tried to will the words out of her mouth. She wet her lips unconsciously and tried to pull away. He held strong and, really, she hadn't put that much effort into escaping his grip. His fingers loosened slightly, but his face was still as hard as granite, his chocolate eyes looking empty as he waited for her to say something.

"I'm not Logan." Patrick spoke slowly, his tone giving away far more than his cold eyes were. He contemplated shaking Robin until she believed him, but it would have just scared her more, and he didn't want this to be how he got her to repeat the words back to him.

"I know that." Robin's head bobbed erratically as she struggled for composure. Why did you have to tell me you love me? She wanted to scream at him. Why? They had finally connected. She was perfectly comfortable with being important to him, had longed to hear him express his feelings to her, but she had underestimated how far he would take it. I should have warned you, she thought morosely. Was I not enough of an example?

"Do you? Do you really notice the differences, because I wonder sometimes…when you look at me a little too long and it's obvious you're not in the room with me anymore. Or when I say something out of line and you get really quiet. Am I really supposed to believe that you're not spending that time comparing me to my brother?" His voice was razor-sharp and he was holding her tight enough to make her skin whiten under his fingertips.

"Patrick, you're hurting me." Robin whispered hoarsely. He must not have heard her or he just didn't care; she was willing to bet on the latter. She had hoped her words would soothe his trigger temper a little, but, if anything, he looked manic as he stared back at her, his mouth twisted in an ugly frown.

"Answer the question. When we're together, are you or are you not comparing me to Logan?" Patrick instructed himself to not withdraw his hold until she gave him a suitable response, maybe not even then. Along with her racing pulse, he could hear her breath come out in short little pants.

"Fine. Yes. Sometimes." Robin whimpered, moving her eyes to rest on his left shoulder. It was just easier not to look at him. She could feel him start to tremble and wanted to gather him closer, wanted him to hold her in a way where the only pain she felt was caused by the immeasurable attraction that had tied them together since the very beginning.

"Why?" Patrick spat out, her reply shaking him to the core. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting her to say, but the truth in her words made him choke on a new wave of anger. Not only was he fighting a ghost, he was fighting his damn brother too. He jammed his left hand through his hair and tried to relinquish his iron grip on his girlfriend's wrist, but it was to no avail. She was his lifeline and they both seemed to realize it.

He didn't wait for her to answer him this time, just pulled her into his arms and dropped her wrist, his hand now occupying the spot just below her shoulder blades. His other hand dove into a mass of burnt honey hair. She tilted her head back, ready to accept his lips, but he buried his mouth in her neck instead and caught a bit of tender flesh between his teeth. She moaned, surprising herself, and leaned into him, her knees buckling at the fierceness in which he sucked her skin. She could already feel him leaving a mark where her neck met her shoulder and arched into him.

Small mewling sounds escaped her lips when he slid his hand to the zipper of her dress and started to tug it down. God, she needed him to touch her, it didn't matter where. Pressing her fingertips into the tense muscles in his back, she might as well have been trying to mold a finished slat of concrete for all the difference it was making. He drew each sleeve down her shoulders and grazed his teeth over her right shoulder first, his free hand twisting the remaining strap around his index finger and thumb.

And then they were moving and Robin was confused. He had her hand in his and was dragging her around the house. With each step, she found herself thrown into an even greater patch of darkness. If he hadn't been leading her, she wouldn't have known where she was going. Not that she knew precisely. Honestly, it didn't matter. As long as they were away from the house, away from any witnesses, it didn't fucking matter. Sliding his right hand around to settle over the small of her back, Patrick walked her into the side panel of the house and softly blew a series of hot breaths over her left shoulder, his fingers returning to their task of unzipping her dress. Though he wasn't actually kissing her, she couldn't keep her body from moving against him seductively at the feel of his scorching breath on her skin.

Her fingers fisted in his tousled hair and the kiss he gave her was neither soft nor brief. His tongue immediately sought entrance, but she was too distracted by the firmness of his lips to grant him that small access. He wasted no time in drawing the dress down, the zipper giving way to his skillful fingers, and Robin felt it slide over her. Patrick caught it and held it against her left breast, his hand molding and shaping the small globe as he lost his senses in their kiss. Standing on tiptoe, Robin tried to deepen it without parting her lips, wanting to lock this moment away for the rest of her life.

Desperate for her tongue, Patrick squeezed her vulnerable breast in his palm and waited for her mouth to open on a slow, earth-shattering gasp before taking control. His tongue was restless as it ran over hers and several times she tried to break away from him to take in some much-needed air, but he wouldn't let her. The second he stopped kissing her, reality would set in and he had no place for it. Here and now he could revel in everything that made her a woman, everything that made her his woman.

"P-Patrick, please. I need you. I need you now." Robin emphasized the last word, barely able to say anything because Patrick wouldn't let her catch her breath. He smiled against her mouth when they both noticed her nipples perking up to attention as he lazily brushed his fingertips over them.

"How does it feel…" Patrick whispered in her ear, his teeth tugging on the tender lobe. "To get what you want? Is this how you always imagined it?" Pulling the dress up, Patrick yanked the zipper into place, and took a large step backwards.

Robin was no longer watching him with a mixture of passion and overwhelming lust: her lips were parted slightly forming an O and she had her arms wrapped around her as if she would fly apart otherwise. "How dare you--?" Robin began, advancing on him.

"How dare I? How dare you? All I was doing was giving you what you wanted. You said in the beginning you wanted sex with strings, but I realized the other night what a load of crap that was. You wanted me to be a pointless fling and, hey, maybe if Logan had taken care of you like he should have, if you hadn't been so tight against my fingers when we were in Santa Monica, I might already be onto my next conquest." His words caused Robin's eyes to flare instantly to life and she punched him in the nose, her teeth chattering together and her body shaking furiously as she watched him reach for his face, checking for any real damage. He was so damn unaffected that she wanted to knee him in the balls, but he was making sure to keep adequate distance between them now and she wasn't given a second opportunity.

"That is what you've been waiting for me to say, isn't it? That you're just one more flavor I've got to get a good taste of before I'm completely satisfied?"

"Stop it!" Robin screamed at him, her voice quivering.

Patrick grabbed her shoulders then, holding her in place, he hissed, "And just for the record, I was lying. I thought if I told you that I loved you, you'd loosen up. Just one more thing to blame Logan for: turning you into a paranoid masochist! Pressure's off now, I guess. You don't have to ever say those words to me. You're off the hook."

As he made his way toward the house, Patrick caught sight of something he had never expected to see: Cruz with his hand over Elizabeth's mouth, his eyes determined. Something in the moment told Patrick he shouldn't interrupt. Elizabeth moved Cruz's hand from her mouth and said something, her eyes startled and amused. No, that wasn't right. He wished he could hear what they were saying. Was Elizabeth glowing?

She started to laugh and lean into Cruz, his arms automatically wrapping around her petite body to snuggle her closer. Now, he knew why Elizabeth had struck him as odd so many times before: she had been the key to Cruz's mystery girlfriend. He had met her at the hospital, but that hadn't been the first time he had seen her. She had been at the wine shop with Cruz the night Patrick was finally able to catch up with his friend to give him hell for...well to give him hell. There had been definite flirting, but Cruz flirted with every woman. As he watched them now, spying and not caring, he noticed how comfortable they were with each other as they whispered back and forth. They didn't want anyone to hear them and he had a pretty good idea why. His cousin had called it. The only reason Cruz hadn't introduced them to his new girlfriend was because she was seeing someone else. She was dating Lucky.


	83. Dizzy

As she cleared the last of the discarded cups and plates, Bobbie allowed herself to relax for the first time all evening. Lucas and Dillon had been surprised. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. No fist fights had broken out. Everything had gone according to plan, a rare occurrence for most Spencer parties that occurred near Luke.

Even potential disasters had been adverted. Bobbie paused as she dumped a half finished cup directly on the spot she knew Luke was angling to build a motorcycle garage. Well, she modified her thought, one potential disaster had been adverted. Mainly Cruz trying to keep her from over-exerting herself.

His concern was sweet, but unfounded. She had been feeling better the past few days. The

nausea had passed and she could even manage to keep down an entire breakfast. Even the dizziness was gone. Bobbie was half tempted to cancel the appointment she had made with her doctor, but Cruz had argued with her about it all last night. It was easier to give into him on this point than continue the fight. She would go to the doctor and she would confirm what she already convinced herself it was. She had the flu. There was no way she was pregnant.

Ever since the idea had first filter through her mind, Bobbie had consistently pushed it right out. It wasn't possible. She was a grandmother for the love of Pete. She had just thrown her youngest child a five-year anniversary party. Every time she and Cruz had been together they had used protection. It was impossible. One hundred percent impossible.

Moving steadily towards the side of the house where Laura kept the trash cans, she paused as she caught sight of a figure leaning against the wall in concentrated thought. Bobbie had thought all the guests had gone home and in the dimming light, she found it difficult to see just who was standing there so quietly. He straightened his posture and moved just a fraction to the left, just far enough for her to catch sight of the carefully styled brown hair. There was no mistaking that hair.

"Patrick!" She called over cheerfully. "I thought you left. What are you doing here?"

Patrick glanced up at Bobbie and smiled, feeling pressure in the movement but not wanting her to see through him. "I thought I'd help you clean up." He lied, taking the trash bags from her and setting them in their cans, reminding himself to take them to the street before he left.

"And lurking in the shadows accomplishes this how exactly?" she teased him, pushing him forward on his shoulder.

"I didn't want to disturb you." He insisted, wiping his feet and following her into the house. He was trying to wind down and he needed to tell someone about what he'd seen, make sense of it all.

"And somewhere I hear your cousins laughing hysterically at that notion." Bobbie made herself comfortable of the sofa and patted the cushion next to her. "Come here and sit down. Take a break from your hard work," she teased.

"I never realized how creepy this neighborhood was at night. I don't think I like you being all alone." Patrick mused, twisting the blinds shut.

Bobbie bit back her laughter. If her nephew only knew how rarely she was alone at night. "I manage just fine on my own."

"Lucas is keeping up the repairs though, right? I mean, he's helping out?" Patrick wanted to know.

Bobbie cocked her eyebrow upwards. "I am not completely clueless with a tool box you know."

"Oh, I know. I just worry about you sometimes. Ever since Uncle Tony...I want to make sure

you're alright. I feel like so much has happened and I've been off in my own little world." Patrick explained solemnly.

Bobbie reached out and loving patted his cheek. "You're very sweet. But I don't think that is the real reason you are here."

Patrick grinned. He'd never been able to lie to her. "Actually, it's not the only reason I'm here." He did worry about her and he didn't like her being alone, but that wasn't what had brought him over tonight. He needed to know if maybe he was overreacting to what he had seen. If she'd just tell him, he'd believe her.

"I have this friend and he's seeing this girl. I don't know how serious they are but I know he's not seeing anyone else. Except I caught her with another guy and I know he's seeing someone. I know she cares about both guys. Only thing is, the first guy doesn't know what's going on. Should I tell this friend what I know or wait for her to tell him?"

Bobbie shook her head in confusion. Patrick's speech sounded exactly Dillon's when he tried to explain the plot of a movie no one but him had ever seen. "Do you know for sure that she's seeing both guys?"

"I don't know if she's the kind of girl who would do that, but I guess I just don't know her as well as I could." Patrick mumbled.

There was something more to this. Patrick had never had moral dilemmas where girls were concerned before. She pretended to be ignorant but she did have some idea of his code. Girls were for flings not relationships. In cases of choosing between a girl and your friends, you chose your friends. Robin had been the first woman she had ever seen him break his own code for. An idea began to form in the back of Bobbie's mind. Treading into the subject lightly, she asked. "How long have you known everyone involved? Are you close with both of your friends?"

"Very close." Patrick answered, not wanting to give anything specific away.

"And what you think is going on, would it be considered a betrayal by your friend?"

"She's seeing both of them at the same time. At least I think she is."

"So you aren't sure?"

"No." Patrick shook his head.

"So what you're really asking me is if you should cause your friend pain over something you aren't sure of?"

"I'm asking where I draw the line. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. But I can't exactly sit on my hands and pretend I don't know something's wrong." Patrick replied still as impatient at twenty-six as he had been at the age of six.

"You said yourself you don't know for sure what is going on. How do you know something is wrong?" Bobbie pointed out to him.

"She's hiding something. I can feel it. I just don't know if I want to bust lives apart to find out." Patrick clarified with a slow shake of his head.

"Can't you just ask her?"

"No. She'd get all defensive and then I'd never get any information out of her." Patrick insisted.

"What is your biggest fear about this whole thing sweetie?"

"That I'll be wrong and lose both friends. That I'll be right and break my friends' hearts." Patrick answered quietly.

"Did you see all this today? How did she act around both of them?" Bobbie wondered.

"I guess I've known for a while now, but it wasn't until tonight that I was able to put it all together. I didn't even realize it was her he was with the first time." Patrick told her.

Clearly she wasn't going to get any clear information out of him tonight. Bobbie had her doubts about Patrick's claim of this being about a friend. She had noticed the cold war Robin and Patrick were engaged in. Or the fact it occurred after Patrick had disappeared for a few days without telling anyone in the family where he was going. Could he have run into Logan and was now feeling guilty about dating his little brother's ex-wife? Whatever it was that was really going on, Bobbie knew Robin was involved.

"Without exact details, I can't be positive on what the right thing to do is, Patrick, but if I were you? I'd say talk to your friend and tell him the truth. If you're wrong, yes you'll fight but you'll more than likely make up. If you're right? Then you all can get everything out in the open and work from there."

Patrick smiled and took Bobbie's hands in his. "How do you always know the exact right thing to say?"

"Because I'm brilliant."

"Thank you for listening to me. I know what I have to do now." Patrick announced, releasing her hands and getting to his feet.

"Anything to get out of doing the dishes right Patrick?"

He pulled a face. "How many are we talking about here?"

Bobbie laughed at the hurt expression on his face. "I used your trick you goof. It was all disposable."

He laughed, "That's how we roll."


	84. The End of Innocence

Elizabeth hummed under her breath as she cleaned up the last of the tables in her classroom. It had been a good day. No bathroom emergencies. No temper tantrums. All good signs this early in the school year. She prayed the trend would last and not be a temporary illusion. A few more things to straighten and she could go home.

Well go home after she tracked down Robin. Ever since the anniversary party, Robin had been scarce. She wasn't returning phone calls. She seemed to be asleep whenever Elizabeth called her at the loft. Something was wrong and Elizabeth was determined to find out.

A low whistle reached her ear from behind her. "I swear if more teachers looked like you while I was in school, I'd have been a straight A student."

Laughing as she turned to face Lucky, she couldn't help but feel a flutter of nerves. Elizabeth had promised not to say anything to Lucky until Cruz did about his relationship with Bobbie. It wasn't that she was going to be lying to him per say, more like keeping him in the dark. Cruz had compared it to keeping quiet about Christmas presents. Meeting his green eyes, Elizabeth realized for the first time just how hard keeping quiet about this was going to be.

"What are you doing here? Your mother picked Cameron up today."

Putting his arms around her waist, Lucky pulled her close to him, kissing the tip of her nose briefly. Today was the first time he had seen her since the party and her nerves attack. "I know that. There is more than one person in this school I like to visit with." He pushed a piece of hair behind her ear, trailing his fingers down the column of her throat.

"Really? You have a thing going with Mrs. Osencraft?" Elizabeth managed to tease, referring to the director of the preschool, a woman her grandmother's age with steel gray hair, an endless supply of sensible navy blue suits and brown orthopedic shoes.

"You figured out my dirty secret. I find blue suits and brown shoes the height of sexiness."

Elizabeth giggled. "I'll have to remember that."

"Please do." Lucky closed the small gap between them and pressed his lips against hers. Elizabeth responded immediately, having missed him in the three days it had been since she had last experienced this. Quickly their mouths began to match movement for movement and before she could forget where exactly she was, she felt his tongue tracing her lips, seeking entrance.

She pushed back from him slightly. "This is against the rules here pal." She breathed.

Lucky managed to pull her back for a quick kiss before she pulled away again, still remaining firmly in arm's length. He grinned. She may be protesting but if she really wanted him to stop, she'd have pulled away from him completely and walked across the room, not remained firmly in his arms. "I thought the rules were under revision," he protested, pulling her closer yet again.

Placing her hand on his chest to stop herself from getting too close, Elizabeth tried again. "Your father changed that rule, not us."

"Still the rule was changed." Lucky pointed out grinning. This was fun, he decided. He was going to suggest rule changes more often.

He had chosen that exact moment to give her the puppy dog eyes. Damn him. Elizabeth could feel her resolve crumbling. It was ridiculous she was this addicted to kissing him after such a short time. She should have more willpower than this. Attempting one last reason, she protested weakly as he succeeded in pulling her within a breath of him. "Lucky, I work here. Someone could walk in."

"I only saw your car in the parking lot. We're alone I promise." His hands moved slowly up and down her sides. "I missed you." He whispered in her ear.

It was the whispering that did it. She didn't want to admit it but Elizabeth was fairly sure he could have whispered something about coupons for an oil change and she would have succumbed just as easily. Making a mental note to learn to resist him whispering all together, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck, closing the miniscule gap between them. His hands took on a life of their own, moving up her sides, into her hair and back down her sides in rapid motion. As soon as she registered where one hand was, it moved. This time when his tongue sought hers, she eagerly allowed the two to meet. Lucky's fingers moved to pull her pink button down out of the waist of her black jeans.

His fingers were mere millimeters from finishing their job when a cough reached both their ears. A loud "Ahem" was followed by the unmistakable sound of rubber soles tapping on a linoleum floor. Pulling apart, Elizabeth felt herself blush when she met the eyes of one very unhappy Mrs. Osencraft.

"Mrs. Osencraft. What a surprise." She managed to squeak out, shooting Lucky a dirty look in the process.

"Ms. Webber. Mr. Spencer." The older woman nodded crisply in their direction. "Ms. Webber may I speak with you privately in my office?" The tone made it clear to Elizabeth she was not being given an actual choice. This was a command performance.

"Of course." As the director turned and started to walk towards her office, Elizabeth whirled around to face Lucky. "I thought you said no one else was here." She muttered.

"I only saw your car in the front." He protested.

Elizabeth groaned and covered her eyes with her hand. "I park in the back. She parks in the front and drives a similar car to mine."

Lucky groaned as well. He had thought something had been off when he spotted her car. Now that he really thought about it, the car had been missing her bumper stickers. He had been so eager to see her, he had completely missed that fact. "I'm an idiot."

"No. In this case you're just oblivious." From the hallway Elizabeth could hear the rubber soles tapping impatiently on the ground. She was five seconds away from a second summons, which would make this bad situation even worse. "I have to go deal with this now. Wait for me?"

"How long before I send a search party?"

"An hour. Tops."

Lucky nodded and saluted. "Got it Serge. Now go. Face the enemy."

Pacing around the classroom, Lucky idly tossed a small ball against the wall. He realized this was going to turn out one of two ways. Either Elizabeth was going to see this was not his fault or she was going to be royally pissed off. In all fairness it hadn't been his plan to start a make out session in the middle of her classroom. He had planned on convincing her to join him for dinner tonight. But when he saw her, she was impossible to ignore or resist. He was smart enough to realize trying to convince her it was really all her fault was not going be a good plan.

He pulled out his cell phone and punched in a familiar set of numbers. Patrick would surely have some ideas on how to go here. If he could get in touch with his cousin. Lucky had thought Patrick was in a bad mood before the party, now he was impossible. He was short tempered, belligerent and had started this bad habit of walking the other way when he spotted Lucky or Cruz coming near him. But that was only when he actually saw Patrick. His cousin had also recently developed an increasingly annoying habit of not returning anyone's phone calls.

The phone rang. And rang some more. It was going to voicemail again, he resigned himself, trying not to groan. It was going to voicemail again. As if to taunt him, Patrick's outgoing message began to play in his ear.

"You've reached Patrick Drake. Only creative messages will be returned."

"Call me back or I'm getting Cruz to publish your baby pics." Lucky threatened, hanging up his phone with a slam.

"What did that phone do to you?" Elizabeth asked, leaning against the door frame.

Shrugging Lucky tossed the offending piece of technology over his shoulder, landing on one of the many tables with a clink, which was almost as satisfying as slamming the phone in Patrick's ear would have been. "Nothing that won't be fixed in person. " Walking across the room to meet her, he stopped just short of pulling her into his arms. "How bad was it?"

Biting back a small smile, Elizabeth tried to be as serious as possible. "Robin's rules of probation for the foreseeable future."

The look on his face was priceless. She had a flash of him as a young boy being told the Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny, and Santa weren't real in one fell swoop. Lucky recovered well but still she had seen it. It was quickly replaced by indignation and self-preservation.

"I didn't know she drove the same car as you." He protested.

The urge to laugh was great but she resisted it. This was all his fault at any rate. He deserved to squirm for just a minute. Ok maybe she should have resisted more but he was wearing that electric blue shirt which he had to know was her weakness. Or maybe she should just work on her self control some more, which she never had a problem before he ran into her life. So it really was all his fault. She'd let him twist in the wind for just a minute at least. "You missed my, how do describe them? My 'dead giveaway, one way ticket to recognition in this town'' bumper stickers? You missed them?"

He could almost swear she was mad at him, if it wasn't for one small thing. Oh, Lucky acknowledged that Elizabeth certainly looked angry. Her arms were crossed in front of her waist and she was holding herself tightly together. Her tone was biting. But then he looked her directly in her eyes and he saw it. Her blue eyes were dancing the way they did when she was laughing. She was teasing him. Lucky advanced closer to her.

"I was just distracted about how much I've missed you." He gave his most exaggerated pout.

Moving her hand to her mouth, Elizabeth tried to conceal her laugh but the closer he moved to her, the harder it became to hide. When his hands spanned her waist, she gave up the pretense and buried her face in his shoulder, laughing hysterically. "Oh that wasn't one of the most embarrassing moments of my adult life at all." She managed to get out sarcastically.

Lucky began to rub his hands up and down her back. "Lulu interrupted my first meeting with a potential artist to complain about Cameron's , and I'm quoting here, 'completely out of control, runny river of diarrhea' on speaker phone."

Elizabeth pulled back just enough to raise one eyebrow at him. "We are so not playing ''I can top your humiliation' during my pity party here."

Affecting a small salute, Lucky grinned an apology towards her. "Aye, aye captain. One career crisis story at a time." He traced the plains of her cheek with his finger. "Seriously, how bad was it?"

"Having my professionalism questioned, a discussion on when exactly it was I met you and we started dating and even some discussion on whether I was showing favoritism towards Cameron because of our relationship? On a scale of one to ten it was a nine." she sighed.

"What stopped it from being a ten?" He had to admit he was curious. It would have been a ten easy in his book, but Elizabeth only gave it a nine?

"One, she eventually said because of my grandmother she knew I this was more than likely a laps in judgment on my part. And two," Elizabeth paused to laugh. "And two, she finally realized there was no way I would have shown favoritism to Cameron since you didn't attend many functions last year."

"Harsh." Lucky silently vowed to make one Ms. Osencraft pay for such remarks. While it may have been strictly true, she still didn't have any right to say it.

"Hey, you've been doing much better this year. I hear you even signed up to be a teacher's aid this year. Trust me, that's something I want pictures of."

"Because my mother has you convinced it is just too adorable for words?" he guessed.

"No. Patrick mentioned he needed them for blackmail."

Patrick. The mere mention of his cousin's name caused Lucky to scowl. If he had thought Patrick was a beast before the anniversary party, now he was a freaking ghost. The past three days had been nothing but missed phone calls and cryptic messages. Lucky got the distinct impression Patrick was avoiding him but for the life of him, he couldn't not figure out why. It wasn't like they were sixteen again and Lucky had accidentally nicked Patrick's new car. Or the time in college when there was that girl at the party. This time Lucky was certain he hadn't done anything except try to figure out what caused the return of the Cold War between Patrick and Robin. He wasn't in the wrong here.

"Well to get them you would have to find him first." He muttered. "Let me know how that goes."

"What are you talking about?"

"The man's been a ghost since Lucas and Dillon's party. He ignores my calls and the few times I do talk to him I think I need a code breaker next to me to understand him." Lucky was frustrated. There was no other way to put it. He could put up with Patrick's moods but he need to know the damn cause of them.

"Well Robin's been laying low since the party too. Maybe it's related?"

"I'm sure it is but he was a pain in the rear before then too. Now that I think about he's been speaking in code before whatever trouble they're in. I've been feeling like I need Cliff Notes around him for weeks now."

"It's probably just the test results. When he gets them back, he'll be fine." It was the only explanation that made sense to Elizabeth.

Lucky furrowed his brow in confusion. "Test results? What test results?"

"His second round of tests. He had them done at General Hospital not that long ago."

"Second round of tests for what?" It was bad enough he needed a code book to understand his cousin these days but now his girlfriend as well? This was too much. Someone was going to have to start talking some English to him and soon. Or else he was going to end up in Shadybrook, just like his sister always joked about.

Too late, Elizabeth realized her error. She knew Patrick hadn't told Robin about his testing but she was sure by now at least he would have at least shared his HIV exposure with Lucky or Cruz at least. Obviously judging by the utter confusion and frustration on Lucky's face he hadn't. Good job Liz, she congratulated herself. Way to put your foot in this one. "He didn't tell you, did he?"

"Tell me what?" Lucky noticed Elizabeth looking away hurriedly, and moved to tuck one finger under her chin. Gently he pushed her face up, forcing her to look in his eyes. If she knew the answers, then damn it she needed to tell him. "Elizabeth, what didn't Patrick tell me?"

"That he was exposed to HIV."


	85. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Guinevere Ramirez was a force to be reckoned with. Her colossal metal-gray hair, even pulled back into a strict ponytail, reached the top curve of her graceful hips. Her eyebrows were pencil thin and she had a pair of full, smiling lips. It amazed him how, a woman at the brink of sixty, could look so damn hot in a pale pink suit and a string of pearls. She had one velvety-soft leg thrown over the other in a way that clearly spoke volumes. She wasn't used to being told how to do something, only to give orders. Normally, Patrick would have found her bothersome but, damn it, she could keep him on his toes. They had had a lot of fun this afternoon, their banter easy and refreshing. He, of course, found no reason to be attracted to her. Hell, she was old enough to be his grandmother, a point she had made upon entering the studio.

"Can I ask you a personal question, Mr. Drake?" It was titles like that that always managed to make him uncomfortable, knock him down to a level of innocence, of self-awareness, of cowardice. In her eyes he didn't see belittlement, so he motioned his right hand toward her, tapping a few keys on his computer to send the pictures to his publisher.

"By all means, Mrs. Ramirez." He responded teasingly, watching her almost-black cat eyes narrow at the formal address.

"Why don't I see a ring on that lovely left hand of yours?" She must have known the question startled him, because she quietly chuckled at his reaction. He hadn't realized he was quite that close to his camera until he almost knocked it over.

"I'm allergic to all types of the metal they use to make rings." He lied in a small, weak voice. If he could just get a hold of his bearings, maybe then she wouldn't find him so damn amusing.

"Is that right--?" She began.

"Yes. Was that all?" Patrick cut her off pointedly. He hadn't meant to come off as cross, but the last thing he needed was one more woman in his life demanding that he "take a wife" before he got old and unattractive. As if either of those things could happen.

"What's the matter?" She asked in a patronizing tone. What was it with the women in his life? Why was he never good enough to share the same space with him? Of course, there was Emily...but she wasn't technically human. "Girl trouble?" She guessed, resting her back against the white loveseat as she awaited his answer, her arms thrown over her lap.

"I think we should stick to professional topics. Like, for instance, what award are you winning?" Patrick would admit it: he hadn't paid the job much attention. He didn't know why she was being featured in a magazine, because the "why" rarely held any interest for him anymore.

He had to laugh at her answer. He was so awestruck he actually missed the front door opening until he heard it collide with the back wall. Glancing over at his cousin, he recognized the rage hidden beneath those burning green eyes. It was probably time for Guinevere to return home. Lucky spoke before he could even begin to voice his explanation to his client.

"You sneaky son of a bitch." Lucky hissed. He had been enraged since he left Elizabeth standing in a daze in her classroom. The feeling had only gotten stronger the longer it took to find his cousin. "You no-good, rotten, lying son of a bitch."

"Patrick, who is this devilishly handsome young man?" Guinevere wanted to know as she leaned forward to get a better look at him.

Missing her tone, Patrick responded distractedly, "My cousin, Lucky." He shot her an apologetic look. "We'll have to finish this later. Tomorrow?" She nodded and scurried toward the door, accidentally on purpose running her left hand over one of Lucky's muscled arms before letting herself out.

"You better have one hell of a reason for lying to me about this you asshole." Lucky glared at Patrick, moving towards the expensive camera equipment with a dangerous look in his eyes.

Patrick was too pissed off at Lucky's behavior toward his client to even voice a rebuttal right away. Ignoring the camera equipment for a minute, he planted his hands on his hips and pressed his lips together until the skin turned white. "What the fuck did you think you were doing? You don't get enough opportunities to be disrespectful, you have to show up here and act like an ass?"

"Don't even go there. You've been acting like an ass for weeks now you bastard." Lucky crossed his arms across his chest. "If you would answer your damn phone you could have avoided all of this."

Patrick gave a dismissive nod toward the aforementioned machine. "Had it for a year now, still can't figure out how to work it." Giving Lucky a cold look, he continued, "What crawled up your ass?"

"Same question I've been asking you forever now cousin."

Again, he avoided the directness of his cousin's answer. He could always feign confusion because, honestly, there were a hundred different reasons for Lucky to be angry with him. He hadn't gone to Lucky about his suspicions, but maybe now he wouldn't have to. Whatever had Lucky this upset clearly was going to take away the man's ability to think clearly. "Since when do you give a god damn about my life?"

"Since when did you start avoiding me?" If Patrick was going to keep on avoiding his questions, Lucky was going to keep on asking them. It was a purely juvenile move, one that would more than likely drive them both up the wall in mere seconds but for the moment it was the only thing he had.

"Let's start with what brought you by and work from there." Patrick was no stranger to this technique.

He should have known it wouldn't work. "Since you apparently suffered a lobotomy and forgot what a phone is used for if a female isn't attached to it, I had to corner you like the lying rat you are."

"What exactly have I lied about?" Patrick almost stomped his foot in frustration. He was sick to death of skirting around the issues with the man in front of him. Answer my question, he mentally informed Lucky, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know.

"Off the top of my head, been exposed to any life threatening diseases recently?" Lucky leaned against the wall, trying to project the image of being in control when truthfully he hadn't been since the second Elizabeth told him all she knew of the situation. Patrick felt like he had been punched in the stomach.

Oxygen rushed out of his lungs and he had to turn his back to his cousin, his right hand sliding over his face to make sure not a single emotion had crinkled his impenetrable mask of control. He tried to speak, to explain, but Lucky beat him to the punch again, his voice as rough as a dull blade running across a glass table.

"Where the hell do you get off deciding that if you live or die isn't my concern you asshole?"

How could she do this to him? It was the first question that entered into his mind as he tried to take in all that Lucky was saying. "Who told you that?" He half pleaded, half demanded. If Robin had told him, he was going to wring her beautiful little neck. She had no right to tell his family behind his back! This was his life, not hers. "About the exposure, I mean." He stumbled over the words.

"Why does that matter? Why didn't I hear it from you?"

Well that was the question of the century, wasn't it? Why hadn't Patrick clued his family in on something that could possibly kill him? For all he knew, it was already killing him. He had gotten his most recent tests in the mail this morning and he couldn't begin to explain how much it had cut him to not have Robin there with him when the answer had come up negative for a second time. "I wasn't ready for anyone to know."

"How long did you think you could hide this? Did you think we wouldn't be there for you?" His rage masked the hurt Lucky felt and having to find out not from Patrick, but third hand from his girlfriend who found out from Patrick's girlfriend. He had thought he had left the gossip chain behind when he graduated from high school. Or when family reunions ended. Patrick may irritate the hell out of him more times than not, but he was above all else family. He should have heard this from Patrick and no one else. He should have been the one to tell Elizabeth, not the other way around.

"Just the opposite." Patrick replied immediately. "I knew you'd be there for me every step of the way." He still wasn't ready to face Lucky, so he started to pace the length of the living room, trying to make sense of the illogical. "I don't need your judgment okay? I wanted to be sure before I told anyone, especially the family. I don't regret how I got exposed and I already told Robin I wouldn't go back and change it. Is that who told you?" Patrick could feel the rage build up bit by bit.

"No. Robin didn't tell me. And if you didn't want anyone to know until you were sure you may want to look into not talking in fucking code and actually interacting with the people you claim to love. Might make them less apt to treat you like the asshole you're acting like."

"Oh, so this is about me making life harder on all of you? You come in here, claiming to care about my well-being when it's really all about how this affects you!" Patrick shouted hotly, the heels of his sandals making an awful sound as he spun around to face his cousin.

"Oh cry me a fucking river. You wanted to wait until you were sure? Fine you ignorant ass. Suffer in silence the next time. See if I care then. But do not avoid me for days, act like a damn code breaker when you do decide I'm worth your time to talk to, and then have me find out from my girlfriend the reason why you are acting like someone peed in your cameras. You want to suffer in silence, then suffer in silence you bastard. Don't make people question what the hell is wrong with you for days and get shocked when they get mad when they find out the answers from someone other than you."

Patrick would have to depend on his pride to get him out of this one or he would come off as way more vulnerable than he ever wanted to appear to anyone, especially Lucky. "Get the hell out of my studio. You want to know what's wrong with me lately. Well, dig a little further, because it's got nothing to do with my exposure." He suggested coldly, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. "I didn't want to bring it up in case it turned out to be nothing. There was no need to hurt the family if I haven't actually been infected...which, by the way, I'm still in the clear." He knew he had no right to be hurt by Lucky's reaction to all of this, but he was and pain went far deeper than reason.

Lucky rolled his eyes attempting to keep his cool here. The anger was dissipating rapidly leaving him feeling dizzy as it left him. He could feel real relief at the news Patrick was still in the clear. He remembered that much from all the lectures his father, Ned, and Lois had given him about safe sex over the years, especially when it became clear he was determined to enter the music industry. However there was no way in hell he was going to appear vulnerable to Patrick. Spencers admitted no weakness. Losing Patrick or any member of his family was a weakness. "Congratulations," he managed just as coldly. "And since you seem so eager to tell me what your real problem is, why don't you try some of that honesty right here right now?"

"What do you want to know?" As put off as he must have sounded, he was thankful to finally have someone to talk to about this, someone with whom he wouldn't feel compelled to pussyfoot around. He hadn't wanted to drag Robin through another trial of waiting as she had done not so many years ago. He, of course, hadn't thought she would run off and tell Elizabeth his personal business. He had underestimated her, and really, he hadn't exactly informed her of his insistence to keep friends and family out of loop. He had brought this upon himself. All he had to do now was stop running. His family was here, right in front of him, so why didn't he feel the slightest bit at ease? Maybe because he had done all he could to keep them from getting involved, hadn't wanted their lives tainted by a decision he had made.

"I could possibly, given enough time and more than likely enough alcohol, begin to understand your reasons for not telling the family. I get the whole 'act like an asshole while awaiting news of test results thing' you had going. What doesn't make sense is the avoiding act you've been pulling lately."

Patrick wasn't going to reveal that reason. He'd just have to think of a believable excuse. No way  
was he going to tell Lucky he had been afraid to open the results a second time. Or how many times he had picked up the phone to call his cousin and tell him everything. Each time, he had slammed the phone back down and stared at the results, feeling their sinister presence as they sat atop his kitchen counter. It wasn't until this morning that he had even been able to gather up enough strength to rip the envelope apart and discover the truth for himself. Nothing about this disease was obvious. He could be feeling fine one day and throwing up the next. The waves of nausea hadn't really bothered him, but they were common enough to remind him that he was not in fact well yet, not in the clear yet.

How was he going to convince his cousin of anything? But the truth was just as risky. He was at a loss, scrambling for some kind of explanation. "Is it so hard to believe that I may not feel up to company right now? For Christ's sake, how would you react if you were in my position? Would you be able to look at Bobbie, at Laura, and have them look back at you with pity and apprehension?"

"Mom and Aunt Bobbie have looked at us like that since we started dating. And if I didn't know you, then maybe I could buy that crap you are selling, but I do know you. You don't do solitary. It's why you landed at my house when your mom died and didn't do what your dad and brother did." Lucky shook his head. "And you haven't been avoiding the whole family, just me. I know you've talked with Aunt Bobbie, Lucas, Mom, Dad, and Lulu. It's just me you won't return calls for."

"Saying it out loud would have meant I was accepting what happened to me...what I stupidly did to myself." He corrected himself. No matter how upset he got with Robin, she had warned him and was not to blame for the exposure. "As far as the rest of the family, they don't know me like you do. I knew you'd read me like a book, just like you've always been able to do."

It wasn't the words Patrick was saying. Lucky could hear the truth in his cousin's reasoning, but there was this nagging feeling that was still with him. There was something else. Patrick wasn't being truthful about everything. In a million years he would never be able to explain it to anyone, except maybe to Patrick, but every Spencer instinct in him was telling there was something more to his cousin's disappearing act than what he was saying. "I understand everything you've been telling me and I get it. I really do." Lucky paused, unsure of how to say  
exactly what he was feeling at this moment.

"I found out I'm not immortal. Death has become a reality. It's not a decision anymore. If the six-month test comes back as positive, there's not a whole lot I can do to change that." Patrick pointed at Lucky then, his voice shaking slightly, "Call me a bastard for keeping everyone in the dark, call me a son of a bitch for avoiding you when I know Elizabeth probably told you all about what happened at the anniversary party, but don't scold me for being afraid to die or how I chose to handle it."

"What the fuck does Elizabeth have to do with this?" Outside of her being the one to tell him what was going on, she was only marginally involved at best in this mess Patrick chose to create for himself. The anniversary party? What the hell was Patrick talking about?

"Oh, that's right, you didn't see what I did." Patrick recalled, fighting back the only way he knew how. "You didn't get a front row seat. Would you like to know who Cruz has been seeing behind our backs? Bet it will matter more to you than it does to me."

"Okay, are you abusing drugs now too? We've jumped from Elizabeth to Cruz's secret girlfriend? Stick to one topic at a time will you?"

"They're one in the same." Patrick countered, ducking his head as the words escaped his lips.

Lucky didn't think. His fist flew of its own according, landing on Patrick's shoulder with a resounding thud. If his cousin hadn't moved his head as quickly as he had, he would have had one hell of shiner the next day. "You're full of shit."

"You should have seen them, Lucky. Whispering to each other while you're in the other room wondering the fuck is going on. Leaning into each other. Smiling. Laughing together. Touching." Patrick insisted, shaking his head in disgust.

"And you just happened to be where when you came to this wrong conclusion?" Lucky struggled to keep his heart from leaping out of his chest. Patrick was wrong. He had to be wrong. Cruz wouldn't do this to him. Elizabeth either, not after the number Max did to her.

"In the backyard. They were in the kitchen. I watched them through the window. He put his hand over her mouth and pulled her to him as if he'd done it a hundred times before." Patrick explained. He knew Lucky would go full circle before he let himself believe anything he was saying.

"And from that you've jumped to she's his girlfriend? You're insane."

"I thought so too until I remembered where it was I first saw her." Patrick defended himself briskly.

"The last family party genius?"

Patrick didn't take the bait, just went on, "At a wine shop the night I cornered Cruz about the trick he'd pulled. She was there and I watched them. It was before I'd even met her. I knew she had looked familiar when she showed up at the hospital after Robin's accident...the night I was exposed. They were off by themselves, looking through the wine and laughing together."

Lucky had a vague recollection of Patrick telling him that story, back when he had been trying  
to convince him Cruz's mystery girlfriend existed at all. "Cruz flirts with everyone you bastard. You said it yourself when you told me about that months ago. You didn't even think the  
'chick from the wine shop' was the girlfriend."

"Until I saw them together again. Lucky, think about it. You said it yourself: the only time Cruz hasn't been straight with us was when he was dating another guy's girl." Patrick reasoned.

"Which he came clean about eventually." Lucky shook his head. "Cruz wouldn't do that to me. He's family just as much as you are."

"Then why's he keeping it to himself? And how well do you really know Elizabeth?"

"Better than you do." Lucky retorted hotly.

"You think sleeping with her makes it impossible for her to lie to you? He seems to really care about her. What if she started to like you against her better judgment? I mean, you did say she  
was skittish in the beginning." Patrick pointed out.

"Which she explained."

"How long before she told you? And how do you know that's not a lie?" Patrick read his cousin's silence a little better than the younger man meant for him to. "So, will you at least consider the possibility--?"

"No." This wasn't happening. He wasn't going to let Patrick mess this up for him just because he was miserable without Robin.

"Lucky, do you really think I'd be telling you all of this for no reason?"

"No, but I think you're wrong."

"Then tell me why."

Because it hurt too damn much to think it could even possibly be true. Lucky knew he had been crazed when Elizabeth was mad at him after what would be forever referred to as The Incident in the Hall. It had physically hurt him to think that he had lost her. Add in even the most remote possibility that Cruz was betraying him this way. He had survived losing girls before, but Lucky wasn't so sure he would survive losing his girlfriend and one of his best friends. It just may kill him. But that revealed far too much vulnerability to be shown. If he had nothing else in this argument, he had his Spencer pride. "Because you are basing this on less evidence than one of those soap opera murder trials Lulu watches."

"Maybe I'm wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. But would you at least confront them?"

"There's nothing to confront." Lucky insisted stubbornly.

"Why won't you listen to logic?" Patrick snapped lividly.

"You start talking logic then I'll listen."

"Will you? Because I seem to remember almost getting punched when I even broached the subject not five minutes ago." Patrick reminded him.

"You are jumping to conclusions!"

"And you're defending a stranger over your family!"

"She's not a stranger you asshole."

"Oh, so now I'm an asshole? Aren't we a little old for this name-calling crap?"

"Apparently not."

"You're only going to hear what you want to hear anyway."

"What the hell do you want from me? I think you're wrong. I know Cruz and I know Elizabeth. They wouldn't do this to me. I think you are jumping to conclusions. What more do you want?"

"Trust." Patrick's answer surprised even him.

Lucky blinked in confusion. "Just because I don't agree with you doesn't mean I don't trust you."

"You ask me why I didn't come to you, why I didn't share the secret of my exposure with you, well this is why." Patrick stressed the last word.

Lucky fell back onto Patrick's couch. "Low blow," he spoke evenly.

"Well, there's a lot of that going around today I guess." Patrick responded, not the least bit sorry.

"What do you want?"

"To be left the hell alone. For the rest of the world to accept the fact that this is my life and I have every right to hide anything from you if I choose to do so. If I'd known Robin would tell Elizabeth, I would have gone to you straight away. I made the mistake of trusting the wrong person."

"You can have your precious right to be alone but guess what? I have the same right to ignore you like I'm planning on doing. And I have just as much right to think you are dead wrong about Elizabeth and Cruz."

"Then prove to me I'm wrong. I know for a fact that Cruz is staying in tonight. Don't ask me how I know, but he's a creature of habit."

"And what? You want to drop me to drop in on him?"

"Why not? If I'm wrong, you'll see firsthand."

Lucky smiled. "No you'll see." He stood up and walked over to his cousin, patting Patrick on the back. "If I go, you go cousin."

"I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to make you eat dirt, Spencer."

"Then let's go."


	86. The Truth Beneath The Rose

"I still don't know why we had to take your car." Lucky grumbled, glaring out of the window at the passing homes. In the ten minutes since they had left Patrick's, it was the first words either of them had spoken.

"Because I don't want to be seen in yours. I have an image to uphold." Patrick smirked, dimples in place as he angled his hand loosely across the steering wheel to change the channel.

"You do know people think you are overcompensating for something in this car right?"

"Try not to drool on the leather okay cousin?" Patrick shot back unperturbed.

Without even bothering to look over, Lucky flipped the bird. This whole thing was an exercise in the ridiculous. What exactly would this prove? They would go bust in on Cruz's place, find exactly nothing and then have to explain exactly why they were running in there like morons. This had disaster written all over it. Flipping open his cell phone, he dialed a familiar set of digits and prayed his call would be answered.

"Hi this is Elizabeth. Tell me something I don't already know and I'll call you back."

"Damn it." He swore, closing the phone before leaving a message.

"Kuh-chh." Patrick teased, imitating the sound of a whip as they pulled into the driveway. The car at the top of the driveway didn't belong to Cruz. In fact, it looked a little familiar, but he couldn't place it. "You recognize that car?" He asked as he put his Ferrari in park

Lucky peered at the car, searching for the familiar bumper stickers. "Not hers."

"Not whose?" Patrick was lost.

"Elizabeth's car is covered in bumper stickers for obscure pop artists. There is nothing on this one" Lucky pointed at the car in front of them. He shook his head. "It's not Elizabeth's but it does look familiar."

Leaving the car in sync, both guys moved toward the front door. Patrick ignored Lucky's chuckle when he wiped his feet. "You ready?" He doubted Lucky was. Finding your girlfriend fucking your best friend was probably not something you went out of your way to see. He knew if it was him..."You can still back out and I can just tell you after the fact." He offered sheepishly. What if he was right and it was Elizabeth at the top of the stairs? Patrick would have to be blind to not see the radical change in his cousin or recognize that it had occurred the moment he saw Lucky and Elizabeth in the same room together.

"For you to be wrong? Always." Lucky was putting up a good front but inside he was shaking. His brain repeated the same mantra over and over. Patrick was wrong. Patrick was wrong. Patrick was wrong.

"This is one time I want to be wrong." And he meant it. He didn't go out of his way to make his cousin unhappy. Really, he shouldn't have said anything, but he had wanted to save Lucky from the pain he was going through. Barely tapping Lucky's back in an uncomfortable calming gesture, he reached out and turned the knob.

Entering quietly, it was immediately obvious Cruz was not spending his night in on his couch watching the CW as he always did. The small table Cruz used for eating was decorated with candles with two glasses of wine, one untouched, sitting by what looked to be the remnants of an Italian dinner. Whoever was here, the high heeled boot on the steps gave away her gender as female.

It was now or never. Cruz and his lady friend were otherwise distracted. This was the time to hurry up the stairs and see who she was for their own piece of mind. When did they cross the line? Had they already? His stomach was all tied up in knots. This wasn't right. Cruz would never forgive them for this. There must be some reason he wanted to keep them in the dark. He felt like a rat. They should leave. Leave before they were caught. The determination in Lucky's eyes was a little frightening. He had lit a short fuse. When Lucky blew, it was going to be all his fault.

"What are you waiting for?" Lucky challenged. "You were the one that was so gun-ho about this mission." He tossed a short nod towards the stairs. "Go on."

"No matter what, we have to hear him out." Patrick insisted harshly.

"Move."

Patrick wiped a hand down his face as slowly made his way up the stairs, Lucky on his heels. There was no turning back. This was the day he lost one or both of his best friends. Way to go dipshit, he berated himself. Fling open the bedroom door and take whatever comes your way. His hand shook as he reached over and clasped his fingers around the shiny silver knob. There was movement on the other side of the not-so-thick door. Movement and talking. Whispers. Please don't be Elizabeth. Please don't let Cruz see us. Please.

The flash of scarlet hair killed the possibility that it could be Elizabeth. Her hair was much darker and longer. The woman with her bare back to him had thick red curls that fell above her shoulders.

It was a moment of choice. Did they leave and never let Cruz know they had been there? Never let him know how close they came to identifying his mystery lady? Did they go back down stairs and make enough noise to raise the dead, announcing their presence and giving Cruz time to hide? Or did they listen to their basic college boy instincts? The ones that said open the door just a little wider and see if they could figure this out for once and for all. In a choice between maturity and immaturity, immaturity always wins out.

Patrick's cell phone chirped to life in the pants pocket of his forest-green slacks alerting their intrusion far quicker than a small grunt or cough would have. Cruz met his best friends' wide-eyed stares and that was when she turned and did the same. Having reached for the phone immediately, Patrick's fingers refused to hold it a minute longer and they spread apart.

"What the hell?" Lucky's voice broke the silence, speaking the only words that could come to both his and Patrick's minds.

"A-Aunt Bobbie?" Patrick stuttered, the ground beneath his feet starting to quiver.

Cruz scrambled to stand up, pulling at his pants equal parts confused and angry. What were they doing here in the first place? How long had they been there? "There's an explanation." He started.

"It had better be you are taking an art class." Lucky managed, trying to look everywhere but where his aunt sat on his best friend's bed.

This was not happening! Cruz and Bobbie? Bobbie and Cruz? Bobbie was the mystery woman? All this time..."You son of a bitch!" Patrick lunged forward, his movement surprising his friend enough to keep the younger man from blocking the punch he delivered to his chin.

"Patrick!" Bobbie yelled. "Calm down!"

Patrick spun around, his eyes opening and closing rapidly as he tried to regulate his breathing. He couldn't see her this way, not his Aunt Bobbie, not the woman who had stood in for his own mother for the last decade! He wanted to runaway, to put his hands over his ears and never hear the forced explanation Cruz had planned on giving them.

"Calm down she says," Lucky muttered under his breath, having finally decided to keep his eyes on the ceiling. "Calm down she says, like this is just some every day occurrence. Calm down?" The initial feeling of relief that had washed over him when he realized that Elizabeth was in fact not Cruz's mystery girl had been replaced by shock and utter confusion.

"Well it's not like we planned to tell you like this." Cruz pointed out hotly, rubbing his jaw. "What the hell where you two doing here spying on me?"

"Oh, no!" Patrick was shaking with fury, but he refused to turn around. "We're the ones who get to ask the questions, okay?" Equal parts confused and mortified, he continued, "Could you guys get...get dressed and meet us downstairs?"

"Fine. Just give us..." Bobbie started.

"No time limits. Please no time limits." Lucky begged. If he had a time limit, his mind was going to start to wonder things that he really didn't want to think about.

"We'll meet you downstairs." Bobbie finished.

"Seven and a half months?" Lucky's eyes boggled at the implications. "This has been going on for seven and a half months?!"

"You've been lying to us...both of you...for the better part of a year?" Patrick couldn't keep the hurt from his voice.

"Oh, Patrick." Bobbie reached for his hand but he pulled away from her and started to pace the room. "It wasn't easy."

"I wanted to tell you. But it wasn't exactly an easy thing to bring up in conversation." Cruz defended. When he and Bobbie had discussed how they would tell people, this precise scenario had never exactly entered his mind. There was some lesson in this he was sure about not putting things off or waiting for perfect moments, but he was too concerned about loosing his best friends right now to figure it all out. That could be saved for a better time, for example when Lucky and Patrick weren't shooting murderous glances at him every three seconds.

"I can't imagine why." Lucky muttered. He knew beyond all shadow of a doubt that from now until some time in the distant future whenever he closed his eyes the image of his aunt and best friend naked in bed together would haunt him.

"Look it's not like we planned this. It just happened." Cruz tried to explain.

"You know," Patrick drawled sarcastically, "I have a hard time believing you literally fell into bed on accident." He knew his words were cruel, but he didn't care. This was far worse than anything he had been anticipating. His stomach was doing that nervous thing again and he had to brace his hands on the mantle, his back like a shield to his aunt and best friend. How was he supposed to get through this, get over it? How was he ever supposed to look at either of them without seeing what he had seen?

"Patrick," Bobbie stood up and tried to place her hand on his shoulders. It was impossible to not feel hurt when he jerked away from her touch and moved to the other side of the room. "Lucky" she began, turning to her other nephew who still refused to remove his eyes from his shoes. "I understand this is difficult for you both but please try to understand."

"You'll forgive me if I don't particularly want to understand this right now. I'd rather forget about it." Lucky had never just exactly how different each strand of a beige carpet could be. It was almost fascinating really. Very helpful in keeping your mind off other images.

"How did this happen?" Patrick expelled a sharp breath, his pitch reaching an almost screeching level.

"We didn't mean to hurt either of you--" Cruz began, trying to convince one or both of his friends to look at him, to care what he was saying.

"Excuse me, but I don't want to hear from you right now." Patrick gritted through clenched teeth.

"Patrick, let him explain." Bobbie pleaded.

"Look I did a follow up interview with her and something clicked. I don't know why it clicked but it did. And I wanted to see her again so I did."

"Forget it. I don't want to know after all." Patrick placed his hands over his ears, not caring how juvenile it was. He wasn't ready to hear this. He doubted he'd ever be. The urge to run was strong. Bobbie must have noticed his darting eyes even as he kept his back to her, because she grabbed his left sleeve.

"You stormed into my house--" Cruz reminded him. "You must have wanted to know badly enough to do that." He tried to get the words out before his voice could start to shake.

"Oh this is not what we wanted to know believe me." Lucky managed. "In fact I think finding that would have been a better alternative to this."

"What were you expecting to find in your search? When you came busting in, what were you hoping to accomplish?" Bobbie's voice wasn't steady but it was threatening. She had known this would happen. She had known they wouldn't understand. She could have saved both herself and Cruz a world of trouble if she had just ended it months ago. No, even if she could have gone back, she wouldn't have changed falling in love with Cruz, just how her family had found out. Cruz had been right. They should have announced this properly a long time ago. Maybe then Lucky would be able to speak to them without snarling. Maybe then Patrick would be able to look at her period.

"Oh this was all Patrick's idea. His stupid, moronic idea." Lucky managed to shoot Patrick a glare. In one short day his cousin had him furious for being left in dark, doubting his own girlfriend and now trapped in his own special version of hell. He knew at times he had played some harmless jokes on Patrick, but nothing ever deserved this.

Patrick refused to take the bait. He was not going to let the blame fall on him. If Cruz had just told them...No he didn't think it would have been any easier to accept. His brain refused to form memories of the flattering words his friend had said about Bobbie when he or Lucky cornered the young man. All he could think about were the stupid questions he and Lucky had asked in reference to his aunt. Of course, in his defense, he hadn't known. "Congratulations Cruz. I really had no idea. All the times I've accused you of being an open book...guess I was dead wrong, huh?" He laughed humorlessly, his eyes settling on his best friend.

"Its wasn't easy to lie to you guys." Cruz protested.

"Well let's hope you put in some kind of effort on our parts." Patrick retorted.

"Yes I would hate to think we wouldn't rate any effort." Lucky chimed in.

Bobbie's gaze went from one snarling brunette to the other. She didn't know which to address first. She didn't know what she was supposed to say. So much needed to be said. She wanted to scream until her throat was sore and her voice was gone. No one was supposed to have known! "Didn't you ask us down here to get an explanation?"

"I called you down here to make sure you didn't go back to what you were doing when we walked in!" Patrick clarified angrily.

"Don't mention that." Lucky shook his head. He had almost successfully blocked that image and here came Patrick bringing it up again.

"I'm willing to admit that this wasn't how you were supposed to find out, but I will not be treated like a--" Bobbie went on indignantly.

"Like a whore?" Patrick finished for her.

Cruz didn't think he just reacted. All he saw out of the corner of his eye was Bobbie crying. He lunged for Patrick, swinging wildly. Catching the taller man off guard, his fist connected hard with Patrick's jaw, knocking his friend to the ground. "You apologize to her." He growled.

Patrick was too stunned to talk or even move. He hadn't really said that, had he? All of his anger and frustration should have been divided equally, but it wasn't. Cruz was the bad guy, but Bobbie was the betrayer. He thought back to all of the summers he had spent with her, burning cookies and playing in the water sprinkler. He reached to wipe away a fresh supply of startled tears. It didn't hurt...much. Really, he was far too numb to feel anything. Until he glanced over at Bobbie. A new wave of guilt washed over him, leaving him shivering.

Lucky managed to speak. He struggled to keep his voice calm and even. The emotions of the day had finally exhausted him and he was blank. "When exactly were you going to tell us? You both keep saying we weren't supposed to find out this way. When were we supposed to find out?"

"We had talked about it...not too long ago. It's my fault you didn't already know. I wouldn't let Cruz tell you. He wanted to, but I wouldn't let him--" Her voice broke and she turned her tear-stained face away from her nephews.

"You just needed time," Cruz defended moving over to give her a hug. It felt good to finally be able to do that in the open.

Patrick wanted to scream for Cruz not to touch her, but he bit his tongue and refrained from speaking at all. What could he have said anyway? How many different ways did he have to hurt the people he loved before he learned there would always be consequences? When?!

Bobbie leaned into Cruz's embrace as she had a million times before. Instantly, the chill left her body and she was able to take in a breath without having to struggle.

Lucky did not want to notice them. He did not want to watch them mold their bodies together. Yes he had wanted his aunt to be happy and find someone after Uncle Tony's death but he had assumed that person would at least be her age, not his. Shaking his head, he muttered "I did not need to see that."

"After--" Patrick stopped the violent words from escaping his lips. He had to get out of here.

Again, Bobbie restrained him, this time with her eyes, "You're not going anywhere, either of you, until you understand."

"Then we'll be here for the next century." Lucky rolled his eyes.

"That's where you're wrong. We're never going to understand. This is never going to be okay." Patrick countered.

"We fell in love." Cruz shot out. "There is nothing wrong with that."

"Were you ashamed, Cruz?" Patrick sneered. "Is that why you lied to us as long as you did? Is that why?" Patrick dared Cruz to speak. Let him try to get away.

"I wasn't ashamed. I didn't want to say anything until I knew I was sure." Cruz narrowed his eyes towards his friends. "You should both know what that's like. Why is it you try to keep Elizabeth and Robin away from Laura again?"

"Don't you bring Laura into this." Patrick warned.

Lucky finally stood up and made a menacing step towards Cruz. "And you don't bring the girls into this either."

"Why not?" Cruz felt bold for the first time since seeing them standing in his doorway. This was his life and Bobbie was going to be a part of it for the foreseeable future. They didn't have to like this but he was through with standing here and listening to them question it. "It's the truth isn't it? You keep them from Laura to avoid questions you don't know the answers to."

"If you don't want to deal with...this...right now, that's your business, but Robin and Elizabeth do not factor in to you lying to us all goddamn year!" Patrick took a step toward Cruz. Damn, his hand was starting to throb. And here he was, getting in his friend's face again. Just went to show, mind over matter. Or rather, instinct over logic.

"What would you have done?" Cruz managed to yell but only barely. "If you were me what would you have done?"

"Not date your aunt for starters." Lucky pointed out. "Problem solved."

"Don't you turn your nose up at us, Lucky." Bobbie warned wagging a finger at her nephew. "If I remember correctly, even you have made decisions that were purely selfish."

"Excuse me for being understanding right now. I'm a bit busy trying to figure out which way is up again." Lucky fully realized he sounded just about as old as Cameron right now but he didn't care.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't rip you apart." Patrick growled at Cruz.

It was Bobbie who spoke up for her boyfriend, "Well, for starters, he's the father of my unborn baby."


	87. Desperate Measures

Pounding on the door to the loft, Elizabeth was not above begging to get someone to answer the door. "Come on Robin, open up. Please be home. Please."

Robin glared at the door, not recognizing the voice and not understanding why anyone would disturb her on the first day off she had taken for herself since her car accident. "Just a second."  
Elizabeth could barely make out the muffled voice but realized that someone was coming to the door soon and stopped her pounding. "Come on. Come on." She muttered under her breath. "Just open the door already."

"What?" Robin snapped, yanking the door open. "Oh Elizabeth, I'm sorry." She apologized profusely.

"Oh thank God you're home!" Elizabeth sighed in relief and walked past Robin into the loft. Dramatically, she sighed as she fell back onto the couch. "I have been looking everywhere for you!"

"Well you found me." Robin answered unenthusiastically shutting the door. "What's up?"

"I just made a monumental balls up mistake."

"What did you do?" Robin sat next to her and waited for her to continue.

Biting her lip, Elizabeth glanced at Robin. "Swear you won't hate me."

"I could never..." Robin promised, taking Elizabeth's hands in hers.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. Quickly was best, she decided. The faster it was out there the better. "I told Lucky about Patrick's second round of tests before I realized Patrick hadn't told him anything about being exposed at all," she rattled off rapidly. Opening her eye just a smidge, she added. "And I told him you were the one who told me."

"Wait a minute, I'm confused." It was getting harder and harder to keep her smile in place.

"Lucky came to see me after I got off work." Elizabeth began. "And well..."

"And well...what?" Robin prodded, jerking her hands out of Elizabeth's loose grip.

"Well I sorta had to go the director's office for a 'chat' and while I was gone he must have tried  
to call Patrick. He was mad when Patrick didn't answer and was complaining about how Patrick had been avoiding him all week. And I kinda said that he was just waiting on his test results. He would be fine in a few days."

"Patrick didn't tell anyone else? Oh. My. God. And I blabbed to you. Oh my God. Oh my God." Robin covered her eyes in dismay.

"Yeah I know. I am so sorry. It just slipped out." Elizabeth moved to touch Robin's shoulder.

"He trusted me." Robin got to her feet. "And I abused it." Biting into her lip, she had to fight back a familiar onset of tears.

"Look it's not your fault. It's mine. I'm the one who opened my big mouth. I shouldn't have said anything."

"I shouldn't have told you. I didn't think--I didn't think and that's the problem. I thought for sure he would have told the Spencers. I thought that's why Laura approached me. They didn't know about my HIV status, not even Lucky? But I thought he had told them. I thought they were trying to be supportive for Patrick. But all of that was a big fat assumption. I had no facts. All I would have had to do was ask Patrick. It all makes sense." Robin felt herself start to sway and had to return to the couch.

"Maybe it won't be that bad?" Elizabeth offered up hopefully. "I mean it couldn't go that bad right?"

"Patrick already hates me." Robin whispered, her heart breaking as she said the words aloud.

"He doesn't hate you. He'll hate me, but he doesn't hate you."

"Our guys react the exact same way to betrayal, Elizabeth." Robin emphasized. "And in this scenario, I caused this fight."

"The 'I love you' thing?" Elizabeth guessed. "You still haven't talked about that?"

"He took it back." Robin answered flatly.

Elizabeth blinked several times. That wasn't right. Patrick wouldn't take something like that back. Would he? "He did what?"

"He took it back. He said it was just a ploy to get me into bed since nothing else had worked." Robin clarified.

Managing a low whistle, Elizabeth reached out to pull her friend towards her. "Ouch. Way to choose the exact right words to hurt someone there."

"At least he was honest."

"You don't know that for sure."

"Please Elizabeth."

"Ok you can call me a romantic sucker but it is possible that he just said that to save his pride." Seeing the incredulous look Robin shot her, she held up her hands in protest. "Guys do and say stupid things in the name of pride."

"I can't go on another assumption or a hope. It's too risky." Robin shook her head.

"Just tell me everything. Why are you so sure he was serious? If I tell you why I was having a chat with my director would it help?"

"Yes." Robin nodded.

"I was hoping to take this humiliation with me to my grave but for you..." Elizabeth sighed and settled back on the couch. "Ok so Lucky surprised me at work right?"

"Uh-huh..."

Elizabeth took a breath and continued. "So he starts talking all flirty like he does. And I become a moron and forget my own rules about no fun stuff at work. And he convinced me otherwise."

"You didn't?!"

"So basically we were making out when I hear my director tapping her feet in my doorway. And I get to go down to her office and defend not only my professionalism but convince her I didn't promote the son because I'm sleeping with his father."

Robin felt her smile return. "I don't know what I'm grinning about, my story isn't any less embarrassing. At least you were fully clothed."

"Oh had it been a few minutes later it would have been completely different." Then Robin's words registered in Elizabeth's head. "Oh my god. What happened?"

"It was the blue jeans and the heat wave, I tell you. I didn't have a chance." Robin insisted.

"Enough excuses. Just explain." Elizabeth cajoled.

"You know how we were avoiding each other at the anniversary party. Well, I went outside to think and he followed me out there. He started talking about how his brother had 'done a real number' on me. The next thing I know, he's got his hand over my wrist and he won't let me go  
until I answer his question about whether or not I constantly compare him to Logan." Robin mumbled, still trapped in that moment even as she sat here.

"Being all demanding. Sounds like Patrick."

"I won't lie: It was a major turn-on." Robin blushed but continued, trying to suppress it. "And I finally told him that yes, I do, sometimes."

"That must have sparked the competitive fires."

"He came unhinged and I thought he was going to storm off like he usually does. But then, he's kissing me and I forget why we're fighting."

"And I was hiding in the kitchen during this?"

"Yes." Robin gave an affirmative nod.

"Damn that aunt. This is better than that soap. Go on."

"The whole time, all that's going through my head is how anyone can look out and see what we're doing. You ever need somebody so badly that you kind of stop caring about everything else?" Robin waited for her friend's response.

"Were you just listening to how I spent my afternoon?" Elizabeth wondered. "Mark me down for a yes."

"He must have noticed how uncomfortable I was, because, the next thing I know, with his hand inside my dress, he's moving us to the back of the house so that we're alone. I'm able to block out all the reasons this is a bad idea when he whispers..." Robin closed her eyes. "He asks me if this is what I want, if this is 'how I saw it happening for us' and then he stops kissing me, stops touching me, just stops."

"He just stops?"

"He was doing it all to be cruel. I start yelling at him and he starts talking about how, if Logan had taken better care of me sexually, then maybe he could move onto his next conquest. Basically says that he's tired of wasting his time and effort on me." Robin ducked her head, unable to add in the last part. If she didn't say it, it wouldn't be true.

"That was more than cruel. That was evil." Elizabeth shook her own head. Moving closer to Robin, she took the other girl's hands. "This wouldn't be the reason you are hiding out suddenly is it?"

"I'm not hiding out." Robin argued.

"Robin, girlfriend please. You've been ducking my calls and I about had to pound your door in to get you to answer it."

"I've been volunteering at Morgan's school. I don't want to seem like a dead-beat mother. Patrick was distracting me from what was important. I don't have that problem anymore. Morgan needs me." Robin knew she was overcompensating, but so what? Half of what she was saying was completely true. Why should Morgan feel inferior to Patrick?

"I'm not saying attention for Morgan is bad. I'm sure he loves it."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you are trying to avoid anything that reminds you of Patrick." Elizabeth squeezed her friend's hands. "I'm slightly familiar with this process."

"Why couldn't he have just told Lucky?" Robin whispered, referring to the reason Elizabeth had stopped by.

"Because he's a guy and sometimes they are just stupid?" Elizabeth offered.

"He barely let me help him. I never pushed because I just thought he had other people to depend on. Why does he think he has to face this on his own? And now this stupid fight!" Robin sighed.

"At the risk of repeating myself here, he's a guy. And I don't know if you've noticed, but he can be a bit stubborn." Elizabeth pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. "Patrick got an idea in his head that he didn't need anyone and well there you have it. The question now is what are you going to do about it?"

"What should I do?"

Elizabeth glanced at her watch. "Well it's been about an hour since Lucky left to go see Patrick so I think it's safe to say he knows by now. I think the best plan is to accept the fact that you will have to face him today."

"Today?" Robin folded her hands in her lap nervously.

"You see Patrick waiting to confront you on this? Lucky did not take the news well and I doubt it was all manly hugs and eating chocolate."

"How bad do you think it got?" Robin asked quietly.

"Considering Lucky drove like a bat out of hell and didn't say a word to me when he left? Bad."

"And just when his hand was finally starting to heal. All right. Chances are, they're at the  
studio. I'll try there first." Robin stood up and then stopped. "Can I talk you into babysitting for an hour?"

Elizabeth smiled. "And delay my own dealing with a pissed off Spencer male? Absolutely."


	88. A Thousand Tiny Pieces

He wasn't talking. In the thirty minutes since she had made her announcement, Cruz hadn't said a word. To be fair, no one had said a word. Her nephews had blinked rapidly, mumbled something Bobbie still hadn't been able to translate, and sped out into the street, the loud rev of Patrick's engine echoing through the quiet neighborhood.

By sheer luck, she had managed to maneuver Cruz towards his couch before his knees gave out beneath him. He had sat there, unblinking ever since. If it wasn't for the steady rise and fall of his chest, she would have called the paramedics, convinced he had stopped breathing. His eyes were riveted to the exact spot she had been standing when she had made her announcement. Most likely he was reliving the experience in his mind. What she couldn't tell was if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Not that she blamed him for the shock really. Bobbie realized she must have had a similar expression on her face when Dr. Ric Lansing had told her the news. When he had asked if her being pregnant was possible, she had laughed. Dr. Lansing had asked her to humor him and allow a pregnancy test to be run. She even bet him a case of her brother's best tequila that he was wrong. When he had returned and said the words, "You are pregnant", she had been half convinced it was a joke. It had taken at least 15 minutes before she realized he was serious.

"Baby? Baby please say something." she begged him, resting her hand on his arm.

"Baby." He muttered. "Baby. Baby. Baby."

It wasn't the precise reaction she was looking for but at least he was talking now, she thought wryly. At least it was a start.

She began to run her fingers through his short black hair. "I shouldn't have told you like that." she sighed. "I should have waited until they left but then I got this feeling they weren't going to leave until at least one of them had beaten you into a bloody pulp. And I couldn't let that happen now could I?"

Cruz began to blink rapidly and turned to face her on the couch. He could feel his heart beat starting to return to normal. In a court of law, he was willing to swear it had stopped when she made her stunning announcement. His mouth moved several times before he could find the words he wanted to say. "We're having a baby?"

Hesitantly Bobbie nodded. The nerves that had been present from the second she had found out, suddenly took over her entire being. Would he be ok with this? Did he want this? Would he stick around? "Yes."

"Wow." He shook his head in amazement. So this was what Lucky had felt like, Cruz mused. As if your world turned completely upside down and you were still walking right side up. He made a mental note to compare the sensation with his friend, if they still in fact were friends, later. Cruz's eyes widened as realization washed over him. This baby would be family to Lucky and Patrick. He would be family, officially family.

"I know this isn't anything we talked about..." she began.

It was probably the wrong reaction and he would blame his shock if she got mad at him, but Cruz snorted. "I see where Lucky got that talent for understatement from."

Bobbie smacked at his hand. "But I do need to know what you are thinking."

Only one question rattled in his head. "Are you ok?"

Blinking, she shook her head in confusion. "What? Yes I'm fine."

"No I mean, are you ok?" Cruz groaned in frustration. Maybe this was the first time someone had ever made this announcement to him but he was aware of certain facts. Like the fact Bobbie had not been pregnant in several years. And she was a grandmother. "I mean is this ok for you because..." Groaning again, he shook his head. He had figured out a long time ago bringing up a woman's age was a bad move. Bringing up a pregnant woman's age had to be up there on the all-time stupid list.

"Because I'm slightly older than the average new mom?" Bobbie guessed smiling. Once the news had finally sunk in, she had to admit she had been worried. It wasn't as if she had several years between this pregnancy and her last one, she was talking decades. "Dr. Lansing wants to see me more often than he would normally but so far he thinks everything is fine."

Cruz blew out a relieved breath. "Good."

Bobbie searched his eyes for any indication of what he felt about this. Was he nervous? Excited? Ready to run for the hills? Regretting ever starting this adventure with her? "What about you?" she finally managed to ask. "Are you ok with this?"

His smile lit up his face, making his eyes twinkle. "I'm terrified out of my mind. But in a good way, I think."

"You think?"

"Yeah I do." Cruz brought a finger up to trace her face, down her neck, down the center of her chest, stopping at her stomach, where he splayed his fingers crossed. He dragged his eyes to meet hers, reassuring her worries for now with his obvious excitement. "We're having a baby." He whispered.

It was all Robin could do to put one foot in front of the other and own up to what she had done. That wasn't to say that she would take blame for everything; he had better be sorry too or else. The drive across town hadn't exactly been stress-free, because her car was making funny noises and she didn't want to take it into the shop again. After her accident, she had had to take a rental for a little while, and that had been absolute hell. Having taken her car out prematurely, the mechanic warned her that this sort of thing would continue to happen. She had tried to explain to him just how much she depended on her car, both for herself and for her son. Well, this was what she got.

She couldn't stop thinking about her last conversation with Patrick. His angry words filled her memory and, no matter what she did, she couldn't think of a single thing she could have done or said that would have made things better. If she had lied, it would have just drawn the fight out longer and two months was a hell of a long time to have a fight, but that was the most accurate way to describe their relationship.

Even the radio stations were against her, every single one of them. What was wrong with the world when she couldn't find a single uplifting song when there were billions upon billions to choose from? Why did the stations only play depressing, slit-your-wrists music? She was going to write a strongly worded letter and maybe it would make it to the governor without getting covered in green finger paint.

Lately, it was like Morgan was making up lost time for the six years of repression he had apparently suffered in the Corinthos' home. He had promised he just thought the walls needed some color and that was the last day Robin had left him with Lucas and Dillon. It had taken two days and a gallon of cleaning products to clean up the mess on every wall in the loft, including hers and Courtney's. She was relieved when Courtney called from location and said that she wasn't going to be home for another week, relieved because Morgan had gotten a hold of a pair of scissors and ruined at least three of the young woman's favorite blouses.

The streetlights were at least on her side. She hadn't hit a single red one, which could be taken either way she supposed. It'd be best to get it all out in the open now. She didn't want Patrick to think that he couldn't come and talk to her when something was bothering him; nor did she want him to hide behind her insecurities and pick stupid fights with her. She didn't want to be taken advantage of and, after much thought, she had started to see the holes in Patrick's logic of seeing her as a means to an end.

She had written each one down. First, his lack of eye contact during the fight. Second, she hadn't been alone in that kiss and, if she had answered his question any other way, she had no doubt they'd no longer be battling a mutual case of raging libido. Third, well you got the gist. The list was shoved into the back pocket of her Capri's in case she would have to provide hard evidence. This was Patrick. Maybe she should have drawn him a picture in crayon.  
Next to the note was Patrick's studio key. She hadn't given it back to him, but then he hadn't exactly asked for it back, had he, so if he had the door locked and got interrupted, it was something he had brought on himself? She was sick of making excuses for him.

Did he really believe he had no one he could count on? Noah had been as frequent a visitor in her life as her own father so she didn't know him all that well. Logan, well he was just a selfish prick. And she had compared them, Robin sighed rubbing her forehead as she parked the car and headed toward the building. What did they really have in common, besides messy hair and a last name? Patrick was incredibly loyal: she had seen it with how he was when his family needed him. He had a short temper and often acted before thinking so that always showed the bad side  
of him.

"Just knock. Knocking is polite." Robin recited the last part over and over like a mantra as she stood outside his door. She would at least give him a chance to open the door. If he didn't answer, well she would just have to go in, wouldn't she? Had he missed her? It was a question she had asked herself a hundred times since she woke up this morning, since every morning following that awful night.

"Patrick, I have something to tell you." Robin informed the block of wood serving as the front door. "And it's not the easiest thing for me to say. In fact, it's damn near impossible for me to say, but you're worth the effort. Don't interrupt me! I need to get this out or I never will...and they're so important, you're so important. Do you have any idea--well how could you when I keep prattling on like an idiot? You see what you do to me. I question every move I make and I only feel confident when you're next to me. I know you're probably pretty sore at me, but I never realized you hadn't told your family. What's with that, huh? Not telling them when they could have been helping you through this?" Robin continued, feeling slightly better than she had when she had practiced this speech in the rearview mirror.

"Will you let me know what the door has to say?" Greta interrupted, suddenly standing behind Robin. "I hate suspense." She feigned interest.

Stupid cocky, sarcastic, foul-smelling whore, Robin almost screamed at her. She was in a gray and blue track suit and tennis shoes. Robin found a little bit of satisfaction when she saw that the toe of each shoe was starting to wear away. "Is there something I can help you with Wilma?"

"It's Greta." The other woman stressed out her name as if she was talking to a small child. Robin didn't smile. She knew it was Greta. She had gone with a slightly less offensive name in choosing Wilma, and this bitch was still unhappy! And what was with the track suit? The first nice day and the best thing she could come up with was to go outside and get all hot and sweaty? Robin reminded herself to take Morgan to the pool if the weather continued.

"Is it? I must have forgotten, which is strange because I usually remember everyone important. Guess you don't rank very high on my list of priorities." Robin practically spit out.

"If you're looking for Patrick, he isn't home." Greta clued her in with a soft huff as if this conversation was taking time away from her flossing. Or using a damn breath mint...

"Would you like a piece of gum?" Having found the stick at the top of her purse, she shoved it in Greta's face.

"Did you hear what I said? Patrick isn't here. I'm sure if you just call his cell, you can get him." Greta explained coolly.

Do you have his number? Robin wanted to ask. Does he answer for you? Has he been turning to you? The thoughts seemed to just spring up out of nowhere. She trusted Patrick, so why did she always question him? She needed to talk to him.

"Do I look like I care if he's here or not?" Robin held up the key and let herself in. "As always Wilma--" The door closed with a resounding SMACK. It was soothing.

The apartment was covered in darkness despite the early hour. She flipped on a few lights and discovered that some of his camera equipment was missing. She hadn't expected to see dishes after her last discovery, but the sight of a clean sink made her feel a little hollow. She stopped in front of his bedroom door and started to go in, not caring if she had a right or not. The bed was shabby, but could be considered made. His dresser drawers were slightly open and she could see bits and pieces of clothing hanging over the edges. He was gone.

Looking at the two story brick home, one would never imagine the home owner was the all but announced next president of the multi-million dollar company. In her magazines, Elizabeth had seen the pictures of homes of other record company executives. They were massive monuments to stone, technology and ego. Maybe, she mused, had she seen Lucky's home, she would have never made the assumptions she did. Elizabeth smiled to herself as she pulled her car into the driveway and corrected herself. Well she probably would have, but it would have taken much less time for him to convince her she was wrong.

Robin had returned home quietly, avoiding all questions about Patrick. It didn't fool Elizabeth for a second. Either Patrick had not been home when Robin arrived, or he hadn't exactly let her into his studio. Both possibilities meant there was an equal possibility her own boyfriend was still in not the happiest of moods. When she received his text message to come over to his home, Elizabeth figured she could kill two mysteries with one stone. Whatever was going on with Patrick, she would bet her paycheck Lucky knew all about it.

Side stepping the assortment of toys in the front yard, Elizabeth knocked lightly on the front door. She couldn't contain her gasp of surprise when Lucky opened the door a few minutes later. His clothes were completely disheveled. For all the world it appeared he was holding his body upright only because it was required for him to be standing. He blinked his green eyes several times, as if he was having trouble focusing on her or even remembering he had asked her to come over.

"Baby, what happened?" Elizabeth closed the door behind her, moving immediately to usher

Lucky to some sort of seated position. Taking just a second to survey her unfamiliar landscape, she sighed in relief when she spotted a butter yellow sofa off to the left of the entryway. Elizabeth moved him in that direction, barely taking in the modern oak furniture and the even larger collection of toys that made walking in what she assumed was the living room a landmine. Satisfied he was actually seated and not about to pass out on her, she lowered herself unasked right next to him and took his hand. "Was it that bad with Patrick?"

"Patrick?" Lucky chuckled humorlessly. If only the fight with Patrick was his biggest worry at this point. How he longed for the carefree minutes when Patrick hiding his HIV tests was his biggest concern. At least that didn't give him instant replay movies playing every time he closed his eyes for a second. Did a person really need sleep, he wondered. Surely it was over-rated. "Patrick is the least of my issues right now."

If it wasn't Patrick...Elizabeth froze as another possibility crossed her mind. "How's Cameron?" she asked cautiously.

"Cameron? Cam's fine. He's across the street playing with Adam."

Elizabeth blew out a sigh of relief. The feeling of relief was quickly replaced by confusion. If it wasn't Cameron or Patrick, then what was driving this mood of Lucky's? "Then what is going on?"

"Nothing." If he didn't talk about it, then it hadn't happened.

"Nothing? You look like an extra from a horror movie or something. It's not nothing."

"Elizabeth it's nothing. Just drop it."

"You didn't ask me to come over here for nothing." She stood up, looking for a phone. "If you won't tell me, I'll just find out from someone else."

"What are you doing?" Lucky grabbed at her arm. He had obeyed some momentary impulse to have her near him because he thought she could help him understand this. It was only after he had sent his invitation that it dawned on him that would require explaining the whole situation. There was a prospect he was not looking forward to in the least.

"Looking for your phone. If you won't tell me, I'll make Patrick."

Lucky snorted. "Trust me, Patrick isn't telling you anything about this."

"Then I'll call Cruz." If this had something to do with Patrick, she doubted the Third Musketeer was in the dark.

His eyes darkened at the mere sound of his ex-friend's name. "No."

"No?"

"No." He struggled to keep his voice even. "I don't want you talking with him."

"He's your friend and I think it's pretty obvious he's involved in whatever the hell it is that is bugging you. If you are going to ask me over here and then not share anything with me, then I guess I'll have to find out another way."

"He's no longer my friend."

No longer his friend? Elizabeth's eyes widen with the implication. Oh God, Cruz had finally told him. She sat back down on the couch. "What happened?" She held her hand up over his mouth. "And don't try nothing with me. You wouldn't claim Cruz is no longer your friend over nothing. Give me enough credit for that."

"I went to see Patrick."

"And you fought."

Lucky shot her a quizzical glance. "How did you know that?"

"Because I've met you both?"

"Anyways we went to Cruz's to prove some stupid point and were surprised when we got there."

"How were you surprised?"

"I don't want to relive that particular moment thank you."

"That bad?"

"Worse. Know how I said I wanted to know who he was dating? I take it back. I didn't want to know that bad."

"What did you walk in on him or something?" Seeing the look of pure of revulsion that crossed  
Lucky's face, Elizabeth immediately covered her mouth. Cruz didn't tell them. He was discovered. "Oh my God, you did."

"Went in all determined to prove Patrick wrong and now I'm trying to figure out exactly how to forget what all I saw."

"He didn't mean for you to find out this way. He was trying to figure out the best way to tell you both."

"Best time? What exactly is the best time to say 'Hey! Guess what? I've been dating your aunt for the better part of a year and lying about it!' Please tell me!" He looked over to see a look of pure shock and confusion at his outburst, but found it only on his own face. Elizabeth actually looked more uncomfortable than shocked. "You don't look too surprised by that."

"What?" Too late Elizabeth realized her mistake. She jumped to trying to explain Cruz's side too soon.

"I walked in on my aunt and my ex-friend and you don't seem shocked."

She could just pretend she hadn't said anything. It was a remote possibility he was far too angry right now to buy any semi-rational explanation she could come up with. She could deny she had even spoken. Outright lying to him was an option but she was horrible at that. It was probably the reason why out of the three Webber children, she was the one in the most trouble all the time. The truth was going to piss him off. No matter which way she turned, she was screwed.  
Her ensuing silence was all the confirmation Lucky needed for the suspicion that had blossomed the second Elizabeth hadn't fallen over in shock. "You knew."

"I guessed."

"You guessed? How the hell would you guess that?"

Elizabeth looked down at her feet. "At Lucas and Dillon's party, Cruz and I were talking in the kitchen and I figured it out."

"You've known since then?"

"He swore to me he was going to tell you."

"You couldn't have warned me?"

"Like you were going to believe me on this one?"

Lucky stood up and began pacing the length of the living room, avoiding potential falls from practice. "I go over there all set to prove Patrick wrong about you, find out that, and it turns out you knew the whole time. Just fucking great."

She had expected Lucky to be angry about this, but one phrase stuck out to her. "Prove Patrick wrong about what?"

"What? Don't change the subject."

"I didn't. You said you went over there to prove Patrick wrong about me. Obviously somehow I was involved in this and I think I have the right to know how." She narrowed her eyes. "What were you trying to prove wrong?"

"It's not the point."

Elizabeth shook her head and rose to her feet, crossing her arms. "It is the point when it appears you are blaming me for you finding out the way you did."

"I'm not blaming you, I'm blaming Patrick. It was his stupid idea in the first place."

"Stupid idea about what?"

"Just let it go already."

"No. Tell me. If there is some stupid idea that affects me, I think I need to know it."

"He saw the two of you alright? He saw you and Cruz at the party and decided you were Cruz's secret girlfriend."

Elizabeth took in a breath. "And you went over to Cruz's to what? Confront him?"

"Yes."

"I assume the fact that my car wasn't in the driveway didn't stop you. Or my grandmother's car which you've seen me drive before?"

"It would have but I couldn't get you on the phone and then when we saw that boot on the stairs..."

"You believed him." Elizabeth's voice fell into a hurt whisper. "You believed him."

"No. No I didn't."

"Yes you did. You considered it. You believed him."

Lucky reached out to touch her arm. Now that he actually said what all they had seen it was ridiculous, but he hadn't been thinking straight at the time. Or any time since then to be honest. "Elizabeth…" He started.

Elizabeth jerked her arm out his reach. "I gotta go." She ran for the door, dabbing her eyes to keep the tears from falling before she got into her car. Lucky could do nothing but watch her run past him, slamming the door behind her as she went.


	89. That's A Brother For You

"The family has fallen off the face of the Earth and that's why no one will answer their phone today." It was the most logical explanation Laura could come up with. She had tried everyone, not for any particular reason at first, but now she was making rounds, trying to figure out what the main problem was. She hadn't worried at first, but now she couldn't help it. What if there was a cave-in or something and none of their phones had a signal? She hadn't seen Lulu since this morning or the boys since the anniversary party. What was going on?

"It's a wonder you aren't out there writing some suspense novel the way your mind conjures up worst-case scenarios." Luke teased, rolling his eyes at his wife's clear display of insanity. He was on the couch and she was pacing the grounds as if the answer to her question lay in the cream-colored carpet. He would usually humor her, but this had been going on for a while now, and he was sick of talking about it. Maybe the kids had snuck off to Vegas. They were all of age. Lulu was most likely in class, having never missed a day since the university changed professors on her.

"Don't be flip with me Luke Spencer." Laura cautioned him, her head nodding in his direction. "For all I know, this is your influence."

"Why is it always my fault when the kids fall off of the Spencer radar? They are adults. Can't they think for themselves, or do you really think I have some kind of lab in the cellar?" He was only badgering her, but then what else could he do? He hadn't been actively searching for his son or his nephew, because, honestly, they were turning into Laura. It was a hard truth. They were getting farther and farther away from his teachings and depending on reason and logic while dealing with their better halves. He had known this would happen, but so soon? It was a damn shame.

"What are you thinking about? Are you remembering something one or both of them told you? Do you know where they are?" Laura goaded, bending down to his level and leaning in closely.

"Actually, you know what? I was thinking about something." Luke replied with a grin.

"What?" Laura tapped her foot impatiently.

"That this is the first time in eighteen years we've had the house all to ourselves for an afternoon." He wagged his eyebrows suggestively at her.

"Oh, you're impossible! Thinking about yourself when the kids could be in dire need of my help!" Laura scolded, trying to hold back her smile but quickly losing the battle.

"Think about it. Candles. A nice hot bath. Soft music." Luke's promise was wonderfully seductive and his wife seemed more than interested.

The door bell interrupted any mood Luke was trying to achieve as it peeled out. As if to further punish him for some sin or another, his sister's voice soon followed. "Luke? Laura? Are you home?"

"I asked for a puppy that Christmas and my parents surprised me with another sister." Luke grumbled, his eyes pleading for Laura to ignore Bobbie altogether.

The doorbell interrupted any mood Luke was trying to achieve as it peeled out. As if to further aggravate her brother, Bobbie's voice joined in with peeling bell. "Please Laura, I really need to talk to you." Bobbie pleaded.

"Luke, she sounds in trouble. Where is your sense of chivalry?" Laura wanted to know.

"It's dead woman. Haven't you heard your daughter complain?"

Laura ignored her husband's comment and opened the door quickly. "Bobbie, what happened? Who did this to you?" Her sister-in-law had only cried twice in the time Laura had known her: when B.J. and Tony died and then again when Carly followed in their footsteps. Had she been right about the cave-in? Were the boys in there?

"Myself. I did this to myself."

"What do you mean? Bobbie, what's happened?" Laura wanted to know, desperately gripping Bobbie's wrists.

"Which story do you want first? The one where I destroyed my relationship with Patrick and Lucky or the one where I shocked everyone in the room silent?"

"You're overreacting surely. Those boys think you hung the moon." Laura reasoned lightly.

Bobbie made her way over to the couch, knowing Laura would do the same. This would go much better if both Luke and Laura were sitting down. "Not when they found out who Cruz is dating."

"What do you know about that?" Luke didn't have to pretend to be intrigued. It had been on everyone's mind.

"Everything." Bobbie took a deep breath. "I've been dating Cruz for the past seven and a half months."

Laura glanced over at her husband to see if maybe this was a half-cocked joke he and his sister had thought of together. When his reaction was to look at her with the same confused expression she wore, she returned her gaze to Bobbie's. "I'm sorry?"

"Me. I'm Cruz's secret girlfriend."

Luke couldn't help himself. He had to laugh. This was beyond Jerry Springer...and that was a pretty difficult feat. His hands dove into his cropped white hair and he had to hold his sides to keep his guts from spilling out. "Sh-Should we start calling you Mrs. Robinson now, Barbara Jean?" He asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement and shock.

Laura smacked him in the stomach, knocking the breath out of him. "What he means is: this is quite a surprise."

"I'm sure Patrick and Lucky would agree with you. If they ever choose to talk about me again."

"Don't get down on yourself little sister. Consider yourself lucky. The phone bills won't be nearly as drastic." Luke really was trying to help, but the sudden onset of tears in Bobbie's eyes stunned him.

"I've made a mess of this. The boys hate us both. I lost count of the amount of fights I had to break up today. Cruz isn't about to talk to them and I doubt they will be racing to talk to him anytime soon. I cost him everything, just like I always suspected I would."

"You act like you're completely alone in the decision to see Cruz." Laura shook her head. "And that's just not the case. You're an incredible woman, Bobbie. You always have been. It was just a matter of time..."

"What is the matter with you? You act like it'd be fine for me to go after one of the boys' girlfriends because, you know, it's bound to happen." Luke snapped at his wife, his tone incredulous.

"You are married. Cruz isn't. And this isn't about you." Laura pointed out, not paying her husband the compliment of looking at him when she addressed him.

"If anything Cruz seduced me into this relationship." Bobbie admitted with a slight smile. "I don't regret seeing him. I love him." She was still counting the handful of times she had actually said the words out loud and realized she most likely had the sappiest grin on her face each time she said it.

"That's wonderful." Laura expressed her happiness by taking Bobbie's hands in hers and smiling brightly.

"Why are you acting like this is a good thing? She's the only girl in an All-Boys Clubhouse." Luke explained, his eyes squinting when he considered how he had just worded it. "You know what I mean."

"Why can't you be happy for your sister? Is it really that hard for you?" Laura wondered, her glare making her husband squirm slightly in his seat.

"For him? Yes it is." Bobbie smiled at the sheer normalcy of just teasing her brother. Coming here after leaving Cruz's was the right decision. His suggestion of coming with her to tell them most likely wouldn't have gone as badly as she had feared. Of course Luke would have made a few more jokes than he was, but Laura would have shushed him just as quickly. "But my happiness is not the reason things are a mess right now."

"I can't understand how the boys could stay cross with you. All they've ever wanted, all any of us have wanted really, was for you to be happy. And you are. Look at her Luke, she's glowing." Laura prodded, nodding enthusiastically.

"Possibly if they had been told about us, they may come around some day."

"I don't know I'm wasting my time with a cable bill when this family goes from one disaster to the other." Luke mumbled to himself. "How did they find out?"

"Remember why you and Laura had to put locks on your bedroom door dear brother?" Bobbie questioned.

"Yeah." Luke drawled, not understanding where she was going with this.

"Bobbie, are you pregnant?" Laura asked, startling both brother and sister.

"WH-WHAT? Woman, no more soap operas for you. I don't care how much you love the doctors in their white coats. It's clearly screwing with your mind. Pregnant? Gah! Is that even possible?" Luke prattled on dramatically.

"Luke, do I really have to explain to you again how babies are made?" Laura patronized softly.

Luke's face of disgust was enough of an answer. "Kids really do take all the fun out of sex."

Suddenly a light bulb went off in his head. "Wait a second. The locks!" Luke whirled around and stared at his sister, laughter threatening to over take him. "Did the boys interrupt you Mrs. Robinson?"

Bobbie's mind was reeling. This was all too much. She decided the safest question to answer was her brother's. "Yes. Now do you see why they will never talk to me again?"

"Oh, how embarrassing for you. Don't people knock anymore?" Laura stared down at her hands, having not forgotten when she busted in on Patrick and Robin not that long ago. Maybe they'd forgotten...

No such luck. "I'm sure Patrick has learned that lesson twice over now." Luke chuckled. "He'll be knocking on doors more than he wipes his feet."

"That's not funny. This is about Bobbie right now." Laura reminded him in a tight voice. "How did they react?"

"About as badly as you think they did."

"They overreacted huh? They get that from Laura." Luke nodded purposefully. It wasn't often he got to blame her for the kids' behavioral fits.

"That's why they aren't answering their phones!" Laura realized, ignoring Luke completely. Any overreactions were completely his fault at any rate since the only shared genes Lucky and Patrick had came from his family.

"Damn it." Luke whispered.

"They aren't answering your calls?" Bobbie felt horrid. She hadn't thought they would avoid Laura. In fact she had been fairly certain, they would have made a beeline straight for her. It was one of the reasons she had come over. She had been hoping her nephews would both be here and they could get this worked out once and for all.

"They don't want to be pestered." Luke threw in, not caring if his wife argued with the logic. "She'd demand to know where they are and when they're coming over. My guess is, they've each turned off their phones and are laying low. Can't really blame them. Damn, Barbara Jean, you've sent them straight to therapy." If he could keep this light and jeering, he wouldn't have to picture...wait a minute.

"Luke you are not helping the situation at all." Laura pointed out. "Bobbie doesn't need you to add in your two cents in her condition."

"Who else is going to tell her how it is? At least it's not a complete disaster. It's not like she's pregnant..." He turned his attention to his sister.

"Why would you say that?" Bobbie stalled.

"What?" Luke hadn't been paying attention. There was a caterpillar on the ceiling fan, clearly torn between jumping and holding on.

"Luke your sister is pregnant. The least you could do is tell her you're happy for her." Laura rolled her eyes at her husband's inattention.

"No she's not." Luke chuckled.

"Sure she is. Look at that glowing face--" Laura rationalized.

"She just got laid. That's why she's glowing." Luke argued and then cringed.

"I am in the room you know." Bobbie pointed out. "And I haven't said one way or the other if you are right."

"Your brother has the attention span of a fly, so _are _you?" Laura inquired with a warm smile that confirmed she already knew. Women could tell.

"This is crazy. You can't be pregnant." Luke cut off Bobbie's response by a mere second or two. "It's not...possible."

"Apparently it is big brother. Because I am pregnant with Cruz's baby." Bobbie smiled her news, happy to be able to deliver it to at least one group of family members in a way that wasn't designed to stop a fight.

"That's it." Luke responded hastily. "We're sending you to a convent."

"A _convent_?" Laura gave him a funny look.

"It's perfect. She'll go away to a 'special school' and you can wear a pregnant belly and then we'll raise it as our own." Luke told her.

Ignoring her husband's "plan" Laura clapped her hands in joy. Her words of congratulations died on her lips when a loud crash alerted the trio to the presence of someone behind them.

"You're what?" Lucas' stunned voice echoed from the doorway of the kitchen, the remains of a cake and serving dish from Robin's bakery at his feet. "Momma you're what?"


	90. There Will Be Blood

Shoving his ticket stub into the back pants of his faded blue jeans, the voyager stepped onto the platform, his nose lifting as he took in the familiar scents that this funny little town had to offer. It wasn't everyday you could smell fish and corn dogs without gagging, but something about this place always balanced it all out and put him instantly at ease. He gripped his lone suitcase, glancing down at the initials his father had inscribed on the handle: his initials. Behind him, half the town seemed to jump onto the train and, a moment later, the locomotive whistled, announcing its departure. Perhaps they would be returning to the big city or leaving New York altogether and traveling long and far just as he had. Next time, he was taking a plane, no matter how much it cost him. This had better be the last time.

No one went anywhere without a purpose or a plan, at least no one he associated with. He had a backup plan, but he hoped he didn't need to rely on it. He was putting an awful lot of faith in a family that had all but abandoned him, both in conversation and memory. When was the last time any of them had made an effort to see him, to talk to him on the phone? Not that he would have had the time. They would have been greeted by the automated voice that lived on his machine. It was truly the only woman he could stand living with. She was simple and straight to the point: "You have no new messages."

And when he did feel the need for female companionship, he was barely able to step out of his apartment without some desperate, while drop-dead gorgeous female clung to him for dear life. He told them what they wanted to hear and, in return, they made his night worth it. Hookers without a price. It was a perfect way of life. The guy he worked for paid his rent so he didn't have to deal with bills. He usually his friend, Arnold to pay his phone bill , but these last few weeks he hadn't used his phone once. When a crazy girl wound up with his number, he would hand the phone over the owner/manager of his favorite Chinese restaurant. Problem solved.

Whoever said outside beauty could only get so far must have been one ugly bastard, because he had yet to reach his limit. Women, booze, drugs: they were all handed to him. He hadn't ever needed to fork over any money. He had friends all over the place, a group of people who had never let him down. He had thought he could go to them about this financial burden he now found himself in. However, as luck would have it, they had bailed on him the second he got kicked out of his penthouse apartment.

No more free drugs or booze. Now he had only himself to depend on. Women, well he'd never had a problem with them. Most were as loose as a jump rope and he wasn't ashamed to admit he took full advantage. He had never gone so far as to mimic those idiots on Wedding Crashers and scope them out at a funeral. He had morals after all. Somewhere. In his other suitcase. No, he waited until they were out and about, all dressed in black when the whole thing seemed stupid to him. They had found a loophole in the wedding vows they had made. They had stuck with whatever asshole for however many weeks, months, or years, and now they were free again. Why did they have to be so sad? Of course, grief was a great aphrodisiac.

"You wanna get a move on?" A scruffy voice growled from behind him. The bald old man hurried past him, one hand linked with who he assumed was the wife while the other struggled to keep a hold of all three bags. If he was a gambling man, he would imagine two and half of those bags were holding the wife's crap. Men were simple in their packing. Why were women so insecure? There were two categories: beautiful and dog-like. Even makeup wore off in the morning. He had woken up next to a couple dogs, but had been smart enough to slip out before they woke up.

"Sorry Sir. I didn't realize Wheel of Fortune was on." He called after the old couple, his eyes rolling as he felt his lips twitch. If he had been in hearing distance, he bet they would have called him some "whippersnapper" kind of name and waddled away with the wife's cane. At least they were taking the train. Hopefully they weren't still licensed to drive. The entire country should ban old people from driving altogether. The public whined about bad drivers all the time, but they were looking in the wrong place. Why blame the cell phone lovers behind the wheel and not consider the childproof cap fogies in front of them going twenty-five on the freeway dangerous?

Damn. He had thought he was doing so good on time, but his watch disproved that theory and hurried him through the terminal and toward the street. He hailed the one cab in the entire town, but then remembered his sorry budget and waved the driver away, receiving a string of curses for his courtesy. He returned to the train station that doubled as a bus station--would wonders never cease?--and bought a ticket. The next bus would be there in another minute. He counted the steps between the ticket counter and the door, coming up with fifty-seven. The bus showed up and he climbed on, rather unenthusiastically. Who the hell got excited about riding a bus?

Elizabeth sighed as she placed her cooling cup of coffee down on the nightstand behind her. Hugging one of Robin's enormous white throw pillows to her chest, she glanced at the door one lively six-year-old had just run out of. "It's ten in the morning. Where does Morgan get that energy?"

"He got his Wheaties this morning." Robin giggled and took a long drink of her orange juice. She had bed-head hair and was dressed in a pink and blue tank top and a pair of mismatched aquamarine boxers, but Elizabeth obviously didn't care. If one of the guys charged into the loft right now, Robin was making a beeline for the bathroom door and locking herself in.

"I was trying to convince myself that an over abundance of energy was just a phase three-year-olds went through." Elizabeth raised her arms to stretching, causing the edge of her cream sleep shirt emblazoned with the phrase "Coffee now" to sneak up. Lowering her hands, she picked at the loose thread of her black and white checked pajama pants. "I swear I used to have more energy after slumber parties when I was younger."

"Are you worried Cameron isn't going to grow out of his tireless phase?" Robin teased, resting her back against her one remaining throw pillow and lifting her knees so that they were level with her forehead. She had been really good about not pushing Elizabeth for details until now. She hadn't even commented on the unshed tears in her friend's eyes when she showed up last night for dessert and distraction.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Elizabeth glanced out of the window. She knew eventually the giant Lucky Spencer shaped elephant would raise its head. It was time to face at least some of the music. "Don't think I'll be finding that one out."

"You can't send Cam to boarding school. That's way too Evil Stepmother." Robin shook her head.

"Oh I doubt Lucky would let Cameron be out of his sight that long. What I meant was I won't be a part of his life at that point."

Barely able to stop the words, "Yeah right" from escaping her lips, Robin lightly smacked Elizabeth on the arm. "But he loves you." She wasn't specific on purpose. Maybe this would open Elizabeth's eyes. Maybe she would get hit back. Maybe she could talk herself out of going to gym today.

If Robin had made that argument even a day ago, Elizabeth could have possibly been persuaded her friend was right. But not this morning. "Yeah. I'm sure he always thinks the girl he loves is cheating on him with Cruz."

Robin balked at her. "What are you talking about? Lucky is dense, but he isn't blind!"

"He probably wishes he was blind this morning." Elizabeth muttered cryptically. It would serve him right if all he had been able to picture the night before was walking in on Cruz and Bobbie. "He went to Cruz's convinced I was the secret girlfriend and I had went right from getting busted by my boss with him to sleeping with his best friend."

"Why would he think that?" As soon as she asked it, Robin knew. "He didn't. Tell me he didn't."

"Yes. It's a good thing you two aren't talking right now."

Folding her hands over her face, Robin let out an aggravated sigh. "Because our current problems aren't enough, he has to drag you and Lucky into it? I'm sorry Liz." She apologized, watching her friend through the holes in-between her fingers.

"I don't blame you. I blame him." Elizabeth did allow a small smile. "But unless I miss my guess, they are both paying heavier prices than you or I could ever dream of."

"Who was she?" Robin asked, dropping her hands in her lap and leaning forward. She wanted in on what everyone else seemed to already know.

"Bobbie."

"I mean I can--wait what? Bobbie? As in Bobbie Spencer?" Robin sputtered, almost soaking her friend in her drink.

"Bobbie Spencer." Elizabeth nodded. She leaned forward towards Robin. "And those two lunkheads? They interrupted a couple's moment."

Robin knew she should try to put herself in the situation, but she couldn't keep her lips from curving into a smile. She was able to hold back the cackle for a good two seconds before it exploded from her tightly pressed mouth. "Oh Jesus." She didn't even try to establish a bit of composure, because this was the best news she had gotten in a while. "Bobbie and Cruz? And she didn't tell me? I can so keep a secret!"

"Exactly. I didn't get many details before we started all out yelling, but I can imagine neither one of them slept last night. And to be fair, she was way better at hiding it than Cruz was."

"Well, women always are." Robin pointed out. "Wow. I don't how to react to this. I mean, on the one hand I've never seen Bobbie happier..."

"And on the other, Lucky and Patrick just played matchmaker for their aunt."

"Yeah, pretty much. He was just trying to protect your honor." She whispered into her glass, her eyes leaving Elizabeth's.

"Maybe. But he still believed it."

"He considered it for like a second--" Robin stopped talking when she felt her friend's anger from across the bed. It'd be best to drop the subject. "Have you talked to him since then?"

"No. Have you talked to Captain Big Mouth?"

"That's different." Robin set her glass on the nightstand.

Elizabeth felt a full-fledged grin threaten to spread across her face. It was much easier to concentrate on Robin's relationship issues than her own. "So that's a no then."

"Hard to talk to a guy when he disappears." Robin answered, catching Elizabeth's grin and meeting it with a stoic expression.

"Disappeared?" Elizabeth shook her head. The guy had timing, she had to given him credit for that. "Probably figured I was going to kill him with my bare hands."

"Guess so." Why should his reason for leaving have anything to do with you? A little voice taunted Robin. She was probably last on Patrick Drake's list of worries. Ten to one, he had moved on without a second thought after the anniversary party and was pursuing something else now, someone else perhaps. No, a less than confident voice spoke up. You don't really believe that.

"Why is it they screw up and we always end up spending the following hours in tears and trying to figure them out?" Elizabeth wondered.

"Because we're dopes." Robin explained simply.

"Must be it. You know what this kind of revelation calls for don't you?"

"Hmm?" Robin smiled, already guessing but willing to play along.

Elizabeth threw her pillow in Robin's direction. "Chocolate chip pancakes with a side of ice cream."

"How about a mountain of ice cream with a side of pancakes?" Robin asked, unable to block the cushy weapon.

"On one condition."

"Yes?"

"You marry me and prevent me from making any more disastrous mistakes."

Robin laughed. "I keep telling you I'm taken." She reminded her friend when she noticed Morgan in the doorway. "What did you hear little man?" He shook his head and strolled to his room, whistling and smiling. "I've gone and sent that one into early therapy."

"Hate to tell you this, but it was only a matter of time."

It had been three hours since she had worn this little scrap of material. Three hours and yet it was still warm. Her scent clung to the measly fabric and he inhaled sharply, his fingers kneading it as if he imagined she was still wearing it. She and her little friend had gone out and taken the little one with them. He was now free to move around the loft as he saw fit. He would be sure to let her know he had been here. Nothing more attractive than a paranoid young woman afraid to leave the safety of her home. Of course, he would be here when she returned. He would be here until he decided to come out of hiding and make his presence known. The money issue was far from his mind as he stuffed the tank top into the right pocket of his jacket.

She smiled at him from the picture frame on the nightstand. He knew there was more of the place to scope out, hiding places and the like, but he couldn't leave her bedroom just yet. He wanted to climb into her bed and release some of this built-up tension, but that would have been far too obvious and he wanted to surprise her. The room had managed to capture her sweet-smelling scent. He had to sit down. Reaching for the tank top again, he buried his face inside it, closing his eyes. He didn't have to imagine what it was like to touch her, to kiss her, to have her wiggling under him, because he had experienced it all not too long ago. And he would again.

He stumbled into the bathroom and stepped into the shower, her perfumed soaps and hair products making him a little dizzy. He opened each bottle and sniffed it. Once he had run out of bottles, he climbed out of the shower, got undressed, and then jumped back in. Flipping the dial to hot, he squeezed a bit of her body wash into his cupped hands before letting the bottle drop at his feet. As he rubbed the pink liquid all over him, he let his mind wander to a different time and place.

He stayed in the shower until the hot water ran cold and hopped out, making sure to drench a few towels and leave them on the floor for her to pick up. She wouldn't be able to figure out who had used them. She'd know only that someone had been here in her home when her roommate was out of town and she was out with her friend. It gave him a sick kind of satisfaction to imagine her initial reaction. And, as much as he wanted to be there to witness it for himself, his current situation demanded his attention. He had to get out of here before he got caught.

It was too bad her roommate hadn't ever warmed up to him. He might stumble to her room the next time he was over and slip into bed with her as he planned on doing once Robin fell asleep. Of course, he already knew his sweet little Robin was good in bed so there wouldn't be any of that awkwardness that usually came with her and sex. He would slide one hand up and over her hip while the other moved to cover her mouth. She would fight him at first, but he doubted that'd last long. You didn't just go around making a guy hot for nothing. He would make her remember why she had turned to him.


	91. Crash And Burn

Returning home, Robin felt a great deal better. She almost wished they hadn't left that spa resort because she could totally go for a massage right now. Though she had expected to go out and get trashed on chocolate and alcohol, she had been pleasantly surprised when Elizabeth's solution had been to visit a nearby park. Robin hadn't visited that particular park since she and her cousins were little and the fresh air had been a nice change from the stale, stagnant atmosphere of Jake's. It just went to show that the only person who knew you better than yourself was your best friend.

She had been so sure she would start pouring out her heart and insecurities at the first opportunity given, but that just hadn't happened today. Elizabeth had been equally quiet. Lucky's accusation must have been just as hard for Elizabeth to hear as Patrick's had been for her. She wished Lucky had proven her right and gone straight to her friend instead of giving her even a moment to question the power of his devotion. She had thought he would call and interrupt them during their outing, but she couldn't remember Elizabeth ever reaching down to pick up her phone. In fact, she wasn't entirely certain that she had brought her cell at all which was incredibly strange for her friend.

Throwing her thin cream jacket into the closet, telling herself she'd come back and hang it up later, she made her way slowly up the stairs. Losing her black skirt somewhere between the first step and her bedroom, she nudged her bedroom door open with her elbow, her fingers bunching up in the fabric of her white tank top as she started to lift it over her head. Her heart jumping into her throat, Robin ducked into the room. She had a bat under the bed and a gun in the top drawer of her nightstand. The gun was unloaded because the weapon had always frightened her, but the bat was made of aluminum and it was brand new. It had been a present from Uncle Mac. He hadn't been comfortable with her leaving his home without some sort of weapon, so they had agreed on the bat. She hadn't told him about the gun because he would insist she fill it with bullets and learn how to shoot it. She didn't want to have to tell him that she already knew how, that she wished she could forget.

"Is there someone in here?" She called to the seemingly empty room. Holding her breath, she hurried to the bed and retrieved the bat. Gripping it tight enough to make her knuckles whiten, Robin darted her eyes from left to right, keeping her back against the wall to keep from being surprised. Of all the decisions she had made over the last eight months, why had she convinced her mother to send Hannah away? She doubted that woman was afraid of guns, not if the one that lived on her hip was anything to go by. But, like a control freak, Robin had all but insisted that Hannah be relieved of her current position and sent away.

There didn't seem to be anyone in here with her and, if it wasn't for the item on the windowsill, she might have been able to deduce this all to paranoia or lack of sleep. However, that wasn't the case. This break-in artist had left her something to remember him by. To anyone else this might not have been frightening. It wasn't the item itself that sent cold chills up and down her arm. After all, it belonged to her. Of all the things she could have found, this should have been the least revolting. Who got spooked by a glass vanilla candle? Slipping deeper into the room, she was able to answer the incredulous question. The wick was black and tarnished even though she had never even opened the candle to use. Also, there was the evidence of smoke billowing above it proving that it had been previously lit, and not too long ago. She had just missed them. Or they were really good at hiding.

"There's n-nothing of value to steal." With that, she turned on her heel, dropping the bat, and hurried downstairs for a more effective weapon: her cell phone. There were a dozen people she could call and they would answer; they would get to her immediately. And what would they find? A used candle? What proof did she have that she hadn't lit it herself? She had come home alone. Elizabeth couldn't back her up. Uncle Mac would determine that the neighborhood she was raising Morgan in was far too dangerous and maybe it was time for her to come back to the Scorpio house so he could protect her. At least when you're buried alive, you'll have your pride to keep you company, a disappointed voice patronized.

There wasn't even a good chance he'd answer his phone once he recognized her number, but she had to try. She was more than willing to play vulnerable if he would just get here, just make sure there was no one watching her. There was no distinct indication, other than the candle, that this was more than a simple burglary attempt. She could almost convince herself that she had spooked them away, but she would check to make sure later if it turned out that she was just stressed and sleep-deprived. Still something at the back of her mind screamed that this was no burglary.

A sleepy voice came over the line and Robin recognized it immediately, the grip in which she held the phone slackening a bit, "Yeah?" It was the first time he had picked up his phone in days and, while part of her wanted to jump for joy, logic insisted that he must not have glanced at the caller ID and probably didn't realize it was her he was talking to. She didn't care. As long as she could keep him on the line, she didn't care if he was mad at her or not, if they could work through this or not.

"Patrick, I'm scared." Robin admitted, biting into her bottom lip hard as she willed back the urge to cry. She shouldn't even still be in the apartment, but she was just as afraid to go out into the hallway. In the eight months she had lived her, she had yet to meet any of her neighbors, save Mrs. Edelman, and, really, how much protection would that woman provide her? She would just call the police and Robin could have done that on her own. Now she wouldn't have to.

Her voice must have given her away, because his response was softer, proving that he was a little more alert, "Why are you scared?"

"Someone was here…in the loft…in my room. I know because there was a spent candle in the windowsill and I've never used that candle; Courtney's still on location; and I always lock up before I leave." Robin said everything very fast in case he might try to convince her that she was  
imagining things. "And I'm so scared, Patrick."

"What do you want me to do? Come there?" Patrick's voice was muffled as if he was pulling a shirt over his head. He must have been getting dressed. He was coming over! She wouldn't have to wait alone.

"Please. I'd feel so much better if you were just here. Even if it's nothing. Even if I'm just freaking myself out for no reason. I know you're probably still mad at me and I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry for all of the awful things I said to you and for telling Elizabeth about your exposure. I didn't know you were keeping it a secret. I swear. I never would have--" Robin couldn't hold back the tears any longer. Her teeth were chattering and her voice was trembling and breaking as she went on.

"Calm down, Robin. I know all of that. I haven't wanted to answer my phone, but it's not because I've been trying to avoid you. I want to call you everyday, but things have gotten so messed up. Not just with us, but the whole family. I'll explain it all once I get there." Patrick promised, his car keys clanking together as he stuffed them into the pocket of his slacks.

"So you are coming over?" Robin whispered in relief.

"I'm not exactly close. Listen, I want you to go and wait with your uncle--" Patrick advised.

"If I tell him, he'll never take me seriously again." Robin argued.

"Then don't tell him why you're there. Just go over and make up some excuse. I don't want you all alone in that apartment." Patrick countered rationally.

"I can help Georgie with her checklist for Paris." Robin decided.

"I'll meet you over there. Lock up the apartment behind you and take your cell phone. I'll call you when I'm close." Patrick told her.

"Thank you, Patrick." Robin replied.

"There's not a lot I wouldn't do for you." Patrick said and then hung up the phone before she could comment.

"Daddy?" Lance tugged on the hem of Dillon's fifties inspired bowling shirt. "Something is wrong."

Dillon looked into his son's blue eyes and couldn't disagree with him. Lucas had been almost silent since he returned from Luke and Laura's house the day before. He had managed to work out something had happened with Bobbie but, other than that, nothing. Dillon sighed. It was probably way past time for Lucas to actually be the star in a Spencer family drama instead of the supporting player.

Kneeling down to look Lance in the eye, Dillon winked. "I know pal, but I'll figure it out. Why don't you go upstairs and play ok?"

Lance nodded and ran up the stairs to his playroom. Dillon squared his shoulders and walked over to where Lucas sat at the computer, staring at the screen as if it held the meaning of life. Pulling a chair over next to him, Dillon touched his husband's shoulder. "Meditating on how to win the Oscar again?"

"No." Lucas answered, not in the mood to be played with or teased. He wanted only to be left alone. He wished the whole world would just leave him alone. The flipside of the coin was of course that he wanted to tell his husband the truth, wanted to be able to share the truth with someone he loved. He was not proud of his behavior upon finding out about his mother's current condition or his ability to hide it this long from Dillon.

"Solving the disappearance of Amelia Earhart then?" Dillon was desperate to get Lucas to talk to him, even it was just to tell him to shut up. Something was obviously eating him up inside and it killed Dillon to not be able to help. He was going to keep pushing until Lucas broke and spilled all.

Lucas clicked on the little x in the right-hand corner and turned off the screen, turning to face Dillon, the look on his face one of irritation and confusion. "What's on your mind?"

"I was going to ask you the same question."

"I'm just tired. Nothing new." Lucas hated how easily the lie slipped off of his tongue and hurried to show his back to his husband, walking over to the closet to pick out an outfit for the following day.

"Bullshit." That tired lie might have worked for the majority of Lucas' family but not with Dillon. He sat back and crossed his arms. "Try again."

"What do you want to hear? There's nothing to be done about it. It's already in motion." Lucas grumbled, angrily shoving the majority of his dress shirts to one side.

"Just thinking out loud here, but it might help to know what the 'it' is that is in motion." Dillon pointed out.

"Do you think I'm a hypocrite?" Lucas asked earnestly, letting his husband make out the tears in his eyes when he slowly moved his head to the right.

"For what?" Dillon was truly confused now. What the hell was going on in Lucas' adorable head?

"I go around talking about how I just want my family to be happy but, when it suddenly happens, I know better than everyone else." Lucas told him, his voice incredibly soft. If Dillon hadn't been standing so close, he wouldn't have been able to make out the words.

"Just tell me what is going on." Dillon reached out and pulled Lucas towards him for a hug. "Just tell me."

"Don't." Lucas warned, shrinking away from his husband's touch. "I don't deserve it."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?"

"You are a lot of things, but biased happens to be one of them." Lucas shook his head stubbornly.  
"In this case I think it actually works in your favor." Dillon cocked his eyebrow up. "You realize Lance knows something is wrong, right?"

The mention of their son even picking up on his mood made Lucas drop his head in shame. "My mother is pregnant." He had to bite down hard on his bottom lip to keep from choking on the words. Saying them out loud made it even more real and he had to brace his hand against the door of the closet.

Dillon shook his head in disbelief. He quickly scanned the room for a hidden camera or any evidence that he had just been the victim of an exceptionally well planned prank. Just as quickly he dismissed that idea. Lucas wasn't that good of a actor to keep a charade going this long. This had to be real. Bobbie pregnant? "Well I guess you were right about the boyfriend."

Lucas swallowed a wave of anger and curled his fingers into fists. The more he thought about it, the less sense it made to him. It wasn't as if she and Cruz had just gotten together for a night or even a few weeks. No, they had been sneaking around for the better part of a year without a thought as to how he or the rest of the family would react. "Cruz." He replied. And to go to Uncle Luke and Aunt Laura before informing her own son of the impending condition she now found herself in? It was preposterous!

Dillon blinked rapidly. Cruz? Bobbie had been dating Cruz? This had Lifetime based on a true story movie of the week written all over it. "And how did you find this information out?"

"I stopped by the Spencer house without an invitation. Cam left his toy bear here, remember? I figured they would see Lucky before I would." Lucas explained. "I just happened to walk in about the time my mother announced it to my aunt and uncle."

Forget Lifetime. He could sell this to Showtime easy. "Did you at least talk to her about this?"

"I let her know I was standing behind her by repeating what she'd said back to her. And then I think she started to say something, but I got in the car and drove away. I don't really remember." There was one thing he'd never forget and that was when his mother's blissful expression had turned distorted. "It was stupid. I know that now. But I panicked. It was unreal. I can't explain it." Lucas muttered hoarsely. "And I'm not exactly proud of myself for how I've been acting." He defended himself even though Dillon had more than enough reason to be mad at him.

"Well sure it's unreal. It's not every day you find yourself plunged into a Lifetime movie." Dillon shrugged.

"This is not a joke!" Lucas snapped at his significant other, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I didn't mean it like that." Dillon approached Lucas carefully. "You know me. When in doubt lead with the bad joke."

"I'm sorry." He apologized profusely. "I'm so damn sorry." Without opening his eyes, he felt  
Dillon's gentle touch and let his husband pull him into a hug.

"Not your fault." Dillon carefully rubbed up and down Lucas' arms. After a few minutes of silence, he attempted to speak again. "What are you thinking?"

"That I wish I hadn't scoffed at Uncle Luke's psychiatrist when he tried to prescribe me Prozac." Lucas murmured into Dillon's left shoulder.

"I am a man of many talents but I'm no Doc Brown. Any thoughts on how you're going to deal with this?"

"I have to talk to my mother." Lucas replied in a quiet voice. It was the logical response, but he didn't know what he'd say to her. "I don't know that I'm strong enough to stay and listen to her explanation though. And I don't want to upset her...in her condition." His head started to spin and he buried his face into Dillon's shoulder again.

"Do you want me to go with you?"

Lucas shook his head, opening his eyes and meeting his husband's beautiful brown gaze. "No. I think I need to do this by myself."

"Are you sure? You are turning down years of Quartermaine family drama experience. Things get bad, I'm good for firing someone or starting an argument over who's house it is."

Lucas patted Dillon's hands. "I know you're talented, sweetheart, but this is my family drama and I've already made such a mess of things. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you got hurt."

"I've survived Thanksgiving with Edward and Tracy. This would be nothing." Dillon scoffed. "If you want to do this alone, I'll support you. But just know, I think you are a fool for turning my unique qualifications down."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get some dinner." Lucas rolled his eyes.


	92. Bittersweet Symphony

**This was not the original title. I've forgotten what it was. Updating all alone is hard so love me in spite of it. LOL!**

The smell of the stables was a love it or leave it proposition for most people. Lulu most assuredly fell into the love it category. From the very beginning, when she had experienced her brief career as a Girl Scout, the earthy smell called to her. That day with the troop of giggling prissy princesses, who only wanted the pretty horses, Lulu had pointed to the most stubborn one in the pack and came damn close to throwing a temper tantrum in her quest to ride him. The second she felt herself lifted on top of the ironically named Peaceful, eight-year-old Lulu felt at home, much the way her cousin did behind the camera or her brother when he entered the studio.

Lou's stables had become her home away from home. Every disastrous family dinner had found her here the next day. There wasn't a horse on the ranch she hadn't ridden, petted, fed, or groomed. She drew the line at mucking out the stalls. After all she did have some standards. Lulu adjusted her ponytail and scanned the grounds, looking for any clue where Lou was hiding today. Normally the older woman would come running the second she heard the unmistakable roar of Betsy, Lulu's old beat up Oldsmobile.

"Aunt Lu! I ride Storm?" Cameron jumped up and down hopefully, tugging on the sleeve of her pink and green flannel shirt.

"No Cams. Storm is too big for you remember?" Lulu replied automatically. Her mother had insisted Lulu start taking Cameron to the stables with her in an attempt to keep him away from her father's motorcycle. Luckily her nephew seemed to have inherited her love of horses. Cameron was always excited to come with her and it was their thing, their special activity no one could touch. Not even her brother.

Which was a good thing, since Lucky had been an absolute misery blanket for the past two days. She was still clueless as to what exactly had happened, but it didn't take a rocket science to know something was rotten in the state of Spencer. Lucky was barely talking to anyone, Patrick was refusing to answer his phone, Mom just walked around alternating between worry and excitement and dad just randomly cringed. Even by her family standards, they were weird. Taking comfort in the only normal acting member of her family, she had taken Cameron with her on her daily stable run.

Cameron pouted as he always did. Leave it to his Spencer genes to always want to ride the biggest, meanest horse in the place. Lulu didn't even like to ride Storm. He was an ebony beauty with a nasty temper to match his flashing eyes. For some reason she didn't quite understand, he was bound and determined every time they came to either ride Storm or get near him.

"Cheer up buddy. If you help with the other horses, I happen to know Lou bought a brand new bag of M&Ms for her favorite helper." She wasn't above bribing him for good behavior. Besides she didn't have to live with him after he demolished an entire bag of processed sugar.

Cameron's eyes lit up at the prospect of his favorite treat. He eagerly jumped up and down, nodding his head in agreement. "I help. I help."

"Good man." Lulu held out her hand for a high five, which Cameron readily gave. "I knew there was a reason I liked you the best in the whole family."

"Doesn't say much for me does it little cousin?" Logan Hayes Drake pushed off of the stall wall he had been leaning against, his lips curving into a smirk when he saw that he had succeeded in surprising her. His hair was its usual dirty blonde self, extra dirty today because the hotel hadn't had hot water and he was not about to take a cold shower.

"Logan?" Lulu shook her head in disbelief. She hadn't seen or heard from her cousin since before his divorce from Robin was final. Even Lucas hadn't been able to get a solid lead on his whereabouts for longer than two days. She had almost convinced herself the only way she was ever going to know exactly what happened to him would be the day she opened the paper to read his obituary. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Aunt Lu. You said the H word." Cameron said solemnly, his eyes as wide as saucers.

"Sorry kiddo. He surprised me is all." Lulu turned her attention to her newly returned cousin. "Although the question still remains open for an answer."

"Is that any way to talk to the guy who brought you a present?" He waved the concert tickets in front of her face. When she lunged for them, he held them above her head and laughed, his own head falling back and his eyes twinkling.

"It's probably some crap group anyways." She rationalized, crossing her arms in a huff. "We both know you have no musical taste."

"Smashing Pumpkins. Interested?" He bit back another smile when she snatched the tickets from his grasp.

"What's in this for you?" Logan didn't do presents. He did thoughtful presents even less. He wanted something.

"A little information." Logan replied, letting his gaze roam over to the adjoining stables where he heard the distinct laugh of a beautiful young girl. What was it about a simple giggle that proved the girl was attractive? It was just a sixth sense he had.

"There is no such thing as a little information with you."

"I've been out of the loop for a while. I want details on what I've missed." Logan folded his arms casually and waited for her to oblige him.

"It's called a phone and your brother. Put the two together sometimes and a whole new world may just open up to you." She matched his relaxed gaze with one of her own. He was the one who needed something here, not her. She could wait. The question was, could he?

"In case you haven't noticed, he's not exactly answering his phone these days. That leaves me with you. Come on, there's something going on. I can tell by the smile you're trying to hide." Logan noted her expression and fought to keep himself cool. Pissing Lulu off would not work in his favor.

"It's called life. It goes on without you." Lulu doubted that Logan had even attempted to call Patrick. Yes Patrick wasn't answering his phone these days, but she had no doubt he'd ease his no communication policy for his beloved-only-to-him baby brother.

"God damn it Lulu." Logan grumbled, wanting to slam his hand into something. Keep your composure. Focus. "Would it kill you to acknowledge me as your family?"

"Would it kill you to acknowledge yours at all?" Lulu bristled. "You're the one who wrote us all off here Logan."

"I didn't write anyone off, Leslie Lu. All of you just felt better forgetting I even existed." Logan shot back.

"Poor Logan. He went and screwed up his own life and no one rode in to save him from himself. In case you missed it, you wrote us off years ago. I don't remember seeing you at Patrick and Lucky's graduation. Or Cameron's birth. I remember seeing Robin there for all that but never you."

"You would side with my ex-wife. Why should I be surprised? If it isn't about you, it's not important." Logan accused coldly.

"Pot? This is the kettle calling. I should have sided with you? Newsflash Logan. I know you. I have no doubt you did exactly what Robin said you did and more she doesn't even know about."

"Close friends are you?" Logan sneered.

Lulu smiled as sweetly as she could manage. "It's hard not to be with all the time she's been spending at the house these days."

"You're lying."

Lulu continued as if he hadn't even spoken, causally tossing her hand out in the air. "I mean there's the partnership she has with Aunt Bobbie. Lucas working for her every now and again. Her new best friend is Lucky's girlfriend." She paused and grinned even wider. "Then of course there's all the time she's been spending with Patrick lately."

"What's she doing with Patrick?" Logan asked ignoring the other names his cousin had thrown in to piss him off.

"Well no one can get a straight story out of either of them, but Mom seems to think it's serious. She did the intentions talk with Robin not long ago."

"Give me the tickets. You're full of shit." Logan held out his hand, resisting the urge to smack her upside her pretty little blonde head.

Lulu tucked the tickets safely into her back pocket. "Hey you wanted information cousin. I never said you were going to like what you heard."

"I wanted the truth. If you can't provide me with that, this is a waste of time." Logan countered  
sharply.

"Poor baby can't handle..." Lulu's retort died with the sound a loud scream followed by a slam. She glanced to her side, fully expecting to see Cameron standing next to her, with his big brown eyes going back and forth between the two warring grown ups. Her heart started racing when it registered he was gone. Where was Cameron?

Panicked, she looked towards the corrals, hoping to see him standing too close to the fence. She sought out Storm's enclosure, saw the horse bucking wildly, throwing his jet black mane around with a furry she had never seen the animal possess. She began to head towards the wild animal on instinct to calm the horse down and keep him from running out into traffic, when she spotted the source of the scream.

Inside the enclosure, near the fence line, a small body lay crumpled into a twisted pretzel on the ground. He was still, not moving. Lulu began to run as the details of the picture began to register in her mind. The striped t-shirt. The Sponge Bob light up sneakers. The curly brown hair.  
"Cameron!" Lulu screamed. "Cameron!"

Georgie had gone along with this as long as she possibly could. No matter how many times Robin had insisted that she was fine, her younger cousin wasn't convinced. A stable person didn't pace the length of a room. A calm person didn't check her cell phone every five minutes. Robin was almost too good at hiding her true emotions in almost every situation so just seeing her this way made Georgie incredibly uneasy. She had come over with the excuse of helping with the checklist since Georgie was due to leave at the end of next month, but the older woman had yet to sit down and focus. "I bought a six-month supply of condoms. Do you think that'll be enough?"

Robin's head shot up. "What?" She asked her eyes glazing over in confusion and shock. "What did you just say?"

"Robin, what's with you today? You come over to discuss my trip and you can't even handle a packing list? And don't tell me you're fine." She warned Robin when she saw that her cousin about to protest.

"I guess I'm just about as transparent as glass huh?" Robin's shoulders sagged and she sat next to her youngest cousin.

"Tell me what's wrong and I'll fix it." Georgie pleaded desperately. She had felt an unsavory spirit enter the house as soon as Robin had. What was wrong and why was her cousin so closemouthed about it?

"Oh Georgie..." Robin squeezed the redhead's left knee in an attempt to ease some of the tension in the room. "I don't want to scare you."

Georgie snorted. "Well then that's the exact wrong thing to say, isn't it? Tell me." She insisted, shutting her leather bound planner and setting it behind them on the mattress.

"I think someone broke into the loft." Robin whispered, hoping this wouldn't be an issue.

"What?!" Georgie responded not a full second later.

"Hey Georgie, think you could tone it down a little bit? Last thing I need is for Mac to find out--"

"You mean you haven't told him yet? Robin, what's the matter with you? He's the commissioner! If you should talk to anyone about this, it's him!" Georgie protested without taking a breath.

"Pretend you don't know everything and keep your voice down please." Robin begged though her tone informed Georgie that it was an order. "I know what he'll say."

"Is that why you're here? You're scared to go home?" Georgie figured this was the reason. She had volunteered to watch Morgan today so it made perfect sense for Robin to consider this a safe place. Besides, this house had always been her hiding place when the rest of the world was after her.

"Yes and no." Robin knew it wouldn't be taken the right way if she told her cousin that she had been forced to come over here. It wasn't that she didn't love or trust her family enough to let them take care of her. She wanted to be taken seriously. She wanted them to understand that she was an adult and was more than capable of fighting her own battles. This was just a fluke.

"Do you think your life is in danger?" Maxie asked from the doorway, not minding that she was interrupting a very serious conversation.

"Maxie, this isn't any of your business." Georgie scolded, falling into her comfortable role of the more mature of the two sisters.

"As far as I can tell, it's not yours either. Besides, if I weren't here, you'd run straight to Mac." Maxie declared, shutting the door behind her.

Robin bit back her smile. They were practically her little sisters and she couldn't help but be amused at their banter. She had been so lonely as a child. At least they'd always had each other. Sometimes she worried the same thing would happen to Morgan: that he'd be cut off from the rest of the family due to her own self-structured lifestyle. At least he had Michael...or he would until A.J. packed up and separated the two brothers. "I don't think my life is in danger, but I didn't want to stick around and see if I could catch me a bad guy." She told her cousins matter-of-factly.

"Is there anything we can do?" Georgie wondered ignoring the goofy face Maxie made behind her. She could see her sister out of the corner of her eye. "Would you grow up?"

The buzzing of her cell phone alerted Robin to an incoming call. She lunged for her phone, praying it was Patrick saying he was close by. She would only start to feel safe again when she  
saw him standing in front of her. "Hello?" she answered breathlessly.

"Robin?" Laura's frantic voice filled her ears. "Is Patrick with you?"

"Laura? No, he's not with me. He's on his way here." Robin promised, unconsciously wetting her lips with the tip of her tongue in agitation.

"Oh God. I hoped..." Laura's voice dropped off and Robin vaguely heard the low rumble of another person's voice entering the room. "Yes, he's at General Hospital. No he wasn't with Robin." She spoke to whoever had joined her. Her voice broke as she continued. "He's hurt so badly."

"What? WHAT?!" Robin demanded, the snippets of information making her blood go cold. "Patrick's at General? He's hurt?"

"Robin, I have to go. I'll be at the hospital." Laura hung up, leaving only a dial tone to answer Robin's questions.

**"LAURA!"** Robin screamed into the phone.


	93. When The Stars Go Blue

His heart had stopped. The sound of his sister's hysterical voice on his voice mail had stopped his heart. Lucky had initially ignored the call, not wanting to entertain the spectacular pity party he had been throwing himself, but some voice in his head wouldn't shut up until he checked his voice mail. Lulu had been barely coherent but he still managed to make out her message.

_"Cameron's hurt. Go to General."_

He threw his Jeep into the nearest parking space, not giving a flying fuck if he was parked illegally or not. They could impound his car from now until the Second Coming, he needed to get inside. Throwing open the doors to the Emergency Room he scanned the anxious crowds looking for his sister. Lucky spotted her easily enough; she was pacing near a set of double doors which Lucky assumed led to trauma rooms. Running towards her at full speed, he didn't stop until he nearly skidded them both into the wall.

"Lulu. Where is he? What happened?"

"I don't know. He was right there next to me and then he wasn't. And I heard this scream and I looked and there he was." Lulu's hands flailed around as she tried to piece together what little she had figured out and guessed. She gestured towards the double doors they were standing near. "They took him back there. I tried to go with him but they wouldn't let me. I think they said Trauma three or something."

Lucky turned on his heel, ready to barge his way through the teams of doctors, find his son and get some answers, when his sister's hand on his arm stopped him. Turning towards her, he shot her a questioning gaze.

"I'm sorry Lucky. I'm so sorry," she managed, her eyes wet with tears, her voice shaking.

"Not now Lu. I have to go find my son." He shook her hand off and slammed through the double doors out of her sight.

Lulu stumbled her way towards the uncomfortable plastic seats. She began rocking back and forth to keep from completely breaking down. From the second she had seen her nephew's crumpled body, adrenaline had taken over. Now that he was in the care of doctors and her brother was here, the full shock of what she had seen overtook her. Lulu glanced at the door, hoping to see her mother and father rush through but was met instead only by Logan's eyes.

"Go away." She groaned. "Haven't you done enough damage today?"

"You're blaming me for this? Weren't you the one watching him?" Logan spat back, his eyes rolling.

"You showed up out of nowhere and started picking a fight." She retorted hotly.

"You're the one who picked the fight. And you're the one who took your eyes off of Cameron. This is your fault. You did this to him." Logan argued. Why did his family always blame him? Why was he considered the bad seed? Couldn't they give him the benefit of the doubt just once?

"Because you distracted me." Lulu started. Somehow in the course of the events she had found the strength to stand up and look Logan straight in the eye. "You got your precious information. Now leave. This is a family business."

"Cameron is my family!" Logan threw back.

"You don't even know him! He sure as hell doesn't know you!" Her voice kept rising and she knew they were attracting the attention of every person in the waiting room.

"If you need to yell at me, go ahead. Whatever soothes your guilty conscience." Logan patronized.

"You asshole." Lulu spat out ready to continue on blaming him with all the anger she could muster when she saw her mother and father run through the waiting room doors. Ignoring Logan completely, she flew to her mother's arms. "Momma. I swear it was an accident."

"I know that sweetheart." Laura replied soothingly, her mind going a mile a minute as she tried to find her son in the distance.

Lulu sniffed, guessing her mother's intention. "Lucky went back to find Cameron and yell at the doctors."

Luke's blue eyes rested on the familiar form of his younger nephew. He knew Laura had been calling every family member she could think of but he hadn't even considered she would find the one member of the family determined to be lost. "Logan. What are you doing here?"

"I was there when it happened." Logan admitted.

"So you can fill us in on what did happen then?" Luke asked.

"I honestly don't know. One second we were talking and the next there's a scream and Lulu's running..."

"Oh my poor baby." Laura said softly.

"Don't baby her, Laura. She's a Spencer. She's tough." Luke told his wife, his eyes going soft when he noticed how distraught his only daughter looked. "Are you all right?" He asked, stealing her from Laura's tight grip.

"I'm fine." Lulu nodded. "I'll be better once we find out what's going on with Cam."

"Let's sit down huh?" He ushered her toward a nearby chair.

"Lucky's so mad." Lulu whispered. "He's so mad."

"He's scared peanut. You can't hold anything he says right now against him."

"Luke? Laura?" Bobbie sprinted out of the elevator and towards her family. She and Cruz had been upstairs meeting with Dr. Lansing to discuss the best plan for a healthy pregnancy for her when she had gotten Laura's frantic message. In her mind's eye, the day BJ was taken from her began to flicker to life before her eyes once again, but Bobbie was determined to push that back. This nightmare was Lucky's and she had to be strong for him, whether he wanted her there or not.

Cruz held back as he watched Bobbie enfold Laura into a hug, whispering comforting nothings into the other woman's ear. He wasn't entirely sure if he should be there right now. Lucky had enough to worry about right now and Cruz knew his presence could just as well be an irritant to his friend as a comfort. The smart, cowardly thing to do would be to force his feet to go back to the elevator, press the button that would take him to his parking spot on the fourth floor of the garage and wait for Bobbie to call him with updates. Let Lucky decide if he wanted him there or not. But he couldn't make his feet move. Stubbornly they stayed put, as if taunting him, that even if it was the safer course of action, Cruz could no more abandon Lucky and Cameron right now than he would be able to leave Bobbie. It was decided. He was staying.

Cruz scanned the room, unsure of who knew what. Luke and Laura knew everything but did Lulu? The last thing the Spencer family needed was for Lulu to throw one of her patented dramatic fits over her aunt's "betrayal". When he landed on a familiar figure, he did a double take. Family crisis did bring the relatives out of the woodwork, Cruz acknowledged but him? Cruz made his way over to the younger man, giving him a fairly obvious once over. "Logan? When did you get here?"

"Me and Lulu brought Cameron in." Logan explained with a slow nod of his head.

"You did?" Cruz shook his head in confusion. Logan was back in town? He had been near Cameron? Did Patrick know? Did Robin? Visions of a bloodbath danced in his head. If Elizabeth was heading this way, Robin was surely close behind. And it was a wonder really why Patrick hadn't made it here already anyway. Hopefully all three would be able to remember the hurt three year old and his terrified father before World War III Drake family style broke out in the waiting room.

"Of course. I was talking to Lulu when Cameron got hurt." Logan hadn't seen Cruz Rodriguez since he, Lucky, and Patrick had been in college together. He looked mostly the same with a little more facial hair and a trimmer waist. His eyes looked wiser, but Logan couldn't figure out why.

"Then you know what happened? The only thing I was able to figure out for sure was Cameron was here."

"He got kicked by one of the horses. Mean son of a bitch." Logan recalled.

"Shit." Cruz ran his hand threw his hair. Lucky was paranoid enough where Cameron's safety was concerned, a hold over from his father's paranoia and refusal to actually follow the letter of the law. When Cameron got through this, Lucky was going to be just inches from placing his kid in a plastic bubble.

"Lucky got here a little while ago. The kid's in the ER." Logan informed his brother's best friend.

Cruz resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Logan's use of 'the kid' instead of Cameron's name. Logan had changed exactly none since the last time he had saw the younger man. "So the troops have just begun to descend then."

"Pretty much. I'm gonna get a cup of bad hospital coffee. You want some?" Logan asked, already moving toward the exit.

"No thanks." If Logan was leaving the area, Cruz realized someone had to be nearby when Patrick and Robin spotted him. Or vice versa.

Patrick couldn't see past the blood. Upon receiving Aunt Bobbie's vague phone call, he had turned completely around and rushed to get here, probably breaking a few laws on the way over. He didn't care. He had to know if the patient the ambulance had just driven up with was his little second cousin. The little face was covered in open cuts and early bruises. His eyes were closed, his tiny nose busted, and his hands hung motionlessly over each side of the gurney.

"Cameron!" Patrick didn't know why he called out to his youngest family member because it was obvious that the little boy couldn't answer him. He was already being pushed to the side and this was not an easy feat considering his height and size, but the staff was having none of his hysterics. The oldest among them was a bald black man in blue scrubs. He grabbed a hold of Patrick's left arm and shoved him backwards hard enough to make him stumble into the thickening crowd.

"That's my cousin, you son of a bitch! Let me through!" Patrick shouted his shoes stomping down on unsuspecting feet as he weaved his way to the front of the line. He could barely make out the picture of a Disney character displayed on the front of the little boy's t-shirt, Mike from Monsters, Inc. he thought. What? He was suckered into babysitting a lot and had been ever since Cameron's birth. That couldn't be him, couldn't be! He tried to think back to if Lucky had ever bought a shirt like that for his son, but who in their right mind remembered something like that?

"Sir, you're in the way." The man informed him, but Patrick wasn't giving up that easily. What if Lucky wasn't here yet? It was up to him to make sure that they took care of Cameron! He followed them inside, a million and one scenarios playing out in his mind as he tried to figure out what should do next. Most importantly, he had to keep up with the gurney and find out where they were taking his little cousin so that he could direct the rest of the family when they showed up. How was it possible that he had arrived first?

It was times like this when he wished he had followed in his father's footsteps and become a doctor. At least he would have special privileges and he would know what they were saying to each other! "Is he allergic to penicillin?" The head doctor, a man with black curly hair and a Mediterranean glow to his skin, asked Patrick.

Patrick didn't know. How could he not know? When he saw Lucky again he was going to figure out what all Cameron was allergic to. He was going to be more involved. He was going to offer to hang out with the little guy even though he knew, in the beginning at least, that Lucky wasn't going to let Cameron out of his sight. His baffled expression must have clued the young doctor in, because he didn't ask him anything else.

They all turned a corner and Patrick was right behind them, finally able to grip the tiny boy's hand lightly. He looked like he was in so much pain. He was going to buy him a toy store or an ice cream shop. Whatever Cameron wanted, he was going to get. "Do you know what happened?" Patrick inquired, directing his question toward anyone who might hold the answer.

"Some kind of accident involving a horse." The doctor replied absentmindedly.

"Was he riding the horse? Was his aunt with him? Or his dad?" Patrick demanded.

"We don't have a lot to go on, but you're in the way. Please let us do our jobs." The doctor snapped as he led his team to the ER, not ten feet away.

"He's going to be okay." Patrick didn't let his voice rise at the end of his comment, because there was no alternative.

"We really won't know until we get him checked out." The doctor explained short temperedly.

The team of doctors, nurses, and one hotly concerned photographer burst through the double doors and hurried past the group of grief-stricken visitors. Patrick didn't even notice anyone until the doctor refused to let him go any further, even after he tried to stress to the medical professionals that he was family and that he would be going in with or without their consent. He felt a tug on his sleeve of his gray button-down and recognized Aunt Laura curled up in a chair. Lulu was sprawled across her lap, her eyes closed. Patrick couldn't see Luke so he assumed his uncle had gone in search of food or coffee, or both. He wouldn't leave his girls alone for long that much Patrick did know.

They wheeled the small boy into the ER and Patrick watched as not one of his relatives showed any interest. "That wasn't Cam, was it?" he realized.

"No dear. Cameron was brought in an hour ago. Lucky's in with him now." Laura explained softly.

"Is he alright?" It was a stupid question, but he had to ask it.

"I don't know. Lucky hasn't come back out and told us yet." Laura watched him with unshed tears in her beautiful blue eyes.

Cruz rose from his chair against the wall and approached his best friend. The anger that had risen in his throat when he spotted the other man confirmed he was in no way ready to put the hurtful remarks Patrick had thrown at him in the past. And he was more than likely no closer to forgiving Lucky for the same offense. But right now this was bigger than the three of them fighting. It may kill him but Cruz was determined to be an adult about this, even if he did want to act like a three year old. "I keep trying to work my connections from the magazine but nothing is working."

Patrick regarded his friend with mild interest and major irritation. He was still very sore about all that had gone on, not just over the last couple of days, but the entire time Cruz and Bobbie had been lying to him, to Lucky, to everyone. It was still weird to link their names, but he figured it would pass in time. His aunt showed no signs of giving up her own happiness for her family and the same could be said about Cruz. "Lucky will tell us when he comes back." Patrick replied in a no-nonsense voice.

Cruz nodded his agreement. "Just be nice to get something other than 'We can only release information to his immediate family.' I'm only fairly sure Lucky hasn't killed a doctor yet and that's only because the SWAT team hasn't come crashing in."

"I thought the patient they just brought in was Cam. The kid was his same size, same age. He's in really bad shape." Other than having been confused, Patrick couldn't figure out why the young boy's fate bothered him. "Horse accident too." He added solemnly. "How long have you been here?" He didn't meet Cruz's eyes, afraid he would see the same hurt he felt mirrored in his friend's eyes.

"About an hour. I was upstairs." For now he wasn't going to mention exactly why he was upstairs. It would wreck the shaky peace they were trying to establish for the sake of a hurt three-year-old. "I just missed Lucky's arrival."

"I had better call Robin. I was supposed to pick her up. She thinks someone broke into her loft." Patrick started to reach for his phone, but let his fingers drop instead. He didn't want to talk to her when he was feeling like this. He might just snap at her and he was sure to say the wrong thing.

"Anyone know if Elizabeth has been called yet?" Cruz had to admit he was surprised she wasn't wearing a groove into the floor with her pacing already.

"I don't know. Do you have her number?" Patrick shook his head. When exactly had he become this clueless?

"I called her. I'm surprised you didn't run into her on your way in Patrick." Laura spoke up, alerting the two men to her continued presence.

"I wouldn't have run into her, I would have run over her." Patrick tried to joke but it fell flat and he buried his face in his hands fighting for composure.

Luke re-entered the room with Bobbie close at hand, balancing a tray of stale tasting coffee in his hands. It was bland and tasteless but at least it was hot. Of course it wouldn't kill the longing he had for the bottle of Scotch behind his desk at the club. He almost wished for Claude to show up so he could order the bartender to go get it and then fire him for not getting back quick enough. After handing Laura her cardboard cup and placing one under his daughter's chair, he sat down next to Patrick, placing his hand on the younger man's back. "Nephew."

"Hey Uncle Luke." Patrick found his uncle's blue eyes easily enough and gulped slightly. He wouldn't acknowledge his aunt just yet because he was trying so hard to keep it together and one word to or from her would shatter him. Why had it been easier to talk to Cruz than to Bobbie? They had been equal in their betrayal, but he had treated her worse. He had no idea how to even begin the apology she deserved. Part of him, a rather large part, was still angry with her for keeping him in the dark. That part he recognized as his pride and, when in doubt, a Drake always fell back on his pride. He wanted to get past this, wanted to find a way to be happy for her, but maybe he was just too selfish.

Bobbie sat down next to Cruz, far too exhausted from trying to be strong to care right now what was right and what would cause a fight. While Luke had gone in search of coffee, she had spent much of the search on the phone with Dillon, trying, rather unsuccessfully she feared, to convince him that there was no reason for him and Lucas to drop everything and come down to wait with them. She was now fully expecting both to come barreling through the doors the second they could find an acceptable sitter for Lance. She smiled when she felt Cruz squeeze their linked fingers. "Patrick. When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago. I was in Buffalo or I would have been here much sooner." He assured her, snatching the coffee that Luke must have picked up for the now sleeping Lulu and taking a long, unsatisfying drink.

"Of course you would have." Bobbie smiled sadly. "What was going on in Buffalo?"

"I needed a couple of days to think." Patrick answered quietly.

Wisely Bobbie let that subject drop. Emotions were too close to the edge for anything remotely resembling a calm rational conversation on that particular subject. And thankfully, some good karma Bobbie had sent out into the world at some point was returned to her as she spied Elizabeth's timid arrival into the waiting room. "Elizabeth. We were just talking about you."

Elizabeth bit her lip and slowly made her way over to the assembled family. When she had finally checked her messages, Laura's had scared her to death. She had raced straight for the hospital and had been one second from walking through the doors when doubt flooded her. Only two days ago she had walked out on Lucky for even thinking she was cheating on him. Would he even want to see her? "Really? Can't imagine why."

"We were just wondering where you were honey." Laura assured her and patted the open seat next to her.

"I…I just got the message." Elizabeth managed as she sat down. It was only then that she realized it would mean sitting directly across from Patrick. "It's been some long days lately so I had my phone turned off."

"I'm sure Lucky will be relieved to see you." Laura told her, releasing Patrick's hand and taking Elizabeth's.

"We'll see." Elizabeth murmured. A part of her hoped so. Another part of her taunted her she had just gone and blown this relationship with her flying off the handle. She kept her eyes moving, trying to keep away from Laura's curious gaze and finally rested on Lulu's sleeping form, twisted into what at best looked like an uncomfortable wad. "How can she sleep like that?"

"She's always been able to. When we'd play cards into the wee hours of the morning, we'd find her curled up under the kitchen table." Laura thought she might have smiled at the memory. It was all she could do not to burst into tears.

"Who are you?" Logan interrupted from the doorway, making his way across the room. From his brother's expression, he could tell the old man didn't look pleased with his decision to spring up out of nowhere. He had never met this lovely creature, but she had obviously wormed her way into his family if she was holding Laura's hand and looking all sad and helpless.

Elizabeth blanched at the question. Who was this asshole? "Elizabeth. Who the hell are you?"

Patrick chuckled softly to himself and stood up to his full height, frowning at his younger brother. "Elizabeth, meet Logan. My brother. Logan, meet Elizabeth." Patrick was pretty certain he didn't like the grin that appeared on his brother's face upon explaining Elizabeth's name and reason for being here. "Lucky's girlfriend." He continued, making sure that there was no confusion.

Elizabeth frowned at Patrick's declaration. This was Robin's ex-husband? Somehow she had assumed he would resemble Patrick, a decision she now realized was ridiculous since her siblings were blonde and she was most decidedly a brunette. This was the charmer who had fooled Robin? She had to have a discussion with her friend about her taste men when they had a minute. "Oh. Your brother. I've heard about him."

"Only pleasant things I hope." Logan murmured seductively.

"Only about your leaving." She smiled at him.

"What the hell are you doing back here?" Patrick lifted one eyebrow and looked toward Logan.

"Talk about a friendly welcome. Is no one happy to see me?" When not even Aunt Laura answered him, Logan pouted. "I hear you've all gotten along fine without me."

"You heard right." Patrick nodded affirmatively.

Logan narrowed his eyes at his brother. "Especially you, big brother. I thought you were on my side."

Patrick wanted to smack his brother upside the head, but his hand had just started to heal and he didn't want to damage it any more than it already was. If he kept up these random physical attacks, they might just cut his hand off. "What side would that be? You lied to me. You lied to anyone who would listen." He reminded his brother, taking a threatening step toward him.

"Patrick..."Cruz began to stand up, a warning in his voice. This was going to get as ugly as he feared.

Robin flew into the small room, her dark brown eyes scanning the crowd as she searched for Laura. Ever since receiving the call almost an hour ago, she had tried to convince herself that it wasn't as bad as her imagination was making it. Having called Laura back several times only to be greeted by her voicemail, Robin had assumed the hospital required her to put the phone on silent. She had realized at that point that she would have to come here and see for herself what had happened. It took ten minutes to start the car and another fifteen to get the car out of the driveway without fear that she would hit someone or something. The drive over had been frightening and stressful. She had mistakenly chosen a road that was held up by an inconvenient accident—were there any other kind?—and she had actually convinced herself to park her car and check to make sure Patrick wasn't among the casualties. He hadn't been, but no one had survived the three-car collision.

She had been touched by loss and tragedy most of her life so she couldn't figure out why she was always blindsided by them. Shouldn't she have developed some kind of sixth sense by now? Her stepfather had been killed when she was still a girl, her grandmother had been killed in front of her, and then she had watched life slip out of Stone. She had mourned her father's death for fifteen years before he showed up again last year with a radical story that had to be true because he wasn't that inventive. When she thought she had finally built her life in such a way that nothing could send her stumbling, something else would happen and she'd have to develop a new technique to cope.

Laura's call had left her feeling cold all over and while her cousins had offered to drive her, she had refused both of them with a fake certainty she didn't possess. Mac had checked all of the reports to try and soothe her fears, but she hadn't stuck around long enough to confirm or deny if Patrick had been in some kind of accident. Everything leading up to this moment had been pure conjecture; she hadn't known one way or the other. The fact that she had been able to make it this far was a miracle in itself. Now that she was here, she couldn't decide if she wanted to keep going or collapse.

"Robin." Laura called to her, rubbing Lulu's back enough to rouse her from her sleepless slumber. She was certain the poor girl could go no paler without needing immediate medical attention. The confusion and worry were obvious on the small brunette's face and she suddenly felt horrible for never calling her back and explaining the situation. She had been running ragged since she got the call from the hospital and she supposed that was what made her call Robin. She had only been looking for Patrick, but the girl must have figured her nephew was the one hurt and rushed over.

Both brothers spun around at the sound of their aunt's voice, but it was Patrick who actually moved toward his alarmed girlfriend. She locked eyes with him as he quickly closed the distance between them and her bottom lip started to tremble as something that resembled relief washed over her. It wasn't complete relief though, because the family was still in the waiting room of the ER and that meant that someone had been terribly injured. She wanted to look around and do a process of elimination, but she couldn't drag her eyes away from Patrick's. He touched her left wrist and she gave him a shaky smile, tears evident in her eyes as she let him pull her into his embrace.

Patrick was unable to ignore the way she shook in his arms. She was scared to death. Drawing a hand lightly through her thick curls, he listened to her quietly sob into the shoulder of his gray shirt. She would never know just how much he hated to see her fall apart this way. "I meant to call you back." He promised, remembering their last conversation. "But I knew you were safe at your uncle's—"

Robin shook her head and buried her face deeper into the folds of his clothing. She wrapped both of her arms around his left one and almost choked on an unexpected sob when Patrick nuzzled her cheek with his nose. She told herself that, as long as he was holding her, as long as she could reach out and touch him, everything else would just fall into place. She wanted to ask him what had happened, why Laura had called her, but she couldn't form the words; she couldn't say anything.

"I had to get here. It was Cam. I got the call…" Patrick let his voice trail off, hoping she wouldn't make him continue just yet. He was still so unsure of what had happened and who was to blame and none of them knew how bad Cam's condition was.

"Cameron?" Robin whispered stupidly, lifting her forehead from his shoulder. This didn't make sense. Cameron was a sweet little boy. Sure, bad things happened to innocent children all the time, but those children weren't Spencers and she had never met another family, save her own, who looked after their own quite like they did. "What happened to Cameron?" When he didn't answer her right away, she grabbed his chin between her thumb and forefinger and forced him to look at her. "What happened, Patrick?"

"Horse kicked him." Logan spoke up though no one had been talking to him. Even Luke looked a little surprised that his younger nephew had interrupted such a private moment.

Though he tried to keep her focus on him, all it took was one word from Logan and Robin stiffened beneath Patrick's fingertips and turned in the direction of a man who had taken so much from her, a man who had almost cost her Patrick. "Who let you in here?" She spat at him, her eyes as sharp as the words flying from her lips.

"I was there when it happened. And I'm family. You do remember that term don't you?" Logan shot back, his shoulders automatically lifting as if he were about to pounce on her.

"Of course you were there when it happened. You've never even met Cameron, so why wouldn't you show up and get him hurt?" Robin didn't care if she had grounds to accuse him or not. She knew he had been responsible.

"I had nothing to do with that. I wasn't the one who should have been watching him. Lulu—" He began but Robin was having none of it.

"Can't you ever accept responsibility for yourself? You know, your mother dies and you blame the Spencers for trying to, what did you call it? Oh right, replace her. Then you marry me and forget what the word fidelity means. When that goes to hell, you say it's my fault. Now, a little boy is in the ER, a boy who is related to you by blood, and you can't find a single regret for what you did today? You really are the heartless bastard I always accused you of being." Robin didn't even have to raise her voice to get the point across. From the looks of it, her words were having the desired effect on her ex-husband.

"That's enough." Bobbie's voice startled them into silence. "I know we're all worried about Cam, but this isn't helping anybody."

"You're right. We'll finish this later." Robin gave in, her eyes going even darker as she shot Logan a dirty look.

Logan waited for her to walk past him, getting a safe distance from his brother, and then caught hold of her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. "Why not finish it now?" He asked his voice low and tormenting.

Two long strides later, Patrick was in front of Logan and two seconds after that, his baby brother was on the floor. Logan's eyes fixed on his as he touched his bottom lip and discovered fresh blood. "You will not touch her." Patrick snarled, moving his right hand around Robin and holding her to him.

"I can't believe you just did that! I'm your brother!" Logan reminded him, slowly making his way to his feet.

"And that's the only reason you're still alive." Patrick answered without a hint of hesitation. "Now get out of here."

"Don't know why I thought I could talk loyalty to you when we both know you're wrapped up in that little bitch." Logan retorted, hurrying out of the room before his brother could do anymore damage.

The moving of the swinging doors distracted Elizabeth from commenting further on Logan's charming qualities. Laura must have spotted the same movement she did, because she had rose to her feet and started for her son before the rest of the family fully realized Lucky was finally walking towards them. The delay in recognition was understandable. In the rough hour he had been gone, he appeared to have aged at least twenty years. His green eyes were fresh with unshed tears and it was apparent to anyone with eyes one sentence more than what he had to say would push him straight to the breaking point. Laura grabbed him and held him close to her, offering her strength to help keep him upright.

"How is he? How is he?" she asked anxiously as the gathered family pressed closer. Patrick and Cruz unconsciously moved to his sides, both ready to catch him if his legs gave out on him. Luke rested his hand on his son's shoulder, leaving Bobbie, Elizabeth and Robin to crowd as close as they could between the two parents. Terrified, Lulu huddled near the back, hidden just out of her brother's sight, hugging herself.

It was only one sentence but it echoed as if Lucky had given a lecture. His quiet, broken voice bounced off every available surface, repeating for all eternity.

"He's in a coma."


	94. God Only Knows

The beeps and whirrs of the monitors didn't sound any different than when he had spent time with Robin in this very hospital almost three months ago. The room didn't appear to be decorated any differently. The nurses still walked in and silently checked the levels on the various machines and fluid-filled bags hanging on poles near the bed. But the ache in Lucky's chest told him how very different this situation was.

Cameron lay still, and if the room had been completely dark, Lucky may have convinced himself he was just sleeping. But in the dimly lit room, the bandages covering Cameron's forehead were visible. The angry red stitches lined his face as a roadmap of pain. A neck brace that looked almost small enough to be a gag on a comedy show, circled his small neck. The left side of his body was covered in casts. Lucky worried he was in pain, but the nurses reassured him the medicine that was being delivered intravenously would keep Cameron comfortable.

He held onto his son's hand, covering his tiny one with his larger one, using his free hand to wipe away the tears he had finally allowed to fall. He was scum. He should have been spending time with his son, not sitting at home acting like a pouting two year old. This wouldn't have happened if he had just gotten his butt off the couch and actually interacted with his son. When Cameron got better it was going to change. Everything was going to change.

He'd quit his job. It wasn't like he needed the money. Over the years he had saved most of it and he didn't spend lavishly. They could live comfortably for years. He'd spend every waking moment with Cameron. No more shuffling him off to the baby-sitters. No more fake publicity dates. If he didn't realize he had no talent in the area, he'd consider home schooling.

"I'm sorry, buddy. I swear I'll make it up to you. I'm sorry." He whispered, rubbing the top of Cameron's head.

"It's not your fault you know." Bobbie's soft voice carried over from the doorway. Carefully she made her way to Lucky's side, pulling a chair next to him. She rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "It was an accident."

"I shouldn't have let him go. He should have been with me." Lucky sniffed.

"You didn't know this was going to happen and Cameron loves to ride with Lulu."

"And he was only there because I was too selfish to pay attention to him. All I had to do was put aside my own shit and this wouldn't have happened."

"And if I had driven BJ to school instead of sending her out to meet the bus, she'd still be here." Bobbie managed quietly.

Lucky sucked in a breath at the mention of his cousin. Her death had nearly destroyed his aunt's entire family. He couldn't remember seeing either his father or his Uncle Tony cry before that day. Bobbie had been a shell, and it was months before she could even catch a glimpse of Maxie Jones without bursting into immediate tears. In that second, Lucas had taken it upon himself to be his parents' caregivers and became as active as Laura was in keeping the Spencer family close together. "BJ died because of an accident Aunt Bobbie." He managed.

"And I still convinced myself there was something I should have done. If I had sent her out a half a second later. If I had driven her to school. If I had kept her home for some reason or another. If I had been different, been a better mother, then my daughter would still be here."

"Lucas thinks the world of you. You're a great mother Aunt Bobbie."

Bobbie leaned her chin on her nephew's shoulder. "And Cameron thinks you hung the moon. You didn't cause this Lucky."

"I have to change everything. I can't let anything happen to him again." Lucky stared distractedly at the steady rise of Cameron's chest, reassuring himself his son was still breathing. "I can't fail him again."

"You didn't fail him. And you can't protect him from everything Lucky. For one thing he has my brother as a grandfather." Bobbie paused to run her fingers through Lucky's short brown hair. "Believe me I know the impulse. I wanted Lucas no more than an arm's reach from me after we lost BJ. I was going to pull him out of soccer. Home school him. Quit my job and spend every second I had with him."

Lucky turned to face his aunt, for the first time in three days meeting her eyes. "But you didn't do that."

"No. Because of something, ironically enough, your father said to me." She paused to chuckle lightly at the memory. "He told me quote I was in serious danger of suffocating the boy. Boys need room to move and I was going to quote make Lucas one wimp of a Spencer and a discredit to his family name end quote."

Lucky groaned at the sound of his father's words. "There is a reason he doesn't write sympathy cards."

"Yes but in his own backwards way, he had a point. By keeping Lucas close to me, I was denying him any chance to be who he was supposed to be. I may succeed in keeping him safe, but would he be able to stand on his own? Probably not. I had to learn to live with my fear and let Lucas be Lucas." Bobbie looked directly into Lucky's eyes. "And you will have to learn to do the same."

"How?"

"With time. You'll figure it out with time."

Lucky raised his arms over his head, trying to stretch out his back. One would think, he mused to himself, that a hospital would have comfortable seats for visitors. Apparently General Hospital had not gotten this memo. Cameron had only been in his room for about an hour and already Lucky felt like he had been sitting in the same position for four days straight.

"Can I come in?" Robin asked from the doorway, a surprise behind her back. She hadn't been able to stay away any longer and, though it didn't seem possible, she had heard every one of Luke's jokes already and Lulu was really bad at cards.

"Please. It's really hard talking to myself."

"I come bearing gifts." Robin announced, stepping into the room and feeling the air escape her lungs as she caught sight of Cameron. "How's he doing?" She wondered, setting the basket on the side table.

Lucky shrugged in frustration. "I wish I knew. The nurses keep saying everything looks good but I don't see how. He's not responding. He's not awake. He's not fine."

Robin touched Lucky's shoulder and stared down at the little boy that was his whole world. "You look like hell my friend." She told him matter-of-factly.

"Funny that is exactly how I feel."

Robin motioned toward her basket of goodies. "I have just the thing." Picking out a package of cheese and crackers, she placed them in his hand and went about taking the gift apart.

Lucky looked up at her confused. "What did you do? When did you have time to do this?"

"I had a few errands to run so Patrick stayed behind and told me he'd call my cell if there was any change. It's not a big deal, Lucky. I had to check on Morgan anyway and the bakery is just down the street from Uncle Mac's. Now, would you rather have an apple turnover or an oatmeal cookie? Keep in mind, I brought both. Plus, you've got..." She dug through the basket, "A book of crossword puzzles and a word search. I picked up a hospital pen from the nurse's desk but don't worry. They didn't see me." Robin smirked.

"Good. That one with the braids is scary. I hear all she does is yell." Lucky shook his head at Robin's gesture. Her definition of "not a big deal" and his were obviously widely different. They would have to have a talk about that one of these days. "Hand over the cookie and don't breathe a word of it to my mom."

"I'm good at keeping secrets. Speaking of, I snuck in The Firebrand." Robin whispered, shoving the book and cookie into his free hand.

Lucky grabbed at the book and quickly dropped it to the side of the chair, knowing full well when most of his family was occupied, he would immediately pick it up. He could hear the jokes already if his father or friends ever found out his favorite book was a feminist re-telling of the Trojan War. "I told you Patrick sneaking the flask in wasn't something I could control."

"It was only my wedding, but you're forgiven." Robin nodded, fingering the other items the basket still held: coffee grounds, strawberry jam, and Carrot and Coffee cakes. She had a plastic container of Chicken Marsala in the lounge and would get it if he told her he was hungry for real food. Everyone reacted differently in a crisis, and food was the one thing Robin did well.

"Did you leave any food at the bakery?" Lucky wondered. "Edward Quartermaine isn't going to come down here and take this away is he?"

Robin smiled, settling down into the vacant seat beside Lucky. "I don't know what I should tell you." To say she was out of her element would have been a gross understatement. How did one go about reassuring their friend when she, herself, hadn't been through it?

"That this is a dream would be nice but you can't tell me that."

"You and I both know he couldn't be receiving better care than he is here. We grew up in this hospital." Robin reminded him, trying to find comfort in the memory.

"Robin, coming in for broken arms is not the same as this, but it was a good try. A for effort." Lucky sighed when he heard the bitterness falling from his mouth. Robin didn't deserve this. "I'm sorry," He offered. "I shouldn't have snapped at you."

"Don't worry about it." Robin couldn't stop the tears from pricking her eyes. It wasn't that he had hurt her feelings, only that there was too much truth in his words. "I don't understand why things like this happen."

"If I did I would be handling this much better."

"You're tough as nails, Spencer. Don't you know that by now?" Robin teased him lightly.

"You have me confused with yourself there, Scorpio." Lucky sighed. "What are the rest of them doing? I know they have to be working from some form of schedule for coming back here." Otherwise, he mused, no one else would be sleeping on this floor with the commotion from his father alone.

"I don't really know. Every time I leave and come back, they've changed shifts. I must not be cool enough to know the strategy." Robin mused.

"Spencer group thing. It tends to exclude the non-family members."

"I don't know about that. They seem to have roped Elizabeth into their little club." Robin laughed softly.

"Elizabeth is still here? I thought she would have gone home by now." Lucky hated to admit he had been shocked to see her in the waiting room but he was. She had ignored his phone calls since she ran out of his house. He had assumed his mother or Robin had somehow alerted her to his current crisis but he hadn't expected her to stick around. Not after what he had mistakenly believed about her, however briefly.

"Why does that surprise you? She loves...Cameron just as much as the rest of us do." Robin barely caught herself.

"Considering the last time I saw her she was in tears? I had my doubts."

"How could you think she could do something like that to you? Was Max not enough of a clue as to why she wouldn't?" Robin was torn between her childhood friend and her best friend. It was not a place she liked to be but, if she had to be the buffer between them, she supposed that was okay with her.

"I didn't think it, well not for long. Patrick was the one who believed it. It was stupid, but after fighting with him, not being able to get a hold of her, and you didn't see the date setup Cruz had going on. I admit it sounds insane."

"I know trust is hard after what happened to Jess." Robin whispered, not wanting to trample over sacred ground.

"That was part of it." Lucky admitted. "Finding out I was in the dark about something like one of my friend's HIV status did lead me to not thinking straight."

"I didn't know he hadn't told you." Robin assured him, bowing her head.

"I'm not blaming you on that one. Who would have guessed this would be the one time Patrick decided to actually keep things to himself?" Lucky paused and looked at his old friend. "I am curious as to why I knew nothing about your status." He held up his hand in protest. "I know it's your decision who to tell but I thought we were closer friends than that Robin."

"After what happened to Stone, I was in complete denial. The only other people who knew were Jason and then Logan. After Logan started using it as an argument tactic, I didn't feel comfortable sharing it with anyone else." Robin explained. "You know, your cousin is a lot of things, but it's like he was born without common sense. I told him to leave me in that car, but he wouldn't listen. You have to know I didn't mean to infect him. I told him about my status, but he got me out anyway. I owe him my life...and I could very well have shortened his."

"I don't blame you for infecting him. I know Patrick. I know he's one stubborn ass. I blame him for acting like one and then wondering why everyone is concerned about him."

"He told you his most recent test came back negative, didn't he?" Robin implored.

"He did."

"He's scared, Lucky." Robin told him. "He'll only let me so close. Every time I try to bring it up, he changes the subject." It wasn't fair to ask him to take on anything else with all he was already dealing with. Still, it needed to be said. Lucky could take the information and do with it what he would.

"Well join the club there." Lucky offered out his hand to her. "First one to figure out how to get him to stop tells the other. Deal?"

"You're kind of at an unfair disadvantage." Robin pointed out.

"You're right. I'm not female."

"Eat your cheese and crackers. I'll send Elizabeth in." Robin hugged Lucky hard and then left the room.

Biting her lip, Elizabeth paused to pull at the sleeves of her green shirt. When Robin had come out and whispered to her Lucky wanted to see her, butterflies had taken up residence in her chest. Of all the uncomfortable meetings she had over the course of her life, this was quickly taking the place of her run in with Ms. Osencraft. What did you say to someone who was terrified they were going to lose their child when the last words you said to them had been laced in hurt and anger?

Stopping in the doorway, her hand went to her mouth as she saw for the first time the extent of Cameron's injuries. He looks so small, she thought. So small. Tears pricked at her eyes as she just stood and watched the rise and fall of his chest and listened to the steady hum of the machines that were helping him heal.

She must have made some noise to alert Lucky to her presence. She couldn't bring herself to believe he had merely sensed her presence. Elizabeth offered up a weak wave when he turned in the chair and caught her eyes with his. "Hi." She whispered.

"Hi." Lucky whispered back. Seeing her standing in the doorway had provided him with the first calm feeling he had experienced since Lulu had called him. He stood up as she stepped hesitantly into the room. When she got close enough, he reached an unsteady hand out to hers. Lucky breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't pull away.

"How are you doing?"

"I'll be better once he gets out of here."

"He will." Elizabeth squeezed his fingers as she intertwined them with hers. "I know he will."

When other people had tried to comfort him with those same words, he had felt the irrational urge to smack them on the back of their heads. Somehow when Elizabeth said it, he almost believed it. "Did you get a medical degree when I wasn't looking?" he smiled.

"No but see I know his dad. And his dad doesn't give up. So he won't either."

Elizabeth glanced down at their joined hands and hurried to continue, "And how I know this is see he hasn't given up me and I'm a total spaz. Even when I run out him for stupid reasons."

"His father feels the same way."

Elizabeth managed a shaky smile. "I'm sorry I ran out."

"You're here now. That counts a lot."

Elizabeth pulled him into her arms and hugged him, letting his head drop on her shoulder. "I'll be here as long as you need me." She whispered into his ear.


	95. Ghost of You

"So anyone up for a viewing of _A Little Romance_?" Dillon asked holding up the DVD. Seeing his suggestion meet with resounding silence, he shrugged and sat down next to the portable DVD player he brought with him. "Guess that's just me then."

The various members of the Spencer family ignored him from their positions in the waiting room they had overtaken. At one point there had been another family waiting with them, but one card game with Luke and they left the area for "calmer" spaces. It was no matter to Luke; their departure just meant more room for the seemingly unending parade of family and friends that seemed to flow from the elevators.

Laura sat near Bobbie, their heads huddled together in some sort of conference. It was probably something to do with the new baby, Luke deduced. He knew his wife. She was out of her mind with worry for Cameron but she needed to concentrate on something else. She would pounce on Bobbie's situation like a starving dog on a bone. Lulu was trying to play cards with Lucas and was losing terribly. It was amazing to Luke that of all the Spencer traits, that one somehow skipped his daughter all together.

Cruz had gone in search of coffee, a wise move Luke thought considering what he was reasonably sure Bobbie and Laura were talking about. If Lucas, Patrick, and Lucky were feeling better about that whole situation he would have started a betting pool on when exactly Laura was going to start hinting around about marriage for the newly discovered pair. It wouldn't take more than a month or so, he reasoned.

Robin ran her fingers carefully through Patrick's matted hair as he lay in her lap, his long body taking up three chairs. She would have to tease him later when she pointed out that he, most assuredly, did snore. It wasn't loud. It was adorable, like a grizzly bear's stomach rumbling. Like Winnie the Pooh, she mused. She wanted to stretch out her legs because her bottom was starting to fall asleep, but she didn't want to disturb him. It was as if he hadn't slept in weeks. She knew the fight with Logan had taken a lot out of him and, while she wanted to believe it was really over for now, that he was past it, there were too many loose ends left to tie up. This hadn't even been the real fight yet.

Elizabeth entered the room and ran her fingers through her hair. Spotting Robin and Patrick across the room, she maneuvered carefully through towards them and sat down on the one available chair next to Robin not completely consumed with Patrick's body. She giggled when she heard a snore emanate from Patrick's mouth. "He sounds exactly like Lucky."

"Have a nice talk?" Robin asked, not wanting to pry...at least not any more than she usually did.

"Yeah. We worked it out."

"What was said? Did you mention the..." Robin leaned in closer, "L word? And I'm not talking about the television show." She added, knowing a smartass comment wasn't too far away.

Elizabeth blushed and looked towards the wall. "No. We apologized for acting like jerks and then we talked about Cameron."

"You're not a jerk. And neither is Lucky. You're dopes." Robin corrected with a smile.

"So have the two of you actually talked or did you just jump to post make up relief?" Elizabeth asked with her head tilted, pointing to the other couple.

"Totally jumped." Robin answered softly.

"And the whole Logan thing, been mentioned at all?" Elizabeth wondered. "You didn't really think I was going to let that slide did you?"

Robin bit back a grin. "We haven't really talked about anything. He's been asleep forever and..." She glanced over her shoulder. "Yep, my butt is totally asleep."

"Well the snore gives that away." Elizabeth joked.

"Logan's still a sore subject. I didn't want to push him and I'm in no hurry to discuss that...person." Robin whispered, remembering where she was.

"Person. You are being generous my friend. You do realize we are going to have a long discussion on what exactly the attraction was there, right?"

"He had a nice sense of humor." Robin recalled, scrunching up her face. "And, in the beginning, he was charming."

"If that was his charming face I saw, I have to ask. Were you drunk?"

"Only at the wedding. No, seriously, it wasn't always like this." Robin assured her friend. "He had all of these crazy schemes about how our lives were going to be. I guess a part of me is still waiting for him to succeed. That must be why he still gets to me. And Patrick knows it."

"And we are back to the whole avoiding the conversation thing."

"Not avoiding." Robin shook her head. "I just want to have a little happy before we have to discuss something that's just going to make us mad."

"I can't fault you for a little happy." Elizabeth smiled. "I'd take a little happy right now."

"Cameron looks so helpless. I've never seen him be so still for so long. It's not natural." Robin swallowed back a threatening gulp.

"I don't think I have ever seen Lucky look so unsure of himself." Elizabeth blinked back her tears. "And Cameron, he looked so little. I never thought he was small until..." Her voice trailed off unable to finish her thought

"They will get through this. And I know you'll be right there with Lucky when Cam wakes up." Robin nodded adamantly.

Elizabeth nodded and leaned her head on Robin's shoulder. "And I'm sure you'll be there feeding every last person on the floor."

"Was the basket too much?" Robin asked quietly.

"No. I think it will probably be the only thing he eats tonight." Elizabeth reassured her. "I do have to ask about the book though."

"What book?" Robin inquired innocently.

"You're good. But I saw it. The Firebrand? I mean I love it, but it's not exactly on a guy's reading list."

"I was appealing to Lucky's feminine side." Robin replied, glancing down at Patrick's hand and shaking her head.

"You know for some reason I just don't believe you..." Elizabeth's further conversation on the subject was halted by the arrival of a frantic woman. With her curly, shoulder length and dark blue eyes, she appeared to be the same age as Laura. She was wearing a well cut blue and white print dress that showed off her curves to their best advantage. While her appearance didn't scream money, the causally stylish outfit spoke of style and taste that came with being able to afford it. The older woman wrung her hands, scanning the room for a familiar face and ran immediately for Laura when she found her across the room.

"Laura! What happened? We just got the message." She collided with Laura's outstretched arms.

"Who is that? Do you know?" Elizabeth whispered to Robin as Laura softly explained what was going on.

"Jessalyn's mother. Cam's grandmother." Robin clarified her attention on the women in front of them.

"Oh." Elizabeth searched her memory. She was certain Lucky had mentioned Cameron's other grandparents before. "Lisa right? And her husband is Tony?"

"Yeah, that's right. They live half an hour away from here." Robin told her.

Elizabeth nodded, keeping an eye on the door. If Jessalyn's parents were here, then Jessalyn herself surely couldn't be that far behind. Elizabeth had to admit she was curious about Cameron's mother. She had no information on her other than her name. And even that had been hard to come by. If Lucky hadn't explained to her who Tony and Lisa were one day, she doubted she would have even got that much information. Who was this woman and why did she have no contact with her child as far as Elizabeth could see?

Cameron never mentioned her. He by far wasn't the only child in her school with only one parent raising him, but she never heard about weekend visits with his mom. When she had the class draw pictures of his family, she couldn't recall seeing anyone he identified as his mother. There could be any number of reasons she wasn't on the school emergency contact card, but her absence was still glaring.

All that could probably be explained if Lucky would just talk about her. But he didn't. Not that Elizabeth hadn't tried. She hadn't wanted to seem pushy but she had asked a question or two about Cameron's mother. The only information she had been able to get from him was her name was Jessalyn Grimes and they had met in college. She would have asked Laura questions but she was afraid that would lead right back to Laura sizing her up for a wedding dress.

She was probably beautiful, Elizabeth mused. She had to be if she attracted Lucky's attention. He may be sweet, kind and wonderful Elizabeth allowed, but he was still a guy and they did tend to react to the physical first. Especially college guys. Had he loved her? Really loved her? Did he love her still? Was that why he was quiet about her? Did she still love him? Was she on her way? Was she here already? When the elevator doors opened next, would Elizabeth be able to get the answers to any of her questions?

"I know that look. What are you thinking about?" Robin wanted to know, snapping her fingers to capture her friend's attention.

"Nothing. I was just wondering if I there was something I could do to help." Elizabeth tried to protest.

Normally, Robin would have let the subject drop. It was clear that her friend was uncomfortable. "You can tell me what's bothering you for one."

"Nothing is bothering me."

Robin closed her hands over Patrick's shoulders and shook him awake. "We're gonna go outside for a minute." She explained pushing him into a sitting position and standing up when she was certain he wouldn't fall into a heap on the floor. She then turned to Elizabeth, "Outside."

"Yes Ma'am." Elizabeth mocked, saluted, and obediently followed her friend down the hallway.

Robin didn't stop until they reached the parking lot. "What's the matter?" She asked, already noticing that her friend seemed a little less agitated away from the rest of the family.

Elizabeth shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just worried about Cameron. That's all."

"This is me." Robin stressed each word.

Sighing Elizabeth looked at her hands in desperation. "It's stupid."

"It's an issue." Robin corrected.

"A stupid issue?"

"Elizabeth." Robin warned.

"Fine. It's Lisa."

"Lisa? What about her?" Robin lifted an eyebrow in confusion. Lisa had never been mean to anyone as long as Robin had known her.

Elizabeth threw her hands up in exasperation. "She's Cameron's grandmother. Jessalyn's mom. Which means the mysterious Jessalyn herself is probably on her way here and I know nothing about her except she's Cameron's mother and she apparently wants nothing to do with her son…which is beyond me but anyways. I can't get Lucky to say more than a word about her and I figure in less time than it will take us to get back to the waiting room, she'll be standing there." Elizabeth looked into Robin's eyes. "She'll be here and I have no idea what to expect."

Robin didn't say anything for a long while. What was she supposed to say? Lucky hadn't told her...that much was obvious. How had he managed to keep it from her all of this time? No wonder she was so flustered. "You don't have to expect anything, Elizabeth." Robin promised, closing her hands over her friend's as she tried to get her to understand. "Jess is dead."


	96. Surfacing

**Happy Friday everyone! See you Monday! **

If he had slept at all, he didn't remember it. The early morning sunlight filtered into the room, making what seemed awful in the dim light of the moon outright horrifying in the morning. Logically Lucky knew the stitches hadn't actually become bigger or redder overnight, certainly he had watched them all night to account for that. But somehow they seemed that way now.

His family had kept a steady presence through the long night, but at some point even his father had to sleep. He had managed to sneak a quick trip down to the waiting room while Tony and Lisa visited with Cameron but that had seemed too long to be away. What if he had missed something? What if Cameron needed him and he wasn't there?

"Morning buddy." He whispered to Cameron, hoping for some reaction. "It's time to get up now you know." It had been nothing more than a wish. A fantasy born of watching far too many movies with Dillon, but he had to try.

"I heard Robin brought enough food for an army but I thought you might want some coffee." It had been so long since Lucky had actually heard anyone; he actually jumped when Cruz's voice reached his ears. Turning around, Lucky spotted his friend standing in the doorway, holding a cup from the local coffee shop down the street.

Cruz shrugged and made his way further into the room, trying to keep his eyes on Lucky, attempting to gauge if this was the right move or not. "I thought you'd want this more than that diesel fuel they try to pass off as coffee in the nurse's lounge."

Lucky took the cup cautiously. Feeling the hot liquid slip down his throat he felt the usual morning jolt hit his system. "Thanks." he offered.

"You needed it and I think your family has drunk everything within five feet of this room."

The two men fell silent as they both looked at the small boy, lying still on the bed. Cruz had no idea what he was supposed to say here. He had was still in shock over Bobbie's own pregnancy and couldn't even begin to imagine being in the same place as his friend. The fact Lucky was even standing this morning impressed him. Cruz had a pretty good idea he would be on the floor, curled into the fetal position.

"How's he doing is a stupid question isn't it?" Cruz wondered out loud.

"Falls under the category of obvious." Lucky shrugged.

An uncomfortable silence fell over the two friends as each wondered what to say to the other. Lucky was still angry about the months of lies his friend and aunt had let him live with. Ok it wasn't the easiest subject to broach but still there should have been an alternative. It would take years of therapy to get that image out of his mind.

Cruz still wasn't sure what he was feeling towards Lucky. His friend had been blindsided. So on that level he understood his reaction but it still hurt Lucky hadn't even been interested in hearing him out. Or that he ran after Bobbie dropped her announcement on him. Jess hadn't announced her pregnancy in any better way and Cruz had stuck around to support Lucky once he found out what was going on.

"I don't think we've ever been this quiet before." Cruz pointed out, breaking the silence.

"There had to be some point." Lucky argued. "We go to movies."

"Which we talk through." Cruz refuted. "Nope since I met you this is the quietest we've ever been."

"First time for everything I guess." Lucky went to sit down again in the chair from hell. Would it kill the hospital to invest in chairs that were made of something other than plastic from 1970?

"Damn it Lucky. I'm trying here." Cruz swore, momentarily forgetting Cameron's presence. "Do you have to make everything so difficult?"

"I am my father's son." Lucky admitted. "Look it's not like I like being mad at you..."

"And here comes the 'but.'" Cruz predicted. "Hit me."

"Aunt Bobbie and mom always said violence never solved anything."

"He still makes jokes. A good sign."

"Maybe I didn't react in the best possible way." Lucky allowed, ignoring the eye roll his admission caused in Cruz. "But I didn't exactly find out because you sat me down and just told me."

"Why exactly were the two of you there anyways?" It was the one thing Cruz couldn't figure out. Their anger he expected. But why had they even been in his house without announcing their presence?

Lucky groaned and closed his eyes. He didn't really want to admit to this again. "Patrick saw you and Elizabeth at the anniversary party and was convinced she was your secret girlfriend. We fought about it and the only way he would shut up was if we went to your place and saw for ourselves. Didn't see her car but once we got in and saw your set up, I made the mistake of giving his idea credit."

"You listened to Patrick about relationship stuff? Patrick?" Cruz shook his head. "I'm going to be helping Elizabeth enact revenge again aren't I?"

"I have the sympathy vote right now but once that wears off? Most likely."

Cruz shook his head. "I don't know how you are even standing man. If it were my kid? I don't think I could handle it."

Lucky shook his head at the memory of his aunt announcing his friend's impending fatherhood. All that it had been missing was the bald security guy from Jerry Springer. "Talk to me in nine months and we'll compare notes." Lucky paused as a thought struck him. "How long will it be until then?"

"Closer to seven." Dr. Lansing hadn't been able to be specific at the appointment but the doctor had been fairly sure Bobbie was two months along.

Lucky nodded slowly. Seven months and his friend would be the father of his newest cousin. Lucky took another sip of his coffee and wished there had been some alcohol in it. Surely that would make this situation somewhat easier to understand. "Scared out of your mind?"

"Terrified."

"See why I ran away?"

"You came back."

"Because you made me." Lucky sighed. "I'm not the best support system right now man but give me some time."

"You got it."

Luke had returned to his club and Bobbie knew it was because hospital visits, no matter the duration, had always made him uncomfortable. He had justified his sudden, yet brief, departure by pointing out that his son wasn't going to leave Cameron long enough for any of them to visit with the boy. As of this morning, Lucky hadn't left the room. Had it not been for her workload at school, Laura wouldn't have been able to talk her daughter into returning to Port Charles University. Laura, Lisa, Tony, Dillon, and Lucas had left a little while ago with the promise of being back by noon at the latest. Georgie had switched shifts with one of her co-workers so that she could take and pick up Lance and Morgan from school today. Logan hadn't returned after his scuffle with his brother the previous night. Elizabeth and Robin had gone back to the school and the bakery with the insistence that they would camp out in the waiting room once evening settled upon the town. Patrick was the only one keeping Bobbie from being completely alone and he wasn't exactly talking her ear off.

Bobbie glanced nervously toward Cameron's hospital room. Cruz had walked in over an hour ago and he hadn't come back yet. She hadn't heard anything that might have been construed as a struggle, but she knew her nephew was talented. Even in his current state, Lucky was no closer to forgiving them than Patrick. She had worked past her own regret and could finally see this pregnancy as a good thing. If she could patch things up with her nephews and Cameron could wake up and join them at the family table, she wouldn't ask for another thing. She had started praying when she got the call from Laura and she hadn't stopped since.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Patrick figured he would regret starting a conversation this way, but he didn't have much choice. He couldn't stand her being mad at him. What really pissed him off--and he didn't care if he was right in this upsetting him or not--was how comfortable Bobbie had been with Cruz last night. He knew they'd been keeping their relationship under wraps so he shouldn't have expected them to be obvious in the beginning, but how could he have missed the way his aunt lit up when his best friend stepped into the same room with her? He had tried to bring up the argument of family loyalty with Robin, but she had put an end to the train wreck that was that conversation. She had asked him if he agreed with what Logan had said about the two of them dating. Of course he had dropped the topic altogether at that point, not wanting to push his luck.

"Talk about what?" Bobbie didn't want to assume he was referring to the pink elephant in the room. It was assumptions that had gotten her into trouble in the first place. She had decided, early on, that her family couldn't handle her relationship with Cruz and then felt warranted in hiding it from them. What was worse, she had actually made Cruz question his importance to her. All of her assuming had almost cost her a life with the man she loved. They hadn't discussed the future, at least nothing past doctor visits, and she wasn't in any hurry to determine their future. She had watched plenty of women get themselves pregnant in this town and then hook onto the man they wanted without a second thought as to what that man might have wanted. Bobbie would like to think she was smarter than they were.

"What would you like to talk about?" It had gotten to the point where Patrick would discuss anything save their respective sex lives if it got her talking to him. Truth be told, if he had been treated half as badly as he had treated her the other night, he would have stood up and walked away. It was the curse of all Drake men: when things got hard, the best thing to do was walk away. His father and brother were a perfect testament to that. He, himself, had been. He liked to believe that he had at least matured a little bit since then. Somewhere along the way he had realized just how far he would go to make sure that his family was protected. He had to make things right. He couldn't live the rest of his life without his Aunt Bobbie.

"I should have trusted you and the rest of the family with the truth." Bobbie announced meeting his startled coffee eyes with a wise brown stare of her own. She would have to work her way through the rest of the family until each of them understood why she had acted the way she had, and for so long. Right now, she would focus on Patrick. Next, she was going to have to find a way to talk to Lucas without him leaving the room.

Patrick chuckled uncomfortably, "We're not an imaginative bunch." It was a lame response, but he wanted to keep the conversation as light as possible. The last thing he wanted was for his apology to come out sounding like another accusation.

Bobbie would have to make sure not to mention the baby. It wasn't as if the entire family wasn't well aware, but she wanted to work through the hurt one step at a time and that meant that Patrick had to be able to wrap his mind around his best friend and his aunt dating and possibly getting married one day before she could expect him to ask her specific questions about their baby. "Are we talking about the same family?" Bobbie teased him. "Why did you need to know so badly, Patrick? That's what I just don't understand. He would have told you. Did you feel threatened?" Bobbie challenged in a trembling voice.

Patrick nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess I did. Here was my friend with this great girl and I could tell how much he cared about her. We'd ask him questions and he'd just wave them off. It wasn't any of our business and I should have respected his decision to keep your private business well private."

"Where do we go from here?" Bobbie wondered as she placed her index finger on Patrick's chin and convinced him to meet her eyes again.

"Let's start with congratulations." Patrick smiled.

"So I guess it's a good thing we got this instead of a cool vehicle now huh?" Lucas teased his husband.

In their hurry to get to the hospital last night, they had jumped into the minivan over Dillon's convertible since it was parked closest to the street. And now with Laura, Tony, and Lisa in the backseats it was actually proving useful. There was no way everyone would have fit in the back of Dillon's car. Everyone would have been sitting on Dillon's lap.

"Be quiet." Dillon grumbled. "There is no good reason to have this car."

"Thank you for doing this." Laura interrupted their banter effortlessly.

"No problem Aunt Laura. We're happy to help." Lucas answered her quickly.

"I know this is probably the last thing you thought you'd be doing today." Laura whispered to them, placing a ribbon in her book to mark her page.

Dillon turned in the passenger seat and looked at her. "We're just glad we can do something."

"How much further?" Tony asked from the backseat.

"Not long. A few more miles." Lucas answered.

"I swear, sometimes you're as impatient as a--" Lisa berated, folding her hand over his.

"A child? Is that what you were going to say?" Tony snapped impatiently.

"I understand how hard this is for both of you. It's not any easier for us, let me assure you." Laura cut in. "Please, let's just try to stay calm."

"Mrs. Spencer, please don't tell us how we should be feeling today." Tony muttered, pulling his hand away from his wife's.

"Laura, he means no disrespect." Lisa promised with a quick nod of her head.

"Stop making excuses for me." Tony shot back.

"Enough!" Lucas yelled from the driver's seat. "I cannot focus on driving and mediating. If you'd rather walk, let me know now." He warned.

Somehow Dillon sensed making a joke right now would be a bad move. Tony Grimes was reminding him of his own grandfather Edward. He decided the best course of action would be to do what his grandmother Lila would do, which was ignore him and talk with someone more pleasant. Dillon turned around in his seat and sought Lisa's eyes. "Do you have some place to stay while you're here? Our place isn't that big but you are welcome to use it if you would like."

"As sweet as that is, we're staying at the Metro Court. Tony has a bad back." Lisa explained, hoping she could cool her husband's temper.

"Well that will be a better option than our house. Our son likes to hide toys in interesting places."

"Where is your son today?" Tony asked, not sure why he was participating in the conversation.

"He's at school and then Lucas's cousin Georgie will be watching him for us." Dillon explained.

"How do you know that your son is actually safe? Do you have a sixth sense that the rest of us lack?"

"I don't. I just have to trust he is and go on." Dillon shrugged.

"You think that's what it takes to keep your children safe?" Tony challenged. "A naive belief that everything will be fine?"

"No. But I also don't think keeping Lance in a bubble or locked in the house is the answer either."

"Stop this, Anthony." Lisa whispered harshly to her husband. "You're not helping anyone."

"Be quiet." Tony retorted. "Isn't it true, Lucas, that your little sister was killed in a bus accident several years ago?"

The silence took on a heavy edge. Lucas barely glanced at the other man in the mirror, but Dillon could see his hand tighten on the steering wheel. "Yes." Lucas answered through tightly pressed lips.

"And your mother, she sent you and your sister off to school believing that 'everything would be fine,' correct?" Tony pressed on.

"I don't know where you're going with this." Laura warned. "But you need to learn when to shut your mouth."

"Let him answer the question, Mrs. Spencer." Tony countered.

"She did. But no one can predict the future Mr. Grimes." Lucas answered. Silently he added, because if you could you would see you are about to get thrown out of a moving car.

"And now little Cameron has been in an accident because your cousin was not watching him as she should have been." Tony continued, ignoring his wife's glaring eyes and refusing to acknowledge Laura's reaction at all.

"Who do you think you are, accusing my daughter this way?" Laura snarled at him.

"I'm just trying to show these two that there is no such thing as fool-proof protection when it comes to your children. They tell me their son is safe, but I bet you they haven't called once to check on him." Tony reasoned.

"Are we still allowed to speak up in our own defense or are we to be talked about while you pass judgment on us?" Dillon wanted to know.

"He won't be passing judgment on anyone." Lisa spoke up. "And I know this because with every nasty word, he is spitting on the memory of our daughter." Her eyes never left Tony's.

Tony didn't say another word and Lisa turned her eyes to the window to hide her tears. He wanted to comfort her, but Laura beat him to it and moved her hand lightly to Lisa's left shoulder. What else could he say? Things never got better, only worse.

Lucas and Dillon just looked at each other and silently agreed any further conversation would be disastrous at best. Dillon flipped through the radio stations, searching for anything low and soothing, finally settling on the local soft rock station. The last few miles passed in quiet contemplation until Lucas pulled the car into park and softly broke the silence.

"We're here."

Leaning his dark head on the window, Cruz glanced towards the small garden courtyard underneath him. The green spaces offered the promise of peace for the patients well enough to visit them. Even from five stories up, Cruz could spot a small swing set tucked away in the far corner for families to play together. If he closed his eyes, Cruz could just imagine Cameron swinging on the swings, hearing him begging to go higher. Blinking rapidly, he turned away and looked back down the corridor or pediatric intensive care rooms. Behind one of those doors, Cameron was fighting to come back to them and for the life of him Cruz did not know how his friend was doing this.

As he walked along the halls, Cruz struggled to come to grips with the emotions of the past few days. The shock of being discovered. The anger at his friends for their reactions. The fear for Cameron. The mixture of fear and excitement at his own impending fatherhood. It was almost enough to send him on a quest down the hall, up the elevator, and right into the psychiatric office of Kevin Collins.

Without his conscious decision, Cruz found himself walking towards the waiting room, the unofficial Team Spencer home base while Cameron was in the hospital. When he had snuck down the hall earlier, almost the entire family had been sitting in the chairs and adjusting the schedule to make sure there was always someone with Lucky or Cameron. Well, Cruz amended, everyone but Logan. The young man had disappeared last night after the fight with Patrick and as far as Cruz knew, hadn't been seen since. Not that he was that big of a loss, Cruz thought wryly.

He must have spent more time with Lucky than he realized, since now almost everyone was gone. Only Patrick remained, sitting slouched in one of the chairs, his long legs propped on the seat directly across from him, staring blankly at the TV screen mounted on the wall. Confronting Patrick wasn't going to be any easier than confronting Lucky had been, but Cruz knew it had to be done. Swallowing what little of his pride he had left, Cruz made his way over to sit next to his best friend. "Anything good on?"

"Nope. I went and missed the morning soap operas." Patrick remarked dryly, not lifting his head or looking toward his friend. He had recognized his voice and responded only on instinct.

"Damn. I know how much you love the one about the mobsters with the hearts of gold."

"The only reason the main guy can fall back on the brain damaged storyline is because of the excessive gel in his hair. No man in his right mind would need so much. Or the makeup." Patrick answered, finding a smirk. "And, besides, I only watch for that cute little doctor anyway." Patrick added with a confident nod of his head.

"Keep telling yourself that. We both know its because you desire to be a big bad hit man."

"Would I be able to shoot straight?"

"No more than Grease Boy does."

"Have you gotten sleep?" Patrick couldn't help but ask. He was concerned. So what? He didn't hate this man.

"Not much." Cruz admitted. "You?"

"I haven't been able to sleep with my eyes open since I was a little kid. And I haven't wanted to sleep just in case something changes." Patrick admitted. He hadn't even been able to visit little Cam's room out of fear that the scene would bring back past memories and render him immobile. He had offered support in his presence, but he had not taken a single step toward his second cousin's room. What he had wanted to know he had asked Robin.

"I thought I recognized the 'open mouth head bob' from Sociology." Cruz nodded. Falling into silence, the two strained friends continued to stare at the TV as they each struggled to find something to say. Cruz had to admit he was curious as to why Patrick was the only family member that hadn't gone back to check on Lucky since Cameron had been moved to his room. He had noticed his friend's complete absence on the master schedule. Realizing he was a reporter precisely because he never could ignore a question that formed in his mind, Cruz blurted out the only explanation he could come up with. "Are you and Lucky fighting or something?"

"No." Patrick shook his head, wishing Cruz would drop it but knowing he wouldn't. He had been born with an insatiable need to know everything. And sometimes it was damned inconvenient. This was one of those times.

"Then why aren't you going back there? I thought the whole plan of the schedule was there would always be someone in the room with him. I assume its your turn since I don't see anyone around."

"Cameron has Lucky. They're fine." Patrick hated how the words had come out sounding. He'd rather be accused of being an insensitive jerk than a hopeless sap. Truth be told, he didn't know what he'd tell Lucky anyway. Making a joke at this point would have been unappreciated and inappropriate. He doubted he'd be able to distract his cousin long enough for him to feel some kind of relief. It wasn't the relationship they had. They called each other out on their fuck-ups, but never their insecurities.

"Try selling that cold as ice bastard attitude to someone who might possibly believe you."

"What do you want, Cruz? You get to step up and be the better friend. Go ahead." Patrick motioned his arm toward the hospital room.

"You know I get why you're pissed at me. I do. And fine, whatever, that's your problem not mine at this moment. But I have known the two of you for a long time and I'm telling you I know there is something up. Now you can tell me, or I'll go bug Lucky about it, which he won't care for right now or I'll start asking questions of other people. It's your choice."

"Are you threatening me?" Patrick asked incredulously, his eyebrows lifting at the implication. "Don't use that professional tone with me Mr. Rodriguez."

"All I got from Lucky is the two of you came over to my house to prove some point wrong and that's when all hell broke loose. I admit I wasn't too sure of much that day but I was pretty sure the two of you were ok, but ever since Lucky came out of the ER, you've barely talked to him." Cruz held up his hand in protest. "This isn't about some macho contest. I'm just trying to figure out what the hell has been going on lately. My own life has been confusing enough without trying to figure yours out as well."

Patrick's eyes shot to his hands. Cruz actually sounded sincere. As much as he wanted to tell him everything in that moment, something was holding him back. Yeah, it's called pride, a voice that sounded an awful lot like Robin's spoke up. Lucky already knew, but not because Patrick had told him. He had yet to tell any other member of his family. A part of him pointed out that he would have gone right over to Cruz's and told him right after the fight he had with Lucky--more than prepared for the same fight--if he hadn't discovered who his best friend's lover actually was. And, from their secret affair they had created a child together. A child that Patrick could already picture in his aunt's arms. A baby with his father's dark hair and his mother's sparkling brown eyes. Patrick didn't want his friend to have anything else to deal with on the one hand. On the other, he no longer felt as if he could trust him. "I'll go in there when I'm good and ready. I'm not ready yet." Patrick whispered.

"You know hiding out here isn't going to make you any more ready." Cruz pointed out. He kept the point that he hadn't been anywhere near ready to confront Lucky but he had gone back there to himself. That, Cruz rationalized, would probably start a fight that would land both of them in jail or in the hospital.

Patrick could have been cruel in that moment. He could have brought up all that Cruz had hidden from him, but not without taking a serious look at his own lies, his own betrayal. He had made the decision that the people who mattered most to him were not strong enough to handle what had happened to him, what he had made happen. And, while he had been telling the God's honest truth when he'd stressed to Robin how much he didn't regret his decision to save her, he couldn't go around pretending that he didn't wonder sometimes. Would she have been just as fine or worse off if he had just waited for the ambulance to get there? Had his removing her from the car in the first place sent her into an unnecessary coma?

"I'm here, aren't I?" He snapped squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he warded off an oncoming headache. He didn't go on to say what really kept him out of that hospital room. He didn't want to face his demons, didn't want to remember when his mother had laid in a bed similar to Cameron's or the last words she had said to him. Truth be told, he didn't want to be here now, waiting, for something good or something bad he wasn't sure, strangled by the smell of death and the stress of the unpredictable.

"Yeah you're here." Cruz sighed. He realized his friend had issues with hospitals but he was under the impression that after his vigil for Robin's coma Patrick had made some progress on that front. Then again he hadn't actually been allowed to get near the room that time, but still Patrick hadn't stopped trying to get in. From what Cruz had seen, Patrick hadn't set a foot outside of the waiting room. "In case you were wondering, Lucky seems to be holding up ok."

"I know. Robin told me." Patrick answered in a clipped tone. "And before you say anything, I haven't gone in for a number of reasons, but not because I care about Robin more than Cameron. A lot has happened since she was here."

Cruz cocked his eyebrow. "Oh really? Care to enlighten me?"

"The night she was brought in..." Patrick figured if he was going to spill, he might as well work himself up to it. If he really expected to get through this, he was going to go over every detail so that his friend wouldn't have too many questions at the end. He still didn't think he was ready to fill in the blanks, but he also knew that the confrontation with Lucky had just been the tip of the iceberg. Cruz wouldn't yell as his cousin had; he was far too internalized for it. "She told me something."

Now things were getting interesting. "Such as?"

"She didn't want me to get her out of the car, kept screaming for me to wait for the ambulance, but patience has never been my strong suit and I didn't know how long it would take them to get there." Patrick sighed, rubbing his temple with the pad of his thumb. He didn't want to talk about it, didn't want to re-visit the scene, not when he had worked this hard to block out. But didn't Cruz deserve to know? How much longer could he really keep up the charade that he was fine, that he was untouched?

"Yeah I know how much waiting three whole minutes kills you."

Patrick resisted the urge to give Cruz the bird, but it was damned tempting. "I finally asked her why and she told me that she was HIV positive." He waited a beat, let the information soak in. As he prepared to go on, Cruz cut him off. He should have been expecting that.

"Wait...she's what?" Cruz shook his head. Robin couldn't be HIV positive. Logan wouldn't have kept that quiet. "No seriously what did she tell you?"

Patrick would have laughed if this situation had allowed it. A hollow, humorless laugh. "She was infected as a teenager." Patrick clarified quietly.

The truth began to sink in slowly. Robin was HIV positive. He had to admire the way she kept her personal business away from the entire town for so long. Logan would have had to have known, he reasoned. Robin would have told him if she told Patrick before they even admitted they liked each other. And Logan hadn't told anyone? It was almost enough to make Cruz somewhat like the younger man. Almost but not quite. The rest of the story he knew from that night started to come back to him slowly. "Wait, you pulled her out of the car."

"Yeah. And I wouldn't change that for anything. I just wish she didn't blame herself for it--" Patrick began, but Cruz interrupted him again.

"Alright I might be slow on the uptake here but you're actually ok with the fact you exposed yourself to HIV?" Cruz shook his head. Turnabout must be fair play, he mused because he was getting the impression this was exactly how his friends felt when they found out his news.

"No." Patrick admitted solemnly. "I'm not okay."

"That's why you've been acting like an asshole isn't it? You had tests or something done."

"I've had two done since then, yes. And when is me being an asshole a new development?" Patrick cringed at the lame joke, but noticed Cruz's sucky attempt at trying to smile.

"It's not but I do always like to have an explanation for the behavior." Cruz knew the smile on his face was fake but it was all he could think to do. Was he a horrid person to not know his friend was going through this alone? And why the hell was Patrick going through this alone? Why was he just finding out about this now?

"There's nothing I can really say to explain keeping it from you and Lucky as long as I did...or the rest of the family. Robin told Elizabeth and, well I guess that explains why Lucky knows. I wanted to tell you together, but it just didn't happen that way. Lucky called me on it the night we found about you and Bobbie. I know you're mad..." Patrick stared down at his shoes, wishing he had a shovel to make the hole deeper, to conceal himself better. Cruz's expression had turned from confused to uncomfortable and now he looked equally upset and betrayed.

Cruz realized he had very little leg to stand on in the whole "friends don't keep secrets from each other" side of the coin. He'd let Lucky handle that line of the argument. But still he felt betrayed. Before he became involved with Bobbie, the three of them had shared everything. Crushes, jobs, grades. He was still one of the two people who knew what grade Patrick had really made in his lone required math course. Every major turning point in his life since that first day in the freshman dorm had been discussed and shared with them. Yes, Cruz realized he had kept his own secrets but he could at least articulate reasons for them. Patrick just seemed to not get around to it. "I'm not sure if I have any ground in the mad department right now." he admitted.

"The lies have just built up and up, haven't they? What happened to us? We were the Three Musketeers practically. It's damn scary how much easier it got to justify lying to everyone I cared about as time went on." Patrick still couldn't lift his eyes. He swallowed down the golf-ball sized lump in his throat.

"It's terrifying how easy that becomes. I don't know what happened. I'm sure Laura would say something about growing up or something but that doesn't seem right to me."

"Me either." Patrick shook his head. "And I jumped all over you for doing the exact same thing." He muttered. "Though, my aunt? That still boggles me." Maybe one of these days they could laugh about all of this, but that wasn't the case right now. The wounds were still too fresh in their minds. Tempers were cut shorter and shorter with the rising and setting of the sun.

"It still throws me at times." Cruz shook his head. "Trust me it's not like I saw this coming when you first introduced us in freshman year."

"Do you love her?" It was obvious Bobbie loved Cruz, but Patrick had to know that the feeling was mutual. He couldn't watch her give her heart to someone who didn't know what to do with it. That is, if he ever expected to get used the idea. Though it should have been that way, creating a child together didn't mean that love was a requirement.

"Yes." Cruz answered simply. He would have thought it would have been obvious. There was no way he would have risked his friends for something less than love. Patrick should know him better than that. At least he did once.

"Then I guess I can't really stay mad at you. I've already apologized to my aunt. I guess it's about time I apologized to you too." Patrick cautiously raised his head and caught Cruz's stare.

"Wow. I didn't think you knew the word apologize."

"How could I not and be dating Robin Scorpio of all people?" Patrick remarked dryly.

"True. By now you must be the master of it." Cruz laughed. "But I have to apologize to you too."

"I should have respected your privacy. I had no right to barge in." Patrick shook his head fervently.

"But you wouldn't have done that if I had just told you what was going on."

"A heads-up would have been preferred, but at least we're not lying to each other anymore." Patrick reasoned, his eyes shooting to Cameron's hospital room.

"If you want to know what is going on just go down there. It's not nearly as far a walk as you think."

Tony Grimes knelt down in front of his daughter's grave and touched his left hand to the cool cement of the headstone. Jessalyn Cameron Grimes. Lisa had taken the first name of her favorite soap actress from the early eighties and come up with Jessalyn. Though she had argued that Tony got the last name by default, he had talked her into naming their only daughter after his grandmother, Cameron. It wasn't a common name, but Lisa had adored his grandmother and declared the name a perfect way to honor her.

Jess had been out of his house for less than a decade before a drunk driver had claimed her life, stolen it from her like a heartless thief with no regard for the lives he was trampling all over. They hadn't ever caught the man, but Tony hadn't stopped looking in the two years since. Cameron hadn't been a full year old when he had lost his mother. He had not a single memory of how she had looked, how sweet her perfume had been--a brand she had loved as a small girl and taken with her into adulthood, Sweet Honesty--or how much she had loved him. He had only Lucky Spencer and the rest of the Spencer family to raise him. Tony and Lisa were lucky if they got one weekend a month with their only grandchild, the last link they had to their daughter.

Lucky treated Cameron like an ornament that looked best in his house, as opposed the Grimes' home. He spent time with him when it was convenient and sent him off to school to be raised by his teachers and Laura Spencer. Lisa had often accused Tony of clinging to Cameron a little too desperately and he supposed his wife was right. The kid had to know someone cared about him. If they had insisted on keeping Cameron longer he never would have gotten hurt. There wouldn't have been time for Spencer's little sister to lose track of her nephew and let him get attacked by that devil of a horse.

Lisa cried hysterically next to him. Leave it to his wife to blow this out of proportion. She was a God-fearing Catholic and had been her whole life. When Jess had been killed by that faceless s.o.b., Lisa had sworn it must have been her fault, or their lifestyle. And just what was wrong with how they lived? Tony had all but screamed at her, mere hours after their daughter's body was delivered to the hospital. They should find a way to get along with Lucky Spencer or he'd cut them completely out of little Cameron's life. Tony could at least agree with his wife on that point. He silently added, Cut us out like he tried to cut out Jess.

After three tests came back positive, she had gone to the hospital. Tony Grimes had been the last to know and that thought made him more and more bitter everyday. His wife had hidden it from him for a lot longer than she should have. It was only through a little teasing that he had stumbled upon the truth. He had wanted to hunt Lucky Spencer down right then, especially when he found out that the Father of the Year had disappeared on a road trip with his brainless best friends.

Only after being forced to be an adult by those same friends, Lucky and Jess had figured out what they would do. In the short weeks before she delivered, it was obvious that the young couple didn't love each other anymore--if they ever had. Still, after the birth of their only son, Jess had tried to cling to Lucky, tried to get him to see that he needed her. Tony had convinced her to dangle Cameron in front of Lucky as extra incentive to not leave his daughter feeling like a cheap whore. And, for a little while, the plan had worked beautifully. Then Jess had been killed and not a day went by that Tony didn't wonder how far Lucky would have gone if the collision hadn't killed her. Would he have crossed any line to get to keep his son safely with him? Well of course he would.

He wouldn't ask the question aloud, but Tony couldn't help but wonder. Had Lucky paid to have Jess killed? His back to the wall, worried he would lose his son with the flick of his girlfriend's wrist, had he seen no other solution but to remove her from the equation? The thought made Tony sick to his stomach, but the possibility had nagged him since the night Jess delivered Cameron.

He wanted to yell that he had stopped believing in God altogether, but what would that have really accomplished? He didn't want to break her heart again. She had been through enough. And she was the only reason they were still allowed to see Cameron. She was a great mediator between their two families. "I feel closer to Jess here, but I don't know what I'd say in a prayer."

"Let it come from your heart. She'll know it's you." Lisa assured him, tears welling up in her eyes. Jess had been a daddy's girl from the moment Tony had held their daughter in his arms. All of her dreams, her accomplishments, had been her way of getting her father to pay attention to her. And pay attention he had. He would have done anything for her, including send her off to a "reform" school and claim Cameron as his own. She knew her husband had wanted that. He had wanted their daughter to experience all aspects of life, but she had been just as stubborn as he about claiming her son.

"Darling, you know I've never been good at this sort of thing. We had the Catholic ceremony you wanted and raised our daughter under your beliefs. I've always been on the sidelines." Tony insisted.

"Then take my hand and we'll pray together." Lisa suggested, snatching up his hand before he could refuse her.

Laura stood off to the side, respectful of the other couple's grief. She knew she could never understand exactly what they were going through and was wise enough not to even verbalize anything that even suggested she could understand it. Her boys and Lulu were her whole world and the mere thought of losing any of them was enough to cripple her for life.

The memory of the first time she had ever met Jessalyn floated through her mind. Barely into his freshman year and Lucky had brought her home already to meet the rest of his family. It was probably the very reason Lucky as reluctant to bring anyone home to meet them anymore. And while she had nothing against the vivacious blonde her son had brought home, Laura hadn't thought the relationship would last long.

They had little in common. Jess was still trying to figure out exactly what she wanted to do in life. Laura had lost count of the number of majors the girl had had. It had been clear since the second he did the high school internship with Ned, Lucky was going to be in the music business. Both had hot tempers that appeared to get the better of them. And both had a tremendous talent for saying the worst possible thing at the worst possible moment.

She had pretended to be mystified as to why the young couple kept returning to each other, but Laura was no fool. She knew it was lust. Lust confused for love in two teenaged minds. Something both were starting to realize when they discovered Cameron was on his way.

Tony had been furious when they had decided to not get married. Laura remembered the explosion well. He had screamed and blamed Lucky with every fiber of his being. And while her son being a parent so soon after graduation was not what she wanted either, she had to admit the kids had made the right decision. It would have been one thing if Jess and Lucky had stayed together for four years, but they had broken up and reunited more times than anyone could remember. Lucky was even fuzzy on the exact number of break ups they had over the course of four years. A marriage would have been just as disastrous, and possibly more so with Cameron added in.

The last thing anyone had expected was the accident. Lucky had Cameron at their house for the weekend and was getting worried when Jess didn't show up. Jess had been almost compulsive about being on time, which often lead to fights with her more tardy son. He called Lisa and Tony to see if everything was alright just a few moments before the police showed up to inform them of her death. A neighbor had told Lucky the news when he called back later, concerned when Lisa hadn't called him back as promised. Cameron had only been nine moths old that day.

Her heart ached for them, as she moved to swipe away a tear. This has become her and Lisa's ritual in the past three years, both of them visiting Jess's grave on the anniversary of her death to give her updates on Cameron's life. It was their plan to bring Cameron with them when he was old enough. In fact, they had discussed starting to bring Cameron with them this year, so it would feel normal to him as he grew up. But that wasn't going to happen this year.

She turned her back to the other couple, giving them some privacy as they talked with their daughter. Laura wondered how they would explain that her son was in the hospital fighting for his life on the same day his mother lost hers.


	97. World On Fire

**A few minutes early for our devoted fans!**

This town was famous for its treacherous climate changes. The winters were especially harsh and the spring and summer were only ever distinguished by the excessive rain, but this year had definitely been a new experience for him. When it should have been raining, Port Charles had fallen into a twelve-week drought. He remembered the warnings signs the town had put up telling its citizens to be restrictive when it came to the amount of water they used. Then summer had come without warning almost too early and hit the town with a heat wave that had surprised even him and he had lived here his entire life. The summer would bow to fall soon enough, but, at least for today, he was able to enjoy the warmth that his favorite season always provided him.

Robin was talking quietly, but he didn't know what she was saying. He was too focused on the atmosphere to pay her the attention she obviously needed from him. Her hand was cold in his and he squeezed back without meaning to, offering her support, proving that she wasn't alone, that he was here. She smiled at him, but he didn't miss the stress in her features or the uncertainty in her dark eyes. Something was very wrong and she hadn't told him yet. Maybe that explained why they were going to her work today; she was going to explain the situation to him.

They turned the corner and he expelled a breath. The bakery was at the far end of the street and the lights were turned off. No Uncle Lucas today. No Grandma Bobbie. With each step, he felt dread wash over him. He had glanced at the clock before she dragged him across town and knew it was way too early for the shop to be open. They were going to speak alone. If that was supposed to put him at ease…

"Here we are Buddy." Robin explained unnecessarily, stopping in front of the entrance. Morgan gave her a look that spoke volumes. He wasn't fooled. He knew something was the matter. She wanted to reach down and hug him tighter than tight until she felt safe enough to let go, but she couldn't that without scaring him.

"I can take it." Morgan assured her with an affirmative nod of his little dark head.

Robin had to turn her face away from him and she used the opportunity to unlock the bakery and let them inside. She flipped on the lights and led Morgan to the closest table. She wished she could afford booths. Maybe after Brenda and Jasper Jacks wedding of the century, all of her financial problems would be a thing of the past. The last thing she needed was to look bad in the eyes of the court.

"Let's sit down." She took her seat and waited for Morgan to plop down into a chair in front of her. "There was an accident…"

Morgan's eyes filled with tears and Robin's breath caught in her throat. An accident? What kind of accident? An "on purpose" accident like the ones his father had brought about or an accident in which someone he cared about had gotten terribly hurt? He blinked furiously, not wanting Robin to see him cry, but he couldn't keep the raw sound from escaping his trembling lips. "Who got hurt, Robin? Was it Aunt Courtney?" His voice rose slightly as he spoke his aunt's name, his little hands balling into fists as he battled the confusion going on inside him.

"No!" Robin shook her head, reaching for both of his hands. "Aunt Courtney is fine. She's working."

"Then who?" Morgan wondered, looking as if he was ready to assume the fetal position at any given moment.

Robin choked slightly, having not forgotten how Morgan had come to be her son. He had gone through more than any child his age or child period should have to and now, here she was, delivering more bad news. And in so short a matter of time from when she had told him that his mother would not be coming home. She hadn't wanted to tell him the truth about Carly, but Sonny had already been on his way to prison then and Courtney hadn't been able to without breaking down into terrible sobs. Robin had been the obvious choice, she supposed, because she hadn't ever loved Carly. That hadn't made it any easier. How could they have believed her to be so cold? She hadn't wanted anything to happen to Carly, hadn't wanted her children stolen from her, even if sometimes she disregarded Carly's unreliable role in her boys' lives.

"Cameron got hurt at the stables when he was with Lulu." Robin told him, no longer able to justify keeping the truth from him. "He's at General Hospital. He's in a coma." She added, turning her face away again as she fought for composure. When Morgan had whimpered in her arms at the devastating news of his mother's murder, she had cried along with him. She had wanted to shield him from this. Even since she had taken over the role of his guardian, she had also taken the part of his protector. What had happened to Cameron was just a reminder of what could happen to Morgan. She wanted to lock him away until she was sure it was safe for him to come out, but that would have left him as maladjusted as his honorary Uncle Jason.

"What's that mean?" Morgan asked, choking on the question.

It was easier to accept him as a tiny adult than a small child in need of comfort and safety. She hated that she hadn't treated him like a child enough in the short months she had had him. No matter how many promises she had made to herself about how different his life was going to be different with her than it had been with Carly, she figured there were times when she was just as bad if not worse. "It means he's in a very deep sleep."

"Like Sleeping Beauty?" Morgan tried to understand, his little fists rubbing his already-swollen eyes as he stared back at her.

Robin had to grip the edge of the table before she could answer him. The boy's life was far from a fairytale and yet he could only understand things in those terms. He was a growing little boy, but a little boy nonetheless. She had to do whatever she could to see that he wasn't frightened by what had happened to his cousin, that he understood that it had been an accident. There was no telling what Morgan had seen in his short six years of life, but it was enough to keep him from feeling completely safe, around her, around anyone.

She finally understood his temper tantrum. He had started to see her as his mother and it had scared him. His only defense was to resort back to how he believed other little boys his age acted when they were upset. Instead of trying to find a cause, Robin had jumped all over Courtney. She wished her roommate would come home and stay there for a while. Elizabeth had quickly taken over in a lot of areas that used to belong to Robin and Courtney, but the roommates shared a past together that had shaped their lives and Robin doubted Elizabeth would know anything about it.

"Just like that. Only, instead of a kiss, Cameron needs medicine and a set of machines to wake him up." Robin explained.

"Can we go see him?" Morgan wanted to know.

"You sure you're ready for that? He's really beat up." Robin cautioned him.

"Don't care. I have to see him. I want to thank him for showing me how to beat Level 4 on my game." Morgan informed her.

"You are such a brave little boy." Robin commented softly, almost sadly. She didn't mind his being brave, just resented the life that had made him that way. At least she had gotten him out of it before it was too late. At least, that was what she told herself when she lay down to sleep at night.

"Michael used to beat me up." Morgan told her as if that explained it all.

"Well I guess that's that." Robin answered, slightly appalled before remembering that boys did that. She would have to ask Patrick…NO, scratch that. She would not ask Patrick. Maybe Cruz had a brother. She could have asked Lucky, but Lulu was a girl and it would have been different. She figured Lucky and Patrick were about as close as brothers anyway so maybe she should look to them when it came to raising her son. That made her smile.

"Can Cameron eat cookies in his comb?" Morgan wondered, his brown eyes imploring.

"His 'coma?'" Robin corrected him. "No he can't have cookies, but we can make some for the rest of the family. Want to?" She offered, nodding toward the kitchen.

"But Patrick said he's the special ingredient." Morgan shook his head.

Robin gave him an incredulous look. "What do you mean Patrick said…? When did he say this?"

"When we were playing cars at his apartment." Morgan replied quietly as if he hadn't supposed to divulge the information.

"Well he was just being…Patrick." Robin hoped that was explanation enough for the curious six-year-old. She was going to strangle Patrick, even if he had said it in a different way than he had her when he visited the bakery to pick up a bottle of whipped cream.

"So we can still make them without him?" Morgan's eyes lit up.

Robin wanted to bottle up his innocence forever. "Of course. I made cookies before Patrick and I can make them now too."

"Good." Morgan seemed satisfied with her answer and disappeared behind the counter, searching for a chef's hat. "Let's make cookies for Cameron."

"I'd offer you a shot, but I guess you can't indulge in your 'condition.'" Luke told his sister as she climbed up on one of the aging red leather stools and placed her hands on top of the bar.

"Thanks so much for your consideration." Bobbie drawled, dropping her purse on the floor next to her. She looked around the empty club, studiously avoiding the picture of the very young, very naked Helena Cassadine. After all these years, she still couldn't explain why her brother insisted on hanging that thing in the middle of his club for the whole town to see. "Where's Claude?" she wondered as she noticed the bartender's absence. "He didn't take one of your firings seriously did he?"

"He told me that he was taking the day off. Day off. Can you believe that? I told him he could have as many days off as he wanted...but then he'd be living off security checks and no way was I going to let that lazy bastard collect when I had to work for my money." Luke replied a gleam in his eye as he thought of the money his club would bring in at the first sign of winter.

Bobbie rolled her eyes at her brother's speech. He would be lost without Claude and both men knew it. It wasn't until Luke hired Claude that his club began to turn a profit and that was mostly due to Claude's uncanny ability to ignore Luke's more outlandish requests. "So did you really need to get here or were just avoiding Tony Grimes?"

"That guy's a fruitcake." Luke mumbled, pushing a glass of water toward his sister. He was pretty sure it was the only nonalcoholic thing he had in the place other than the lemons.

"He's scared." Bobbie rebuked him. "You do remember what today is, don't you?"

"Why do you think I'm here?" Luke said instead. "Do you think Lucky has caught on yet?"

"No." Bobbie shook her head. "I don't think he's looked at his watch much less a calendar. But I'm sure he'll remember sooner or later."

"He's got a lot on his plate, but he's a Spencer." He doubted he needed to say much more. They both knew what being a Spencer meant. It called for strength and stubbornness. Most importantly, they weren't allowed to express too much without the other changing the subject.

Bobbie stifled a laugh. That was her brother's answer for any troubling situation. They were Spencers. Mattie's death? They were Spencers. Lucky's unexpected fatherhood? They were Spencers. Any of the kids landing in jail for drunk driving? They were Spencers. Bobbie remembered well a joke Lucky had muttered once at his father's back during just such a pep talk, "Nuclear war? End of life on Earth? We're Spencers. We can survive radiation poisoning no problem." "How long do you plan on hiding here?"

"Until my angel calls." Luke told his sister, not meeting her eyes.

"So until you are in trouble then? Sounds about right."

"I'll have you know..." Luke began but deciding it wasn't worth fighting about. "She knows cemeteries give me the heebie-jeebies."

Bobbie did know that. It was one of the reasons Luke rarely visited any of the family grave sites. But she hadn't exactly been referring to that particular trip. "Not what I meant. You know Lucky needs you."

"Lucky needs a lot right now, but I'm probably at the bottom of that list. Laura does this part." Luke insisted.

"You could try selling that bullshit to someone who doesn't know you dear brother." Bobbie looked at him coolly over the rim of her water glass.

"What do I tell him?" Luke wondered, defensive as a grizzly bear. "That Cameron's going to be okay? I don't know that for sure little sister. None of us do. What's the point in filling his head with stuff I can't back up? I did it with Patrick when Mattie...and it didn't make a goddamn difference."

"We all thought Mattie was going to make it. She wouldn't let us think otherwise." Bobbie reminded him gently. "And you're right Lucky doesn't need that. He's doing just fine with the worst case scenarios on his own."

"I want Cameron to wake up." Luke told her. "He needs to wake up so that we can stop expressing our feelings toward each other and focus on his recovery."

"We all want that." Bobbie pointed out. "And he will wake up."

"Can't I mail him a card?" Luke asked helplessly.

"Not if you ever want to sleep in your actual bed again."

"I can't argue with a logical woman." Luke sighed.

"I'm impressed Luke. It seems you have learned something about relationships after all."

"Have not." Luke argued, crossing his arms over the chest.

"You know enough to avoid the couch. That's progress for you brother."

"Crap. Crap. Intelligence insulting crap. Written by seven-year-olds." Lucky muttered under his breath as he flipped the channels randomly on the TV. It wasn't so much as he was desperate for something to watch as for something to kill the silence of the room. Finally stopping on a repeat of the movie the channel showed at three this morning, he dropped the remote on the floor. "Let me tell you buddy, I'll be glad when you are better. Your dad does not do well in silence."

It wasn't until everyone had left that he had realized how much he had been depending on the constant stream of visitors to keep his mind from wandering. Even when faced with Tony Grimes's barely silent accusations, it still was better than just sitting here with nothing but the beeping of machines to keep him company. Now that they were off at work, in the waiting room, getting lunch or wherever the hell they were, and he was all alone, it was harder to pretend he wasn't here.

Noise constantly surrounded Lucky when he was at work. Final approvals of CDs. Phones ringing. The constant clamor of voices vying for attention. He had always found it ironic that in the music business, silence was often the most prized commodity. And now that he had silence, he wanted nothing to do with it.

Cameron had always been a talker. From the moment he started, his boy wouldn't be quiet. To his eternal annoyance Lulu had taken to calling Cameron the Gilmore Boy for a brief few months before he nearly disowned for it. Even sleep wasn't a silent event for Cameron. It was a stage production, complete with sighs, murmurs and whimpers that made it easy to tell when the dream was good or a nightmare. For the briefest of minutes, Lucky wondered if he could handle his son's accident better if he would just make some sort of noise. Logically he understood the coma was the body's way of trying to prevent more damage. Logically he knew that when his son was ready, he'd wake up and probably talk his ear off about Sponge Bob, cookies and whatever happened at school. But right now, logic was in second to his heart. And his heart wanted to hear his son's voice right now.

"You're watching Lifetime?" Lulu teased awkwardly from the doorway. If not for the shattering tone of her voice, she might have been able to play her fear off as something else, something common. She felt as if there was a never-ending black vortex and she worried all of her good intentions and Lucky's understanding were being sucked right in. She, unconsciously, took a step back when she noticed the stoic expression her brother gave her. She had known the joke would do nothing in her favor, but she couldn't figure out anything else to say. Maybe next time she'd go for, "Do you have the time?" Lulu hadn't slept since Cameron had been brought in the night before, had watched the rest of her family fall into dreamless, while still tormented, rest, but every time she closed her eyes, she saw Cameron crumpled up into a little ball. She could hear his scream when it was especially quiet. She could hear his scream now as she awaited her brother's response.

"Don't you have class?" Lucky managed tersely. He'd by lying if he said he knew exactly how he felt about his sister right now. She had been responsible and had sworn to him more times than he could count the stables were safe and nothing would happen to Cameron while he was there. Well fat lot of good that did his son.

Lulu hung her head as if she was preparing to be hanged right here in the doorway. She hoped he would at least break her neck so she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. No, he would watch her wiggle and hear her last gasps of breath; he would make sure she felt everything. While she knew he would never hurt her physical, he had, with little effort, torn away her emotional defenses leaving her a complete mess. When anyone tried to talk to her, she could only respond in broken sobs. "Only twice a week. Yesterday and tomorrow." She clarified though she doubted he'd actually been looking for her to respond. What he probably wanted was to scare her away and it was working. The longer she stood here wringing her hands together she noticed every layer of self-control strip away from her brother's usual good-natured expression.

"Good to know." He couldn't look at her. If he did, he would snap and probably do something that on some level he may regret later. He forced his eyes to concentrate on the current woman in peril on the television. Lulu had never done well when ignored. She would eventually get bored and leave.

"Lucky, please..." Lulu begged, still not quite sure what she wanted him to say. Was he supposed to pull her into his arms and tell her that it wasn't her fault that she'd just have to try harder to break his fragile heart because she hadn't attempted it yet? Blinking back unexpected tears, she wiped them away, feeling cold all over.

"Please what Leslie Lu?"

"I want to make this okay between us--" As soon as she said it, she wanted the words back. How was it going to be okay when Cameron was in a goddamn coma, something she had caused? Sure, she could blame Logan for distracting her, but she had known his tricks and shouldn't have played into his hands that easily. Plus, she had promised Lucky that leaving his only child in her care would be perfectly safe. "I turned away for a second--" Or a few, but she hadn't thought anything like that could happen to Cameron. There was just too much Spencer in her nephew. He was too curious. She should have predicted he would go over to see Storm when he had just been begging to ride him not five minutes earlier.

"A second is all it takes. Didn't you listen the million times Mom told us that?" He was struggling to keep his voice even, but the longer she talked the harder it was becoming to keep the venom out of his voice.

"Yeah, she'd always tell us when we were doing something other kids our age weren't supposed to do, like picking locks or hot-wiring cars." Lulu recalled, realizing her joke had not been appreciated. "I never meant for this to happen." She promised, wanting to move closer, but afraid she'd see her brother break apart for the first time in her entire life.

"That's the problem Leslie Lu. You never do mean for anything to happen, but happen they do."

"I don't know what you want me to say. I'm sorry. God Lucky, I'm so incredibly sorry." She whimpered, turning her face away from his view.

"I can't deal with this right now." Lucky stood up and moved towards the window. His hands were shaking. If his sister didn't leave soon, there was going to be drama worthy of its own Lifetime movie. "I can't deal with this."

Lulu needed her brother's forgiveness. It was holy and sacred and her very life depended on it. Watching him turn his back on her, seeing just how upset he was--not just sad but terrified and furious as well--Lulu took the few steps she needed to reach him, and placed her right hand on his right shoulder, praying he wouldn't push her away. Part of her wanted him to yell at her, because she thought she could handle that. This silence between them, something that had never happened between them, was going to swallow her whole. "What can I do?"

"Leave."

"I'm not going to leave. You need someone--" Lulu knew she was leaving herself open for attack, but it couldn't be worse than this.

"I have people here all the time. What I need is someone who doesn't immediately remind of why my son is in this place in the first place." He pushed her hand off his shoulder in one quick motion.

"Do you hate me?" Lulu asked her voice quivering tremendously as she posed the question. It was not a smart move to make. She could feel her Spencer senses harassing her for not protecting her own heart better.

Hate her? He couldn't look at her without seeing that barely blonde baby his parents had brought home from the hospital or the tomboy who refused to leave her older brother and cousin alone while they were growing up. But right now he couldn't see her without seeing his son crumpled on the stretcher when he first ran into the ER. Right now it was impossible to be near her without wanting to scream at her or strangle her, make her feel as badly as he did or take Cameron's place in the hospital. But hate her? "I don't know. I don't know."

Lulu nodded mutely, wrapping her arms around him and letting go before he even had a chance to slip out of her embrace. "If you need to talk..." She told him between hiccups. "I really wish you'd talk to me."

Lucky carefully removed her arms and took a step back. "I'll think about it."

Lulu couldn't ask him for more than that. If the worst should happen--God, she couldn't even stomach the idea--he would see her as the woman who murderer his son. She would never forgive herself, but, selfishly, she wanted her big brother's approval, just like always. "I love you." She left the room before he could respond, not wanting to have him stare awkwardly at her or wonder if he should say the words back. Her mother said it a lot, but usually it consisted of a threat, "I love you Lulu, but if you don't stop slacking off--" Her father loved her, but she only knew this because she could feel it. He hadn't said the actual words to her since she was a little girl. Lucky was the only one who went out of his way to make sure that she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would always love her, no matter what.

He almost answered her back with his customary "Love you too" but he had bit the words back. It was too soon. Far too soon for that. First Cameron needed to get better, and then he could deal with his sister. But not before Cameron opened his eyes.


	98. These Days

Patrick lifted Morgan on top of his shoulders while Robin watched them from the corner where she was absentmindedly checking her voicemails. She had once warned him not to leave her any because it, more often than not, made her not want to return the call. She just needed something to occupy herself with while the two most important men in her life played together.

Terrified that Morgan's constant presence in her life would send Patrick running in the other direction, Robin had been pleasantly shocked when the opposite had happened. Even in the beginning, he had been careful not to cross any lines where Morgan was involved. Neither Patrick nor Morgan had been close when Carly was alive because she had treated the entire Spencer family like something stuck to the bottom of her shoe. She had married almost immediately, wanting rid of her maiden name, and almost broken her mother's heart when she had kept both boys just out of arms reach.

They had finished with the cookies a little while ago and Morgan had all but insisted they come to the hospital, "Right now, Robin. Right now." Finding a plastic cookie tray, they had covered the sugar cookies in foil and met Patrick at the front desk. He was such a nervous guy and she loved that about him, loved discovering his little eccentricities because they made him all the more human. Here, with her, with her son, he was just Patrick. He wasn't trying to prove anything to anyone; he wasn't reverting back to the guy she had all but hated for the better part of a decade. He was just having fun with her kid and she didn't think there was anything sweeter than that.

"How about now?" Morgan wanted to know, his hazel eyes catching Patrick's chocolate gaze.

Patrick chuckled softly, his eyes darting from Morgan to Cameron's room. How did he explain to the six-year-old why the three-year-old couldn't come out and play, come and eat cookies with them? Robin had told Morgan that Cameron was sleeping, not wanting to overwhelm him, but it was clear to Patrick that his cousin was confused. "Not yet. Aunt Laura is still in with him." He explained for the hundredth time. No doubt about it: Morgan was Robin's son. Where he lacked in excessive talking, he made up for in impatience and curiosity.

"But I want to go in now. She can watch him sleeping any old time. I have to make meetings." Morgan pointed out, placing his hands over Patrick's mouth to stop him from arguing.

"Careful to not cover up his eyes." Robin cautioned, already moving toward them.

"I have eyes in the back of my head." Patrick told them arrogantly.

Parting Patrick's hair on either side of his crown, the little boy frowned and said, "Don't see them. Are you sure they're back here?"

"They're invisible." Patrick responded.

"Do you still have your receipt? You should get your money back. No extra eyeballs back here." Morgan assured him with a nod of his head.

"Alright, come here." Robin tried to reach her son, but it was no secret Patrick was a lot taller than she was.

"Would you like me to bend down?" Patrick reasoned, giving Robin a crooked grin when she turned an even deeper shade of red.

Shaking her head at his flawless ability to make anything dirty even in the presence of unsuspecting children, Robin lifted her hands directly under Morgan's little body to catch him. "Please."

Reaching behind him without even having to look, Patrick placed the little boy in his mother's arm, smiling brighter when he heard her huff at him. "Good practice." He whispered intently. "I thought all women liked for a guy to be tall, dark, and handsome. I happen to fit the criteria." He said a little louder.

"When women talk about tall, we don't mean Jolly Green Giant tall and who said anything about you being handsome?" Robin wondered, showing him her teeth in a broad, fake smile before she set Morgan on the floor.

"Jeez, I'll let your car win next time." Patrick returned, his words patronizing but his tone playful.

"Do you think Cam will like Wolfie?" Morgan asked, his eyes darting from one adult to the other. He held out a battered brown stuffed dog with thin, floppy ears, marbles for eyes, and a friendly stitched-on smile made of black thread.

"What's Wolfie doing here?" Robin responded instead, her eyebrows drawn together as she recognized the only toy Morgan had wanted to take from the Corinthos house when she'd come to take him home with her.

"Lucky said Cameron has bad dreams. And you told me he's fallen into a deep sleep. What if he doesn't have his Monster Spray with him?" Morgan challenged his dark eyes glossy and direct.

Patrick stared at the child, dumbstruck. You never really knew what a child picked up on until they decided to bring it up. "Is Wolfie a good guard dog?" He inquired, bending down to Morgan's eye level.

"He's the best." Morgan replied in an unwavering tone.

"You brought him to give to Cameron?" Robin assumed, knowing that most children his age, hell all children up to her and Patrick's age, didn't like sharing their toys. She didn't want him to give the prized possession up if he planned on taking it back later.

"Yeah. I don't need him no more. I'm a big kid." Morgan explained somberly.

"That's the best thing you could do for Cam right now." Robin told him, running her right hand through his hair only to have him swat her hand away and part it with his fingertips. "I'm so proud of you."

"Me too." Patrick agreed getting to his feet. "They have a rule at the hospital that only grown-ups can go back and see Cam while he's here. Would you like me to take Wolfie to him?"

The tiny brunette's eyes filled with tears. "You mean I can't go give it to him by myself?" His bottom lip started to quiver and Robin looked at Patrick helplessly.

"I'm sorry." And, damn it, he actually was. Why were people always crying, and why did he always have to be right next to them when they were?

"Hey Morgan, how about I get the crayons out of the car and you make a Get Well Soon card for Cameron? Would you like that?" Robin offered, wrapping one arm around him and holding him tightly to her.

"Yeah. Let's do that." Morgan nodded his head, his eyes already moving toward the exit.

Elizabeth adjusted the pile of handmade cards and pictures as she attempted to adjust the strap of her backpack without spilling them all over the floor. Before returning to the hospital, she had stopped by her house to say hello to her grandmother and pick up a change of clothes for tomorrow. If she knew her grandmother, around dinner time the older woman would arrive with enough food to feed an army. This was most likely to cause Robin to go all out when it came to breakfast the next morning.

She stopped suddenly when she entered the room, barely hanging onto her pile of well wishes. She had fully expected to see Lucky sitting in the exact same position she had left him in this morning, in the same chair it appeared he stayed in all night. Instead she was greeted with the sight of Laura Spencer and Lisa Grimes, their heads bent over their shared grandson and Lucky was nowhere in sight.

"Hi!" Elizabeth managed, causing both women to lift their heads.

"Elizabeth." Laura stood up to greet her, carefully taking the pile from her hands. "What do you have here?"

"The kids at school know Cam's in the hospital and they all made him cards and pictures." It had been one of the hardest days in her teaching career, trying to explain to three and four year olds where their playmate was and why he wouldn't be back in school for awhile. She hadn't even let herself think about if the worst happened. It wouldn't. It just wouldn't.

Laura managed a brave smile but Elizabeth could see her eyes bright with tears. "Well that was certainly sweet of them." She said. "We'll have to put them up for Cameron to see won't we Lisa?"

"Just the thing to brighten this place up." Lisa declared as she took part of the stack from Laura and gently placed it on the small table next to the bed. Turning back, she gave Elizabeth a quizzical look. "I don't think we've met." She offered her hand. "Lisa Grimes."

Elizabeth took the other woman's hand and shook it carefully. "Elizabeth Webber. I taught Cameron last year."

"Elizabeth. You are more than Cameron's teacher." Laura admonished before turning towards Lisa. "She and Lucky are dating."

"Really?" The change in tone was slight, but Elizabeth still caught it. The friendly smiled had dimmed by just the slimmest of margins. Lisa Grimes had just transformed herself from friendly to protective grandmother in less time than it took to blink an eye. "I remember Cameron talking about Miss Elizabeth last year but he didn't mention you and Lucky were dating."

"It's fairly recent." Three months was recent enough in her book. And that was only if you didn't count all the misunderstandings dating from the first time they met. "I was actually expecting to find Lucky here to be honest."

"Luke finally convinced him to go outside for a few minutes." Laura explained. "I believe he's down in the courtyard, sweetheart."

Elizabeth sighed in relief, spying an escape. She began to edge her way back towards the door. "Well I'll just go find them then and leave the two of you."

"No stay." Lisa insisted. "I'd love to get to know you better. Cameron talked so much about you, I feel like I know you."

"Oh I couldn't. I mean I would love to but isn't it the hospital's rule that you can only have two people back here at a time?" Elizabeth wasn't sure where the feeling was coming from but the urge to flee was strong. Lisa had terrified her when she was just Cameron's grandmother and Jess's mother. For reasons she couldn't fully explain the fact that Jess was dead made Lisa even more formidable in her mind. Jess had been this woman's only child, Cameron was her only grandson. If she thought Laura's intention prying talks were bad, Elizabeth didn't even want to begin to imagine what Lisa would come up with.

"Nonsense. You two should get to know each other. I actually promised my mother I would call her anyways. She was on vacation and is flying standby to get back here." Laura rose and ushered Elizabeth into the seat she just vacated. "Sit. I'll just be a minute."

Every nice thought she had about Laura Spencer vanished as she watched her retreating back move farther and farther away from the door. This wasn't right. Elizabeth had been sure Laura liked her. What had she done wrong? Turning towards the woman who terrified her, Elizabeth forced a smile. "Well here we are." she managed, wincing inside when she heard how lame she sounded.

"Yes. Here we are." Lisa smiled. "So tell me about yourself my dear."

Lucky chuckled as he watched his father try not to look bored out in the courtyard area. His mother had suggested the walk but only Tony's presence down the hall convinced Lucky it was the best course to take. He had finally remembered what day it was and being around Tony was tense at the best of times. Today it would be unbearable. Everyone grieved in their own way. Tony preferred to blame every Spencer that crossed his path, which would surely lead to a fight with Luke. Lucky preferred solitude and avoiding violence whenever possible.

He and Jess may have broken up well before Cameron was born but it didn't mean he didn't feel her loss any less. Whatever it was they were on their way to being at one time he had cared about her and they shared a child together. For that reason alone she was always going to be important to him. He wanted Cameron to know who his mother was and that she loved him. They may have had their disagreements on how they wanted to raise him, but Lucky never doubted Jess loved her son. At times, loving Cameron was the only thing they agreed on.

That damn drunk driver hadn't just killed Jess, whoever they were had destroyed Cameron's life as well. Tony had never liked him before Jess was pregnant and even less after. Truth be told, Lucky was never fully sure Tony wouldn't use any slight opportunity to go to court to take custody of Cameron away from him and it made him suspicious Tony hadn't made any threats so far. Maybe he was waiting for Cameron to wake up. Maybe he was too distracted by the extent of Cameron's injuries. Maybe he had softened in the last year. Lucky resisted the urge to snort at the last one and crossed it off his mental list. That one was not possible.

"Penny for your thought?"

Startled Lucky whirled around and found himself looking right into Elizabeth's blue eyes. He smiled softly at her and drew her close to him for a hug. Wrapping his arms around her waist he dropped his lips towards her ear. "Man am I glad to see you."

Elizabeth hugged him back, trying to push away the after-affects of her conversation with Lisa. She should have run out of that room when she had the chance. Shaking her head, she focused her concentration on who needed it the most, the man in her arms right this second. "I'm just happy to see you out of that chair."

Lucky felt the first real smile he had all day cross his face as he looked down on her face. He absent-mindedly played with a piece of her hair that had fallen from her ponytail. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long. Your mom told me where to find you." Elizabeth looked around the courtyard, confused. "She said your dad was out here with you."

"Knowing him, he probably took one look at you coming out and beat it." Lucky rolled his eyes. "That way he can say he didn't leave me alone and mom won't yell at him for interrupting us."

Elizabeth laughed and pulled on his hand, leading towards a small bench nearby. "I'd ask how you are doing but I think you're probably sick of that by now."

"I'd be better if he would just wake up." Lucky smiled. "You know I don't think I realized how much of my day is spent listening to him until he wasn't able to talk."

Elizabeth laughed. "The few times I did have to get on him in class it was for talking too much." She squeezed Lucky's fingers. Cameron didn't deserve this. He should have been in school with her today, giving her the cold shoulder and Lucky should be telling her Cameron didn't obviously hate her because he wouldn't talk to her. She longed for the uncomfortable silence between herself and Cameron of the school carnival. "He's going to be ok. I have no idea how I know that but I just do."

"Why is it when other people say that I feel like yelling at them but not you?" Lucky wondered.

"Cause I'm cute?" Elizabeth guessed.

"Yeah that must be it." Lucky managed to chuckle. He had no idea how she made him laugh when the rest of his day had been spent between anger and despair but he was too thankful to question it right now. The day had started off hellish, gotten worse and appeared to be determined to continue an impossible downward spiral, but at this second, by something he didn't really want to think about too deeply, Elizabeth was making this day just the smallest measurement better.

Biting her lip, Elizabeth took a deep breath. Blowing it out, she reminded herself of their deal to talk to each other when they had issues and not make assumptions. "So I talked to Lisa today."

"You did." He should have realized this was coming. Between Cameron and his mother, he was certain Lisa had heard Elizabeth's name more than a few times in the past few months. And no matter how much his father wanted to believe otherwise, Lucky knew a good share of Cameron's curiosity came straight from Jess and Lisa. The phrase "beating around the bush" may as well been in Flemish for all the sense it made to those two.

"Yeah." Lifting her head off his shoulder, Elizabeth turned just enough to look him in the eyes. "Why didn't you tell me about Jess?"

"It wasn't that I wasn't going to tell you. I was, eventually." Lucky ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "My relationship with Jess wasn't filled with the best decisions I ever made. We were young and stupid. By the time we realized that, Cam was on his way and we had to deal with him. As for not telling you about her accident? It's not the easiest thing to bring up over dinner. And when the accident happened? Our relationship was complicated at best. It's not the easiest thing to explain. Hell I was in it and I didn't fully understand it."

She wanted to accept his explanation at face value, that he was going to tell her, that it wasn't a question of him not trusting her with his past the way she had with him. She was willing to give him that finding your ex-boyfriend in bed with you best friend was not on the same level as mother of your child dying but it still stung that she had found out through Robin and not him. Even though she had initially dismissed Lisa's comments, his explanation didn't silence the other woman's words.

_"What makes it even more tragic for Cameron is that Jess and Lucky were getting closer and closer to reconciling when the accident happened. Tony doesn't like to admit it but I know they were considering getting back together and it most likely would have ended in marriage once that happened. A mother knows these things." _She couldn't help but wonder. Had he not told her because he was still somewhat in love with the ghost of his son's mother? Elizabeth realized she should hold up her end of their agreement and just ask him, but not now. Not while Cameron was still in the hospital. Once he got home, there was going to be no stopping the questions, but for now she was going to hold her tongue. No matter how crazy she realized it was going to drive her.

"Cowboy!" Luke's voice called over to them from across the courtyard. "The doctors need to talk to you!"

Sighing, Lucky reluctantly stood up, still holding her hand. "Just what this day needs. More bad news."

"You don't know that." Elizabeth stood up, squeezing his fingers. "Are we going to have to work on positive thinking here?"

"Probably." Lucky managed a small smile at her joke. Sometimes, he was probably a little bit too much like his father for his own good. "Will you be around tonight?"

"Yeah. Robin and I are planning spending the night thinking up new ways to annoy Patrick all night. Any suggestions you have will be welcome."

"I can come up with a few." Lucky started walking back to hospital, pulling Elizabeth along with him, oblivious to the sound of the cameras clicking behind them.


	99. No More Words

Sometimes Mac worried he was just as old, or older, than his family and friends accused him of being. Maxie often made the comment that, had Alexis not come into his life, they would have put him up in a "home" and bought him a walker. She told him not to wait up for her tonight--she had been staying over a lot more these past few weeks--because she was due in court for at least a dozen cases, none of them simple, even though his little lady made everything look that way. He would never understand why she felt the need to defend scum, constantly putting the two of them on opposite sides of the law. She said it was habit, much like his forgotten pistol, but he knew better. At first, arguing had been a game between them. Now it was the quickest way to talk her out of her clothes. Life, he mused.

Robin was curled up in a purple hospital chair, her left cheek resting on her clasped hands and her hands pressed up against the wall. She looked unrealistically comfortable and, at least for now, alone. The cavalry must have decided to divide and conquer for the afternoon, but he was surprised to see that Drake had left her side. He would be the last to admit that the guy was starting to grow on him, from a distance since he hadn't actually seen or spoken to him since the birthday party, mostly through phone conversations he had with Robin, one in which she informed him that she had forgiven him and things were back to normal. How could he have known she would show up at his house unannounced and then leave less than an hour later, her words indecipherable, her hands shaking, and keys in her hand?

It had been Bobbie who called him about Cameron's accident. Mac couldn't pretend that he was a stranger to the Spencers. At one time, the town had been interwoven and, despite the partnership between Luke and Corinthos, Mac had watched Lucky and Lulu grow up with his girls. Now Lulu was in college and Lucky was a single parent to a three-year-old. Mac hadn't thought himself was strong enough to raise three girls, but as soon as Felicia handed him divorce papers, he had taken on sole responsibility for their children's welfare. She visited when she could, when she was able to put her busy life on hold and treat the girls like they mattered, but it was clear to him and, he noticed, to Maxie as well, that she lived her life without them and was happy with that decision.

Mac figured he could understand what Lucky was going through with Cameron because he had been through it twice before with Maxie and then again with Robin. While he had missed out on Maxie's early childhood, he had been there when she collapsed a few years into his and Felicia's marriage. She had been a frail child and continued to be even as she entered into adulthood. The only difference was that now he could add vindictive and manipulative to the list so that she went around getting her weak heart broken almost on a daily basis.

Robin's exposure and eventual infection to HIV had caught the old commissioner unawares. During the few months Stone and Robin had shared together, waiting, watching, and never quite accepting that he was going to die…that had been the last time his niece had seemed to need him. After losing her first love, she had jumped into a pointless relationship with a heartless killer and then, before she could even recover from that, Logan Drake had hoodwinked her and dragged her down the aisle. Everyone knew how that ended, but Mac wondered if they knew just how much she had closed herself off to love after that. Three strikes, you're out, she had told him when her divorce was final. Morgan had been her shining star in all of this, her next chance to love someone who would love her just as much for there was no love like a mother's love.

Lightly rubbing her shoulders until she roused, Mac smiled warmly at his niece. "Wake up Princess." He murmured watching his words bring a soft grin to her pale features. She had been running herself ragged and he would not have her sleeping up here when he had a giant, far from quiet, house with a room she had claimed as a teenager, a room he hadn't touched since the day she had moved out of it. The other girls often got onto him for it, whining that it had the most space, space they would surely use more efficiently, but Mac hadn't been able to let it go, hadn't been able to let her go. To him, she would always be his little girl, just as they had always been.

"Have you been here long?" Robin wanted to know, stretching and moaning as she did so. Her crimson blouse was wrinkled and it looked as though she had popped off a button or two in her plot to get some much-needed sleep. Her hair was tousled and tangled falling in front of her face like a blanket of honey.

"No. How are you holding up?" Mac figured he should ask about Lucky, as well as the rest of the Spencers, but none of them were here right now and Robin was his main concern. He took the chair to the right of her and moved her head to his shoulder, skeptical when she didn't fight to sit up. She was this tired? What was she still doing here? There was only so much she could do. Why did she have to push herself so hard? Wasn't it enough that she come to visit Cameron? Why did she feel the need to spend her mornings at the bakery and the remainder of her evenings at this hospital? What's more, except for school, she hadn't let Morgan out of her sight in the entire time Cameron had been up here, making both mother and son even more restless and worried than they would have been if they had stayed home.

"The Spencers are far worse off than I am, especially Lucky. I've never seen him so broken Uncle Mac." Robin admitted, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her right ear. She started to sit up, but Mac restrained her easily enough, letting her know that it was okay to stop for a minute, it was acceptable to take some of the strength he was offering her.

"That's not what I asked, is it?" Mac bet she could hear the wryness in his tone because she started to laugh. Or at least it had been intended as a laugh. It had come out as a hoarse, choking sound. She had had to sit up and put her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. Not a second later, she was fine again, completely composed.

"A little tired. Nothing I'm not used to. I'm just trying to help out where I'm needed." She explained in a soft, almost inaudible tone. Who was she expecting to disturb? The three nurses that occupied the front desk? The comatose three-year-old down the hall?

"Maybe you're trying a little too hard. You need sleep--"

"If I needed sleep, I'd be sleeping." Robin cut him off.

"You were sleeping when I showed up." Mac reminded effortlessly.

"I was resting my eyes." She argued glancing down at her fingernails and wondering, When was the last time I had these done? It had to be when she was in Manhattan with Patrick. Why did it matter? Why did her mind have to stray to such a random thought?

"Where's Patrick?" Mac would never get used to calling the guy by his first name, but just the crack at it made Robin's face relax a little.

"Vending machine I think. Or he might have gone by his apartment to pick up some work. I don't remember." She realized frowning slightly.

"And you're just supposed to wait here--?" Mac accused gruffly.

"I choose to be here. I'm not being coerced by anyone. He's already been all over me about being here too much. Now you're doing the same thing. Last time I checked, I was an adult." Robin pointed out impatiently.

"You're not taking care of yourself." Mac revisited logic deciding it best not to think that he had something in common with Patrick Drake.

"I'm sleeping when I can. I still have a life to live…and I'm handling everything pretty good on my own I think." Robin told him defiantly.

"But you're not alone, Robin. You don't have to take on all of this by yourself." Mac countered shortly.

"This isn't my tragedy, Uncle Mac. It's not Morgan in that hospital bed: it's Cameron. I love both boys, but I'm not Cameron's mother. I'm not the one struggling. If you're really that worried, why don't you go have a talk with Lucky?" Robin just about shouted at him, her fingers gripping either side of her seat.

"You say you won't go home and sleep. What about Morgan? Is he getting enough sleep?" Watching his niece's eyes go blank at his implied allegation, he went on. "He has to get up just as you do to go to school. Are you making sure he's getting enough rest?"

"Of course I am." Robin snapped. "He's with Lucas getting some snacks right now and last night he was at Bobbie's. He's not being deprived of anything except playtime with his baby cousin, let me assure you."

"I'm not trying to fight with you." Mac assured her.

"You'll forgive me if I have a hard time believing that." Robin rolled her eyes, trying to diffuse some of the tension between them, not sure where it had even come from.

"What if I take Morgan to the house with me and the girls tonight? It won't be such a drive from here, or from work. I want to help. I'm here to help." Mac insisted, taking her hands in his and squeezing them carefully.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Robin apologized profusely, her head ducking slightly.

"Got to rile you up once in a while to prove you're still a Scorpio, that's all." Mac teased, lifting her chin with his thumb so that she was staring back at him.

"I guess it'd be all right…Morgan staying with you tonight. Unless it's an inconvenience." Robin stammered.

"It's fine sweetheart. I just have one condition." Mac replied.

"What's that?" Robin asked curiously.

"I want you to get at least a full night's sleep from now on. If you need clearance to use one of the spare rooms, call me. I'll take care of you." Mac kissed her forehead.

"You always have." Robin nodded.

"Hey Sport. You been asleep long?" Noah Drake asked placing his hand atop his eldest son's left shoulder. It was just the two of them, Patrick realized with startling clarity, as he moved to sit up. He had lost his tie hours ago, but his gray suit was wrinkled and two of the buttons had come undone in his effort to steal a moment of sleep for himself.

The nurses had changed shifts again; Patrick knew this because he didn't recognize any of the staff as they made their way from one hospital room to the next. Noah had always told him that he should try to learn their names because they had known him all his life; he was practically a rock star when it came to the nursing staff. Patrick had had no interest in learning any of their names, or how they liked to spend their time, or anything else; they were all way too old for him. He wanted to be home with his friends; he had reached level fifteen and he'd be damned if that was as high as he ever got.

"I wasn't asleep." Patrick snapped letting his father know how unhappy he was to be here. Why did Logan get to stay home and he had be here? There was only a year's difference between them; it wasn't like either needed a babysitter. Why couldn't their father see that? All his father ever did was brag about his skills in the O.R. as if his boys gave a flying fig about his accomplishments. If it weren't for this last-minute surgery that apparently only his father could do, if Noah hadn't been so damn insistent on them spending time together, Patrick would have been at home right now. As it stood, snow covered the highway and his father had explained that there simply wasn't time to take him home. Why couldn't Mom just pick him up? Patrick had wondered. She isn't feeling well, Noah had explained. She's never feeling well. Maybe you should focus on your own wife and not a bunch of strangers, Patrick had angrily replied with folded arms and a raised chin.

"My mistake. I brought you some hot chocolate." Noah offered the paper cup to his son not that surprised when he waved away the peace offering. "You're being a little selfish, Sport."

"Stop calling me that." Patrick grumbled in a warning tone. "I'm not a little kid anymore Dad. Am I really that insignificant to you that you can't see that I'm growing up?"

"Your words," Noah responded, hurt. He took the seat next to Patrick though his son's narrowed eyes told him that that might have been the wrong thing to do. "What is it that's got you so worked up?"

"Like you care." Patrick reached into his coat pocket and extracted a handful of sunflower seeds, popping a few into his mouth and smacking loudly just because he knew how much it drove Noah crazy.

"I do care." Noah insisted, trying to make a grab for the bag. "Be sure to spit out the seeds in a trashcan, Spor-Patrick." He corrected himself.

"Whatever." Patrick responded with an eye roll.

"It's important to keep the hospital clean." Noah stressed.

"Isn't that what janitors are for?" Patrick reasoned in a sardonic voice.

"Try as I may, I don't know how to make you care about someone other than yourself." Noah mumbled shaking his head in obvious dismay.

"Not like you're much of an example." Patrick replied bitingly.

"I ought to smack you upside the head for a comment like that." Noah said through gritted teeth.

"Touch me and I'll have your ass thrown in jail for child abuse." Patrick grinned evilly.

"Where'd you get that mouth of yours? Certainly not from me…or your mother." Noah figured.

"Would you like me to teach you some of the other words I've picked up?" Patrick asked lifting a challenging eyebrow.

Noah's beeper demanded attention from the belt loop of his black slacks. "I'll be back. I've got to go." He explained getting to his feet.

"I'll try not to get on the news while you're gone. Take your time. It's not like I have an education or anything for you to worry about." Patrick growled at him, shaking his head at his father choosing to ignore him. "Bastard." He whispered to himself waiting a beat before standing up and scoping out the hallway nearest him.

The walls were utilitarian white. The floors were yellowing in age despite the administration's attempt to cover up the cracks with fresh white tile. He ever worked in a hospital it wasn't going to look like this. Work in a hospital? Right, because he wanted to save lives. He had to laugh quietly at the implication. Less people out there, the more important he became. Or, on the flipside, fewer guys out there meant more girls for him to sleep with. He wondered how Noah would take to knowing that that by the time he had the belated sex talk with his sons both had been sexually active for almost two years. He would be sixteen soon and he had almost reached the dozen mark. Just like the video games he played, he smiled. Each required something different and he made sure to provide for them.

Don't get it, Patrick mused as he peeked into the windows of each room he passed. What was so glorious about being a doctor? Noah, more often than not, came home in a bad mood, complaining about this, that, or the other. His father didn't like following the rules any more than he did. It was almost an admirable thing Patrick felt for his father, almost. His mother played it up like his father was important, taking on the cases that no one else wanted. Logan had been fooled, but not Patrick. Noah took those cases so that he could have an excuse to not be home with his family. This was totally fine with Patrick. He got a better collection of friends with the 'Daddy doesn't love me. Let's try and piss him off' attitude he gave out. The guys could relate; the girls wanted to make him feel better.

A nurse startled him when she emerged from the room a few feet away from him. Patrick could see tears in her eyes. He'd never met a nurse that wasn't touch as nails, so what was this woman's problem? She was dressed in the normal blue scrubs outfit with white sneakers, her blonde hair tucked behind her ears. Having not noticed him though it seemed unthinkable, she dropped to her knees and sat beside the door she had just come from, her arms around her knees as she rocked back and forth. The floor was pretty empty so the odds of anyone catching her were unlikely. If he made his presence known, he would spook her. Of course, it wasn't like he could leave her there, crying and such…damn it was she really crying? Why did women always cry and why did he always have to be there to witness it?

"My name's Patrick. Can I help you?" Patrick wasn't sure why he felt compelled to befriend this stranger. For all he knew, she was nuts. She could have a scalpel in the breast pocket of her scrubs, ready and willing to use it on the next male she saw, no matter their age.

"I'm Cindy. It's nice to meet you, Patrick." She offered her small manicured hand and he took it eagerly, again unaware of the driving force behind his intentions. She was pretty, he noticed. Her hair was a little disheveled; she'd been here all night from the look of her smeared make-up and trembling hands.

"You all right? Do you need a doctor?" Since when was he intimidated by an attractive woman? He was always the one to say the right thing, do the wrong thing. Something was off today. Damn it, he wished he was at home, away from crying Cindy, away from this hospital, away from his father!

"Have one in your pocket, do you?" She teased, touching the tip of his nose with her index finger once he released her hand. He hadn't known he was still grasping it until she silently coughed and pulled her hand out of his hold.

"My dad." Patrick explained sheepishly.

"Bet he taught you everything you know." Cindy assumed. She was cute, but obviously naïve. The only life lesson Noah had ever taught him was how not to turn out just like him.

"I guess. Hey, you want some hot chocolate?" Patrick steered away from the dangerous suggestion in her voice and offered her one of his own. He remembered that Noah had left the cup for him and it wasn't like he had taken a drink of it. If she had a problem with it, he'd get her another one.

"I could go for something a little stronger." Cindy whispered but Patrick heard her anyway.

"Can you drink when you're on-duty?" Patrick felt like a narc.

"Would you tell on little old me?" Cindy wanted to know.

"Depends on what you did for me." Patrick bargained.

"What did you have in mind?" Cindy asked in a tone Patrick had become familiar with.

"You look like you need to get out of here." Patrick nodded toward the hospital room.

"Do I ever? I don't usually get this teary-eyed about a patient." Cindy told him.

I don't care, Patrick thought. "What's so special about this one?"

"His house caught fire and no one can identify him." Cindy clarified with a slow nod of her head.

Cool! "Can't identify him? That's terrible." And really cool! TV was always censoring the grisly and gruesome scenes in a movie. Now he was going to get the chance to see a barbequed guy! Somehow that ranked higher than what he'd been thinking of doing with Nurse Cindy. Who was to say he couldn't do both?

"I should be in there…" Cindy gave a retreating glance toward the door.

"Nah, you can take a breather." Patrick argued in a soothing voice as he rested his left hand over her right one.

"I used to work on cadavers for Christ's sake! This should not be affecting me this way." She sounded disgusted with herself. Patrick felt her softly squeeze his hand in return. What was a decade of age between friends?

"Maybe because they were already dead and he's still technically alive." Patrick mused aloud, reveling in how soft her skin was in his palm.

"That could be it. When I was a little girl, my father died in a fire." Cindy recalled sadly.

Patrick held his tongue. Gee Cindy, you think maybe this has brought up bad memories? Oh well. Attractive didn't mean genius. They were a deadly combination to begin with. "That must have been awful." He watched her rest her head in the crook of his shoulder. This close he could smell the faintest sprinkle of perfume. Her mouth was only an inch from his. He could hear her breath quickening as he caressed her hand in his.

"It was. My mother…well she was never the same after that." Cindy explained sounding as if she might just cry some more.

"But that guy's still alive. You've got to stay strong for him." Patrick moved his hand to her wrist and wrapped his fingers around it like a loose bracelet.

"I know." Cindy's voice broke as her face moved even closer to his.

"Don't be sad, Cindy." Patrick pleaded. "I'd hate for you to be sad."

"I need to just get my mind off things." Cindy decided, getting to her feet, breaking the spell.

"How do you suppose we do that?" Patrick asked hoping he was still a factor in her plans.

"You should probably get back to your dad." Cindy suggested carefully.

"Where are you going? I don't want to be alone." True enough, Patrick thought. If concerned didn't work, he'd try pathetic.

"Oh Patrick, I'm sure there are plenty of kids around here to play with." Cindy assured him patting his right shoulder as if he fell into the same category as those '"kids."

"Oh fuck off." Patrick shot back throwing open the door to the burned victim's room. The light was weak. He wasn't sure if he was imagining the smell of smoked human flesh or not. It was hard to tell. There was a sheet over the old man, almost covering his entire face. Patrick wanted to see what the fuss was all about. People got into accidents all the time. His friend, Gary, had fallen out of tree into the windshield of the family car. He had almost taken out both of his eyes but had turned his face just in time. Lucky bastard, Patrick mused.

"You shouldn't be in here, Patrick." Cindy's hand was on his shoulder a second later, but he pushed away from her. Patrick wasn't sure if it was her sudden movement or his, but suddenly there was enough light in the room to make out the guy's mutilated face. It looked like someone had gone after him with a cheese grater. Pieces of skin barely clung to the bones in his face.

"Hey, it's okay." Robin ran her small hand up and down Patrick's back until he stopped shivering. The temperature in the hospital was nowhere near cold so she assumed he was having a nightmare. She only hoped her voice acted as a lifesaver from whatever images haunted his sleep. "You're okay." She whispered against his left ear.

Patrick shot up out of the chair, away from her comforting touch, and slid a hand through his hair. Once his hand reached his neck, he felt the shivers collide with his fingertips and he had to sit down to control the chattering of his teeth.

"Hell of a bad dream, huh?" Robin guessed moving his bangs away from his face.

"I'm fine." Patrick shook his head and Robin placed a kiss on his left cheek.

"No one else is around." She told him. "You're allowed to react if you need to."

"Where are they?" Patrick demanded, his eyes appearing bloodshot even though she knew that they had gotten the same amount of sleep.

"Coffee and food run. I wanted to stay here with you and Lucky." Robin clarified.

"Where's Lucky?" Patrick asked.

"Where do you think?" Robin challenged.

Patrick didn't respond with his first thought, Oh. Instead he said, "Any change?"

"I would have woken you up if there'd been one." Robin pointed out. Noticing the terror in his eyes, she went on, "Baby, what's got you all worked up huh?" Tilting her head, she pressed another kiss to his cheek and let her warm breath wash over his frozen skin.

"It's just the hospital. I hate it." Patrick admitted quietly.

"I know." Robin's answer surprised him. "I pay attention."

"Is it that obvious?" Patrick wanted to know.

"You mean besides your insistence to avoid Cam's room like it holds the Plague? No." Robin shook her head, a smile seeping across her features. "Or the fact that you're holding onto Wolfie for dear life." She nodded toward the aforementioned stuffed animal.

"You think this is funny? It's not." Patrick retorted.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Robin inquired warily.

"No."

Robin smiled lifting her body into a straighter position. "Oh did I say that like you have a choice? Because you don't. Tell me what it is about hospitals that give you the heebie-jeebies."

Patrick sighed in resignation. "Ever read That Was Then, This is Now?"

Robin's eyebrows shot up, "S.E. Hinton, right?"

"Yeah. In the book, the main character makes the comment about cemeteries being a place to get better and hospitals a place to die." Patrick replied.

"Did I miss something?"

"That's how I view them, Robin. Every time I'm in the hospital, there's something wrong…something that can't be fixed."

"You mean like your mother?" Robin assumed.

"Yeah her…and now Cameron. If I go in there, we might as well sign a death certificate for him." Patrick declared.

"I'm so close to slapping you right now." Robin warned. "Explain yourself please."

"Bad memories, that's all." Patrick answered.

"You're going to have to do better than that." Robin insisted.

"What else can I say? People don't come here to get better…not when I'm in the picture. They come here to die. Just like my mother, just like Mr. Flemmons--"

"Who's Mr. Flemmons?" Robin interrupted.

"Burned victim. He was stable before I went and visited. Next morning, he was declared dead."

"So you're what? Cursed? Is that what you're telling me here?" Robin asked incredulously.

"It's not that. Cameron's better off without me in there. He's got Lucky…"

"He needs you too, Patrick. You helped raise him for Christ's sake. You're going to sit there and tell me that you're not as affected as Lucky, that you can really distance yourself?"

"I'm trying to protect him." Patrick shot back.

"You're trying to protect yourself." Robin corrected harshly. "I get that you have some 'bad memories' at hospitals, but this time isn't going to be like those were."

"You know that how?" Patrick patronized.

"I dropped Morgan off at Bobbie's last night and you know what he told me?" Patrick met her eyes but didn't say a word. "He told me that he's been praying for Cameron and that I should remind you to do the same thing. It's called faith, Patrick." Robin murmured.

"He's always been such a happy, lively kid. I can't look at him in that hospital bed, Robin. I just can't." Patrick stared down at his hands, smiling wanly when she linked their fingers together.

"He looks like Cameron. A few bruises. A little quieter. But the same little boy we love." Robin promised tucking her head on his shoulder and wrapping her free hand around his waist.

"How'd I get this lucky?" Patrick wondered moving to kiss the top of Robin's head.

"It was the ego. Total turn-on. I couldn't fight it." Robin joked forcing herself back, disentangling their bodies even though it absolutely killed her. "Go." She ordered pointing toward Cameron's hospital room.

"Robin--" Patrick protested.

"I can't come with you this time." Robin shook her head knowing she would fight the battle if she could. He had to do it. He had to face his own demons. She turned her face away and was able to hide the sudden tears flowing down her cheeks as he did what she wanted him to, what he had secretly wanted to do all along.


	100. The Remedy

It had taken some degree of investigating, but he was at last successful. Cruz had found the seemingly only set of chairs on this floor that didn't look like they were straight out of a hospital set from the Brady Bunch. Did any of the Brady's actually go to the hospital, he briefly wondered. Or was it like the one bathroom for six children phenomena? He shook his head, realizing yet again that stress caused him to ponder the strangest points imaginable.

Cruz had stole away during the Spencer family's run for food and coffee, wanting just a few minutes without having to deal with Luke's all knowing, completely amused smirk, Laura's hopeful smile, Lulu's completely confused and defeated body language, or the simultaneous comfort and tension he was picking up between Robin and Patrick. Tony and Lisa's presence didn't help much either, with the waves of hatred and grief rolling off the older man. He had wandered the halls looking for some place to sit and gather his thoughts. He had just about managed to actually find the most comfortable position possible when he realized he was not alone in the hallway.

Cruz would never be able to explain it fully in his entire life, but he knew he was witnessing something special. The other man appeared to be Cruz's age or maybe a little older. He wore his dark brown hair just barely below his ears, a length that would have started Laura in on a series of well-meaning hints about him needing a haircut had she known him any length of time. His body slumped exhaustedly but there was an indefinable aura of excitement around him. In his arms, he held a small bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. Cruz wasn't close enough to hear the words he could see being mouthed, but he could imagine the loving words of a father speaking to his daughter for the first time.

It wasn't as if this was the first time he had seen such a moment. He had been in the hospital when Cameron had been born. But this was the first time he had felt his heart clench in both understanding, anticipation, and nerves. Sooner than he wanted to think about, that could very well be him.

"There you are. You disappeared on me there." Bobbie's voice called out to him from the left side of the hallway. Stopping when she reached his spot in the corner, she smiled as she sat down in the open chair. "Trying to find something resembling comfort are you?"

"Something like that." Cruz quickly slid his purchase from the gift shop back further into the side of the chair, praying Bobbie hadn't noticed the plain brown bag or heard the noise it made. "Is there any change?"

"No..." Bobbie shook her head slowly her eyes catching a familiar line of words. "Did you buy me a present?"

Of course she had seen it. Cruz could almost hear Luke's mocking voice now. "She's a Spencer. We notice everything." Attempting to play it off, he rolled his eyes. "No. Unlike Bryan Adams, everything I do is not for you." He tried to joke.

"I do declare you are full of it." Bobbie teased in her best southern accent.

"I'm telling you the truth, it's not for you." She may be the only reason he had bought it but it wasn't for her. "It's nothing," Cruz protested, trying to move the bag out of her reach.

Bobbie pouted. "Cruz, darling..." She moved to sit on his lap making sure that he no longer had a hold of the bag.

His woman was evil. There was no doubt about it. Of course two could play at that game. Seeing the new father still down the hall, he pointed the pair out to Bobbie. "Look. I think that little one was just born."

Bobbie's eyes widened as she followed his finger. "Ever wonder what we're going to have? I mean, as far as a boy or a girl?"

"I'm still stuck on the whole concept of baby."

"Do you have a preference?"

He hadn't thought about it to this exact second. The idea of a little girl scared him to death but Cruz was willing to bet she'd be as beautiful as her mother was. And if they had a boy, he at least had Lucky to rely on for guidance. Once they were back on full speaking terms that was. They had cleared some of the air, but Cruz realized they still had a long way to go. "Honestly no. As long as Cubby here is healthy I'll be fine."

"Cubby?" Bobbie couldn't help but smile and lean into him. "Is that what you think his name will be? Because I'm here to tell you--" She wanted to work up the real rant, wanted even more to know what was in that bag, but he managed to distract her effectively with a soft, somewhat lingering kiss.

"I can't very well call our son or daughter 'it' for the next seven months now can I?" He winked at her. "So I'm guessing you're thinking a boy then?"

"Just a feeling." Bobbie told him barely able to suppress a giggle when she watched his hand move to her stomach.

"This is just so unbelievable." He lowered his voice to a whisper in awe at the reality that was crashing over him. Their child was underneath his hand at this very second. It wasn't a scenario he had ever imagined happening and here it was, the latest chapter to an already unexpectedly amazing story.

Bobbie reveled in the feel of his open palm against her stomach and had to fight back the urge to shiver at his protective touch. "Tell me about it. He started moving around last night. If you're really patient, he might do it again."

"Does it hurt?"

Bobbie smiled brightly. "No. It's a long forgotten feeling. Sort of like having butterflies but more intense. Oh, I'm not explaining it right."

"No I think I understand." He really didn't but he was a guy and Cruz supposed he really wasn't supposed to fully understand this.

"Any time you're ready to switch roles, let me know." Further proving her point, she massaged the back of her neck.

"Hmmm," Cruz paused pretending to consider her offer. "I'll take it up after the morning sickness. You know I have issues with being sick." he teased her.

"Just like a man. Lord knows you're probably one of those whiny men when you're sick." Bobbie pondered.

"Laura even refuses to come near me then."

"That is bad." Bobbie nodded solemnly. "What's that?" She exclaimed, grabbing his wrist and keeping it pressed to her stomach. Watching confusion settle across his features, she managed to extract one of Cruz's secret books from the sack. "Oh Cruz..."

Too late he realized her trick. He tried in vain to break her grasp and retrieve his possession without dropping her on the floor. "Give it back."

"What To Expect When You're Expecting? Oh, this is too good." Bobbie laughed holding the book behind her back.

He could feel himself blushing and Cruz wished with all his heart that a hole would open up right now in the floor and suck only him down the vortex to his own special hell. "I just wanted some information," he muttered.

Seeing that he was embarrassed, Bobbie grabbed his hand and kissed each of his knuckles. "That's the most adorable thing..."

"Stop that. I'm busy being mad at you."

"Stop what?" Bobbie feigned confusion.

"Stop being cute. It's annoying."

"I don't have to try." Bobbie countered sliding her arms around his waist. "Kiss me." She goaded.

"Nope."

"Don't you think it's a little late to be shy?" Bobbie drawled pressing her palms into his spine. "Come on..."

"Who ever said I was shy?" he challenged moving just a fraction closer to her. "I'm not the one who wanted to hide you know."

He was only teasing, but his words hit a nerve. Bobbie refused to meet his eyes. "Have it your way." She said handing him the book.

Too late he realized his joke had hurt her. Tossing the book to the floor, he pulled her closer to him. "Come on, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"They aren't mad anymore, and the rest of the family has been so supportive. I guess I'm just overwhelmed, you know." Bobbie stared at his shoulder.

"I am familiar with the feeling." He teased. "But the worst is over now. Everyone knows and no one ended up in jail. We're still here, together."

"I'm worried about Lucky." Bobbie admitted finally meeting his eyes.

"Me too." Cruz sighed. "But no matter how many times Laura sends Elizabeth innocently down to that room, he's not going to leave till Cameron is better."

"I know. You're right. How far have you gotten in the book?" She threw in the last comment hoping he might respond without thinking.

"Cute. Very cute." Cruz began to tickle her sides, causing her to giggle. "What will it cost me to keep you from telling the entire Spencer family this when we go back?"

"You in a hurry to get back?" Bobbie asked in what she believed to be a sultry tone.

"Never." Giving in to what they both wanted, he finally relented and pulled her close enough for a slow lingering kiss.

On most days Lucky never second-guessed his decision to work in the music business. He loved his job and was damn good at it. The money was a nice bonus and he couldn't have asked for a better mentor than Ned. But there came days like today and he was forced to wonder if maybe he had made the wrong choice. Maybe if he had studied medicine, then he would have some idea of how to help Cameron right now.

The doctor's voice was still ringing in his ears. He had gone into that meeting hoping for not exactly good news but at least not complete devastation. Dr. Karen Wexler had least tried to soften the blow, but he couldn't condemn her honesty. "I'm afraid Cameron is starting to slip into a deeper coma. To be frank Mr. Spencer, if he doesn't wake up soon, I doubt he will ever wake up at all."

Somehow he had made it back here and ushered out his mother and Lisa without telling them. He had shrugged off Elizabeth's questioning look when he stepped away from that discussion. If any of his family even suspected what Dr. Wexler had told him, Lucky knew they would be back here in less time than it would take his father to blame Helena Cassadine for everything. But he didn't want their concern and false cheer right now. He was hanging on by a thread and right now what he wanted was to be alone with his son.

With a shaking hand, he traced the lines of Cameron's face. His eyes had always reminded him of Jess. The same deep brown, the same shape, the same sparkle when either laughed. He prayed with whatever faith he had left that she had also passed on her fight. No matter what the issue, no matter how serious or mundane, Jess had never backed down from a fight in her life. Didn't matter who or where. Lucky could admit he was stubborn but he had nothing on Jessalyn Grimes when she was worked up.

Cameron had to wake up. It was that simple and Jess needed to help him. They were supposed to go to Chuck E. Cheese again. Lucky had to prove to Elizabeth he was right and Cameron didn't hate her like she thought. There were sleepovers with Lance and Morgan. Trips to the park. Lois had been promising to go with them to for Cameron's first trip to F.A.O. Schwartz the next time they were in New York for longer than one night. It was going to be a surprise for Cameron. He wouldn't sleep between now and the trip if he knew that was planned. Maybe, Lucky thought, he should tell Cameron all about the plan. That may work.

All the money he had ever earned, all the access he had to the top doctors and specialists, and there was nothing to do but wait.

The door opened softly, but in the silence of the room, it echoed as if the visitor had slammed his way in. Lucky didn't even glance in the intruder's direction, focusing all his attention to the small form that lay still in the bed. He stood stiffly, gripping the bed rails, searching his heart for any solution that it could possibly come up and despairing as he realized there was nothing he could do.

Patrick didn't look directly at Cameron; his eyes were unable to take in what had been inflicted upon his little cousin. He would work himself up to it. Right now, he was thankful he had made it to the room in one piece. Robin hadn't gone into details from when she had seen him and suddenly he wished she had. He was about to see for himself, but he desperately wanted to be prepared first.

Lucky looked like a stiff wind might knock him over. Patrick had never seen his cousin in such bad shape. He wasn't the most confident person in the world, but he put up a tough front in almost every aspect of his life, had done the same with Elizabeth until he realized she saw through it completely, even from their first meeting. Stress and sleepless nights had caused Lucky's eyes to turn a nasty shade of red and his hair sat atop his head in a greasy, tangled mess. Patrick could even make out tiny wrinkles working their way past the numerous layers of skin in his face.

Just the fact that Lucky hadn't started talking the moment he came in put Patrick on edge. Lucky was almost as talkative as his little boy; it wasn't natural for both of them to be silent at the same time. Cameron should be jabbering away about playing on the swings at the park or begging his dad for that puppy he saw every morning on their walk to school. He should be experimenting with finger-paints and white walls, getting into everything the kitchen tried to conceal, anything but lying there, quiet and still. It wasn't natural. It wasn't right. He didn't like it one bit.

What am I even doing in here? Patrick asked himself silently. He was terrible at comforting people, family especially. He didn't know what he should say, had no way of knowing if his cousin would snap at him as he had every reason to do. Having stayed away as long as he had, Patrick began to worry that Lucky was angry with him. He should have been in here the second it happened, the second visitors were given the green light. But he hadn't. He had hidden like a scared little kid; hospitals were something he was just going to have to get over and used to. Especially, a cruel voice added, if you plan on staying with Robin. He wanted to attack the voice, wanted to shut it up, but he couldn't ignore the facts. Whether or not his results came back positive or not, there would come a time when Robin…

Patrick shook his head, startling Lucky. Chagrinned, he hoped his weak attempt at a smile brought the younger man some sort of comfort. Would he have to reach for something too, as Lucky had been forced to do? Would his knees give out on him? Would he fall into a heap on the floor? His breath sounded far too quick; he couldn't suck in enough oxygen. I'm about ready for Ashton to come out and tell me I've been Punk'd, Patrick thought wryly. Even the stupid thought did nothing in the way of relaxing him. How was he supposed to relax?! How, when Cameron was in this condition? His eyes started to move toward the tiny three-year-old, his fingers fisting unconsciously.

Memories of his early childhood flashed through his mind. He wasn't sure what brought it on, certainly not the sight of Cameron's battered face. Though it was hard to believe, even for him sometimes, he had been a very quiet little boy. It wasn't until middle school that he had gotten a mouth on him, or so his father estimated. Despite Logan following him around like a shadow, Patrick had felt very alone, very alienated from the rest of the world. He didn't want to think that Cameron might have experienced that feeling at one time or another in his young life. He had a litter of cousins to play with all the time, but what about when they were out of town or it was a school night? What about the nights when Lucky couldn't be with him because of work or some other conflict? Did Cameron sit by the window and wait for his father to come home?

Patrick could barely recall what it was to need his father as desperately as Cameron needed Lucky. He could almost determine that he hadn't ever needed Noah Drake, but he couldn't erase the memories he had shared with his father back when they had been a real family. He had tried, but there was always one thing that stopped him: his mother. Blocking out the time he had spent with Noah meant that he was forgetting her too, and he didn't want to do that. There was nothing after her death, nothing for the Drake men to use to forge a relationship with. Noah had found comfort in a bottle, Logan in his rebellious lifestyle, and Patrick in his seclusion.

One of his eyes was fused shut with a circle of purple bruises surrounding it while the other eye was merely closed and the bruises there formed a half crescent shape. His lip was busted, but the blood had long since dried and been washed away. His nose hadn't been hurt though Patrick had expected, imagined, that the damn horse would have broken it in his haste to terrify this little boy. It wasn't often that Patrick saw anyone besides Lucky when he looked at Cameron, but right now he could almost see the boy's mother. It was the curly hair, Patrick noticed. And the full bottom lip. Or it could be the deep brown eyes that were hidden behind the swollen eyelids. It was the confidence that radiated from the child when he sat down to play.

Lucky tried his best to pretend Patrick's silence wasn't unnerving him. On one hand, it was exactly what he wanted. On the other hand, some part of him craved for his cousin to make a dumb joke. At least then this situation could start to feel somewhat normal. If the silence from Cameron was unnerving, the silence from Patrick made the situation seem worse. Patrick may not be the easiest person in the world to open up about how he was feeling, but he always had a need to talk. And to ignore whatever it was Lucky said he wanted. The fact that Patrick was respecting his wish for silence almost scared him more than the doctor's prognosis.

The hum of the machines had been a constant rhythm since the moment Cameron was settled into the room. The beeps and the blips never varied in their pitch and tone. Except for now.

Twisting their heads quickly, Patrick and Lucky both stared at the monitors as the noises that indicated Cameron's breathing and heart rate began to fluctuate wildly. For a split second Lucky thought his own heart was going to give out as he tried to make sense of the lines, numbers, and graphics that were swimming before his eyes. What was going on? What was happening to his son?

Lucky stared in confusion as the frantic beeping suddenly began to fall into a more steady rhythm. He blinked back tears as he tried to figure out what had just happened when he felt a tapping on his hand.

"Knock it off Patrick," he grumbled gruffly. "Did we out grow the poking game years ago?"

Patrick couldn't respond, at least not intelligently. He was still halfway across the room. The hand that touched Lucky's didn't belong to him. "Lucky..." He attempted in a strangled voice.

Realizing for the first time exactly where Patrick was standing, Lucky looked down at his son's bed and felt tears start to roll down his face. Cameron's eyes looked back at him, with the same sleepy eyed expression he wore when he woke up every morning for school.

"Hi Daddy." He managed drowsily.

bDID I MENTION THAT THIS WAS THE LAST CHAPTER TO THE FIRST SWEEPS?!/b


	101. Revelations

Morgan stared out the window, his dark hair combed smoothly on either side of his crown. There had been a phone call a half hour ago, but he hadn't asked who it was. He wanted to talk to Robin, but she had explained to him that she needed to stay with Patrick for a little while longer. If it had been anyone other than Cameron, he might have been offended, or even jealous, but if renting out his mom for a little longer was all it would take to wake up his younger cousin, he supposed he could be nice about it.

Uncle Mac had come home early and, with a little help from his great nephew, had ended up burning a pan of brownies and then, an hour later, a batch of sugar cookies. He liked his Uncle Mac, but wished he could come over under different circumstances. Not that he minded going over and seeing Grandma Bobbie or his cousins. It had been a long time since he'd been able to play with Cameron and he hadn't seen Lance in even longer! He figured the Scorpio house was more exciting because his great uncle was a cop. Robin had explained it to him what he did, but the position was lost on the six-year-old. Morgan knew Uncle Mac was the leader of the Port Charles Police Department and, according to the aforementioned commissioner, that of his household too. Morgan hadn't been fooled, not when Cousin Maxie had shown up late last night and offered not a single reason for not calling or telling him where she had been.

Cousin Georgie was much nicer and she brought him presents when she came to the loft to visit Robin and Aunt Courtney. Robin had told him that she was flying to France of all places. Morgan, tears in his eyes, responded, "But she doesn't got no wings." He couldn't remember if she had laughed at his reaction or not because, the next second, they were coloring a picture of Winnie The Pooh. Georgie liked to compare her little cousin to Eeyore in that there was always sadness in his eyes but, with enough effort, they could make him smile. Maxie called him "Little Dude" and that was when Morgan had decided to learn how to ride Great Uncle Luke's motorcycle. He had heard the old man telling Lulu that he was going to do whatever he had to if it meant that Cameron got to ride it. Being three years older, Morgan assumed he was more than capable of riding it too.

"How about some hot cocoa Little Dude?" Maxie made sure to use the nickname to steal him from his engrossing thoughts, somehow realizing that his idea would probably send her cousin into early therapy and then she'd have to baby-sit way more often.

"It's not hot enough for hot cocoa." Morgan reasoned turning around so that his back was facing the window now. He didn't see the red '75 Ford Mustang pull into the driveway.

"Chocolate is chocolate." Maxie declared placing a yellow mug on the windowsill before bringing her own aquamarine cup to her lips and taking a cautious sip.

He couldn't argue that logic. If Georgie was here, she'd insist on reading him some kind of story with Disney characters splashed across the front. He worried about that one. Maxie, however, would let him be a kid without making him constantly prove the matter to her. She was the one who had told him not to take crap from anyone, especially when you knew you were right. Of course, Morgan already knew not to take things from other people, particularly strangers, but the meaning of her statement was lost on him. "Thanks." He said as he molded his tiny hand around the mug and peeking inside. "How many marshmallows?"

"Three." Maxie smiled and patted his hair softly watching him rush to fix it with his free hand. "Just like always."

"You should have brought your crayons. We could have made a picture." Maxie pointed out when he said nothing in response. She wasn't fortunate or unfortunate enough to be taking classes at PCU…some people had to work for a living. Some people had to fight for everything they had ever gotten. We can't all be Lulu Spencer, she thought abhorrently.

"We can still make one." Morgan perked up at the suggestion. "Got a pen? Or some colored pencils?"

"Actually, I think I do. Upstairs. From an art class last spring." Maxie recalled. "I'll be right back. Don't burn the house down." She missed Morgan's baffled expression and headed up the stairs.

"Ended world hunger yet?" Uncle Mac wondered as he passed his daughter on the stairs.

"I'll get right on that." She promised sardonically barely able to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

"Alexis is coming over for dinner. Can you at least show up for it?" Mac wanted to know.

"I'll check my schedule. What with saving the world from starving and these crazy shift changes Mike keeps signing me on for, it's anyone's guess really." Maxie paraded past him.

Morgan considered screaming for his Uncle Mac or Maxie when he made a mess of his hot chocolate on the Scorpios new living room carpet. He pondered calling Robin in tears and swearing that he hadn't meant to do it. The mug had been too hot when he'd made a grab for it and his fingers had refused to grasp it correctly. The end result was an ugly brown spot on the white carpet, a stain that Morgan knew would not come up easily if at all.

Hurrying to the kitchen, he pulled a chair from the table and pushed it into the counter, unable to reach the cabinets any other way. He remembered his mommy's list of cleaning supplies she had kept in the bottom cabinet to the far right of the refrigerator. What would she have used? The list played across his eyes as if it was hanging from the ceiling and he took out the vinegar along with the cow timer on the kitchen windowsill. Hopping off of the chair, he got the dish detergent. He only needed one more thing. Getting to the bathroom in two point five seconds, he found a spare toothbrush, never opened, and added it to his supplies.

This would work. He would clean up the stain before Uncle Mac ever noticed it. He wouldn't get in trouble because there wouldn't be any evidence of any wrongdoing. It would work. The stain would come up. Mommy had showed him how to get stains out of the carpet because Daddy hadn't liked them. Brushing back a few tears with the sleeve of his X-Men t-shirt, he pushed the memories back. He didn't have time to cry about it. He had to get this stain up and out! He would scrub until his fingers came off if that's what it took.

"Morgan, what's the matter Buddy?" Uncle Mac startled him and he dropped the toothbrush. It was soundless against the carpet, but the child could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"I'm sorry. It was an accident." Stop it, Morgan! You have to clean up this mess you've made! Clean it up now! No excuse will change what you've done. "I'm so sorry." Stop blubbering! You think that's how a great man is allowed to act? Well, it's not. And I'm raising both my boys to be great men just like Daddy.

"It's just a spill. What are you doing with this stuff? You could make yourself sick." Mac didn't care if he sounded like an overprotective mother hen or not. If he hadn't found Morgan when he had, who knew what the boy might have done with the powder or the liquid? He could have mistaken it for something and put it in his mouth, up his nose. Mac didn't want to think about what might have happened, only that that he had shown up when he had.

"I have to clean it up!" Morgan screamed when Uncle Mac took the toothbrush from him and helped him to his feet. "Let me go! Uncle Mac, I have to clean up my mess! Daddy doesn't like messes!" With every word, the old commissioner's heart broke. He had never suspected and he felt like a fool for not noticing it before. How many shut-down children had he talked to in his profession? And how many of them had been abused?

"Shh." Mac bent down in front of his distraught nephew and hugged him tightly to him. "Messes happen. Just ask Robin. She could tell you that. She was very messy."

"She was?" Morgan asked in a hushed, shattered voice.

"Absolutely! I had to wait for her to move out before I could even think about getting white carpet!" Mac's chuckle worked through the child like a security blanket.

"And I've messed it all up." Morgan whispered.

"No. You've done nothing wrong. You hear me?" Mac stressed each word, moving back so that their eyes could lock. "Be messy. Be a kid. That's what being a Scorpio is all about. And that's what you are now Buddy."

Robin paused in the doorway, not even bothering to shut the door behind her. She was stuck in her spot her lips parting as she smiled warmly, her heart growing a few sizes larger at the sight in front of her. Uncle Mac was a true charmer both with her and her cousins as well as anyone who had ever come into contact with him. And to see him with her son brought immediate tears to her eyes.

She wanted to speak but at the same time she didn't want to entreat on the moment. From where she stood, she couldn't hear what was being said, but it was clear that Morgan was distraught. Instinct told her to make her presence known and take him in her arms, to never let him go. Uncle Mac would probably accuse her of smothering him and, after Cameron's accident, she'd be the first to admit how much more protective she was where Morgan was concerned. And now he was awake. Patrick had phoned her and her next call had been to Uncle Mac. She had called to tell him that she was coming to take her son to see his little cousin.

Clearing her voice, she watched them break apart slowly, Morgan's hand still tugging on Uncle Mac's shirtsleeve. "What's up?" She asked in a shaky voice, unable to ignore Morgan's tear-filled eyes.

"Morgan and I were just talking about how much fun making messes are!" Mac replied enthusiastically.

"I love making messes." Robin emphasized, taking off her coat and enveloping her son in what her own father would have referred to as a "bear hug."

"Remember when you tried to make mud pies and bake them in the oven?" Mac smiled at the fond memory. Robin blushed at the mention of her early childhood.

"How could I forget? The girls tried to eat it!" Robin giggled, stroking the back of Morgan's head.

"Only the fire alarm going off stopped them." Mac recalled.

"Yep and the entire stove went up in flames." Robin nodded.

"You didn't get in trouble?" Morgan challenged, leaning back so he could catch her relaxed expression.

"I think I had time-out, but Uncle Mac and Aunt Felicia were so relieved to see that I was okay, they couldn't punish me any more than that." Robin clarified.

"You were an easy kid. Now Maxie and Georgie? Had to throw out the old rule book and write one of my own." Mac assured his niece.

"Could be a best-seller." Robin mused.

"Could be." Mac agreed.

"You ready to go, Kiddo?" Robin asked, addressing the startled six-year-old in her arms.

"Where?" Morgan wondered.

"To the hospital. Cameron woke up." Robin explained.

The contrast between the enthusiasm of the waiting room and quiet of Cameron's room was startling. When she had started her way down the hallway, Elizabeth had to avoid crying grandmothers, exhausted aunts, relieved cousins and gleeful friends to just make it through the door. The swell of emotion that had raced through the family had been all encompassing and impossible to ignore. She had a feeling they would both deny it, but Elizabeth had caught both Luke Spencer and Tony Grimes blinking back tears of relief when Patrick had rushed back to tell everyone Cameron had woken up.

The last time she had been in this room, the silence had been charged with the tension, worry, and fear of every person that stepped inside. Every concern they had bit back in an effort to keep Lucky calmed had seem to hang suspended in the room. Now the silence was relaxed, as if the air had been let out of a balloon. Before stepping into the room felt like walking into a potential war zone. Now she almost felt as if she was intruding on a private moment she had no right to see.

The last time she had seen Lucky, he had sat stiffly, as if he could keep his body awake by sheer will alone. He hadn't even tried to hide his fears from the world as he normally did. Now his body was slumped into the chair, his head lolled to one side. The weight of his worries had been released from his shoulders and they slumped forward in a way she was certain his mother would hate.

Cameron seemed no different but it was strange how just the knowledge he was only sleeping made the exact same sight less frightening. The bruises remained but the terror had left, hopefully for once an for all.

Elizabeth approached carefully, not wanting to wake either of them if Lucky had been sleeping as well. It had been Laura's mission to make sure he was sleeping. There was no way Elizabeth wanted to face her wrath if she found out he had been and she disturbed it. Some battles were not meant to be fought. She rested her hand on his shoulder gently and smiled when he reached up and held it lightly.

"I thought you would be sleeping." She whispered.

"Not tired."

Elizabeth was glad he couldn't see her roll her eyes. Judging by the way he was practically falling out of the chair, she gave him five minutes top before he was snoring. "Sure you aren't." she teased, moving up slightly to kneel down at his side. "What did the doctors say?"

"Too early to tell anything for sure but so far it looks ok. They'll run more tests in the morning." He glanced at her quizzically. "Not that I am complaining but I was expecting the whole family to come crashing in here. How did you get back here alone?"

Elizabeth laughed lightly. "You owe Patrick. He convinced them all the doctors would keep you two tied up in tests for hours on end."

"And somehow you are the only woman in the world that doesn't believe everything he says? How did I get so lucky?"

"No." Elizabeth admitted. "But I am friends with her."

"Oh." Lucky laughed, pulling her closer. "Robin."

"Yeah Robin." Elizabeth rested her head on his arm. "It's weird."

Lucky looked down at her and tilted her face towards him. "What's that?"

"He looks the same but it's just different knowing that he's going to wake up soon. I mean nothing's really changed but it's just different."

"Yeah. But different good."

Elizabeth laughed. "Yes. For sure it's different good."

"For the record, I'm glad you're the only one who made it back here."

"For the record, I'm glad too." Elizabeth glanced up, fully expecting to meet his green eyes. She bit back the laugh that threatened to escape when the sight of his closed eyes met hers. Glancing at her watch, she chuckled in appreciation. "Six minutes. I'm impressed Spencer. I only gave you five."

She looked around the room, trying to find anything that would make it more comfortable for him. Thrown in the corner she found a blanket and a pillow. She assumed Lucky had thrown them there at some earlier point, determined not to sleep until Cameron was better. Gathering the items in her arms, she pushed his head up just far enough to sandwich the pillow between his head and shoulder. After carefully draping the blanket over him, she dropped a kiss on his forehead before heading towards the door.

"Sleep well sweet prince. Sleep well."

It must have rained last night, Lucas declared, as his tennis shoes made contact with the soft, squishy grass of the neighborhood park. His old neighborhood. Lucas often snuck back to play at this park because it was the one place he could feel BJ's presence all around him. It didn't hold the rotten memories that the cemetery did. He liked to think that wherever his sister was, she was warm. He didn't want to think of her little body pressed against the cold earth layers beneath the surface.

She had preferred the swings, Lucas recalled. She had told him that one day the swing she played in would shoot her all the way to the moon like a rocket ship. They would sit out here in the middle of the playground hours after the other children left with their parents and count the stars, name the planets. Lucas had claimed Venus because he figured every little boy was already from Mars but BJ had wanted to live on a star. And not just any star, but the brightest star in the sky. After her death, Lucas had taken an interest in astronomy…one that later turned into an obsession. He had taken countless books from the library wanting to find the one star BJ was waiting for him on. If he could have just seen her face, just have one more conversation with her…

Mom and Dad had tried to explain her death, but it had made almost as little sense then as it did now. Death hadn't exactly been a foreign concept to him, but, at his age, he hadn't been able to actually imagine what Heaven was like, no matter how many different ways his parents and relatives tried to explain it to him. They had made it sound like she was on a permanent vacation and, for a little while, he had thought maybe he had driven her away.

But he was not that naïve any longer. He understood, dealt with, and lived in fear of death. He had lost so many people in his life, people that had literally just gone away one day. Maxie and Georgie complained of their mother's long absence, but at least they knew she was still alive. She could come and visit voluntarily; BJ could only visit Lucas in his prayers and he hadn't prayed in a very long time.

The day his son was born, he realized. That was the last time he had actively prayed. Lance had come to them prematurely and Sage's immune system was not what it should have been for a girl her age. If she hadn't already been in the hospital when her water broke, Lucas had no illusions that their son would have died that very night. He had been with her when both she and the baby flat lined and he had felt his own heart failing. Hearing a soft, melodious voice call to him he turned to see BJ standing next to the window, her cinnamon hair pulled back into a braid with a green bow. She had looked the same way as she had the last day he had seen her, the way she would always look to him for his mind preserved the memory. She was at his side that second grasping the hand that didn't hold Sage's and whispered a funny little poem they had made up together, one that involves turtles and Christmas trees. It hadn't made a bit of sense or even rhymed, but it had calmed him down to the point of screaming for the doctors and getting Sage the help she needed in order to save her life as well as the life of his and Dillon's son.

"Do you really know what you're doing?" He asked aloud, pretending his mother was right there with him. "Do you?!" The park was silent in its response and he had to choke back a fresh wave of tears. It wasn't bad enough that she was dating a guy half her age; now she was having his damn child too! Their entire family was a joke...but that wasn't what had him so upset. Ever since his talk with Dillon, he hadn't discussed the matter further. Cameron's accident had driven a large hole in his relationship with his mother, made it easier to not focus on his anger, his resentment, and his fear.

"I thought you might be here." Bobbie forced a cheerful tone into her voice as she approached her son. Lucas had not spoken with her since he had found out about her pregnancy, a feat made even more impressive considering they had been all but three feet from each other during the vigil at the hospital. Looking around the park, she was assaulted by the memories of BJ that had been haunting her since she had received Laura's call. "The memories this place brings back."

"Yeah." Lucas agreed noncommittally. He didn't want to see her right now. He wanted to be alone with his sister, as it should have always been.

She had hoped for a longer answer but Bobbie supposed it was better than a grunt or a shrug. Squaring her shoulders, Bobbie placed her hand on Lucas's shaking shoulder. "Are you going to ignore me for the rest of your life or are we going to talk about this?"

"Talk about what?" He didn't care if he was being childish or not; he didn't care that this was the exact way he would have responded to her question if he was still ten years old.

"For starters we could start with the baby."

"I'm not comfortable discussing that." His voice lowered at the mention of his mother's baby.

"You'd rather start with my relationship with Cruz? Your choice."

"I'd rather not talk about any of it. But since you're being stubborn, let's talk about why I was the last to know that my mother is having a baby."

"Technically that's Lulu. She still doesn't know."

"Why didn't you come to me about this? I mean, I'm used to the family favoring Lucky and Patrick, but I'm your son. Or maybe you feel closer to them because they actually share your blood and I'm just some stray you got saddled with." Lucas said in a condemning voice.

"Lucas that's not true. I love you." Bobbie reached to pull him closer but Lucas pulled away. "I chose you."

"Like you chose to keep this baby." Lucas whispered harshly, his eyes darting to his hands.

"Why would you think I wouldn't?"

"I guess it makes sense. You lost your one and only real child. Why wouldn't you want another one?" Lucas suggested coldly.

"That's not what this is about. This baby is not a replacement for Carly."

"What were you thinking?" Lucas demanded staring back at her with confusion. "Bringing a baby into this world at your age."

"It's not like we planned this. Trust me no one was more surprised than me or Cruz."

"Do we need to have the sex talk, Mom?" He wasn't smiling, but the joke eased some of the tension between them.

"You barely made it through the first one without running out of the room if I recall." Bobbie smiled at the memory of Tony trying to explain the facts of life to their adolescent son. "It was more of a question of not even sure it was possible rather than being safe."

"You are safe though, right? No problems?" Lucas couldn't keep the concern out of his voice.

"Dr. Lansing is keeping a close eye on me." She reassured him. "And Cruz is taking everything very seriously."

"Good...that's good." Lucas nodded unsure of what to say.

Bobbie shook her head softly and pointed towards a nearby bench. "Let's sit down. I know you have more you want to say and we may as well get comfortable."

Lucas followed her over to the aforementioned bench. "How far along...?"

"About two months."

"Two months. Oh. That makes what? Seven more?"

"Has it been that long since Lance that you don't remember?" she teased gently.

Lucas went pale. "Yeah, I guess. Have you and Cruz talked about it?"

"It?" There were many its floating between her and Cruz at the moment. Even more between herself and her family at the moment. Lucas was going to have to be more specific if he wanted an answer. "You're going to have spell it out for me there."

"The birth. The baby. Life." Lucas answered a little lost himself. He needed guarantees his mother obviously didn't have.

"We've not talked specifics. He's still adjusting to the whole baby idea. He didn't exactly find out in the best way possible. So for right now we are taking this day by day. The same way we always have."

"He's offered you nothing then." He knew it should have been a question but the look in his mother's eyes proved it to be a fact. "Do you know if he's going to stick around?"

That was the question that Bobbie hated to admit had haunted her since the moment she discovered the pregnancy. Cruz had shown no signs of wanting to leave, but then some men never did. Carly's father hadn't. All she had from Cruz was the purchase of a pregnancy book and attending her doctor's appointment. More than some women had she knew. "I have faith he will."

"You can't bank on faith, Mom." Lucas assured her. "I need to know that he's going to take care of you."

"He will." Bobbie carefully laid her hand on Lucas's arm, relieved when this time he didn't pull away. "You know he's a good man Lucas."

"I know he's a young man...not that much older than me. I can't even tell you how much this whole thing scares me."

"Scares you? Lucas honey it terrifies me."

"I told Dad I would take care of you and I don't feel like I've been doing very well lately." Lucas admitted quietly.

Bobbie pulled her son close to her. "You've done a wonderful job honey. You just have to a little faith that I know what is good for me. Who is good for me."

"Does he love you?"

"Yes."

"This is going to take some getting used to. Don't expect miracles on my part okay?" Lucas barely smiled.

"As long as you actually talk with me and you give this a chance, take all the time you need." Bobbie leaned her head on Lucas's shoulder. "I'm happy sweetie. Why don't you try accepting that first and work up to the rest?"

"It's all I want for you."


	102. Cruel Spell

Patrick slid the key into the deadbolt, first turning it clockwise and then moving to the lock on the door handle. He wasn't sure what made him pause. No one had been back to the loft since the break-in as far as he knew. What was he expecting to find? Robin had promised that the only thing that looked out of place was a spent candle on her windowsill, one she had never opened, never burned, sitting on a window that had been shut and locked. If he hadn't been so busy being childish, he could have come in with her; they could have handled it together. He didn't want to think about how terrified she must have been upon entering the apartment and finding even that slight object out of place. The way she had sounded on the phone when she had worked up the nerve to call him, something he knew couldn't have been easy given his trigger temper and her own pride, had torn him up inside. And then to not call her once he got word of Cameron's accident when he himself hadn't known any of the details leading up to his cousin's injuries. She kept insisting that she understood, that he had probably been so caught up in everything else he hadn't remembered that she was waiting for him. He had made the decision and while he didn't think it was the wrong one, he wished he could have been there for both of them.

When he closed his eyes, he could still see her standing in the waiting room, her expression caught between agony and relief. For a woman who strived on hiding her emotions, she often slipped up where Patrick was concerned, leaving her own heart vulnerable. It didn't matter how fast he had gone to her, how he had defended her to his brother; there was still a part of him that hated himself for not taking care of her beforehand. Their first fight, when he had told the family that it was only a matter of time before Robin opened her eyes and saw that he wasn't what she really wanted, had hit far too close to home for his taste. He had to stop letting these petty fights drive a wedge between them; his decision to leave only ever resulted in her doubting her worth to him.

Pushing open the door, he let his eyes take in everything before he even attempted to step inside. The furniture wasn't turned over; the lamp at Robin's desk was on, but she liked to sit in that little corner and read the newspaper when she came home. He knew that much from the handful of times he had actually been over. The balcony was covered completely behind the thick vinyl material of the vertical vanes and the rest of the loft was silent, waiting for its owners to return home. Checking the kitchen first, he found not a dirty dish in the sink or a leak of the faucet. The hall closet provided no hiding spot for the prowler Patrick kept expecting to find. The stair railing was wooden so he couldn't see a massive amount of fingerprints, not that he would have been able to prove that someone had been here in the girls' absence based on that. In order of distance from the stairs, the bedrooms went Courtney's, Morgan's, and Robin's. He inspected each one, careful not to touch anything in case he found something that would be enough to have Mac check out the place. He didn't have to tell Robin everything if it meant insuring her safety.

Morgan's bedroom was oddly clean, but his cousin wasn't like other kids his age. He was as meticulous as Robin when it came to keeping everything clean and put away. His stuffed animals lived in a hammock that hung from the wall above his bed. His Bob the Builder sheets and comforter had been yanked back, but what was odd about a little boy sleeping in his own bed and getting up for school? His little desk was perfectly organized: the left side held his writing instruments including a pen with a troll eraser on the end of it and the right side was where he kept the notebook Robin had given him the day he moved in. He wouldn't have even known about the notebook if not for his girlfriend mentioning it in some random conversation they had had. She wanted her son to express himself and, since in the beginning he hadn't even been speaking, she figured the book would give Morgan a chance to get his thoughts on paper. It was dangerous to bottle up emotions, she had told him as if he didn't already know that. Not finding what he was looking for, he moved on to Robin's bedroom.

Just like her precious bakery, there were little knickknacks spread randomly throughout the room, nothing too obvious. If Patrick hadn't been expecting them, he might have missed them completely. The bed was been made, wicker-basket brown comforter pulled over crisp white sheets. A corner of it was pulled back and Patrick made his way around to the right side of the mattress to inspect this, not sure what he was even looking for. He felt for the drawer and pulled it open, finding Robin's address book and a fine point Bic. Closing it with a resounding thud, he bent down and looked under the bed, his right arm reaching as far as it could since it was hard to see what she actually kept under the frame. His hand came in contact with nothing and he forced himself to his feet.

Something drew him to the bathroom. Like a moth to a flame, he thought, and then had to laugh at himself. The smell hit him first, the smell of molding towels. He picked them up and carried them carefully down the stairs to throw away. They were ruined; what would be the point of trying to wash them now? Had Robin used them right before she realized she wasn't alone in the apartment? Had the guy watched her? The very idea sent tremors up and down Patrick's back.

He returned to the bathroom to finish his investigation. The sink was spotless just as the kitchen's had been and there were two toothbrushes in a cup labeled Nobody Gets in the Way of Me and My Coffee. There weren't any medications behind the mirror that he didn't recognize: Robin's meds, aspirin, Children's Motrin, Flintstones vitamins, etc.

The dirty water stains on the shower door caught his eye and he wrenched it open, glancing down to see the fallen bottles of shampoo and conditioner, a pink three-blade razor, a bar of soap, and a loofah. The only item left on the built-in ceramic shelf was a clear bottle of body wash. The lid had been torn off and thrown into the mess of hair products at the mouth of the drain. Before leaving the kitchen, he had picked out a pair of rubber gloves and a half a dozen plastic bags from under the sink. Using the gloves now, he dropped the bottle into one of the larger bags and zipped it up. It was a long shot, to say the least, but it was all he had.

He left the bathroom, not expecting to find much else, but looked under the bed again wanting to find the box the candle had been taken from, some clue of fowl play besides the body wash bottle; that was going to be a hard sell as it was. If I was a thief/pervert, where would I stash my goodies to let her know I was here? Patrick mused quietly. He checked the closet, half expecting to find her clothes slashed or something worse, but they hadn't been touched. Robin had borrowed a few pairs of scrubs from the hospital during Cameron's stay so that she wouldn't have to come back here any time soon. He pulled out each drawer of her dresser rifling through the underwear drawer and finding not even the slightest bit of pleasure in the act because of what he was looking for, what he was dreading he'd find. Sure enough, a pair of pink laced panties was wadded up in a ball and it didn't take a genius to figure out why they stayed in that position even when he picked them up with the Bic from Robin's nightstand drawer. Turning his face away from the vile stench, he dropped the underwear in another little baggie, knowing that the semen could provide the police with a positive ID match.

Patrick left her bedroom with the baggies in one hand and his car keys in the other. He dropped the rubber gloves in the trash, reminding himself to replace them. He put in a call to the PCPD before he even left the loft wanting to be sure they got their search over and done with before Robin came home from work. He wanted to clean the place from top to bottom, but he couldn't risk destroying any evidence he may not have been able to find. The officer explained that there was no way to know how long such a search would take, but that he'd do his best. Patrick thanked the officer and locked up, promising to bring by the key Bobbie had loaned him so that they wouldn't have to pick the lock or break down the door.

He decided then and there not to tell Robin what he had found. If that meant he had to take her and Morgan out for a few hours while the police did their investigation, he would do it. She wasn't stepping foot in this place until they were in the clear. The fear would stay with her and she would probe him for questions, but he wouldn't give into them; it was best to let her think she was safe and protect her than let her know that someone had possibly targeted her. He would take care of her from here on out. It was one thing he wouldn't screw up.

Drumming his fingers alongside the computer's keyboard, Dillon glanced at the clock that was placed on their shared dresser. Thirty minutes since his broodier half had left the hospital with a muttered, "I'll see you later," and twenty five minutes after Bobbie went in search of him. This length of time either meant they were talking or Lucas had fled the scene and would be an unbearable silent grump for at least the next week.

In the past seven years they had been together, Dillon had come to know Lucas' moods well. Where Dillon tended to respond to any emotional situation with yelling, wild arm waving, and rapid fire speech, Lucas retreated into himself, became almost mute. It was a tribute to the differences in their families. With the Spencers, silence was uncomfortable. There wasn't one of them who handled silence well and they would all endeavor to end it. With the Quartermaines, silence meant being ignored in favor for yet another discussion on whose house it really was. Lucas had been fine, well as fine as one could be while waiting in the hospital, until Patrick had broken the good news. In fact, Dillon could pinpoint the exact moment Lucas went silent. When he spied his mother and Cruz hugging each other in relief.

Despite Lucas' promise that he would talk to his mother, Dillon knew he hadn't done it. For one thing when Bobbie and Lucas were talking, the phone rang constantly and there was no stopping the "just in the neighborhood" visits from his mother-in-law. And if Lucas had talked with Bobbie, then there would have been at least a conversation in the hospital. But every time he had tried to push Lucas towards his mother, Lucas would run off or find some other errand to run to keep him away. At least that was the most logical explanation as to why Lucas willing volunteered to chauffer Tony Grimes around.

Dillon had to admit his curiosity had been in overdrive once he realized Cruz and Bobbie were both at the hospital. Although why he had initially thought either one of them would be absent seemed ridiculous at best. So whenever he could, he had watched them out of the corner of his eye. The little touches that passed between them, the way Cruz would watch Bobbie enter and leave a room, their habit of looking for each other immediately when they came into the room; Dillon doubted they were aware they did any of it. It was a little difficult to get his mind around but it was obvious to him they cared about each other deeply and his mother-in-law was the happiest he had seen her since Tony's death. Then again he had always been a fan of Demi and Ashton so he could be biased, Dillon mused.

Lucas wondered if anyone would believe that his inspiration to start cooking, not just relying on restaurant food as he and his family had done for the last few years, had come from Patrick. His cousin hadn't been the best at a lot of things, but the dishes he specialized in--breakfast combinations, lasagna, etc--were incredible. It was no wonder he and Robin got along with their mutual love of food. Stirring the onions from one side of the skillet to the other, he waited for their wonderful smell to drag his husband from his hiding spot. Dillon was always telling him that he wondered why Lucas went to work at all when he could spend the day cooking for him. God, he loved that man.

Lucas was certain that his sudden need to cook something, anything, again was the result of the talk he had had with his mother earlier. He had gotten to say a lot of the things that he'd thought he would have to hide forever and it felt good, amazing, to get them off of his chest. This in no way meant that he didn't find it hard to swallow what was going on between his mother and a guy half her age, a guy he had known most of his life, or that he didn't take offense to how he had been clued into their secret relationship. He just chose to put it behind him for now and make his famous spaghetti and meat sauce with side salad and garlic bread. Oh yeah; he gave his husband thirty seconds before he was crowding the small space the kitchen provided, chomping at his heels about when it would all be ready.

"Someone's in a good mood." Dillon remarked leaning in the doorway.

"Why shouldn't I be? It's a beautiful day outside." Lucas knew Dillon would pick up on the light, cheery tone of his voice and assume that his husband had gone insane. Lucas was a lot of things, but optimistic was not one of them. He was a serious man, had been that even as a little boy, and often kept his emotions in check slipping up only when he heard the crazy situations his family members landed themselves in.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my husband?"

"That hurts kind of." Lucas teased stirring in a small can of tomato sauce.

"It's kind of true." Dillon made his way over towards the stove, determined to sneak a taste before Lucas would be aware of it. "My husband doesn't talk about how beautiful the weather is outside. He grumbles and runs away from everyone."

"Keep those fingers where I can see them." Lucas warned not disillusioned to what Dillon had in mind. He was the same way with birthday cakes, wanting to sneak a bit of frosting before the poor kid could even get a bite of it. "I went to see my sister. I went to see BJ."

"Got it. Did she help?" They really were a perfect match, Dillon mused. He had to be the only person in the world who didn't find that sentence the least bit odd. He attributed it to growing up with Edward. Or his mother.

"She led me to my mother...or rather, her to me." Lucas explained, stopping to peck Dillon's left cheek before sprinkling a little garlic on each slice of bread before sticking the pan in the oven and turning the dial.

Dillon managed to stick his finger into the sauce pan quickly as Lucas placed the garlic bread in the oven, sneaking a taste before he straightened himself out. As usual it was perfection. "Well that explains it: you must have talked to her finally."

"I did. It was okay." Lucas answered honestly. He wouldn't go as far as to say it had been relaxing, but it had been a major relief that he could pour his heart out to her without her judging him. Too many people in his past had done that and now they were gone.

"Whatever it takes to get the Lucas Special Pasta dinner is all good with me. I won't even say I told you so."

"You tasted it, didn't you? You put your disgusting finger in my sauce!" Lucas accused his face reddening in exasperation.

"You know I think I left the computer running. I better go check on that. Don't want to waste energy you know. Green is the hottest trend right now." Dillon eased his back towards the steps to their bedroom.

"Dillon Albert Quartermaine Hornsby-Jones, you stop right there or you won't get a bite of this food." Lucas threatened in a low voice.

"You would never starve me."

"Not only will I starve you, I'll withhold sex until further notice." Lucas nodded evilly.

"You wouldn't." Dillon froze. Lucas couldn't be that cruel could he? Wasn't today a celebration?

"I would. And I'll cancel the Internet and all of your entertainment magazines." Lucas went on knowing it was all bullshit. He'd never make it without sex. He could last maybe...yeah ten minutes.

"But if we aren't having sex, then we will need something to amuse ourselves with." Dillon cocked his eyebrow. "You know besides talking with each other."

"I hate when you do that. Go. Sit with your computer. I'll finish dinner and I might give you the leftovers." Lucas waved his hand dismissing his husband altogether, laughing on the inside even though his face didn't give him away.

"I love your leftovers." Dillon took the steps two at a time and sat down at the computer, determined not to get sucked into the vacuous time warp that was his normal Internet routine. Opening his list of favorites, out of habit he went to call up the mail account for his business, ignored since they received word of Cameron's accident. Now that Cameron was out of the woods for the moment, Dillon had bills to pay and money to earn.

He hissed through his teeth as he realized he accidentally clicked on the link to his favorite gossip blog. Muttering under his breath, Dillon was about to drop the list down again to pick the correct page when a familiar name caught his eye.

"Oh shit." He whispered as he scrolled down the page. "Shit. Shit. Shit." With each passing word, his voice rose in volume, to the point he was positive Lucas would coming up the stairs to see what the problem was.

As if on cue, Lucas bounded into the room, wiping his hands with the towel he always tied to his waist when he cooking. "What? What's going on?"

Dillon pointed to the screen. "Houston, your family has a problem."


	103. Scattered In The Wind

"You need to relax."

"I am relaxed."

"Sure you are." She was trying, but her boyfriend was making the entire supportive thing rather difficult. Lucky had started pacing from the second the orderlies had wheeled Cameron down the hall for a battery of mysterious tests. The young man had insisted that Lucky's presence wasn't' necessary since Cameron was asleep and wouldn't need to be awake for most of the testing. Elizabeth was starting to be convinced the staff at the hospital could see Lucky's frayed nerves and were concerned his nerves would rub off on Cameron. "He's going to be fine."

Lucky had finally figured out exactly how big this room was. Seven steps from wall to wall. And that was only if he took small steps. From the second Cameron was wheeled away and the longer he wasn't right there with him, the larger his steps became. Right now, he was at four steps. "What's taking so long?"

"It's been ten minutes. The orderly said it could take awhile."

"What does he know? He seemed to actually listen to that scary nurse. I'm not so sure about her. What exactly gives her the right to act like she knows it all?"

Elizabeth stood up from her position at the edge of Cameron's bed, moving to place herself directly in his path. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she forced him to stop and look at her, if only not to run her over. She couldn't fault him for his annoyance and his worry, but if Cameron caught on to it when he got back, it would not be good for that little boy. Cameron had been through enough and didn't need to worry about whatever episode his father was going through right now. And it looked like it was up to her to calm Lucky down and remind him of this. Or distract him. Whichever method worked first.

"You really do need to work on this whole concept of positive thinking." She joked.

Lucky forced himself to take a deep breath. He had to be driving every single employee in this hospital crazy. If it wasn't his family taking up residence and basically running every other family out of the waiting room, then it was his son's other grandfather shooting death glares every time their paths accidentally crossed or his increasingly short temper. In the back of his mind he wasn't entirely sure the whole "taking Cameron for tests" wasn't really some sort of hospital code for "give the kid an experimental treatment so he can home sooner and get this lunatic bunch the hell out of our hair." It wasn't their fault he was like this. He was feeling helpless and the one thing he couldn't deal with was helpless. "Optimistic thinking is not in the Spencer family genetic make-up."

"Are you including your mother in that equation? You do realize she's been planning three weddings during this entire situation right?"

He grinned at that remark. His mother planning his own wedding was the chance he took whenever he introduced her to anyone he dated. It shamed Lucky to admit it, but the idea that she would be planning Patrick's or Cruz's as well, hadn't occurred to him. He wondered briefly if they were even aware that while they slept in the waiting room, Laura Spencer was mentally measuring them for tuxedos. "That's not from the Spencer side. That's Grandma Leslie all the way."

"Then maybe you need to tap into that side of you right now." Elizabeth offered a smile. "You have to think positive here. Cameron can't know you're freaked."

She was right. He knew she was right. Lucky was wired way more like his father than he cared to admit to at times. Now was one of these times. Robin had been right when she reminded him they had been in and out of this hospital numerous times as kids. What she didn't remember was the absolute terror Luke Spencer had inspired in the staff when one of his children was hurt. Lucky had seen more than a few of the more veteran staff run in the opposite direction when they spotted his father in the waiting room. "You seem to be the expert here. Where did you get your positive thinking from?"

"Hours and hours of watching Blue's Clues. It works wonders."

Lucky smiled at her joke and led them over to the corner of Cameron's bed. Sitting down, he pulled her into his lap, resting his forehead against her shoulder as she snuggled close to him. He craved the human contact, feeling it was the only thing to anchor him to reality right now. If he could just hold onto her, then maybe he wouldn't feel as if he was going to spin off into space. "Maybe we need to work out some sort of signal if you see me freaking out?"

Elizabeth shifted her eyes upwards, concentrating on the ceiling. She tapped her chin as if in deep thought. "Well it will have to fairly obvious and easy to teach everyone. I'm thinking of hitting you upside your head."

"You think you're funny." Lucky mock growled at her.

"I'm hilarious." Elizabeth declared, giggling as Lucky started to tickle her sides. "Stop it." she warned him.

"Stop what?" He gave her his best innocent look, never stopping his fingers.

She dissolved into giggles, trying desperately to wiggle away from him, but he tightened his grip on her waist. They must make a ridiculous sight, she realized, two adults giggling like a couple of kids in the middle of a currently empty child's hospital room. But at least for now she had accomplished her goal of distracting him.

Dillon hadn't been entirely sure what he was going to walk into when he arrived at the doorway of Cameron's room. All his time in the hospital had been spent running errands and chauffeuring others around. He hadn't actually made it back to Cameron's room. Not out of fear or a lack of love for the boy. Somebody had to take care of the caregivers and per usual Lucas had volunteered for that duty and he had followed. He had been trying to recall all the great hospital bed side scenes he had ever seen but the sight of the tickle fight he was currently looking at threw all his careful work right out the window. He coughed a little louder than he normally did to distract the other couple. "Ahem. I hate to interrupt this fun..."

"Dillon!" Elizabeth let out a surprised yelp as she quickly scrambled to stand up. "What are you doing here? I mean, how are you?"

Dillon tried not to laugh at the deer in the headlights look Elizabeth currently wore. He had only met her a handful of times but he was fairly certain she had the same expression every single time. "I wasn't interrupting anything was I?"

"Dillon?" Lucky looked the other man in the eyes. "I've always liked you. Don' t make me regret that."

"How was I to know you suddenly became a big fan of public spaces Mr. Privacy?"

Stepping in to stop this conversation from rapidly declining into a full-on boy talk complete with name calling, belches, and other assorted bodily functions, Elizabeth stepped towards Dillon and placed her hands on his arm. "Dillon, you came by for a reason?"

Belatedly, he remembered the actual reason why he came by. Ducking his head, Dillon reached into his back pocket for the page he had hurriedly printed off before coming here. He also instantly regretted his joke about Lucky being Mr. Privacy. "Yeah, the reason. So when I went home I was checking my email, glancing at the main page and stuff and I saw this name I thought was familiar and I clicked on it and..." Glancing between the confused couple, Dillon finally sighed and gave up trying to explain his way out of the situation. "I'm sorry Lucky but it looks like the press found out about this. All of this."

"What?" Lucky snatched the offensive paper out of Dillon's hand and scanned it quickly. The buzz words jumped out at him. "Rumor leave of absence from L&B Records". "Sources claim a family emergency." "Hospital officials offer no comment but Spencer has been seen on the pediatric intensive care ward" "Seen with receiving comfort from mysterious brunette." A picture at the bottom of the page showed the hug he shared with Elizabeth the day before in the courtyard, her back to the camera.

"They don't know about Cameron for sure. But they are starting to ask questions." Dillon looked helplessly at the floor. "That was just the first one I found but I'm sure there will be more."

Lucky couldn't catch his breath. All his work to give Cameron a normal life and it was about to be completely undone. He sank back further into the bed and wordlessly handed the sheet over to Elizabeth, who was only beginning to understand what had just happened.

"We have a problem."

"Ladies, would you like to set your coffee on the counter while you shop?" The perky clerk asked the cousins her smile infectious. She had very nice cheekbones, the kind that women dreamed about having, and a subtle gleam in her eye she had probably had since childhood. There was one thing both women could agree on and that was the level of customer service in all of Port Charles' moderately-sized shops. Stacked like a set of dominoes, the stores encircled a nice-looking courtyard with small fountains, neat gardens, and a stone walkway that ran from one side of the space to the other. The parking lot was located just behind the stores so as not to throw off the serene feeling the courtyard offered its many patrons.

"Yes, thank you." The cousins said in unison laughing at each other and obliging the saleswoman and headed in different directions, each taking a section of the store. The mist was a nice change from the scorching temperatures the locals had grown familiar with and every store in the shopping district had its doors open to enhance the lovely weather for each of its customers.

Georgie ran her hand over a pink sequined dress, the texture making the tips of her fingers tingle. The straps were there as decoration, she decided, because they were so flimsy they couldn't have possible held the dress up without the help of the zipper in the back. She didn't call for Robin right away, knowing this was not what they were looking for, but her cousin made her way over anyway and startled her with a soft tap on the shoulder. "Robin, you scared me!" Georgie giggled tucking a loose strand of cinnamon hair behind her ear.

"Sorry. I called your name and everything." Robin assured her barely able to keep from rolling her eyes. It took almost nothing to surprise her younger cousin and she often looked forward to coming up with new and creative ways to do so. "Did you find something you like?"

"I know it's silly." Georgie laughed again seemingly at herself for being drawn to such a glamorous dress. She lovingly stroked the material. "Don't you think it's pretty?"

"I do." Robin nodded deciding not to point out that Georgie would not be needing it unless she just wanted it and, being that it was advertising Italy as its origin, it would surely break Uncle Mac's wallet. "Though when would you wear it?"

"I might just wear it everyday. Around the house and such." Georgie joked and this time Robin joined her in a fit of giggles. "Dad would love that."

"It is kind of short and you know how he gets." Robin advised her wisely.

"How would I know? He's always questioning Maxie's choice of apparel, not mine." Georgie reminded her older cousin.

"Are you saying you've been a good girl long enough and now's the time to strike out and shock poor Uncle Mac?" Robin tried her best to bite back her smile, but it was getting harder and harder to do with Georgie looking right at her. Turning her head so that it was partially slanted, she inspected the straps and the offensive bow at the back of the dress. Unless her cousin was planning on being unwrapped in the very sense of the word, this dress would be staying here.

"I don't know about that." Georgie answered bashfully. "Let's keep looking."

"Alright." Robin agreed showing Georgie to the back of the store wanting her to see a pair of blue jean Capri's and white ruffled shirt. This was far more likely an outfit that wouldn't make her cousin stand out like a sore thumb. Though she had called Robin a hundred times before regarding her trip, the young baker had been suspicious of the timing. And then Patrick offered to baby-sit Morgan so that the girls could go and have a full afternoon of shopping. Something was definitely going on, but she wasn't going to interrogate her cousin; she'd spill soon enough.

To say that working with the commissioner was one of Patrick's favorite things would be as misleading as saying that the sky turned hot pink on Tuesdays. At least the usual tension was gone from the atmosphere, a new uncertainty settling into its place. The house was mostly empty except for the guys, Morgan, and Kristina. Alexis had sworn up and down that Kristina's nanny had come down with the twenty-four-hour bug and that there was nowhere else she could take her because she was due in court for the remainder of the day. Mac had begrudgingly accepted the concealed offer and now the guys had to keep track of both kids while trying to safety proof the girls' loft.

Deciding that the Scorpio kitchen table was as good a spot as any, Mac and Patrick had been in this same spot for the last two hours. While Patrick kept scribbling down notes in Maxie's Jessica Rabbit notebook, the commissioner had selected an old dry erase board from the basement to compile his own line of thinking. Neither had spoken in quite a while as they were lost in their own thoughts and maybe a little unsure of how to work together. Mac had had difficult partners before, but Patrick was a whole new breed of strange. At least the young photographer had been smart enough to pack Cars for the kids to watch in the living room.

"She's going to figure it out…if she doesn't already know." Patrick declared slamming the notebook against the table in frustration. He was being childish, but he had yet to find anything wrong with it. All he wanted to do was keep Robin safe and, until searching her apartment--actually until involving the PCPD--he had been relatively sure that her life wasn't in danger.

"Not unless you open your big mouth and tell her. My niece is very clever and, what's more, she can smell fear. But I really don't think there's any chance of her catching onto what we're doing…unless you tell her." Mac stressed the last few words staring hard at Patrick.

"Why do you assume I'll say anything? The last thing I want is for Robin to go off on some harebrained scheme and get herself hurt." Patrick shot back defensively.

"This bickering is getting us nowhere." Mac pointed out as he rubbed his eyebrows in a tired fashion. "We need to come up with a plan; we need results not what ifs."

"Obviously, we need to make sure she doesn't go anywhere alone--" Patrick supposed resting his chin in his palm.

"Wrong!" Mac's outburst surprised the young man. "If we do that, she'll know we're up to something."

"Then what? You really expect me to leave her alone when she's being targeted--?" Patrick retorted charging to his feet.

"Calm down, Drake." Mac warned through gritted teeth. "As much of a relief as it is to hear how much you care about my niece, the truth is the truth. If we chaperone Robin, she's going to get rid of us and do something foolhardy."

Just as Patrick was about to argue further, the commissioner's cell phone chirped from his left jeans pocket. Answering on the second ring, Mac yelled, "Commissioner Scorpio," without glancing at the caller ID. After a few "yes's" and "I understand's" coupled with "I want to see a full report on my desk" and "Don't make any final decisions before I can get there," the commissioner went quiet and just listened.

Ending the call, he met Patrick's eyes without a flicker of confusion in them. When he made no move to speak, the younger man squirmed in his chair. "Well?" He encouraged waving his hand for dramatic effect.

"The DNA test revealed that what was left at the scene wasn't semen."

"Were they able to determine to figure out what it was?" Patrick asked impatiently.

"It was spoiled yogurt. My detectives are questioning the neighbors--" Mac explained in a grave tone.

"Yogurt?" The chair he had been sitting in crashed to the ground in his incredulous rage.

"That's what it says in the report. This guy gave the guys down at the station a laugh. It cost us half the town's taxes for the year to just run the test. As I was saying, my detectives are talking to the neighbors—"

"Questioning the neighbors? That's it?" Patrick couldn't vouch for actual knowledge of how investigative work went, but he had seen enough television to feel disappointed.

"Where would you suggest we start? I mean, I'm only the commissioner, but you, in your years of police training, have a more logical solution?" Mac challenged folding his arms and hunching over like he had seen his grand nephew do a thousand times when he didn't get his way.

"Tap on the phone?" Patrick threw out there for argument's sake. He wasn't sure what they would have to do to get such a thing, but it sounded reasonable to him.

"For the loft, the bakery, and her cell phone? Are you serious?" Mac shook his head when what he really wanted to do was roll his eyes. "She and Bobbie get an insane amount of calls on the bakery phone alone and you want--"

"I want to not leave her exposed and unprotected." Patrick interjected feeling something that resembled courage. "I want to know that, when I can't be with her, she's got the entire department backing her up."

"I've put up with you for a while for Robin's sake, but don't go assuming you care more about her than I do. I worry about her under normal circumstances. You think I'm not terrified now?" Mac shot back like an aging tiger backed into a corner.

"I know you love her…" Patrick conceded with a nod. "And maybe I'm being an arrogant asshole, but I have to know I'm doing something. You know?"

"I know." Mac answered the question even though he had recognized it as rhetorical. "Let's work out a timeline of Robin's daily schedule and go from there.

"It's not that far a leap." Georgie insisted catching a bit of vanilla as it started to slide over her ice cream cone. They had been at this shopping thing for four hours and yet neither was ready to call it quits and go home: Robin because she dreaded returning to her loft and Georgie because she had no idea how long she was supposed to distract Robin. "And I'm not the only one who wants to know." She added.

"Would Laura Spencer be a part of that group?" Robin asked only half-kidding. That lovely woman had made it her mission to get her boys happy and settled against their very will.

"She might have asked about dresses, but I swear, I didn't tell her any specifics." It would have been clear that Georgie was kidding if Robin had simply met her eyes. As it happened, the brunette was biting off a piece of her waffle cone. Choking and glaring at Georgie, she threw the ice cream into the trash and snatched up her cousin's bottle of water without asking.

"What brought this on? Did I look at a dress too long or what?" Robin wanted to know.

"Oh…no one thing. I was just curious. His family already loves you--" Georgie reminded her.

"Don't!" Robin snapped astonished that her cousin could sound just like Laura without even realizing it. "Commitment was all I wanted. And I got it. Can we talk about something else?"

"Jeez, you're cranky." Georgie rolled her eyes.

"It's a little too soon to be talking marriage isn't it?" Robin bit her tongue. Patrick would have a massive heart attack if he even considered her discussing this with anyone.

"Not necessarily. I mean you've known Patrick a long time and…hey you've already been a Drake once." Georgie pointed out with a grin.

"That was a very Maxie thing to say." Robin growled wondering how they had gotten onto such a topic.

"Why do I get the feeling that isn't a compliment?" George lifted her eyebrows in Robin's direction. "You're going to tell me you've never thought about it?"

"I've never thought about it." Robin promised with an affirmative nod. "It's hard enough to get from one day to the next." She went on in a soft voice almost hoping her cousin didn't catch her statement.

"Well if you were thinking of getting married again--doesn't have to be Patrick." Georgie assured her. "But, what kind of ceremony would you want?"

Robin didn't know which was worse: being afraid to go home or being afraid of slipping up and sending Patrick packing. Best to err on the side of caution. "Why would I be thinking about marrying anyone? It's not all it's cracked up to be. Trust me. When you get married, you better make sure he's the one."

Georgie scrunched up her face looking displeased at having the conversation turned on her. "I'm barely legal and you're already marrying me off." She explained and then blew out a breath, "Point taken, I'll drop it."

"PUT THAT DOWN!" Mac yelled his booming voice barely audible over the screaming television and the breaking glass. This wasn't like the kids at all; they were always so well-behaved when Robin and Alexis were here. He would never again question the power of a mother. In fact, when they came to pick up their kids, he might just kiss their feet. He had thought raising three girls was hard; he had never factored in a little boy. Morgan's going through a phase, Robin had explained calmly. He'll snap out of it…eventually. God help them…and Patrick was about as useless as a wet blanket on a winter night.

"Relax Commissioner. You've got to know how to talk to them." Patrick informed the older man arrogantly. Morgan dipped his spoon in his bowl of chocolate pudding and then catapulted it at Patrick, hitting the collar of his sky blue racing t-shirt. My favorite shirt, Patrick thought morosely.

The kids giggled at the look of surprise spreading across the photographer's face and Kristina took the opportunity to shoot a jellybean at Mac's forehead. "And to think I was worried." Mac grumbled ducking before they could get him with a dose of cherry cough syrup. At least now he knew why they had been quiet and out of the way during his and Patrick's brainstorming time.

"There are only two of them and there are two of us. We can handle them." Patrick told Mac. He took a step toward them and was rewarded with a blow to the forehead, neck, and shoulder. Bending down to pick up the "bullets," he discovered that they had found the bag of orange slices in his coat. What could he say? He liked sugar. And now he was paying for it.

"Have you ever baby-sat before?" Mac wanted to know.

"Sure. I watch Cam all the time." Patrick responded seriously.

"Other than him?" Mac prodded.

"No." Patrick shook his head.

"Duck!" Mac and Patrick hit the floor at Morgan's kind warning, but the hanging mirror wasn't so lucky. Pudding-stained and beaten down by orange slices and jellybeans, the poor sheet of glass was staying up out of defiance alone.

"What is going on here?" Alexis asked from the doorway. Her tone could only be explained by saying it was the one she used in court. Kristina's head fell forward in shame, but Morgan, not familiar with Alexis' tones, continued to giggle. He was quite pleased with himself.

"Patrick started it!" Kristina accused pointing in Patrick's direction.

"I did not!" Patrick argued.

"Not your finest argument." Robin remarked from behind the stern lawyer. Georgie had begged her to let her park the car and Robin, not wanting to rekindle the marriage discussion, had handed her the keys and hopped out. "Morgan, what did you do?"

Pouting at being found out, Morgan glared at his cousin and stayed silent while he tried to work out a believable excuse. "Kristina made me." He said, nodding his head in case she tried to find flaw in what he was telling her.

"That doesn't even make sense." Kristina snapped slapping him upside the back of the head. "Can we go home now Mommy?"

"No one is going anywhere until this mess is cleaned up." Alexis replied narrowing her eyes at her daughter. "Wouldn't you agree, Robin?"

"I most certainly would. Uncle Mac, Patrick, would you please get some Windex and paper towels for these two?" Robin directed them toward the kitchen. She didn't have the threatening tone Alexis did, but she had the dark eyes. The men hurried to the kitchen and the kids looked flabbergasted that they had been caught.

"You'll get yours." Morgan warned snatching the paper towels from Patrick.

"Apologize." Robin ordered without hesitation.

"No." Morgan shook his head.

"Apologize or say bye-bye to your Spider-Man comics." Robin cautioned.

"I'm sorry." Morgan glanced up at Patrick.

"I'm not." Kristina worked in, but only Morgan heard her.


	104. Strange Bedfellows

Elizabeth huddled in the corner of the hallway her fingers clutching the printout Dillon had brought them no more than thirty minutes ago. Dillon had promised he would keep his eye on the Internet and let them know how fast the information was spreading and how interested people were in the story.

"It could just blow over," He had offered on his way out the door. "You could be worried for nothing."

Dillon had a lot to learn about being comforting. She was no fool. As embarrassing as it was to admit at times, she read the gossip magazines, papers and blogs enough to know exactly how popular Lucky was. There was a reason his "publicity scams" were always so successful. Most of the record company executives tended to be older, uglier and didn't have the consistent track record for hits Lucky had.

This was not going to be nothing. It wasn't on an Angelina Jolie-Brad Pitt level, but it wasn't going to be nothing.

The press hadn't figured out about Cameron yet, but it wouldn't take them long, Elizabeth figured. Especially if there was any interest in this at all. There would always be some worker that needed extra money and could be persuaded to give away private information, such as a name. And once they had Cameron's name, it was one short record check to realize exactly how Lucky was related to him.

And from there it was just a short jump to who Cameron's mother was and what happened to her. Elizabeth wasn't sure how exactly Lucky had wanted to explain to Cameron about Jess's death but she was reasonably sure not having to explain it as a reason why reporters wanted to talk to him was a good guess.

She supposed she should probably be more concerned about her own identity about to be revealed to the worldwide gossip press, but she wasn't. Not really. Robin had reminded her constantly Port Charles was not that big of a town. It wouldn't be nearly as hard for someone to spill her name as it would be for them to find Cameron's. On some level she even realized this day would be coming. Not exactly like this of course. But once it became clear Lucky wasn't following his usual "dating" habits for the press, the questions would have come. Hell, she had always figured Taggert for blowing their cover when one reporter too many assumed Daphne had been Lucky's last girlfriend. Elizabeth realized it would be interesting to say the least but eventually the interest would die off once the press realized how boring her life was. How unscandelious she really was. No arrests for anything too embarrassing. No white trash ex-husbands. No liaisons with mobsters. The press would get bored and more onto the next victim.

Besides she was an adult and she knew what she was getting into when she started dating someone with Lucky's reputation. But Cameron hadn't asked for any of this. Lucky and his family had been successful in shielding him from this for almost four years now. His whole world was about to change thanks to a horse and he had no control over it.

"Elizabeth? Why are you out here?" Laura's concerned voice did nothing to lessen the surprise she felt when the older woman placed her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Laura. You scared me." As quickly as she could, Elizabeth tried to shove the printout into the back pocket of her jeans. Laura had suffered just as much as Lucky had in this mess and this was one thing they would just have to handle. There was no reason to worry Laura about this right this second.

"I can see that." Laura titled her head, curious as to what Elizabeth had tried to hide so quickly. It was a valiant effort but Laura had years of experience in sneaking up on people unawares. It was how she raised three teenagers, including two boys. If they don't hear you, then they won't know to stop doing what they weren't supposed to be doing. She had seen Elizabeth staring at a piece of paper as if it held the secret of life.

"Are you looking for Lucky? Because I think he's down the hall with the doctor." Elizabeth offered. Cameron had woken up during one of the tests and started yelling for his father within seconds of not recognizing him in the sea of scrubs and surgical masks. It had given Lucky something to actually do but Elizabeth was unsure about how much of a calming presence he was actually going to be able to provide.

"No, that's alright. I can talk to him anytime." Laura smiled. "I'd rather discuss what has you so distracted."

"Distracted? I'm not distracted."

"Elizabeth." Laura used her best no-nonsense voice. The one all her children knew meant no lying and no games. "I could have brought out personalized wedding invitations out to you and you wouldn't have noticed. Now tell me what's going on." She placed her hand on the younger woman's arm. "I promise it can't be as bad as you apparently are imagining it to be."

"I think I would have noticed that." Elizabeth protested, at the same time digging the paper out for Laura to inspect. "It will probably be nothing, but Dillon found this on the Internet."

Laura sucked in her breath quickly as she scanned the paper. "Has Lucky seen this yet?"

"Yeah. Haven't exactly been able to get a full sentence out of him since."

Laura nodded her head. Folding the paper in half, she tucked it into her purse. "I'm not surprised. Luke never could convince him that the press may one day find out about Cameron."

"He picked a strange thing to be optimistic about." Elizabeth muttered under her breath.

Laura bit her lip, deep in thought. "Well the good thing is right now they are not sure what exactly is going on. That buys us time and plan out exactly what to do. We'll just have to keep an extra close eye on anyone coming down this hallway or on the floor that doesn't seem to belong to anyone. It probably won't last forever but we may be able to keep this quiet long enough to get Cameron either off this floor or home."

"He's going to give up sleeping again."

"We won't let him. He needs to be alert to handle this. I know my son likes to pretend no sleep doesn't affect him but a mother knows better."

"It's not going to be easy to get him to listen. I didn't make out much but I do know he said something about going underground."

Laura rolled her eyes. She was going to have a long talk with her husband about filling her children with paranoid solutions to problems. "His father. I swear sometimes..." she let the thought trail off. "No matter. We'll just have to convince him we know better."

Maybe it was the obnoxious fumes of pine cones or the broken leaves underfoot that further proved he was nearing the Drake family cabin. The path had been covered years ago when he and his brother were children, their reason being that they didn't want the enemies conspiring against them to pick up on their secret location. Their father had humored them while their mother had openly encouraged them to hold onto their innocence for as long as possible. That, of course, was before the extra hours their father scheduled himself for and their mother's worsening condition.

Patrick had been the closest to their mother and her death had come as both a shock and a lead weight pulling Drake Senior and his first-born into the deepest, darkest tresses of the Earth, severing their bond forever. Logan hadn't been as hard on the old man understanding that the procedure had been as impossible as it was foolhardy. Their mother had been dead before she had ever laid down on that cold operating table and all three Drake men knew it to be true. To dull the pain, Noah had gone straight for an old Band-Aid: alcohol. Patrick had honored their mother by going into the career she had been pursuing when she married their father. Logan had done what he did best: he had run away.

Susan's parents had taken him in right after his mother's funeral and, really, he hadn't had a real problem with them until they started trying to control what he did and how he dealt with his loss. The day her mother suggested Logan see a counselor to deal with his overwhelming pain, he had started doing things that would have broken his mother's heart. He had been Susan's first but she hadn't been his. Somehow he had convinced her to give it up in her parents' bed no less and then made sure they were found later that afternoon. Mr. Shaw had demanded he leave the house immediately and, to cover his tracks, told the Spencers that they had kicked him out due to drugs. Logan had caught up with Susan a few years back and engaged in a brief affair until he had been called away to Boston and cut all ties with her.

Taking job after job when and where he could get them, he had been in the company of dangerous criminals for the better part of the last decade. They paid the best and didn't care what he did when he wasn't at work. They just wanted him to show up and sometimes rewarded him with basketball and concert tickets or, if he did an exceptionally good job, women. They had been high-class prostitutes as far as he had been concerned and had been whatever he wanted them to be, done whatever he asked, no matter how unorthodox it might have seemed. Bridget had been the most exciting of all of the women he had ever been with and that might have had to do with her desperation to keep the affair quiet and her desire to please him in any way possible. She was married, but that had never mattered. Her husband was always out of town and Logan had her on speed dial. He missed Bridget, missed her in the way that it had been far too long since he'd had sex. Maybe he would call her and they'd make a night of it.

Noticing the incredible damage done to the little cabin, Logan smiled. He wondered when his brother had gone after the helpless pile of logs and what had driven him to do so. Was it when I said I couldn't come up this year? Was it before or after you started fucking my wife? Logan figured the only way to know for sure would have been to ask, but he wasn't that interested in the reason. While a part of him wanted to believe that Patrick's handiwork had been the result of guilt eating away at his conscience, this might have just as easily been a robbery or something similar.

No matter how many times he tried to block out the unwelcome thoughts of his brother and his ex-wife, they kept pushing to the front of his mind, demanding attention. She was a clever one, picking them apart piece by piece and then turning them against each other. What a sick, twisted way to go about it. He had to give her points for being the devious little bitch he had never suspected her of being. She had been sweet in the beginning, her need to please him as pathetic as Bridget's, but something had drastically changed. He couldn't think it just had to do with the affairs, because she had only caught him the one time and he was too smart to leave bread crumbs. She had definitely stopped caring about whether or not he succeeded in his goals and even spited him for the pointless effort he was still putting into them. It wasn't like he hadn't kept up with the bills or left her high and dry after the divorce: she had taken almost everything from him, her only concession being that she threw the ring in his face and he was able to pawn it for his new start.

Why Patrick? Logan found himself wondering. What had been his appeal? Was his brother's money the drive, the root of the attraction? Were they doing it to spite Logan for his prolonged absence? Patrick could be pretty dramatic when it came to his idea of betrayal. The fact that the Spencers were supporting the relationship, actively pushing them together, made Logan feel even more justified in his decision to ignore them. Neither their mother nor their father had thought it necessary to incorporate them into the Spencer clan, so when Noah dropped them off on Luke and Laura's doorstep, Logan had been more than a little surprised. Patrick had adjusted just like he had always been able to do with very little effort. He had claimed Bobbie as a suitable stand-in for Mattie and never looked back.

Picking up his father's battered brown chair, Logan threw it into the opposite wall. The frame of the chair splintered and sprayed its chipped backside in every direction. Ducking to avoid coming in contact with the debris, he hurried to the kitchen and threw open all of the cabinets, finding their family china, assorted vacation glasses, and dozens of their mother's handkerchiefs. Sweeping his hand from one side to the other, he knocked them onto the counter, the floor, and the adjacent wall, the sound of breaking glass only making him angrier. There was no comfort in destroying what little family memories he actually had; he doubted Patrick would forgive him for this, but he was done with trying to live up to his brother's expectations. I hope this pisses you off just as much as it pisses me off…or maybe more. Yes, more. I hope you go on a murderous rage after you find the kitchen in shambles.

"A little adolescent, don't you think?" A seemingly familiar voice sounded from behind him, interrupting what should have been a private moment.

"How did you get in here?" Logan snarled at her, the last of the hand-painted glasses poised in his right hand as he prepared to throw them and be done with his ghosts.

"The door was open." She explained with an affirmative nod.

"What do you want? In case you didn't notice, this is private property." Logan clarified his tone as threatening as his narrowing walnut-brown eyes.

"I noticed a lot of things, like you're a little mad." She replied in a teasing, almost full-fledged mocking tone. "Did you realize you were screaming?"

"Go away." Logan ordered, extending his left thumb toward the door. "You have no business being here."

"Quite contraire, I think you want to hear what I have to say." She argued cleverly as she stepped carefully over the glass. It was hard to tell what color her hair was this year what with the shadows the dusky sky provided; she had a habit of changing it as much as his ex-wife had. He couldn't mistake those sparking brown eyes though and found himself strangely intrigued.

"I'm listening." Logan assured her, folding his arms to let her know that he was not one to be easily tricked.

"I'm guessing all of this means you're finally ready to help me." She declared, her eyes locking on his. Reaching up to snatch a piece of fallen glass from his bangs, she pressed her hand against his forehead. "That is, if you're interested."

"I'm not a gambling man. It's gotten me into trouble more times than I can count." Logan answered, swatting her hand away. "You should go."

"I'm not going to be driven away by that annoying alpha male attitude you and your brother share, so you can give up that notion real quick, tough guy." She snapped, though her eyes were still as bright and enticing as ever.

"What are you offering?" Logan wanted to know, pushing his luck. He might as well hear her pitch before throwing her out on her bony little ass.

"What do you want?" She countered instead, closing the space between them.

"You know what I want." Logan responded arrogantly.

Huffing in frustration, she was silent for a minute as she worked a new approach, "I know something you want more than sex."

"Does that mean sex isn't part of the deal?" Logan challenged, far too mature to openly pout.

"No. But it's not the main agenda." She shook her head and ran her index finger over his bottom lip.

"I'm sick of these games!" Logan shouted, catching her wrist and startling her. "What is it you want from me?"

"I think a little payback is in order, don't you?" She propositioned, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes in frustration.

"You're wasting my time." Logan accused, letting her go and heading into the living room.

"I promise I'm not. I think we can bring them down together." Emily promised, urging him to not throw her out.

"Who?" Logan demanded.

"Your brother and ex-wife of course. I've kept my mouth closed this long, but I can't do it anymore. Too many lives are going to be messed up if they continue on this ridiculous road." She told him, impatience clear in her conflicted gaze. "Are you in?"

"I'm in." Logan nodded with a full smile. "What do you want me to do?"


	105. Nick of Time

The dim hallway lights did little to provide its inhabitants with any kind of direct route to their apartments. It was a good thing, then, that Robin had memorized the steps needed to find hers, especially tonight since she was trying to balance a sleeping Morgan on her left shoulder as well as lead Patrick in the right direction. Through futile protests, she had insisted that she could get them home without him, but he had been more stubborn than usual about it, and hadn't budged on the issue. Rolling her eyes at his over protectiveness, she hadn't said another word and left her car in care of her uncle and cousins until she could pick it up the following morning.

"I can go in first if you want me to." She recognized rather than assumed that it was Patrick speaking to her, because she knew she wouldn't have been able to turn around and make out his face in the overwhelming shadows surrounding them. He must have assumed her silence had to do with fear of returning to the scene of the crime--even though there hadn't been a thing stolen and her uncle had made nothing of it when she finally admitted to suspecting a break-in--when really she had just gotten lost in her thoughts.

"I'm not afraid." Robin replied defiantly, alternating Morgan to her other shoulder since this one had long since gone numb. To further prove her point, she jammed the key into the lock and turned it counterclockwise until she heard it disengage.

Patrick resisted the urge to point out that her fear was not without cause and would be a completely fathomable reaction to all that had happened in this loft not a handful of days ago. She would just continue to argue with him and he didn't want to fight with her tonight. She had been incredible during their visits--campouts--at the hospital both picking up on his agitation and doing her best to provide him with relief. She had been right about him needing to visit Cameron; he still had a hard time believing that that little boy had been in a coma as long as he had when he hadn't stopped talking since he'd woken up. "I never thought you were." He answered carefully, understanding that she needed to feel in control but wishing she would just lean on him a little bit. It wasn't like he had any intention of leaving her tonight; she didn't have to sound so put off by his decision.

"I'm going to put him down." Robin explained, already heading toward the stairs to put her words into action. Patrick caught her left arm, his hold unyielding, and waited for her to look at him. Meeting his concerned stare with one of absolute confusion, Robin let her arm go limp beneath his touch. Moving his left hand up to cradle her face, Patrick closed the space between them and lowered his mouth to hers. Responding instantly, Robin's eyes mirrored his in passion as she ran her restless tongue over his. He could tell she wanted to wrap her arms around him, but knew she was at a slight disadvantage, so he kept the kiss brief, pulling away before either of them was quite ready for him to. "I'll be back in a second." She whispered, awkwardly stepping out of his embrace and proceeding up the stairs.

Not trusting himself to speak in that moment, Patrick watched her climb the stairs instead, rubbing his fingers against the legs of his slacks when they started to itch, understanding that there was little he could do about it until she returned. He hadn't meant to kiss her that way, but he hadn't liked the way the wariness haunted her gaze. He just wanted to let her know he in no way felt obligated to stay, that he merely wanted to be close to her. Now, he wondered if he could actually spend the night without being tempted to move their relationship onto a far more intimate level. Her initial anxiety had come and gone with Cameron's accident and she hadn't showed any sort of resistance a moment ago. She wasn't naïve and must have recognized the purposefulness in the way he held and kissed her. He had always held back, that is, until just now. And her reaction left him wanting more; only logic kept him from running up the stairs and having his way with her.

Robin watched him from the top step of the stairs, drinking in the sight of him as he slowly paced from one corner of the room to the next. It was a relief to know that she wasn't alone in how she was feeling that he had his doubts too. It wasn't so much that she worried about sleeping with him; they were far too perfectly matched for the act to be anything but mind-bending. What made her step back and hesitate were her boyfriend's previous lovers she knew she'd be competing with. Admitting that none of her lovers prior to Patrick had been able to give her an orgasm had been a lot harder than she had ever realized because it showed vulnerability in her. Though he had grown out of throwing his conquests in her face, some intelligent part of him picking up on the fact that that was the main reason she hadn't slept with him yet, she couldn't just forget about his reputation no matter how hard she tried.

"Don't tell me you're shy all of the sudden." Patrick teased, his lips turned upward to display a smug expression. He had discarded his t-shirt in the time it had taken her to tuck in her son and she couldn't help but smile in return.

Robin shook her head, making her way slowly toward him. Bracing her hands on either side of his face, she fused their lips together, not even giving him a chance to suck in a breath before her tongue sought entrance into his mouth. Pressing his fingers into her waist, he used his hold on her to lift her off of her feet, letting her body crash into his. Her legs wrapped around his hips immediately and she clung to him. Bunching her dress in his fingers, he reached under the material with his thumbs and traced little circles over her stomach. His right arm tucked beneath her while he used his other hand to yank the dress over her head, their lips making a smacking sound when they were forced to break the kiss.

Stumbling over to the couch, Patrick lowered Robin onto the soft cushions, urging her to raise her knees so he could peel away her pantyhose, but she impatiently caught hold of his belt and thumbed away the metal fastener instead. Easing the zipper down, she let her fingers slip inside of his slacks and vigorously stroked him, feeling him bury his mouth against her shoulder as he struggled to catch his breath. Pushing his underwear out of her way, she smirked when his shaft jumped in her hand. Patrick unbuttoned his slacks hastily and together they kicked the offensive piece of clothing down to his ankles and over his socked feet. As his mouth found hers, his hands caught the strip of pantyhose, one wicked finger brushing over her drenched sex. Jackknifing beneath him, she rubbed her thumb over the tip of his burning shaft.

"Robin!" Morgan screamed, his voice heavy with sleep and terror. At first neither adult realized who had spoken and continued their curious explorations of the other's body. It wasn't until the child started to wail that they, gracelessly, fell off of the couch and pulled on their now wrinkled clothing.

Finding his room without the help of lights, Robin forced herself to breathe normally even though she hadn't had the necessary oxygen for at least five minutes. "Wha--What's the matter?" She asked, moving closer to her son's bed and pulling him into her arms, pushing the strap of her dress back onto her shoulder.

"Bad dream." Morgan explained, though he sounded embarrassed by it.

"It's okay. I'm here now." Robin assured him, noticing Patrick leaning in the doorway, looking as breathless as she felt. Holding her son even more tightly, she gingerly rocked him, humming a lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she had trouble sleeping, a song she had forgotten all of the words to. Mouthing to Patrick that she would meet him downstairs once Morgan had succeeded in falling asleep once more, she closed her eyes, barely picking up on her boyfriend's footsteps as he resigned to the living room.

Barely ten minutes later, Patrick headed back upstairs and found both mother and son fast asleep in the double bed, the Spider-Man comforter covering only Morgan. Sighing, Patrick walked over to where they lay and adjusted Robin so that she was under the blanket too. Pressing a sweet kiss to her lips, he returned to the couch; as luck would have it, he was able to locate spare pillows and a blanket from the top shelf of the coat closet. It was going to be a long night, he realized.

Cameron kicked his free leg in his sleep, a sign to his father the doctors at least had some clue to what they were talking about. Lucky had been skeptical at first when they told him it appeared Cameron had suffered no neurological effects from the horse's kick or the coma. In fact they were talking about discharging him as early as the next afternoon if he made it through the night ok. Any normal parent would be rejoicing at their child's good fortune, Lucky thought. A Spencer parent, he further realized, would be doubting the doctors and trying to diagnosis the problem themselves, no medical training necessary. This was exactly what he had been trying to do since the second Cameron had screamed for him during the tests.

He wasn't completely convinced the staff wasn't desperate to get his father away from them at all costs. Not that Lucky could really blame them for that thinking.

_He's going to be fine_, he told himself. _You heard the doctor's. You know the bruises and bones will heal. He won't be the first Spencer child to need be on bed rest for a few weeks. Cameron will be fine. Quit this obsessive need to find something else to keep him in the hospital until this whole thing blows over._

Cameron was going to go home, most likely tomorrow and then he was going to have to deal with the press. It was as simple and terrifying as that. It was useless to pray for some starlet to have a major breakdown between now and then. A pop star shaving themselves bald only happened once every decade. In his bid to keep his son's life as normal as possible and to sell as many records as he could, Lucky had inadvertently set himself up in the center of a growing tabloid frenzy.

He was either going to have to deny Cameron's existence officially, which would not help his shaky relationship with the Grimes, or just come clean with the truth. Admit that his entire image was based on a total lie and go from there, deal with the fallout and see what happens. Even if he jump started several careers with nothing more than tabloid hype, Lucky didn't fool himself for one second to thinking that his name alone had made them successes. Each of his artists had the talent to back up the hype.

And it wasn't as if he wasn't planning on dropping the whole playboy act from his publicity push entirely. Elizabeth had talked a good game but Lucky fully realized his usual way of doing business made her uncomfortable. She had only handled Daphne as well as she had after she met Taggert. There wasn't always going to be a Taggert in the background. He hadn't exactly discussed this idea with anyone just yet. Lucky wasn't ignorant. If he only told Ned this plan, Ned would tell Lois, Lois would tell his mom and that would be it. His mother would be booking Mt. Hebron for the wedding before the day was over.

Of course that was all dependent on if Elizabeth was going to stick around for any of this. This was the big If. Standing by him during Cameron's crisis was one thing but during a tabloid frenzy? He wouldn't blame her if she bailed. As hard as he tried to ignore it, some part of him always expected something like this to happen. Well maybe not exactly like this, exposing Cameron to the world was never part of the plan, but Lucky wasn't naive enough to think he could mess with the tabloids and not get caught in their crosshairs at some point. But just like Cameron, Elizabeth hadn't asked for any of this. She didn't deserve to have her own life dissected for public consumption. He had willingly signed up for this. She hadn't. It would probably kill him to let her go, but if she did, he wouldn't blame her.

"You told me he moves a lot in his sleep. I don't think I really believed you until now." Elizabeth's soft voice broke through his thoughts. She crossed from the doorway, noting the concern that laced his normally placid features. There was some rumor Lucky was a vicious card shark, but for the life of her, she couldn't' see it. His every emotion was always on his face. A person just needed to know where to look for it.

Lucky smiled at her joke, her presence both comforting him and spiking his anxieties. Sometimes he wondered if he had run from relationships not just because of his son but because he couldn't' handle the mix of emotions that came with it. Life was much simpler when all you had to do was just get up and walk out the door, when the possibility of loosing someone didn't tear your heart out.

"I thought you were going home." He squeezed her hand when she laid hers on his knee.

"Well then I became 'mysterious brunette' and it sort of changed the game plan a bit."

Her tone was gentle but Lucky still winced. Of all the times she chose now to be direct. If they got through this, he was going to have a discussion with her about her timing issues. "Are there reporters out there hounding you?"

"No. They are more curious as to why you are here than in who the heck I am." Even though Cameron was sleeping, she still felt the need to clean up her language. It was a crazy impulse but Elizabeth had never denied she could very well need therapy. Especially since she had met one Lucky Spencer.

"You seem very calm about this." Lucky couldn't hide his surprise. Even though it wasn't technically his fault, he had almost convinced himself somehow it would be made his fault.

"I do?"

"I'm not questioning a good thing. It's just I was expecting you to be a bit more freaked by this."

Elizabeth moved forwarded, clasping his hand more tightly as she looked directly into his eyes. "I was freaking out earlier. When you first handed me that paper? I think my heart stopped."

"So what changed your mind? And I swear if you say positive thinking I will break up with you just for principle's sake."

She chuckled softly. "Well fine, steal my opening line. No really, the thing is I knew exactly who you were when we met. I'd seen the stories, seen the pictures. Hence my over-reaction to Daphne. So I was already aware that you got attention." Elizabeth shrugged. "It took me a few minutes to calm down enough to realize that I already knew this was at least on some level a possibility."

"But knowing and actually having it happen are two different things." Why he couldn't just accept her explanation and be happy with it was beyond him. It was probably somehow his father's fault.

"I'm not saying I'm thrilled with it. Believe me, I'm not. But the thing is my life is boring. What are they going to find? Max? As everyone keeps pointing out he was the a-hole there, not me. As far as I know, I have no illegitimate children out there, no ex-boyfriends in jail for murder, no ex-husbands. I teach school, live with my grandmother and I happen to date you. Pardon me for bringing you back down to earth here but that's not the most exciting of tabloid lives. It's dull."

Lucky put his hands across his heart. "Dull? You think we're dull?" he teased.

Elizabeth smacked his arm. "Quit fishing for compliments. I read the magazines. I realize that our relationship lacks the 'drama' they seem to love." She shook her head in mock sadness. "We are just too normal for them I think."

"We're not normal. We're superior. You'd do well to remember that."

"Duly noted." Elizabeth mocked saluted. "I'll be ok. We'll be ok. Whatever you decide to do about Cameron, we can handle it."

"Since when are you the confident one here?"

"Since I lo--looked and realized the tabloids are full of lies. You did what you thought was right by your son. There is nothing wrong with that. If someone has a problem with that? They got the bigger problem."

Elizabeth bit her lip. Where had that other word come from? She wasn't in love with Lucky. She had spent far too many hours listening to Robin try to live vicariously through her. They were going to have a talk about that as soon as Cameron got out of the hospital.


	106. Suspicious Minds

The sun tickled the backs of her eyelids causing Bobbie to groan rolling over to escape the invading rays. Last night had been the first night since Cameron's accident she had slept in her own bed. After nights folded into uncomfortable positions actually being able to stretch out her legs had felt like heaven. There was no way she wanted give up such a luxury simply because it was morning..

Maybe just maybe if she lay here with her eyes closed she could convince the sun to just move on skip over her house today and she could lay here all day. Of course that would be all the more enticing if she could convince a certain magazine editor to join her in playing hooky from the world.

Ever since they found out Cameron was going to be fine Cruz had immediately shifted gears. It wasn't that he hadn't been watching her and making sure she was taking care of herself; he just became more insistent about it. He had even enlisted Laura to help him by having her back up his insistence she go home to sleep. She might have argued being needed with just Cruz, but once Laura joined in she knew she had no chance. Bobbie knew her sister-in-law. It didn't matter the objection; Laura would find some way to counter it.

Cruz had been her rock since this had started. Without him, there she was sure at some point she would have broken down completely overwhelmed by her own memories of losing BJ. His presence had kept her able to focus on her nephew, her son, and this new baby. And the sad thing was he was probably completely unaware of just how thankful she was for him. Maybe, she thought mischievously, she should just wake up and thank him properly.

She reached her hand out expecting to find his shoulder beneath it. Bobbie's eyes flew open in shock when her hand connected with nothing but the sheet beneath it. He rarely awoke before her, especially on mornings when he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. So where was he?

Cruz hummed as he waited for the final touches to be complete. It had been days since Bobbie had eaten a real meal. While he appreciated and admired her dedication to her family, Cruz knew she had to take care of herself. The book said this was a critical time of development. Ok, he amended, the book said that for all areas of development but it didn't make it any less true.

As much as he hadn't wanted her see him with that book, he didn't want her to know he had already finished reading it. Cruz was sure somewhere his picture was being erected in the dork hall of fame for even admitting that to himself. He had seven months to get ready and he read that book in less than twenty-four hours? If his friends ever found out about this, they would tease him until he was a grandfather himself.

Bobbie sat up in her bed pulling the covers closer to her chest as she listened closely for any noise to indicate Cruz was still in the house with her. Nothing. The clothes he had discarded so quickly last night were gone from their heap on the floor. There was none of his tell-tale splashing coming from the bathroom, no hiss of the shower.

"You're being ridiculous." She announced to the air. "He could just as well be downstairs reading the paper or using the computer. Why do you insist on jumping to conclusions?"

She'd deny it to her son if he ever questioned her on it, but it was Lucas' voice that answered her. "Because he hasn't promised anything? Because you have no idea if he'll stick around?"

Bobbie shook her head trying to rid herself of the unwelcome intruders. She trusted Cruz. He was nothing like Carly's father. He hadn't run when he had first heard the news. He had come with her to the first doctor's appointment. All of those were good signs.

The doubts reared their ugly heads once more. But that was before Cameron's accident. They had barely begun to process this pregnancy and the complications her age brought with it. Just when they were starting to discuss what bringing this baby into the world was going to mean, the family crisis hit. She knew Cameron didn't plan this, but his timing could have been better. Cruz wasn't an unfeeling bastard. If he had begun to have doubts, she didn't think he would voice them during a family crisis. Especially something involving one of his best friends.

What if he had begun to have second thoughts? What if buying that book had just been a gesture and nothing more? What if he was having doubts and now felt free to act on them since Cameron was going to be fine?

His friends weren't going to understand at first, but hopefully Bobbie would handle this newest surprise a great deal better. He hoped so, otherwise the sleepless nights he had had spent contemplating this very moment would have been for nothing. What if when the time came he lost the ability to speak? What if she assumed the worst and the moment was ruined? This is God getting you back, Cruz mused thoughtfully. He's paying you back for all of those pointless relationships you started with no intention of finishing, for leaving those women before you even had a chance to take off your coat. Time to be a grown-up. Are you ready for this?

A baby is not going to factor in how many hours of sleep you need to function. Nope he's going to only care that you're up when he's unhappy when he needs to be changed or fed or burped--or when he feels sick and needs to be rocked coincidentally deciding that your favorite shirt is his new barf rag. How are you going to handle that? You can't spank a baby. Could you even raise a hand to a kid? Your mother would cut it off and you know it. No you'll be the type of dad that reasons with the unreasonable child begs pleads and otherwise signs a contract in your own blood to get him to eat his vegetables…or her vegetables. Bobbie saying she thinks it's a boy doesn't automatically mean that it can't be a little girl.

Are you ready for ballet recitals or little league games? You can't just expect Bobbie to raise the kid alone. Isn't that what you're still doing here? You love her, but are you absolutely certain this is the right thing? The book didn't have a section for this level of anxiety. What if he screwed the kid up? "Do as I say not as I do," the quote said, but dads were a major presence in their kid's life; Cruz would have to lead by example. Kids repeated what they heard right? What if he accidentally slipped around his impressionable one-year-old and then for the rest of his life heard from Bobbie how that was not an appropriate thing for a baby to say? Hadn't Lucky gone through something similar? What were Cameron's first words? Oh yeah. "Bitch Please." There were times when Laura still brought it up because, as luck would have it, she had been there to experience it. She had been there when her first and only grandchild had uttered those two little syllables for which Lucky would be apologizing for until the end of time.

Step up or walk out, an impatient voice advised him. Step up and be a man: marry Bobbie, start a life together, and raise your daughter (or son) in the kind of way that will make your mother proud. Walk out and never look back: walk away from Bobbie, from your friends, from your whole life, and leave your child to grow up wondering what he or she did wrong to deserve a life without their father. What's it gonna be Cruz?

Emily Quartermaine smiled devilishly as she twisted her wrist clockwise using the shiny red tool to cut a perfect circle in the middle of the glass patio door. Reaching through with her right hand, she flipped the lock up and yanked the door open silently. Best to get rid of the evidence, she figured and threw the glass cutter over the balcony barely registering its collision with a trashcan several stories down. Shutting the door behind her, she pulled the thick black curtain in front of it to keep anyone from realizing she had broken in. It'd be best to surprise Patrick; he had always liked surprises.

It only took a minute to get up the stairs; she had to stop in the doorway and use it to hold her up as she gazed upon the sleeping man she had missed all these months. His naked back was free for her perusal, but the line in the sheets proved that he was at least wearing a pair of boxers.. She wondered if he had thrown out the smiley face boxers she had bought and mailed to him for his last birthday. When Emily didn't spot them right away, she assumed that he had hidden them. It'd be a little awkward for the shiny new girlfriend to catch him with a gift from his last serious girlfriend of whom he was still head over heels about.

This was the time to take drastic measures Emily had realized a few weeks ago. She had been so surprised when he showed up in Manhattan at the same place and time she had. It had been impossible to ignore the tension between Patrick and Nikolas. Nikolas was just a passing fancy, a friend with benefits, and the young billionaire knew this to be true. However, in order to make Patrick jealous, she had convinced him to play like they were in love and had completely forgotten about him. And just the opposite was true. The minute Emily had found about Patrick hooking up with his ex-sister-in-law of all people, she had almost suffered a nervous breakdown. How he could be attracted to a woman so different from her was inconceivable!

There was a lot she had done in the past couple of months that she wasn't proud of but as she stood here she started to worry that Patrick may not be as understanding as he needed to be to accept her faults and look past them. It had been a mistake, one that she hadn't been able to come forward with before now. What if he was mad? What if he couldn't forgive her? Well he would just have to see reason and she wasn't leaving until he did.

Climbing in on her side of the bed, she pushed the covers out of the way and snuggled up beside him feeling immense relief when he leaned into her. He must have felt her presence; his soul must have recognized hers and sought it out. They were meant to be; he was just too proud to admit it. His friends weren't exactly helping matters any, but luckily for her they were otherwise distracted and this would be her only chance to take what was rightfully hers. She regarded this other woman--Robin Scorpio or so it had said on her chart--with pity. If only she knew that her whole world was about to be turned upside-down. Maybe it'd be best to just rest here beside Patrick and let this take its course. Yes she liked that idea.

Robin knocked quietly on the door to Patrick's studio realizing that it was very early and that boyfriend of hers was not much of a morning person. When she received no answer after the third knock she felt justified in trying the door, finding it locked, and then taking out the portable lock picking tools her father had insisted she always carry with her.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep last night, not in the company of her son, but when she had woken up to explain it all to Patrick he hadn't been there. Well why would he stay? She hadn't had any trouble getting to sleep and he had probably only planned on staying until she felt safe. But she hadn't felt even the slightest bit secure when she had realized he was nowhere to be found. She had sent Morgan off to school and told Lucas that he would be opening alone today that he might get the whole day if she had her way. There were no more excuses. She trusted Patrick now. It had taken a long time, but she finally felt like she could. Even the brief run-in with that twit Greta hadn't been enough to make her truly doubt how important she was to Patrick.

After the accident she had thought that he was only sticking around out of obligation and a little curiosity. Now, mere months later, she couldn't justify that way of thinking anymore. He had not only pulled her out of the car, but he had said that he didn't regret his decision. She wouldn't go so far as to believe he really loved her, but maybe that was just the skeptic in her. Maybe he had meant it. She really wanted him to say it again. She wanted to say them back. It was obvious to everyone but Patrick how she felt and she had to do something about that. How perfect that she should get to be the first person he saw when he woke up? And if she had her way she would be the last person he saw when the day was over.

She was so giddy climbing the stairs that she almost stumbled over her own feet. Dumb ass, she thought to herself and couldn't hold back her stupid smile. Grabbing a hold of the rail with her right hand she leapt up the stairs taking them two at a time. Either he hadn't heard her yet or was pretending to be asleep. She didn't know which one she preferred. As long as he's in bed, she answered herself silently.

Throwing open the door in an exaggerated motion, her face fell; it became incredibly difficult to breathe. Her brain couldn't register what her eyes told her to be true. Patrick was in bed alright, but he wasn't alone. Resting against his right side was a woman that Robin couldn't ever remember meeting. Her hair was the color of spun gold and her eyes…they were closed, but she was smiling. Obviously she had been happy when she had fallen asleep. The cream-colored sheet exposed her naked back and only her grip on the sheet kept Robin from seeing the rest of her attributes.

Robin tried to close her eyes tried to will the haunting images away. She was imagining all of this…surely. This wasn't really happening. She was trapped in some suspended reel of time and this wasn't Patrick. She was reliving the morning she had found Logan in this exact same position. All she had to do was open her eyes and she would see how foolish she was, see that her mind was playing tricks on her. How many times had Patrick sworn he shared only a last name with his brother, nothing more? How many different ways had he convinced her that he was a good and would never hurt her this way? Just open your eyes, you coward, an inner voice screamed at her. Prove to yourself what you already know: that you're just hallucinating and he's still the man who told you he loved you. Prove me wrong, the voice challenged.

Robin did open her eyes, but she didn't look directly at the bed. She, instead, focused on a sleeping Patrick. Taking her time to determine that he was asleep--as she had hoped he would be--that he was dressed in a pair of tight boxers--as she had fantasized about for as long as she could remember--and then finally that he was in bed with another woman. Clamping her teeth into her lip hard enough to block out the threatening cry, she started shaking her head. There had to be an explanation. Patrick wouldn't…he wouldn't do this to her. He knew what Logan had done. He would never repeat his brother's mistakes. He wouldn't hurt her this way. Then what's he doing in bed with this woman? The bitter voice wanted to know. Give me a real answer and I'll leave you to your blissful ignorance.

God, the oxygen she craved was choking her. She gasped, the sound startling the other woman. Hurrying backwards, she didn't have time to find her footing before tumbling over a small suitcase she hadn't noticed until just now. It must have belonged to this woman. Had Patrick called her over once he saw that Robin was asleep and wouldn't be waking up until the next morning? Now you stop it! There are a million and one reasons…there is at least one explanation…I knew…better. I knew better.

At her startled cry, Patrick flipped out of the bed and landed on his right shoulder. The sheets clung to his ankles and he had to kick them away if he expected to stand up and face whatever situation lay in wait for him. Reaching for the windowsill, he got to his feet and locked gazes with his trembling girlfriend. She had one hand pressed against the doorframe and the other gripping the side of his dresser her face paler than a ghost's. Moving toward her, he was aware of only two things: she was retreating and she wasn't the one who had snuggled up to him a few minutes ago.

He felt like he had been thrown into a dramatic scene from a soap opera full of clichés and forgotten to pick up his actual lines. His eyes shot from a seemingly sleeping Emily Quartermaine to a distraught and clearly panicked Robin Scorpio. He hoped his bottomless brown eyes were conveying to Robin just how confused he was. Knowing her though he bet she had already made up her mind that he was to blame…and really who could blame her what with his reputation and her own painful past?

All of the time they had spent together, the meals they had shared, the trust they had found, had it all been for nothing? If she didn't believe what he was about to tell her then it surely was. The work they had each put into this relationship would be obsolete after today. Tears started to collect at the corner of each of his eyes and he was too stunned to brush them away. What was he going to say? The truth was completely irrelevant because no one, not even Lucky, had bought it as anything but his whacked-out paranoia.

I should have known, Patrick mused silently. I should have been prepared. She promised vengeance. Why didn't I take her seriously? Why did I automatically assume it was only my life she was going to screw with? Was this the first trick she had pulled in their time apart or was there something else he didn't know? Had she found out about Robin and decided to ruin his first good relationship? It was incredibly likely.

"Emily what have you done?" He asked the lean blonde as she started to wake up. Her first response was to pull the sheet around her while still letting all parties know that she wore nothing underneath. This whole scene was making him sick, but he had to face one problem before he could even think of explaining all of this to Robin.

"What have I done or what would I like you to do?" Emily's brown eyes shining at her own little joke. Robin made a beeline for the living room but clamped onto her bare left arm.

"I have to go home." Robin told him unable to meet his eyes out of fear that she might start crying again. She had been able to hide her tears from him so far but it was only a matter of time.

"You have to listen." Patrick argued spinning her around.

"I'd rather not hear the details." Robin protested holding up a warning hand.

"The details about what? You can't honestly believe I slept with that woman." Patrick didn't even try to conceal the incredulity in his tone. She needed to know that the very thought was preposterous. He didn't want Emily, he wanted Robin.

"Right, because finding my boyfriend in bed with a complete stranger is a common occurrence in a healthy relationship!" Robin shot back trying desperately to free her arm.. She didn't want him touching her, not now, not ever again.

"I know this looks bad, but I swear to you I didn't sleep with her. We broke up almost a year ago and she won't leave me alone. She's trying to ruin my life. It makes perfect sense that she would show up here and try to break us up." Patrick insisted his hold only tightening. He knew how much she wanted to close her eyes and run away from all of this. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't lose her.

"Perfect sense? Perfect sense? I've underestimated you, Patrick. You really are the best liar I have ever met!" Robin retorted in an accusing voice. She thrashed against him as she tried to break free. Her resolve was shattering with every passing second and she didn't want him to see her that vulnerable.

"I'm not lying! Could you try trusting me for once?" He whispered harshly though it might as well have been a shout for the way it caused Robin to openly flinch. "I don't know what else to do!"

"You could respect me enough to tell me the truth." Robin shrieked as she felt her knees start to buckle. There was no way she could lean against him now; she'd rather fall on her face. "Was it something you planned on doing eventually or was it a whim? I don't suppose it matters one way or the other--" She prattled on noncommittally.

"I didn't sleep with her Robin!" Patrick countered angrily.

"You fooled me. Congratulations." Robin lifted her eyebrows in a mocking fashion; he immediately released her arm. Stumbling back, she was barely able to reach out and grab the back of the couch.

"Don't do that. Don't run! I'm right here and I'm not lying. I wouldn't do that to you." Patrick persisted spreading his hands out in front of him as he continued to reason with her.

"Because you have such a loyalty to all of the women you're sleeping with. Oh wait. That's right. We haven't slept together yet…at all. That's what…Emily is doing here.. She's doing you." Robin caught her bottom lip with her teeth and then released it making a tsking sound.

Shaking his head and willing those unpleasant images from his thoughts, he stared at her helplessly. "Just ask Lucky. He knows all about what Emily is capable of. She started stalking me months before you were even in the picture. She's only interested in getting back at me."

"She can have you." Robin assured him in a tight voice.

"I don't want to be with her." Patrick insisted. "It's you or it's no one."

"I bet she didn't even think twice when you called her over for a quickie." Robin's words were as sharp as a razor blade.

"I don't know how she got in, but all we have to do is check the windows and the locks. I'm right. You know I'm right."

"I know you're a coward. Why do you keep lying? Do you even know the difference?" Robin's voice rose slightly as she tried to make sense of the feelings coursing through her. Even the naïve voice she had depended on since entering into this chaotic relationship refused to side with Patrick. His words didn't make any sort of sense. He was grasping at straws. He wanted to have both of them. What he didn't seem to realize was that he didn't have to choose. She had already made the decision for him. She was out of here!

"Can't you give me the benefit of the doubt? Just this one time? All I'm asking is for you to hear me out." Patrick snapped impatiently..

"I'm the one who asked too much." Robin countered folding her arms across her chest. "I asked you to be honest with me. I didn't ask for monogamy--that was you remember? You made me believe you! You made me trust you! Why? If you were just going to turn to someone else, how were you able to justify doing this to me?" She shrieked her legs buckling beneath her. "No." She shook her head when Patrick rushed to her side. "You don't get to touch me. Get away from me!"

"Am I to be blamed for my past for the rest of my life? Because that's all this is. You don't want to think you could be wrong because how often does that happen? You'd rather believe the worst in me than try trusting that I might be telling the truth." Patrick reprimanded bitterly as tears slid shamelessly down his cheeks.

"I hate you." Robin told him knowing her words were all he had left her with. "I hate you so much." She insisted watching him wince each time she said the words.

"Tell me how to fix this. Please? There has to be something I can do." Patrick begged reaching for her shoulders and shaking her. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and she looked so exceptionally small as she cowered under his hands.

"You can go to hell." Robin replied after almost two minutes of absolute silence. "That's what you can do for me. You and your Goddamn brother." With that she got to her feet and pushed away from him running for all she was worth.


	107. Say It Right

"He still hates me."

"What?" Cameron was quiet happily playing with his mountain of toys in the corner. He was babbling to his stuffed animals, telling them all about the hospital and the doctors he had met. Lucky look over at Elizabeth convinced she was going crazy. "He doesn't hate you."

Elizabeth gestured wildly towards Cameron. "He keeps glaring at me. If he doesn't hate me why does he glare at me?"

"Cameron doesn't glare."

Elizabeth lifted one eyebrow. "That you've seen. Just trust me on this one. If you gave the glare he did, you would win every negotiation every time."

She settled back on the sofa, content she had made her point. Luke, Laura and Lulu had left a few minutes ago, leaving the three of them alone. Elizabeth briefly wondered why he had insisted she stay behind but decided not to question it. Knowing Lucky he would more than likely blurt out the reason for his request sooner or later. He was getting better at keeping details to himself, but keeping silent was something he would probably never master.

Lucky nodded, filing the information away for future use. "Good to know." As sure as he was Cameron didn't hate her, he couldn't pretend he hadn't notice his son was somewhat avoiding Elizabeth. There was something going on, but Lucky hadn't put his finger on it just yet. Now that Cameron was home, he could devote more time to figuring it out.

In between Cameron's physical therapy appointments. And figuring out what he was going to do about Cameron's school. Should he send him back or wait longer? He hadn't even begun to figure out what he was doing about the media. Thankfully they had gotten Cameron home before the press figured out anything more than they already had. As his mother had always said, it was the little things in life you had to be grateful for.

Ned had been great, as always. Even if Lucky hadn't been planning on coming back to work yet, Ned had been insistent he didn't want to see his vice president until Cameron was completely better, which was subject to Lois's discretion. Lois had practically threatened to move herself into his house if he had even thought about working on anything. Lucky knew he was fortunate. He could afford to take the time off and had a boss that was willing to hold his job until he could come back full time.

For the time being, Ned and Lois were handling the press for him. All requests for interviews were being routed to their office in New York, where the assistants were "forgetting" to give them their messages. Any reporter that was persistent enough to get through, got a full blast of Lois talking about anything and everything but the actual subject they asked about. It made him laugh to think about the number of reporters who probably were wandering around their offices confused about how a question about Lucky Spencer became a conversation about Coney Island and the Brooklyn Dodgers. It wasn't a good long term solution, but it would work for now.

"Should I ask the obvious question?" Elizabeth wondered.

"I feel like living dangerously, go for it."

Elizabeth pointed to the stairs. "Not that I am expert at your home or anything but I am assuming the bedrooms are up there." She pointed to the small wheelchair that sat by the door. "I don't think you can get that up there. Are you moving everything downstairs or what?"

He bit back his automatic smart aleck reply to her first statement. She had a point. "Cameron spends most of his time downstairs anyways. When its bedtime or whatever, I'll just carry him up."

Elizabeth nodded and rested her head on Lucky's shoulder. This was nice. It was a shock to her how normal this felt, just sitting here on the couch, watching Cameron play with his toys. Even if the kid did hate her, this still felt almost normal, almost like the way it was supposed to be. This was just silly.

The way it was supposed to be? She mentally shook herself at the ridiculousness of her thoughts. They had only been dating for three months. Ok so she would allow they were the most intense three months of any relationship she had ever had, but that was probably because they never followed a normal timeline. She had met his family after two dates. They had to jump to trying to explain dating to Cameron because his father had blown that fact wide open way before either one of them were ready for it. Of course it was intense, Elizabeth rationalized.

She could hear Robin's opinion as clear as if her friend was sitting right across from her. But Elizabeth pushed that notion right out of her mind as soon as it entered. Robin could barely admit what her own feelings were for Patrick. There was no way she was going to accept Robin's opinion on whatever this relationship was with Lucky. Robin could say it all she wanted, but Elizabeth knew she was not in love. At least she was pretty sure she wasn't in love.

"Daddy?" Cameron yawned. "You play?"

Lucky tried not to laugh. Cameron had always fought going to bed.. If it wasn't his monsters, it was his desire to know everything that was going on. "Oh I think it's sleep time for you Champ."

"No sleep. I not tired." Cameron protested through another yawn.

"Sure you're not Champ." Lucky bent down and scoop Cameron up in his arms, carefully minding the casts that covered the arm and leg. "Come on."

Cameron looked as if he was about to protest some more but recognized he wasn't going to win this argument. He rested his head into his father's shoulder. Feeling Cameron settle in, Lucky turned around to look over at Elizabeth, still sitting on the sofa. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't go anywhere."

Elizabeth smiled. "I promise. Besides, you drove me over here remember?"

Lucky winked. "See I told you I was smart."

Elizabeth tossed a pillow in his direction, not at all surprised when it fell short of its intended target. "Go put him in bed before I call Robin to come pick me up."

She was still giggling as she watched the two make the trip up the stairs. Smiling, she made her way over the pile of toys. She could at least make herself useful and help clean up the mess Cameron had made. It was amazing how much destruction one three-year-old could make. And how quickly.

The pounding on the door startled her. Had a reporter somehow found Lucky's address? Elizabeth cautiously made her way towards the door, glancing out the window. She felt herself relax when she noticed Robin's car parked along the side of the road. Grinning she opened the door to greet her friend, which immediately fell when she took in Robin's haggard appearance. "Robin? What's going on?"

Knowing speech was far beyond her comprehension at this point, Robin pulled Elizabeth into a hug and held on for dear life.

Elizabeth returned the hug. She gently pulled her friend into the house, kicking the door shut with her foot. "Robin? Sweets what's wrong? Did something happen to Morgan?"

Trembling furiously, Robin managed a weak, "No," and felt her legs go out from under her for the second time in less than an hour. It was a miracle in itself she had made it this far; she knew she could go no further.

"Whoa. Hold on there." Elizabeth attempted to hold her friend steady. "Come on sit down and tell me what's going on."

Robin shook her head not because she wanted to keep the morning's events a secret but because she didn't know if she could get through a full sentence and be understood. Collapsing onto the couch, her arms still wrapped around her friend's tiny waist, she squeezed her eyes shut.

"You'll feel better if you just say it. I promise."

Now that Robin knew to be a lie. She didn't want to think it, let alone say it! The scene kept playing over and over in her mind. She tried to make sense of it, but she was at a loss. The stupid part of her brain insisted that there must have been something she could have done differently to change the outcome.

Elizabeth decided to stay silent and concentrate on rubbing Robin's arm. When Robin was ready to talk she would. If it wasn't Morgan, then what could have rattled her so much? As soon as the question formed in her mind, the answer came to her.. Patrick. This had to involve Patrick.

"I di-di-didn't know where else to go." Robin admitted. Letting her head fall forward, she ignored the scratchy, drenched strands of her hair that shielded her face from her friend's questioning gaze.

"It's fine. We'll run Lucky out of his own home. It will be fun."

A manic cry escaped Robin's lips and she covered her face with her hands, bending in half. She couldn't even sit up, the weight on her shoulders was so damn strong.

"Sweetie. Just tell me what's going on."

"History repeated itself." Robin choked out, rubbing her fingers over the rough denim of her blue jean skirt.

"What happened with Patrick?"

"He was in bed with some woman." Robin answered matter-of-factly. If she just stuck to the facts, she might be able to pick herself back up..

Elizabeth took a quick intake of breath. Images of her own past with Max flashed in front of her eyes. Biting her lip, she tried to concentrate on Robin's pain. This wasn't the time to wallow in her past. "Start from the beginning."

"I don't know where that is. It's all a jumbled mess of thoughts.. It's hard..." Robin told her.

"Take a breath and try."

Forcing a strong intake of oxygen into her shattered body, she let her eyes open. "He took Morgan and me home last night." Lifting her head a fraction of an inch, she caught Elizabeth's worried stare and cringed. "We thought Morgan was asleep...but he wasn't and I had to go and rock him back to sleep. He had a nightmare. I accidentally fell asleep and when I woke up, Patrick was gone."

"Ok. So I guess you went to find him?"

"It didn't take a genius to figure out he went home and crashed. So I called my Uncle Mac and got him to bring me my car...since Patrick drove us home. The door was locked, but I found a way in." Her voice was so flat and emotionless Robin started to wonder if she was actually the one speaking.

"And that's when you found..." Elizabeth let her voice trail off, not sure if she could say the words.

"That's when I found him with a woman. He was in his boxers and she wasn't wearing anything at all." Robin swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with tears even though she was sure she had driven them all away.

Elizabeth winced in pain, tightly closing her eyes. "You caused a scene didn't you?"

"I tried to run away, but I flipped over a suitcase and cried out. I woke them both up." Robin recalled vaguely, wishing she had thrown something. She had been in far too much shock to even think of that.

"What happened? Did he say anything?"

"He basically told me it...wasn't what it looked like." Robin replied, shaking even harder as a series of sobs overtook her body.

Of all the things to say, he couldn't have come up with something original at least? She kept hearing about Patrick's smooth reputation. It would be nice if she could see evidence of it. Elizabeth pulled Robin closer to her. "What did he claim it was then?"

"A setup of all things. He said that she has been stalking him for a year because he ended things with her." Robin explained, resting her cheek on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"A stalker? Well I give him points on originality there. That is a new one." Elizabeth rubber her friend's arm. "Did the tramp have anything to say?"

"She made some sick comment about what she wanted Patrick to do to her." Robin swallowed hard when she felt bile rising in her throat as the memory assaulted her senses.

"Oh gross. I think we need to introduce her to Cameron's horse."

Robin thought she smiled a little, but it was really anyone's guess. "I'm just glad they didn't make a show of it for my benefit. He was such an asshole toward her, blamed her for the entire thing." She sighed irritably.

"Class act there Drake." Elizabeth sighed. "I'm sure she just broke into his place and stripped naked. Typical male fantasy."

"Oh, you should have heard some of his conspiracy theories."

"I'm sorry, I thought he was God's gift to women and once you went Patrick you never went back?"

"If I didn't know what he was capable of, I might have believed him." Robin was ashamed to admit it, but there it was.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrow at this admission. After all Logan had done and she would have been willing to forgive him? "Why do say that?"

"Weakness I have to those Drake men I guess." Robin answered point-blank.

Lucky came down the steps and stopped in shock when he noticed a second person sitting on his couch. He had been almost positive Elizabeth had been joking when she threatened to call Robin to pick her up. What was she doing here? It was only then he noticed Robin's red eyes and nose. His mind raced with questions. What was Robin doing here and why was she so obviously upset? And why wasn't Patrick dealing with this? "Robin?" he questioned as he made he way down the last few stairs. "What's going on?"

"She just needed a friend." Elizabeth explained.

"Did you know?" Robin inquired, meeting Lucky's confused eyes with a pair of fierce ones.

"Did I know what?" No wonder Patrick wasn't dealing with this, Lucky realized. His cousin was most likely behind this. Robin only ever attacked him when one of his cousins were involved.

"That Patrick was sleeping with someone else." Robin clarified with a wave of her hands.

"That…Patrick…that…what? What are you talking about?"

"Did you, or did you not, know that your cousin was sleeping with someone else?" Robin repeated.

"And don't think about covering for him if you did." Elizabeth narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her as she stood behind Robin.

"Cover for what? I don't have a clue what you're talking about! He's not even made a comment about his clients in months." Lucky looked directly into Robin's eyes. "Patrick is crazy about you. He wouldn't cheat."

"Tell that to the naked floozy in bed with him." Robin challenged, planting her hands on her hips.

"The who?" Lucky shook his head. Patrick was going to so owe him for this. "Can we please start this conversation over? Like at the beginning?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Robin went to Patrick's place this morning. She found him in bed with another woman." She paused for emphasis. "A naked other woman."

Well that explained why Robin was alternating between tears and anger. "What exactly did he say?" If he was going to defend his cousin's behavior he may as well know exactly what had happened.

"That it was a setup. He had no idea how she had gotten in his bed." Robin replied without hesitation. If there was a real explanation, she was willing to hear Lucky out.

"Oh don't forget the stalker theory." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "That was my favorite one."

"Stalker?" Lucky felt his stomach begin to drop.

"He wanted me to believe that she snuck into his twenty-story apartment and was trying to get back at him for breaking up with her. Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?" She asked Lucky.

"He didn't happen to say her name was Emily, did he?" Lucky asked hesitantly. The favor Patrick was going to owe him was getting bigger and bigger.

"He mentioned it. Why?" Robin prodded.

Elizabeth looked at him with questions in her eyes. Lucky groaned and sank down into the chair. "Sit down. I can explain everything."

Despite the hour, the studio was dark when they returned to it. The shades were drawn and the lights weren't a necessity as Patrick reached behind Robin and locked the front door, pressing her into it with the side of his hip. Cradling her face in his big hands, he tilted her head back and pressed a lingering kiss to her gentle lips. Her hands fell down his chest and she carefully unfastened each button, reveling in the feel of his tongue dueling with hers. Crooking his finger around a belt loop on the front of the denim skirt, he pulled her closer, groaning when her body melted into his. Desperate to have his hands on bare skin, he unraveled the knot holding her sheer blouse together and eased it off her shoulders. Pulling the black strip of silk she wore beneath the blouse over her head, he strummed his fingers back and forth across the hem of her matching black bra.

Snatching his hand, she led him through the living room and up the stairs. Once they reached the top step, he latched her to him and danced her backwards into his bedroom, not bothering with the door. Tumbling onto the mattress, they inched toward the foot of the bed and started to undress each other. As he reached between their bodies to unsnap the button of her skirt, she shoved his gunmetal gray shirt off his shoulders, meeting his lips roughly, and crawled onto his lap in order to latch her legs around his waist. He could feel her aching above him and strained to get closer, deliberately thrusting against her. She started to withdraw but he countered the movement by massaging the back of her neck and fusing their lips together. Her knees stabbed into his thighs as she suddenly shifted and he moaned in response, wrapping her securely in his arms.

Convincing her to lean back, he broke their kiss and dropped his lips to her neck. Having discovered a piece of tender flesh at the base of her shoulder, he was compelled to turn his attention to her skirt when he heard her gasp. Fighting the zipper at the front of her skirt, he accidentally broke it off and had to jerk the material down her body, watching her eyes flutter as he removed the next barrier between them. She reached for the button on his black slacks, but his sudden movement deterred her and she fell onto her back in exasperation.

Kneading her right foot with one hand, Patrick used his free hand to pat her ankle sympathetically and worked her toes up and back in a soothing rhythm. Lowering his mouth to her instep and blowing a breath over her skin, he noticed her start to tremble. Repeating the action with her other foot, he used his free hand to rub against the inside of her left thigh and snagged the lacy panties down and off. Climbing up her body, he left a trail of kisses in his wake, focusing on each area only long enough to extract a whimper from her before moving on. Once they were face-to-face again, she flipped him onto his back and stabbed her tongue inside his mouth to evoke his powdered sugar taste and let it intoxicate her.

Sucking on her bottom lip, he stroked her left hip gingerly and shuddered when she bent her leg and pressed herself more intimately against him. He waited for her to rub her luscious tongue over his once more and then captured it with his teeth, holding her mouth hostage. Thoroughly distracted, she didn't notice his hands come up behind her, but she was well aware of the bolder of the two hands when it spanned across her bottom and crept beneath her. Panting, she tried to take control of the kiss and felt her thighs start to quiver. When he finally released her swollen tongue, she was glaring at him.

His index and middle fingers hovered over her drenched center and she tucked her face into the crook of his shoulder, her body humming with anticipation as she struggled to breathe. He let his nails tentatively caress every bit of searing flesh, nuzzling her cheek with his nose, his voice as faint as a whisper, ""Vous ça aimez?"

"Yes." She answered just as quietly, grabbing his wrist helplessly.

"Etes-vous sûr?" He inquired, meeting her lips in a smoldering kiss.

"God yes." She insisted in a wobbly voice.

"Vous êtes si jolis." He praised unconditionally, rubbing his knuckles up and down the inside of her thighs, ignoring his first instinct to rush.

She blushed and shook her head, dislodging their lips and triggering a grumble from her boyfriend.

"Vous êtes." He insisted, barely entering her with the tip of his middle knuckle. At the slight intrusion, she bit into her lip and clutched his wrist tighter. "Vous êtes si jolis." When she still didn't look convinced, he admitted, "Je n'ai jamais voulu de femme autant que je vous veux." Taking his hand out from under her, he intertwined their fingers and pressed the heel of her hand into the bulge of his pants, his breath whistling through his teeth. Her lips curved into a sexy little smile and she obediently laid down, the glint in her eyes promising retribution later on.

Frustrated that she was still partially dressed, Patrick unsnapped the front hook of her bra and buried his face in-between her breast, listening to Robin giggle as he made ridiculous attempts to rest against one while sucking the other. He ran his thumb over one puckering nipple and brought it to his ardent mouth. His lips didn't envelope her breast completely, but his tongue began teasing her ruthlessly. "J'aime vos seins. Je veux les mettre dans ma bouche et les sucer durement." Without waiting for her response, he closed his mouth around her nipple and put his words to action.

"Patrick?" Robin's voice tore through his thoughts and he glanced up at her inquisitively. Now that she had his attention, she felt as if her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. As she slid her fingers leisurely through his uncombed hair, she let him rest his chin on the tips of each of her thumbs. "I love you." She told him.

"I love you too sweetheart." Patrick replied unfalteringly, kissing the inside of her palms. "Now, if you don't mind, can I make love to you now?" He asked in a light tone, trademark dimple in place.

"Oh, I suppose." Robin rolled her eyes in mock irritation and watched him lean across the bed to get a condom.

"Here, you hold this." Patrick advised, handing her the little foil package while he returned his fingers to rest between her legs. Slipping two inside of her and finding no resistance, he plucked them back and forth, back and forth, back and--paused to hear her strangled cry--forth. He could feel the tension building as her thighs started to quake together and took the opportunity to plunge his tongue between them. Strawberries, he thought faintly, and started to suck her in the exact same fashion.

Robin wasn't sure when she started begging him, "Please," but he was deliberately sluggish crawling up to her mouth and taking the condom from her. She worried that the waves attacking her would surely leave her before Patrick got the picture, but then she saw the foil wrapper fly onto the floor and felt him push her legs apart and settle between them. He was holding himself back, just the head of his shaft actually inside of her, and her orgasm was starting to ebb. I always knew your patience would kill me, she muttered, and his laugh proved that she had said the words aloud. She sighed in contentment when her body started to accept him fully. Leaning up, dragged from her position by an unseen force, a desperate need, she held his face between her hands and kissed him slowly letting her tongue mimic the teasing and straining pull of their lower bodies.

"Don't fight it babe." Patrick pleaded, surging toward her. It wasn't until he said that words that she realized that's exactly what she was doing…unintentionally, but all the same.

"Oh, my god." Robin fell back onto a lone pillow and squeezed her eyes shut, sighing as he stroked up and down her legs, arranging them on either side of his hips. Suddenly he wasn't close enough and she was reaching for him almost frantically, biting back the threatening cry only to hear it pounding in her ears a second later.

"I'm right here. Come for me." Patrick murmured, his voice acting as her only lifeline as she convulsed beneath him. "That's it. That's right." He rocked against her one more time and felt her resolve break, moaned at the sensation of her wrapping him in the wet glove of her body. Using words and slow, careful movements to reassure her, he thrust deeper, some irrational part of his brain wanting to touch a place inside of her that had never been touched before to the point that he knew he couldn't stop until he achieved his goal.

Whipping her head back, she let the orgasm take full control of her body, barely acknowledging it as her second one in a matter of minutes. Patrick was sweaty under her fingertips and she could feel him shaking. Hugging him to her, she licked and nipped at his neck, letting her body rub against his in a circular motion that had them both screaming in anticipation and sweet, throbbing pain as their bodies met again and again, each time more incredible than the one before it.

Her arms began to slacken and she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, hearing their choppy breaths fall into sync as they returned to the here and now ever so slowly. He eased her onto her back with the last of his remaining strength and discarded the condom into the trashcan he kept by his bed. It took a minute or two, but she was able to get the blankets up and over them before sleep overtook her. "Love you." She whispered.

"Love you too." Patrick repeated, resting his cheek against the top of her head and closing his eyes.


	108. Headstrong

"A flat screen TV?" Lucky questioned.

"Can't you buy that on your own?" Elizabeth shook her head. "No when you cash in a favor it has to be a good one. Something that you can't provide yourself." She rolled her eyes. "Must I teach you everything?"

"I recall a few subjects you seem to think I've mastered." Lucky retorted in a knowing voice, causing Elizabeth to blush. She did have a point about the favor. Talking down his hysterical cousin's girlfriend was not in his job description. Suddenly an inspiration stuck him. "Free baby-sitting for a year."

"Now you're thinking." Elizabeth nodded approvingly. "And throw in some play dates with Lance and Morgan while you're at it."

"At Chuck E. Cheese."

"Do you want him to still like you after he's done repaying you?"

Lucky had to admit she had a point. Patrick may owe him but he was still family. If he made this too much fun, Christmas was going to be downright uncomfortable. "Ok fine. McDonald's play land."

Elizabeth leaned over and kissed his cheek. "For being so reasonable, I'll even let you throw in ice cream."

Lucky wiggled his eyebrows and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to his lap. "Oh you will, will you?" She began to squirm against his hold as he began to tickle her sides. Elizabeth managed to break free long enough to fall back further on the couch. Not one to give up easily, Lucky continued his advance, capturing her with little effort on his part.

They continued to wrestle around the couch, flipping positions, until Elizabeth grasped at his hands, panting for breath. "Mercy. Mercy." She begged.

Lucky leaned over her, pushing her hips down into the cushions with the gentlest of pressure. Their eyes locked together, noticing for the first time just how their bodies were aligned. He lowered himself closer to her as she began to run her hands up his arms towards his shoulders. A millimeter from her lips, he paused.

"Do you really want mercy?" he whispered.

"Over-rated concept." Elizabeth managed to get out, lacing her finger in his hair.

"Damn good answer." He crushed his mouth to hers with abandon. It had been far too long since he had really thoroughly kissed her. Her fingers ran through his hair as they re-acquainted themselves with how each one tasted. Their tongues tangled together, a battle of dominance and submission raging between them.

His hands snuck under the stripped button down shirt she wore, squeezing the flesh he found there, pushing the fabric up by inches as he moved his hands to her waist before moving them back down to her hips and dipping his fingers lightly under the waistband of her jeans. He broke away from her mouth and immediately began to suck and nip at her neck.

Elizabeth's breaths were still coming in pants, but now for entirely different reasons. She looped one leg around his hip, trying to steady herself. When she felt his fingers trace a path from her hips to just below her navel, she couldn't repress the moan that escaped and she felt herself being pushed deeper into the cushions. "God...Lucky..." She pulled his face towards her, managing to rise up enough to capture his lips with her own. Pulling back, she managed to speak one word. "Cameron."

"He's asleep." Lucky bit at her earlobe.

"You're sure?" She could barely concentrate on forming the words. With one hand, she scratched at the back of his neck.

"Yes." He resumed his attention to her neck, steadily working his way down to the first button of her shirt. Her hands slipped underneath the blue t-shirt he wore.

"What is this garbage all over my newspaper?" Tony Grimes shouted, throwing the door open in an obvious rage, flinging the rolled-up, aforementioned paper at the couch.

The newspaper bounced off of Lucky's head with a resounding thump. Rubbing his head, he untangled himself from Elizabeth as quickly as he could manage it. Elizabeth managed to sit up, but scooted herself behind him, trying to block Tony's view of her straightening out her shirt.  
"Tony, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I don't want to discuss it in front of her." Tony countered, folding his arms and nodded in Elizabeth's direction.

"Too bad. I guess you'll be leaving then."

"Lucky really, I can just go..." She was stumped. Somehow she got the distinct impression suggesting she could check on Cameron or wait upstairs would not help Tony Grimes' obvious foul mood. "To the kitchen. I can go to the kitchen."

Turning to look her in the eye, Lucky shook his head. "Elizabeth this is my house and he's the one that wasn't invited. You don't have to go anywhere."

"This has nothing to do with you, Miss. This is about my grandson." Tony griped at her.

"Whatever you want to say about my son, you can say in front of Elizabeth. If it's what I think this is about, she's involved anyway." Lucky picked up the paper that had fallen on the floor.

"Perhaps relocating Cameron until this whole thing blows over is the best thing to do." Tony suggested, though his tone said he had already made up his mind.

"I suppose you think that means letting him leave with you?" Lucky snorted. "Over my dead body."

"Ironically, it's over my daughter's that I have the ability to take Cameron away from you." Tony pointed out coldly.

"Don't you even try it." Lucky's eyes hardened into two laser cut emeralds.

"I have no intention of fighting for custody, but I deserve an explanation." Tony gave in.

"Someone at L&B was talking too much about my leave and a reporter overheard. They don't know who Cameron is and they will give up before they find out anything more."

"You don't know that. You've said that since you got involved with Jess. Now everything is out of hand." Tony accused harshly.

"This isn't my fault."

"Whose is it then, Lucky? Can you answer me that?"

"It was an accident." Elizabeth offered. "No one planned for that to happen."

"Did you become a detective when I wasn't looking? Because I don't remember you being there when that flat foot showed up at our house and told us that our daughter was dead." Tony didn't understand why they were wasting his time when this new squeeze would be gone as quick as all the rest.

"Jess was in a car accident." Lucky pointed out. "Key word is accident."

"How long until Cameron becomes a casualty to your fame game too?"

"Cameron is always my top concern."

"You'll forgive me if I have a hard time believing that." Tony replied dryly.

"You'll forgive me if I don't give a rat's ass." The other man had never believed a word he had ever told him. Lucky had accepted long ago there was never going to be any changing Tony's mind.

"I just need to know that you can make this go away. You promised me that after Jess died you would give Cameron the kind of life he deserved." Tony reminded him.

"He'll have it. Something else will get everyone talking and this will be long forgotten."

"I hope so...for Cameron's sake." Tony walked out before the young couple could pass judgment on him, any more than they already had.

Lucky sank back on the couch, resting his head on the back cushion. Closing his eyes, he put his hands behind his head. "I thought I locked that door."

"You did but you had to unlock it to let Patrick in." Elizabeth sat down next to Lucky resting her hand on his knee.

"That's it. I'm adding three more months to his free babysitting."

Elizabeth chewed the bottom of her lip. Hesitantly she started to speak. "So, that was..." Her voice trailed off as she searched for the right word. "Intense. That was intense."

Lucky snorted. That wasn't intense for Tony. That had downright been a walk in the park holding hands in comparison to some other conversations he had with Jess's father. If Elizabeth thought that was intense, he would have loved for her to hear the blow by blow account of the discussion they had when he showed up after Atlantic City. "That was Tony."

"Has it always been like this between you?" She wasn't sure how far she should push this conversation. Did she really want to get into his relationship with Jess's father when she hadn't figured out how much she wanted to know about his relationship with Jess? However if the man was going to throw items at her when he saw her, she should at least have some idea of what was ahead.

Lucky paused to consider his answer. Sighing, he looked into her blue eyes. "More or less. We've never been the best of friends. I think he hated me from the second we met and it's gotten progressively worse since then."

"All dads are tough on their daughter's boyfriends." Elizabeth gently reminded him. "Has your dad ever approved of anyone Lulu dated?"

"No." Lucky admitted with a chuckle. The day Luke actually approved of anyone, Lulu should run for the hills. Luke's approval would be the green light his mother needed to start planning her only daughter's wedding. "But none of them have gone and got her pregnant either."

Elizabeth could just imagine her own father's reaction if she had become pregnant during college. The phrase "shotgun wedding" would most certainly become a reality. "That does put a different spin on it."

"He probably would have calmed down about Cameron eventually if we hadn't also decided not to get married." Lucky closed his eyes at the memory. Sometimes late at night, he could still hear the curses Tony had thrown at him that day. "Doesn't matter to Tony that it was both of our decisions and it was the best one for everyone. The fact Jess was an unwed mother, to him, is my fault and a glaring example of my emotional immaturity and self-centeredness." Tony could actually write an entire book and give master level classes on how to insult the father of your grandchild, but Lucky was only going to stick to more polite terms the other man had called him. It was safer that way.

They weren't getting married? Elizabeth's brow crinkled in confusion. Lisa had seemed so adamant that Lucky and Jess had been days away from announcing their engagement. Maybe he was just referring to their initial decision when they found out about Cameron. "He had to know you had your reasons."

"Apparently being over for good didn't qualify as a reason for Tony. He brought it up her entire pregnancy."

"And when Cameron was born?"

"Oh he loves Cameron." It would be easier on him if Tony had taken no interest in his grandson. But for all the other man's faults, he was a good grandfather. "But it didn't mellow him. He was worse almost. Every decision we made, he questioned." Lucky paused and amended his statement. "Alright every decision I made he questioned. Not moving to Jess's town. Staying working with Ned and not joining him in his company. It didn't matter what I did, it wasn't' enough. It won't ever be enough for him."

"He probably just hated to see his daughter was growing up. You and Cameron were the most visible proof of that."

"No he hated me before Cameron. Had we not had Cameron he would have been thrilled that we decided to call it quits."

"But you reconsidered..."

Lucky shot her a quizzical look. "For like a minute when we found out about Cameron. But that was it. Nothing had changed."

Now she was truly lost. "But I thought...I mean Lisa...you didn't reconsider?"

"No. Why would you think we did? How would you even know we did?"

Why did he always catch her looking like a total moron? And why did he always make it impossible for her to finish these types of conversations with any sort of grace or dignity in tact? If she didn't know better she would swear it was a plan of his or something. An evil plan to make her look ridiculously stupid so he could look smarter than her at all times, as if he had some sort of brain damage. She glanced down at the floor, becoming fascinated by the contrast of her black shoes against the beige carpet.

"Elizabeth?" Lucky reached out a hand to make her look at him, but she guessed his intent and moved her chin quickly. He decided to grab her hand before she could realize what he was planning. "Elizabeth? Who told you Jess and I thought about getting married?"

Elizabeth looked away from him and stared at a picture on the far wall. She sighed realizing yet again, she was the one to look completely ridiculous here. "That day I found you in the courtyard. I talked to Lisa before finding you."

"Lisa?"

"Yeah turns out she's a little nosy when it comes to who is dating her grandson's father. And she wanted to make sure I understood this great love the two of you had and how important Cameron was because of that." She decided to leave out her impression of the other woman inferring she would never measure up to Jess's memory.

"Lisa told you we considered getting married?" This didn't make much sense. Lisa hadn't been thrilled with their decision. None of their parents had but his dad and Lisa had been the first ones to come around to the decision.

"She said that right before Jess's accident you two hadn't been fighting as much. Jess had said something about an announcement she had for them."

Lucky shook his head. Typical Jess move, leading up to life changing news with cryptic, vague statements. He could remember well when she started to tell him about her pregnancy. He sighed. "Jess was planning on going to graduate school. We had been fighting because she wanted to go to the University of Oregon and take Cameron with her. Right before the accident, she gotten a great offer from NYU she was going to take. That's why we stopped fighting."

Why did he always have an explanation that made her feel ridiculous? Graduate school? The announcement had been about graduate school? "So you two weren't considering getting back together?"

"No. We were over long before Cameron came and he didn't change the reasons we broke up."

"Oh." Elizabeth could feel the blush rising on her cheeks. She had imagined this conversation as embarrassing but this was surpassing every disaster fantasy she had come up with. Maybe just this once he would let her change the subject. Did the phrase 'how about them Cubs?' work in real life?

"Elizabeth? Have you been worried about this since then?" Even though she shook her head, Lucky knew she was lying. It was her eyes, he decided. She couldn't hide anything there. They would always give her away. "Why didn't you just ask me?"

It was on the tip of her tongue to be a smart ass about Cameron being in the hospital at the time but it wasn't even close to time to bring that up in any sort of joking manner. "See this is why we always failed on my rules. I always conveniently convinced myself they didn't matter."

"What else did you convince yourself wasn't important?" He held up to stop the protest he could see forming on her lips. "I already know there's something else so you might as well tell all now."

How was it that when he who screwed up, he couldn't figure it out to save his life, yet when it was her, he could figure this out in less time to solve a badly plotted murder mystery? "Why did you break up? When?"

"We broke up right after graduation. About a month before she found out she was pregnant. Why did we break up?" Lucky shrugged. "At the time it was just what we did but this time I think we both knew it was over. We didn't share any interests anymore. Any time we did spend together we were fighting. It was just time."

"Did you love her?" She hadn't meant to ask it. It had just slipped out but there it sat. And now she had to sit in agony as he considered his answer.

Had he? It wasn't the first time he had considered that very question. He knew Cameron would most likely ask him that one day when he was old enough to understand. He couldn't deny he had been attracted to Jess. She had been beautiful, vivacious, impossible to ignore. When they weren't busy pissing each other off, he had found her funny, charming and could even admire her stubborn nature. But love her? Lucky couldn't deny he had said those words to her, but had he meant them or just said them because it was what was expected of him? "I thought I did. And maybe I did in a way."

Could she live with a "loved her in a way"? Judging by the relief that flooded through her when Lucky made that statement, Elizabeth realized she could more than live with it. The other questions that had been plaguing her since her conversation with Lisa faded to the back of her mind as meaningless. She wouldn't ask them and she knew they wouldn't keep her up at night. Trying her best to keep the grin off her face, she nodded at him and met his eye for the first time since they started talking about Jess. "Ok."

"Anything else?"

She shook her head and moved closer to him. "Nope. I'm good."

"You sure?"

Inching closer to him, she bit her lip as she looked into his eyes with mischief in them.

"Well maybe there is one thing." She leaned towards his ear and whispered to him, "What exactly were we doing before Tony came in?"


	109. Let It All Out

The knife was heavy in her hand as she chopped up a handful of carrots for the soup. The dinner itself wouldn't take more than half an hour to make and that was mostly because she was extra sluggish in her preparation tonight. Reaching for the next carrot, she shaved off the gritty first layer into the sink, flipped the garbage disposal, and turned on the faucet to dull the sound and wash away the leftovers. Once she was satisfied, she clicked it off and placed the carrot on the cutting board, her mind a million miles away.

More specifically, nine miles, two left turns, and one long stoplight away. All she had to do was close her eyes--not the smartest thing to do when she was handling a sharp object--and she would be back in Patrick's apartment. Though she hadn't ever thought the studio was that big before, they had managed to have sex on every surface in the place. Her cheeks grew hot when she let herself really think about all that had been done and said in the span of a day, not even, more like eighteen hours. She had told him that she loved him and he had said it back, not just repeating the words, but actually meaning them. It had been obvious in the way he touched her, the way he spoke to her. Who would have thought playboy Patrick Drake would take the time to learn some of the most erotic phrases in French for her and her alone? His effort made her feel special; his intent made her feel beautiful.

And he'll be here for dinner, she recalled dreamily. That was why she supposed she couldn't focus on the simple task of preparing the easiest meal she could make. Every time she started to think in measurements or degrees, her brain would get foggy and she would have to pinch herself. Quite literally considering how red her left arm already was. All she had to do was throw the carrots in and let the food cook in perfect harmony together. Finish the carrots, damn it! Up until the point where she set the knife down and started playing with the tip of the vegetable she had thought she was successful in blocking out all distractions. Clearly not! She had never realized just how insatiable she actually was. And Patrick was just as bad.

She was being a damned fool, but she couldn't seem to help herself. Why she had fought this feeling as long as she had would remain a mystery. Masochism only went so far, right? Speaking of how far, a naughty voice teased, licking at her curiosity like a flame to a log. It wasn't as if she was a stranger to Patrick's body, not after today, but she bet there were still a lot of things they could try that she hadn't even thought about. This was what happened when two intelligent, creative people were put together: good things started to happen for them.

The front door opened and closed before she even knew what was happening. Dropping the knife when she felt a hand wrap around her waist and pull her backwards, she fought back for a second before his voice caught her attention, "Still thinking about that shower?" Leave it to Patrick to show up now of all times. All she had wanted was to get the dinner in the pan and have a nice glass of wine. Now she was flustered and…yep she was crying. Confused at her dawning reaction, Patrick lifted her chin with his thumb and caught her stare. "Did I scare you?" He asked in a remorseful voice.

"Of course not. Onions." Robin shook her head and dumped the carrots into the pan, setting the burner on medium heat. She knew he wouldn't let her go, but she really wanted to put some distance between them.

"I'm an idiot. I didn't think." Patrick apologized, nuzzling her neck with his nose. "You just looked so cute in your little apron, all caught up in your thoughts."

"I'm glad you're here." Robin admitted, leaning into him slightly to show that she was telling the truth and had missed him greatly.

"Smells good." Patrick whispered.

"I hope you like soup." Robin replied.

"What?" Patrick inquired, distracted.

"Did you have any clients when I left?" Robin wondered, stricken with an unfamiliar case of awkwardness.

"No, I don't want to talk about work." Patrick countered, turning her mouth into his to kiss her gingerly. Sliding her arms around his neck, Robin stood on tiptoe to deepen the kiss. Walking her away from the searing pot, he tucked her into a small corner at the back of the kitchen.

"We can talk about other things." Robin said through frenzied kisses. "News. Weather. The coming of the Apocalypse."

"The only coming I'm worried about is ours." Patrick answered honestly, cupping her face in his hands and sliding his leg between hers.

"Oh." Robin whimpered into his mouth as his knee brushed intimately against her thighs. She could already feel her resolve breaking dramatically. At the scraping of his fingers over her clothed yet vulnerable breast, she dropped one hand to his tie and started yanking it apart.

"Careful there. I don't think we're quite ready for S&M." Patrick mumbled teasingly against her cheek.

"What is it with the kitchen?" Robin heard herself ask, knowing that he would understand. She had been in her kitchen when she and Patrick had first kissed. They had ended up in the kitchen the night of whipped cream and too much wine. She had been in Lucky's kitchen when Patrick had come over to apologize for the misunderstanding with Emily. When he had caught her downstairs in his kitchen making them a snack, they had decided to christen every surface of the apartment. No wonder she had always been drawn to this room: she had been waiting for Patrick to join her here.

"Easy access to sweet things." Patrick figured, fingering the buttons on her sheer white blouse. She tilted her head then to give him better access to her neck and shivered when he took the hint.

Robin didn't wonder aloud how she had made it as long as she had without him, just chalked up those lonely years to preparation for what she had found with Patrick. Giving up on the tie for the moment, she pulled the ends of his shirt until they broke free of his pants and ran her hands up his chest.

"That must be it." Robin agreed, smiling when he lifted her off of her feet and placed her on the end of the counter. Kneeing her legs apart, he settled against her as if he belonged there, and drank desperately from her mouth.

"Never enough." Patrick muttered almost inaudibly, tangling one hand in her hair while the other dipped beneath the waistband of her black leggings. His hand was cold against her skin, setting off a string of shivers that she couldn't suppress.

The steam from the soup enhanced the heat between them, wrapping around them like a warm blanket. In a matter of seconds, the tiny space seemed to double as a sauna. Clothing was torn away, buttons were lost, hands started to roam expertly, and breaths mingled as the temperature continued to spike.

"Patrick, we've got to stop." Robin declared, shoving at his bare shoulders with enough force to make him raise his head from her breast.

"Are you crazy? Why the hell should we stop?" Patrick challenged stubbornly.

"Dinner is going to burn--" Robin began.

"Let it. I'll cook you whatever you want." Patrick insisted, his mouth finding hers without incident.

"We aren't alone in the apartment." Robin pointed out, having realized it but not bringing attention to it until now. It might already be too late, she mused. There was little common sense to be found in her swimming brain what with her body trying to take over. She couldn't ignore the incredulity in Patrick's eyes as he watched her start to withdraw even as he continued to kiss her.

"We'll just be quiet." Patrick suggested, unable to keep the desperation out of his tone.

"I can't be quiet." Robin admitted bashfully.

"We'll be quick." Patrick offered, trying another approach.

"No." Robin shook her head. "We're not going to cheapen it."

_"Cheapen it?"_ Patrick repeated in a strangled voice.

"Can you hold out until after dinner?" Robin asked, though she wasn't leaving him much choice.

"No." Patrick pouted.

"I'll make it worth your while." Robin promised provocatively.

"Robin." Patrick whined, resting his forehead against hers.

"Thank you." Robin patted his back and hopped off of the counter, her muscles protesting.

His sister had often accused him of decorating Cameron's room as if he was thirteen instead of three. While most of his friends had rooms decorated with cartoon characters, superheroes, or animals, Cameron's walls were a plain dark blue. His artwork decorated the otherwise bare walls, mounted with thumbtacks. Toys littered the floor, and a small TV and DVD player sat on top of a red dresser. Lucky tended to defend his decorating style by claiming he was preparing Cameron for the future when the truth was his father had not one ounce of decorating sense.

Cameron sat up in his bed, the train-covered sheets pushed down towards his feet. A scowl covered his normally smiling face as he attempted to color with his left hand, not his usual hand. He was finding it difficult to balance the coloring book between the two casts that covered half of his body.

Lucky made his way into his son's room, sitting down on the bed carefully so as to not disrupt the delicate balance of crayon, coloring book and three-year-old. "What you doing there?"

"I not color no more." Cameron tossed the yellow crayon to the ground in a huff. "Stupid crayons."

"Hey buddy. You may be still hurt but the rules still apply here. No throwing." Lucky bent down to retrieve the victimized crayon. Catching sight of Cameron's defeated face as he straighten up, Lucky pulled his son close to him. "I know it sucks when you can't do what you want."

Cameron nodded against his father's chest. "I want to color."

"I know Champ. I know. And you will. These casts aren't forever and you'll be good as new. Until then we just got to be creative. We'll have to find some new ways to play ok?"

"Promise Daddy?"

"I promise." With a final squeeze, Lucky released Cameron from his arms. He would figure out someway for Cameron to do the things he loved to do while he was healing. Well everything but ride horses. That was still on the over his dead body list. Surely Elizabeth would know something he could try. "Maybe Miss Elizabeth could help us out."

He kept one eye on Cameron's face as he spoke. It was only an instant, but he finally saw it. The glare Elizabeth swore appeared every time she was near Cameron showed itself at last. Damn if she wasn't right. That was one intimidating look his son shot. Lucky was completely confused. Last year Cameron wouldn't be quiet about Elizabeth and now this was the look he got whenever her name was even mentioned? What was going on? "Hey. What's that look about?"

He apparently inherited more than his Aunt Lulu's love of horses. Cameron began to look at everything but his father, just like Lulu continued to do from a bad grade down to and including wrecking the family car. "Cameron. What's going on?"

"Is it Miss Elizabeth? Is that why you're so quiet?" He prodded, noticing the glare's return the second he mentioned Elizabeth's name. "Cameron I thought you liked Miss Elizabeth when she was your teacher."

Cameron nodded, still not meeting Lucky's eyes. It was a start at least. He didn't hate her outright like she swore he did. "Is this because we are dating? Do you not like that?"

With his lower lip sticking out, Cameron glanced quickly in his father's eyes and shook his head, curls bouncing around his head.

"Why not?" Somehow this was his father's fault and Lucky swore he was going to make him pay for it. If his father had just kept his big mouth shut, then he would have had more time to get Cameron used to his idea, instead of just springing it on him.

With sad eyes, Cameron finally met Lucky's eyes for longer than a second. "You'll go away."

"What? Cameron I'm not going anywhere."

Stubbornly, Cameron shook his head. "No. You date her. You get married and then you leave me. You have other kids and you no see me anymore."

"Cameron." Lucky pulled his son back to him, feeling the tears start to wet his shirt. "Where did you get an idea like that?" he asked softly.

"Kristina."

Kristina? Cameron hadn't seen Kristina since the night of the back to school festival. Which was also around the time Elizabeth started to swear Cameron hated her. It was all starting to make sense now. "What did Kristina tell you?"

"That her daddy dated. And then he got married and didn't see her no more."

Lucky silently cursed Sonny Corinthos. How was it possible that even locked away for life, he could still screw with people's lives? Making a mental note to enlighten Alexis on her daughter's view of parenting and remarriage, Lucky pulled back just enough from Cameron to look his son in the eyes. "I'm very sorry that happened to Kristina but that's not going to happen with you and me."

"But Kristina..."

"Cameron, it's not going to happen with us. You aren't getting rid of me, even when you are old and too cool to hang out with me anymore. End of story. We are stuck like glue." Seeing Cameron hesitantly smile, Lucky cocked one eyebrow. "That's why you've been so mean to Miss Elizabeth lately? You were afraid she would take me away?"

At Cameron's brief nod, Lucky sighed. "Cams, she isn't going to take me away. You know you are the reason we even met in the first place. And she was at the hospital with you the entire time." He placed one finger under Cameron's chin. "I promise you she won't. Ok?"

"Ok." Lucky wasn't a fool. He knew this wasn't the end of this, but at least now he had some idea of how to handle this situation. Elizabeth could understand this and at least she would be reassured that Cameron did not in fact hate her. It would take some time for Cameron to be truly ok with this but at least now they could start.

"Now I asked Miss Elizabeth to eat dinner with us and you mister are going to be nicer. She wants to be your friend and it's hard to do that with you making ugly faces all the time."

Cameron giggled, covering his mouth with his left hand. "I sorry."

"Don't tell it to me. Tell it to her." Lucky scooped Cameron off the bed, heading for the door. "She even suggested we order your favorite pizza and you're sitting here making faces." He tickled Cameron lightly. "You better be careful or your face will freeze like that."

"Grandpa says that not true."

"Your grandpa lies."f


	110. Breaking the Ice

Pausing from reading his patient's chart, Dr. Ric Lansing rubbed the bridge of his nose. Ever since starting his practice in Port Charles, his cases had been the envy of his fellow obstetricians. Twins by different fathers? Been there, done that twice. Ever changing paternity test? It seemed every February or November he had at least one. He had lost count of how many of his patients had delivered in a place other than the hospital. Ric had seriously begun to consider not entering any elevators, attend any parties, or go any place in inclement weather.

However all that paled in comparison to his current patient. Bobbie Jones had been told for years she couldn't have children. She had even adopted two. Now, even when she was already a grandmother three times over, she was pregnant. And by a man that was only a few years older than her son. Had he not met the couple prior to this meeting, he would have certainly been looking for a hidden camera.

Of course this particular case was no laughing matter. Mature pregnancies always had there own share of complications. And Bobbie's complicated health history made the risks even more dangerous. He didn't want to scare the couple that sat across from him but he did want to make sure they were aware of everything. It was obvious to see Cruz was already scared and the last thing Bobbie needed was a nervous new father bailing if and when things got tough.

"I'm glad you could make it this early." The clock above his desk showed it was barely 8 in the morning. He didn't like to be up this early but this meeting was too important to put off any longer.

"It's not a problem Dr. Lansing. Thank you for being so understanding about us having to reschedule." Bobbie laid her hand gently on Cruz's arm, smiling softly.

"I completely understand. How is your nephew doing?"

"Much better. He was released from the hospital the other day." Bobbie pulled a daily planner out of her purse, holding her pen, poised to write. "Now I think we were discussing testing."

"Yes." Ric folded his hands under his chin. "Now normally I would have preferred to do genetic testing if you were planning on having children..."

Bobbie tried to keep back her laughter at Ric's statement. Planning this pregnancy? Much like the relationship between his parents, this baby was anything but planned. Welcomed and unexpected at the same time. "Yes well we didn't exactly even discuss this as a possibility."

"It's not really Sunday afternoon conversation." Cruz joked uneasily. "We mostly stick to crosswords."

"So I gathered." Ric nodded and looked down in the file. "Since genetic counseling is obviously out, we need to schedule some tests to rule out chromosomal abnormality. We'll need to schedule the Chronic Villus Sampling within the next two weeks."

Cruz didn't even try to hide the confusion he was feeling. "English, Doc? Or Spanish? I don't speak Doctor."

"A Chronic Villus Sampling is a simple procedure to test for, among other things, Down's syndrome and neural tube defects. You may be more familiar with an amniocentesis. We'll be doing that test as well. This test is time limited and we are going to run out of time if we don't move quickly."

"It's just a precaution with women my age." Bobbie tried to reassure him.

"Yes. Everything could be perfectly normal. I just wanted to make sure you are aware of all the risks." Ric looked at the couple solemnly. "There is a high probably that this will be a difficult pregnancy and that this child will have many needs."

"We know that." Cruz assured the doctor, reaching for Bobbie's hand for support.

"I'm glad to hear you say that but do you really know?" Ric leaned closer towards the couple. "A higher risk of Down's Syndrome is at the bottom of the list of the things you need to be concerned with. High blood pressure, gestational diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and that's just through the pregnancy itself. I do not want to scare you at this point but I do want to make sure you are going into this completely aware of what we will be working with."

"We want a healthy baby Doctor, but we'll take her any way we can get her." Cruz insisted, having wanted to run away since as the doctor started ticking off the risks.

"Him." Bobbie teased gently. "This baby could be a boy." She was putting on a brave face but the more Dr. Lansing talked with them, the more worried she became. She was already aware her age would bring risks to this pregnancy, but hearing only some of them laid out so bare was another thing entirely. Bobbie was at once grateful for Dr. Lansing's candor and wishing he had kept his risks to himself.

"She kicks like a girl." Cruz countered with a wink.

"If you value your life you will not say such a statement again or I will tell Robin you said it."

"Can you tell us more about these tests?" Cruz inquired, redirecting the question to the doctor.

"As I was saying we must schedule the Chronic Villous Sampling within the next two weeks. It should be done by the tenth week and I do believe you are about eight weeks along. Then we should have a Alpha Fetoprotein Test in a few weeks following that. Again this is non-evasive and a routine procedure. If those two tests show no problems, I most likely won't schedule an amniocentesis but I don't want to rule it out at this stage."

"What do we need to be doing?" Cruz was so out of his element and Bobbie seemed incredibly calm.

"Right now, limit your stress." He raised his eyebrow at Bobbie. "If you have anyone to help you with your business I recommend that you delegate as much as you possibly can to them. If not, no new business until this baby is born. The usual recommendations about diet and exercise apply. Take it easy. That's the best thing you can do right now. I'll prescribe you some prenatal vitamins to take religiously."

"You hear that hard head?" Cruz teased Bobbie lightly.

She smacked him on his arm. "Don't be a smart ass."

"I come by it honestly." Cruz smirked. He knew he had to keep her as happy and stress-free as humanly possible. Dr. Lansing had a laundry list of possible outcomes and Cruz was absolutely terrified.

"Dr. Lansing, when can we do the first test?" Bobbie asked, determined to focus on what they could do and not worry about what they couldn't control at this point. She was terrified but she couldn't let it affect her right now.

"I think we can get that done later this week if you are available."

"We'll be available." Cruz answered without hesitation. He had a whole fucking crew to baby-sit. They could take care of the magazine for him over the coming months.

Robin could feel Patrick watching her sleep, but she decided to lay here just a bit longer. She could feel her left arm going numb as she rested her cheek against it. Her body kept begging her to switch positions if she was going to go on pretending that she was still fast asleep. She didn't want to think about how she must look after a night of almost no sleep. Her hair must be at least a mile wide and she had forgotten to take off her makeup before going to bed so she probably looked like an escaped clown.

"I know you're awake." Patrick's voice tore through her self-defeating thoughts and she blushed, giving into her aching body and rolling onto her back.

"How do you know that?" Robin wanted to know.

"For one thing, you're smiling. For another, your breathing isn't as deep when you're awake." Patrick explained, sliding a hand through her hair and massaging her neck.

"Oh, I like that." Robin told him, reaching up and touching his cheek without opening her eyes.

"Yeah? How are you feeling this morning? A little sore?" Patrick's tone said that he had already come to the conclusion despite his probing words.

"No, I'm alright." Robin shook her head, accidentally knocking his hand away. Before she could even think to whine at the loss of his fingers kneading her skin, he started up again.

"If you'll turn over, I guarantee satisfaction." Patrick suggested, chuckling when Robin moved immediately at his advice.

"You are all about satisfaction, aren't you?" Robin praised thickly, pressing her face into her pillow.

"That's what it says on my driver's license." Patrick joked as his free hand went to work on her right shoulder.

"I'm really glad you stayed last night." Robin stated, rolling her shoulders as he applied just the softest pinch to them.

"Me too. Dinner was fantastic." He commended, pressing the heels of his hands into her spine and watching her body lift slightly at the touch.

"And dessert?" Robin wanted to know.

"We're still working on dessert." Patrick informed her, dropping a kiss to her hair. "But a little tender, love, and care is required first."

"Speaking of love…" Robin began, lifting her face from the pillow.

"Yes?" Patrick urged, leaning in closer.

"Why do you love me?" Robin asked quietly, darting her eyes to his hands.

"What?" Patrick left his hands where they were and let the moment of absolute silence drag on.

"How do you know it is love?" Robin had a really bad feeling that she was about to ruin everything, but she couldn't pretend she hadn't said the words, didn't have her own doubts.

"I know." Patrick insisted.

"But how do you know?" Robin pressed on.

"How do you know?" Patrick countered stubbornly.

"It's a bunch of little things about you that prove to me that this is love." Robin responded with a tiny smile.

"Little?" Patrick sounded outright offended.

"Oh my God, you're incredible!" Robin scolded impatiently.

"That's better." Patrick praised her, ignoring her original intent. "What kind of things?"

"You first." Robin prodded, holding her chin in her palm as she started to sit up.

"Your smile." Patrick answered after a slight pause.

"What about my smile?"

"When you smile at me, your face lights up. I love that smile."

"Okay my smile, what else?"

"Since when do you fish for compliments?" Patrick inquired confused.

"I'm not. I'm fishing for proof." Robin clarified with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, excuse me. I love when you get annoyed."

"You love that? Why?"

"You're a lot of fun to fight with." Patrick explained matter-of-factly.

"You like fighting?"

"No. I like pushing your buttons. There's a difference."

"So you admit to provoking our fights then?"

"Most of them, yes." Patrick confessed smugly.

"You know what I love about you?" Robin asked with a gleam in her eyes.

"I was hoping you'd tell me." Patrick grinned and stretched out on the pillow beside her.

"Those little dimples."

"What little dimples?"

"These." Robin informed him, running her thumb over the slight indentations in his cheeks. She giggled when he snatched up her hand and kissed the outside of her palm.

"You like the fights too, don't you?" Patrick predicted.

"No I don't." Robin shook her head.

"Liar." Patrick accused with a shake of his finger.

"I don't mind them, but they aren't the deal breaker for me." Robin said tilting her head to look at him.

"What is then?"

Watching him through half-closed eyelids, Robin used her hands to push her body into a sitting position. Scooting closer, she murmured, "Long," and kissed his lips, making sure to leave hers pursed together. "Sweet." At her words, she tickled the back of his neck with her fingertips. "Kisses." She whispered, moaning when Patrick took the incentive and swept his tongue over her closed mouth, persuading her lips to part for him. Surrendering her mouth to him, she draped her body over his, tempting him to pull her onto his lap.

A knock at the door ceased any further frenzied actions. "Robin?"

Instantly recognizing the soft voice, Patrick yanked the blankets over them as Robin leaned over the bed and managed to get her robe on before the door opened. "Good morning." She addressed her son.

"I didn't mean to wake you up." Morgan assured her, his eyes never meeting Patrick's.

"You didn't." Patrick replied, just to see if Morgan acknowledged his presence at all.

"I made waffles." Morgan announced, handing Robin a plate of syrup-drenched waffles.

"Morgan, you know how I feel about you using dangerous electronics." Robin scolded sternly.

"I didn't." Morgan argued vehemently.

Robin watched him climb into bed between them. She wouldn't go so far as to say it had been intentional, but she couldn't ignore the skeptical look in her boyfriend's eyes as her son worked as an iron curtain between them.

"None for me Buddy?" Patrick feigned hurt.

"I didn't know you would still be here." Morgan retorted curtly.

Robin knew the second she took a bite of the aforementioned morning treat that it was still frozen. Even with the massive amount of syrup, it was impossible to tear apart. Rolling it into a improvised breakfast burrito, she took a bite and smiled all the while. She could see Patrick trying to suppress a smile at her effort, but she closed her eyes and pretended she was eating something else.

"Do you like it?" Morgan wondered, his smile shaky as he waited for her answer.

"So very much!" Robin nodded, setting the half-eaten waffle onto the plate and wiping her mouth with a tissue from the Kleenex box she kept on her nightstand.

"Good! I gotta go now. Cartoons." Hopping off of the bed, the child turned to look in the young couple's direction. "I think Patty should make lunch."


	111. Great Expectations

**_Happy Friday everyone. I hope yours is going better than mine._**

"Mmm this is nice." Elizabeth rested her head on Lucky's shoulder as she curled into him on the couch in his living room. He placed his arm around her shoulder, swinging his feet up onto the battered oak coffee table in front of them, carefully avoiding the glass of wine she had placed there just moments ago.

"So did I convince you?" He teased gently.

Glad that he couldn't see her face fully, Elizabeth stuck her tongue out in his general direction. Since his conversation last night, Lucky had been trying to convince her Cameron's reaction was not based on hate but fear. Sure Cameron had been marginally more responsive to her, but it was only on a scale known only to scientists. She hadn't expected winning over a child to be easy, but she hadn't expected it to be this hard either. Not when she had the advantage of knowing the child before. Lucky hadn't fully convinced her but it was probably better to just to agree with him on this particular point. "Almost. It's going to need more time you know."

She didn't realize the half of it, Lucky thought ruefully. Cameron was a Spencer, and baby-sat with regularity by Luke Spencer himself. Cameron was suspicious of Santa Claus and was convinced the jolly man was a burglar. If Elizabeth realized just how long this was going to take, she would run for the hills. Lucky wasn't about to tell her that. "Oh I know. Trust me I know."

"So have you adjusted to having him back yet?" Lucky had just put Cameron down for the night. It was ridiculously early for the child to be asleep, but his pain medications just knocked the poor boy out. He had fought it off as long as he could, but soon he was almost falling over trying to stay awake.

"Cameron being here is easy. It's all of his accessories that I don't want to get used to."

"It's not for forever. How long do you plan on staying home?"

"Until he moves out?"

Elizabeth snorted. "You'd go crazy in two weeks doing nothing but watching soaps when he goes back to school."

"I was thinking home schooling. Want a new job?"

She pulled back long enough to meet his eyes, arching her own eyebrow. "You can't afford me."

"You don't know what I can afford." Lucky trailed one of his fingers up and down her arm, teasing her with the lightest of touches through the fabric of her gray long-sleeved shirt.

"What if I like my current position?"

"Well if the salary won't entice you, what about the benefits?" He teased, moving closer to her. Their eyes caught each other's and he could see the laughter behind hers.

"Oh the benefits. Yes please, tell me all about your benefits." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his neck. "Or perhaps you have a demonstration?"

"I give excellent demonstrations." Lucky closed the remaining space between them, crushing his lips to hers. As their lips moved over each others, he shifted his weight, pushing her gently down into the cushions of the couch. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, he fleetingly tried to remember if he had locked the door this time.

She moved to lace her fingers with his hair as their tongues began to dance. Was a tad bit insane to go from discussing his son to this? Maybe, but as she felt his hands push her shirt out of the waistband of her jeans, pushing it upwards, Elizabeth realized she just didn't care.

His cool hands chilled her skin at first contact, sending a chill straight up Elizabeth's spine. Her breath caught in her throat as his fingers began to dance around her waist, alternating between the small of her back and her hipbones. Figuring turn about was fair play, she pushed them both backwards, lifting herself off the couch and positioning herself securely in Lucky's lap.

Her shirt dropped back down, covering his hands with the fabric. Lucky pulled back slightly to smirk at her, never removing his hands from her skin. "Comfortable?"

"Almost there." Elizabeth winked at him. Moving quickly, she pulled his shirt over his head and threw it behind her head without a backward glance. Wrapping both arms around his neck, she pressed herself against his solid chest. "Now that's much better."

"I disagree." Lucky lowered his mouth to kiss down the column of her throat. "See you are way overdressed for this situation." He snaked his hands up to her satin covered breasts and gently began to knead them. "It's a dress code violation."

Her breaths began to come in deeper pants. She closed her eyes and revealed in the sensations that were beginning to overtake her. Licking her lips, she pulled him in closer to her, dropping her tongue into his mouth for another taste of chocolate. As the kiss ended, she rested her forehead on his. "Can't have dress code violations." She managed between pants.

He made quick work of her shirt, tossing it in the exact opposite direction of where his had landed. Keeping her clad in her bra for now, he moved to kiss the newly exposed skin available to him. Using his nose to push down the straps, he kissed every inch of her shoulder, as she held him close to her, rocking her lower body slightly, causing unbearable, delightful friction for them both.

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders out of the straps, causing the fabric to hang uselessly. Lucky snuck his fingers under the clasp and opened it, flinging the now unwanted garment to the side. He made a mental note to find it later, preferably before Cameron woke up in the morning. His musings were interrupted when Elizabeth pressed herself down on him harder. Moving his hands to still her hips, he hissed in her ear. "Unless you want to find yourself on the coffee table, I suggest you stop that."

"Is that a threat or a promise?" she wondered. Of its own accord, her hand wandered down and squeezed him through the denim he still wore. "I don't think it's much of a threat."

Her laughter was cut short when Lucky abruptly stood up, growling. Squealing in surprise, Elizabeth automatically clenched both her legs around his waist to keep from falling down. Murmuring into her skin, she could barely make out his words as he began to climb the steps. "If you want the next time Tony sees you to be while we are making love on the coffee table, then fine. But I didn't peg you for an exhibitionist."

"Thought that the last time." Lucky pointed out, pushing them through the door to his bedroom. He paused only when his knees hit the edge of the bed. Carefully, he unwrapped her legs from around him and lowered them both onto the bed. "Besides I find this much better."

Her hands snaked down, working to release the button to his jeans. At this point, she was willing to ignore comfort altogether if he would just stop teasing her. "Still violating dress code Spencer." She growled as she captured his ear with her teeth.

Somewhere in the journey between the living room and the bedroom they had lost their shoes. Lucky managed to work open her own button and whispered into her ear. "So are you Webber. Repeat violations will be punished you know."

"God I hope so," she sighed as he pushed her jeans and panties in one fluid movement. Giving up on trying to get her fingers to work properly, she decided to use her feet, bringing them up to his waist, pushing the fabric down his muscular legs.

Lucky leaned over her, capturing her lips in a soul stealing kiss as he fumbled with his right hand for the nightstand dresser. Feeling the familiar foil package slip between his fingers, he pulled his hand back. Releasing her lips only for needed oxygen, he winked at her. "If I have my way, this is just the beginning."

Grabbing at the still wrapped disc, Elizabeth grinned. Tearing the cover from the small circle of latex, she managed a wink of her own. "Trust me, you are so about to get your way."

Pushing down the last remaining barrier separating them, she paused briefly to caress his shaft before covering it in the thin disc. Stilling her hand by covering it with his, Lucky raised both her hands above her head, pinning them there as he entered her, leaving her with just her legs to cling to him as her fingernails scraped against the smooth surface of the headboard. Her gasps were covered by his mouth, as he covered hers, plunging his tongue into her mouth in an imitation of the dance their lower bodies were doing.

How the hell had she lived without this feeling? It was impossible to believe she had survived. Her body began to match his stroke for stroke, her legs squeezing him closer, trying to pull him closer to her than she could believe was possible. She more than wanted this or him. It was more than need, although Elizabeth could currently not imagine needing anything more than this. More than want. More than need. Oh hell, she thought suddenly. It was love.

She was close, he could tell. But something was distracting her. For some reason she wasn't letting herself go. Lucky leaned up slightly and kissed her eyelids. "Let it happen sweetheart. Just feel it."

His soft words shook her from her thoughts. Just feel it, his gentle command echoed in her head. Feel it. Love, she sighed silently. Love. I love him. I love him. Her release began to rise with each silent declaration. Love. Love. Love. It hit with the intensity of staring at the sun after a solar eclipse. "Oh God." She managed as her back arched and she began to convulse around him. "Lucky...god...Lucky..."

Lucky followed her over the abyss, capturing her lips in sloppy, slow kisses. He released his hold on her hands, causing her to immediately tangle her arms up into his shoulders, lightly scratching his shoulders as she came back down from her high. Not wanting to crush her, he rolled to his side, tucking himself directly behind her, circling her waist with his hand. Gently stroking her stomach, he regained control of his own senses.

Her breathing began to slow down and he leaned forward just enough to kiss the back of her neck. "Elizabeth?" he whispered.

"Hmmm?" she murmured sleepily, reaching back to grasp at his neck. "I think I like your benefit plan."

He chuckled low in his throat. "I'll keep that in mind." He nudged her shoulder with his nose. "You're so beautiful, you know that?"

Expecting her usual refusal of compliments, Lucky was shocked when none came forth. Pulling himself up on one arm, he smiled when he took in her closed eyes and the deep even pattern of her breathing. "Rest up now, Princess. I fully intend for this to be just the beginning tonight."

He traced the lines of her face with a finger, while burying his other hand in her hair. Who would have predicted attending a parent-teacher conference would impact his life so much? Had it only been May when he first met her? The life he led back then and his life now bore little resemblance to each other and she had seen him through it all. He could honestly say he hadn't come close to missing a woman the way he missed Elizabeth when she wasn't around. Watching her sleep, he couldn't keep the emotion back. "God, I love you."

The blatant cries of "Daddy" disrupted the spell he was in. Placing a quick kiss on her forehead, he moved to cover Elizabeth up with his comforter to keep her from getting cold. Pulling on a pair of sweatpants he had left on the floor that morning, he dropped another kiss to her bare shoulder. "Duty calls. I'll be right back Sleeping Beauty."

Hearing the door shut behind him, Elizabeth's eyes flew open. She bit her lip as she settled back into the comforter. She couldn't help the smile that lit up her face. He loved her. He loved her.


	112. Don't Know Much About History

Robin rolled her eyes at the fading light cast across the once dangerous docks in which random attacks had been known to occur. She took a seat on the bench provided and waited for Elizabeth to show up. Their conversations had moved past girl talk; now she felt as if her own sanity depended on throwing her life out there to be rationalized. Besides, her friend always had a good story to tell and it was a chance to stay in the loop of an old friend she had, until recently, almost lost track of.

She couldn't believe she had had to exchange her routine tank top for a three-quarter sleeved top and a light jacket. The weather had always been classified as unpredictable and it was already September. Fall wasn't that far away. Still, she couldn't quite believe it was starting to get cold again. It just went to show that no one was ever completely satisfied. When they wanted hot, it was always cold and vice versa. Other than the weather though, she considered herself pretty content.

"Can you explain to me the appeal of this place?" Elizabeth announced as she neared her friend on the bench. "It reeks of cheesy mobster movies."

"It's mid-week. Tourists don't use these docks until the weekend." Robin replied with a grin. She crossed one jean clad leg over the other and took in the calm ocean lapping harshly against the docks.

"This town has issues." Elizabeth declared, shifting in her thin tan leather jacket. She pulled her denim-covered legs under her knees, glancing at the turbulent water.

"How have you been? What's it been? One week? Two? You've kept yourself pretty busy missy." Robin said pointedly.

"Oh don't even try to blame me for that one. You're the one who's forgotten how to answer the phone."

"I have no recollection of unplugging the phone, but it's a definite possibility." Robin conceded with a mischievous smirk.

Elizabeth lifted her eyebrow knowingly. "So I guess it is safe to assume 'issues' surrounding Patrick have been resolved in a positive and productive manner?"

"Yes." Robin answered cryptically.

"That good huh?"

"I still have to pinch myself to prove I'm not dreaming." Robin explained.

"And Courtney hasn't killed you both in your limited sleep yet?" Elizabeth didn't claim to be an expert on Courtney's schedule, but she did think the blonde's movie was supposed to have finished filming by now.

"She hasn't been around a lot. I think she's off stewing at her new boyfriend's place." Robin sighed, wishing her roommate could find a way to be happy for her.

"Well new love will do that to you I guess."

"I've heard them on the phone sometimes. They're always fighting." Robin recalled. "But then, who am I to judge? Look at how Patrick and I got together." She felt a little selfish at her lack of concern for Courtney's overall welfare, but she was out of options. She had put off her own happiness for far too long, at least they could agree on that.

"I think you called that foreplay." Elizabeth was glad that whatever mental block Robin had erected to keep Patrick at bay was at least momentarily shoved aside. It was nice to see Robin start out smiling when she was talking about Patrick instead of working up to it.

"How is Cameron doing? Still think he hates you?" Robin redirected the conversation with a practiced air. She hadn't missed the fact that her friend hadn't even brought up Lucky.

"Damn. You are way too good at that." Elizabeth sighed. "He's doing better. And apparently he doesn't completely hate me. He just thinks I'm going to take his father away forever. Which you know is so much better."

"I thought the same thing when my parents got separated. My mother started dating again and even got close to marrying a guy, but then my dad swooped in and remarried her before she could walk down the aisle."

"So I just have to watch out for Cameron's dead mother to come back from the grave?" Elizabeth cocked her head in Robin's direction. "You're the one who hooked Lucky on that soap aren't you?"

Robin's nose crinkled in disgust. "That's preposterous! I haven't watched soaps since I was a teenager. But, since you brought him up, how is Prince Charming? Is his crown still too big to fit on his head?"

"He's fine."

"That goes without saying." Robin answered intently. "But how is he?"

"He's adjusting to Cameron being home and all. I think the word is overprotective." It was much easier to talk about Lucky in terms of Cameron. Maybe Robin's happiness over her relationship with Patrick would keep her friend from pushing too much about the vague details she was giving.

"I think you're avoiding quite nicely. I'm rubbing off on you. Now, what's going on with Lucky? Between you and Lucky?" She clarified in case Elizabeth continued to squirm around the truth.

"Nothing new." Elizabeth began to study her fingernails. Technically speaking there wasn't anything new between her and Lucky. Her realizing what her feelings were didn't mean they were new, just redefined. And there was no way she wanted to admit Robin was right about yet another thing concerning her relationship.

Robin stood abruptly, almost falling off the edge of the docks. "That's it! I'm going to smack that boy upside the head!" She announced moving away from the bench and in the direction of Lucky's house.

"What? What? Robin! Robin! Stop! Sit down please." Elizabeth ran to stand in front of her friend and block her path.

"No! This has gone on long enough! Lucky cannot be this clueless about your feelings or his own." Robin countered determinedly, pushing Elizabeth to the side.

"Robin, if he says it 'cause you forced him to, it doesn't count." She pleaded.

"Has he said it under his own volition then?" Robin challenged folding her arms in front of her.

"Well..."

"ELIZABETH!" Robin scolded, slapping her forehead as her jaw dropped. "You weren't going to tell me?" She asked in a soft voice.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and sat down. "He said it when he thought I was asleep. Two weeks ago." She looked Robin in the eyes. "And he hasn't said it since then."

"When he 'thought' you were asleep? Have you said it back?" Robin probed further.

"No." Elizabeth looked towards the water, bracing herself for Robin's reaction.

Returning to the bench in a dazed state, Robin dropped into a sitting position and closed her eyes.

"I wasn't expecting him to say anything. I had just figured out what my own feelings were and hearing him say that, well it threw me. And he didn't know I heard him."

"Are you afraid to say it back?" Robin asked tentatively.

"If he really does feel that way, why say it when he thought I was asleep? Why not when I'm awake?" These two questions had haunted her since the initial euphoria wore off.

"How did he say it exactly? I need context."

"We were in his bedroom. We had been talking."

"Talking about what?"

"Benefits."

"I guess you weren't discussing stock options." Robin eyed her friend carefully.

"Not exactly. Let's just leave it at benefits ok?"

"Left. Since that day?"

"Nothing coming close to that discussion." Elizabeth sighed. "I haven't even been avoiding him this time. Just nothing."

"You're not likely to run him off. Why don't you try asking him?" Robin suggested.

"Oh yes. Lucky why haven't you said 'God I love you' since the night you thought I was sleeping? Yeah that will help the situation."

"Is there any way but direct with Lucky? Okay, I guess I see your point. If you let this hang over you, it's just going to keep getting bigger and bigger until it pops...most likely at the worst time."

"Would that be anything new for the two of us?" Elizabeth wondered.

"How are other things?" Robin decided to drop the issue for now; it was clear something else was on Elizabeth's mind.

"Other things?" Elizabeth shook her head confused. She was grateful for the subject change but she wasn't afraid to admit the topic shift left her confused.

"That was almost believable." Robin praised in a mocking tone.

"I do try."

"So what else is bugging you then?"

"Have you seen the papers lately?"

"I've tried to stay away from it to tell you the truth. Why?" She narrowed her eyes in worry.

Elizabeth resisted the urge to snort. If Robin's phone was unplugged, her newspapers were probably piled up in front of the loft's door. "The press is circling around Lucky and they may be close to finding out about Cameron."

"How is that possible?"

"The current theory is a reporter was at L&B's office while Cameron was in the hospital and heard about Lucky taking a leave of absence. How they traced him to the children's ward I won't even pretend to understand but they did. Now I hear most of the calls to L&B are about why he was at the children's ward and who the 'mysterious brunette' they spied him with." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "And yes that would be me."

"Well I should hope so." Robin smiled touching Elizabeth's chin. "As for the rumors, they can easily be sidetracked."

"That's what I keep telling him, but Tony Grimes is not helping this situation at all."

Robin's lip turned upward. "What does that old jerk have to say about it?"

"'That Cameron should move in with him and Lisa for his own protection,'" Elizabeth quoted using the appropriate air quotes. "That Lucky's plan to wait it out and direct all questions to Lois has disaster written all over it and he'll be damned if his only grandchild's life will be played with in this manner."

"Tony Grimes is a bully. His concern for Cameron has little to do with that sweet little boy. He's really convinced himself that Lucky is the reason Jess was killed. Why not just have Lucky put a spin on the rumors, have him give an 'exclusive' if you will to Cruz? It wouldn't be admitting defeat, but maybe they'd move onto someone else."

"Been suggested, but that's a last possible resort." Elizabeth looked at Robin and pulled at the sleeve of her leather coat. "Lucky's still a little touchy with Cruz about the whole Bobbie situation."

"The doctor told Bobbie that she needs to slow down so that means I'm going to have to take over with this newest account. When she calls, Patrick is 'never there.' Really, I think he's being childish. He told me that he's forgiven them both for lying, but I think a lot of it has to do with jealousy. Does that make sense?"

"In a twisted sort of way, yes it totally does. I'm pretty sure Lucky is feeling the same thing, not that either one of them would admit it." Pulling her knees up under her chin, Elizabeth gazed back out of the water. "Why can't this relationship stuff be simpler?"

"Maybe it is simple; maybe we're just too neurotic for normal." Robin paused to think about it.

"Nah." They said in unison.

"How did you become the one in the normal relationship?" Elizabeth asked in mock seriousness.

Robin tilted her head in confusion. "What's normal about it? We still argue. He and Morgan are in constant battle for my attention."

"Yeah but that's your thing. It works for you guys."

"What works for you and Lucky?" Robin inquired seriously.

"We're trying this whole discussion thing but I suck at it. Obviously."

"Obviously." Robin agreed rolling her eyes. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"Continue to ignore it until he confronts me on it?" Elizabeth asked hopefully.

Robin slapped Elizabeth's hands in sync. "No."

"Spoilsport." Elizabeth crossed her arms in a mock huff. "I suppose you think I should be a grownup and talk with him about this."

"Am I that transparent?"

"As Saran Wrap."

"Well I knew I was popular..." Robin prattled on, fanning herself.

"Don't go getting ideas for your newfound sex life please." Elizabeth smacked her friend's arm with a grin. "Although I will state for the record it is nice to see you this happy."

"I'd forgotten what it was like. I must look like a goof."

Titling her head to examine Robin's face, Elizabeth pretended to take the statement seriously. "Not an ordinary goof. But a satisfied one? For sure."

Robin dissolved into a fit of giggles. "Don't think I'm going to let this Lucky thing drop." She managed holding her sides.

"Well not until Patrick distracts you again."

Robin tried to look appalled at the insinuation, but her cheeks grew hot and she threw her hands into the air in surrender.

"Yeah I thought so." Elizabeth declared in triumph. "No denials necessary."


	113. The More The Merrier

"I thought the whole point of cashing in a favor was for it not to be work on me." Lucky grumbled as he placed Cameron in the wheelchair.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Lucky's grumblings. "I thought that was free baby-sitting for a year. And Cameron asked for Morgan and Lance to come with him. So technically this brainstorm was all your idea."

"Daddy, go!" Cameron pointed towards Robin's car. "Morgan here."

Elizabeth laughed as Lucky pushed Cameron towards the movie's entrance. Initially Lucky had been concerned about the growing press interest and exposing Cameron, but she had been able to count down the seconds till he caved once Cameron had started getting excited. Big pushover. All Cameron had to do was smile just the tiniest bit and Lucky would give him whatever he wanted.

If only it worked that way for her. Despite Robin's advice, she still hadn't worked up the courage to confront Lucky on what he had said. It was one thing for him to say it when he thought she was sleeping. It was a whole other thing to confront him on it and find out he changed his mind. So despite all her words about being a grown up and facing this head on, she did what she always did best. She avoided the subject entirely and prayed both that he wouldn't notice it and that he would.

"Are you excited?" Robin asked as she and Patrick closed the distance between them and their friends. She bent down in front of his wheelchair and reached for Cam's hands. She still hadn't told Patrick about which movie they were going to see, just that Cameron had asked they come along. He had melted like a stick of butter at just the mention of his little cousin.

Cameron nodded. "Hi Roby!"

"Hey Cam! Can you give me a high five?"

"Patty!" Cameron eagerly offered up his hand. "Where you been?"

"Well I would have been to visit you sooner, but I had to get through the hidden mines and bodyguards your dad has been hiding you behind." Patrick smiled, messing up Cameron's hair.

"Don't give him ideas." Elizabeth cautioned. She turned towards Lucky. "For the record, I'll drop Cameron off at your mom's myself if you do any of that."

"I was not considering that." Lucky protested. "For long" he added under his breath. The bodyguards in this town were a joke. They always stuck out instead of blended in with the surroundings.

"His luck he'll end up blowing himself up." Patrick snickered.

"You saying you wouldn't be out there helping him bury them?" Robin challenged not looking convinced.

"Roby?" Cameron pulled on Robin's hand, causing her to look down at him. "Roby, where Morgan?"

"He rode with Lance." Robin promised, standing to her full height. "They're parking."

"Aunt Bobbie?" Lucky caught Patrick's eye and exchanged a similar look. "You know maybe this is too much excitement for one day..."

"Oh no you don't." Elizabeth put her hand on Lucky's arm. "You will not ruin this for Cameron with your issues."

"That goes for you too." Robin warned Patrick, a withering look in her eyes.

"Cameron!" Lance called, almost launching into the wheelchair with Cameron until Cruz picked him up by the back of his fire engine red shirt holding him a foot off the ground.

"Slow down there Lancelot." Cruz told him before setting him on his feet.

"I missed you!" Lance addressed Cameron.

"I miss you too." Cameron nodded at him. Turning to his face upwards he waved. "Hi Cruz!"

"Hey Sport!" Cruz greeted him, tickling him under the chin. Bobbie was just behind him, but she hadn't made her presence known. Realizing this, he reached his arm out and latched his hand around her waist, startling her slightly.

Robin watched for Patrick's reaction but, save a tightening of his jaw, his expression didn't change. "It's so good to see you guys! It's been too long!" She insisted, throwing her arm around Bobbie's shoulders.

"What do you girls say? Take the kids in and make the guys get the popcorn and candy?" Robin suggested, giving Patrick a wide smile.

"I'm not a kid." Morgan stressed impatiently coming up behind the group.

"Then I guess that means you're helping us get the snacks." Cruz pointed out.

"That sounds like a perfect plan." Elizabeth moved behind Cameron to steer the wheelchair. "Come on kids, we have a movie to pick out."

"I don't suppose either of you happen to know what's playing?" Patrick asked the remaining group as the girls and kids retreated to the ticket counter, Morgan trailing behind.

"No. Elizabeth continently took the movie listings from me when Cameron asked about this." Lucky shrugged. "She had some crazy idea about we'd take them to see Alien vs. Predator or something."

"What's wrong with that?" Patrick wanted to know. "It's all fake anyway."

"She muttered something about warping them for life. I don't know." Lucky shrugged.

"You realize the second they realize what movie the kids want to see, all three of them are going to start complaining right?" Elizabeth whispered to both Robin and Bobbie as they stood in the ticket line.

"You make it sound like we have to tell them." Robin whispered back, unconsciously parting Morgan's hair with her right hand.

"Normally I am all for honesty in a relationship," Bobbie paused to hold Lance back from launching himself yet again into Cameron's wheelchair. The five-year-old completely thought it was a new ride. "However in this case it may be better to just let them find out on their own."

"But how are we going to get them in the theater? There's a sign hanging over the door that says what is playing." Elizabeth argued, bending down to tie Cameron's shoe.

"We can always distract them." Robin suggested, a wicked grin splayed across her face.

"There are children present Robin. Your idea of distraction will scar them worse than the movie they want to take these three to see." Elizabeth pointed out, trying to hide her grin.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Miss Elizabeth." Robin murmured with a scowl. "That isn't what I meant."

"Sure it isn't." Elizabeth laughed. "Can't hide that smile from those who know."

Bobbie grimaced. She liked both young women very much, however these were her nephews they were talking about. "In addition to children, the aunt is also present. So non-gutter related comments please?"

"Bobbie, I promise, the only one who is referring to the gutter is Elizabeth. We are three intelligent women. Surely we can come up with something...eh...G-rated." Robin countered, handing out the tickets.

"We are three intelligent women but you my friend drag me down to the gutter with you." Elizabeth took control of Cameron's wheelchair, pushing him towards the usher. "I'm thinking we let Morgan and Lance push Cameron in. That will freak all three of them out." Robin and Bobbie smiled in agreement as they noticed that the guys were heading toward them.

Glancing to her left, Bobbie's eyes widened when they settled on a bright new poster displaying a movie that would have the guys cringing. She nodded the kids over and said in her softest, sweetest voice, "Who wants to go see Enchanted?"

A loud chorus of "Yeah!" resounded from all three boys. Lance and Morgan took off in a dead run, taking Cameron along with them, squealing in delight. Turning to see the reaction on the guys' faces, Elizabeth, Robin, and Bobbie almost could keep from laughing as their mouths dropped in unison and they proceeded to race after the little boys, almost dropping the popcorn in the process.

Trying to keep down the giggles, Elizabeth led the way to the usher, handing him the tickets. "They are with us."

"I don't get it." Patrick proclaimed as they exited the theatre two hours later. The dancing popcorn made more sense that the ending of Enchanted. To keep themselves entertained, he, Lucky, and Cruz had started a popcorn fight which ended in stern looks from their girlfriends and a warning from the usher.

"Me either. I mean, the dude from Can't Buy Me Love?" Lucky shook his head. "He's attractive?"

"Why couldn't we have just seen Outbreak in theatres again? He's the first one to die." Cruz remembered, wincing when Bobbie elbowed him in the side.

"Men don't understand these things at all." Elizabeth remarked to Robin and Bobbie. "Besides it was what the kids wanted to see remember?"

"How could we forget?" Patrick grumbled, holding open the door for his friends to pass through. "Next time, we're taking them to see Die Hard. Now that's a well-rounded movie. You've got your action, comedy, moral compass..."

"Your cursing, your body count." Bobbie countered.

"There have to be bad guys, Aunt Bobbie. You wouldn't want a bunch of brain-dead assassins coming after you, now would you?" Patrick tried to explain, winning a threatening look from Robin when she picked up on who he really talking about.

"Careful, careful." Lucky muttered. "You want to keep a good thing going, not shoot it in the foot."

"Lucky's having to give you advice? How could I not have seen this sooner?" Cruz teased, biting the inside of his cheek.

"Daddy? I go to Annadale?" Cameron tugged on Lucky's hand.

"Sorry Champ, but Annadale only exists in the movies."

"But Giselle came to see us. I go see her." Cameron insisted stubbornly.

Lucky fixed his eye on Elizabeth and Robin. "This is both of your faults."

"Cam, Giselle lives in the movie. She isn't real." Robin told him, watching a look of pure confusion settle in his dark eyes. "Just like cartoon characters only having four fingers." Cameron glanced down at his hand and counted his fingers.

"Oh." Cameron counted his fingers again just to make sure. "Lance, Morgan you come play today?"

Morgan frowned. "I have to go visit my stupid brother."

"Morgan Stone Corinthos." Robin scolded, patting his right shoulder. "You know your brother misses you. Cam, maybe you can come to our house next weekend?" Robin asked in a light, hopeful tone.

"That sounds like a great idea." Elizabeth chimed in before Lucky could turn it down.

"Ohhh now she is arranging play dates for Cameron?" Cruz teased. "I take it back. Seeing this movie was worth it."

"Can I still go?" Lance wanted to know, looking at Cruz. He had long since figured out that Cruz was the weakest link of the two and that, if he really wanted to go, he would most likely have to break him before Grandma would ever consider budging.

"Well it's alright with me if..." Cruz couldn't even get the sentence out before Lucky and Patrick doubled over with laughter.

"Alright enough!" Bobbie shook her head at her nephews and gave Cruz a look of pity. "Lucky, do you mind? I can come by and get him whenever."

"You're going to rest." Cruz argued firmly. "I'll pick him up." He told the group.

"Fine. Whatever." Lucky shrugged. This afternoon had been going well until that reminded him exactly why his friend and aunt had come together. It was becoming less weird, but it still freaking him out. "Come on Lance. You and Cam ride in the back."

"The drive to A.J.'s is at least an hour and a half one way, but I'll call you when we get back." Robin called to Elizabeth.

"Deal." Elizabeth waved.


	114. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

"Do you know the way?" Robin challenged when Patrick snatched the car keys from her.

"I can read a map, Robin." Patrick muttered as the three of them climbed into the car. It had just been a quick stop by the loft to pick up Morgan's overnight bag and then they were off.

"I have no doubt, but the route is a little tricky." Robin informed him, retreating a bit. The last thing she wanted to do was to bruise his ego. She had learned to pick her battles and she didn't want to participate in one in front of Morgan.

"Then you can give me a heads-up." Patrick answered, flipping on the radio to put a halt to the conversation. "Don't worry so much."

"How do you know Michael misses me?" Morgan asked from the backseat.

"I get an email a day from A.J. about how much your brother misses you." Robin assured him with a tiny nod. "I didn't want to say anything in front of Cameron, but he told me that they got in a new horse and Michael won't let anyone ride it. He said it was yours."

"We used to have horses at my old house." Morgan recalled sadly, folding his hands in his lap.

"I didn't know that! How many did you have?" Robin wondered, turning completely around in her seat.

"We had six. There were four big horses and two miniature ones. Mommy and Daddy always rode the big ones and they even let Michael when he got old enough, but not me. I still had to ride the little one."

"They were just trying to keep you safe I'm sure." Robin replied soothingly.

"What if Michael's been having so much fun with his new daddy that he doesn't have time to play with me?"

Patrick flipped off the radio and stopped for a light. "Then you call us and we'll turn around." He answered without a moment's hesitation.

"That's right." Robin smiled warmly. "If you feel uncomfortable or you just want to come back home, we'll pick you up. Here," She handed him her cell phone. "Keep this in your pocket--you know, just in case you're away from the house when you want to call. Both the loft and Patrick's cell are programmed in. One and two. I'll always pick up."

The rest of the trip was done in silence. Morgan pulled out his Game Boy from his bag; Robin made a few notes on the map before flipping open a book she had started at the beginning of the summer; and Patrick chose a quiet oldies station to jam to without disturbing either of them. Robin had been right about the trip: there were necessary twists and turns that weren't located on the map, some which had to be made immediately, almost landing them in a ditch more than once. Robin would never comment, but it was clear she was having a hard time keeping her giggling at bay. Morgan remained unmoved and unimpressed as they left the smooth concrete and hit miles of gravel. If he didn't know better, he would have sworn that they had left not only Port Charles but civilization altogether. Though she didn't express her anxiety, Robin had a tendency to check the locks more than once until they finally reached the front gate of A.J.'s plantation.

There was no reason to check the name on the sign because only A.J. would have such a house, one in which he planned to show off as often as possible. He might be the black sheep in his family, but he wasn't going to let that stop him from spending a ton on a house that looked fit for a king. He had sold his ELQ shares to acquire the location and have his house built, eager to have it all done by the time his son arrived. Though Robin knew, from the pictures he had sent, that the house was supposed to be white, the twilight made it appear almost indigo. The lawn was fairytale green, trimmed and perfect, and the pathway was made of rare stones he had collected from all over the world in the last ten years. She hadn't seen a house like this since her summers in Italy with her mother and even those seemed to dull in comparison.

"It looks like a hotel." Morgan remarked, his eyes the size of marbles as he took in his surroundings. Robin supposed he was more than a little intimidated at its size and overall presence.

"We better go in before they turn the sprinklers on us." Patrick suggested, attempting to snap the two of them out of their trance. "Or send out the guard dogs." He added for extra incentive.

"There are no guard dogs." Robin told Morgan when she noticed him stare uncertainly at the house. "Come on. Let's not keep them waiting."

Greeted by an elderly man by the name of Winthrop, they were led to the living room to wait for their host and young apprentice to appear. Morgan shuffled uncomfortably in his shoes making his way through the house in the same manner he would a museum. His footsteps were soft and almost indecipherable as he treaded from one corner to the other.

"This is incredible." Robin breathed, worrying that, due to the monumental setting, her brain wouldn't be able to take everything in and store it away in her memory.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Patrick couldn't shake this awful feeling. He had had it since they left the theatre and headed in this direction. "We can still make a run for it."

"Patrick, relax. You're going to scare Morgan." Robin reprimanded him, placing her hand on his left arm. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Nothing good." He answered honestly, brushing past her to inspect the grandfather clock located at the Far East corner of the living room.

"You made it!" A.J. entered the room with grace, his arms outstretched as if he meant to hug them but wouldn't push the issue if they were uncomfortable with the idea. "No trouble finding the place?"

"We literally ran out of road." Robin explained with a smile. "You've done very well for yourself."

"Thank you. I hear you bakery is the number one hotspot in Port Charles."

"I don't know about that." Robin replied, catching Morgan's gaze and motioning him to come stand where she was. "How have you been?" It was the polite thing to ask. She hadn't seen or talked to this man since they had each taken custody of each little boy, only communicated through email until now. Just from the hard time she had had with Morgan--as came with any transition--she was thankful that she hadn't been responsible for both he and Michael. This was where the boy belonged, with his father, his flesh and blood. Robin had never though it right the way Carly gained sole custody of her oldest child when she had been a less than suitable parent. Understanding A.J.'s need for his son, as well as a suggestion from Courtney, the decision had been simple.

"Michael's up in his room playing Wii." A.J. informed Morgan as the little boy stood behind Robin.

"Not anymore. Hey Morgan!" Michael leapt down the stairs, rolling part of the way, and ran to his baby brother, picking him up and spinning him around. "Did you miss me?" Patrick watched the scene in half curiosity as well as a little apprehension.

"Yeah, but I can't breathe." Morgan stated matter-of-factly causing all three adults to laugh. "Put me down caveman breath." The smile on his face was all the proof Robin needed to know that she was making the right decision in letting him spend the night.

"I got the coolest game system you've even seen. I think my dad might have bought out the entire store." Michael announced, glancing over at A.J. with a proud smirk.

"As long as you're not spoiling him then." Robin teased A.J. and the adults shared another laugh, each of them focused on the two brothers hurrying up the stairs to what Michael called Media Room Number Two. Apparently, the first Media Room was devoted only to movies and music.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Would you two like something to drink?" A.J. offered. "I don't have any liquor in the house--"

"That's alright. Do you have any iced tea? Or bottled water?" Robin inquired, easily cutting him off. At least A.J. wasn't following his father's footsteps. He had been vigilant in getting sober and staying that way. After Jason was sent to prison, Alan Quartermaine Sr. had followed in Noah Drake's footsteps and Robin had heard he often got lost on his way home from the bar.

"I'm gonna go check out the game system." Patrick excused himself and headed up the stairs, his eyes never leaving Robin's as he did so.

"What do you think I did to spook him off?" A.J. asked seriously.

"You didn't do anything. Patrick's just a little strange sometimes." Robin explained.

"I have to say, I'm a little surprised to see the two of you getting along. Last time I saw you, you were happily divorcing his baby brother." A.J. pointed out.

"Has it really been that long? My goodness. No, Patrick and I found a way around our differences and it was for the better." Robin clarified.

"Sounds serious." A.J. surmised as he disappeared into the kitchen to retrieve a pair of water bottles for them.

"Don't tell me you're still single." Robin took a long sip of her water while she waited for his response.

"I devote most of my days to Michael." A.J. told her.

"And when he's away at boarding school?" Robin wondered.

"I am dating someone. She's quite a girl." A.J. declared smugly.

"Have I met her?"

"She's originally from Port Charles."

"Don't go cryptic on me. I've got to know."

"Sorry. I haven't even told Michael yet." A.J. shook his head.

"It's really good to see you." Robin said.

"YOU!" Patrick's voice tore through their conversation as the photographer stood on the last step of the stairs, his finger pointed at something neither of them could see.

"Would you lower your voice." Courtney rolled her eyes, flipping her hair out of her face.

"Courtney, what are you doing here?" Robin asked, turning around the corner to find her roommate with a tube of lip gloss in her hand.

"I came to see Michael. He gets lonely without his little brother." Courtney explained vaguely, snapping the lid on the gloss and dropping it into her purse. "Thanks again A.J."

"I'll walk you out." A.J. offered, leading her toward the foyer.

"Are you going to make a scene everywhere we go?" Robin asked, her anger evident.

"I can't help it. She brings it out of me." Patrick defended.

"Whatever. I'm going to go say bye to Morgan. Can I trust you to not strangle Courtney while I'm gone?" Robin patronized.

"Yeah alright." Patrick gave in, his eyes darting toward the door.


	115. Rite Of Passage

"And then Cameron was all, 'Batman is not as cool as Superman,' but I told him he was so wrong because Batman does what he does without any super powers..." Lance explained excitedly from the backseat. When Cruz had offered to pick up Lance from Lucky, he had obviously underestimated the amount of sugar his old college roommate had fed the little boy in the short hours he had had him.

"Uh-huh." Cruz answered noncommittally, barely able to keep from turning on the radio and blasting the child out. He had nothing against little boys, not even this hyper one, but he still wanted his and Bobbie's baby to be a girl. She kept insisting otherwise, but he was starting to think that she did it just to spite him.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep. I've never stayed up all night before, have you Cruz? I heard that when you do that, it could kill you. Is that true?" Lance asked in the same breath.

"No. You won't die." Cruz assured him.

"Everybody dies, Cruz. We don't all go to Heaven, but we all die. Do you believe in Heaven?" Lance inquired.

"Yes I do." Cruz mumbled, tightening his seatbelt.

"There were some really mean kids at school. They were saying that my daddies are going to Hell." Lance sighed, combing his hair back with his hand. "Do you think that's true?"

"Kids suck." Cruz clarified. "As for Hell, only God gets to make those decisions, and I'm pretty sure that he likes your daddies."

"But how will I know? What happens if I get to Heaven and they aren't there? I'll be all alone." Lance sobbed loudly.

"You're never alone in Heaven." Cruz mumbled.

"Daddy Lucas said that Grandpa Tony went to Heaven. I never met him though. Was he nice?" Lance inquired hesitantly.

"Your Grandpa Tony was the best man I ever met." Cruz told him. "And he loved you so much."

"I'm really glad we're friends, Cruz. We are friends, aren't we?" Lucas questioned cautiously.

"We are friends. Hey, next time you go over to Lucky's, remind me to pick up some silly string, will you?"

"I'm home!" Lance announced, throwing open the door and finding his parents curled up on the couch together under a blanket Dillon had crocheted the winter before Lance was born.

"So we see!" Lucas slid his legs off Dillon's lap and met Lance and Cruz at the door.

Dillon looked at his son carefully. "Did you actually have anything that wasn't covered in sugar?" he questioned as he took in Lance's inability to stay still.

"Yeah. Bubble gum. Elizabeth promised it was sugarless." Lance nodded his head.

"Sorry we're so late. Traffic was a nightmare." Cruz explained.

"Sure it was." Dillon chuckled. He was sure it had nothing to do with the waves of discomfort coming off Lucas at this point. "Hey pal, why don't you go to the kitchen and get some water ok?"

"But I want a Coke." Lance argued, stomping his foot.

"Oh no. I think you had one too many of those at Uncle Lucky's. It's water or nothing." Dillon insisted, mentally reminding himself to find out what exactly he and Lucas had done to Lucky to deserve this.

"But I want--" Lance tried again.

"Water or nothing Lance." Lucas interjected stubbornly.

"Fine!" Lance stormed into the kitchen and slammed the door behind him.

"He gets that from you, you know." Lucas accused, wagging his finger at Dillon.

"Please. That is totally your move." Dillon waved him off.

"I'm just gonna go..." Cruz stepped toward the door, but Lucas' voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Cruz, can I talk to you a second?"

"Oh this will be interesting," Dillon murmured under his breath as he sat down on the couch.

"Yeah. Sure. Alright." Cruz gave in, sinking down into a chair.

"I've kept my mouth shut so far, because I didn't want to upset my mother. That's one of the main reasons I haven't brought this up before." Lucas stated.

"Okay." Cruz replied to show that he was paying attention.

"My mother has had a lot of heartache in her life--" Lucas began.

"I know that." Cruz assured him.

"Then you also know that I don't want her to have to go through any more. I've made my peace with this pregnancy, but I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at least ask you what you're planning to do." Lucas paused for effect.

"Damn baby. You have a shotgun lined up for the wedding?" Dillon joked.

Cruz couldn't keep from wiggling uncomfortably in his chair. "What do you want me to say, Lucas? I love your mother."

"So she tells me. Congratulations. I'm not convinced that you're going to stick around." Lucas told him directly.

Dillon whistled low in his throat. Lucas picked one hell of a time to become direct. Normally he would hem and haw around an issue until it was too late to do anything about it. Now all of the sudden he could just straight out say something? He learned something new about his husband every day.

"We're taking this one day at a time." Cruz informed them.

"Are you going to do that up until the day my little brother or sister is born?" Lucas challenged.

"I think I'd rather discuss this with your mother before I tell you anything." Cruz retorted hotly.

"And I'd rather be a size six. We don't always get what we want."

"I have to go home." Cruz countered, getting to his feet.

"You mean my mother's home." Lucas corrected.

"Lucas. Remember that conversation we had about why you don't ever meet anyone your mother dates? This would be why." Dillon pointed out. "You like him remember?"

"That was before he was sleeping with my mother and way before he got her pregnant." Lucas shot back defensively.

"It wasn't a spur of the moment thing. We've cared about each other for a long time. I want you to know that." Cruz insisted.

"That's good." Dillon said seriously. "He doesn't care right now, but eventually he will."

"I'm still here, you know."

"Hush you're being irrational right now. I'm trying to be the sensible one here."

"Ha, like you'd know where to start!"

Dillon raised his eyebrow. "Sure I do. Just do the opposite of whatever it is you are doing right now."

"I'm going to marry your mother!" Cruz interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Lucas sputtered.

"You heard me. How I'm going to convince such a brilliant woman to spend her life with an idiot like me, I don't know." Cruz admitted.

"Oh that was unexpected." Dillon blinked rapidly. Even in his wildest screenplays on this subject, not that he was writing any, he couldn't have written such a dramatic subject change.

"Can you do me a favor and not tell Bobbie? I kind of want to be the one to do it." Cruz begged with a tremulous smile.

"Oh yeah like I would be the one to ruin the big romantic moment?" Dillon snorted. "Cruz, I am already crafting the perfect moment for you if you need any help."

"Um, excuse me. I'm still kind of in shock. Are you seriously offering to help him?" Lucas looked at his husband the way he would a stranger.

"I could use all the help I can get." Cruz answered, ignoring Lucas' outburst.

"Oh come on it's a total movie moment here." Dillon defended himself. "And you wanted to know if he was sticking around. Well he obviously wants to. Why shouldn't I help him?"

"I guess it's okay if you help him." Turning to Cruz, Lucas went on, "You have to understand: no man is never going to be good enough for my mother."

"I don't claim to be the perfect man, but we are two halves of a beautiful whole." Cruz assured him.

"Oh you had to steal that line from a movie." Dillon accused. "Which one was it?"

Cruz lifted an eyebrow. "I have no idea." He realized.

"When are you planning on asking her?" Lucas asked.

"I haven't figured that out yet."

"When you know, we'll help." Lucas told him.

"We will?" Dillon lifted his eyebrow. "We?"

"That's what I said. Haven't you been paying attention?"

"Your blessing means a lot." Cruz stated, making his way to the door.

"You would have gone through with it either way." Lucas said.

"Pay no attention to him. I'll have him tickled pink by the time the wedding comes around." Dillon draped his arm over Lucas's shoulder. "He just loves drama. Don't let him fool you."

"It's nice to know that someone is on my side." Cruz chuckled, stepping out.


	116. All In Good Time

**I'm sorry I'm updating so early, but I've got a date with my nephew and this is the only way I know it'll go up tonight. Bear with me. This the first day in at least two weeks that I've had Internet at work.**

**CUTENESS WARNING! **

"Did Lucas and Dillon do something I'm not aware of?" Elizabeth wondered as she set the small play table upright. Neither Cameron nor Lance was knowledgeable about how it got turned over in the first place, although she did hear suspicious giggling whenever the word "crayons" was spoken the rest of the play date.

"What?" Lucky asked in his best innocent voice. "I thought Lance was having a good time." He dumped the remaining toys in a mass lump into the toy chest. It probably would be better if he actually sorted out the toys into their "proper containers" as his mother called them, but that just seemed like a waste of time. One spot for everything and then nothing could get lost was his motto.

"He sure did. Any kid who was given straight sugar from the time he stepped foot in the door to the time he left would think this place was Disneyland." She handed him a stack of coloring books, trying not to roll her eyes as he placed them haphazardly on top of the bookshelf.

"Oh it was not like that. He didn't have sugar the entire time he was here." Lucky scoffed.

"True." Elizabeth nodded as she moved towards the couch. "There was the one piece of sugarless gum I gave him."

"See? There you go. It wasn't the entire time." He lowered himself next to her on the couch, kicking his feet onto the coffee table in front of him.

"Well my mistake then." She smacked him lightly on the arm and kicked his legs lightly to get him to remove them from the furniture. Seeing him move them to the floor, she settled back into the arm rest, she fixed her best no-nonsense look on Lucky. "So who were you teaching a lesson to?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Lucas or Cruz?" Elizabeth looked to the ceiling as if she was searching for the answer. "I'm going to go with Cruz."

"How did..." Lucky caught himself quickly. "I mean Cruz and I worked out our problems."

"So you got drunk or in a fist fight?" Elizabeth questioned. "Where was I?"

"We are grown men. We don't solve all our problems like that."

"I've met your family remember? Try that on someone who hasn't. Besides I saw how you and Cruz were acting today."

"And how was that exactly?"

"Like your both putting up a good front, but you are both still uncomfortable as hell around each other." Elizabeth stated matter-of-factly.

Damn. He had thought he was hiding it better than that. Sure his relationship with Cruz had become less strained since Cameron's accident, but he was in no way ready to process the fact his best friend was dating his aunt. Or the fact that today he basically went on a triple date with them. It was far too weird to think about and he lost Kevin Collins' emergency beeper number years ago.

Judging from the looks Bobbie and Cruz kept passing each other at the theaters and the way Lance had already sized Cruz as the person to beg for permission (the number of toys Cameron had simply because Cruz couldn't tell him no would fill a third world country), he would have to find a way to deal with. But, Lucky reasoned, he didn't have to do this on any set timetable. And if along the path to acceptance he had a little fun at his old friend's expense would there really be any harm?

"If he's going to be a father, he needs to learn to deal with these situations." Lucky felt very proud of himself for not shuddering when he spoke. It was a sign of progress right? "I'm just preparing him for parenthood."

"Oh this all just preparation for him then? It's all for his own good?" Elizabeth questioned skeptically. Did she really think she was going to buy any of this? She thought she was good at avoiding her own issues, but Lucky was seriously giving her a run for the money.

"Completely."

"You know what I think?" She leaned closer to him, pulling his chin to face hers and looked directly into his eyes.

More than likely she wasn't thinking what he was thinking right now. And Lucky was smart enough to realize this was not the time to bring up what he was thinking right this very second. "I'm sure you want to share."

"I think you are pretending to be ok with this because you realize your friend and aunt wouldn't risk all this for some fling. And you can add and realize a baby is coming in a few short months and there will be proof staring you in the face at every family party for years to come." She reached out and tapped the tip of his nose. "You are faking it until you actually make it."

"You think you're brilliant don't you?" Lucky chuckled. She was damn close to the truth but he was not about to give her that particular satisfaction right now.

"I know I'm brilliant. Just accept it. It will save you months of arguing in the future."

"So you admit there's a future." Lucky leaned closer to her, wiggling his fingers in her direction.

"Maybe." Elizabeth managed a soft smile. "Depends on if you accept my brilliance."

He attacked before she could fully react. Pinning her to the back of the couch, Lucky moved quickly, tickling her in the places he knew made her squirm and beg for mercy the fastest. No way was he going to admit that, even if it was true. Elizabeth would never let him live it down.

Damn him, Elizabeth fleetingly thought. No matter which way she twisted, his hands were waiting to make contact. She giggled in delight but still attempted to push him back. "Lucky..." she managed between fits of laughter. "Stop. Please. Stop."

Obliging her request, Lucky rested one hand on her hip and ran the other through her hair. Playing with the ends, he rested his forehead on hers, placing a light kiss on the tip of her nose. "You're beautiful."

"I love you too." She sighed.

At the exact same moment, their eyes widened as the meaning of her words penetrated their brains. Lucky felt his breath shorten and his heart roar in his ears. Had he heard her correctly? "What? You what?"

Elizabeth squirmed to break away from his grip, which had tightened around her waist. Why had she said that? It didn't even make sense. Who responded to "You're beautiful" like that? And why the hell was Robin right yet again? She had ignored something and now she had inadvertently brought it up without warning. And his response was not helping her nerves any. This was why she never took the lead in relationships. "Let me up. Let me up." She pushed at his arms trying to move him.

Lucky's foggy brain registered her attempt to escape. He refused to let her up. No. Not now. She could not leave now. "No."

"Come on Lucky, just let me up." She could feel heat rising to her face. Why couldn't he for once let her just escape and regain her dignity?

"You make it darn hard to say I love you. You know that right?"

His words shocked her into stillness. "What did you just say?"

Lucky leaned closer to her, never letting up on his grip. "You make it impossible to say I love you. You are so ready to run I don't want to scare you. Every time we get to a good spot, you invent some drama in your head that needs to be corrected. It's one of the reasons I love you but it makes it a little tricky to share that with you."

He had a point. Why did he always have to have a point? "Is that why you said it when you thought I was sleeping?" she wondered.

"You heard that?" Taking her glance to the floor as a yes, Lucky continued. "I just felt I had to say it. It came out before I could figure out a way not to say it. Does that make any sense?"

In a way that was probably only comprehensible to her, it did make sense. Looking into his green eyes and finding the smile she knew was behind them, she relaxed her body. "I wouldn't have run you know."

His grip on her hip loosened but he still didn't remove his hand. Playing with the ends of her hair, he raised one eyebrow. "How do you figure?"

"Because I didn't." She pointed out. "I get that you had no way of knowing that fact though. I can't promise I'll stop making up drama but I can try to get better at not running."

"Good. But since I love you? I'd chase you down."

Pulling him closer to her, so their lips were just millimeters apart, Elizabeth smiled. "Since I love you? I'd let you." And she closed the distance with a kiss.

"SORRY!" Patrick bellowed, doing a little victory dance with his hands from his spot on the floor of Lucky's living room. It was rare that paying his cousin back resulted in any kind of fun for him, but this was proving to be an exceptional situation. Moving his green piece across the board to knock Robin's red piece back to Start, he made a sound resembling that of a bomb dropping from a plane. Cameron clapped his hands together as if his cousin had discovered something he had not and Robin smiled, barely nodding her head as her eyes spoke of revenge.

"Go Patty!" Cameron cheered.

"Don't make his ego any bigger, Cam. They'll be no living with him afterwards." Robin warned, knowing full well that he wouldn't listen to anything she had to say. Patrick could stand on his head and this sweet little boy would think he walked on water. "I don't know what you're so excited about anyway. Cam's sent you back to start so many times, you've only got one active little guy on the board." Robin pointed out, her obsessive need to win showing its true colors as she flipped over a card that held the fate for her three remaining pieces.

"Don't be a sore loser, Robin. You're sending all the wrong messages to the impressionable child." Patrick shot back, trademark grin at least a mile wide as he listened to her quietly mumble inarticulately. He wasn't sure, but he was almost certain she was coming up with ways to inflict the most amount of pain she could with the least bit of effort.

"Oh, look at that…" Robin slid her red piece back four spaces and smacked Patrick's unaware green one with as much grace as she could. Once she was pleased with the outcome, she did a victory dance of her own, one in which Cameron felt obliged to mimic causing Patrick to double over in laughter.

"My turn! My turn!" Cameron announced turning over a card. He moved the silver hat he had chosen from the Monopoly game twelve spaces ever so slowly missing Robin sticking out her tongue at Patrick's goofy smile since his head was bent. "One. Two. Eighteen. Twenty-six. Twelve!" He giggled, glancing up to see if he had done it right.

"Good job!" Patrick and Robin said in unison rendering him slightly bashful. His dark eyes full of excitement, he started to turn over another card.

"Uh uh uh, Cameron. It's not your turn." Patrick shook his head, his expression softening as he spotted the look of defiance on the three-year-old's face.

"Now you're calling him out on the rules? What about the law you passed when we were playing Life?" Robin reminded him, her chin lifting in challenge.

"It's a game, Robin. What was so wrong with having multiple wives?" Patrick wanted to know.

"How about the fact that you had so many there wasn't any room for the kids?" Robin retorted, folding her arms.

"Your turn, Patty. Come on." Cameron whined impatiently.

"You were the one who said you should get to choose if you got married. How was that following the rules?" Patrick countered, glancing at his card with little interest before mumbling, "Can't go."

"No one should be forced into marriage, Patrick." Robin argued.

"You have way more issues than the average crazy female." Patrick whispered, hoping she hadn't heard him but assuming she had since he never got anything past her.

"I can't go either." Robin sighed, a smile forming when she saw how happy Cameron was that it was his turn again.

Meeting her eyes with solemn eyes, Cameron said, "I'm sorry, Roby."

"For what sweetheart?" Robin asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"For sending you back to Start. SORRY!" Cameron shouted, smacking her piece with enough force to catapult it across the carpet.

"That's a good boy." Patrick gave his cousin a high five, his lips pursing in appreciation when he caught sight of Robin's backside as she went after her game piece.

"Got you!" Robin shrieked, oblivious that she was on display. Turning, she blushed when her eyes locked on Patrick's. "Is it my turn?"

Patrick shook his head slowly. "No."

"Then why are you staring at me like that?" Robin asked bashfully.

"I just want to make sure you're watching when I win." Patrick lied, returning his attention to the game.

"When are you going to learn? Losing is to your benefit." Robin laughed.

"We'll talk details later." Patrick promised, shuffling the cards for the umpteenth time.

"Patrick!" Cameron wailed suddenly, causing the adults to look in his direction.

"What's the matter Buddy?" Patrick wondered crawling over the wheelchair, worry clear in his expression.

"My toe itches and I can't reach it." Cameron explained in a desperate cry.

"Which one?" Patrick wanted to know, biting back his grin at how quickly he had assumed the worst. Robin was starting to wear off on him. He was halfway to neurotic.

"The big one. Hurry, it--it hurts!" Cameron insisted, wiggling his toes to further prove his point.

"No problem." Patrick assured him, using his thumbnail to reach around the cast and lightly scratch his little cousin's toe. "Is that a little better?"

"I think I need some ice cream." Cameron answered seriously.

"I got it." Robin nodded, knowing Patrick would do anything Cameron asked and never complain too much about it. He would whine and groan because he was Patrick, but he would make the Earth stop spinning if he could manage it. "Chocolate or caramel?" She inquired before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Both!" Cameron clarified eagerly.

"Me too." Patrick spoke up.

"You can get your own." Robin prompted him.

"If I come in there, who will watch Cameron?" Patrick wanted to know, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"Insatiable. I swear. It's a wonder…well it's just a wonder." Robin managed weakly, leaving him and Cameron to pick up the game since the little boy had smacked it closed in his haste to get Patrick's attention.


	117. Perfect Situation

"I don't really think I need to be carried." Robin announced to the empty hallway as Patrick tried to unlock the door and balance her on his back.

"And I don't really think I should have let you drive after watching you down a bottle of peach schnapps." Patrick countered.

"There weren't other cars on the road." Robin pointed out.

"None that you saw." Patrick argued with a shake of his head.

"Are we at your home or my home?" She asked curiously.

"Yours. I thought you'd want to be here in case Morgan called." Patrick explained, lowering her onto the couch and waiting for her to unwrap her arms and legs from around him before he even bothered returning to the door.

"I do. Where's the phone?" Robin looked around, unable to see much from her current position.

"One thing at a time, babe." Patrick said as he sat on the couch next to her.

"Are you going to give me another massage?" Robin unbuttoned her top slowly.

"What are you doing?" Patrick wanted to smack himself for asking such an obvious question, but her behavior was surprising to even him.

"Getting naked. Wanna join me?" Robin answered in such a no-nonsense kind of way that Patrick felt he had better oblige her. Leaning over her, he pulled off his own shirt and dropped a casual kiss on her lips.

Robin reached up and curled her hand around the back of his neck, meeting his slow kisses with contradictory ones. Trying to sit up until she was realized he had her pinned to the cushions, she reached between their bodies and undid the button on his slacks, wiggling under him when he took over the task of undoing her shirt. She had been in this position enough to know that the fogginess in her brain had little to do with actual alcohol; on the contrary, she was getting drunk off of these sweet, suddenly frenzied, kisses.

Silently thankful for her decision to wear a long skirt--to battle the frigid wind but still enjoy what was left of the summer nights--Patrick yanked it up and over her hips, not even bothering to remove it in his haste to get his hands on bare skin. It didn't matter how many times he made love to her. He always found himself wanting more, needing more. The intensity in which he wanted to be with her was never diminished even when they were both completely spent.

Mumbling against his mouth when his tongue started to duel with hers, Robin continued to struggle beneath him when she ran into a problem with his pants. There simply wasn't enough space between them to tug the material down and yet he still refused to budge. Deciding to try a new approach, she ran her hand excruciatingly slow over his thickening shaft and carefully closed her fingers around it. "I bet that feels good." She cooed to him, flicking her tongue over her bottom lip in anticipation.

"Yes." Patrick nodded, initiating a kiss that had them both panting when they finally broke for air. He let out a shattering breath as her tiny hand slid up and down his most sensitive flesh, inadvertently allowing her to take control of the kiss. Spearing her fingers through his tender mass of hair, she pressed her fingers into the back of his head, pulling him closer.

"Tell me." She begged him, squeezing him hard enough to make him quietly yelp in response. It wasn't that she wanted to hurt him, but she couldn't let this go a step further without hearing the words.

"I love you Robin." Patrick indulged her as his fingers danced up her naked thigh.

"No." Robin shook her head, clearly in distress about something other than the obvious.

"No I don't love you?" Patrick asked, perplexed.

"No, that's not what I want you to tell me." Robin replied, sliding her hand inside his pants to stroke him more intimately.

"What do you want baby?" Patrick couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what else she might want to hear from him. He was having a hard enough time concentrating on the conversation without her playing these games with him.

"Tell me you want me." Robin instructed and peeled his underwear out of her way to achieve a more direct approach.

"I want you so much I can't stand it." Patrick responded blowing a choking breath over her shoulder.

"I need to know that this is enough." Robin explained vaguely.

"If you'd quit teasing me, it'd be incredible, but I'm not opposed to what you're doing now." Patrick answered, assuming he was wrong again.

"That I'm enough." Robin clarified emotionally.

At the subtle break of her voice, Patrick lifted his head so that he could see her eyes. She held her heart in those perfect cinnamon eyes. Brushing her bangs out of her eyes, he cupped her face in his palm. "What are you talking about? You're amazing. It's like I'm back in the driver's seat of a brand new car and the speedometer is busted so the rest of the world is zooming past me but you're right next to me. Does that make any sense at all?"

It was becoming difficult to see him through the tears building in her eyes and it took a moment to collect herself enough to speak. "Do you remember when we were on that rollercoaster?"

"Our first date. Sure. I let you hold my hand." Patrick smirked as the memory formed in his mind.

"Ever since we started dating, I've felt like I'm still on that rollercoaster…only you're not always there and I get so scared--" She wanted to continue but he silenced her by putting his thumb over her lips.

"Don't be scared. I'm right here." He promised, kissing her knuckles when she brought her hand down from the back of his head.

"You have no idea what you were asking from me when you told me you loved me." Robin accused in a trembling voice.

"I didn't know I was taking anything. I wanted to give you my heart…and then I realized you already had it." Patrick murmured pressing his forehead to hers.

"Are you going to be something else I have to survive?" Robin asked weakly.

"I don't want to make your life harder. I want to make it better." Giving her a quick kiss, he noticed that her taste lingered on his lips and, even though he didn't want to stop, he didn't want her to think she couldn't be honest with him either.

"You don't make anything easy, but neither do I. You make it better…so much better. I just--you've got to know that this may be all I can ever give you." Robin informed him hesitantly.

"What is it you think I don't have?" Patrick challenged.

"Nothing I guess." Pulling his pants and underwear down in one fluid motion, she was vaguely aware of Patrick putting on a condom before she felt him ease inside of her. Digging her heels into his ankles, she struggled to breathe, her every cry catching in her throat. His mouth ascended upon hers then and she lost her senses in his sweet taste.

"Oh really? That's cool!" Patrick heard Robin say from the living room as he towel-dried his hair. Normally he would have to put on his same clothes, but he remembered Robin saying something about him having a pair of sweatpants in her closet, having left them over the week before. It was a little weird going over to her closet and finding them nicely folded over a hanger as if they belonged there. He wouldn't mention to Robin how uncomfortable it made him.

Patrick wasn't sure what bothered him more, his clothes being in the closet or the spare toothbrush Robin kept for him to use when he stayed over. He knew she only did it to be considerate, understanding, what with the distance between their apartments, how inconvenient it would have been to run across town for a little thing like a toothbrush. There was no reason for him to feel anything but honored that she worried about his welfare; still, something bugged him about it all.

He wasn't used to being taken care of. It was different with Aunt Laura and Aunt Bobbie. They felt indebted to his mother to provide him with the kind of love his father hadn't been able to give him after losing Mattie. He would have to do something nice for Robin, something that she needed or wanted but would never ask for. It had been far too long since he'd spoiled her. In fact, even then, the main agenda had been for his own benefit, never hers. Her birthday was coming up. He would have to think of something special, something she would never forget.

"No, I haven't. You'll have to show me when I come to get you." Robin continued, curling the phone cord around her index finger. She usually relied on the cordless, but it was upstairs and she had been by the kitchen when the call came in. "Level fifteen? That's impressive! Did you get to ride--you did? He was, huh? You got to feed him?" It wasn't difficult to tell when Robin was being unnecessarily chipper; it usually happened when she felt uneasy about a certain situation or conversation. The only way he could get a straight answer out of her was when she was so angry she couldn't see straight or drunk. He preferred the former, because he loved to watch the fire burning in her deep mocha eyes.

Dropping his wet towel into the laundry basket, Patrick took the stairs in a leisurely pace, able to see Robin through the kitchen shutters the entire time. She danced from one foot to the other, her back to him as he crossed the living room. She looked damn sexy in his faded gray t-shirt with her hair disheveled from the nap they had taken together after making love earlier in the evening. He often took the sight for granted; now he thought he might have to talk her into letting him take her picture. He smiled as he thought about how that conversation might go.

By the time he made it to the kitchen, she had just hung up the phone, the expression on her face somewhat conflicted. He had been right about her mood during the call and he hadn't even been in the room. What was next? Were they going to start communicating with their minds? Shuddering at the mere thought, he watched her eyes cloud over with confusion when she finally turned to face him. "Who was on the phone?" He asked because he wanted her to be able to ease into telling him what was wrong, what made her look this defeated after a night that he considered a huge success. Gold star for both of them as far as he was concerned.

"Morgan." Robin replied immediately.

"Did he call to say goodnight?" Patrick wondered. Maybe if he figured it out for himself, she wouldn't have voice the words.

"He called to ask if he could stay the whole weekend." Robin explained solemnly, taking a step toward the doorway.

"What'd you say?" Patrick reached out and caught her left arm gently.

"I said he could." Robin whispered, clearing her throat as the words left her lips. It was obvious how rattled she was at the idea of being away from her son that long. The last time they had spent days apart had been right after the accident and that hadn't been something she could control. She must have felt that this too was out of her hands, that she didn't have a right to say no.

"Does this mean we get to use the good crayons?" Patrick made sure to keep his voice serious and his face comical.

"I don't feel very good. I think I might take a bath and head off to bed." Robin answered instead, her voice sounding far away even though there wasn't a lot of space between them.

"Why didn't you just tell him he had to come home?" Patrick challenged his voice tight when he caught her subtle wince at what must have sounded like an accusation.

"He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be there. Who can blame him? A.J. has the big house and the expensive toys. Why would he want to come home to this little apartment where he never gets to go outside unless one of us is with him?" Robin shot back, her shoulders tensing in defiance.

"Stop it." Patrick demanded, shaking her until she met his eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't patronize me, Patrick." Robin warned in a threatening tone.

"I'm not. I'm simply pointing out that beating yourself up isn't going to help anybody. He hasn't seen his brother in a long time. That's all this weekend is about. It has nothing to do with him wanting to be at A.J.'s more than he wants to be home with you. And this is his home. This has been his home for the past seven months." Patrick reminded her hotly.

"You're right." Robin conceded unenthusiastically. "You're always right. Congratulations. I'm going upstairs." She yanked her arm from his grasp and put her words to action.

"So that's it? You're going to sulk in your room because you didn't get your way?" Patrick sneered, following closely behind. "Talk to me." He snapped, touching her shoulder and spinning her around.

"Maybe you should leave." Robin offered matter-of-factly.

"I'm not going anywhere. I told you, you aren't chasing me away." Patrick pointed out stubbornly.

"Deciding to stay doesn't make you noble, Patrick."

"And throwing me out doesn't make you rational."

"Now I'm irrational?" Robin threw her hands up in the air.

"When you're wondering why your son would want to come home to a mother who loves him, when that doesn't make total sense to you, then yes." Patrick retorted, walking her backwards. "Hell, Robin, what more do you need to do before you convince yourself that you're his mother and he is your son?"

"I don't know." Robin murmured squeezing her eyes shut.

"Call him back!" Patrick ordered suddenly, wrenching the phone from its cradle and thrusting it in her face.

"No!" Robin shook her head, her eyes still half closed.

"Call him back and tell him that we're coming to get him!" Patrick repeated.

"He's having a good time. I don't want to ruin that." Robin explained.

"How could you ruin it? He must miss you like crazy." Patrick reasoned.

"I'll get him on Sunday like I told him I would." Robin argued.

"Then I'll call A.J." Patrick decided.

"Please don't." Robin pleaded brokenly.

"We can drop by and say he didn't have enough clothes for the whole weekend." Patrick suggested.

"Michael's got some old clothes that don't fit him anymore. A.J. was saving them for Morgan anyway." Robin informed him.

"A.J. is not his parent, you are." Patrick countered, folding his arms over his chest and dropping the phone in frustration.

"I know that!" Robin shrieked, putting her hand over her forehead and digging her fingers through her hair.

"Then start acting like it damn it! Get in the car and bring him home! He doesn't call the shots, you do. That's what makes you a good parent." Patrick insisted.

"And how would you know what makes a good parent?" Robin screamed at him.

"I had a great role model." Patrick reminded her.

"Your mother, right." Robin scoffed. "A woman who gave up every dream she ever had to please her family."

"My mother took care of us. We never asked her to give up anything!" Patrick fought back. "She loved us unconditionally even when we were bad, and we were almost never good. Through it all, through the punishments and the praises, I knew my mother loved me. Does Morgan know that? Does he know you would move Heaven and Earth to keep him safe? You tell him you love him, but do you ever show him?"

"Why are you saying these things to me? Why do you want to hurt me?" Robin asked in a weak, tired voice.

"I don't want to hurt you." Patrick argued, moving her toward the couch so they could at least sit down. It was going to be a long night and she looked like a stiff wind might knock her down.

"Then why are you attacking me?" Robin thrashed against his touch and sat, somehow in spite of him.

"I'm not attacking you. I love you." Patrick told her.

"And that justifies it?" Robin asked in disbelief.

"If I don't say it, no one else will." Patrick explained.

"Elizabeth would tell me." Robin persisted.

"Elizabeth walks on eggshells around you, just like everyone else. No one is going to tell you if you're making a mistake." Patrick assured her.

"So I'm a bad mother? That's what you're insinuating?"

"I never said you were a bad mother. God, this is like driving on the wrong side of the road."

"You're worried you're going to hit something?"

"I'm not actually getting anywhere."

"Oh I see." Robin pursed her lips together.

"You are too stubborn for your own good, do you know that?" Patrick asked, punching the arm of the couch.

"I'm not stubborn." Robin argued. "You just refuse to--"

Patrick leaned over and kissed her, catching her fists in his hands and easily subduing her. She used his hold on her to sit up on her knees and try to gain some leeway, but he wasn't having any of it. Parting her uncompromising lips, he stole her taste, savoring it with each flick of his tongue. At her sigh, he wrestled her out of his t-shirt and tucked her beneath him, moving his lips to her neck, panting heavily.

Robin struggled to breathe as he continued his assault on her skin and felt her head fall backwards in surrender. His touch was at once gentle and rough, the intent in his blazing eyes unmistakable. Her fingers itched at her sides so she reached up to trace the muscles in his back, arching beneath him when she felt him leave a mark on her flawless skin.

He wondered if she could feel his anger coming off of him in waves. He didn't care if she was feeling trapped beneath him or if there might be a more rational way of resolving this fight. All he could feel was desperation, desperation to strip her defenses away, to make her see that she was his equal in every way, that they didn't make sense apart. His hand fell from her face of its own accord and squeezed her breast hard enough to make her cry out. His fingers were anything but gentle as they pinched her vulnerable nipple into a hard, aching point.

She choked on her own surprise, her eyes fluttering closed as her lips parted to let out a long string of whimpers. The sound must have excited him because he turned his attention to her remaining breast, this time covering her nipple with his ravenous mouth. His tongue was warm and wet, tracing her entire breast, moving her to a deeper level of delight. She wanted to scream when she felt the tug of his teeth, but that would require breathing and she had forgotten how. Catching either side of his sweatpants, she pulled them down and off, smiling when she noticed he hadn't bothered with underwear.

Blissfully naked above her, he smoothed his open palm over the inside of her thigh, tracing his thumb over her pulsing sex. He continued to tease her, never probing between her legs even when she parted them for him.

When his lips descended on hers again, she turned her face away, making him even angrier. He grabbed her chin with his thumb and index finger and forced her to look at him, his hold only loosening when he noticed the tears in her eyes. "We're not being safe."

"Sure we are." Patrick promised after a long stretch of time. Further proving his point, he leaned closer to her, not missing the confusion in her eyes, and reached under the couch, extracting a condom he had hidden there.

"When did you put that under there?" Robin wondered, lifting her hips enough to let him pull her panties down.

"I don't remember. You never know where you're going to be." Patrick mused noncommittally, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that demanded everything. Robin smiled, pushing him backwards so that he was leaned against the opposite side of the couch. Sheathing him with the diligence of a brain surgeon, she climbed into his lap, inviting him to enter her in one quick thrust. Yanking her to him, he fused their bodies together, his breath rushing out of him on a groan. He placed a hand on either side of her hips and pulled her to him, pushing harder until he felt her legs tremble as she tried to part her thighs to fully accept him.

"I don't think I can." Robin admitted sheepishly.

"Let me help." Patrick offered, reaching between their bodies and stroking her clit until it was hot and sticky against the pads of his fingers. She jackknifed on instinct, but she moved with the rhythm of his skilled fingers, her need apparent in her short, choppy breaths and dark, almost black, eyes.

"P-Patrick, please." In the stillness, she could hear the slide of his hand strumming down her spine and see the colors of the living room blend into one blurry, vibrant tone. Just as a drowning person was deprived of air while under the water, she felt as though she couldn't catch her breath until his lips were pressed against hers, which she figured made very little sense to the average person, but there was nothing average about the man she loved.

"Shh, I've got you. Just trust me." Patrick whispered to her.

"I don't care anymore. Now. Now. Please Patrick. Please!" She cried into the crook of his shoulder as his finger climbed up inside of her.

"I care." Patrick countered, wiggling his finger deliberately slow so as to draw out her pleasure as well as his own. "Almost there."

"I can't wait. Please." Robin continued to beg, knowing she was at the mercy of his hands and mouth. As much as she wanted to take control, he always managed to distract her to the point of madness so that only he could ease the throbbing that hammered throughout her entire body. It was a seamless transition for him, one she always fell victim to.

"If you're sure." He smiled, merging their lips and knocking her onto her back, slipping inside of her with quiet simplicity. She was so hot and ready for him, he came the second he entered her. Bucking wildly above her, his eyes widened in astonishment. Beneath him she convulsed, her eyes scrunched in pain and pleasure. Nuzzling her hair out of her eyes with his nose, he kissed all over her face and lifted her bottom off of the couch, driving into her harder, deeper, the realization that she hadn't yet climaxed inspiring him to get a little creative.

She held his face between her hands and merged their lips, drawing the kiss out so that they went eternities without needing to breathe. At the sharp thrust of his finger, her body went rigid, the position from which he'd entered her awkward and unexpected. Her inner muscles clenched tighter around his shaft, but she couldn't twist into a comfortable position to allow him the access he so desperately sought after. Patrick spoke to her, recognizing her taut features and trying to convince her to relax. She tried to tell him what she wanted him to do, but that was unclear even to her. When he pulled out of her gingerly, she barely held back the urge to cry in defeat and closed her eyes. It was over, she was still furious, and she hadn't come at all.

His lips tickled her deflated sex and she fell against a pillow. It was his ego that fueled him, but she was open to suggestion. She was sore most of all and that wasn't entirely his fault. She had known she wasn't ready and cost herself the perfect orgasm. Did this mean she was going to have to be patient from now on? Before she could even complete the thought, she arched her back, his tongue massaging her clit in a relaxed rhythm. Her legs tried to close in response to the tiny bit of moisture building between them, but his hands were on her thighs keeping her exposed for his own personal perusal. She let out a cry as a spasm wracked through her and he absently licked her, his fingers pressing harder into her skin. Another followed and it was all she could do to stay still and let him do what he was best at. Tears collected in her eyes as her climax drew nearer and she tried to blink them away.

She didn't ask for an explanation when he surged into her a second time, because she was suddenly paranoid that this would be yet another close call. Her eyelids lifted and her fingers threaded through his hair. When she tried to apologize for tugging at his hair, he chuckled and assured her it was unnecessary. Her inner muscles held him desperately inside of her in case he made the mistake of trying to pull out of her any time soon. Her orgasm blinded her and she let him take control of the kiss, her lips parting into a satisfied smile.

"And you doubted me." Patrick spoke at last, but Robin was already asleep. "Good idea." He dropped his head to her chest and closed his eyes.


	118. Tea and Sympathy

The guest room door was closed, which was odd considering it had been opened the night before. There was a million explanations for it, Bobbie reasoned with herself. Cruz could have shut it the night before on his way up to bed. She had opened the windows to take advantage of the crisp fall weather and a breeze could have pushed it closed during the night. Of course if she didn't hear the rustling of sheets behind the door, Bobbie realized she would have a better chance of convincing herself. No the more logical explanation was one of the children had snuck in last night and took refuge in the comfortable room.

Over the years, Lucky, Lulu, Patrick and even recently Dillon had all found their ways to her brownstone when they needed to escape. She had lost count of the number of times broken hearts, angry words or a crushing disappointment had brought them to her door. Normally she could predict when she was going to see one of her unofficial children in the morning. A phone call from Laura was generally her fist clue. So this morning's guest was a true mystery. As far as she was aware, there were no fights going on. With the tension still present between Cruz, Patrick and Lucky, she doubted it was either one of her nephews. If it were Lucas or Dillon, the other would have called two seconds after the fight ended and one of them stormed off. As far as any one in the family knew, Lulu wasn't dating anyone. So the mystery remained. Who had spent the night?

Bobbie opened the door carefully, her curiosity burning and not wanting to wait until whoever it was, decided to grace her with their presence. If it was one of the boys, they were well capable of sleeping well into the afternoon. And there was no way she was going to alert Laura to trouble in the land of Spencer without knowing all the facts yet. Bobbie smiled when she spotted the familiar blonde bending over to straighten the sheets. "Lulu. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?" Feed first, answers later was Bobbie's motto.

"Hey Aunt Bobbie." Lulu greeted her distractedly, tucking a loose blonde curl behind her ear. "You don't have a lot of groceries so I'll go and pick some up. Then I'll make breakfast or..." A quick glance at the clock proved it was closer to noon. "Or lunch."

"Not at all you know that." Bobbie took a seat on the freshly made bed. Patting it, she gestured for Lulu to sit down. If Lulu had come in at that time, she hadn't seen Cruz last night and probably missed his departure. He was spending the weekend with his family to tell them the news of his impending fatherhood and just who the mother was. She had wanted to come with him, but he refused, stating it was going to be far too stressful and he needed her to relax. "So did you use the key or did you climb in the window?"

"Oh I meant I lost the key to the Spencer house. I haven't had a key to this house since I was twelve years old." Lulu sighed, taking the seat offered to her. "I heard about Cruz leaving for the weekend, so I figured the chance of running into him was pretty slim." She added, meeting Bobbie's startled stare with her smug one.

"Who told you?" Bobbie questioned when she regained her breath. She had fully expected her young niece to throw one of her patented drama fits when she found out the news of who exactly her aunt was seeing.

"Told me?" Lulu looked confused. "Nobody had to tell me."

"Then why aren't you surprised or screaming at the top of your lungs?" If no one had to tell her...Bobbie shook her head. Her niece wasn't making much sense. She was sounding far too like her father right now for sense.

"I've known for six months, Aunt Bobbie." Lulu pointed out.

Six months? Bobbie stared at Lulu with widened eyes. Six months? "Explain. Now."

"You promise not to get mad?" Lulu bit into her bottom lip.

"Lulu. I am far too confused to be mad right now. I just want the truth."

"Brad and I have been sneaking around about that long." Lulu replied. "And, though this is totally disgusting, I happen to know Cruz's biggest appeal. Go Aunt Bobbie." She lifted her fist in a proud shake.

She was going to ignore the remark about Cruz's appeal. There was some things that were not discussed with your nineteen-year-old niece, no matter how close you were to her. And Lulu's explanation had done nothing to lessen her confusion. "Brad? I thought you two broke up."

"We're friends with benefits now."

"Do I really want to know about that?"

"I always wash the sheets." Lulu promised with a mischievous smile.

Bobbie jumped up from the bed with a quickness that probably would have scared Cruz senseless. "Leslie Lu..." she started in a threatening tone. "If you have been using my home for your..." Bobbie shudder, not wanting the mental image that came with her words.

"It's not like we aren't being safe. You should talk...mommy." She pointed to Bobbie's growing belly.

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to that." Bobbie wondered. She would let her brother and sister-in-law deal with Lulu and her "beneficial" friend. At least Laura. There was no telling what Luke would do if he even suspected his little Sweet Pea was capable of this.

"Brad's terrified of Dad, but he told me he loves me anyway." Lulu whispered, standing up and fluffing her pillow.

"That wasn't exactly what I was referring to." Bobbie mused quietly. "But I'm not surprised by his reaction."

"But I don't know if I love him." Lulu didn't care if she was being selfish. There was no one else talk to about it. Lucky was too into his son and new girlfriend. Patrick no longer saw her as his little sister because he was always with Robin and Morgan and had their welfare well at hand. She was the redheaded stepchild and it was only now starting to hurt. "He keeps me from being all alone."

Bobbie pulled Lulu closer to her. "I can understand that." Placing a small kiss on the top of the young girl's blonde hair, she continued. "When it's love, you'll know."

"Is it love with you and Cruz?" Lulu couldn't say it had been an easy realization. Finding out her old crush was doing her aunt...at least she had something to discuss with her therapist.

"Yes. Yes it is." Bobbie looked down at her niece's blue eyes. "And it took me awhile to realize it, but I did."

"Are you going to get married? And, if so, can you tell Patrick and Lucky on different days so I can do some damage control?" Lulu begged, falling off of the mattress dramatically.

"Get off the floor Lulu. In the first place we haven't discussed marriage and if we do, then when we tell people will fall on our time table." Bobbie arched her eyebrows at her niece. "Does that offer mean you and your brother have made peace?"

"I don't know." Lulu sat Indian-style and chewed on her fingernail. "He's coming to dinner this week. I miss seeing him and Cam, but he's made it quite clear that he doesn't trust me where his son is concerned."

"Give him some time. He'll come around." Bobbie counseled. She could understand Lucky's stance in this matter and she doubted Lulu would be allowed to baby-sit unsupervised ever again. But even if it was awkward and stilted, he was at least trying with Cruz, something she had been afraid wouldn't happen. Lucky could very well surprise her.

Lulu scanned the guest room with a critical eye, trying to see it from a stranger's point of view. She had a feeling this would be where Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Cruz--she had to giggle at that--would set up their nursery. Looking at it now with boxes stacked to the ceiling and dust tickling her nose, she knew her aunt was in grave need of someone with a little experience at this. If she hadn't stepped in Lucky that brother of hers would have left the walls white and cracked, left Cameron in the corner on a large pillow, and that would have been the end of it. "Have you thought about how the nursery will look?"

Bobbie shook her head. "Not yet. We're still debating on whether or not to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl."

"What do you think it'll be?" Lulu asked pryingly.

"Boy. Cruz is convinced it's a girl"

"He does have a sixth sense about certain things. Are you going to find out from the doctor or be surprised?"

"I think we'll find out. This pregnancy has been enough of a surprise for everyone I think."

"Can I help with the nursery? I did it for Cam and I'd really like to help with this baby." Lulu met Bobbie's eyes begrudgingly.

Bobbie smiled appreciatively. Maybe Lulu really was growing up. Instead of acting like a heartbroken teenager, she was actually acting like an adult about this situation, something her brother and cousin were still struggling to manage. "Of course, darling. I would love your help. We can't have the men be in charge of something this important."

"Oh God no, because you know the first person Cruz will ask for help is Lucky, or God help us Patrick, and they have no mind for this sort of thing." Lulu shook her head and smiled.

Bobbie shook her head. "No child of mine will have a nursery decorated to look like the inside of Jake's.

"So I guess Dad can't help us."

"No. I will not scar my child with naked pictures of Helena Cassadine."

"How about I clear out some of these boxes and then stop by the grocery store to pick up something for us to eat?" Lulu offered, blowing a breath over a box creating a large cloud of dust.

"That sounds like a plan."


	119. Into The Light

She had successfully kept the encroaching daylight away by snuggling further into his arms and burying her face into the dark blue comforter. If she could just keep her eyes shut, the reality that soon she would have to wake up and face the world could possibly be kept at bay. The covers worked for a few minutes, before the incessant buzzing of her cell phone reached her ears. She couldn't even recall actually setting the alarm function last night, then again she didn't recall much after reaching the bed. With a groan, her arm shot out so she could fumble with the keys before finally succeeding in silencing the annoying buzz.

"You don't have to leave." His lips danced over her shoulder blades. Tightening his grip on her waist, he pulled her closer to him. "It's early."

Sighing, she leaned her head back, allowing him to rest his head on her shoulder. "You know why I have to."

"Nope I really don't." He pouted.

"Lucky..." Elizabeth drawled as she managed to turn herself around without causing him to release his grip. Looking into his eyes still thick with sleep, she managed a small smile. "We talked about this."

"No. You talked. I thought you were crazy." He countered, kissing the tip of her nose. "It followed our usual pattern."

"Sure it did. I talked and you attempted to distract me the entire time." Elizabeth giggled. She wasn't going to complain too much when she enjoyed the distraction and maybe encouraged it. Not that she was going to tell him that.

"I don't remember any complaints." Lucky rolled them so she was on her back. He captured her lips in a slow kiss, savoring her taste. Running one hand up her back, he held onto the back of her head as she tilted her head back, giving him access to the slim column of her throat.

Her breath caught as he began to trace a path down her throat, dropping tiny kisses as he went. Of their own volition, her hands gripped his still sleep tousled hair. "Lucky," she whispered when he pressed his lips to her pulse point.

He broke contact with her skin only long enough to meet her eyes and shot her a wink. "Shh," he whispered. "You're thinking too much."

Instead of admitting he had a point, she pulled him towards her, crushing his lips with a greedy kiss. Their limbs became intertwined as they continued to fight for dominance in the kiss. Elizabeth succeeded in rolling them onto Lucky's back, when the shrill electronic buzz began to sound again.

"I thought you turned that off." He groaned as she moved to silence her cell phone for a second time. When she turned around and met his eyes, he fought to suppress a second groan. He recognized that look. She had remembered the point he was trying to make her forget. A sly smile lit up his face as he realized he was just going to work twice as hard to win this argument.

"Must have hit the snooze function instead." Elizabeth shrugged. His smile worried her. He was planning something. He was thinking of how to talk her out of this. She was going to have work fast.

"Must have." Lucky reached out to pull her back to him. "Now I think we were right about here..." He drawled pulling her down for a kiss.

She could feel herself falling back into the temptation to kiss him until her lips were sore, but she was right about this. Giving into one lingering kiss, Elizabeth pulled back and look down at him. "Yes. You were trying to distract me. Again."

"And it was working." Lucky muttered under his breath. "You're being ridiculous. It's early. Just stay."

"I can't." She shook her head stubbornly. "I have to go."

"No you think you have to." He corrected, rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "For the record I disagree."

His light touch was driving her to distraction but she had to be strong. If Robin ever heard of this, her friend was going to question her sanity for sure. But one of them had to think logically about this and just this one time, it was going to be up to her. "Lucky it's time for me to leave."

"It's eight a.m. on a Sunday. It's time for no one to leave." He argued.

"And Cameron is going to be up in an hour. And he's not ready to see me here in the morning." Elizabeth grasped his free hand and brought it up to her lips to kiss his knuckles. "Baby you know he isn't ready for that yet."

"How will he ever be ready if you run away in the morning?"

Elizabeth laughed. "He's barely stopped glaring at me every time I'm here. Can we work on one step at a time here?" She arched her eyebrow at him. "Can I fully believe at least once he doesn't hate me before we move right back to that stage please?"

He fell silent and Elizabeth realized she probably just won her argument. He'd pout, complain and more than likely try to distract her some more, but she didn't think he was going to argue with her anymore on this point. Cameron wasn't ready yet. She had to leave. Elizabeth leaned down and kissed his cheek. "If it helps, I don't want to leave," she whispered into his ear.

It did help, but it didn't mean he had to like this situation. Glancing at the clock, Lucky realized they still had some time before she absolutely had to leave. With a gentle pressure, he pulled her down to him, lightly kissing her lips. Rolling them over once again, he smiled down at her. "I hope you can get ready fast, because I am not letting you go until the very last second."

"He's going to be up soon." Elizabeth reminded Lucky as he pressed her against his front door. It was a miracle Cameron hadn't woken up yet. Then again that had allowed for the double shower.

He felt like he was back in high school again, making out frantically on the front porch of some girl's house before her parents opened the door. Of course now it was his own front door and parents had been replaced with his still adjusting three-year-old. Hearing her sigh, he held onto her hip with one hand as her leg wrapped around his own.

The sound of a television being turned on upstairs alerted them to Cameron's waking up. The three-year-old had mastered turning on the TV by himself but still struggled with telling the difference between the buttons to change the channels and volume. As a result, he often put the TV on full blast without realizing it until it was too late.

Resting her head on his forehead, Elizabeth fought back the giggles. "He's up now."

The volume dropped noticeably followed by a shout of "I forgot!" Elizabeth continued to giggle as Lucky turned back to face her. "I guess I really have to go now." She reached behind her to twist open the door.

Reaching for her, Lucky tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I'm not going to convince you to stay because he'll be watching Sponge Bob for hours am I?"

Shaking her head no, she took a step outside. Even though Elizabeth knew she had to leave she didn't pull away when he wrapped his arms around her waist. Wrapping her own arms around his neck, she smiled up into his green eyes. "I'll call you later."

"Just call? No visit?"

"I do have to work tomorrow Lucky. And I should probably spend time with my grandmother." She leaned up to kiss him lightly. "You'll survive."

"Fine. Abandon me to live a life." He grumbled good-naturedly. He kissed her, holding it longer than she had. When they parted he dropped a quick kiss on her the tip of her nose. "I love you."

"I love you too." Elizabeth leaned up and kissed him again. Pulling away she managed to untangle herself from his arms and start the walk towards her car.

Across the street the whirl of the camera was the only sound from the non-descript white rental car parked there. The other photographers had laughed at him when he told them he was just going to drive around the small town and look for the elusive Lucky Spencer and his mystery girl. Lucky Spencer was too smart for that, they had scoffed. He was more than likely hiding out in the apartment of Ned and Lois Ashton. Glancing down at the digital display, he grinned. Looks like he got the last laugh. And the first pictures of Lucky Spencer's mystery girl with her face visible to the camera.


	120. Brace Yourself

"Insert Slot A into Slot B. Really isn't as hard as you're making it cousin." Patrick teased as he flipped through the instruction manual. Aunt Laura had sent them over to put Lulu's old crib up for Bobbie's new baby. It hadn't been a suggestion; Laura had said, in no uncertain terms, that it was time for her boys to grow up and act like the men she had raised them to be. Besides, it wasn't as if they had to deal with Cruz on top of everything else: he was on his way back from his home in Albany.

"Then you find either Slot A or Slot B." Lucky retorted.

"The box says it's easy to assemble." Patrick shot back, digging through the pile of white wooden pieces while still holding onto the manual. "It has to be here somewhere."

"Easy to assemble?" Lucky snorted. "Such the kiss of death. I think that's code for impossible to do without an engineer present."

"Damn. I forgot my hard hat." Patrick dropped his fist to his side in an exaggerated motion. "It can't be that hard. Uncle Luke got it together once before."

"I think I remember Uncle Tony, and Robert Scorpio coming to help." Lucky shrugged. "But I think there was drinking involved that day."

"And I bet Cruz has the fridge stocked with Corona." Patrick made a face of disgust.

"Not if he knows what's good for him." Bobbie announced from her place in the doorway, causing both her nephews to jump. Laughing she sat down on the edge of the remaining guest bed. "You boys didn't have to do this right now you know."

"Tell that to mom." Lucky muttered.

Patrick didn't think, just acted. His hand rose of its own accord and smacked Lucky upside the head.

"Like you weren't thinking it." Lucky accused.

"It's not a problem, Aunt Bobbie. We didn't have to work today." Patrick spoke up, discarding the wooden piece next to the unfinished crib.

"Where's Cameron?" Bobbie wondered. "I would have thought you would bring him with you."

"He's with Mom." Lucky explained. "Someone," he glared in Patrick's direction "gave her this crazy idea I wasn't going to leave the house ever again without him."

"You needed a break. You were two days away from a Martha Stewart meltdown." Patrick insisted, throwing the manual on top of the pile.

"Don't you need that?" Bobbie wondered slightly worried. She remembered well the late nights she, Laura, and Amy had put in after Luke and his friends had discarded the manual.

"We know what we are doing Aunt Bobbie." Lucky reassured her.

"How are you feeling?" Patrick asked, deciding that any distraction from the crib was welcome.

"The morning sickness isn't as bad as I remember. Although Cruz probably wishes his would pass."

Lucky's eyebrows almost shot right off his head. "Cruz is having morning sickness?" he asked, almost succeeding in keeping the laugh out of his voice.

"Sympathy pains." Bobbie explained. "It happens."

"Sympathy pains?" Patrick managed before he fell onto his back and cackled wildly. "What's next? Are you going to have to put him in a wheelchair when the big day comes?"

Lucky tried to keep from laughing but it was too much. Images of scenes from that Father of the Bride sequel Lulu made him watch years ago began to dance before his mind. "You'll have to remind him to breathe."

Bobbie shook her head at their antics. Laura may have forced them to come over and help, but they were here. It was a start. The next step would be to get them in the same room with Cruz. Obviously surprising them on Cameron and Lance's play date had not been her best idea but she would think of something. "Excuse me boys. I'll be right back."

Lucky returned his attention the piles of boards and tools they were using to assemble the crib. Picking up the instruction manual, he squinted at it. "Are we sure this is the English version?"

"I'm not even sure if they printed it right-side up." Patrick grumbled, rubbing his hands over his face.

Lucky sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He would much rather be sitting watching Sponge Bob than this. "Ok lets start from the beginning. Step one - open box. Well at least we've mastered that much."

"It's like I always say: directions are for imbeciles. You haven't suffered a brain injury between last night and this morning have you?" Patrick asked, his eyes smiling.

The retort Lucky was about to let fly died on his lips and his fingers froze as he flipped the bird. Bobbie's timid voice called out to them from down the hall. Her tone was soft, but it did nothing to hide the fear from their ears. Lucky and Patrick locked eyes as her request bounced off the walls. "Boys. I need you to take me to the hospital. Now."

The only thing that separated the obstetrics floor from the pediatric floor was the art, Lucky decided. The pediatric floor had cartoon characters and artwork done by patients. At this very second he was staring at a picture detailing the effects of smoking while pregnant had on the baby. If given the choice, he much preferred to look at the artwork three floors up.

Bobbie had been rushed in to see Dr. Lansing as soon as they came out of the elevators. The doctor had looked at them briefly and ordered them to wait there. It had been fifteen minutes ago, and there was no word since. Lucky clutched at his cell phone in his hand. Bobbie had sworn it was nothing, less than nothing, and they weren't to worry the entire family, but Lucky couldn't shake the feeling this was something. Granted he hadn't seen Jess's pregnancy day in and day out, but he knew that a person shouldn't be bleeding.

"Have you gotten a hold of him yet?" Lucky questioned.

"No." Patrick shook his head angrily. "His god damn voicemail message keeps clicking on. Of all the times to have his phone turned off." He wasn't a strong man, he could admit to himself. He didn't have the ability to comfort anyone when it came to something this serious. He was just as terrified as Lucky, wondering if, when he had wished none of this was true--Bobbie and Cruz, them having a baby, etc--he had gotten his wish. "I'll never forgive myself..." He whispered, bringing his hands to cover his petrified expression.

"There has to be something we can do." Lucky started to pace the length of the small waiting room. "Someone we can yell at to get information."

Patrick pointed toward an expectant mother who was waiting patiently for the doctor to see her, a crochet hook and yarn in her hands. "Go ahead." Patrick suggested, knowing he felt just as helpless.

Lucky threw his hands up in frustration. He wasn't about to add scaring a pregnant woman into early labor onto his list of dubious deeds. "Maybe we should just call Mom and Dad. Mom is way better at handling this."

"Here. Use my phone. Yours will never get reception in here." Patrick handed the phone over.

"Thanks." Lucky was about to dial the number when a commotion at the elevators caught his attention. He motioned for Patrick to follow him down the short walk to the nurses' station. Cruz stood looking wildly around for anyone that looked familiar.

"Cruz, over here!" Patrick waved several times before Cruz finally realized who was calling him.

"Is she alright?" Cruz asked, walking over to his best friends.

"We don't know." Lucky admitted.

"They won't tell us anything." Patrick added, signature frown in place.

"I'll find out what's going on." Cruz promised, heading over to the information desk. If he stopped moving, he would fall down. He knew that much to be true. He had to keep his head about him or so his father had always told him. This was one of those times when it would have been nice to have someone to lean on but he was far too scared to depend on either of his friends for support. I'm such an asshole, Cruz mused to himself. Bobbie was their aunt; they cared about her just as much as he did. They wouldn't let this petty fight between them get in the way of Bobbie's health or the baby's. No, it was best not to think of the baby at all. How could he not think of the baby? They hadn't had enough time. The crib wasn't even put up yet. He hadn't proposed. This was not how they were supposed to bring their child into the world. If, God forbid, this was early labor, there's no way their little baby boy or girl would survive.

"Excuse me?" Cruz pounded on the countertop, fear in his eyes. "My girlfriend was just brought in—"

"Sir calm down. You're not the only one having a baby tonight." Dr. Monica Quartermaine informed him slowly, shoving her platinum blonde hair behind one ear.

"I'm not having a baby tonight!" Cruz shot back, tears in his eyes.

"Dr. Quartermaine, my aunt, Bobbie Spencer, was brought in." Lucky explained. "We're just trying to get some information on where she is and how she's doing."

"Hello Lucky." Monica greeted him distractedly. "Let me see if her chart is here."

"She was bleeding." Lucky explained softly, trying to ignore the pained look that crossed Cruz's face. "Dr. Lansing is her doctor."

"Ah, right here." Monica said at last, flipping through Bobbie's chart. "Mr. Rodriguez, you can come with me." She explained, flying out from behind the desk and leading him toward Bobbie's room.

"What did Monica say?" Patrick inquired, coming up from behind Lucky.

"Nothing. She took Cruz that way and left me here."

"Damn it!" Patrick hung his head. "I can't stand this waiting!"

"Think we can sneak down the hall?"

"I think we can try." Patrick smirked.


	121. Fall Away

"I'm sure she's going to be fine." Robin assured Patrick, throwing her hands over his chest as he sat slumped in her computer chair. She had just put Morgan to bed when Patrick showed up hair a mess, eyes red and blotchy. She had automatically assumed something had happened with Cameron because she had known he was with Lucky tonight. Laura had sent the cousins over to Bobbie's to put the baby crib together. As much as Robin had wanted to watch them attempt a seemingly impossible task, she had attended her first PTA meeting at Morgan's school. She had met a lot of women there, most of whom she would only ever remember their faces instead of their names, and some men who had guilted into stopping in and staying for a ridiculously long meeting in which bake sales were the biggest concern. Robin wondered if she was too old to get a sick note from her mother.

"You didn't see her face when we brought her in." Patrick argued stubbornly, not wanting to fight with her but not quite ready to accept that she was okay without hearing the words from his aunt.

"Cruz is with her." Robin pointed out to which she was answered with a pouted expression. "He rushed right there, did he not?" At Patrick nod, she continued, "Well there you go. Cruz isn't going to let them do anything that they aren't supposed to do. He's got a lot on the line."

"And I don't? Bobbie is my family--" Patrick shot back bitterly.

"Don't you use that tone of voice with me Patrick Drake, or you'll be sleeping on the couch." Robin warned with a shake of her finger. "She's Cruz's family now." Before he could interrupt again, she went on, "Like it or not, Cruz isn't going anywhere. He loves Bobbie. You don't have to like it, but you might as well accept it."

"I hate it when you're rational." Patrick grumbled, snatching her arm gently and pulling her around the chair so that she tumbled into his lap.

"Frustrating isn't it?" Robin teased, kissing the tip of his nose.

"There are far worse frustrating things." Patrick countered, rolling his eyes. He caught her chin and tilted her head.

"Yeah? Like what?" Robin whispered, closing the space between them to plant a sweet kiss on his waiting lips.

"You know I'm more of a hands-on kind of guy." Patrick responded, sliding the strap of her lavender velvet nightgown down her shoulder.

"Too bad. Morgan and Courtney are upstairs." Robin pointed out, though she didn't pull away from him.

"All the more reason to stay downstairs." Patrick murmured, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I have so much to do." Robin argued, sliding out of his lap and getting to her feet with some difficulty.

"It can wait." Patrick shook his head, trying to grab her hand even as she stepped back another foot.

"It can't wait. Showers are all about details." Robin explained in a straightforward voice.

"Now you're talking my language." Patrick smiled, propelling his tired body out of the chair.

"Not that kind of shower. I mean Bobbie's baby shower." Robin told him, holding him back with a single finger poked into his chest.

"Baby shower? It's the middle of the night. Can't it wait until tomorrow?" Patrick whined, his eyes pleading.

"It's nine-thirty." Robin corrected, lifting her chin defiantly. "You'll just have to wait."

"Are you sure I can't--?" Patrick challenged in a lulling voice. Diving his hands into her hair, he cupped the back of her neck so that she had to look up at him.

"I have no doubt you can, but not right now." Robin countered, walking out of his arms. "Why don't you put on a movie or something? This won't take that long."

"Sure. I've heard that before." Patrick muttered, walking dejectedly to the couch.

"I feel a headache coming on." Robin alerted him cautiously.

"Fine. I'll be quiet. Just don't take too long." Patrick insisted.

"I might work on it all night." Robin threatened coldly.

"Yeah? I may not leave you anyplace to sleep in bed." Patrick retorted.

"What's different about that?" Robin wanted to know. When he didn't say another word, she checked off a mental point for herself. Robin Scorpio: 2 points. Patrick Drake: I point. She felt she had to give him one point for just being so damn sexy. Though she wouldn't be telling him that. It was a miracle he and his ego could fit in her tiny bed. More often than not, she was forced to sleep on top of him which, of course, he didn't mind, but the man was all muscle and thereby not as comfortable as her mattress.

Bedtime called the couple a few hours later. Patrick tossed and turned for the better part of an hour before Robin suggested maybe he get a glass of water or something. It wasn't that she was bothered by his worry, only that she knew he was never going to work through it lying in bed with her. Maybe he could go out for a run, clear his mind. She wished she had told him to do that instead, even though being left alone wasn't a favorable alternative.

The sheer curtains blew hastily in the breeze, nothing calm about the way they beat against the window in defiance. The night air was nice for the first time in a long time, not cold, but not humid either and she supposed that was why she had left the window cracked to begin with. Patrick would have freaked out if he had known, but she had done so after he had gone downstairs. Her bedroom was too stuffy to just rely on the central air; she would have suffocated in her sleep. Or lack thereof since she couldn't keep her eyes closed for more than a few minutes at a time. Patrick hadn't been gone for a long time, but she still considered hopping out of bed and going to find him. What if he had left and she was alone in the apartment with only Courtney and Morgan?

Her fingers gripped the ends of her blanket when she heard a scratching sound come up behind her. The odds of it being anyone but Morgan were low, so why was she afraid to turn around? He had probably had another bad dream; they weren't exactly foreign to him. She wished desperately to comfort him, but something told her that it wasn't her son who had startled her. She had taken a self defense class or two back in high school. She knew how to defend herself, but it had been years since she had even attempted it. Patrick had been an easy target at the bakery because she had been fueled by anger. The feeling pumping through her right now was nothing like anger, the exact opposite actually. She had never been so frightened in her entire life and she was almost certain no one would hear her if she screamed. If she could scream. Her throat was closing up.

She hadn't thought about that spent candle in weeks…now it was all she could think about. She hadn't told her Uncle Mac, but maybe she should have. Maybe he could have done an entire investigation and she wouldn't be in this situation right now…whatever this situation actually was. She had yet to turn around and face it like the strong woman she knew herself to be would do. The only weapons at her disposal from her position on the bed were the lamp and the mace. The lamp would do the most damage but she would go for the mace first just in case she was scaring herself for no reason. Over the last few weeks she had paid special attention to the news, listening, waiting, wondering if any other woman in Port Charles had been a victim of terrorization, but the local news stations had been silent. This did nothing to alleviate her worry. This meant she was being targeted. But why? A warm hand reached across her and closed over her mouth.

Choking on her fear, she drew her right elbow back and delivered a blow to her assailant's chest, causing him to wheeze slightly. Thankful for her quick thinking, she rolled onto her back and thrust the same elbow into his throat, her eyes catching his for a moment, but he reached for her arm and threw it over her head, the other returning to her mouth. Why hadn't she screamed? Why hadn't she turned the other way and made a run for the door? But there hadn't been enough time. She had cost herself precious time by waiting for him to attack her.

His face was hidden by a plain black mask but she knew the eyes well enough to know his identity. They were almost too light to be considered any one color. She had always seen them as green, but he had sworn they were gray and cunning like a lone wolf. At one time she had laughed at his reasoning, now she was terrified of what he might have picked up in their time apart. It was amazing what she thought about on the brink of hysteria. His messy beard had always bothered her and yet, she assumed he hadn't shaved it off. Some of his thick, chestnut hair stuck out of the back of the cotton mask, proving her suspicions that it was her ex-husband who had climbed through her open window with the intention of hurting her.

Logan must have assumed she would try to get away immediately, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of being right. She would get away, but she had get a clear idea of how to do it first. Escape was essential, but this entire ordeal had her trembling and then he smiled in response. Forget thinking. Forget planning. He had one agenda in mind and he wasn't going to stop until it was carried out. Would he leave her alive this time?

Flailing mindlessly against him, her left hand shot out and her fist collided with the lamp, knocking it off of the nightstand. She hoped someone heard it, someone who could help her. She would never be able to forgive herself if Morgan was the one that came running, thus putting himself in harm's way. She would kill Logan before she let him anywhere near her son!

Logan shifted and settled between her legs, ignoring the way her head turned from side to side in agony. Robin wanted to close her eyes and will him away, but her days of make-believe were over. As it stood, he was restraining her right arm and crushing her legs beneath his. He thought he could overpower her? He thought he was a big, strong man? He was strong, but not smart. She had that advantage on him. He had taken the necessary steps to plan this out; patience rarely won over spontaneity. She was left with only one weapon. From this position, she was at least able to reach the wrist that was restraining her. Closing her hand over his wrist, she brought her free arm up and around his neck, latched both of her hands together, straightened her back, and used the back of her legs to hold him in place. Heels in his back, she was able to force him over her shoulder and smash the top of his skull into the headboard of her bed.

She held him in that position for as long as she could, a little voice telling her not to let go, to never let go. He would get loose. He would hurt her. Not if she held him there. Just a few more seconds and he'd pass out. Even though his hand was no longer over her mouth, she couldn't scream for help, couldn't even breathe. As she felt his body relax above her, heard the last full breath expel from his parted lips, she squeezed her eyes shut and cried out Patrick's name. She had no way of knowing how many times she called him or for how long. She was only aware of him being next to her instantly. He rolled Logan off of her, sending him flying into the ground, his unconscious body still.

"Come on, Robin. Breathe, damn it." Robin recognized Patrick's voice, but she couldn't respond to it. He pulled her carefully into his lap and rocked her for several minutes, his hand patting her back. She didn't know what he was saying, but was fairly certain he was having a difficult time getting them out. "Come on baby. I'm right here. I'm right here." If not for her struggled breathing, he might have thought she had passed out. She wanted to open her eyes, but her brain refused to send the message. She didn't want to see Logan, see what she had done to him, or think about what he would have done to her. She didn't want to explain any of it to Patrick, didn't want to shatter his world with the truth. All she wanted, all she really needed, was for Patrick to not let her go.


	122. Fall To Pieces

Patrick opened the refrigerator to search for even the slightest drop of orange juice, finding cranberry juice instead. Shrugging his shoulders in acceptance, he took a glass from the cabinet and filled it to the rim, drinking it all in one gulp. He couldn't stop thinking about all that had happened tonight nor could he block out the fear in his best friend's voice when Monica had even broached the subject of Aunt Bobbie going into premature labor. Maybe Robin was right. Maybe he just needed to accept it and move on. He had learned firsthand that holding a grudge was about as pointless as talking to a wall. If he hadn't swallowed his pride and looked beyond the narrow scope of his own life, he never would have gotten to be with Robin, never would have realized how special she was. Things had worked out how they were supposed to, he figured.

He shut the door to the refrigerator and moved toward the sink to wash out his glass when the tiny hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stood to attention. A moment later, he heard the shattering of a lamp coming from upstairs. He didn't have to wonder whose room it was, nor did he have time to rationalize his next step. Dropping the glass into the sink, barely registering that it too had broken into a million little pieces, he ran for the stairs, taking them three at a time, almost stumbling until he finally had to grab a hold of the railing and yank himself up.

Nothing had prepared him for what he saw upon entering Robin's bedroom. The lights were still out, but the moonlight bounced off of the sheer curtains illuminating the room enough for him to make sense of what was going on…as if any of it could make sense to him. He flipped on the overhead light and saw that Robin's eyes were closed. He couldn't tell if she was breathing or not. Rushing over to the bed, he yanked the mask off of the burglar's head and came face-to-face with his unconscious little brother. Cupping his hand over his mouth in shock—or was it disgust?—his eyes suddenly shot to Robin. He didn't stop to check his brother's pulse or listen for his breathing. Robin's face was stark white and he wasn't able to focus on anything but her. Pushing Logan onto the floor—the long, trim body making a loud bang as it collided with the hardwood floor—he pulled Robin into his arms, and tilted her head backwards to see if maybe she would open her eyes.

"Come on, Robin. Breathe, damn it." Patrick ordered, his big hands cradling her face and trying to get her neck to support her head, but she was far too weak. "Come on baby. I'm right here. I'm right here." He repeated over and over into the thick mass of dark hair, his other arm wrapping around her so that he could shake her carefully. "Robin, I need you to open your eyes. Open them please. Look at me! Look at me, Robin!" He heard Courtney enter the room, but he paid her even less attention than he had his own brother, running his hand up and down Robin's back, trying to let his words and touch soothe her into returning to him. Beneath his fingertips he felt the tiniest of scratches and assumed Logan had knocked her into the headboard. She certainly hadn't been banged up when they had settled in for bed.

Courtney was speaking to him, but he couldn't understand what she was saying over the pounding in his ears. She must have been concerned but she should have been able to see that he was doing his best to revive the love of his life. It never ceased to amaze him how incredibly tiny she was compared to him. Not only was she a foot shorter than he was, she was as small as a rag doll in his shaking arms. Rocking her back and forth, he dropped his mouth to her ear and told her he loved her, all the while begging her to come back to him.

Robin coughed hoarsely, crying out at the way it burned her excruciatingly sore throat. Her body jumped in his arms and she tried immediately to sit up—he had laid her down beside him—but he was too strong and she felt the tears building when she realized that she hadn't really gotten away, that she was still in danger. She wanted to fight him for all she was worth, but her energy was gone. He was going to kill her now. She just knew it. Her eyes started to grow heavy and sting from the fountain of tears, but his voice brought her back each time she tried to shut the world out. She blinked frantically and Patrick's face came into view at last.

"There she is!" Patrick tried to tease, his fingers trembling when he brushed her wet bangs off of her face. She was still deathly pale and he about had himself convinced he shouldn't touch her at all, but he didn't know how to assess the damage otherwise. She folded her body into his strong arms and let her head find the spot on his shoulder he reserved especially for her. As he shifted them into a sitting position, she yielded to his every movement making certain that she wouldn't fall out of his embrace. "There's my girl." She couldn't stop the spasms from seizing her frail body and throwing her into a fit of trembles. He gathered her closer, apologizing, and she let her eyes close again.

"No, I need you to stay awake. Can you do that for me please?" Patrick demanded though his tone never changed. "Courtney, can you call the police?" Robin continued to shake and shudder as Courtney left the room and not even Patrick's promises could make her body relax. "Robin? Robin, come on. Look at me. Focus on me."

Robin willed her eyes to not surrender to the temptation of sleep because she couldn't stand the way the very thought seemed to hurt Patrick, almost to the point of it being a physical attack. She worried she might never stop trembling, but more than that she was terrified she might have survived the attack only to die directly after it. Her fingers caught Patrick's arm and she dug her nails into his skin, certain that he would let go of her if she wasn't touching him.

"The police are here." Courtney announced her eyes clouded over with anxiety as she watched the limp way Robin lay in Patrick's arms. Robin saw the fear, knew what could happen, and she wished she had been able to tell her best friend how much she loved her or even just that she was sorry for how things had turned out.

"Yeah, alright." Patrick answered ambiguously, cradling Robin closer. What good were the police anyway? They hadn't been able to predict Logan's—Logan?—movements any better than he had and Robin had gotten caught in the crossfire. There was no doubt in Patrick's mind that his precious little Robin had been right to trust her instincts when she had reported the break-in to him.

"Patrick, they want a statement." Courtney pressed on. Her eyes were conflicted as they bounced from Robin to Patrick.

"I can't give them one. I don't know what happened." Patrick admitted bitterly, shutting his eyes against the overwhelming guilt.

"You must have some idea." Courtney concluded, walking over to where Logan lay still beside Robin's bed. "That son of a bitch, I knew he wasn't done with her." She whispered, tears filling her cold blue eyes. "And then you had to go and make her fall in love with you. You made her a target." She accused, placing a hand over her mouth.

"I don't need this right now, Courtney." Patrick sighed, lifting his eyelids and staring furiously at her. "Tell them Logan is in here. As far as a statement, all I know is he was on top of her when I came in, and he wasn't conscious." He reiterated the turn of events with a biting tone.

"Fine." Courtney conceded, disappearing down the stairs. Robin was only aware of Patrick and Courtney. Her brain simply wouldn't let her remember what she had just experienced nor would it help her make sense of how she had escaped with her life. Other women in her place hadn't been so lucky.

"If you thought I was pushy after the car accident, you had better get used to seeing my scraggly face." Patrick advised Robin with a wobbly chuckle. "I'm not leaving you alone for a second." Even as he said the words to her, he knew they were lies. He would stay with her as long as she let him, as long as each of their careers would allow, but eventually he would have to let her stand up on her own. She wouldn't have it any other way.

"Patrick." Courtney's voice interrupted his doomsday line of thinking and he let his eyes slowly settle upon hers. "Is she competent enough to make a statement?"

"What do you think Courtney?" Patrick spat brusquely. "She can barely keep her eyes open and she can't talk."

"Then it'll have to be you. I don't know what happened." Courtney insisted, folding her arms to battle her own state of mild tremors.

"I can't leave her like this!" Patrick argued, stroking his hand through Robin's hair tenderly.

"I'll stay with her. We need to get Logan out of here before he wakes up." Courtney admonished quietly. "I won't let anything happen to her." She couldn't ignore the distrust she found in his wide chocolate stare but, with it, she also discovered the unmistakable look of shame in his gaze.

He lifted Robin's chin gingerly letting her eyes find his before he attempted to speak. "I'm going downstairs for a few minutes to give the police a statement. I want you to stay here with—" She shook her head fervently, a sound escaping her thinly drawn lips that closely resembled an animal in agony. "Baby, it's okay. You're not going to be alone. Courtney is right here. I'll be right back." The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. He had already promised to "be right back" prior to her attack and he had been downstairs for what must have felt like a lifetime to her.

"Robin, I'm right here." Courtney promised, resting her hand on her best friend's wrist, careful not to touch the circle of bruises she found there. "I'm right here." As she had hoped, Robin let Patrick move her into Courtney's arms and didn't cry for him when he left the room. "This slimy bastard will get what he has coming to him, I swear to God." She vowed, pressing a kiss to Robin's cold forehead.

"Patrick, come quick!" Courtney called from the bottom of the stairs. Steering Patrick toward the stairs, she asked the bushy blonde detective to excuse them for a second.

"What's the matter?" Patrick asked in alarm, his mind creating a hundred different scenarios. He had to quit hanging out with Dillon. The kid was making him crazy.

"I can't get her to stop. I was hoping you could." Courtney answered instead, pushing him into the bedroom when she decided he wasn't going fast enough.

"Get her to stop what?" The words died on Patrick's tongue when he saw Robin crouched in the middle of the bathroom floor with a spray can of Lysol and a toothbrush. She was scraping away at the tiled floor as hard as she could, her sore hand turning purple from the exertion she was forcing upon it.

"She wanted to wash her face so I took her into the bathroom, but then she pulled all of the cleaning products out of the bottom cabinet and started scrubbing. Before I called you in, she was stripping the sheets off of the bed." Courtney made a dramatic wave of her hand to show him the mess she had made of the bed. "When I asked her what she was doing, she just kept repeating that she had to get it clean, that it needed to be clean. I'm really freaking out here, Patrick." She admitted, dropping her head in embarrassment.

"I'll take care of her." Patrick promised, bending down next to Robin and reaching for the toothbrush. "Can I have this?"

"No!" Robin shook her head and slapped his hand away. "Don't touch me!"

"These rooms are immaculate, sweetheart. Come, get off of the floor." Patrick insisted, placing his hands on either side of her waist.

"I told you not to touch me!" She reminded him with a shake of the toothbrush. "You don't understand. You can't see the filth like I can. I have to get it up. It's not safe for Morgan."

"Honey, Morgan's sleeping. Nothing in here can hurt him. You don't need to clean anything. Come on." Patrick tried again, but the second his fingers came in contact with hers, she thrashed against him and skidded backwards, falling onto her back. "Are you okay?" Patrick asked as he towered over her.

"I'll scream." Robin warned.

"There's no need to scream, Robin. I won't hurt you."

"Tha-that's what Logan said, but he did. He hurt me. He hurt me." Robin repeated over and over again until Patrick finally turned his face away. "What's the matter? You can't stand to hear it? You don't want to—to know what he did?"

"We need to get you to a hospital. Would that be alright?" Patrick suggested his voice softer than a whisper as he posed the question.

"I'm not going to the hospital." Robin argued, putting the toothbrush to the tile a second time and ignoring him.

"You need to get checked out. We'll go when you're ready though. I don't want you to be scared." Patrick told her.

"I'll never be ready to go back there. They'll try to keep me away from Morgan, and I can't just can't let that happen." Robin dismissed, her head tilted in a way that allowed her hair to cover her red face.

"No one is going to take Morgan away from you, Robin. You're his mother and everyone knows that." Patrick kept on, worried that his next word would send her into meltdown mode.

"Does Carly?" Robin challenged. "Does she know?"

"Carly's dead. Sonny left Morgan with you because he knew you would protect him and love him." Patrick reminded her.

"I didn't protect him though. I let him get hurt. I drove my car into that tree. Why did I do that, Patrick?" Robin wanted to know.

"It was an accident. There was a malfunction with the car or something. It's nothing you meant to happen."

"I don't want to go to the hospital."

"Okay." Patrick nodded. "We don't have to go right now."

"Why aren't you listening to me? I said I don't want to go!"

"You have to go, Robin."

"I am a grown woman! I will not be talked to this way!"

"Okay. Okay." Patrick agreed, cupping her face in his hands and almost smiling when she didn't fight him.

"You're not going to make me go?" Robin inquired suspiciously.

"I'm not going to make you go." Patrick assured her, pulling her closer.


	123. Learning To Breathe

If he never drank another cup of bad hospital coffee it would be too soon, Lucky decided as he sipped the lukewarm beverage. At one point it had probably been liquid but right now, it was closer to sludge. Deciding against poisoning himself further, he tossed the cup into a nearby trash can, shuddering as he heard it echo in the metal container with a disturbing thump.

He paused at the nurse's station, debating on whether it would be better to ask here or just walk down the hall. There had been no word all night from the hospital about Bobbie's condition. It had come as a shock when Elizabeth had pointed out that if anything had happened, the doctors would tell Cruz first before calling his dad. Even when he and Patrick had been shuffled out of the room last night, it hadn't really registered Cruz was being allowed to stay. Surely if something had happened, Cruz would have called someone to let them know.

Then again, Lucky reasoned, if the news had been bad, would Cruz have been able to call anyone? He knew from his own recent experience that if Lulu and his mother hadn't made the phone calls, it wouldn't have entered his own mind to do so.

Glancing at the clock above the elevators, Lucky realized he had an hour before Cameron's physical therapy session was over. If the news was bad, he was going to need time to call the rest of the family and calm down before seeing Cameron. If it was good, he would need to relax first before anything else could happen. He'd start at the nurse's station, he decided, then he would go down the hall. At least then he would be somewhat prepared for what he was going to walk into.

Now the question became which nurse should he ask? Who looked the most likely to tell him what she wasn't supposed to? As he attempted to size up the nurses as they checked charts and double checked monitors, Lucky realized he was completely lost at this. Where was Patrick when he needed him?

"Lucky, any word?" Patrick's voice bounced off of the hospital's walls as he closed the distance between him and his cousin as fast as he could without disturbing the calm brunette in his arms.

Lucky shrugged. "I was just going to ask." He explained. Spying Robin being carried and not hearing her scream about it, Lucky couldn't help but be curious as to what was going on. Glancing at Patrick, he noticed something different about his cousin. The fear and worry from last night were still there, but somehow it had been heightened. His cousin's eyes couldn't stop moving, glancing at every person as if they posed a threat. Patrick was an easygoing guy for the most part, and he wasn't suspicious by nature. What had happened between being run out of the hospital and now? Gesturing to Robin with his chin, he tried to get Patrick to focus his eyes on him. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Logan paid Robin a visit tonight." Patrick answered, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. "I have to get her checked out."

"Logan?" Lucky couldn't keep the confusion out of his voice. What did Logan have to do with this? And what had Patrick practically shaking? "Come on, let's go sit down."

"No, I can't. I have to get her to an exam room." Patrick argued, glancing in every direction, unsure which way he should be going.

"I'll get a nurse to call a doctor. You need to sit down or you're going to drop her." Lucky prodded gently, catching the eye of the nearest nurse to him. The young redhead's eyes widened as she took in the scene and offered a brisk nod before rushing off.

Patrick let Lucky lead him to a nearby chair. "I wasn't there for the whole thing. I don't know—" He broke off and wanted to shut his eyes but forced them to stay open. If Robin had to deal with this, then so did he. "I don't know how far he got."

"Just tell me what you know."

"I went to get some juice from the fridge. I wasn't gone for more than five minutes. In that time, Logan climbed through the bedroom window and, at some point, a lamp was shattered. That's how I knew something was wrong. I ran as fast as I could, but they were both completely still when I reached her room. She managed to knock him unconscious, but was practically mute when I got to her." Patrick explained gravely.

"Son of a bitch." Lucky swore under his breath. He had never particularly cared for Logan, but he hadn't thought him capable of this. Logan had better be in jail, because if he wasn't Lucky was going to make it his mission to put the younger man in the hospital. "Where is he?" he growled.

"Courtney called the police. They came and took him away. I went to give them my statement while Courtney stayed in the room with her. When I came back, she was cleaning like a mad woman and kept repeating herself, almost like a mantra she had to remember. She said she wouldn't let me bring her here." Patrick told him.

"So how did you manage that?"

"I mixed up some Ambien and put it in her iced tea."

"Whatever works I guess." Seeing the nurse approaching with a doctor, Lucky waved them over to the chairs. "I'm assuming you'll be going with her?"

"Unless they're planning on sedating me too." Patrick remarked before following them to the nearest exam room. It was going to be a long night. He prayed Robin was able to sleep through it.

Lucky put out a hand to stop his cousin before he disappeared. "I'll find out what happened to Aunt Bobbie and call Elizabeth. Do you need clothes or anything from your place?"

"I won't, but I bet she'll want something else to put on. Let Elizabeth pick it." Patrick replied. "And Lucky?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Lucky nodded down the hall. "Now go take care of her before I tell Mom and Aunt Bobbie on you."

Blinking, Bobbie squinted her eyes as she adjusted to the harsh light. It took a few moments to remember where she was, what had brought her here. Her hand rested protectively over her lower abdomen. Dr. Lansing had warned her that her pregnancy would be difficult, but she hadn't fully believed him until she had seen the blood when she had gone to the bathroom.

Her heart had thought and her mind immediately raced to miscarriage. Lucky and Patrick had tried their hardest, but they hadn't been able to disguise their worry from her. It had done nothing to calm her increasing anxiety. It wasn't until Cruz had crashed into the room that she felt on some level she would be able to survive this.

She smiled softly as her eyes focused on his form, folded uncomfortably in the chair next to her bedside. Reaching for his hand, she squeezed his fingers softly. "Time to wake up." She whispered.

"Huh, what?" Cruz sat up trying to make sense of why Bobbie was waking him up in the dead of night.

"Good morning," she smiled. "How did you sleep?"

"Did I snore?" Cruz asked in a worried tone.

"No more than usual."

"How are you feeling?" He wondered, moving his hand to rest over hers.

"Better. I still don't think staying here was all that necessary."

"It was very necessary," Cruz countered, stressing every word that left his mouth. "For both our sakes."

"You heard Dr. Lansing. Spotting is very common in women my age."

"I don't want to talk about Dr. Lansing or other women. I want to talk about how good it is to be sitting here with you."

"Sweetie, I'm fine." Bobbie squeezed his hand for extra emphasis. "We're both fine."

"Those nephews of yours are horrible at delivering accurate facts. All I could make out was Lucky yelling into the phone while Patrick was fighting with the drive-through speaker." He let his smile prove that the last part was a joke. He wanted to make her laugh, make her smile. He wanted her to know that she was safe with him, that he wouldn't sweat the small stuff.

Bobbie laughed lightly. "You did better than me. I thought they were speaking in Three Musketeers code."

"Was either of them talking to a suspicious-looking candy bar?" He smiled, reaching for her hand and intertwining their fingers.

"Baby that joke was lame even by your worried standards." She smiled as she looked at their connected fingers.

"Let's hope our daughter has your sense of humor." Cruz nodded slightly.

"I pray that every night for our son."

"Why do you continue to fight me? The book said that you know it's a boy when you carry it low..." He prattled on until her fingers touched his lips, silencing him.

"Sweetie. Why don't you just tell me what's really on your mind?"

"Besides our safe, sweet little baby?"

"Yes. Not that I don't enjoy this adorable excited part of you, but there is something else. I can tell."

"You always could read me just like a book. Alright, there is something." He sat up and kissed her softly, sliding his hand into her hair.

"Good. Now just say it."

"What would you think about...well I mean you'll...what I'm saying is—would you like to marry me?" Cruz barely got the words out before his throat started to close up in fear. This was what his friends had warned him not to do, to never do: make himself vulnerable.

Bobbie blinked rapidly. She couldn't have heard him correctly. Looking into his deep brown eyes, anxiety written all over his face, she realized she had. Her heart caught in her throat. "What did you just say?" she whispered.

"I did it wrong, didn't I?" He figured, fidgeting in his chair.

"Wrong?" She shook her head in confusion, sitting up higher in the bed.

"I've never proposed to anyone before." He declared, though he bet she already knew that.

"Sweetie, marriage? You want to get married?"

"Yes." Cruz responded hastily. "Don't you?"

"I...I haven't thought about it." And she hadn't. Not seriously.

"Well what do you think about it now? Do you want to get married?" Cruz asked cautiously.

"Baby, what brought all this on?"

"I don't want to waste any more precious time."

"So this is about what happened yesterday?"

"No. This is about loving you and this child."

Bobbie rested her hands on his face. "Sweetie I don't want you to do this because you feel you have to. I can take care of this baby on my own."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Cruz jerked away from her touch, sinking back into his chair.

"I don't want you to feel you have to do anything. I know you've talked to Lucas, and my son hasn't been quiet about what he expects."

"You think this is about your son?" Cruz asked incredulously.

Bobbie continued as if he hadn't spoken. "I know last night was a wake-up call for both of us, but we don't have to change anything. And certainly we don't have to change anything to make other people happy."

"Yeah." Cruz responded after a long pause. "Yeah maybe you're right." He got to his feet and stumbled over to the door. "I'm just...going to get something to drink. Do you want anything?"

"No. No I'm fine. Thank you."

"I'll be back. And it has nothing to do with obligation." He muttered, closing the door behind him.


	124. Beautiful Disaster

_**BTW, the last scene was inspired by an Elizabeth/Luke scene that happened right after her rape.**_

It had been hours since she had left the hospital, but Elizabeth realized she might as well still be sitting there. Physically she had gotten onto the elevator, pressed the button, gotten into her car, and driven over to Lucky's house at his insistence. Mentally? She was still sitting next to Robin's hospital bed as her friend insisted nothing was wrong and they were all making a big deal out of nothing.

Tucking her knees under her chin, Elizabeth adjusted herself on the window seat. She hadn't checked her messages at school until lunch and it was only by sheer luck she had managed not to drop her phone into the garbage can. The other three-year-old teacher Rosario Lopez had rushed over, apparently convinced that she was about to faint. It was probably close to the truth considering Ms. Ostencraft hadn't put up too much of an argument about her leaving right then and there. By the sheer grace of God she had managed to drive herself to the loft, pick out something for Robin to wear, and make it to the hospital without causing injury to herself or anyone else.

What was it about hospital beds that made everyone look so small? Cameron had seemed tiny in his and Robin looked well younger than her twenty-four years. Her dark hair had hung in a lackluster fashion down her back. Although she had plastered on a smile when Elizabeth ran into the room, Elizabeth was no fool. It was fake. The mischievous spark she normally associated with her friend's eyes was dead. A cold vacant stare stood in their place. Robin wasn't looking at anyone, she was looking past them.

"Hey." Lucky whispered softly, nudging her shoulder with the back of his hand. "Here drink this."

Over her shoulder, he handed her a steaming mug. Taking it carefully with both hands, she blew on the contents to cool it. She hadn't bothered to turn on the lights, so her glance into the dark liquid was rather pointless. She had no idea what she was about to drink. "What is it?"

"My mom swears hot chocolate can cure anything." Lucky shrugged. "Dad always thinks it needs a little shot of brandy to make that a reality. I figured you could use it."

Even though he couldn't see it, his small joke did earn him a tired smile. Taking a cautious sip, Elizabeth leaned against his chest. As she felt the soothing liquid work its way through her system, she rested her head on his shoulder as he rubbed her side with his free hand. "I'm worried about her."

"I know." Lucky dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "I am too." Worry didn't begin to cover how he felt for Robin. Worry was just the tip of the iceberg. He was angry anything so vile should touch Robin and ashamed that someone in his own family would have something to do with it. Her lack of response and insistence that nothing was wrong was scaring him more than anything. The last time Robin insisted everything was fine was when her parents dropped her off on Mac's doorstep and went to pursue their own ambitions. Robin was a fighter. Robin didn't shy away from proclaiming loudly what was wrong. The person he saw in the hospital room today was not Robin. And judging by the look on Patrick's face, his cousin no more believed her protestations of being fine any more than he or Elizabeth did.

"She looked so small. So alone." Elizabeth took another sip to guard against the chill that was coming from her memories. "I don't know what to do."

Lucky pulled her closer, secretly glad she was there and healthy enough for him to hold. If anything remotely close to that had happened to her? He couldn't fathom it. Max had cheated on her and he wanted to run him over repeatedly with a four-wheeler. But this? He didn't know if he would be strong enough to handle it. Looking up at the sky for guidance, Lucky sent up a quick prayer that Patrick would be able to find the strength somewhere. Robin was going to need him more than anyone. "Robin is not alone. She has Patrick, you, me, Courtney, Mac, Alexis, Bobbie, and more people in this town that she probably wants to help her."

"What do I do? I want to help her but if she doesn't admit anything's wrong how can I?"  
Elizabeth was well familiar with Robin's power of denial. It was one thing to deny falling in love with Patrick, but this? There was no amount of joking and teasing that would make this admission easier.

"You'll find a way." Lucky dropped another kiss into her hair. "You'll find a way."

Cruz had walked around the hospital for nearly two hours before returning to Bobbie's room, finding it vacant. His first thought had been panic, but Monica had found him that instant and explained that his girlfriend had checked herself out, saying she felt fine. Since there hadn't been any medical reason to keep her, there had been no way to keep her from doing so. He had tried not to let it upset it but it had...it still did. Almost four hours later it still pissed him off. She hadn't waited for him to take her home, further proving that she was living under the assumption that she was better off without him.

Patrick and Lucky had already started tackling the baby's crib even though there were six months before they would be bringing her home. He didn't care what Bobbie said; they were having a little girl. He couldn't imagine anything more beautiful than a little dark eyed girl with long, thick red curls bouncing around her dimpled cheeks.

He rubbed his hand over his face in pure exhaustion and tried to figure out what his next step should be. He didn't want to think that Bobbie would be so cruel as to keep him from their child after it was born, but he might need to have a talk with Alexis to discuss his legal rights just in case. It'd be best not to tell Bobbie because he still had every intention of making it work with her.

His future started to play out in his mind's eye and he didn't like what he saw. Bobbie would be standing on the porch to wave to him as he drove up to pick up his child for visit number whatever wearing a sheer nightgown that she wore for the new man in her life, a husband Cruz bet. This man would be around her age, much more mature than he, and his kid would call him Daddy.

"Did you just space out on me there? I was asking about the reception." Dillon repeated his brows in furrow as he took in the bedraggled man to his right. Lucas had taken Lance to the park so there was little chance of his husband coming home in time to catch them talking. Lucas was coming around but it was a gradual transition.

"What reception?" Cruz asked stupidly. He didn't remember why he had stopped by, how he ended up at his girlfriend's son's house but he had literally run out of options. Patrick and Lucky were still freezing him out though there had been some progress. He had actually made an attempt, reaching out to both of them, but their phones had been off so he had assumed it was for the best.

"You're not going to have a reception?" Dillon put his left hand to his chest in shock, openly mocking the stereotype. "I don't know if I can be a part of this if there isn't going to be a reception."

"Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves just a little bit?" Cruz replied after a moment's pause. "She hasn't even said yes yet." Unless the younger man brought it up, he wasn't going to mention that, while he hadn't gotten a yes, he had gotten shot down immediately following his proposal.

"I guess you're right. Okay, first things first: you need to practice the proposal to make sure you get it right. Perfection is the key." Dillon schooled him using his practical tone.

"Maybe this is a bad idea." Cruz backpedaled, closing his hands over his eyes. He didn't want to relive the most embarrassing moment of his entire adult life. The woman he was having a child with was so disgusted at the idea of being his wife that she actually considered being a single mother as a step-up from the alternative. "I don't want her to feel like she has to marry me." And he didn't. His proposal, if it could be called that, had been botched up, he could admit that, but that didn't make it any less sincere. Almost losing her and the baby had sped up the timetable in which he had set his life, but his question hadn't been a last resort either.

"Are you kidding? You guys are totally Shrek and Fiona!" Dillon shot up to his feet to further emphasize his point.

"What? Shrek and Fiona? That's the best you can come up with?" Cruz challenged, his eyes turning black in his lame attempt to control his temper. Dillon was only trying to make him feel better about the situation. He wondered if his and Bobbie's life choices would always be referred to as The Situation.

"What do you want? You're no Prince Charming." Dillon retorted with an eye-roll.

"Thank you for sparing my pride." Cruz bit off sarcastically.

"Pride is Love's archenemy. You need to be careful or it'll just be you and your cats." Dillon mused thoughtfully.

"My cats? Why do I get the feeling that's not a sexual reference?" Cruz treaded carefully.

"Maybe because I was actually talking about you and your cats you old woman." Dillon teased good-naturedly. "Let's start with flowers. Flowers are easy." He redirected, trying to get back to the issue at hand.

"Bobbie's allergic to almost every kind of flower. Except roses. Are roses corny?" Cruz wanted to know.

"Yes, but somehow you make corny work." Dillon gave him a look that said he was clearly lost in what made corny "adorable" but had enough sense not to question his mother-in-law's taste in boyfriends.

"I should have had flowers." Cruz muttered to himself. Even in the movies, the guy always had flowers. Or a ring. He hadn't had either. While part of him wanted her to pick out the ring herself, he wanted to surprise her even more. He wanted her to know that she was special, that he had taken extra care with how he approached the idea of marriage. "I proposed to her last night." Now that he was saying it aloud, he couldn't believe his prior anger. Bobbie had been completely justified in turning him down. He had told her they were getting married instead of asking.

"You did WHAT?" Dillon took his seat and plunged his smooth, manicured fingernails through his spiky blonde hair.

"I was so grateful that she was okay--" Cruz began.

"So that's why you made a laughing stock of all my fine work?" Dillon accused impatiently. "I can't believe you're still standing. How do I not know about this?"

"Because she said no." Cruz explained solemnly.

"I don't blame her. I would have too." Dillon nodded his head sagely.

"And just what does that mean?" Cruz shot back.

"Your timing could use some definite work. The flowers are going to have to wait. We've got bigger issues." Dillon realized with startling clarity.

Robin woke to the sound of a doorknob being turned slowly. Sitting up, she focused her wide brown cinnamon eyes on the front door to the loft. She had only been asleep for ten minutes, if that, but her body showed no signs of needing more as she lifted up on her knees and clenched her fingers into tight fists. Her socked feet dangled over the couch and she blew a loose strand of dark hair out of her eyes. The color had started to fade over a course of the previous week and she hadn't made any attempt to stop it. She rather preferred this color despite the fact that the deep color made her face look extra pale. This afternoon was a fluke in that she hadn't been able to catch even a second of sleep since Logan showed up unannounced. Patrick wanted her to talk about it, pressed for details of all things every time they were alone, but she remained close-mouthed about it which always resulted in infuriating him further. What did he expect her to do? She didn't want to relive that night and no amount of coaxing from him was going to change that. It'd be best to forget the entire thing.

She tried to clear her throat to alert her presence to whomever had decided to drop by unexpectedly but her voice was as soft as it had been that night, soft and useless. Patrick had told her that she had never called for him, at least not in a way that he could hear her. If she hadn't knocked over the lamp, he never would have known anything was wrong. It was happening all over again, she thought angrily as she stared hard at the spinning doorknob. She knew the door was locked so it didn't take a genius to figure out that the person in the hall was trying to pick her lock. It didn't seem to matter that her body wanted to fight, her mind was in control and it was driven by her own irrational fears. Backing into the couch until her back was braced against the cushions she covered her eyes with her open palms and peeked through them.

"Why am I always alone?" She whimpered to no one in particular. Patrick had gone to the police station and then he was going to stop by to pick her up, understanding that she was still uncomfortable sleeping in the bed where so much had happened. The couch had been a welcome substitute until now. Until she could hear someone breaking in. Until she could see for herself that she was no more safe in the daylight than she had been in the dead of night. One hand moved to cup her mouth to quiet the trembling cry that built and built in the back of her throat and the other reached out to pick up the phone. She had no idea if she could remember the right number to call, or even if she had that kind of time, but just holding the receiver made her feel a little better.

"Luv? Are you home?" Anna Scorpio called to her a moment before throwing the door open. She wasn't sure what she had expected to find when she let herself into the crowded flat but the sight of her daughter curled up in a little ball on the couch clenching the telephone had been at the bottom of her mental list. "Robin, are you alright darling?" Anna kept her steps as light as her voice, recognizing what could only be described as blind fear cloud her daughter's beautiful brown eyes.

"Mom." Robin croaked out, scrambling to her feet and catching her mother's slender waist in her unyielding arms. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Robin, what's happened?" Anna stroked a soft hand through her only child's thick hair, bunching up the ends in-between her thumb and forefinger. She slid her arms under Robin's and held her just as tightly, understanding that her daughter needed the comfort she had longed for as a small child.

Robin wanted to explain, to tell her mother everything. She wanted to fall asleep to her mother's soft, soothing accent while her back was rubbed or her hair was brushed. It was amazing how much she craved her mother's touch when she had shied away from everyone else's since the incident.

"I'm sorry." Robin spoke at last, backing out Anna's arms and swatting at the tears staining her bright red cheeks. "Would you like to sit down?"

"Robin, you don't have to be so brave all the time. I don't mind holding you if that's what you need—" Anna assured her in a no-nonsense voice she had become known for.

"I'm fine, really. I was just…shocked to see you. That's all." Anna watched her daughter easily slip back into her protective shield, noticed the walls shooting up around her.

"How about I make some hot tea and you can tell me what's bothering you." Anna insisted, making a beeline for the kitchen.

"No." Robin caught her arm, the mere tug keeping her mother's feet planted. "I can do it."

"Of course you can. I was just trying to help…" Anna's voice trailed off when she was met with the stubborn Scorpio stare.

"I don't need any help." Robin bit back, hating how cruel she sounded. "I'm sick to death of everyone trying to help. If there was something any of you could do, I'd surely let you. However, you can't change the past."

"Change the past? Robin, I must admit, I'm in the dark." Anna promised unrelentingly.

"You expect me to believe that Uncle Mac didn't call you and tell you everything?" Robin screamed.

"Mac? I haven't spoken with him since the car accident. What happened Luv?" Anna resorted to her daughter's childhood nickname, one that she had been called herself, to try and appease her.

"You haven't?" Robin rested her back against the doorway of the kitchen and closed her eyes. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"I'd rather be a foot taller. Any other unreasonable requests?" Anna teased her tone not the least patronizing.

"I can't say I wish Logan had never come to Port Charles all those years ago, because then I never would have met Patrick." Robin began her first instinct to cut and run. She had yet to open her eyes.

"What has Logan done?" Anna demanded impatiently despite the fact that she would wait forever if she could just get her daughter to trust her again. What had severed it so quickly and with such finality?

"He stalked me up until last week." Robin explained, barely able to say the words without choking on her own fear. It wasn't as if he could hear her from a jail cell, but she still forced her eyes open in case he had snuck in behind her mother. The door was still ajar. It wasn't unfounded to worry he could get in undetected.

"What happened last week?" Anna broached the subject carefully.

"I don't want to—I can't." Robin whispered, bending in half when a coughing fit took hold of her unprepared body.

Anna closed the space between them and yanked her into her arms, murmuring soothing words of French to her baby and rocking her gently. "Okay, you don't have to tell me. I'm pretty sure I can guess." One phone call, she told herself. That was all it would take to kill that rat bastard son of a bitch in his sleep. Or maybe she would make the trip herself and smother him with a pillow. A knife would be the best; she wouldn't even be bothered by the mess. Though it would send her daughter into tremendous panic, she had killed plenty of people in her time, men, women, and even a little girl who could have easily passed for Robin's twin. She wasn't proud of her past, but it was times like this when she was grateful that she had acquired such skills.

"He didn't rape me." Robin had expected the words to be more difficult but, somehow, her mother's presence made her feel as though she was hidden beneath an invisible cloak. "He tried, but I didn't let him." She hated the way her voice broke when so many other women in the exact same situation hadn't been able to get away like she had. There was no reason for her to be this terrified when she had escaped. He hadn't been able to accomplish what he had planned on doing, but the terror he had hoped to inflict…there he had succeeded.

"You are my brave little girl." Anna nodded letting out a breath at what she supposed was tormented relief.

"Mother, please. Please stop it." Robin begged, burying her face into her Anna's shoulder and sinking into her protective embrace.

Patrick watched the scene play out in front of him unable to say or do anything to disturb it. He had been caught unaware by the open door, but now he knew Robin was safe. She clung to her mother desperately and his heart broke at the sound of her muffled sobs. As much as he had hoped she would break for him, he could now say, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was thankful she had let her mother comfort her. He could admit he was way out of his league when it came to keeping Robin safe—he had more than proved that with his lack of action when Logan had stumbled in through her bedroom window—and that, for the first time since meeting her, he was overjoyed to see Anna Scorpio.


	125. Closer To Free

Sighing impatiently, Elizabeth tapped her foot as she checked her watch once again. He was the one who had been desperate for help, so was it that far of a stretch to expect him to be on time? It wasn't like spending Saturday morning in the mall was high up on her list of things to do. For some reason her students had been unusually active all week. Maybe they had just picked up on her distracted state since Robin's attack but it had been almost impossible to keep them under control. All she had really wanted to do was to pull on her most comfortable track pants, blast the most guitar driven chick rock she could find and then spend the night drinking hot chocolate and brandy with Lucky. Shopping with Patrick had not fit into the plans.

It wasn't that she was against helping him plan a surprise for Robin's birthday. If there was anyone who deserved a good birthday this year, it was Robin. And it wasn't even his tardiness. She had started to pick up on the fact no one in the Spencer family was capable of arriving on time, except maybe Laura. Surprisingly, she found herself continuing to fixate on his accusations of her cheating on Lucky with Cruz. So them catching Bobbie and Cruz like they did was certainly a better punishment than even she and Robin could dream up, but it still hurt. And with all the drama that had occurred between then and now, they had barely been in the same room long enough to talk to each other privately, let alone hash this situation out.

"The things I do for you Robin," she muttered under her breath. "You would just be laughing your ass off at me and goading me into just talking to him right now I bet."

"Someone I know?" Patrick asked in a teasing voice, coming up behind her. Traffic had been horrible on the way over, but he bet she didn't care to hear any of it. Ever since his wrongful accusation of how she spent her spare time, she had made it a point not to be anywhere around him. He wasn't sure if apologizing would make any sort of difference or if keeping quiet was the best course of action to take. She and Robin were so incredibly different he really had no frame of reference when it came to Elizabeth Webber.

Elizabeth ignored his attempt at a greeting, grateful he hadn't attempted to excuse his tardiness. It was one small point in his favor and increased his chances of surviving this unscathed. "So did you have any idea of where to start or should we brave the swarm of teenagers?"

"I thought you were the expert when it came to my girlfriend." Patrick regarded her cautiously. She was sporting the death stare and it was making him uncomfortable.

"I am here purely in the role of advisor."

"I'm not very good at this sort of thing." Patrick admitted bashfully. "I've never had to--"

"No. You don't say." Elizabeth cut in drolly. "I would have never guessed that."

"Okay." He held out his hands and turned them upward. "Let's talk about our issue and then we'll deal with this one."

"You want to do this here?" She gestured to the throngs of families and children walking past them. "This could get ugly and I don't want to scar innocent children"

"Obviously you need to get something off your chest."

"Nice observation Captain Obvious." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Come on." She motioned for him to follow her toward the side of the building. There was no entrance on this side, so they would at least be able to discuss this as rational adults without attracting a crowd when the screaming children in them came out.

"Are we going on a field trip, Miss Elizabeth?" He mocked impatiently.

"If you want to go shopping and possibly screw up Robin's birthday on your own? Fine, don't come with me. Plan your own funeral. See if I care." Elizabeth stalked off to her intended destination. Patrick could follow or he could leave. It would mean her working harder for her own plans for Robin's birthday but that was no big deal.

"Wait!" He called after her in resignation. "Do you want your friend to get a Hooter's gift certificate because, if you leave now, that's going to be what she gets?"

She rolled her eyes heavenwards. "Fine. But this is for Robin's sake and only hers."

"Fine." Patrick folded his arms over his chest. "Where do we go first?"

"Let's start with you being convinced I was a cheating whore. How about that?" Her blue eyes flashed at him.

Patrick blinked in confusion. "What?"

She clucked her tongue in mock sympathy. "You don't remember convincing Lucky that I was Cruz's 'mystery girl?' That he didn't know me just because, how did you put it? Oh yes, 'just because we sleep together he doesn't know me?'"

Patrick hadn't been prepared for her bluntness, but he didn't know why it surprised him. She had always been open and honest with him from the moment they had met. "It was stupid. I remembered seeing the two of you together at the wine shop a few weeks back and then I saw you two in the kitchen..."

"And from that you jumped to I was seeing Cruz?" Elizabeth threw her hands up in exasperation. "Where you that desperate to figure that out you were willing to believe any off the wall thought?"

"I was angry. I had just ended things with Robin and I wanted to lash out at someone. Now that I think about it, the timing didn't even add up. It was the only way I knew how to fight back when Lucky brought up the HIV thing..." He ducked his head in embarrassment. Come on ground, he demanded gruffly. Just swallow me up now.

"You have to be related to him. You're both morons when you're mad."

"Exactly." Patrick wasn't entirely sure what he had just agreed to, but he had heard her mention Lucky and that must mean she was starting to see his side. "And I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. You were just an easy target. It was an asshole thing to do."

Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow in his direction. "Oh you so don't think it will be that easy do you? I know Lucky can't keep quiet to save his life. Don't pretend you don't know what he was put through in Vegas."

"I haven't a clue." Patrick answered honestly. "He refused to talk about it and I was more concerned with cooling Robin's temper..."

"Impressive. He actually did learn something." Elizabeth filed that information away for future use. "Let me put it to you this way. I get that you were being an asshole, but you are not yet out of the doghouse."

"What do I have to do to prove I'm sorry?" Patrick wanted to know. Lucky so owed him.

"I don't know." Elizabeth sighed. "Honestly I didn't realize I was still this mad about that until I had to spend today with you."

Patrick didn't know what to say to that...at least nothing that wouldn't get him into more trouble. "You have more than enough reason to be mad at me." He was getting this sensitive thing down!

"I know you are trying here and I appreciate the fact that you realize you were wrong. It's just..." She paused not sure how much to reveal to him. Her past really wasn't any of his business and going into detail with him would be far too intimate than she suspected either one of them wanted to be. "Look you accidentally hit a very sore point with me. I don't react well to the whole cheating thing."

"Robin told me about Max. Was she not supposed to?" Patrick asked carefully.

"She wasn't sworn to secrecy." She was thrown that Robin had told him about Max. "I'm guessing that would be after you opened your big mouth?"

"Yeah, right after. She put me in my place real fast. I didn't know how to confront you about it so I guess I was just wishing it would go away."

"Little hint? That doesn't work with Robin or me."

"No kidding." Patrick replied gruffly. "Now will you please help me find a present for Robin? Please?" He batted his eyelashes and smiled.

"Fine. But for the record, I'm totally taking credit."

"Like she wouldn't know that." Patrick laughed, following her into what would hopefully be a short list of stores.

Bobbie didn't hear her sister-in-law come up behind her because she was distracted by the tiny mobile hanging over her unborn child's crib. Luke and Lucky had stopped by to surprise her before she got out of the hospital and, boy, had she been thrilled to walk into the nursery and find the crib put together the correct way! She hadn't noticed how quiet this big house was when it was just her, but she figured that had a lot to do with the fact that Cruz had slept over almost from the very beginning. Bobbie felt his absence when she went to sleep, when she woke up, when she went to Kelly's, or just for a walk through the neighborhood. He hadn't left her any messages, but then he would have to call to do that. It had been a week and he had completely avoided her. She felt like such an idiot for actually believing that he would stick around.

"Well I'm glad to see you are feeling better." Laura greeted her. She surveyed the work of her husband and son. "It doesn't look like it will fall apart in two seconds. Someone must have convinced them to read the directions this time."

"Must have." Bobbie answered, releasing her tight hold on the mobile and turning to face Laura. There were few people she wanted to see when her world was crashing around her but Laura had made that list from the moment Luke had introduced them.

Laura noticed the strain in the other woman's eyes immediately. She took in her sister-in-law's appearance in a quick glance. Bobbie was holding herself together by sheer strength of will that much was obvious. The stress was clearly written on her face, and that Laura knew was not good for the baby. "Come on. You want to talk and I have all day to listen. Let's go have a cup of tea."

"That sounds lovely." Bobbie agreed, following her downstairs. She paused in making the tea and thought she heard the purr of Cruz's Ford Expedition as the monstrosity car made its way up the driveway, but immediately dismissed it. This was getting ridiculous. "Do you prefer sugar or lemon?"

"I'll be adventurous and say both." Laura laughed. She wondered just how long Bobbie thought she could avoid this conversation.

"One risk taker coming up." Bobbie laughed, staring into the steaming cup as if it held the answers to all of her problems.

Laura took a sip of the steaming beverage and leveled her gaze at the redhead across from her. "Now do you want to tell me what's been going on since you left the hospital?"

"Believe it or not, I've been following Dr. Lansing's advice and taking it easy." Bobbie replied arrogantly.

"I'm not saying you haven't." Laura replied calmly. Bobbie was much like her brother. Both Spencer siblings immediately went on the defensive when questioned about something they didn't want to talk about. "But something obviously has you upset."

"What do you mean?" Bobbie knew she could never successfully lie to her best friend, but damn it, she could try.

"You've been avoiding everyone, you looked like you were about to cry." Laura paused as she started to edge toward what she suspected might be the real reason for her friend's stress. "Lucas said Cruz hasn't been around here lately."

"I don't want to talk about Cruz." Bobbie held up her hand in protest.

"So it is related to him." Laura smiled in satisfaction.

"The only thing related to Cruz is this child I'm carrying. Who, by the way, won't stop kicking me in the ribs when I try to sleep." Bobbie grumbled, handing Laura her tea and leaning against the counter.

"So the fact that he's been spending more time with Dillon than you has nothing to do with this mood you're in?"

"What mood?" Bobbie was vaguely aware of the stinging tears collecting at the back of her eyes. "I'm not in any kind of mood!"

Laura moved closer and gently placed her hand on Bobbie's shoulder. "Bobbie. Just tell what's been going on."

"What was he thinking? Proposing that way?" Bobbie answered instead, placing her hands over her eyes.

"He proposed?" Laura grabbed the counter to steady herself. Nothing should surprise her about this couple, but they kept coming up with new ways. "You're serious?"

"At least I think that's what he was trying to do. But I couldn't exactly say yes when he felt obligated to do it. He really thought he was going to lose this baby and me." Bobbie explained gravely.

"I'm sure he did. Lucky and Patrick thought the same thing. I can only imagine what Cruz was feeling." Laura met Bobbie's eyes. "But I don't think he would do anything out of obligation."

"What are you talking about?" Bobbie asked angrily. "Of course it was out of obligation."

"What about love?" Laura prodded.

"What about it? What has it given me so far? I'll tell you what I've gotten from love." Bobbie spit out the word in disgust. "Broken promises. Humiliation. Stress. A child that I may not even be healthy enough to carry full-term. A man who runs at the first sign of trouble."

"I take it you didn't accept?" Laura shook her head.

"No." Bobbie glanced down at her red polished nails. Cruz had made a fuss about doing them for her now so that, when she couldn't reach them anymore, at least she'd be able to see her sparkling toes. "I told him I didn't want him to feel like he had to, that I knew he had been given 'The Talk' by my eldest son. I blew it." She added for emphasis.

Laura pinched the bridge of her nose. "Yes you did." Shaking her head she tried not to laugh. "Bobbie I love you but you are being an idiot."

"Thanks." Bobbie remarked dryly. "If you can't count on your friends to kick you when you're down, who can you count on? Isn't that how the boys would put it?"

"Patrick would. But I'm right." Laura sighed and placed her hands flat on the table. "Has it occurred to you that maybe the reason he's been avoiding you is the fact you turned him down?"

"Yes." She bobbed her head up and down. "But there's nothing to be done about it now. He's made his choice to stay away--"

"Tell me one thing. Did you run this obligation theory of yours by him?"

"Yes."

Laura sighed. "So he proposed. You turned him down, saying its out of obligation. And you don't see why maybe he's not been around lately?"

"What am I going to do, Laura?" Bobbie wanted to know.

"You're going to call him up and tell him you love him. Tell him you were just as frightened as he was and you handled things badly."

"I can't have a conversation like that over the phone." Bobbie countered. 

"Then I guess you better track down your son-in-law and find out where they've been hanging out."


	126. Torn

It was a dream. A bad, bad dream, like her recurring nightmare about dating a mafia hit man. As Elizabeth squinted her eyes and tried to focus on her bedside clock, she groaned. Someone had better be on fire. There was no reason to call her at six in the morning otherwise. "Hello?" she croaked into the phone.

"Oh Lizziebear. Did I wake you?" Her brother's voice was annoyingly chipper and alert. Trying to shake her brain into functioning, Elizabeth tried to puzzle out the time difference. Steven was working in LA. He was three hours behind her. What the hell was he doing calling her at three in the morning his time?

"Are you drunk?" she wondered.

"No." She could almost see Steven roll his eyes.

"High?" Steven didn't use drugs but then again he didn't call her before dawn either.

"Be serious."

"In jail?"

"Are you through?"

"If it's none of those options then you must have been abducted by aliens. Because there is no other reason to call me before the sun comes up! You know the rule. I don't rise until the sun does!"

"Yes Sleeping Beauty, I remember it well." Steven drawled. In the background, she could faintly hear some paper rustling. "However when I see my baby sister in the pages of a tabloid, that rule goes out the window."

She sat straight up in her bed, pulling the flowered comforter closer to her. Reaching out her hand to flick on the light, she drew her knees closer to her. "What are you talking about?"

Clearing his throat, Steven began to speak in his best presentation voice. "Caught! Lucky Spencer, playboy record mogul with the mysterious brunette leaving what is assumed to be his home in Port Charles, in the early morning hours. Who's the girl? And why is he hiding his latest protégé?"

She could make out the sounds of Steve folding the paper over. She tried to laugh, but it fell flat. "Great, I keep telling him 8:30 isn't early. Now he'll think he has support for that argument."

"Elizabeth..." Her brother started.

"Steven. It's just a paper."

"That you are in." He responded hotly. "And I don't like finding out about this because the guys on the crew our ogling the 'hot chick in the Star' ". She could visualize his shudder. "It's just wrong."

"I didn't know another picture had been taken." She argued. "And you've met Lucky."

"Another picture? How many have there been?"

Too late she realized the error in her argument. "This is the second one."

"Second?"

"The first one was just on the Internet."

"Oh well that makes it better." Steven sighed. "Elizabeth, this is serious. I've seen how these people operate. They are going to chew you up and spit you out."

"Steven, I know this is hard for you to remember but I only teach three-year-olds. I'm not actually that age. I can handle myself."

"I just worry about you. I've seen far too many girls get destroyed by the tabloids. I don't want that for you." He softened his voice just slightly. "I'm only trying to look out for you."

Elizabeth let out a breath and tried to relax her body. She knew Steven was trying to do the right thing here. And he was right, he had seen first hand the tabloids way more often than she did. It was a huge leap from reading the papers to being in them. "I know you are. I'm sorry for snapping. It's just early."

"Are you sure about this Lizzie?"

"Steven, do you ever meet guys I'm not sure about?"

"How serious are you about him?"

It was one thing for Robin to know this. Hell Robin had said it before she realized exactly what she was feeling. Telling her brother was a whole different ball of wax. Closing her eyes, Elizabeth took a deep breath and took the plunge. "Steven I love him."

The silence was deafening. Not exactly the reaction she was hoping for she had to admit. "I know what you're thinking but this is different than Max."

"How so?"

"For one thing, he loves me too."

"You thought the same thing with Max." Steven pointed out.

"Yes but this time I know." Elizabeth paused as her words penetrated her brother's concern. "He loves me Steven."

If he was sitting across from her, she knew what Steven would be doing. He would cross his legs and uncross them. He would sigh and run his fingers through his hair. He might even mumble a few curses under his breath as he paced the length of whatever room he was in. But eventually his eyes would meet hers and he would cave. He had only ever wanted her and Sarah to be happy and if he thought they were, he would swallow any doubt and support them. At the sound of his sigh, she felt a smile form on her face. "Are you sure about this Lizzie? You said he has a kid. We haven't even touched on that whole thing yet."

"Yes I'm sure. As far as Cameron goes, we are trying to take it one day at a time and he's starting to warm up to me. I think. He's three. He doesn't completely understand it all yet."

"Are you happy?"

"Yes."

She could see her brother's shoulders sag in defeat. "I won't like you showing up in the papers."

Elizabeth laughed. "Trust me. We are working on that one."

"You know I'm going to corner him when I come home for Christmas right?"

"I would expect nothing less."

Georgie Jones undid the little twisty tie that held the bread closed, pulled out two slices, and spread a wad of peanut butter on them. She already had her large glass of milk and chocolate kisses waiting on her preferred spot at the table. It was a perfect morning what with the bright sunlight floating into the kitchen like a self-centered movie star bent on fame and birds singing. Mac always teased that one of these days he was going to set traps for the little 'rodents with wings' if for no other reason than to sleep as long as he wanted. In her whole life, he had never shown anything but concern for the baby birds that fell out of their nests. He was a softie, her dad.

Flipping her dark blonde hair behind each of her ears, she placed her sandwich on a plate and proceeded to sit down. There were few moments in her life when she actually found it possible to relax completely and right now was not one of them. Though she had been up all night reading and re-reading her research for her approaching trip, the noise coming from her adopted father's room hadn't ceased until well after three in the morning. Georgie hadn't complained, understanding that old people deserved fun just as much as the non-physically challenged generation she was a part of, but she hadn't slept either. She would start with her milk--because peanut butter and coffee was just nasty--and then move onto a large black cup of coffee to further deteriorate the enamel of her gums.

Alexis stumbled into the kitchen and put her hand to her heart when she noticed Georgie sitting alone at the table. "You startled me." She announced pointlessly as she floated across the kitchen to the calling coffee pot. "Darn. I thought I had made some." She mumbled to herself, shoving a large mass of dark hair out of her face so that she could make sense of the buttons on the shabby coffeemaker.

"Do you just want me to do it?" Georgie offered, her tone rather biting though she hadn't meant for it to sound that way. She chalked it up to lack of sleep and growing anxiety in regards to her trip. She had packed and unpacked her bags so many times she knew exactly how much each one weighed and had made sure that nothing in her possession would be considered lethal or "questionable." She didn't want to be another airport security casualty.

"I can program a coffeepot." Alexis argued graciously, moving her hand to motion for Georgie to stay where she was. "I'm the District Attorney for goodness sake."

"Fine." Georgie gave in, not caring if Alexis ever got a cup of good, hot coffee just so long as she didn't break it in the process. She bit harshly into her sandwich and chewed with some difficulty, her focus jumping from her breakfast and her dad's girlfriend. Alexis Davis was truly entertaining. If not for the threatening headache, Georgie might have smiled at the DA's obvious distress at competing with an out-dated coffeemaker.

"Last time I wait for you to bring coffee upstairs…" Mac let his voice trail off when he caught Georgie's mortified stare at his announcement. It was bad enough that she knew they were having sex. She didn't want to think of them going at it like rabbits. They were both reserved for a special hell. "Good morning sweetheart." He greeted Georgie, pulling out a chair before plopping down into it. He was clad in a navy blue shirt and a pair of green and blue boxers. She was so glad his mid-life crisis hadn't included thongs or she might have had to kill herself.

"Morning." She answered noncommittally. This was already more awkward than she wanted to acknowledge. Alexis was standing with her back to them, hand on hip as she studied the monstrosity silently debating if it was worth it. Mac watched his girlfriend struggle for a few more seconds and then got up to help her, wrapping his arms around her waist as if Georgie wasn't there at all. This was why she skipped mornings when Alexis stayed over. She didn't have a problem with the DA. She had grown out of wanting her parents to stay together and accepted that her mother would never return home to Mac.

"You're making this way more difficult than it needs to be." Mac assured Alexis, reaching around her waist and flipped two switches with a flick of his hand.

"If you even start in about how men are the smarter sex or any of that jazz…" Alexis let the threat hang and turned her head to face the grinning commissioner.

"You'll what?" Mac wanted to know, the challenge evident in his voice.

"I have tons to do today. Have a good morning, afternoon. I have to leave." Georgie left her half-eaten sandwich and empty glass on the table and skidded to the backdoor intent on getting the hell out of here before she was exposed to anything that would add to her time in therapy.

"Will you be able to make it to dinner tonight?" Mac called before she could escape. Her hand gripped the knob and for a second she considered not turning around at all.

"I don't know. I have a lot of studying to do." Georgie explained in a huff.

"We need to have a talk about some things." Mac emphasized each word but he might as well have been speaking gibberish for all the sense his daughter could make out of it.

"What kind of things?" Georgie asked already knowing he would keep her in suspense until dinner and quite possibly never tell her if she didn't show up.

"Important things. Damn, it's already after eight!" He selected two foam cups from the cabinet, quickly filled them with coffee, and snapped on the lids. "Love you girls." Mac made a beeline for the door, almost knocking Georgie into it.

"Love you too." They responded in unison.

It didn't matter how old she got, Robin always felt like a little kid when she came to the PCPD requesting a meeting with her Uncle Mac. Patrick would make the joke that she still had a hard time seeing over the counter. Just as she was about to ask for directions as to where her uncle was and when she could get in touch with him, he walked into the station in a lazy yet powerful stride he had perfected over the years. This was his station. These officers were his children. He called the shots. His very presence demanded full attention.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Mac smiled, receiving her in an overwhelming hug. He sometimes forgot how small she actually was in comparison to him. Glancing down at her uncertain expression, he couldn't keep his eyebrows from creasing in apprehension.

"I want to talk to you about Logan." Robin answered directly her eyes never leaving his.

"Logan? What's there to talk about?" Mac demanded in a "It's just a matter of paperwork" tone that had Robin shuffling from foot to foot.

"Can we sit down?" Robin countered, her eyes already darting toward his office. "I'd rather not broadcast my personal life around the station if I can help it."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that. I've made plenty of candid threats in regards to that pig of an ex-husband you used to share a space with, none of which will be repeated because there's not an officer in here who thinks that scum deserves any kind of pity. I'm sorry," He ran a hand over his bushy salt-and-pepper head, "I'm rambling. Let's go to my office."

"While I appreciate a bunch of strangers looking out for me, I really wish you would have let this remain between us." Robin lightly scolded him, taking a seat while he closed the door behind him.

"Oh well." Mac replied with a "take it or leave it" attitude. "You said you wanted to talk about Logan. I don't want you to worry. Alexis and I are in agreement about what needs to happen to him…"

"Happen to him? Uncle Mac, I'd hate to think you were going outside of the law and making this about a personal vendetta." Robin blew out an unhappy breath.

"You're not the defense's star witness are you or we're in serious trouble?" Mac remarked sliding in behind his desk.

"First of all, I don't want you to use this office or your position to make things harder on Logan. He hasn't had the easiest life--" Robin began, knowing that gradual was the only way she was going to be able to get the point across to her uncle.

"I don't care what kind of life he's had!" Mac interrupted, slamming his hands against his desk, startling his niece. "Don't sit there and make excuses for what he did to you!"

"I'm not!" Robin shot back, folding her arms over her chest. "Logan was wrong, but I'm not totally innocent in all of this. I provoked--"

"Robin Cecilia Scorpio, I swear to God, if you say you deserved what you got I'll—" Mac threatened angrily.

"I'm not saying I deserved it, but I should have guessed that he would try to lash out." Robin reasoned.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" Mac gritted through his teeth.

"I'm not pressing charges Uncle Ma—" Robin informed him, not surprised when he cut her off.

"What the fuck do you mean you're not pressing charges?" Mac got to his feet and moved to stand in front of his niece, his hands bracing either side of her chair. "He committed a crime. That's as basic as I can make it. That's without considering my role as your uncle. Pure logic. Logan needs to be punished."

"I don't want him rotting in some jail." Robin argued, shaking her head fervently.

"What's your solution then? How do you think he should pay for what he did?"

"I think he pays for it everyday." Robin answered, lowering her eyes. "He sees my decision to be with his brother as the ultimate betrayal. Maybe I didn't provoke him, but I sure as hell didn't mind him knowing."

"Sweetheart, Logan is a monster. He's a predator. If you don't press charges, he might come after you again…or someone else next time." Mac warned, rubbing his eyes in dismay.

"I don't think he'll hurt anyone else. He just wanted to give me a reality check. He made his point. Let him go Uncle Mac." Robin insisted, leaving then.


	127. Tailor Made

"Daddy how much longer?" Cameron waved his cast covered arm and attempted to wiggle his leg. "They itch!"

"We go to the doctor tomorrow and we'll find out then ok?" Lucky grinned. "But if they itch, it won't be much longer now." He remembered the feeling well. At first the cast was cool, a badge of pride and honor. By the end they stunk and itched like crazy.

"Yeah!" Cameron cheered. "No more chair?" he asked hopefully.

"If no more casts, then no more chair." Lucky reached out to steady the bouncing three-year-old and couldn't help but laugh. It hadn't been fun by any stretch of the imagination but Cameron had come through it better than he had hoped. He patted his son on his head and glanced sideways at him. "You may even go back to school soon."

Cameron was doing better with Elizabeth being around the house. He was talking with her just a bit more freely. Elizabeth denied it but he was somewhat sure that he had even seen Cameron start a conversation. But school was going to be a different story altogether. It was one thing to see Elizabeth when she could leave the house but school was going to be a whole new ballgame.

Lucky shook his head. And just when he convinced Elizabeth there was no need for her to worry about drama.

"And my friends." Cameron chimed in happily.

"And Miss Elizabeth." Lucky added cautiously. It was better to start this process with Cameron. He was sure to be far more logical about this.

Cameron rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Daddy. She has the babies. I not in with the babies."

"Of course you aren't." Lucky agreed quickly, trying not to laugh. Why hadn't he thought of that? It wasn't going to phase Cameron one bit because he wasn't in her "baby" class. Maybe Elizabeth's need to invent drama was contagious.

The knock at the door interrupted his enjoyment of the moment. Making sure Cameron had everything he needed for breakfast in easy reach, Lucky went to answer it. Opening the door, the calm he had just experienced was taken over by confusion. What was Cruz doing there? Even if he took out the whole dating Aunt Bobbie thing out of the equation, Cruz did not show up at his doorstep before breakfast. "Cruz, what are you doing here?"

Cruz looked nervously over his shoulder, making sure he didn't see anything that was obviously out of place. He had seen all the cars parked on the street before. No one was camping out on any of the neighbor's lawns just yet. He felt a little thing that felt like hope rise in his chest. Maybe this wasn't going to be as bad as he thought.

Then he caught sight of Cameron waving at him over Lucky's shoulder and the hoped died right there. It may not be as bad as he thought. It was probably going to be worse.

"I need a reason to see you and Cameron?" He asked, trying for levity as he pushed past Lucky on his way into the house. There was no way he was giving this news to Lucky outside. Too many possible witnesses.

"Normally no, but when you've been avoiding me for the better part of two months then yes." Lucky fixed his friend with a quizzical stare as he closed the front door.

"It's not been two months."

"No it's probably closer to nine months actually but you know details." Lucky shrugged as he moved closer to the table. "You still haven't answered my question you know."

Cruz blanched at the causal mention of his months of lies. He should have expected it. Lucky took forever to get mad and took forever to forgive someone. His friend could manage civil but it would take him forever to be truly ok with something. He crunched the paper he held behind his back between his fingers. Maybe he wasn't the right person to do this.

"What is that behind your back?"

"Nothing." Cruz denied, moving the paper further behind him.

"Daddy! Our house in the paper!" Cameron pointed excitedly at the paper scrunched in Cruz's hands. "Look! Cruz has a picture of our house!"

Lucky moved quickly and snatched the paper out of Cruz's hands before his friend had a chance to leave the area. His eyes widened as he recognized the publication was not Cruz's magazine or the local paper but The Star. Cruz watched as Lucky's breaths became deeper and deeper; his body tensed and his knuckles became white from holding the paper so hard. "Now Lucky, it's not that bad..." He tried to start.

"Kitchen." Lucky could barely restrain the anger coursing through him. "Kitchen."

If he went into that kitchen, Cruz rationalized he would have one angry Lucky Spencer with an entire room full of sharp objects to throw at him. If he stayed out here, he could do lasting psychological harm to an almost four-year-old by forcing him to watch his father implode. Realizing he was screwed either way, Cruz followed Lucky into the kitchen.

"How the hell did they find my house?" Lucky demanded, his voice dangerously low and even.

"I don't know but it only seems to be the one."

Lucky began to pace, not expecting answers to the statements he was making. "Tony's going to have a field day with this one. It's only a matter of time before more show up. We'll have to move."

"Lucky it's one picture." It was probably useless to try reasoning with him, but Cruz had to try. "In a paper no one believes anyway."

"It only takes one."

"I thought Elizabeth was the drama queen" Cruz muttered under his breath.

"I heard that."

"Sorry." Cruz apologized quickly. "Look they only think this is your house. They still don't' know who Elizabeth is exactly. They are no closer to finding out about Cameron. You can still control this."

"How do you figure that?"

"Give someone an exclusive. Admit you have a son but don't give details. Say you're dating someone but don't go into details. If they press use the old keeping your private life private line. Or, hell, call someone who owes you a favor and hand feed them the story."

Lucky lifted one of his eyebrows carefully in Cruz's direction. "Someone in the press who owes me a favor? Who could that be?"

"You're making this harder than it has to be you know."

Lucky sighed. "I know." Blowing out a frustrated breath, he met his friend's eyes for the first time in two months. "Hey Cruz? Is Axe working on any stories?"

"I think I can rearrange some."

"Peaches?" Courtney held up the brightly colored can and Robin accepted it gratefully. "Cantaloupe?" She went on, peeking into the bowl as she went about preparing the fruit salad. It wasn't quite as traumatic as the cookies had been, but she still wanted her roommate by her side in case she added the wrong thing. "Grapes?"

Robin smiled, suppressing her giggle. "Courtney, you have eaten fruit salad before haven't you? You know what goes in it."

"Maybe you add something special because yours always tastes better than any store-bought packages." Courtney emphasized with a whip of her light blonde head.

"It's called fresh fruit. Nothing more." Robin promised, dumping a few dozen grapes into the bowl. Things had been incredibly tense between them over the last few months and this was at least something they could do together and not argue about. No more implied questions. No more clipped answers. It was almost normal. Her next task was getting her best friend and her boyfriend in the same room and forcing them to share a meal with her and have pleasant conversation until it came time for bed.

"Have you decided what you want for your birthday yet?" Courtney asked off-handedly, smiling at the fact that she had caught Robin by surprise. "You thought I'd forget?"

"No." Robin shook her head. "I forgot it was coming up."

"You forgot your own birthday? Roby, that isn't healthy." Courtney made a dramatic gesture with her hand before moving it to cover Robin's forehead. "You don't feel feverish."

"There has been a lot to deal with lately." Robin answered vaguely, not wanting to have another discussion seeing as how the last one had ended quite badly.

"Yeah, but now that that dickless bastard is locked up, you don't have to waste another second of your life thinking about him." Courtney rationalized with a crooked grin.

"Courtney--" Robin want shut her eyes, watching confusion settle in her roommate's eyes at her soft plea.

"You're totally using the 'I drank the last of the vodka and replaced it with iced tea' voice. What's going on?" Courtney's eyes narrowed in wariness.

"It's really up to you if you want to add melons to the salad or not. Some people are allergic, but you know, if the person you're making it for isn't, throw caution to the wind..." Robin could hear the nervous tremble in her voice and found that it'd be better not to make eye contact.

"Robin." The way Courtney stressed her name transformed it from one syllable to two. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I find that this snack is a very healthy substitute for cookies or crackers--I didn't press charges." Robin forced out, hoping the second part of the statement would be overlooked.

"WHAT?" Courtney choked on her indignation. "Clearly you're a clone, because my best friend wouldn't do something this stupid without consulting me first!"

"There wasn't time--" Robin argued cautiously.

"There wasn't time? What the hell, Robin? Have you forgotten what he tried to do to you, what he would have surely done if you hadn't fought back?" Courtney shot back shrilly.

"No. I haven't forgotten." Robin ducked her head, staring down at her tennis shoes.

"Then how can you justify this decision? Stop trying to protect him! You loved him at one time, okay, I totally accept that. But look how he has treated you over the last half decade! Jesus." Courtney spat, running a shaking hand through her hair.

"If I had pressed charges, I would never be free of him." Robin confessed.

"You're not making any kind of sense here." Courtney accused, folding her hands together to battle her quivering fingers. "He could be put away for a very long time if you would just press charges and keep him from hurting someone else."

"If I did that, Logan would win." Robin insisted impatiently. "He'd still be a part of my life...and I don't want that anymore! I've grown so tired of my entire life ending and starting from the moment I found him in bed with that tramp. Everything I have now is a direct result of that horrible day. If I press charges, I'm showing him that he scared me, and that was all he was trying to do."

"That's not true!" Courtney argued pointedly. "You have a beautiful little boy upstairs who loves you and thinks of you as his mother. Logan didn't give him to you."

"I want to be free of him, Courtney. I know Patrick loves me, but I don't want to build a foundation on the fact that I sent his brother away." Robin countered with a long sigh.

"His brother who tried to rape you!" Courtney threw back in, willing to repeat it as many times as it took until Robin saw her side. "His brother who tried to take the one thing that he has no right--hell that no one has any right to take from you. You told him, 'No,' and he ignored you. Don't make him out to be anything more than a coward. He didn't pick you because he's still in love with you; he targeted you because he knows you still have a soft spot where he's concerned." Courtney accused.

"I want it done." Robin reiterated tiredly.

"Then do what you know needs to be done." Courtney challenged, thrusting the telephone toward her. "Call your uncle and tell him you've changed your mind."

"I can't--no I won't do that. Logan has been through a lot more than you realize."

"Do you hear yourself? What Logan's been through? What about what he has put you through? Why are you letting this scum run your life? You're happy. Why can't you do something to make sure it stays that way?" It was the closest thing to a compliment in Patrick's regard that Courtney had ever attempted, and any other time Robin would have been relieved.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore. I've made up my mind. Not you or anyone else is going to change my position on it." Robin retorted stubbornly.

"I bet Patrick will agree with me." Courtney snarled, not through by a long shot.

"Patrick's not to know. Only you and my Uncle Mac know about this so I'll know who to come to if I'm confronted later." Robin threatened darkly.

"I'm not going to tell your secret, but it might be a good idea to—" Courtney began, knowing she wouldn't be able to say another word on the issue.

"I don't need relationship advice from you, Courtney." Robin declared coldly, leaving her alone and running up the stairs.

Courtney stood there for several minutes, her mouth dragging the ground. She couldn't believe her best friend had just spoken to her that way, and with not even a smidge of remorse. There was no way she could, in good conscience, let Logan worm his way back into a life Robin had fought so hard to create and obtain. Desperate times called for desperate measures.


	128. Somewhere Only We Know

Luke paused outside his daughter's bedroom door, hearing her talk to herself as she often did when she thought no one was listening. Mid-terms had been horrid this semester, or so she had said, and he had caught her with more than a dozen tape recorders she had hidden during her classes since PCU didn't allow any electronics in the building. He wouldn't have been surprised to learn that she recorded them because she spent the majority of the semester asleep. At least if that was the case he could get back at Laura and further prove that Lulu was more like him than her mother.

He wished he could remember what she was majoring in this time since she had already changed the objective five times and this was only her first year in college. She would tell him, but he'd look like an idiot so he figured he'd wait to ask until the day she graduated…the day he applied and received his final Social Security checks.

Turning the knob slowly, he threw open the door, pleased when he heard her shriek in surprise. She was still in her pajamas despite the fact that it was nearing one in the afternoon, not that he minded, but she was usually up and ready before the sun even had a chance to rise. "Hey Buttercup. What are you doing?"

For a girl who had mastered diversion tactics almost as ruthlessly as her cousin Patrick, she sure was spooked by the innocuous question. He didn't miss this, or the amount of time it took for her to answer him, "Oh you know, just studying. I have a pretty harsh final in every class."

"Oh yeah? Where are your books?" Luke questioned, his eyebrows lifting in suspicion.

"My books?" Lulu glanced down at her unmade bed and realized that only sheets covered her mattress. Unfazed she explained, "I'm trying to memorize my notes."

"Where are your notes?" Luke countered, folding his arms over his chest.

"Why are you so suspicious? Did you have to chisel your notes down when you went to school?" Lulu teased.

"The old jokes might work with your godfather, but they're not going to work with me." Luke assured her, smiling at the small cluster of years that separated him and Mac in age.

"I was trying to speak to you in a language your generation would understand. Was I speaking too fast for you? Should I write it out in caveman?" Lulu wondered, giving him a toothy grin.

"Spencer through and through." Luke let out a whistle of admiration for his youngest child. Without being asked, he crossed the room and sat on the end of the mattress. "Thank God you got more of me than your brother or you might start making me talk about my feelings."

"You're such a funny little human." Lulu commented, twisting a wayward curl around her index finger. "What brings you by?"

"This is still my house last time I checked. I pay the bills. I made a deal with the loan sharks--err, don't go down any dark alleys in case I get into any trouble with that, okay princess? I kind of offered you as collateral." Luke showed off his most stunning grin.

"Nice to know you were thinking of me Dad." Lulu rolled her eyes.

"You kidding? You and Cameron are my hope for the future!" Luke announced, almost leaping to his feet in excitement. "Lord knows that brother of yours has been stung by the love bug and thus can't think straight."

"I do have a lot to do." Lulu whispered awkwardly.

"Leslie Lu, aren't you a little cold with this window open?" Luke asked, disregarding her polite approach of kicking him out.

"Is it cold? I can't even feel it. It must be the stress from these finals." Lulu concluded in a strangled pitch.

"Let me just close this window for you and you can study." Luke offered, standing up.

"You know, I can just do it. I don't want you to strain your back." Lulu reasoned breathlessly.

"Don't patronize me, Lulu. I'm still the man of this house. I can shut a damn window." Luke snapped, shying away from her touch when she tried to grab his arm. "What's with you anyway?"

"Nothing." Lulu lied, trying to figure out how to buy some time. "Have you been on the bike today? I'd hate to think it was rusting away in the garage."

"Lola and I have gotten acquainted yes, but she's a little pissed at me for taking the car this morning even though she knew it was below freezing and your mother threw a fit." Luke mused, his eyes widening. "Do you get locked out a lot?"

"All the time. Why do you ask?" Lulu couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice.

"Well there's a rather large ladder outside your window and I thought it might have walked here on its own." Luke replied.

"You're hilarious Dad. Just so funny." She made another grab for his arm, but that's when he chose to stick his head out the window.

"I'm no philosopher Barney," Luke addressed the half naked teenager as he struggled to keep from tumbling off the end of the roof. His eyes were slow to lift to Luke's and in them the older man saw fear and astonishment. "But it's kind of cold to be hanging out, don't you think? Especially in Elmo boxers."

"Yes Sir." Bradley agreed, holding onto the small landing beneath Lulu's window so tight his knuckles were white. "Can you give me a hand?"

"I don't know if I want to do that. Maybe this isn't the kind of thing a father wants his daughter to see before she's married." Luke countered solemnly.

"Dad! Help him or get out of the way and let me!" Lulu scolded. He didn't have to turn around to know her face was screwed into a reproachful manner and her hands were glued to her hips.

"Leslie Lu, don't interrupt." Luke shot back, scratching his chin in contemplation.

"He's freezing to death out there and it's all your fault!" Lulu charged irritably.

"My fault? I'm not the one who stripped him down and threw him out a window into thirty-seven degree weather." Luke pointed out.

"Is it really thirty-seven degrees?" Bradley asked quietly. "I think my fingers are going numb."

"This is like the preamble to the level of pain I'm going to inflict upon you Buford." Luke clarified with a nod.

"His name is Bradley! Why must you tease him this way? Move!" Lulu cried, shoving her father out of the way.

"Now Bradley, I assume your parents told you the story about the birds and the bees, yes?" Luke wanted to know, restraining Lulu with one hand.

"Yes Sir." Bradley tried to nod, his eyes blinking furiously to battle the weather.

"I'm also going by the notion that I interrupted anything in relation to that between you and my little girl, yes?" Luke went on, his tone as cold as his face was expressionless.

"Yes Sir." Bradley answered helplessly.

"I guess this is as good a place as any for you to ask for my permission to marry Lulu." Luke figured, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Dad, stop it!" Lulu snapped, but he paid her even less attention than he did her mother when she was going on about what the neighbor had done with her garden.

"Lulu, maybe you should wait downstairs until Bradley and I have made arrangements for your future." Luke suggested, biting the inside of his cheek when he noticed how angry she was.

"I'm not a child! You can't control who I have sex with!" Lulu declared emphatically. Bradley gave her a look that proved she had just signed his death warrant.

"I thought for sure I'd have to send Lucky away due to his own crazy hormones, but you? That's it. You're becoming a nun." Luke decided sharply.

"You're overreacting! We're two consenting adults…" Her voice trailed off when she saw her father reach out and peel away one of Bradley's fingers. "What are you doing?" She asked in dismay.

"Proving a point." Luke replied gravely.

"What is this really about? We've been sneaking around almost as long as Cruz and Bobbie—"

"Stop helping!" Bradley shouted at her. "Please God, just be quiet."

"I don't think I like that tone, Bradley my boy. You have to respect ladies." Luke schooled him sternly.

"I apologize." Bradley responded immediately.

"That's a good boy." Luke belittled the young man, shoving another finger away from the windowsill.

"Why are you trying to make me fall?" Bradley demanded incredulously.

"You won't marry my daughter and I can't think about the two of you going at it like rabbits—well ever—but especially not when you've put no ring on her finger." Luke reasoned.

"But we're not serious." When Lulu's eyes widened in alarm, Bradley knew he had said the wrong thing. "I mean—" 

"So this is what? Convenient sex for the both of you?"

"We're being safe Dad." Lulu explained in resignation.

"Why do you insist on sending me into an early heart attack, Daughter?"

"Why are you being so damn stubborn? All I'm trying to do is make you see the truth of the matter. You're going to tell me Mom is the only woman you've ever been with?" At his silence, she smiled in victory. "My point exactly."

"I've never had sex with any woman I didn't care about. Sex isn't just about mutual agendas, Lulu. It's about sharing something special with someone you care about. Have some respect for your own body. This—I can't even look at you." Luke realized ignoring the way tears instantly sprung to her eyes. He slammed the window shut and threw the lock, storming out of the room before he could say something he would surely regret.

"Did you make the reservations like I told you to?" Alexis slid on her favorite pair of black tortoiseshell glasses as she regarded the young man sitting behind her desk in her reclining leather chair. He smiled, apparently incredibly amused that the first words out of her mouth weren't in relation to, "How did you get in here?" or "What are you doing in my chair?"

"A month ago." Patrick replied with a purposeful expression. He took a moment to stretch his arms above his head and let out a long yawn. "I made a joke about memorizing the menu and they told me that I was more than welcome to make a suggestion and they would prepare it especially for Robin's birthday."

"Good. Robin will love that." Alexis conceded with a nod. "What kind of flowers are you going with?" She wondered as she sat in the chair opposite her desk. Having been on her feet all day, all she wanted to do was sit down. "Don't say roses."

"Don't you know me at all, Alexis?" Patrick wiggled his eyebrows at her to which she rolled her eyes and strummed her long fingernails against the end of her desk.

"If you're thinking Central Park, I can personally guarantee that's a bad idea. In fact, I'll print out the crime statistics for you." Alexis offered condescendingly.

"They'll be no horse and carriage through Central Park, I promise. The point of this celebration is to do the unthinkable." Patrick explained ardently.

"Does she have any idea?" Alexis folded her hands together in contemplation. She had to admit, this one had sparked her curiosity from the beginning. Let's see how far he was willing to take this.

"Nope. I haven't even brought it up. For all she knows, I don't know when it is." Patrick beamed. This was going to be a night Robin would never forget.

"I've made out a schedule for you. Feel free to deviate from it as often as you see fit." Alexis handed over a one-page document she had put together for him upon request.

"Oh Madam DA, you care!" Patrick exclaimed, pushing the chair back with enough force to propel him to his feet and taking the paper from her.

"Don't spread it around. Compassion is not what got me this position." She half-smiled, watching him skim through the list before she went on, "I've seen a lot of men come in and out of Robin's life, all of them claiming to make it better, easier on her if you will. You're the only one I see actually trying."

"Yeah, this is getting way too Lifetime for me, but thanks for the compliment. I appreciate all your help." Patrick told her solemnly.

"I guess what I really want to know is," She paused and leaned over the desk to catch his engrossed stare. "You've already got Robin. She loves you. She never asked for you to return her feelings or do anything at all. What's your endgame here, Patrick?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but shouldn't I be having this conversation with Mac or maybe even Robin's dad?" Patrick reasoned quietly.

"They both offered, but when they told me that weapons would be involved, I decided it'd be best for me to approach the issue. Don't get any ideas though. You step out of line and I have a nine millimeter in my desk I only use for emergencies." Alexis clarified pragmatically.

"I don't feel comfortable discussing this with you." Patrick admitted sternly.

"Right because this is the sort of conversation you should have over beers with your bonehead best friends. I understand." Alexis mocked critically.

Patrick started to argue the point, but he figured she was right on the money. "I haven't thought of Robin and I in future terms."

"Why not?" Alexis persisted tenaciously.

"It's better to live in the moment." Patrick bit out tersely.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Alexis condemned him sharply.

"Well that's my answer." Patrick reiterated and rubbed his forehead uncomfortably.

"You're worried you won't have one, aren't you?" Alexis concluded, her eyes widening in understanding.

"I didn't say that." Patrick countered, stabbing an accusing finger in her direction.

"Have you talked to Robin about this? It's obviously eating you up inside--"

"I think we're done here." Patrick started to move toward the door, but Alexis stopped him in his tracks with one impressive glare that seemed to drill into the back of his head. "What do you want from me?" He asked without turning around.

"A straight answer." Alexis blew out intolerantly.

"I love Robin. Why do I have to put on trial for the way I feel?" Patrick wanted to know.

"You're not on trial!" Alexis argued emphatically. "I'm trying to gouge your intentions."

"I don't have any god damn intentions, alright? This isn't any of your business." Patrick shot back rigidly.

"I know we don't know each other that well, and you probably think whatever you tell me I'm going to run to Mac with it. But I really believe you've got something you want to say. Maybe it's something that you're embarrassed or too much of a man to talk about. You ought to take advantage of this opportunity." Alexis suggested.

"What good does planning ahead do?" Patrick asked after several beats. She flinched at the panic she heard in his voice. "When you're not even sure tomorrow is going to come for both of you? Can you tell me that, Alexis? Can you tell me how I'm supposed to handle the fact that the woman I love with all of my heart could get something as simple as a cold and be dead in a matter of days?"

"But Robin's healthy--" Alexis cut in.

"For now! She's healthy for now. She's good for now. She's safe for now. But what about tomorrow? What if she doesn't make it to this next birthday? Have you considered that, because, if not there's no reason to force me to?" As he spun around to face her, his face twisted in unmistakable agony, Alexis realized she might have pushed him a bit too far. She could backpedal all she wanted; she had still driven the arrow into his back, had still inflicted an unnecessary amount of pain on him for reasons that now seemed self-serving.

"You knew this beforehand." Alexis reminded him relentlessly.

"No, I didn't." Patrick retorted angrily. "I didn't know she had a life-threatening disease when this whole thing began."

"Then why stick around once you did know?" Alexis challenged. "If you couldn't handle this, why—?"

"I exposed myself when I got her out of the car. She told me she had it and begged for me not to, but I did it anyway. I don't know what I was trying to prove."

"So you feel obligated to her now?"

"No. Never. God, I don't want to talk about this." He stabbed his fingers into his hair, holding his head as if he worried it might implode.

"What's the harm? Better to yell at me than Robin, right? You obviously don't feel comfortable discussing it with her and that makes sense. It's not like I wait for Mac to come home just so I can ask how many bullets flew past his head that day." Alexis stated. "Death is not some faraway conception for either of us, Patrick. It's all around us, everyday. We're two of a kind, you see. Other people, they avoid unpredictable situations, whereas we throw ourselves into them for one purpose and one purpose only: to share our lives with the people we love. Mac's badge is just a symbol, one of hope, of justice—the defining difference between right and wrong. That same badge is just an extra something he carries with him everyday. It doesn't make him a better cop, a better man. It doesn't stop bullets or bring the bad guys to their knees. It's a part of him, but it doesn't define him."

"Robin isn't defined by her disease, that's what you're saying?" Patrick assumed, his hand hovering over the door handle.

"I was trying to relate to your fears, because I have them too. I have them all the time. I've seen, firsthand, what people can do to each other, all in the name of love. I guess what I'm trying to get across to you is that you and Robin are lucky to have found each other, because you both understand that time is a gift and shouldn't be squandered away. You've both learned how and when to pick your battles and move on. I shouldn't have belittled you for living in the moment because, God, what I wouldn't give to learn how to do that." Alexis mused. "I don't have all the answers," She continued, "But I do know that they're worth it. Loving them, needing them, it's what makes us human. That's why it's so hard to say the words sometimes."

"I don't want you to think that I don't appreciate your insight, but I've got to do the whole guy thing and leave now." Patrick replied.

"Understood." Alexis smiled. "Get out of here. You've got a party to plan."


	129. Let Go

She felt completely embarrassed. This was not how she had seen her night going. It had all been fine until the confrontation. Lifting her fist to knock, she waited for Lucky to answer. How would she ever explain to him what had happened? Would he turn her away too?

"Lulu?" Lucky questioned as his younger sister appeared on his doorstep. She had been the last one he had imagined opening his door to. Elizabeth? Sure. Patrick? Why not. Robin? Outside chance right now but not entirely possible. Cruz? Actually a pretty good guess with him handling the press right now. But Lulu? They hadn't even really spoke to each other since the last confrontation in the hospital. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad dropped me off." Lulu pointed to the Post-It note pinned to the left sleeve of her yellow cardigan. As if things weren't bad enough, Lucky was at once surprised and annoyed. Well she would just have to make him see reason, wouldn't she? Aunt Bobbie's hormones were on the fritz Mom had told her, so this was her only viable option.

"Why?"

"Dad kicked me out." Lulu explained impatiently, gesturing to the note. "Didn't you hear him drive away like a bat out of Hell?"

"I thought that was Patrick driving through." Lucky shrugged. He leaned against the doorframe. "I'll repeat the question. Why?"

"Dad found out Bradley and I are still seeing each other and he didn't approve. So, that's why I'm here. Are you going to let me in, or are you going to explain to your son why he has a Popsicle for an aunt?" Lulu asked sharply, her eyebrows shooting up in question.

"Bradley? Who the hell is Bradley?" Lucky's brows knitted together in confusion as he stood aside just enough for Lulu to push her way through.

"We used to date...erm you met him remember? Dad wore that ridiculous outfit." Lulu reminded him, hoping she wouldn't have to write it out on a napkin for him.

"You mean Buford?"

"His name is Bradley. Think of Home Improvement if you have to, I don't care. But that's his name. Anyway, I was kicked out and I need a place to crash for a few days." When she saw he was about to refuse, Lulu pressed on, "You won't even know I'm here. I just started work at Kelly's. I'm either at work or school, almost never home."

Lucky snorted. If there was one thing his sister had inherited from their father, it was the inability to go unnoticed. He might not see her constantly, but he would be willing to bet he'd see her laundry, hear her music, and see other reminders to her presence all day long. "I'm calling mom. Obviously dad did this without her knowledge and she'll have this straightened out by now."

"Actually, they were in agreement." Lulu mumbled vaguely.

"Do I want to know the details of this?" If his mother agreed with this insanity, it had to be worse than just dad disapproving of whatever-his-name-is. He paused and held up one finger as he reconsidered his question. "No. Wait. Scratch that. Details may send me straight to therapy. Do I want to know the bare outlines of this?"

"Not really." Lulu assured him. She was already in debt with her therapist.

"If I call dad right this second will he tell way more than I would ever fathom caring about?"

"Do you want a rundown of my sex life?" Lulu asked directly to get him to quit prying. 

Lucky closed his eyes in horror. Not the mental images he wanted. "Why me?" he sighed.

"You wanted to know. Can I or not? If not, I really need to find a motel to sleep in for the next few days and it's getting dark..." She glanced warily toward the front door.

Damn her for playing the guilt card. She was almost as good as their mother at that one. He was still months away from seeing her without wanting to throttle her and seeing her near Cameron was going to be a constant reminder of why his son still had a cast on him for another week. On the other hand, the motels had never really improved their reputations after years of being used for shootouts and housing the various mob cronies of Sonny and Jason. He wouldn't want his biggest rival to stay there much less his sister. "What about staying at Aunt Bobbie's? She probably needs help with the baby and all." He suggested hopefully.

"I'd rather have a shootout with members of the mob to a pop song than stay there. She's absolutely insane on hormones. She cries at the tiniest thing." Lulu emphasized, shaking her head.

That was true. And he had gotten the distinct impression from Cruz that something was going on between the two of them. He may be getting accustomed to the idea of his best friend dating his aunt but that didn't mean he was going to press for details for relationship problems. Besides, they were guys. They didn't talk about that stuff. "I suppose there is a reason Lucas and Dillon are out?"

"Dillon and I never got along. I don't want to cause problems for Lucas and Lance." Lulu clarified.

Even if he wanted to, Lucky wasn't about to suggest Patrick. The other man was dealing with enough lately. And Lulu's presence would do serious damage to intense birthday planning he was doing lately. It was actually amusing to watch Patrick sweat details such as reservations and finding the perfect flower, the stuff his cousin used to routinely give him shit for. He was completely defeated. It really was him or a motel for Lulu. "Define a few days." he demanded.

"A week. Two tops." Lulu promised with an affirmative nod.

"Is that from you, Dad, or Mom?"

"Why does that matter? I give you my word." Lulu snapped.

"Oh well why didn't you say so? If you give me your word, then everything will be fine then." Lucky rolled his eyes as the sarcasm rolled off of him in waves. He crossed his arms in front of his chest as he sat down in his overstuffed chair.

"Oh my God, you're acting as if I've taken away your favorite Teddy Bear." Lulu grumbled, walking over to the window so that her back was to her brother. "I need a little time to get on my feet. This wasn't exactly...planned."

"Oh well if you didn't plan it Lulu, that makes it all the better." Sometimes he wondered if his sister was 19 or 9. "Forgive me if I haven't forgotten what happened the last time you gave me your word."

"You're kicking me out, then?" She felt a tear slide down her cheek. She had screwed up royally with Lucky and now with her parents. Where would she go if her brother turned her away too?

"If I could think of anyone else who could take you right now I would." He answered honestly. "But I can't. And I know you. You would pick the worst motel in town just to guilt Dad into ending whatever this is about sooner. I may still be pissed at you but I don't want you there."

She did not remember pregnancy being this tiring, Bobbie mused as she walked through her front door. Granted she had been a teenager when she had Carly and that was decades ago, but certainly she would have remembered feeling this tired. Kicking off her shoes, she sank onto the couch, closing her eyes as she rested her head on the armrest.

Dr. Lansing had continued to tell her about limiting her stress load during her appointment today. If she heard the phrase "women in your age bracket" come out of his mouth one more time, Bobbie swore she was going to hit him the way Luke had taught her years ago. Her blood pressure was up and he had lectured her again about the risks of preclampsia, as if she needed another thing to worry about right now. She appreciated Dr. Lansing's continued candor about the possible complications she was facing, but today she had really just wanted him to keep it to himself.

It wasn't as if she wasn't trying to lower her stress level. She had already transferred all new clients to Robin for the time being. It had taken Laura and Lulu's supervision, but Luke and Lucky had done most of the major work in getting the nursery cleared out and ready. Lucas was trying to be positive, although Bobbie suspected Dillon was a major factor in that change in attitude. However she couldn't escape the fact that one person was decidedly causing her stress right now.

She hadn't heard from Cruz in three weeks. Ever since the night she screwed everything up. Unconsciously she rubbed her stomach. "I really stepped in it didn't I little one?" she asked softly. "I can't even really blame your dad for being mad at this one."

Logically she knew the past week he had been busy dealing with the press for Lucky. It made her smile to realize that while the two men more than likely hadn't completely worked out their issues, at least Lucky had trusted Cruz with this much. It was a huge step for both of them. And she knew how Cruz was when he had an important story. It consumed his every waking hour, much like the Brenda Barrett-Jasper Jacks' wedding consumed hers.

But on top of the two weeks before that, it was officially the longest time they had gone without speaking since they started dating. She missed him kissing her forehead before she fell asleep each night. She missed him trying to cook her meals. She even missed him putting his feet up on coffee table, no matter how many times she asked him not to.

It wasn't like she hadn't tried to contact him. But all she had gotten was his voice mail. She couldn't even get a message to him through Becca at The Insider. The poor girl was just as swamped with calls as Cruz was from larger media outlets. There had even been a few times when Bobbie had gotten a busy signal when she called the magazine's offices. She was relatively certain he wasn't home, or if he was he wasn't checking his machine.

Opening her eyes slightly, she saw the blinking red light indicating her own machine had a message for her. It was more than likely Laura, updating her on the latest on the Lulu-Luke-Bradley situation. Bobbie thought her brother was being ridiculous but agreed with Laura it was an opportunity to help her niece and nephew mend their own relationship. Sighing, she leaned over the back of the couch and pressed the play button.

"Hi...hello...it's Cruz as you can probably already guess from this stupid message. I got a few minutes to myself and thought I would call you, but I guess you aren't home. I know we haven't talked since that day at the hospital and I'm sorry about that. It's just, with all that has been going on, there hasn't been time—I know I should have made time. I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself. You were right: marriage is out of the question. I'll let you go. Oh and Bobbie? I love you." Cruz's voice bounced off of the quiet house like a mad drummer and, for a moment, Bobbie could feel as if he were right behind her. Of course, when she checked, his side of the bed was still empty.

Bobbie cupped her mouth with both of her hands to muffle the cry building at the base of her throat. She hit the play button a second time. His voice was just as uncertain and unyielding as it had been the moment before, but this time the tears on her cheeks didn't go unnoticed. The third time she punched the button, her hand started to throb. She could play this over and over; nothing would have changed. He was still gone. He would let her go? But she didn't want to be let go! She didn't want to raise their son or daughter all alone! She had done it before and she had thought, like the naïve fool she was, that this time would be different, that the father of her child cared more for her than he did his own pride.

She rocked back and forth trying to ignore the voice in her head that reminded her that this was her fault. She had caused this. If she had just believed he had really wanted to marry her or even just phrased her refusal differently, he would still be sitting there next to her, probably rubbing her aching feet. If she called him right this second and told him it was her fault would he even answer the phone? Did he want her to reach out to him? Was there room for him to change his mind? Or was that it? Was letting her go his last word on the situation?

She needed guidance. She needed someone to tell her what the next course of action should be. Or if there should even be a next course of action. She needed one person. With a shaking hand, she pulled the phone near to her, trying to calm her voice so she could at least speak clearly. Sniffing back her tears, Bobbie managed to keep her voice even the second the familiar hello hit her ears.

"Laura? Can you come over? I need you."


	130. Moondance

"I still don't understand why I can't go." Morgan pouted, folding his arms over his chest in a stubborn way that could only be described as pure Scorpio. It was hard to find him anything but six year's old in his white and red Bob the Builder t-shirt and overalls. He had taken an extra half hour in the bathroom just that morning to comb his hair and study the tiny brown flecks in his coffee eyes.

"I already told you, Morgan." Robin reiterated for what seemed the hundredth time. "We're going to have dinner here with Patrick, and then Georgie is going to come over and have a sleepover with you. I told her you don't need any help getting ready for school because you're a big kid. Doesn't that sound like fun?" She could tell from the hard stare that he wasn't any more convinced now than he had been when she had first told him less than an hour ago.

"But I want to give you your present." Morgan whined purposely sticking his bottom lip out to further make his point. She had seen the look a zillion times before now so she didn't know why she hadn't become immune yet. He was almost as stubborn as she was and that wasn't necessarily a good thing, especially when he decided to use it against her to get his way.

"You can do that at dinner. I'm not just disappearing. It's one evening." Robin explained taking a deep breath to calm her frayed nerves. He was so much like Sonny, she often found herself missing her old friend desperately. She was glad though that he hadn't inherited his father's speech impediment, because she had watched Sonny struggle with it for years, sometimes being undermined by his adversaries causing full-out wars to break between the now-dissolved Five Families.

"Are you sick of me already?" Morgan asked, intentionally causing tears to spring to his eyes. Robin turned her face as soon as she noticed the crack in his voice. She could get through this. There was no reason for her to feel like leaving him in the care of her very responsible cousin was in some way a bad move on her part as a mother. Maybe this guilt trip would have worked months ago, but she wasn't about to let him manipulate her out of a nice evening. Patrick refused to tell her where they were going or what they were doing, just told her to leave tonight and tomorrow open.

"Don't be silly." Robin met his eyes immediately. "I know things have been hectic lately, and I'm sorry for that, but Patrick has been planning this for some time apparently and I don't want to hurt his feelings."

"So you like Patrick more than me?" Morgan assumed, his bottom lip trembling in growing agitation.

"Morgan Stone Corinthos, I never want to hear anything like that come out of your mouth again, do you hear me? I love you. Going out for one night doesn't change the way I feel about you. We're a family." Robin stressed each word, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his seemingly flawless trick.

"Well Michael and A.J. are a family and they spend time together all the time." Morgan informed her short-temperedly.

"Oh yeah? Well A.J. isn't running a business. He's got it easy. All he had to do was be born in the right family to inherit a bunch of money he didn't earn." Robin knew she would regret saying this later, but she didn't like being compared to A.J. or anyone else.

"I hate that stupid bakery." Morgan pouted, throwing his hands into the air for added emphasis.

"Why do you hate the bakery?" Robin could already answer her own question, but there was a chance his reasons were different than what she thought they were.

"You spend more time there and with Patrick than with me. We never do anything together anymore." Morgan clarified, picking up a crayon he found under the couch. Robin watched in horror as he stabbed the tiny green crayon into the glass coffee table and wrote his name. Snatching the crayon from him, she was barely able to keep from throwing it across the room in anger.

"What do you think you're doing? You know better Morgan!" Robin scolded, her eyes almost completely hidden beneath her descending eyebrows.

"I hate it here! It's like living in a cage! I can't do anything!" Morgan shot back with his hands on his hips. He kicked the front right foot of Courtney's chair so hard the sound echoed off the hollow walls.

"Go to your room." Robin pointed her finger toward the stairs but, when he made no move to leave the chair alone, she took hold of his wrist and dragged him behind her, huffing when he let his legs go weak beneath him so that his entire body threw her off balance. "If I have to carry you, I will." She threatened, forcing him up each step. Her forehead was drenched with sweat by the time they reached the second landing. Morgan pulled out of her grasp and stomped off to his room, slamming his door behind him.

Robin was still fuming when Patrick showed up at her door an hour later, the only difference being her appearance. After standing in the hallway in front of Morgan's door for what felt like an eternity, she hurried to the bathroom and started to get ready. She wasn't about to let Morgan's temper tantrum spoil her birthday. Georgie had already called and promised to be there in a matter of minutes so they wouldn't have to wait long. Maybe her cousin could get him to open up about what was really bothering him. It couldn't be that he felt neglected; he was simply angry that he wasn't allowed to come along tonight.

"What, no flowers?" Robin teased after pulling open the door. She was amazed how easy it was to smile when she spied him in a silk mint green silk shirt and khaki-colored chinos.

"I didn't want to be too cliché." Patrick told her, leaning forward to place a kiss on her right cheek.

"I should hope not. You want to come in? Georgie's almost here." Robin let him pass through the door before shutting it and turning to brace her back against it. "So, are you going to tell me what we're doing tonight?"

"Nope." Patrick smiled, shaking his handsome dark head. "I will tell you that it was a collaborated effort."

"I hope you at least let someone else pick out my present." Robin replied dramatically.

"And just what is that supposed to mean? I give great presents." Patrick defended calmly.

"Oh, I know. I still have that toaster you gave me at Christmas." Robin rolled her eyes playfully.

"Everyone needs a toaster." Patrick pointed out.

"Don't I know it? If I couldn't toast bread, I don't know how I'd make it from day-to-day."

"You keep pushing and you'll be getting some shiny rocks from the flowerbed in front of the apartment."

"Oh really?" Robin gave him a knowing look. "What if I pry the information out of you?" She asked, taking a few steps toward him.

"You're welcome to try." Patrick spread his hands on either side of him in challenge.

"It's a good thing I know all of your weaknesses." Robin mused as her hands wrapped around the collar of his shirt. She let them fall down in a rapid motion, dislodging one of the top buttons.

"You think so huh? I'm not convinced." Patrick countered, pulling her backwards so that she bent in half with only his arm supporting her.

"You shouldn't underestimate me. I was raised by a spy." Robin added wiggling her eyebrows at him.

"So you think you're a badass huh? Please. You're a Twinkie."

"A Twinkie?" Robin asked, confused.

"Yes." Patrick dropped his mouth to her ear, "Soft and smooth on the outside and creamy on the inside."

"I should have knocked." Georgie interrupted her face beet-red as she regarded the engrossed couple in front of her. She twirled a loose strand of golden hair around her finger in nervousness and made her way toward the stairs. "Morgan's in his room, right? I'll just check on him--"

"Georgie." Robin called out to her and disentangled herself from Patrick. Pulling the folded piece of paper from her coin purse, she handed it to her cousin. "You have our cell numbers, the emergency numbers; Morgan is allergic to Penicillin and peanuts. If you have any questions, I've left a similar note of instructions with Mac, Courtney, and Elizabeth."

"It's all under control." Georgie promised, patting Robin's shoulders in encouragement. "I have babysat before."

"You're right. You have." Robin nodded her head, hoping she could feel a bit more confident about leaving her son in Georgie's care. There wasn't anyone better suited for the job. "If for some reason I don't answer, leave a message. Originally we were all going to eat dinner here together, but Morgan's in trouble and I couldn't get him to come out of his room so I went ahead and zapped two pizzas in the oven and there's salad and dessert in the refrigerator."

"Robin, honey, we'll never make it if you spend the entire evening quizzing Georgie." Patrick carefully steered her toward the door.

"I'm not going to apologize for being thorough. What else? Oh, Morgan is prone to coughs and high fever when the weather changes like it did this morning so if he starts to feel bad, he can have some Children's Tylenol. I keep a bottle in my medicine cabinet in my bedroom. He'll need one teaspoon of that and then he might want you to lay down and watch a movie with him. He'll be asleep before the second chorus."

"Got it." Georgie nodded helplessly as Patrick continued to get Robin out the door.

Robin didn't put up a fight when Patrick insisted on her closing her eyes and letting him lead her to their "first" destination. Ever since leaving Morgan in Georgie's care, she had been silent on the drive up. She had made enough trip to The City to realize that that's where they were headed, but she didn't voice her assumption aloud because she wanted him to think he had actually managed to surprise her.

Patrick reached across the gearshift and intertwined their fingers keeping one hand on the steering wheel. He caught himself sneaking glances at her on the drive up and she must have noticed too because she kept blushing when his eyes would settle on her face. Though he hadn't expected her to keep her eyes closed the entire drive, it was kind of nice to know that she trusted him enough to let him take her anywhere. It was still hard to believe that in less than four month's time they had managed to put five year's of animosity behind them.

"Is that a giant Teddy Bear?" Robin squinted at the aforementioned bronze bear that must have been three times her height if not larger and she was able to deduce that just from her spot in the car.

"Are your eyes open?" Patrick asked incredulously, turning the car into the direction of the only remaining parking spot in the place.

"I couldn't help it." Robin promised, chewing on her bottom lip bashfully. "This is so exciting." She went on gleefully, flipping her hair behind her ear as she strained to see past the cars obstructing her view of the entrance.

"This is just the beginning." Patrick answered smugly. After having managed to take the spot before the car to his right could realize what was happening, he turned to Robin and took in her movie star appearance. The black sweater dress ran from the top of her slender shoulders to just below her waist and was complimented with a pair of navy blue pants, nude pantyhose, and slim, black heels with a strap across her toes. She had braided her hair and pinned it to the back of her head to complete a very classy bun. He wondered if Robin knew that she didn't have to worry about him straying; she was most definitely the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"FAO Schwartz! Right?" Robin looked to Patrick for verification, her face beaming when he nodded in response. "I've never been here!"

"That's what Courtney told me." Patrick replied, watching her eyes cloud over in surprise. "Nothing's too special for you." He told her, pressing the lock button on his key ring and slipping his arm around her waist.

"That was so corny I would have thought Cruz was coaching you on how to be a gentleman." Robin leaned into his touch, but not so much so that he was keeping her standing.

"Some things I just pick up naturally." Robin smiled for his benefit even though, in the back of her mind, she was curious about what he and Courtney had talked about. Her roommate had been pretty upset at her for the decision she had made regarding Logan and she wouldn't put it past her to blab to Patrick, considering him the quickest way to get Robin to see her side of things. Logic pointed out that he wouldn't have gone to all of this trouble if he knew what she had done; nothing about the way he was holding her felt forced or in any way strained. He was genuine in this endeavor. She only hoped he'd still be talking to her once he knew.

"Yeah, like this inability to tuck in your shirt." Robin ribbed quietly, making a big production of adjusting his shirt.

"Thank you mother, I can do it myself." Patrick argued, catching her hands and pulling her toward the entrance.

Robin glanced upward as soon as they passed through the double doors, the ceiling decorated in web-like neon dots that illuminated the entire first floor. Her mouth dropped when she stared ahead, Logan and Courtney the farthest things from her mind as her mind began to process the row of stuffed animals lining each wall. The lime green carpet was separated by a light wood finish and that trail stretched out in all directions. It was intimidating and exhilarating all at once, the displays filled with a variety of toys and treats even a woman at her age could appreciate. Aside from the movie Big, she had never spent a second researching the establishment. Despite the massive amount of people filling the first floor, she in no way felt claustrophobic. Only Patrick's hand on the small of her back snapped her out of her overwhelmed trance and allowed her to move further into the toy paradise.

"What do you want to do first?" Patrick asked speculatively, his eyes catching hers.

"Where should we start?" Robin countered.

"I don't know why you're asking me. This is my first time." Patrick replied, narrowing his eyes at Robin when she started to chortle loudly. "Shut up."

"I never thought I'd hear those words come out of your mouth, that's all." Robin insisted, slapping him lightly on the arm.

"There's an ice cream parlor around here somewhere. If you're not too worried it'll ruin your appetite, we can seek it out." Patrick suggested.

"I don't want to eat yet, I want to play." Robin answered seriously.

"Then by all means, let's go find the race cars." Patrick exclaimed, steering her in the opposite direction.

Eventually, they made their way to a small café and took their seats at the marble counter, each trying to figure out what kind of snack they wanted. Robin traced the tiny cerulean marbles with the end of her index finger unconsciously and told the man behind the counter she wanted a cup of hot chocolate. Though she figured he wanted coffee, Patrick had copied her order and made a request for extra marshmallows.

"I don't suppose either of you have seen a couple of stray pink elephants around here, have you?" A man ranging from fifty to seventy years old asked, pulling a cream-colored hat off of his mostly bald salt-and-pepper head, and setting it between Patrick and Robin to get their attention. He was dressed in a white button-down shirt and pair of khaki shorts that matched his hat. He looked like something right out of a storybook.

"I haven't. Patrick, have you?" Robin inquired, deciding to play along with the old man. His bushy mustache brought back memories of Mr. Guerin, a man who played Santa Claus at the General Hospital Christmas party every year until his untimely death three years ago.

Patrick pretended to study his napkin as if it held all of the answers he was seeking. "Pink elephants? No. I saw a few hippopotamuses though. Does that help?"

"Sadly, no." The man scratched his head, obviously deep in thought. "I apologize." He extended his hand to Robin and then to Patrick. "I am the Colonel. I'm just back from a year-long safari in Africa and, I'm happy to admit, I brought my work home with me." His half smile was contagious and Robin felt herself being transported to a time in which she had believed in magical creatures and wild adventures.

Patrick leaned closer to the old man, "What happens if the director finds out that you let them loose in the store?"

"He'll have them tranquilized and I'll probably get harpooned or something just as awful." Colonel assumed, bowing his head in shame.

"Maybe we could help you find them." Robin offered, handing Patrick's cup to him before lifting hers to her lips.

"I don't know Miss. This is dangerous work." Colonel warned sternly.

"Well we're not about to send you in alone, are we Patrick?" Robin met her boyfriend's chocolate eyes and smiled brightly.

"Of course not. Besides, you're an expert. I'm sure with a little bit of training you could teach us everything we need to know." Patrick stated simply.

"Like how to watch out for an ambush or spot a pool of quicksand from a mile off." Robin put in with a confident nod.

"Alright. We must first collect supplies for this long journey. To the second floor!" Colonel shouted, urging them to follow him.

The second floor was where they found the famous Dance-On Piano. Taking a break from their strenuous "journey" through the perilous "forest," the Colonel and the couple headed over to the attraction, clumsily cutting in front of a growing crowd that was blocking their path. The Colonel either didn't notice the professional dancers tapping away at the keys or he simply didn't pay them any attention, because a second later, he was up there with them, playing out a harmonious melody for his new friends. He waved his hat in the air as his feet crossed and uncrossed, tapped and stomped to his original concerto.

Robin clapped along with the crowd while Patrick shot whistles of approval his way. Throwing caution to the wind, they each jumped onto the piano once everyone but the Colonel stepped down and started pounding out a beat that was unknown even to them. It took a minute to make their notes fall into sync, first with the other's and then with the Colonel. Patrick played the air guitar as his feet skidded across the keys and Robin flipped her hair up and smiled at the crowd. Collapsing into a pile a foot or so from the piano, the three adults lost the battle and let their giggles overtake them.

"Jolly good show chaps!" The Colonel congratulated them. "Oh, and happy birthday Robin." He winked at her and disappeared before she could ask him how he had known it was her birthday. A quick look to Patrick proved that there was a strong possibility he had set the whole thing up.

"You're pretty incredible, you know that?" Robin whispered to him, letting him pull her to her feet.

"I keep telling you." Patrick responded, kissing the tip of her nose.

"We still have another floor to go. Come on!" Robin pushed him toward the closest escalator and then they took the next one once they reached the first floor landing. The lower floor was dedicated to a long row of baby dolls behind a plate of glass and what was called the Book Nook. It took about a second for Patrick to convince her to go to the bookstore as opposed to the nursery. In a matter of minutes, he was able to find every book his mother had ever read him as a small boy including Jaws. For old time's sake, he flipped to the part of the book his mother had ripped out the pictures to and easily located the sex scene. Robin must have noticed his chuckle and found it interesting, because she turned her attention from the Green Eggs & Ham book she was currently holding to stare at him in wonder.

"What's funny?" Robin wanted to know, peeking around his arm as if she expected the words to jump out at her.

"My mother read me this book when I was younger. Only, when she brought it home, there were a bunch of pages missing. When I suggested she take it back to the store and demand her money back, she refused and read the book to me anyway. I was in a bookstore years later and picked up this same book and found out why the pages had been torn out. Sex scene." Patrick explained.

Robin's mouth fell open in mock surprise. "A sex scene?" She replied in a harsh whisper.

Patrick handed over his car keys to the valet, making sure to leave him a few extra dollars to insure that his car would be there when he and Robin were ready to head out. He didn't want to have to deal with finding a place to park: they were running too close to being late for the reservations. Any other time he could have talked the hostess into holding their spot, but it seemed his powers of persuasion were suspended. He tried not to pout at her clipped tone when she told him they could either show up on time or have their dinner at the nearest McDonald's. If he hadn't wanted the best for Robin tonight, he would have told her where she could put the reservation, but he had swallowed his tongue and gotten them out of FAO Schwartz in record time.

"I feel a little underdressed." Robin whispered to Patrick, spotting a waitress coming to greet them at the door.

"Not at all. You look incredible." Patrick assured her, giving her a kiss on the cheek before turning to the hostess. She didn't like quite so small-hearted in person, but he recognized the stern lift of her chin. Deciding not to press his luck, he gave her his name and waited for her to find it on the lengthy list in front of her.

"Ah yes, Patrick Drake. You must be Robin." The hostess, Clarity as her nametag displayed, extended her hand to Robin. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you." Robin beamed back at her, but Patrick could tell she was a little uncomfortable.

"If you'll follow me, I've made sure you won't be disturbed." Clarity ushered them to a small table in the back. The linen tablecloths, fine china, and pink flower sitting in a small glass in the middle of the table were quite remarkable. Patrick pulled out her chair and pushed it in once she took her seat before selecting the chair directly in front of her. "Dinner should be out shortly. Would you like me to bring you some appetizers or maybe a little dessert?"

"I think we're okay, Clarity. We'll let you know." Patrick told her, effortlessly dismissing her. Stretching his hand across the table, he took Robin's hand in his and brought it to his lips. "How are you liking your birthday so far?"

"So far? What else do you have planned?" Robin wanted to know.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see." Patrick replied just because he enjoyed watching her squirm.

"You're mean." Robin accused, shaking her finger at him.

"I was going to have them bring you your present after dinner, but if you want it now, I can send for it." Patrick offered good-naturedly.

"No, that's something I think I can wait for. However, it has been an awfully long time since you've kissed me." Robin pointed out, meeting his eyes.

"I apologize." Patrick murmured, letting their lips meet in a tentative kiss.

"Mmm." Robin sighed, breaking the contact. "How do they already know what we want to have for dinner?"

"I made this reservation over a month ago. If you don't like what they bring us, we can send it back and they'll make whatever you want, whether it's on the menu or not." Patrick explained reassuringly.

"I'm sure I'll like it." Robin decided, glancing to her right where New York City was laid out in one long strip of lights and skyscrapers.

"Do you see this flower?" Patrick gestured to the tiny pink plant in the center of the table, its petals soft to the touch.

"Yes I do. Is there some significance?" Robin asked as she ran her thumb across the rim of the glass.

"Actually, there is. You see, this is a Camellia flower. They're native from Eastern and Southern Asia as well as the Himalayas, Japan, and Indonesia." Patrick ticked off each place on his fingers.

"Is that right?" Robin smiled, wondering when he had had the time to research an exotic flower.

Picking the flower from the glass, he carefully dropped it into Robin's cupped hand. "The Camellia flower means, 'My destiny is in your hands.'" He closed her hand around the tiny flower, wiping away the tears he noticed collecting on Robin's cheeks. "Don't cry babe."

"Is my makeup running?" Robin wanted to know, touching her face to inspect the damage this sudden onset of tears was inflicting.

"No." Patrick shook his head, resting his hand over hers. "You're beautiful."

"You're biased." Robin argued, realizing that she hadn't been able to fit a mirror in her purse.

"Nah, I don't think I am. You know me. I have an image to uphold…what do you think you're doing here?" He teased, watching a smile spread across her face. "Speaking of, how do I look?"

"Very handsome indeed." Robin took the time to appreciate each feature of his face with her eyes and then reached out and traced his face with her fingers.

"You're not going to mold me into clay, are you?" Patrick asked, worried.

"I might take your picture." Robin responded coolly.

"I might take your picture." Patrick argued, holding her face in his hand.

"Mixing business and pleasure can be dangerous, I've heard." Robin advised him.

"I think after our little safari, we're ready for anything." Patrick reminded her, sliding his fingers through her hair.

"Chasing pink elephants classifies as dangerous?" Robin screwed up her face.

"Letting me dance in public was pretty brave. Letting you dance in public…well I should be getting in that Purple Heart any day now." Patrick mocked, smiling broadly when she slapped his hand away from her face.

"Here we are!" Clarity had chosen the perfect time to interrupt. She laid the rack of lamb in front of them, set out two plates and silverware, and asked if they needed anything else.

"Actually Clarity," Robin spoke up, surprising Patrick who had the first bite halfway to his mouth. "Is there any way we can get this to go?"

Neither Patrick nor Robin spoke on the drive back to his apartment. He was still in shock that she had suggested it though she probably thought he was feeling put off about the dinner plans. Clarity had been a saint about the whole thing and Patrick figured she was at least human where Robin was concerned.

The sexual tension made it hard to breathe in the now-confined space of Patrick's Ferrari. He couldn't even touch her hand without worrying where that might lead. Intent rested deep inside Robin's hazel eyes. Every time she even attempted conversation, Patrick would grow uncomfortable and start prattling on about something innocuous.

Robin neither appreciated the silence nor wanted to press the issue to make Patrick talk to her so she slid down her seat and held her head in her palms. Even in the very beginning when sex had been nothing more than an idea, a mere possibility, it had never been crushing. She had depended on his massive ego to steer her toward something she later recognized as confidence, but now she was at a loss.

"I kept the flower." Robin told him, desperate to make conversation. She showed him the tiny plant and he forced himself to smile. "I know it has been a while since we've made love--" She began, deciding that it'd better to tread forward than wander around the broken glass.

"Jesus Robin, do you want me to drive off of the road?" Patrick asked sharply, his tone accusatory.

"No, of course not. I was only saying that, if you're not comfortable—" Robin tried again, but he was so quick to cut her off a second time she wondered why she had even bothered.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Patrick challenged gripping the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead.

"I'm sure I want to be with you tonight." Robin answered carefully.

"You don't have to prove anything to me." Patrick informed her.

"I'm not trying to prove anything, Patrick. I simply miss being with you." Robin insisted.

"You're with me right now." Patrick told her distractedly, pulling into the small parking garage and killing the engine.

"You know what I mean. We're in control of our life together. I don't want one more moment stolen away from us." Robin announced. She leaned across the seat and caught his lips with hers, wrapping her hands around his neck to pull him closer.

"Whoa, whoa." Patrick managed between kisses as she climbed into his lap. "Let's slow this down a little sweetheart."

"But I need you." Robin whispered against his ear, surging into him with enough pressure to make his breath catch.

"Patience never was your area of expertise." Patrick hoped his little joke would ease the tension and, when she smiled back at him, he was almost certain it had worked.

"Let's take a closer look at your area of expertise." Robin suggested, swiping her hands down his shirt. The majority of the buttons gave way under her hands but two held strong.

"Robin." Patrick turned his face away from her, dislodging their lips in an instant.

"What? What's the matter?" Robin demanded kissing all over his face.

"This. You're not ready." Patrick concluded, pushing her off of him and stumbling out of the car.

"Yes I am!" Robin shouted after him, causing him to stop abruptly.

"No you're not!" Patrick retorted hotly. "If you'd like to come upstairs, I would really like to give you your present."

"Why are you being like this?" Robin wanted to know, advancing on him. "I know I'm not alone in the way I feel."

"Do I want to make love to you? Yes! But I'm not going to willingly go through with something you're uncomfortable with." Patrick told her.

"You don't make any sense. You're Patrick Drake. Seduction is your main game, isn't it?" Robin ridiculed with disregard.

"Not with you." Patrick shook his head.

"Oh please. This whole day was a setup. You wanted a payoff and I'm giving you one. Why do you have to go and mess up a good thing?" Robin shrieked angrily.

"That's a real potshot. You really believe I think so little of you?" Patrick inquired, his eyes expressing hurt and astonishment.

"I didn't say that! I just don't understand why you're turning me away when I'm more than willing—"

"Stop it! Just stop it!" Patrick ordered, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I want to go home." Robin folded her arms over her chest in defiance.

"Fine." Patrick barked back.


	131. Bother

"I have never cared about the nature of your affairs, that is until now...now that it's interfering with my grandson. That I will not stand for!"

"For the last time, who I date has never been any of your business and it never will be."

Elizabeth shook her head as she drew back farther into the safety of the second floor. Tony had charged in no less than fifteen minutes ago, waving a fist full of magazines and tabloids, all of which she assumed had more coverage of Cruz's exclusive story. She had been upstairs when he sped into the driveway and decided her presence would not calm the situation down one bit. Judging by the constant level of yelling since then, she was sure she had made the right decision.

She wasn't about to pretend she understood the depth of animosity between Jess's father and Lucky. Some, she figured, was fueled by Tony's grief at Jess's death. But at times, like now, it felt more personal. As if Tony was holding Lucky accountable for some crime. If there was one thing she knew for sure about Tony Grimes, he had a spectacular talent for backing Lucky into a corner over Cameron. And when it came to his son, Lucky was going to come out fighting. It was a lose-lose situation for anyone to try to calm it down. Sadly, probably the only person who probably ever could stop it had died three years earlier.

"They're loud." Cameron's even voice startled her. Elizabeth turned around to see the three year sitting calmly on his bed, his curious eyes regarding her. His hand held the TV remote, more than likely with his finger on the volume to drown them out or startle them into silence.

"Yes they are." She took a cautious step into his room. They had been getting along better in recent days but Elizabeth still wasn't sure Cameron wasn't actively hating her. Normally they didn't spend time alone together, but neither one had a choice right now. They were the only sane people in this house right now. Lulu had left for a "study date" hours ago. Elizabeth hadn't the heart to inform Lucky that was probably code for a hook up in the library. "I'll bet they sound kind of scary sometimes." They sure were scaring her.

Cameron shrugged, unconcerned. "They're always loud." He explained matter-of-factly.

Tony's strident voice carried up the stairs. "Have you even considered the fact that your little flavor of the month probably doesn't want to deal with Cameron? Or the fact that Cameron doesn't need someone else in his life that will leave when fame comes calling?"

"Oh for the love of...you don't even know her!"

Elizabeth took a step further into Cameron's room, pulling the door shut behind her. Even if they were always loud, Cameron didn't need to hear any of that. "Well they are scary to me. Can I hide in here with you?"

Cameron shrugged again and returned his attention to the images on the screen. Elizabeth looked around, only somewhat looking for a voodoo doll of herself in the corner. The room was nice if a bit bland. It lacked the personality she knew the little boy had. "Did you help your daddy decorate your room?"

"No. He did it himself."

Elizabeth made a mental note to corral Laura and Lulu and give this boy a room more in line with a three-year-old. Sponge Bob on the walls. Trains. Something. Anything. Lucky clearly hadn't a clue what to do. No wonder he had been told explicitly he would only be helping set up furniture in Bobbie and Cruz's nursery.

Gingerly she sat down at the edge of the bed. So far so good. "What you watching?"

"Scooby Doo."

"I love Scooby. Can I watch with you?"

Cameron nodded and went back to watching the flickering images of the screen. Elizabeth took her lead from him and settled into watch, not commenting or asking questions. Looking over at him, she saw him concentrating on the characters the same way she had seen him look in class. Something was definitely running through his mind. As the episode ended, she opened her mouth to ask if he liked that one when Cameron surprised her.

"Daddy says Patty is Shaggy. But he doesn't look like it."

She fought against laughing. Robin would love to know about this one. "I think he was just being silly."

The muffled roar of voices clued them both in to the fact the argument downstairs was still going on. Elizabeth glanced at her watch. Forty five minutes. This had to be a record. Surely all the fights between these two didn't last this long. She glanced over at Cameron and gestured toward the door. "So they're always loud huh?"

"Since I was a baby."

"And it doesn't scare you ever?" She was amazed. If she had to live with this level of anger her whole life she would have been a basket case.

Cameron shook his head. "I not a baby. I not scared anymore."

"Of course you're not a baby." She had learned a long time ago to never disagree with a three or four-year-old when they declared themselves no longer a baby. "But it's ok to be scared you know." Elizabeth leaned closer and whispered conspiratorially to him. "They scare me you know."

Cameron looked at her skeptically. "Grandma says Daddy and Grandpa both love me."

"They do."

He looked quickly toward the door and then met her eyes again. Cameron's voice took on the tone children used when trying to explain things they didn't understand but they had been told the same explanation several times. "Grandma says they have their own problems and it has nothing to do with me."

"That sounds like a lot of big words to say they don't like each other very much." She could barely understand all the issues surrounding the two men. Elizabeth doubted a three-year-old who clearly loved them both had any more understanding than she did.

"Why?"

"Why what Cameron?" Elizabeth kept her voice soft. She didn't give it much thought but if she had, it was probably to force Cameron to concentrate on her voice and not the rising and falling volume outside the door.

"Why don't they like each other?" Cameron's serious eyes met hers, his voice deadly serious. He clearly wanted answers, careless reassurances wasn't going to satisfy him.

Elizabeth chewed her lip. Lucky was going to owe her so huge for this. Trying to explain what she was sure was years of anger to a there year old? Then again Cameron had asked her for the answer. That had to count for something. She had to at least try.

"I don't know for sure but I think your grandpa just misses your mommy so much. And he wants you to live closer to him so he can see you more often. And your daddy doesn't like to be told what to do any better than you do. So they argue." She paused and lifted her eyebrow. "Really loud."

Cameron offered a small smile and pointed toward the television, still showing the adventures of Scooby and the gang. "Wanna watch more Scooby?"

This was pointless. It was always pointless. He knew this would pointless from the second Tony started pounding on his front door. Lucky wasn't entirely sure how he knew from the other man's knock who was standing on his porch, but somehow he did. He chalked it up to years of the same never ending argument. They always followed the same script. He was an asshole who just chased fame and didn't care about Cameron. Tony was a controlling bastard who was obsessed with anything to do with his daughter.

Why he couldn't break out of this pattern was a question he asked himself after every encounter. He wanted Cameron to know Jess's family. No matter what else happened in his life, she was Cameron's mother and he needed to know about her. It would be ideal if he could get along with her parents. However with each passing year, Lucky was beginning to think it was probably impossible.

Lucky glanced at his watch. An hour? They had been going over this and over this for an hour? The longest they had ever argued in the past was thirty minutes tops. At this rate it was going to go all night. Lucky blew out an aggravated breath. "Look. I think you need to leave now."

"Why so you can bring your girlfriend of the second?" Tony sneered at him.

"For the last time her name is Elizabeth. And no. It's Cameron's bedtime and at the rate we're going we'll keep him up all night." His mother would more thank likely slap the backside of his head if she heard his tone, but sometimes sounding like a snotty teenager was the best way to stop an argument with Tony.

Fortunately using Cameron's name had been the right tactic to move. As many issues as Lucky had with Tony, he could never deny the other man loved Cameron with all his heart. Heading toward the stairs, Tony turned and looked Lucky dead in the eyes. "I will go tell my grandson goodnight."

Lucky rolled his eyes at Tony's retreating back. "As if I could stop you," he muttered as he climbed the stairs behind him. If by some miracle Cameron had fallen asleep, it was going to take a good hour to get him back to sleep after Tony woke him up. Not to mention what would happen if Tony accidentally spotted Elizabeth upstairs.

He thanked whoever it was who was watching over him. Uncle Tony. Aunt Mattie. BJ. Even Carly, if she had felt so inclined. Whoever it was he was grateful they had helped influence Elizabeth to stay upstairs and stay quiet. He was sure she had heard every word but at least she hadn't heard them flung in her face.

Following Tony into Cameron's room, he almost ran into the older man when he stopped suddenly. Biting back his urge to curse, he tried to look around Tony's shoulder to discover what had caused Tony's sudden stop. Following Tony's gaze toward Cameron's bed, he squinted his eyes in the flickering light of the television and felt his breath catch in his throat.

Both Cameron and Elizabeth laid on the small bed, apparently sound asleep. Elizabeth lay on her right side, her head resting on her outstretched right arm. Cameron was curled up on his left side, his small foot gently kicking barely missing Elizabeth's shin. Her left arm rested gently over his small body.

Lucky bit back his smile and felt an urge to find a camera that he immediately blamed on his mother. He wasn't quite sure what had happened up here tonight and he knew when he asked Elizabeth she would claim it wasn't anything big. But he doubted Cameron would glare at Elizabeth or be obviously uncomfortable in her presence again. At least until he convinced her eight thirty in the morning was entirely too early to be leaving on a Sunday. One battle at a time.

"Do you want to wake him up?" Lucky whispered, nodding his head in the direction of the bed.

"No," Tony shook his head gravely, his eyes dropping to his wedding band. There were few times in his life that left him feeling completely helpless, and this was nothing like those other times. He was sad, he was angry, he was lost, he was standing up but who knew for how long? Wanting to scream out loud but afraid of waking the only living memory of his only child, he closed his eyes and turned away from the scene that continued to drive a twelve-inch blade through his heart. "Will you tell Cameron I came by? And I'll call him tomorrow after school?" His voice was quiet, distant, and he was disgusted at the pleasure this must have brought Lucky.

"Sure." Wisely Lucky decided not to point out that Cameron more than likely was well aware of the visit already.

"I'll let myself out." Tony turned to leave, not wanting to see anymore. It was harder to dismiss Lucky's claims of this relationship being different than the countless other ones after witnessing this. This one really was different. And that scared the hell out of Tony.

Dillon studied the tape closely, almost as if he expected it to come to life. He had been in this same position for the last five minutes and, if Lucas hadn't known him as well as he did, he might have interrupted, but he knew it would do no good. Bobbie had made the mistake of questioning his expertise and he had banished her to the kitchen. "I think we should play it again."

"It's not the Zapruder film."

"I think we need to pay special attention to his tone. Do you want to make your mother feel worse just because you're an unfeeling ass most of the time?" Dillon shot back in a biting tone, shoving the tape into the answering machine.

"No but I would rather not pay for a new answering machine." Lucas mumbled under his breath. Now they were going to listen for Cruz's tone? He loved Dillon dearly but sometimes his obsessive attention to details was just too much.

It wasn't like he didn't want to know what prompted Cruz to leave such a message. He hadn't actually wanted to be right about the other man leaving. And with Dillon in full out proposal scene preparation, he had even started to come around to the idea of having a stepfather who was only a few years older than him. Lucas knew he would deny it until his dying day, but he had actually somewhat started to come around to the whole idea.

And then Dillon had accidentally played that answering machine message and now he was about to hear it for the fourteenth time.

"Are you questioning my skill?" Dillon's eyebrows arched in question.

"No. I'm questioning your sanity. Completely different topic."

"Shh." Dillon held up his hand. "Is your mother crying?"

Lucas listened and heard the distinct sound of female whimpering. He smacked his husband in the back of the head. "Maybe she didn't want to hear that message over and over again?"

"We are so discussing this abuse in therapy." Dillon narrowed his eyes in frustration. "And did you happen to think that maybe I was trying to make her feel better? It's obvious he's just staying away until she decides that she wants him in her and the baby's life. Men like Daddy Cruz are very aware of their pride and often avoid situations in which it can be attacked. It's as Joseph Gordon-Levitt said in 10 Things I Hate About You, 'Sacrifice yourself on the altar of dignity and even the score."

"And when we get to therapy we are also discussing you're justifying actions on Julia Stiles movies." Lucas rolled his eyes. "Mom you may as well come out. We can hear you crying in there."

"I think I'm going to head to the market. Do you boys want anything?" Bobbie called from the kitchen.

"No. Mom, sit down." Lucas pleaded with her.

Bobbie walked slowly into the living room, her eyes on her shoes. "Really, I don't know why we need to discuss this any further."

"Because you are obviously upset and you've been avoiding everyone for the past week." Lucas pointed out. The last person you talked to was Aunt Laura."

"She lets me talk. You're both trying to make me see your side like you're superior or something. It's exhausting." Bobbie sighed, taking a seat farthest from them.

"No we're trying to make you hear reason." Dillon argued.

"This situation is impossible to solve right this second. Besides, it's really not any of your business." She told them both, her eyes finally lifting to meet theirs.

"Your happiness is my business" Lucas argued.

"And mine. Cause when you're unhappy, he's unhappy and then I'm unhappy." Dillon chimed in.

"And our mood affects your grandson." Lucas chimed in firmly.

"I can't force Cruz to love me." Bobbie replied solemnly.

"Because he already does." Dillon explained, his hands waving in the air.

"No darling. He thought he did. You have to remember, he's never been in this kind of a relationship before. This is a lot more serious than anything he has ever dealt with. Look at your cousins because, up until last year, Cruz didn't know a way of life besides theirs." Bobbie whispered intently.

"Have you looked at Patrick's and Lucky's lives lately?" Lucas questioned. "Because I don't think that argument is going to hold much weight."

"Yeah." Dillon chimed in. "We've not only met Elizabeth and Robin we've met them several times. I even hear they do things like stay in on a Saturday night and rent movies."

Bobbie got to her feet as fast as she could in her current condition, her hands out in front of her. Shoving a long, curly strand of fiery red hair behind her ear, she folded her arms over her chest. "Then why isn't he here?" She challenged furiously. "Huh? He knows I love him, he knows I want him to be a part of our lives, and yet he's hiding behind his work. So you tell me what I should do, okay? Tell me what the right thing is, because you're both so much smarter than I am!" Picking up the answering machine with force, she chucked it across the living room, watching it shatter into a hundred little pieces. Let him try to reach her now! Let him try to leave another patronizing message on her now-broken machine. His voice made her angry every time she heard it; the way he had said he would let her go was downright pathetic!

"Mom..." Lucas stared haltingly. "Does he really know all that?"

When Bobbie turned to face her son, there were tears in her eyes. "I don't know if he does or not. And I'm really starting to wonder why I care so much."


	132. On The Edge

Lucky bit his lip and closed his eyes. "I'm guessing a tool set would be out of order?"

"Unless you're going to add a belt for yourself, but I really don't think discussing yours and Elizabeth's sex life is something I want details about." Robin crinkled her nose and smiled.

"You've hung around Patrick entirely too long." Lucky accused waving his finger in her direction. "You never used to be in the gutter this much."

"Oh, I've always been in the gutter." Robin decided it'd be best not to comment on the other point.

"You've just so ruined my image of you. I may need therapy."

"I hear Dillon and Lucas get a good deal with...what does your dad call him? Oh yes, Dr. Quack."

Lucky shook his head. "This was probably a total mistake. We are never going to get this done."

"Sure we are. You have something other men don't have."

"My own personal Robin?" Lucky smirked.

"That's right!" She patted him on the head, actually having to stand on her tiptoes to do so. She had the extra time; why not help Lucky find a present for Elizabeth's upcoming birthday?

"So Short Stack," Lucky looped his arm over Robin's shoulder. "Since you've shot down all my ideas, where would you start?"

"If you'll think hard, don't hurt yourself, you'll remember something that Elizabeth asked for. She's never been the subtle type. Think. Has she mentioned anything in particular?" Robin wondered.

"I thought you said you didn't want details on our sex life?"

"Oh!" Robin was at least at the perfect height to smack him in the arm. "I'm telling if you keep this up! I have to get sleep sometime and these mental images are making it seem impossible." So what if she hadn't slept since the attack? She wanted to keep things light. "I've missed you."

"Me too." Lucky squeezed her shoulders in a sideways hug. He watched out of the corner of his eye to make sure she wasn't uncomfortable. Robin hadn't spent much time with him since Logan's attack and he was unsure just how ok she was.

"Now, where to first, Mr. Navigator?"

"I'll get smacked again if I suggest Victoria's Secret won't I?"

"That is so cheap, Lucky Spencer. This is her present, not yours." Robin pointed out.

"I was kidding. Sheesh Scorpio, did you lose your sense of humor?"

"No, of course not!" Robin laughed, shoving her hands into the side pockets of her pink coat.

"Good. Now that we have settled on that I guess the movie store is a good spot to start at least."

"Now you've got it. Maybe a signed something or other from one of your...old pals." Robin suggested.

"I thought you were my friend." Lucky grumbled as they made their way through the crowd. "The whole point of this birthday present thing is to avoid fights."

"Are we fighting?" Robin gave him an incredulous look.

"Move Short Stack." Lucky good naturedly shoved her along into the thickening crowd.

Lucky watched Robin out of the corner of his eye and tried not to smile as he noticed the DVD set she was studying intently. Sneaking a glance at the title, he tried not to laugh. Jack & Jill, he should have known. He remembered very well how obsessed Robin had been with that show in college. The attractiveness of Ivan Sergi was one of the few things Robin and Jess could agree on.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. Needing help with finding the perfect birthday present for Elizabeth had been the only thing he could think of Robin wouldn't find a reason to refuse. He had the perfect present already set up. Elizabeth would never see this one coming. No, faking complete obliviousness had been the perfect plot to get Robin to actually respond to his requests to see her.

She'd been avoiding everyone since the attack. For awhile Patrick had been hopeful she was close to opening up to him or her mother. Then her birthday happened. Lucky wasn't sure what happened exactly but he knew the fallout. Patrick had become the worst kind of ass one that knew what he was doing and didn't really care. And Robin had gone back to hiding. On some level it was probably wrong to use his girlfriend like this, but on the other hand, he needed to see that Robin was alright.

"Don't put that back on my account." He teased her. If he kept it light, then maybe he could pull this off. At least long enough to reassure him that Robin really would be fine. "Certainly my being in the room never stopped you from drooling over that MTV dude before."

"Oh be still my heart." Robin sighed, turning the cover over so that she could stare into those big brown eyes again.

"You probably watched Crossing Jordan just to see him too." He accused

"Oh you know. I even suffered through a whole season of Charmed just to put him on mute and watch his lips move." Robin replied in a dreamy voice. "Anyway..." She put the DVD back where it had been and dropped her eyes to her shoes.

"Nope." Lucky reached over her, an easy feat, and grabbed it from its spot. "I saw how you were looking at it." He began to head toward the cashier.

"Lucky, don't. I don't want it." Robin tried to grab it, but the little bastard held it above her head and then flung it onto the counter.

"Yeah you always drool over things you don't want." He pulled out his credit card and handed it to the clerk. Once the transaction was complete he handed Robin the bag. "Too late now. Looks like it's yours."

"Thanks. I guess." Robin responded awkwardly. One eye on the EXIT sign, she clutched the weightless bag in her hand and pretended she was somewhere else. She couldn't quite place her uneasiness. It seemed so out of place with Lucky. She supposed it had to do with who he was now as opposed to who he was before she and Patrick got serious. He wasn't just her old friend. He wasn't her next-door neighbor. Now he was Patrick's cousin and everything in relation to her boyfriend made her feel defensive. She hadn't spoken to him in a long time, an eternity as far as she could tell. She was still mad, angry—near hysterical—and that was why she hadn't called him. It didn't matter if he was right. It didn't matter if she was wrong. Neither affected her current mood.

Lucky looked at the floor when he heard her tone. He screwed this up. Maybe there really was a reason to use wrapping paper and cards, besides the greeting card conspiracy his dad always rambled on about. "Robin it's just a birthday present. If you really don't want it, I'll go take it back."

"No. No, I want it." She touched his wrist and then yanked her hand back. What was wrong with her? Would she ever again feel safe in her own skin? "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He didn't miss the way she yanked her hand back. She wasn't ready for this; he was pushing her too fast too soon. "You know what? Let's just go. I'll find something later."

"We're not skipping out on Elizabeth's present just because I'm neurotic." Robin shook her head erratically, worried beyond belief that he would bail on her and she would have to return to an apartment where no noise was ever made. Morgan was still mad at her despite her efforts to pacify him. Courtney just didn't talk to her at all. The sound of the phone ringing earlier had startled her so much; she had mistaken it for the fire alarm.

"But if you aren't up for it, it's no big deal. I'm sure I'll find something." Or he'd just crack and confess Elizabeth's birthday present was already set up.

"I'm screwing this up. God, I'm so sorry." Robin whispered.

"No you aren't screwing this up. I am." Lucky sat down on a nearby bench and motioned for Robin to do the same.

"What's up?" Robin wondered, taking the seat offered.

"Truth?"

"If memory serves, I remember what that is." Robin smiled.

"I fed you a load of bullshit to get you here." Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "I have Elizabeth's present all set up. I only need to get something ok but not great to make it a complete shock."

"Then why—?" The question died on Robin's lips. "You felt obligated to ask me out today, didn't you?"

"No." He answered rather forcefully. "Not even close."

Robin folded her hands together to give her eyes something to focus on. "I guess he told you then."

"Told me what?" It had to involve Patrick that much he knew. "If it has to do with you and Patrick I think it's probably better I don't get involved. I will say that he's been a grouch since whatever happened, happened." Lucky shook his head. "I know nothing."

"I'm so embarrassed." Robin brought her hands to her face and rubbed the skin there roughly to try and will the threatening tears away. "You don't want to hear this."

Tentatively Lucky placed his hand on Robin's and pulled them gently away from her face. "Robin, no matter what else I'm your friend and that's the only reason I asked you to come help with this. Tell me whatever you want to tell me."

"I thought I was over it." Robin linked their fingers together and didn't flinch when he placed them on his left knee. "I should be over it. I wasn't raped."

"I don't think there is a timetable here."

"I ruined what should have been the end to a perfect night. I never knew Patrick could be that romantic." Robin spoke quietly. She hadn't even told Elizabeth, but Lucky was different. He wouldn't judge her or give her some kind of half-cocked solution. He knew her as well, if not better, than he knew Patrick. She would keep the girly stuff for Elizabeth. How had she almost given up the simple Spencer-Scorpio friendship she had clung to during a time when her world was crashing down around her? "And then I pushed everything too far. I just wanted to prove that I was ready. We haven't...since..."

"Robin." Lucky held up his hand. "I'm your friend and all, but still details about that...details bad."

"I'm sorry. You're right. We got into a fight over it and we haven't talked since. I made a real mess of things, but why can't he just trust that I'm stronger than I look?" Robin wasn't sure if she was still talking to Lucky or not. Maybe this was her way of getting it all out and he was more like a wall that she needed to vent to. "Do you think I'm wrong for wanting my life to get back to normal?"

"No. You're not wrong in that." Lucky sighed. "But you do realize that Patrick is just trying to help you right? He's probably doing it wrong because he has no clue how to do that, but I'm sure that was what he thought he was doing."

"I don't want his help. I don't need his help. He's trying to fix something that isn't broken."

The last thing he wanted to do today was explain Patrick's feelings. "He's just reacting. I saw him when he brought you in the hospital, Robin. He was terrified. And I hear you that nothing is broken, but avoiding all of us doesn't help us feel anything else."

"I've gotten so used to handling things by myself. I've tried to lean on other people, but they've always gone away." She didn't miss the hurt flash across his eyes. "I know that you had to distance yourself from me after Jess died. It was no secret that I didn't like her, or that she was trying to sink her claws into you. And when you asked me to leave, I did. I shouldn't have walked out. I should have been a better friend. And now you're trying to make me feel better when I don't even deserve it."

"Hey I asked you to back off and you did. I shouldn't have made you feel like I backed Patrick and Logan over you in the divorce." Lucky offered his hand. "Bad choices all around?"

"Yeah pretty much. Honest from here on out?"

"Deal." Shaking her hand, Lucky offered her a grin. "And in the spirit of honesty here, a belated happy birthday to you."


	133. Exploding Fireworks

**Chapter 133**

Cruz sat in his Ford Expedition just watching the house. He hadn't been here long. He wasn't even in the driveway, but a few houses down. It was the middle of the workday: no cars obstructed his view. He had always thought that this house should have been made of glass, because he and Bobbie had been under suspicion from the very beginning. Not even a year later, he found himself afraid to leave the safety of his vehicle. It took a lot to get Bobbie upset, but he had yet to face her in the early stages of pregnancy. He somehow suspected that, in spite of her overall calm, her hormones would go haywire just like he had been reading about. One wrong statement and she would either collapse in a fit of tears or come at him with a butcher knife.

It wasn't pregnancy hormones that kept him sitting here. It wasn't even that the house seemed so completely shut off from him as of now. He didn't belong here. Bobbie had made that perfect clear. Where she lacked in anger, she more than made up for in her decisions. She never went back on her word, never changed her mind. The fact that she hadn't wanted to go public, probably never would have if they hadn't gotten caught, was merely one example of how inflexible she was. That was why when she had told him she was more than capable of handling their baby on her own, he hadn't taken it as random conversation: she was letting him know where he stood. She loved him, sure, but that didn't mean she was going to let herself rely on him. At this point, his value most likely ranged from sperm donor to that guy she had that thing with once.

Often, he had pictured the life they would have together, both before and after the news of her pregnancy. Never in all of his fruitless daydreams had they been living in separate worlds. Maybe he hadn't considered marriage before this baby, but that didn't mean that he had planned on taking their relationship to the next level. God had stepped in and helped him. He would have to remember to thank him the next time he was at church. His mother wanted to meet Bobbie, wanted to measure her up was what she really meant, but Cruz kept making excuses to keep the two women separate. She could meet Bobbie after their child was born. He didn't want her to have to deal with that kind of stress.

If you're that worried about her stress level, why not put this off? A rational voice called from the back of his mind. He had done a little research during the course of his trip and picked up some valuable information about his rights as the baby's father. If Bobbie really meant to suspend his parental rights, he would fight her tooth and nail. This baby was slowly becoming the only thing that tied them together. He didn't want to take her to court but, if she left him no other option, he would go through with it because this was his son or daughter for Christ's sake. He wasn't going to turn his back on his own flesh and blood, wouldn't become the father he had never met.

His hand on the door handle, he thrust it down and kicked open the door, startling Bobbie from her spot on the porch. He wasn't sure how long she had been standing there, or what she must be thinking but, if he was going to get through this, he would have to pretend not to care. Was this what she had been waiting for him to do? He wasn't close enough to see her face, so he had no way of determining if she was happy to see him or not. He stood cautiously near the driver's side door and watched her descend the steps with purposeful grace. How could he do this to her?

Remembering his reason for stopping by before heading home, he reached through the car door, the glass having been previously rolled down, and let his fingers wrap tightly around them. It took a little extra effort to get the papers out of the truck, his teeth biting the inside of his cheek, but finally he held them at his side. Bobbie gave them a quick glance, but then her eyes were on his and he couldn't breathe. She knew the power she held over him and if he wasn't careful, she would use that influence to convince him to sign away all legal rights to the child he had helped create.

Her knees were trembling, damn him. She had convinced herself he had lost all power over her, she didn't need him. One indirect look at him and she knew it was all a lie. Bobbie prayed he wouldn't notice her trembling but realized he probably would. Above all else, Cruz was a reporter, a good one, and he noticed the details.

It hadn't been the plan to see him today. Ever since she had destroyed the answering machine, Bobbie had thrown herself into preparing for the baby's arrival. Dr. Lansing was already talking about possible bed rest if she reached 28 weeks without complication. But so far everything had looked good. Better than good actually, perfect. Dr. Lansing had said everything looked perfect. Her life maybe currently be in shreds, but at least her child was perfect.

Unconsciously she rubbed her growing stomach. It was probably the doctor's appointment that led her to agree to this meeting. When the phone rang, she had been on such a high, Bobbie hadn't even glanced at the caller ID. When Cruz's voice tentatively said hello, she had nearly dropped the phone. Something possessed her to say yes. She was blaming the hormones.

The papers in his hand made her nervous. As did the time it took him to cross the small yard to be near to her. As he came close enough for her to speak, she cleared her throat. "Hello Cruz." she managed, proud of herself for keeping the tremble out of her voice.

"Bobbie." He answered blandly, almost diplomatically. "How are you feeling?" With that one question, he was already doubting his decision to go through with this.

"Fine." The distance in his voice echoed even louder than it had on that damn message. Why wasn't he meeting her eyes? When had they become such strangers? "How are you? Has the media frenzy settled down?"

"Never, but business has never been better, and at least we're still able to control it. Lucky and I have made sure of that." There. They could talk about business all day long. She had never shown that much interest in what he did, save the occasional conversation starter.

"Good. Good." Her eyes shifted to the papers he still clutched in his hands as the conversation completely faltered. This wasn't them. Their ability to discuss everything had led to the creation of this child. How had one phone conversation completely obliterated that? The silence between them grew as the seconds moved closer to minutes. Bobbie bit her lip. Did she tell him this now? Would it help or make matters worse?

"I brought...um...these papers for you to look at. I don't want to be cut out of our child's life." Cruz declared, rather indignantly, his tone still uncertain but the intent behind it, the bitterness, was as clear as day.

She had sworn no man was going to make her cry again. No man would ever see her cry. And here she was, sobbing in her front yard, pregnant and alone. Ironic how her life was coming full circle as she remembered the last time she saw Carly's father. "You're...you're giving up?"

"You already did that. I'm just trying to make the best of things." Cruz countered, anger bubbling just below the surface.

"The best of things?" She cried out incredulously. "You call this making the best of things?" Her hands shook as she gripped the papers, his coldness provoking her anger. "How long did you wait before you ran to a lawyer and planned your escape?"

"My...what?" Cruz's eyes went wide at her accusation. "You were the one who turned me down. I had no problem with the family thing. You were the one who had to throw in that feminist crap. Was I supposed to wait for you to sue for full custody before I made a move, Bobbie?"

"Crap? Not wanting something based on your sense of duty and obligation is crap?" Bobbie almost spat as she spoke. "Forgive me for thinking about what is best for this child."

"Don't bring our child into this! You're the one running, not me! I didn't feel obligated. We were in love. That's what people in love tend to do: they tend to get married and start a family. I'll admit, we did things a little backwards, but at the end of the day I still would have loved you." Cruz shot back, bristling. How dare she accuse him of not wanting her for any other reason than the obvious? He had never thought his loving her would become a questionable thing.

"I'm running? I didn't announce I was leaving this relationship by leaving a damn answering machine message." Bobbie took a deep breath and tried to control her breathing. She could do this. She could handle this. "You're the one who didn't stay."

"You know why I left. Lucky needed my help. It didn't have anything to do with our drama." Cruz defended stubbornly.

"That wasn't what I referring to." She kept her voice even, determined to keep it from cracking with the weight of the sob she felt rising. "You left after the hospital. You were long gone before Lucky needed your help."

"How was I supposed to take the rejection?" Cruz asked, his voice as soft as a whisper. "Do you have any idea how much that hurt?"

"As much as realizing what was driving that proposal wasn't love." Bobbie responded back, her voice just as soft.

"You're talking about the accident." He didn't have to ask: the answer was clear in her eyes. "That's not why I proposed. Wanting to marry you isn't some rash decision I came to in the heat of the moment."

"Really?" Her skepticism rang through loud and clear. "That's why we talked about marriage before then right?" Dramatically she smacked her forehead. "Oh that's right! We didn't!"

"Well, considering how our discussions usually go, you're not inclined to talk about anything outside of work or your family. Every time I try to bring up something important, you always change the subject. You treat me like you would Lucky or Patrick. I don't need your patronizing realities, okay?" Cruz retorted waving his hands in the air. "The only one whoever addresses our age difference is you. The one who didn't want to go public with our relationship was you. When you found out you were pregnant, you gave me exactly one hour to come to terms with it before launching into your speech about how I could be in its life _or not_. Would you rather I took no interest in my child at all? Would that make it easier for you? You've already proven that we can't work...that you don't want us to. All I'm asking is for a chance to still have contact with the only part of you you're willing to let me love unconditionally." His anger was quickly dissipating. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up, or if he even wanted to. He didn't want to cause her anymore stress. He could easily justify that worry in terms of his child.

Bobbie couldn't hold back the tears as his words flowed over her. He was right. She had made all their issues. He had been confident everything would be fine with their families and friends and it actually was. She was the one worried about being left. She was so afraid of being hurt again she had actually pushed away the best thing to ever happen to her. Biting her lip, she caught the sadness in his brown eyes. She had to just accept it. Her own fear of being alone had left exactly that. Alone. "I won't contest." She whispered brokenly.

Cruz had never wanted to hold her more than he did in that moment. She looked so broken, so utterly defeated. He couldn't pick her up this time. She would have to do it herself. She would have to want to. Staring at his feet, he took the papers from her and tore them into a million little pieces, leaving them on the lawn. He turned his back to her then, unable to breathe a moment longer, and raced back to his truck.

Staring at his retreating form, she blinked in confusion as the sight of the torn papers filled her eyes. Was he dropping the action? Did he want her to follow him? Caressing her stomach, she lowered herself slowly to the porch. "Your father. " She spoke softly to the baby, "Don't worry little girl. I'll figure something out."

"I have been on a boat before," Mac regarded Alexis with a smug little nod. She had been yapping at him for the past hour, checking and double-checking that they hadn't forgotten to bring anything. He had always considered her such a list-oriented lady, but he had underestimated the way she was able to control every little aspect. Maybe she should leave her job as DA and go into business with Robin and Bobbie. They all seemed to have the same obsessive-compulsive outlook on life.

"Yes, of course I know that. I was there, holding your overgrown hair back while you threw up over the side of it before it even left the docks." Alexis recalled subjectively. He had been going through a phase, one she still referred to as the start to a very unpredictable mid-life crisis.

"It was a phase. I'm a lot smarter now." Mac countered, adjusting the rearview mirror so that he could switch lanes.

"It was a year ago. And will you please pick a lane? We'll get there on time. The party isn't going to start without us. Make up your mind." Alexis suggested curtly. She understood that it wasn't everyday his youngest went away to a foreign country for an entire year, but it wasn't like he would never get to see her again. For one thing, her money would probably run out halfway through and he wouldn't be able to stop himself from begging her to come home. Sometimes you could just count on these sort of things.

"Why does she have to go away again? She's already well-rounded. She could get an apartment over off of Motley." Mac offered up the same plan he had been constructing ever since his baby announced she wanted to move overseas for a whole year. He didn't think it made him a bad guy to not want to send his baby to a foreign land with a lot of hairy-legged perverts who would like nothing better than to--

"Mac, are you listening to me?" Alexis didn't know she had saved his sanity for the millionth time since they had met. "I asked who was coming."

"You have the list, don't you?" Mac answered distractedly. His hands were already starting to shake. He had never thought this day would come. He had prayed against hope that it never would.

"Come on honey. Just tell me who we've got scheduled to show up. I want to recount the table settings." She explained once they had parked in the first spot they found nearest the docks.

"Lucas. Bobbie. Dillon. Robin. Lucky had to call and cancel. Something about Lulu. I stopped listening after he said, 'Oh that's today?' He's lucky he doesn't work for me. I'd ream his ass for not showing up. Who else?" As they worked out the basic setup for the bon voyage party, they noticed several of the aforementioned guests starting to arrive. "We better hurry or we'll never get everything in place. I don't want to be in the way of your cousin, Zara."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alexis asked, pouting. "She's healthy."

"You know I love you, but I'm a little worried she might sink the boat. Did we go ahead and get that insurance policy?" Mac responded matter-of-factly.

"I got the balloons!" Maxie called, coming up behind the couple. She was out of breath, out of cigarettes, and out of sorts. She had called last night and told them that she probably wouldn't make it due to her plans with newest beau, Victor. Well, he had gone out of town for work and so here she was. She didn't understand what the big deal was. Georgie was always in her own little world. What would actually moving to a different part of the world do?

"What would we do without you?" Alexis greeted the young woman with a quiet nod.

"Probably go back to eating carbs." Maxie answered directly, smiling when she noticed the death glare her father was giving her. "Is there any alcohol on the boat? I could use a drink."

"It's your sister's going away party and I don't want you drinking." Mac pointed out.

"What's one little drink going to do?"

"You mean, what's it going to do to an avid drinker such as yourself?" Alexis clarified, lifting an eyebrow.

"Exactly nothing." Maxie promised.

One hour into the party, Maxie was higher than a kite on various types of alcohol she had found and/or smuggled onto the party boat. It was a pretty big boat: the dimensions had been explained to her before she popped the top off her third beer. People were still giving Georgie presents and good wishes. They were still telling her how much they were going to miss her. She had actually started to cry when she had opened Mac's gift. It had been a picture of him holding her in the hospital as a newborn. The frame had been pretty cheap, but acceptable as far as Cinderella was concerned.

Robin had given her a handful of prepaid minutes she could use to call home any time she wanted. Wasn't it just like her cousin to be so resourceful? So prepared? Maxie wished she had remembered to bring a gift, but she hadn't been able to find one that her sister would deem appropriate. Maybe she would change her mind and find the little insurance policy she had left her packed under her pajamas. A girl couldn't be too careful and Maxie had no doubt that once her sister was no longer under Mac's watchful eye she would be the next Whore of Babylon.

Despite the fact that Georgie had been teaching herself French for the last six months, Bobbie had bought her a book of common phrases. Bobbie had even gone and highlighted the most useful. Maxie bet she could add in a few if she knew French. She hadn't been blind to Bobbie's tear trigger. It had to be the hormones. Word on the street was that the old girl had gone and gotten knocked up by her nephews' best friend. It was the classic soapy storyline though Maxie had stopped watching such dribble. The shows always seemed to portray the worst as the best and the good as the bad. It was frustrating, especially since all the really good guys were hot and all the really bad guys looked to be on steroids.

Maxie had been really surprised to see her mother show up. Figures she would turn up on the day her daughter was leaving one flea-infested society for another, but she hadn't bothered to even call when she, herself, had gone in for heart-related complications not six months ago. She hadn't died of course, but Maxie had no doubt her mother would have said some really incredible things at her memorial. She would have made up a fantasy about how she viewed her eldest daughter's life. She would say something like, "Maxie had such a great capacity to love. I only wish she had been able to find someone to share that love with." Felicia hadn't brought a gift as far as Maxie had seen. Maybe she hadn't needed to. Georgie had lit up at the very sight of their mother.

Dillon had given her a present and kiss on the cheek. Lucas hadn't looked pleased with this particular decision. It was no secret that Dillon and her sister had a long and deep history what with the baby and all. Georgie had cried for weeks after Dillon had split and gone sniffing around Lucas. It was a wonder Mac had let them come at all. What had he brought her? She couldn't remember. Drama, for sure. Whatever else was unimportant.

The best, and probably most memorable entrance, had belonged to Anna. How often did a person land on a boat via helicopter? Maxie had always been a little afraid of her aunt, but she could at least be civil toward her. Robin had grown closer to her and Georgie than she had to her mother and Maxie figured that had something to do with the attitude the older woman commonly expressed toward her. No matter. Maxie was used to people disliking her. As far back as kindergarten, a little girl, Samantha Ford, had announced to the entire class that she was Maxie Jones' ex-best friend and that she hated her. Since then people tended to see the halo above her little sister.

Uncle Robert and their father, Frisco--Maxie remembered his penmanship more than his face--were off on some secret mission and couldn't be reached. Maxie had been surprised Alexis hadn't been able to cross enemy lines and get them out. She seemed like a driven woman. She had to be if she had managed to keep Mac interested this long. That had been Felicia's only alluring quality: her need for adventure. Perhaps that and the thin line she used to separate good and evil.

Robin watched her cousin down another drink. Wasn't she sloshed enough? Why did she have to embarrass her little sister this way, and when the girl looked up to her? Maxie had made stupid choices in her life, but this was a new low for even her. Robin was about this close to dragging her off of this boat by her hair, but the amount of liquor in her system would probably cause her cousin to sink to the bottom of the sea. She returned her attention to Georgie who was giving a very long speech about family and trust and a bunch of other things that sounded oddly like the speech Robin had heard at her graduation a million years ago.

Patrick had slipped into the back, seemingly unnoticed by everyone but her. At first, Robin had expected her uncle to throw him off the boat or start a big argument with him, but he had simply nodded toward him and cut the cake into a dozen pieces for the crowd. He hadn't come to talk to her in the last half hour he had been here, but then she had made no attempt to do so either. Even her talk with Lucky hadn't made her any more brave or up to a discussion about what had happened--or rather not happened--between them on her birthday. Alexis distracted her with another speech, but she found it very difficult to focus. Had he just gotten closer?

"For the last time I am not interested in Georgie." Dillon whispered harshly to Lucas, as they stood in front of Robin. He rolled his eyes and exasperatedly ran his hands through his hair. "I'm married to you Lucas."

"By default." Lucas shot back quietly, not wanting Lance to hear them fighting. It was pretty unlikely considering that he and Morgan were over by the table, swiping frosting off the side of the cake.

"When did you become the dramatic one here?" Dillon wondered. "You knew about my history with Georgie before you ever came out to LA. And you knew she lived here when we decided to move back here. If this was going to bug you so much why did you come?"

"Leave the two of you alone with our son? I don't think so." Lucas answered short-temperedly.

"You know Georgie does not see Lance as her replacement baby." It still hurt to talk of the miscarriage but in the end that child had led him to Lucas. The loss of his and Georgie's child had led him to LA and later to Lucas.

"But do you?" Lucas didn't give his husband a chance to answer, just walked over to where the boys were playing in the cake.

Robin gave him a look of pity and patted his shoulder. "I'm sure he'll come around. How is your mother doing?"

"Terrorizing the help, trying to throw Alan and Monica out of Monica's house, scaring the ELQ board into backing her every move, and paying attention to me and Ned only when it suits her interest. The usual." Dillon nodded towards Anna. "Can I take lessons from your mother on how to make an entrance? That was straight out of Hunt for Red October."

"I think it's one of those 'If I tell you, have to kill you' sort of things." Robin replied with a smirk.

"Lance is looking awfully spiffy in that little blue suit." Robin commented, nodding toward the sweet little blonde.

Dillon beamed with pride. "His idea."

"I need to talk to you." Patrick whispered in Robin's ear, having made no noise in his approaching. Damn him! She was trying to have a pleasant conversation with her friend and here he was, butting in. She wanted to tell him all of it aloud, but his hand on her right shoulder silenced her. He maneuvered her out of the crowd toward the rear end of the boat so that she could still see Morgan from where she was standing but maybe the entire family wouldn't get to hear what they were talking about.

"I don't have time for this right now, Patrick." Robin berated him with a groan. "In case you missed it, this is my cousin's bon voyage party. What are you doing here anyway?"

"Mac invited me." Patrick told her, folding his arms as he awaited the outburst that never came. Instead, she moved her eyes to his right shoulder and kept them on that spot until his hand found her face and she was forced to meet his conflicted gaze. "I called." He said it so arrogantly one would have thought he was put off. By not answering him, she had thrown him into a pool of uncertainty.

"I know." Robin sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose tightly. "I didn't have anything to say."

"Do you have something to say now?" Patrick coaxed her to continue, but she only responded in her tense body language. "Look, I might have overreacted, but you have to take some responsibility too."

"Do I?" Robin shot back, pursing her lips together. "You didn't leave a message."

"I shouldn't have to leave a message. The message is clear." Patrick insisted impatiently, looking to the sky for answers but receiving only a cloudless sky.

"Lucky was right: you do speak in freaking code sometimes." Robin shook her head.

"Lucky? You talked to Lucky about this, but you won't pick up the phone for me?" Patrick accused incredulously.

"I told you I don't have anything to say. Can we just get back to the party? Today is supposed to be about Georgie." Robin reminded him.

"Don't hide behind your cousin, Robin. If you have something you want to say to me, do so." Patrick challenged.

"You don't even think I have a right to be mad at you, do you?" Robin realized, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Why should you be mad at me? I stopped you from doing something you weren't ready for." Patrick countered, breathing out of his nose as his teeth barred together in anguish.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot. You're always having to step in and stop me from doing something I'll regret later on." Robin nodded, sarcasm clear in her tone.

"I didn't say that." Patrick defended, reaching out to grab her by the waist before she could even think about walking away.

_"Do not touch me." _Robin warned ominously. By that time, a crowd had already started to form around them.

"Oh, now that's a problem for you?" Patrick shot back angrily. "You're trying to convince everyone that you're fine, fine, fine, but I see through it. I know that you're not. I'm not going to go on pretending just to appease you."

"Umm guys? You know I love a dramatic scene and all but can I suggest a better venue? Like not a public one?" Dillon suggested quickly, gesturing to the widening crowd.

"Shut up!" They yelled at him in chorus.

"Fine. See if I stop this from getting posted on You Tube now." Dillon muttered wandering away.

"See what you did!" Robin shouted at Patrick.

"What I did? Oh I forgot. I'm always wrong and you're always right. That's how your world has to be or you would be beside yourself, wouldn't you?"

Robin caught her son's eyes before she could even think of a good comeback. Backing up embarrassed, she ran for the solitude of the lower deck, throwing the lock.


	134. Common Ground

"You're impossible!" Lulu's voice rose to a near screech level. "You're my brother not my father."

"You got kicked out by our father. Which I might add, is pretty damn impossible to do." Lucky pointed out calmly, leaning his full weight on the door. He should know. If getting your girlfriend pregnant your senior year of college didn't do it, not much else could.

"I told you he's being unreasonable."

She had a point. Reason and Luke Spencer hadn't ever gotten along but no point in letting Lulu know she had actually made a valid argument. "I told you if you stayed here you would have to follow the rules."

Lulu pointed her finger in his face. "You're being ridiculous. I'm 19. I am an adult you know."

"Then go find your own apartment and live there. Be an adult. Quit mooching off me."

"You can't nail someone's window shut! It's illegal!"

"It's my house." Lucky shrugged. "Don't break curfew."

"I told you there was a reason for that."

"Then tell me what happened." Lucky offered. She had come crashing in through the window at three in the morning, scaring him to death. After a quick glance revealed nothing physically wrong with her, he noticed the tears in her eyes. But she refused to talk, stating only that something had happened and telling him it was none of his business. When whatever that "something" was, when it lead to him worrying half the night about where Lulu was, then not telling him got her grounded.

"I told you, that's none of your business." Lulu twisted away, folding her arms over her chest as she stormed toward the couch.

Living in his house. Eating his food. Making him stay up all hours of the night waiting for her to get home. That made it his business in Lucky's book. "Then I guess you're going nowhere."

Lulu glared up at him. "I could just walk out the door after you go to sleep you know."

"Yeah I thought you would try that. I changed the alarm code this morning."

Lulu snorted and rolled her eyes. "Like that will be real hard to figure out. I'll just ask Elizabeth when her birthday is again."

"November first. But that's not it." Elizabeth chimed in as she came down the stairs. Walking cautiously toward the siblings, she took a deep breath. They had been arguing from the second she came over. No, she corrected herself, from the second Lulu moved in. Elizabeth had the feeling Lulu had thought her brother was going to be a pushover where she was concerned. And although she agreed in theory with the rules Lucky laid down for his younger sister, a part of her couldn't help but wonder if some of them was his way of expressing his anger at her over Cameron's accident. Blowing out the breath, she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Cease fire for two minutes?"

Taking the uneasy silence as an acceptance of her offer, Elizabeth gently tapped Lucky on the shoulder. "Cameron needs you."

Lucky nodded tersely and started up the stairs. Pausing he turned and looked at his sister. "You're still grounded."

"You're still an unfeeling dictator." Lulu threw back.

"I aim to please." Lucky resumed his journey up the stairs, trying to switch from his discipline mode to his doctoring the sick child mode. Cameron already wasn't feeling well and this wasn't going to help him. Could he find one relative he could invite in his house that wouldn't lead to a screaming fight, at least for Cameron's sake?

Elizabeth sat down in the chair opposite the sill fuming Lulu. Deal with a three-year-old sick with the flu? No problem. Try to calm down a temper tantrum having teenager? Terror city. She couldn't start with a direct lead into what was bothering the other girl. If Elizabeth had to hazard a guess, she would think the boyfriend neither Luke or Lucky wanted to admit existed was involved. She should start with something indirect, something not related to Lucky. Of course she had no idea what that was.

Thankfully Lulu decided to start the conversation. "He's being impossible. You have to talk to him for me." She pleaded.

"Me?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"Yes. He will totally lighten up if you talk to him about this. He's just power-tripping or bored or something. I wasn't that late."

"Lulu it was three in the morning."

"It was Friday night. And I had something that I had to do."

"I was wondering when we would get to Bradley." Elizabeth sighed and sank back into the chair. "How does he fit in?"

Lulu looked over at her in shock. "How did you know..."

"Lulu please. It wasn't that long ago I was 19." Elizabeth cocked an eyebrow. "You got kicked out of the house because of him. In my experience when girls come home at three in the morning with no explanation and red eyes, a boy is usually behind it." She motioned for Lulu to lean closer to her. "Come on. You've already confirmed I'm right and if you really want me to help with your brother, I need the full story. So spill."

Lulu sighed. "Bradley's been distant since...well since I got kicked out of the house."

"Can't imagine why." Elizabeth muttered under her breath. Laura had told her the story based on what she had pieced together from Luke's mutterings and cryptic comments. She couldn't say she blamed the boy. Being near the Spencers was bad for his health.

:Lulu continued talking as if she hadn't heard Elizabeth's comment. "So when he told me he was going to spend all night in the library I was suspicious. Who actually goes to the library right? So I went and tried to find him, which I couldn't so I knew he lied to me. This is when I decided to go looking for him."

Elizabeth closed her eyes as she could imagine the rest of the story. Holding up her hand for Lulu to stop, she glanced out of one eye. "Let me guess. You found him with another girl."

"A member of the gymnastics team." Lulu's blue eyes widened as she spoke. "A flipping gymnast."

"So you see I couldn't come back here right away. He knew I saw him and this would be the first place he'd look. This is why I can't be here right now. I don't want it to look like I'm waiting for him."

Looking into Lulu's pleading eyes, Elizabeth felt her heart break just a little. She understood perfectly the girl's need to run, hell she had moved across the country when she walked in on a similar situation. But the truth was Bradley hadn't called here or even driven down the street. He hadn't called the night before. Bradley may knew he had been caught but it was just as possible Bradley wanted to be caught.

Should she tell her? Should she break the girl's heart further or allow her to live on in delusion? Which would be the crueler break? "Lulu..."

"So you'll talk to Lucky? You'll get him to lighten up?" Lulu asked eagerly, clutching Elizabeth's outstretched hands.

She couldn't do this. With a defeated sigh, Elizabeth met Lulu's bright eyes. "I'll talk to him. I promise nothing but I'll talk to him."

Robin supposed she should be crying, but she was far too angry to focus on the degradation that it would take to compel her to cry. She paced the small cabin, back and forth. Back and forth. Not getting anywhere. Not wanting to go anywhere else. She had ruined Georgie's party in a way Maxie couldn't even dream of and now she was down here sulking like a loser. There was no getting off the boat. At least not right now. Unless she planned on swimming back to shore, and that wasn't exactly a possibility.

Was it the feeling of uselessness that had her so upset, or the embarrassment she would be facing if she left the safety of the cabin? She wasn't scared to be alone, actually preferred it, but the sight of a familiar redhead made her feel a little better. At least someone cared enough to come and check on her...or they were out of booze and had come to get more from the mini fridge.

Bobbie sat down next to the young woman. While she knew Patrick and Robin had their share of fights, nothing she had witnessed before had this feeling behind it. This was about something more serious than Patrick's pride or Robin's stubbornness. "Georgie is worried about you."

"That poor girl. She didn't need this today." Robin berated herself, dropping her head in her hands.

Bobbie rubbed the back of Robin's shoulder. "It's ok. I think she expected something to happen between her sister and Lucas."

"How do I explain to Patrick that I'm okay, that I don't need him hovering over me every five seconds?" Robin wondered, meeting Bobbie's sharp eyes.

Bobbie couldn't hold back the bitter laugh that escaped. She had just run Cruz off from her by proclaiming her ability to survive on her own. "I'm not the one to ask about that."

"But you're the smartest woman I know." Robin countered with a tiny nod. "And you know us both so well. Who else would I be able to ask that presents both qualities?"

"Lucky?"

It was Robin's turn to laugh. "I already tried that."

Damn her nephew for being smart enough to get out of this trap. Bobbie sighed. "Well knowing nothing of the situation, I would say that there is nothing you could say to Patrick." She held her hand up to stop the comment she saw forming on Robin's lip. "Normally I would say showing Patrick something works better than telling him. But I'm guessing you already tried this."

"Yes." Robin replied.

"You're not going to like this answer."

Robin scrunched up her face at the tone of Bobbie's voice. "What am I not going to like about it?"

"Because it requires patience."

"Patience is why people lived in caves for so long. Patience is unnecessary. I'm suffocating here. And you tell me to have patience?" Robin asked in shock.

"Did the situation I'm assuming you forced to show Patrick you're fine work so well?" Bobbie retorted with an arch of her eyebrow.

"You saw how it worked." Robin answered wryly.

"Then you are going to have to wait and let him get comfortable with the idea. Similar to introducing him to the concept of monogamy."

"We're talking a quarter of a year here." Robin whined, rubbing her forehead and looking to her shoes.

"But was it worth it?"

"Yes." Robin replied begrudgingly. "More than worth it; I wonder how I ever survived without Patrick loving me."

"Then listen to what I am telling you. Be patient. He'll figure out in time when you really are fine."

"How did you become so wise?" Robin wanted to know.

Bobbie shook her head sadly. "By spectacularly screwing up my own life so often."

"What do you mean?" Robin squinted in speculation.

Bobbie bit her lip and looked away. She hadn't come looking for Robin to discuss her own issues. She had barely begun to try to figure out what the hell had just happened let alone what she wanted to do about it. "Cruz and I are..." her voice caught. What were they? "We're having some problems."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Robin treaded forward nervously.

"Thank you." Bobbie smiled through watery eyes. "But I really hope you have no personal experience to draw from on this issue."

"You never did tell me how you got in. I locked that door." Robin realized as she and Bobbie left the lower deck once and for all. The party was silent when they reached it and this didn't settle well with either of them. Least of all Robin. But their focus wasn't on her. They were all looking at Mac and Alexis. Georgie was crying--Robin recognized the sobbing--but her cousin had her back to her so there was no way to know what type of tears they were.

"Picking locks is a Spencer family trait." Bobbie remarked lightly. "What do you think happened while we were gone?"

"If you think you're going to wedge in-between my daughters and me, you are sadly mistaken!" Felicia's piercing voice made Robin cringe. What was she so upset about? She had known that Mac and Alexis were important to each other; they hadn't just dropped the bomb on her.

"What's going on?" Robin nudged Lucas with her right elbow.

Lucas shook his head. "Your uncle and Alexis just announced they are getting married. And now we get fireworks."

"Married?" Robin whispered, her eyes widening as she stared straight ahead. It was obvious in the way they spoke to each other, the way Mac touched Alexis' back to direct her from place to place. Why hadn't she picked up on it before? She remembered the tiff they had had about Alexis refusing to move into the Scorpio house and the way her uncle had handled the situation after Kristina got into a fistfight at the carnival. His approach had been stern but loving. It had been fatherly. Robin didn't notice the tears in her eyes until she reached up to push her hair out of her face.

"Congratulations!" Robin heard herself say, making her way over to hug them. Felicia, put off at being ignored, pouted and stalked off to the vacant part of the deck.

"Thank you!" Alexis beamed, pulling Robin into a big hug, the act almost completely out of character. She had never seen her so happy.

"We planned to break it to you girls a few weeks back, but life got in the way." Mac explained, wrapping his arms around Robin and a still whimpering Georgie. "Don't cry Buttercup."

"Daddy..." Georgie managed, her head immediately resting against his shoulder. "I'm so happy for you! This is the best news ever! How did you keep it a secret for so long?"

"I hid the ring in my purse." Alexis explained. "Your uncle would have surely broken and told, but things got crazy and there wasn't really a good time. I hope you don't mind sharing the thunder today. I know this is supposed to be about you."

"This is about me. This is about Maxie. This is about all of us. Welcome to the family. We'll be sure to keep it interesting." Georgie promised, hugging Alexis hard.

"She's right." Maxie spoke up, edging toward them. It had taken a lot of effort to weave through the crowd, but she had made it this far. Her mother's insinuation was absolutely preposterous. For Alexis to steal her and Georgie away implied that Felicia had ever wanted them. "You're family now. Let me apologize in advance."

The five of them shared a hearty laugh. This was exactly what Georgie had wanted, she realized. Her family.

"What about me?" Kristina asked, quite earnestly, from her spot behind Mac. "Do I still have a family?"

Mac bent down and picked her up. "Are you kidding? You went from having two smelly brothers to having two great older sisters and a dad that'll love you and never leave you." He promised, tucking her wavy brown hair behind her ears.

"My daddy won't be coming back, will he?" Kristina was unaware of the tears that collected in her mother's eyes.

"Can I be a good pretend dad until he does?" Mac offered, knowing that Corinthos would never get out of prison, not if he had anything to do with it. Right now Kristina just needed a little stability. Just as Robin had needed. Just as Maxie and Georgie had needed. Another little girl to love and take care of. He was one lucky man.

"I guess that'll be okay." Kristina agreed.


	135. Let's Hear It For The Boys

**I hope you enjoy the Footloose mention!**

Lucky rolled his eyes as his father's voice filled his ears. "I know Dad. You've been telling me that since I was seven. Don't touch the private stash in your office. Got it." With an aggravated sigh he flipped his cell phone shut. Ever since Lucky had asked his father about using his club for Elizabeth's birthday surprise, Luke had called every day with a new concern and demand. Some had been down right ridiculous, like the one about no boy bands.

"I didn't think it was possible for him to get weirder when he got older but I swear to God he is."

"Wait until he finds out you're putting a boy band in his club without telling him." Patrick mused, slightly amused. "Why don't you just turn the phone to silent?"

Lucky shrugged. "He'd find some way to get around it. When he figured out I was screening his calls, he started calling from Mom's phone."

"Maybe this is his subtle way of thanking you for taking over parenting responsibilities for Leslie Lu." Cruz suggested with a sly grin.

"Don't even start with me about her." Lucky groaned. In the days that passed since she had been grounded, she only got angrier. And now he was almost positive it wasn't directed at him. He'd given up the grounding two days ago and she still was storming through the house. "She keeps muttering about the evilness of men. Cameron is terrified to come near her."

Patrick chuckled. "Pretty soon, she'll be asking you to braid her hair and screen her calls so Dipshit can't get a hold of her. I wouldn't want to be you right now."

Lucky flipped his cousin off. "Let's get this done. I have plans for tonight."

"If you add anymore candles, the whole building is going to go up in flames." Cruz warned him distractedly. He might have been here physically, but mentally and emotionally he was still in Bobbie's yard, throwing the custody papers in front of her face.

"I don't know. I think Mom and Bobbie would pay me if that naked picture of Helena got burned." Lucky pointed out. "Maybe I'll just put some more over there."

"Look what I found." Patrick held up a dusty bottle of 1960 Cognac. "And you said I was too curious for my own good."

"I hope you're a better bartender than you are set builder." Lucky started toward the bar. "Pour it."

Patrick smiled, hopping over the bar. "If you'll remember, I bartended my way through college."

"Yeah I remember." Cruz nodded. "You were broke."

"Got to check out the competition. Drunk guys would hit on the girls and I'd learn everything I shouldn't say to them. It was a great learning experience. Especially when they started slipping me their numbers." Patrick recalled, setting three tall glasses in front of him and pouring each about halfway full.

Lucky took a small sip. Smooth, just the way he liked it. "Must every conversation with you involve a discussion of how you pick up women?"

"Anything beats your 'Elizabeth this, Elizabeth that' stories." Patrick bit back a smile, his words hitting their target. Deciding it was time to take a risk he threw his drink down his throat and winced as it burned all the way down. Well that'd teach him. He poured another and took a baby sip. Much better.

Lucky narrowed his eyes and took another sip. "Anyone try to run away from you on a boat lately?"

"Did you guys hear about Stephen Valiquette? A goalie with a concussion and he was still trying to get on the ice. That there is dedication." Cruz hadn't kept up with the Rangers in months, other things having got in the way, like the nights he would fall asleep with Bobbie in his arms. Last night was the first he had been able to watch a Rangers' game since at least May. He wasn't sure if that made him lucky or just plain pathetic.

Lucky shook his head. "The Rangers? I thought you were at that party thing for Georgie?" He didn't want to say the obvious, but he knew Bobbie had been invited. He had assumed Cruz would be going with her.

Cruz's answer was simply to throw back a shot, mimicking Patrick and instantly regretting it.

"Pansies." Lucky threw back the remainder of his own with ease. Slamming the glass down on the table, he looked between the bottle, the empty glass, and Patrick. "Make yourself useful."

He had noticed both his friends had side-stepped his questions. He knew from his conversation with Robin and bits gleaned while Elizabeth talked on the phone, everything still wasn't right there. But what was going on with Cruz and Bobbie? And did he really want to know the answer?

Patrick filled his and Lucky's glass, lifting his eyebrow at Cruz who was nursing his drink. He hadn't gotten a chance to hang out with Lucky or Cruz in so long; he had forgotten what it was like to have free time. Frankly, he didn't much care for it.

Picking up the glass, Lucky paused halfway to his lips. "Does this feel like the time we broke in here freshman year?"

"Cruz isn't wearing Susan Giamatti's panties on his head and you don't have your nose in a book. Or wait. Did I get that backwards?" Patrick tried to remember, but decided it was time for another shot instead.

Lucky glanced over at Cruz, still silent and still nursing his first shot. "You still with us man?"

"What? Yeah, sure. I disagree." Cruz answered noncommittally.

"You don't have a clue what he just said do you?" Lucky accused.

"Not really." Cruz admitted sheepishly. "Have anything stronger?" He asked, glancing over at Patrick.

Lucky smiled. "I'll get the private stash."

Three bottles of cognac and two bottles of vodka later, and any pretense of actually working was gone. At this point, it would probably be more dangerous if they were trying to work. Lucky stumbled to his feet and tried to steady himself on the bar. "When did the room start spinning?"

"When you started walking. Take a load off." Cruz suggested.

Patrick caught Lucky's confused stare. "Where are you?"

"Here." Cruz answered, kicking out a chair. "Under the table."

"I am sitting right? I thought I was sitting." Lucky muttered. He tried to lift himself onto a stool, giving up after two failed attempts to actually manage sitting on it. "I'll just stand."

"You know what I don't understand?" Patrick asked, peeking into a clear shot glass. He was surrounded by them, from head to toe, none of them holding a drop of alcohol anymore.

"Women?" Lucky and Cruz answered in unison.

Patrick laughed harshly. "Who do I look like? I've never claimed to understand them...for long periods of time. I don't understand what people mean when they talk about never seeing the bottom of a glass. Look. I can see the bottom. It's not a scientific discovery."

"A glass shouldn't be empty." Lucky pointed out. "There should always be something in it."

"Well there's no more 'private stash' so what does that leave us with?" Patrick shot back, very little fight in his voice. He couldn't even sit up without his vision swimming. The bar wasn't so uncomfortable.

"Oh my God, shut up!" Cruz grumbled from underneath the table. "Just shut up."

"What's your problem? You've been a mope all night." Lucky shot back, trying to find his friend under the table.

"Piss off." Cruz retorted, cursing when his head collided with one of the chairs.

"See? Serves you right!" Lucky retorted. "No help for you."

"He's not dead is he? I'm not carrying his heavy ass if he's dead." Patrick declared forcefully, rolling the glass in-between his fingers.

"Nope. Just being a pain in the ass." Lucky slid down to sit on the floor of the bar. There, he decided. That was much better.

"Why can't women just be straight with you? They accuse us of playing games, but it's them." Cruz whined, using a nearby chair to get halfway to his feet. It was all he could manage.

"Because they hold all the power?" Lucky wondered.

"She's got you trained well Sparky." Patrick teased, reaching for what looked to be a full bottle, but it was just beyond his reach.

"I'm still talking to my girlfriend." Lucky pointed out.

"Cruz brings up a good point. Hold on. Let me remember what it was." Patrick thought for a minute. "Oh yes. Women and their games. It's not that they hold all the power. It's simply that they've made up new rules. You say 'commitment,' they say 'Prove it.' You say 'I love you,' they say 'Keep that to yourself.'"

"Exactly." Cruz agreed with a slow nod of his head. "You get it."

"Is that the sound of trouble in paradise I hear?" Lucky wondered.

"Is that the sound of eternal knowledge?" Cruz snapped grouchily.

"It's the sound of someone who's getting some." Lucky responded calmly. "Don't hate the player. Hate the game."

"What has the world come to when he's having more sex than either of us?" Patrick inquired in a shrill, terrified voice.

"It's enough to make you not want to leave the house." Cruz added, rubbing a hand down his face wearily.

"I think I should offended by that." Lucky looked up thoughtfully. "But somehow I'm not."

"You'll both be very happy to know that your wish has come true." Cruz informed them vaguely.

"Sponge Bob was cancelled?" Lucky asked hopefully.

"Can I buy a vowel?" Patrick asked, confused.

"I'm not dating your aunt anymore." Cruz explained solemnly.

Lucky looked between where Patrick lay and Cruz sat. "I didn't think I was drunk enough to hear things."

"Tough. The nearest alcohol is a mile away." Patrick muttered. "And what do you mean you're not dating Bobbie anymore?"

"We broke up." Cruz told them.

"Why?" Lucky asked simply.

"She doesn't want to marry me. We've agreed on joint custody or at least visitation. It's a little confusing." He clarified.

"Wait, marry you?" Lucky shook his head confused. "Did you ask?"

"Yep." Cruz punched the top of the table. "Damn that hurt."

"Please speak English. I'd swear you started mumbling in Spanish somewhere back there." Patrick pleaded.

"What? No 'I told you so's'?" Cruz inquired defensively.

"Why would we be rooting for you and Bobbie to not work out?" Patrick challenged, watching Cruz out of the corner of his eye.

"We aren't completely immature you know." Lucky chimed in.

They all laughed at Lucky's comment and then sobered, so to speak.

"It's been a few days. I don't think she's going to call." Cruz whispered.

"Have you called her?" Lucky offered.

"I've dialed the number at least a hundred times since it happened." Cruz admitted.

"Don't show up unannounced. They hate that." Patrick counseled his friend wisely.

"Yeah and if she locks herself in the bedroom, don't pick the lock." Lucky added, nodding his head.

"I don't know what to do. Every time I try to talk to her, she starts crying. It's terrible. I don't even have to yell. The slightest anything." Cruz sighed, stumbling over to the bar.

"Hormones." Lucky suggested. "Jess was crazy while she was pregnant with Cam. It's all hormones for nine months."

"How do you get around hormones?" Cruz wanted to know.

"Don't get them pregnant?" Patrick offered.

Lucky nodded in agreement. "I think that's it."

"Big help guys. I'm the youngest in this group. Where's the wisdom?"

"I'd say we left it in that last bottle of Cognac." Patrick assumed, making a sad face by sticking out his bottom lip. He studied it awhile before gnawing on the tender bit of flesh.

"I'm too drunk for wisdom." Lucky complained. "Care to settle for mildly helpful?"

"Sure. Why not?" Cruz shrugged in resignation.

"I'm only asking this because I probably won't remember it tomorrow." Lucky started with a sigh. "Do you love her?"

"'Course I do." Cruz replied with conviction.

"Then what are you doing telling us? Tell her." Lucky advised. "Talking to other people is bad."

"You'd know all about that, huh Lucky?" Patrick chuckled lightly.

"What are you picking on him for? At least we give a damn about our girlfriends. When was the last time you talked to yours?" Cruz retorted impatiently.

"When they decided to entertain Georgie's goodbye party." Lucky offered.

"Thanks." Patrick groaned, resting his hands over his eyes. "I had almost forgotten."

"I try." Lucky shrugged.

"How did Bobbie look?" Cruz wondered.

Patrick couldn't remember paying that much attention to his aunt. His agenda had been Robin. However, his friend needed some encouragement. Besides, he hadn't seen his aunt as happy with anyone else and that included the years she had spent with Tony. "She looked really sad. She put up a nice front though." Patrick figured it was probably true. He wouldn't admit it aloud, but his friend and aunt were a perfect match. Yep, he could feel the lightening of his wallet already. As if he wasn't paying enough for therapy.

"Think we can get me to a cab? I need to sober up. I hope Bobbie didn't plan on sleeping tonight." Though he had meant it differently than it had come up, both cousins made a face of absolute disgust. "Grow up."


	136. Time After Time

Sinking into the warm water, Bobbie let out a satisfied sigh. Laura had sworn a long bubble bath would be just the thing to relax her and allow her time to figure out what to do. "Fill the tub, lock the bathroom door, play good music, ordinarily I would suggest a glass of wine but in your case I'll go with sparkling cider, and just let your mind wander." Her sister-in-law advised. "All my best ideas come from a long soak in the tub."

The only part of Laura's advice Bobbie had ignored was locking the bathroom door. There was no need. Cruz had made it clear he wasn't about to cross over this threshold without her begging him to. At least she was reasonably sure that was what he had meant. Leaning her head against the back of the tub, she closed her eyes and tried to inhale the calming scent of lavender. The packaging of the bath salts had promised the scent would free her mind from her troubles. The package lied.

There was no escape. Every time she closed her eyes, she was haunted by the wounded look in Cruz's eyes. His accusations of this being exactly what she wanted echoed, even when she slept. He had been right. He just wanted to love her and she kept him at arm's length. And eventually he did exactly what she feared: he woke up and left her.

Was there some strand in the Spencer DNA that caused them to self-destruct in relationships? Some intrinsic coding that made them capable of the most spectacular messes with no help from third parties? Luke, Carly, Patrick, Lucky, Lulu, herself, Lucas. They all could make colossal asses out of themselves and all related to love.

What should she do? How could she fix this? How did you convince the man you love that you do love him, when your every act prior seemed to scream the opposite? Her ears pricked at a faint sound. Bobbie reached over to lower the volume on the CD player to listen more closely. There it was again. It sounded like someone was trying to open the door. Which was ridiculous. Her hormones were causing auditory hallucinations. But she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was trying to come in.

As he tried the handle a second time, he was struck with familiarity. It had been a while since he had been here, so long in fact that he hadn't realized he still had a key. If he hadn't been in such a rage the last time they spoke, he probably would have remembered to give it back to her. Thank God he hadn't; otherwise, he would have had to hope she would open the door for him, something that, at this point, was very unlikely. He would have to keep his head about him or he might leave her with mixed signals yet again.

What if he had finally reached the point of no return? Jamming the key into the lock, he turned it counterclockwise and pushed the door open, listening for signs of life. The bathroom faucet was switched off, he realized, and lightened his steps to keep from making even the slightest noise. What if it wasn't Bobbie upstairs? What if someone had broken in? Why was he always put in situations where he was doomed to get hurt? Oh well. If there was someone upstairs, someone who didn't belong, he would kick their ass. Yeah, he could do the macho thing. Sure. The door slammed behind him and he jumped a foot in the air.

"Who's there?" Bobbie voice floated down the stairs. "Patrick? Lucky? Lulu?"

He couldn't ignore how frightened she sounded and thanked God that he got to play the role of the protector, instead of the other way around. Taking the steps two at a time, he followed her voice into the bathroom and threw the door open without a second thought. She had a loofah in one hand and a bottle of hair conditioner in the other. "Were you going to lather me to death?" Cruz teased, tilting his head as he fought back the chuckle building at the base of his throat.

"Cruz?" She blinked in confusion. What was he doing here? The relief she had felt wash over her as his lean form entered the bathroom became mixed with outrage. She threw the loofah at his head. "You scared me to death!"

Cruz ducked to avoid the offensive bath sponge, but it smacked him across the forehead anyway. Wiping his hand over his skin, he smiled back at her. "Not quite the reaction I was going for." He admitted, though he should consider himself very lucky that she hadn't had a gun. Crazy Spencers.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned. Bobbie had been convinced he wouldn't willingly set foot in this house again and here he was. As he leaned closer, she caught the scent of alcohol on his breath. "Are you drunk?"

"No." He shook his head vehemently. "Well not as drunk as I was. I'm a lot more sober than your nephews. I had to see you. I was worried you might, I don't know, not hear me out if I waited until the morning." Cruz wanted desperately to shut up, but he couldn't stop the words from spilling from his lips.

"I thought you said everything you wanted to say the other day." She wasn't strong enough to hear him break her heart even more. Why did he have to show up, looking so gorgeous, when she wasn't ready for him? True, she hadn't done much planning on how to win him back, but being caught unaware in her bathroom was not part of the scenario she had in mind.

"Yes. That's true. That's what I needed you to think." But now you can't run away, he said to himself. Now you're stuck until I've convinced you that we're perfect for each other.

"You're not making much sense. Maybe you should wait till the morning. When you aren't still feeling whatever it is you're drinking."

"You want to know what I'm feeling?" Cruz asked in a defeated tone. He crouched down next to the bathtub and reached for Bobbie's hand. When she didn't back away from him, he rested her palm over his heart. "Empty."

"Baby..." Her voice cracked.

"No, don't interrupt." Cruz urged, pressing a finger to her lips. "I need to tell you how much I love you and you're not going to change my mind."

Bobbie nodded, concentrating on the words coming out of his lips and trying very hard to ignore how good it felt to have him touch her again.

"That night I got the call from the hospital...that was the worst night of my life." Cruz told her, deciding that he might as well start from the beginning. "It took two hours to get to the hospital and then no one knew what was going on. When I found you in that bed, you looked like an angel. Dr. Quartermaine explained that you were going to be just fine, you and the baby, but I went ahead and called Dr. Lansing just to be sure. He told me the same thing."

"I told you that you were being ridiculous that night." Bobbie smiled at the memory.

"All I could think about was that meeting we had had with him...all the complications he mentioned. I need you to know that, had it come down to one of you, I wouldn't have hesitated..." He closed his eyes, no longer able to look at her. "I would have chosen you. I know you decided early on that my involvement was solely because of the baby...that I felt obligated. I have never felt that way about either of you. Do I want to be a good father? With all of my heart. But if that means costing myself you in the process--" He broke off, wiping at an unwelcome wave of tears. "My timing was bad, asking you to marry me in the hospital, so I can't blame you for saying no."

Bobbie couldn't speak. She wiped furiously at the tears that filled her eyes. She wanted to say anything to match the beautiful words that were coming from his mouth, but she couldn't find any.

"And I realized how uncomfortable the prospect must have made you. I mean, the way that we were found out. It wasn't exactly picture-perfect. I know I've cost you a lot where your family is concerned." Cruz was finally able to meet her eyes.

"They love you. It was strange at first, but I didn't give my family enough credit. I should have listened to you." She managed to whisper.

"Good. That's just what I was about to say. You should have more faith in me." He mocked her softly, tucking a loose strand behind her ear, his hand lingering on the side of her face.

"Don't go getting a swelled head on me there." She joked, trying to hold back her tears.

"I'm sorry about the custody papers. You just had me worried. If you could just try pretending that you're not so much better without me, I'd appreciate it." Cruz whispered just as his lips found her collarbone. He could barely make out the scent of lavender and something sweeter, something that was unmistakably Bobbie Spencer.

"But I'm not. I don't know how you managed it, but I'm a mess without you."

"Can you forgive me?" He asked, knowing her answer would either prompt him to kiss her or leave altogether.

Looking straight into his brown eyes, she could feel herself drowning in them happily. "Only if you forgive me for being such a ninny."

"I don't know. It might take a little stroking...erm ego stroking." Cruz told her, brushing his lips over hers in a kiss that was no more rushed than it was awkward.

"That could be arranged." Bobbie used his comfortable position to her advantage, pulling him into the tub with her. "Oops." she smiled slyly. "Looks like you're all wet."

"Oh, you think you're clever?" Cruz challenged, his eyebrows rising ever so slightly. Without waiting for her response, he peeled off his shirt, stepped out of his pants, and removed the rest of his clothing before climbing into the Jacuzzi-sized tub with her.

"It worked didn't it?" She shot back.


	137. Through Glass

It was tradition for all of the children to gather together on Halloween to celebrate Lance's birthday as well as go trick-or-treating once the presents had been opened and the groups assembled. Robin hadn't celebrated this holiday since the second year she had been with Logan, and Lance had barely begun to walk and talk by that point. Adjusting her blue leather halter top, she ushered an enthusiastic Morgan through the archway once Alice, the housekeeper, opened the door to greet them. Alice explained that the earlier guests were waiting in the living room, but they didn't need to hurry since there were still family members who had yet to arrive.

The foyer of the Quartermaine mansion opened up to a colorful living room of black and orange balloons, streamers, and dinnerware. Robin wasn't sure when she had started viewing Elizabeth as her safety net in the overwhelming crowd of family members, but the absence of her friend left her feeling very uncomfortable. She noticed Uncle Mac and Alexis over by the couch, neither sitting, discussing something. It would be so easy to walk over to them and become engrossed in whatever they were talking about, but she figured it was time she stopped letting the size of the family intimidate her. She had picked some night to get over her anxiety, seeing as the party consisted not only of Spencers and Scorpios, but Quartermaines too. Morgan pulled down his Spider-Man mask and ran over to where he noticed Kristina and Georgie talking. She could take a few lessons from her son, Robin realized.

"I'm going to kill you for making me buy this costume." Elizabeth whispered into Robin's ear as she came up behind her. She tugged on the tight simulated leather cat suit. "Was I deranged when I bought this?"

"Oh, the tail is adorable though! And I'm betting you won't be getting any complaints from Lucky. Just be sure to keep it G-Rated for the kids." It felt so good to smile without feeling pressure behind it. Her mother had done the unthinkable: she had taken a break from her campaigning and decided to spend the week with her daughter and grandson. When Robin had invited her to the party, she had turned it down, but never explained why.

Elizabeth looked her friend up and down with a steady eye. Shaking the adorable tail in Robin's direction, she smirked. "And this outfit is purely to declare your female power right? Has nothing to do with Patrick and finding a spare room somewhere."

"Hey, I am Wonder Woman!" Robin whispered emphatically. "You just don't know." To further prove point, Robin flipped the black wig she wore and flexed her arms so that the rubber boobs poked out.

Elizabeth tried not to laugh but it was too hard. The picture was both adorable and hysterical at the same time. "So if you're Wonder Woman and I'm Cat Woman, are we allowed to be talking tonight? Or do we have to do a stupid catfight?" She paused realizing her words. "Pun not intended of course."

"I think we can call it a truce for the kids since, we both know, I'd kick your butt." Robin teased, smirking smugly.

Arching her eyebrow, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh please. I just have to jump on the furniture and you wouldn't be able to reach me."

"A short joke so early in the evening? You're a hell of a lot braver than I am." Patrick interrupted, pleased at the way Robin's shoulders tensed at the sound of his voice. He knew all he would have to do was reach out and touch her--there was no more than a foot of space between them--to get her to turn around, but he decided not to press his luck.

"Cat Woman is afraid of no one." Elizabeth responded. "And she can spot trouble a mile away. Excuse me. Four kids. One cake. No adult. Disaster in the making."

"Elizabeth--" Robin protested as her friend zipped past her. She had to swallow down a handful of responses she had for Patrick, still able to acknowledge the children around them. Just turn around him and tell him to leave you alone. Go ahead. But she couldn't. If she so much as faced him, she wasn't sure she would be able to speak at all. "Was there something you needed, Patrick, because I'm really in no mood to start another scene?"

"Oh, am I bothering you? I had no idea." Patrick answered with fake sincerity.

"Yes, you are bothering me. Please go away." Robin demanded airily, hoping he would take the hint and leave her alone.

"Maybe I could believe you if you were actually looking at me instead of drilling a hole into that wall." Patrick goaded arrogantly.

Without giving him even a second to gloat, she twirled around and caught his surprised stare. "How have you been?" I can be civil, Robin's tone implied. I can even be rational...as long as you don't touch me.

"Now was that so hard?" Patrick challenged condescendingly. "And terrible. Thanks for asking."

Robin hadn't been expecting that. She had assumed he would carry out a speech of self-importance before ever admitting that he missed her. Of course, he hadn't said anything like that. He could be miserable for a completely different reason. Maybe something had happened that she was not aware of. No, she was over thinking this. "I'm sorry to hear that." She caught herself before she asked if there was anything she could do, but he must have been anticipating it, because his lips curved upward in spite of himself.

"This is ridiculous." Patrick insisted impatiently, his voice suddenly much quieter even though that they had been practically whispering all along.

"I agree. We should be here to wish Lance a happy birthday, not get wrapped up in our own issues." Robin replied, feeling quite proud of herself for being such an adult about this when all she wanted to do was storm off in the opposite direction.

"Can we please talk somewhere else?" Patrick urged, his eyes darting at the simplest flicker of light.

"Where would you have us talk, Patrick?" Robin wanted to know, folding her arms in an unimpressed motion.

"If I have to throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here, I will, but I thought you didn't want to cause a scene." Patrick reminded her.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." Robin countered stubbornly. "If you want to talk to me, you can schedule a meeting for later this week."

"So it's like that huh?" Patrick didn't sound pleased. "We've come this far just to take a hundred steps backward?"

"Tonight is about Lance, and the rest of the kids. Look, there's Lucky and Cameron! I'm going to go say hi." Robin was about to put her words into action when Patrick's hand shot out and caught hold of her arm.

"We can quietly sneak out for a bit or it can be a screaming match all over again. Either way, you're going to talk to me tonight--or at least let me get a word in edgewise."

"Let me tell my uncle I'm stepping out so he can keep an eye on Morgan." Robin jerked her arm out of his grasp and made her way over to her uncle.

Patrick knew better than to trust she would follow him out. He waited for her eyes to meet his a second time before he made a single move. For a short person, she was fast when she was angry. It was the first time he had had trouble keeping up with her. "Slow down there, Cujo." He mocked, reaching for her hand. He might as well have made a crude comment for the way she reacted to the mere brush of his fingers against hers. She bristled instantly and started toward the front door until she noticed a swarm of guests enter. Nodding toward the stairs, she didn't wait for Patrick to follow her.

She'd lost them. Cameron had disappeared into the sea of children almost as soon as he hit the door. One would think a three-year-old dressed as Elvis would stand out, but apparently Elizabeth was wrong in her assumption. Lucky was somewhere, but she was damned if she knew where. Probably off cornered by some rich cousin of the Quartermaines. It would serve him right for picking that costume. Slash from Guns-n-Roses? For a music executive, his costume seemed to indicate his taste was terribly dated.

Keeping her eye moving, she tried to find other familiar faces in the crowd. Elizabeth had caught sight of Robin and Patrick disappearing upstairs. Either they would fight out whatever had been bothering both them or Robin would come storming down the stairs in the next ten minutes. She knew Luke and Laura were somewhere but she hadn't found them yet. Good thing. She could only imagine Luke's comments on her Cat Woman outfit.

Smiling she watched as Lance dance around in the middle of the sea of friends and family. She couldn't quite make out exactly who he was supposed to be. While the other children were superheroes, fairy princesses and celebrities, Lance was dressed in a suit and tie, wearing a pair of what she guessed to swim trunks underneath. She had tried to ask Lucas what Lance's costume was but all she managed to decipher from his mutterings was something about it being Dillon's fault and why should they encourage creativity.

Out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth spotted Courtney's arrival, on the arm of whom Elizabeth assumed to be her boyfriend AJ. She had never met the man, but he looked nice enough. Courtney's blonde hair was hidden underneath a curly auburn wig, her curves displayed to flawless effect by the red evening gown she wore. Although she had never met AJ before, Elizabeth assumed he had added the salt and pepper effect to his hair. His tuxedo was flawless and he carried a large jewelry box in his free hand. Leave it to Courtney to come to a children's party dressed as Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, Elizabeth giggled to herself.

"There you are!" Lucky's voice caused her to turn around quickly. He ambled toward her, pushing the curly dark hair of the wig out of his eyes. Which she thought was somewhat ridiculous since they were covered by dark sunglasses. Reaching her, he wrapped his bare arms around her waist and nuzzled at her neck. "I thought you had left me."

"Impressionable children present. Including your sister." She sighed, not wanting him to stop, but realizing they had to. "Do you want to listen to her complain about this all night on the way back home?"

Lucky pulled back a fraction of an inch and lowered the sunglasses on his nose. "Killjoy."

"Sorry." Elizabeth giggled. She wrapped her arms around his neck, knowing she was just pouring salt into the wound. He'd make her pay for that later tonight, she smiled wickedly. "So were you cornered by some groupie I have to go destroy now?"

Slowly Lucky smiled. "Nope."

"Why are you smiling like that?" It made her nervous. Lucky knew something she didn't. This couldn't be good. "Your parents? Your dad saw this outfit didn't he?"

Lucky laughed. "Not yet. You'll know when he does." Kissing her lightly on the lips, he pulled her closer to him. "I told you how much I love this costume right?"

"Once or twice." Elizabeth allowed, kissing him quickly. Robin had only said for her to keep it G-rated. There was kissing in G-rated movies wasn't there? "Come on tell me why are you smiling?"

"Come with me." Lucky pulled her gently out of the corner and started to lead her across the room.

"Lucky? Where are we going? Lucky?"

Casting a glance over his shoulder, he couldn't hide the mischievous smile from her. "Ned and Lois are here. Lois is just dying to meet you."

"You see my boy," Edward began, placing one wrinkled hand on Lucas' shoulder as they moved through the growing crowd. "this business is all I have to give my grandchildren and that means I have to know all of the dealings, including those of my daughter's."

Lucas knew he was wading through dangerous waters even considering investigating his mother-in-law's suspicious behavior, but a wicked part of his brain pointed out that Dillon had brought this on himself, first with siding with Cruz over Bobbie and then letting Lance pick out his own costume from the clothing in his closet. "I understand. I'll have to think about it." He said cryptically, not planning on taking the job, just wanting to push his husband's buttons a little before he gave a real answer.

"What is there to think about?" Edward countered hastily. "This is about the family's future--yours and mine. This is about Lance and any other children you might have over the span of a lifetime."

"And the future of my marriage is put under terrible strain if I say yes." Besides the fact that he didn't want to do it.

"Well of course you wouldn't tell Dillon." Edward replied as if they weren't discussing anything of serious consequence.

"Tracy might not be squeaky clean, but I trust her a heck of a lot more than I'll ever trust you." Despite his words, Lucas patted Edward on the shoulder as Dillon started to approach.

"Grandfather." Dillon nodded. "Enjoying the party?" He eyed the meeting between his grandfather and husband suspiciously. Edward had not been thrilled about the marriage in the first place, ranting about how his family continued to be associated with the likes of Luke Spencer and it was only Lance's birth that had predictably softened that tone. But Edward never willingly sought out Lucas, even after all this time. Something was up.

"Yes. Very much. That grandmother of yours is a true gem. She always throws such excellent parties. I think I hear her calling." Edward excused himself gracefully, but wasn't able to resist winking at Lucas, to which the other man sighed in feigned agitation.

Tugging at the cape Lucas wore as part of his costume, Dillon gave him his super jumbo charmer smile, the one he used to get out of trouble and get information. It was illegal in three states. "So having fun?"

Lucas bit gingerly on the end of his plastic pipe. "That's the most you've said to me in days. Does that mean Georgie is otherwise occupied?" He kept his voice very even, but the intent behind his words was very direct.

Dillon rolled his eyes. "We're back to this again? How many time do I have to tell you there is nothing between Georgie and me but memories?"

"A lifetime, actually. A lifetime you had before me. I'd rather not discuss it at our son's birthday party." He snapped, fully realizing that he had been the one to bring her up.

"But you'd rather discuss something with my grandfather?" Dillon pushed the ET baseball cap back on his head before crossing his arms.

"Business is business. I sometimes find it in strange places, but I have to have something to do while you go off on your movie adventures." Lucas shot back tersely.

"You and Lance are always welcome to come. You know that."

"Well, gee, thanks for thinking of us." Lucas rolled his eyes, copying his husband's juvenile stunt.

Dillon sighed. "Baby, my life is with the two of you. I don't know how to convince you of that." Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath. "You are just like your mother."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Lucas planted his hands on his hips, pressing the pipe into his left hip.

"Nothing. Just you both seem determined to push away love when it comes around."

"Don't drag my mother into this just because you've got fight or flight issues." Lucas warned in a low murmur.

"I'm not dragging your mother into anything." Dillon defended hotly. "And you're the one with the fight or flight issues my dear."

"Am I?" Lucas laughed harshly.

Dillon pointed his finger into Lucas's chest hard. "You are the one inventing drama where this is none and hasn't been for years. You are the one sniping at me for every little thing from Lance's costume..."

"He looks like a homeless person!" Lucas retorted angrily.

"He's fine. He's being creative."

"Just like you, right? Just like you thought you would creatively leave one sexual preference and try another one? That's what you're saying."

Dillon threw up his hands in frustration. "When did you become the irrational drama queen here? I thought that was my role!"

"I can't talk to you when you're like this. I'll just have to tell Edward that I'm declining the offer." Lucas decided, smiling on the inside, and nodded in the older man's direction to get his attention.

"What offer? You're thinking of working for Edward?" Dillon shook his head incredulously. "I thought you said that was a deal with the devil?"

"Maybe it's preferred over listening to you deny something I know to be true." Lucas argued, stabbing the pipe in-between his lips.

"Sherlock, get a clue." Dillon retorted, tugging at the cape.

"Stop it!" Lucas shouted, smacking his hand away from his costume.

"You change your mind?" Edward interjected, his smile wide. It didn't even seem to matter that Dillon was within hearing distance.

"No. My answer is still the same. Excuse me." Lucas shoved past both of them.

"Would you let go?" Robin shrugged away from Patrick's touch and stumbled farther into the room. Though she had expected him to look put off by her behavior, he couldn't have looked any less afflicted.

"Sit down." Patrick ordered, gesturing toward the bed. "We've got a lot to talk about."

"As compelling as this is, I'm sure my family will start to wonder where I am soon. Can we speed this up?"

"You can't still be mad at me about what happened the night of your birthday. Even you're not that petty."

"Maybe if you gave me a little more credit, we wouldn't be in this position." Robin shot back, never letting her eyes stray from his. Frustrated, she plopped down onto the mattress and waited for him to do the same.

"Oh so now this is a man-woman thing? By not taking advantage of you on your birthday, suddenly I'm the asshole? Wow. The sick thing is that you actually believe yourself justified in staying mad at me."

"This is not about whether or not you're an honorable guy, so please, spare me." Robin begged, holding out her hand to mimic a stop sign.

"Then explain to me why you're pissed at me, even after all of this time." Patrick challenged, finally taking a seat next to her.

"You don't get to decide when I'm ready for something." Robin answered simplistically. "I'd like to think that I know what I'm getting myself into when I make the decision to be intimate with the man I love."

"You wouldn't have been able to enjoy it." Patrick insisted, moving his hand to cover hers, but again she was just beyond his reach.

"I guess we'll never know, now will we?" Robin shot up to her feet and paced the room, copying his earlier actions. "Are we done?"

Though she was merely referring to the current situation, Patrick couldn't help but think of the question applying to their relationship as a whole. He supposed that's what drove him to his feet, what carried him those necessary steps until he was standing directly behind her. "Not even close."

Robin's voice cracked slightly when she continued, "Isn't it ironic how the tables have turned? Now, instead of me seeing Logan when I look at you, you see him when you look at me. You can't get past what happened."

"I'm not ever going to get past what my brother tried to do to you. Can you?" Patrick swallowed thickly.

"I've tried, but every time I do, you're there putting up a roadblock. I don't need you to baby me, Patrick. I need you to trust me. After everything we've been through, why is that so god damn hard for you?" Robin whispered in agony.

"It's not you I don't trust." Patrick argued brokenly.

The bitter retort died on Robin's tongue when his words struck a cord in her. So that's what this was really about. Again, little to do with her and more to do with his own insecurities. She wanted to find fault in that, but her own masochistic nature wouldn't allow it.

When she didn't say anything, he felt as if the air was choking him. Perhaps, she didn't trust him either. And why should she? Look what had happened to her in the short time they had been together. Unable to speak, having backed himself into a corner with his damn honesty, he depended on the one certainty he could always count on: the understanding swirling around in Robin's chestnut gaze.

"There's nothing more you could have done that night." Robin assured him, making certain that there was no confusion about which night she was referring to.

"There has to have been." Patrick shook his head.

"No." Robin's eyes glistened with tears. "You did what you could."

"It's not enough. I shouldn't have left you alone." Patrick argued in self-deprecation.

"What were you going to do, Patrick? Follow me from work to home? He would have gotten to me eventually, if not that night. He planned this out. You couldn't have known." Robin told him.

"That's a real comfort. Thank you." Patrick sighed in agitation. "Maybe Courtney was right."

Robin laughed maniacally, "Are you feeling alright? You're speaking nonsense." She actually touched the back of her hand to his forehead to check for a suspected temperature.

Her hand felt too good against his skin. "She said that I made you a target. What if that's exactly what I did?"

"It's done." Robin pointed out impatiently. "Can't you just get past it?"

"No."

"That's awfully hypocritical of you then."

"I suppose that's exactly what I am, but please explain."

"You obviously don't think I'm taking the attack seriously enough. You think it's okay to judge me and tell me how to handle what happened to me. Let me ask you a question," Robin held his stare. "if Lucky hadn't found out about your exposure, would you have told him?"

Patrick backed away from her as if she had slapped him. "It's not the same thing." He countered desperately.

"Isn't it? You feel victimized just as I do. Say that you wouldn't go back and change anything about that night if you really think it'll make me feel better, but don't sell me this bullshit about you being unaffected by the entire experience." Robin demanded, taking a step toward him, one accusatory finger pointed in his direction.

"So much good has come from it." Patrick insisted.

"Stop it!" Robin shot back, reaching for his hand. "Stop saying what you think I want to hear! Tell me how scared you are. Face what happened. It doesn't make you less of a man, just please. Please." She repeated emphatically.

"Robin…" He murmured as his hand slid across her left cheek.

"No! Don't feel sorry for me." She broke their powerful gaze and stared at the curve of his shoulder, wanting so badly to take a final step forward and rest her head against him.

"I don't feel sorry for you. I don't want to talk about this. I don't want to talk at all." Patrick decided, yanking the black wig off of her head and threading his fingers through her hair. Conflicted, she accepted his mouth when it joined hers in a scorching kiss and pressed her palms into his shoulders.

Robin wasn't sure how far she wanted him to carry this, how long she could go without hearing him tell her that he was, indeed, terrified about what his six-month test would reveal. She knew it kept him up at night even though she hadn't spent the night with him in what felt like forever. This wasn't going to solve anything. She was still trying to rationalize away her decision where Logan was concerned—she didn't want to think about how Patrick would react—and he was still hiding in the veiled clarity their lovemaking always provided them.

She was only aware of movement when the back of her knees pressed into the edge of the mattress. He was heavy against her when they fell into a scramble of limbs and, for a moment, she let her body revel in the feel of him. His muscles were hard and perfectly sculpted under her fingertips and she found herself leaning into him to deepen what was already a derailing kiss. One of his hands cupped her face while the other skidded over her shoulders and located the zipper on the back of her top. She trembled beneath him, her eyelids fluttering as his teeth grazed her tongue.

Turning her face away, she tucked it into the crook of his shoulder, sobbing quietly. He sat up, taking her hands in his to pull her into a sitting position, and she saw the internal battle going on in the deepest crevices of his eyes. He lightly stroked her cheek as if to apologize and she closed her eyes, letting the tears fall silently into her open palm.


	138. Keeping Up Appearances

"Lucky?" Morgan pulled up his Spiderman mask to look at his older cousin. "Have you seen Robin? Or Patrick?" He had told Patrick weeks ago he was going to be Spiderman for Halloween but Patrick hadn't believed him. Robin had said Patrick was just joking, but Morgan wasn't sure. Just in case, he was going to make sure Patrick saw him in his Spiderman outfit.

Lucky shook his head. "Not in a bit. But I tell you what. When I see them, I'll yell for you, ok?"

Morgan nodded seriously and pulled his mask back down. He had to get back to the party. It was almost time for cake. There was no way he was going to be late for cake with Patrick around.

"Yell for Morgan. Yell at Patrick. It's all the same right?" Lucky asked.

Elizabeth shot him the best quizzical look she could underneath the mask that covered her eyes. "I know you don't actually require a reason to yell at your cousin, but dare I ask why you are planning on doing that?"

"First he spent the past week bragging about his costume. Haven't seen it yet, the coward. And if I know him, he's the reason Robin is missing. So either she'll be down here crying and stealing you away for girl talk or they are off having adult fun and leaving me to distract Morgan and the rest of the Quartermaines from their missing status."

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth shook her head in exasperation. "You so need therapy."

Lucky snorted. "Says the woman who is convinced my boss hates her."

"Lucky come on. He does. I mean look at how I'm dressed." She waved her hands, gesturing to her outfit. "What would you think if you met someone dressed like this?"

"Damn he's a lucky guy?"

Elizabeth glared at him. "Not helping."

Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "I thought you wanted honesty. You got it."

"You do realize you are impossible right?" Elizabeth walked off, determined to find the nearest corner and die of embarrassment. It was bad enough he ambushed her with meeting his boss. The dirty sneak hadn't even given her the slightest warning they would be coming to the party. But then he had to go off and talk to Ned alone, leaving her with Lois. Alone.

Making small talk with Ned had been a daunting enough prospect. The way Lucky talked about the other man, she would have thought he had hung the moon. Ned had seemed nice enough, even if he had done a double take when her outfit registered with him. But at least she could have talked vaguely about music with him.

But Lois? She had no clue what to talk to Lois about. All Lucky ever mentioned in connection with her was Brooklyn, Coney Island, and feeding Cameron. Cameron probably would have been a good topic, but Elizabeth had recognized the look in Lois's eyes. It was the same one Laura had. If she said too much, those two would have her married before Christmas.

Lucky raced to catch her. "Come here." He laughed as he grabbed her around her waist, pulling her close to him. He nuzzled the back of her neck. "They totally loved you. Lois wouldn't have let us leave together if she hated you."

"So you say." Damn it, why did her resolve always weaken when he touched her?

"So I know." One step forward in the self-esteem department, twelve steps back. That was his girl.

"Well shave my head and call me Shirley!" Luke exclaimed, catching the young couple off guard. His presence had always demanded attention and tonight was no different. Decked out in a leaf-green shirt with jagged sleeves and green tights, his costume could not have been complete without his matching green hat and bright red feather sticking out the back.

"Luke!" Elizabeth exclaimed and jumped out of Lucky's embrace. "I didn't see you there."

"He's hard to miss." Lucky muttered under his breath.

"What's that Junior? You wanted to come as the dog but couldn't part with your hippie outfit?" Luke challenged, folding his arms across his chest.

"Nice tights." Lucky responded coolly. "Get them from Mom or Lulu?"

"I found them in your old room actually." Luke smirked. "Remember your Peter Pan phase? How long did that last again? A year? Two?"

"Would you quit pestering them!" Laura called from the doorway, quickly making her way over to where they were standing. She had her hair pulled back in a bun and shoved neatly under a brown wig. The baby blue dress she wore stopped just above her knees displaying a pair of blue flats.

"Laura. You look lovely." Elizabeth sighed in relief. At least with Laura nearby there was a slim chance Luke and Lucky would behave themselves. Slim but it was there.

"Yes Mom. You look far too good for the likes of him." Lucky smirked as he went to kiss her cheek.

"Oh now. My, what a fantastic costume!" Laura responded, trying her hardest to figure out who exactly Elizabeth was supposed to be.

"Thank you. It was Robin's idea really." Elizabeth tugged again at the side of the outfit. She was never listening to her friend again.

"I was only making sure he wouldn't look like a wimp when he finally gets to go for a ride with his Grandpa." Luke grumbled, tugging on the wig so that it dipped over Laura's eyes.

"Elvis is still in the building." Lucky pointed over to the crowd that was starting form around Lance.

Moving his gaze to his father, Lucky squinted his eyes. "And he's not getting on that bike."

"The hell you say." Luke whispered. "Ooh presents!"

"Not for you old man." Lucky pointed out.

"Old? Did he just call me old?" Luke looked over at his wife who had her hand cupped over her mouth clearly trying to hold back a giggle. "Well. I think I'll just go hang out with my good buddy Lance."

"He's about in your mental age range. Go ahead." Lucky clapped his father on the back.

When Luke was out of hearing range, Laura smacked Lucky on the back of the head. "You know how sensitive he is about his age."

Elizabeth followed it up with a slap of her own. "He's your father."

"Ow. What is this, pick on Lucky day?" He massaged the back of neck.

"Yes." Elizabeth and Laura managed in unison.

"I think I liked it better when you were scared of her." Lucky muttered toward Elizabeth.

"I thought you wanted us to get to know each other." Elizabeth affected a mock pout.

"Scared of me?" Laura frowned. "What's there to be scared of? I only want what's best for my children...and their children."

"Mom!" Lucky yelped as a blush crossed Elizabeth's features.

"What? You said you wanted me to be honest." Laura shot back.

"When? When did I say that? I had to be drunk or lying." Lucky demanded.

"Don't use that tone with me Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, or I'll drag you out of here by your ear." Laura warned, her steady tone never wavering.

"You've got to teach me how to do that." Elizabeth stated in awe.

"How should I respond, Son, since I'm obviously not saying what you would like me to? Should I let you drive me home too, just to make sure I don't get lost?"

"Mom. You know I didn't mean it like that." Lucky pleaded. "I'm sorry."

"I'm going to go say hello to my grandson now." Laura answered calmly, moving past him.

"I really messed that up didn't I?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "She'll probably make you sweat for a bit, but I bet she's was laughing the entire time on the inside."

"This is one of those female things I don't understand isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes it is."

"So I was right?" Cruz posed the question carefully, but was unable to keep the satisfaction out of his voice. They were the last ones to arrive, something he was sure everyone would notice right away. Let them say something. He didn't care.

"About what?" Bobbie wondered.

"That we're having a daughter. When will you learn that I am all-knowing?" Cruz sighed, looping his arms around her so that his hands were covering her round stomach. They had made it almost halfway. Last night had been the first time he had actually felt their little baby kick. He had been sound asleep and Bobbie had slept, as she always did, pressed up against his back. It both startled and pleased him. The sonogram pictures hadn't been near good enough. For a while there, he had thought maybe Bobbie was giving birth to an alien.

"One thing. You were right about one thing. Don't let it go to your head." She laughed, squeezing his hands.

"Accept it or not, sweetie, but the universe had shifted." Cruz went on, keeping her rooted in her spot for just a moment longer. They had a house full of guests to encounter and he wanted to keep her all to himself.

"Only in your deluded mind, my love." Bobbie leaned her head back on his shoulder for just a minute. "Enough stalling. We need to go in."

Letting out a dramatic sigh, Cruz took her right hand in his and led her into the living room. Immediately, some familiar faces stood up to greet them. The trick was to not get overwhelmed. The Spencers knew about their relationship, but the Quartermaines and Scorpios looked a little confused. He decided to just smile and not let go of Bobbie's hand.

"Grandma!" Lance's excited yell reached them first. The energetic birthday boy ran to greet them. "Hi Cruz! You're in time for cake!"

"There's still cake left?" Cruz asked incredulously as he and Bobbie made their way over to Lucky and Elizabeth.

"Well I don't see Patrick around just yet." Bobbie noticed.

"Pick me up!" Lance ordered, latching his fingers around Bobbie's wrist. A stern look from Dillon prompted him to add, "Please."

"I'm sorry sweetie..." Bobbie started. Dr. Lansing had been explicit in her avoiding heavy lifting. "I can't."

"You see, Lance," Cruz figured he might as well get used to this parenting stuff. He bent down in front of the small blonde, effortlessly easing his little hands from around Bobbie's wrists. "The doctor just doesn't think it's a good idea for your grandma to pick up anything. It's not good for your aunt." He wasn't sure if they had told Lance about the baby or not, but he couldn't think of a better way to explain it without the situation ending in a temper fit.

Lance screwed his face up in a questionable pout. "But how did she get in there?" he asked.

"Lance! Look, you missed some presents!" Dillon pointed out quickly.

"Just a second Daddy." Lance responded. "I have to figure this out."

"She wanted to be here in time for your birthday." Cruz told him, winning a warm smile from Bobbie for the effort.

"Cruz, I beg of you. Just drop this." Dillon begged.

"Did you say presents, Daddy?" Lance's eyes lit up.

"Yeah sport. Over there by Cameron."

"Cam," Lance scolded softy. "I love you Buddy, but those are my presents."

"Lance." Lucas warned.

"I was just watching them." Cameron explained with his hands on his hips. "Grandpa was getting too close to them."

"Cameron..." Lucky called out to his son as he made his way over to table.

"Was not." Luke pouted.

"Was too." Cameron pointed out.

"Luke." Laura whispered.

"Luke, really? Picking on a little boy." Robin shook her head in mock dismay.

"Flame ON!" Patrick yelled from the foyer.

"Are you serious?" Lucky managed before he fell to the ground laughing. "The Flame?"

"The Human Torch actually. And you're just jealous because you didn't think of it first." Patrick declared stepping into the living room in a bright red superhero suit complete with a fire-orange belt.

"Oh yeah. I'll miss all the flame jokes." Lucky managed. "Dad didn't exhaust his supply at Lucas and Dillon's wedding."

Morgan caught sight of Patrick's costume, a giggle sounding from behind his mask. Lifting the plastic on top of his head like a discarded pair of sunglasses, he asked, "Did the Kool-Aid Man throw up on you?"

"Morgan." Though Robin meant to get onto him for being rude, it was obvious to Patrick and the rest of the crowd that she was having a difficult time keeping a straight face.

"Cats, hippies, and now this." Luke shook his head. "And I thought tights would be something new."

"Did I hear someone mention cake?"


	139. Melody of You

Audrey tried to hide her smile as she took in the sight of the young couple in front of her. It was Elizabeth's birthday and Lucky had been driving her crazy for weeks with hints about their date that night. He had certainly dressed up for the occasion, wearing black dress pants and a freshly ironed red button down dress shirt. Of course her granddaughter looked just as well, wearing a simple thin royal blue sweater with a black skirt. Elizabeth had been trying to hide her excitement ever since she got home from work, but she hadn't fooled her grandmother one bit. Her girl was excited.

Her matchmaking had succeeded beyond her and Laura's wildest expectations. Well, maybe not Laura's, Audrey amended. But it did her heart good to see her granddaughter smile more and actually start to trust Lucky. She wasn't going to lie and say the idea of marriage hadn't crossed her mind, but she wasn't going to mention that to either of the young people in front of her.

"Why can't you tell me where we're going?" Elizabeth was complaining, a smile negating the annoyed tone Audrey was sure she forced into her voice. Elizabeth loved surprises. She was just terrible about waiting for them when she knew they were coming.

"Because that would ruin the whole concept of a 'surprise' Cinderella." Lucky laughed softly. Turning to Audrey he joked, "Is she always this anxious about surprises?"

Audrey paused to consider his question, tilting her head to the left. "No. Usually she's worse."

Stomping her foot in a mock huff, Elizabeth crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You are not supposed to make fun of the birthday girl."

"Says who?" Lucky asked, struggling to keep his laughter in check. Audrey noticed him fish something out of his pocket and quickly hold it behind his back. Now what was going on here?

"I did. Right now."

"Oh we better get this show on the road if you're already quoting your students." Lucky smiled and held out Elizabeth's jacket for her to slip into. "Mrs. Hardy, I promise to have her home at a decent hour."

It crossed Audrey's mind that six in the morning so Elizabeth could get ready for work didn't fit her definition of a decent hour, but it was probably better to let that remark lie. No point in completely embarrassing her granddaughter. It was her birthday after all. "I'm sure you will. Have fun dear." She held her arms open for a hug.

After quickly releasing her grandmother, Elizabeth turned back to Lucky. "So are we all set?"

Lucky snapped his fingers and Audrey noticed him bring the object he hid behind his back to his side pocket. "Oh you know what? I forgot one thing that you'll need."

"What's that?"

"This." Audrey tried to hide her laugh but she couldn't as she caught sight of the blindfold in Lucky's hand.

"Just tell me. Why do you have such a kink about blindfolds?" Elizabeth whined. Lucky had insisted she wear the bandana since they had left her grandmother's house. After weeks of only giving her cryptic comments about her birthday, now he wanted to torture her by keeping her literally in the dark about where they were going? It was beyond mean, beyond cruel, it was borderline psychotic.

"Steady there." Lucky moved his hand under her arm to guide her around a crack in the sidewalk. Grinning as she continued to grumble under her breath as she adjusted her skirt from the near tumble, he tried to keep back his laughter. Maybe the blindfold had been a bit much, but he couldn't resist. Sometimes it was just too much fun to get under her skin.

"I keep telling you," he whispered. "I only developed what you call a kink after meeting you. I am more than open to exploring why that is."

She could only imagine the outrageous wink he was doing at this very second, probably laughing at the blush she could feel starting in her cheeks. Biting her bottom lip to distract herself, Elizabeth tried to figure out the best response. Grinning in his general direction, she lightly scratched her nails on her forearm. "Too bad we always get interrupted whenever you bring this out to play." She purred. "We might have already had the answer to that question."

Lucky lowered his eyes. Oh she was good. She was damn good. That last little comment of hers almost distracted him enough from the actual purpose of the evening, namely to keep her completely off balance until the end of the night. "Nice try but you still aren't taking that off until we get to phase one."

"You're being mean. You aren't supposed to be mean to me on my birthday."

"You hang out with three year olds entirely too much."

Elizabeth stuck out her tongue in retort, which caused Lucky to nearly double over with laughter. This was going to be entirely too easy, he realized. And her reaction to her real surprise was going to be priceless. "Relax Cinderella. Just a few more steps and we'll be there."

With his hand on the small of her back, he guided her through the small courtyard, carefully avoiding the chairs thoughtlessly flung back by departing patrons. Stopping her just outside the door, he paused as he reached up to undue the knot. "You ready?"

Elizabeth fought back the urge to answer his question with a well deserved response of "duh". Instead she decided on a much more mature and classy approach of socking him in his arm and stomping her foot. "I swear to God Lucky if you don't take this off me right now..."

"Tsk tsk. What have I told you about using bedroom talk in public?" he chided as he removed the knot and lowered the blindfold from her eyes. "Happy birthday sweetie."

Elizabeth blinked in confusion as the building came into focus. Here? He brought her here? Not that she didn't appreciate the diner and the memories associated with this place, but why had he made such a big deal about blindfolding her to bring her here? "Kelly's? We're eating at Kelly's?"

Moving his hand up to his face to hide the smile, Lucky ushered her forward. "Just trust me. Just trust me."

Trust him? Right now she could trust him about as far as she could throw him. Dinner had been wonderful. Lucky had begged his aunt Ruby to make Gram's spaghetti and marina sauce for her. He had gotten Robin to make some chocolate brownie cake concoction that was to die for. And then when he announced it was time for phase two, he produced that damn blindfold again.

"You had almost redeemed yourself for the drive over with dinner. I hate to break it to you, but you are so losing points here."

Lucky mimed being shot in the heart, even though she couldn't see his actions. "Points? I thought we had moved beyond points by now."

"Number one, you never move beyond points. Number two, even if we had, bringing out the blindfold again immediately returns you to point's status."

"But the blindfold is fun for all."

"No. It's only fun for you."

Unable to resist the opportunity, Lucky leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "I keep telling you. It can be fun for you too."

Determined to ignore the shiver his words sent down her back, Elizabeth straightened her shoulders. "It's my birthday, not yours."

Chuckling to himself, Lucky nodded in agreement. "True. So I guess we better get a move on to the next phase."

"Why do I have to ride in the Jeep with this on?" Elizabeth wondered.

"The Jeep?" Lucky laughed as he surprised her by undoing the knots once again. "Who said anything about the Jeep?"

Elizabeth couldn't contain the gasp of surprise. At the entrance of Kelly's small parking lot, stood a white horse pulling a black carriage, with plush black seats. The driver stood holding the door open, a footstool at his feet. He grinned in Elizabeth's direction and gestured for her to enter.

"Well Cinderella, your carriage awaits."

Elizabeth turned around, her eyes as wide as saucers. She kept looking between Lucky's smiling face and the carriage, as if unable to convince herself she wasn't seeing things. "Are you serious? That is here for us?"

"To be technical it's here for you. But yes, this is part of your birthday." Lucky gently pushed her forward toward the carriage. "Go on. Get up there."

Still in a state of shock, she unsteadily stepped up on to the footstool. Placing one foot inside the carriage she quickly turned back around as a thought struck her. "Wait, what about your Jeep?"

She couldn't give an exact reason why she was suddenly consumed with concern over his car, but she was going to blame the shock of the surprise.

Lucky smiled at her. "Elizabeth, this is why I have family and interns. Don't worry about it. It's all part of the plan. Just get in. We don't want to be late."

Elizabeth settled herself into the seat as Lucky followed her, lifting himself in. The driver shut the door, placed the footstool on its tack, before resuming his post atop the carriage. Lucky offered Elizabeth a portion of the blanket that had been folded up next to him on the seat.

"Chilly?" he wondered.

Taking the offered blanket, she also slid closer to Lucky, allowing his arm to rest over her shoulder. "There." she announced as she rested her head on his chest. "This should be perfect."

"Well if this is perfect then I guess giving you this is unnecessary then." Lucky shook a brightly wrapped package in front of her hands as the carriage started off in at a slow pace.

"Lucky..." Elizabeth grabbed at the present and shook it carefully, not wanting to break it if it was fragile. "You didn't have to do all this."

"Noted. I'll cancel the actual flying reindeer at Christmas." Lucky laughed. "Just open it Elizabeth. I know you are just dying to."

With no more urging, Elizabeth began to rip the paper off the package. She held it up to be able to see it clearly under the passing streetlight. Once she realized what she was holding, she dropped the present into her lap and hugged Lucky's side, burying her face into his side. "The new Evans Blue CD?"

"I take it that was a good gift?" He teased her, squeezing her right back.

Elizabeth lifted her head and met his eyes. Straightening herself up, she placed her arms around his neck, pulling him toward her. "The best." she whispered. "Thank you" she managed to tell him before she kissed him.

"Lucky? Why are we at your father's club when it's closed?" Elizabeth pointed to the sign on the front of the dark blues club in confusion. As glad as she was to not be wearing the blindfold again, she couldn't' help but wonder if she would be less confused if she was.

Lucky shook his head. "It's not closed."

"But the sign says..."

"The sign says closed for a private party. Dad has this thing about confusing people." Lucky turned the key in the lock easily and held the door open for her. "We're the private party."

Stepping into the club, Elizabeth almost immediately stopped as soon as she took three steps in. Candles were lit from almost every surface she could see. A table at the far end was set for two, with a single red rose sitting in a vase. Walking over to the table, she marveled at all the work that had so obviously been put into this. Pulling the rose out of the vase and breathing in it's aroma, she turned to look into Lucky's eyes. "How did you do all this?"

"I had help." Lucky looked around, satisfied with the effect. Cruz and Patrick had followed his instructions to the letter and had lit every candle, even the ones they had complained about setting up around the stage. He'd owe them, much as he would hate it.

He pulled out a chair for her to sit down. "Wait right here. I just have to check on one more thing." Lucky announced as he raced off toward the stage.

Elizabeth looked around the club in confusion and awe. He had something else planned, that much was obvious, but for the life of her she could not figure this one out. As she tried to figure out just what her boyfriend was up to, a spotlight suddenly shown on the stage. Training her attention forward, she felt herself creep up on the edge of her seat in anticipation.

"I understand there's a birthday tonight." A familiar voice sounded through the club's sound system. Elizabeth felt her eyes widen in shock yet again tonight as the members of Evans Blue filtered out onto the stage. The lead singer took his position and winked in her direction. "Happy birthday Elizabeth." he announced before counting the rest of the band off into their rendition of "Possession."

Lucky strolled back to the table, grinning when he caught sight of her reaction. Her blue eyes were wide and unblinking. Her mouth opening and closing as if she couldn't quite believe what was happening. Lucky dropped a kiss on the top of her head as he sat down. "Enjoying your surprise?"

Elizabeth could barely take her eyes off the stage to look at Lucky for longer than two seconds. "That's Evans Blue. And we're the only ones here."

Lucky nodded. "Yeah and after they finish they're going to come on down here and talk with us."

She raised her hand over her mouth. "Oh my God."

"You're ruining a perfectly awesome song by talking you know."

Finally looking him in the eye, she pulled him toward her and kissed him hard. "Please tell me there's nothing else because I don't think I could take it." She murmured as their lips parted.

"This is it." He promised, kissing her back softly.


	140. Giving Up The Ghost

**Giving Up the Ghost**

"If you are just going to ignore me all night, we could have just stayed home." Dillon pointed out. "No sense in ruining everyone else's night." He had thought when Georgie had left for France, Lucas would begin to see reason, begin to be Lucas again instead of a jealous drama queen. But if anything Georgie's departure the other day seemed to make Lucas's mood worse. His normally placid other half had spent most their nights slamming doors, making accusations and giving glares worthy of Cameron. And for the life of him, Dillon could not figure it out.

A quick glance over to Lucas and Dillon realized that more than likely, he was planning on keeping up the silent treatment all night. This was going to be one fun dinner. "You know if you go in there all broody like your mother will know something is going on. Now that she and Cruz are back on track, she'll have no reason to not meddle."

Still nothing. This was bad. Normally the prospect of his mother interfering in his life was more than enough reason to get Lucas to talk. Dillon raised his hand to the door. "I'm knocking on the door now. Last chance to act like Lucas."

Lucas rolled his eyes. If it wasn't for his mother, he wouldn't have even left the house. And Dillon thought he could just forget that little stunt he pulled at the airport? Lucas settled back and gave his husband his best "go ahead" stare. Seeing Dillon keep his hand frozen in mid-air, Lucas leaned over and knocked himself.

"Cruz, can you get the door?" Bobbie asked her beau. Her voice was mumbled because her head was in the oven so she could do a final check on dinner. At the light scraping of a finger up her back, she tried to stand up too quickly, and banged the back of her head. "Nice." She fixed him with a semi-serious stare, rubbing her crown and frowning.

"I guess I should get that door." Cruz mumbled worriedly, making a flawless sprint out of the kitchen where Bobbie's face was almost the color of her hair. He had learned a lot in the last couple of days they had spent together—full days, not just the early morning hours and late evening nights), learned enough to know it'd be best to have witnesses. What was to stop Lucas for coming after him with a shovel and Dillon picking a burial plot? He needed a reality check if he was expecting these two to be a part of his family. Bobbie still hadn't said yes, but they were past that awful, indignant, "No!" It was a start. He'd have to chisel away at her just as he had done when it came time for his award's dinner.

Bobbie slowly pulled the fork away from the center of the crispy homemade pot pie she had spent the last hour preparing, noticing Lucas and Dillon cautiously step over the threshold. Something was going on there, but she would have to be patient while prodding at the same time. Her son was an open book—or at least Dillon was—and she would do whatever she had to get to the bottom of this.

"Something sure smells wonderful." Dillon announced as cheerfully as he could manage. Someone had to act like they had been around people before he decided

"Hi Mom!" Lucas greeted his mother as he walked over to give her a kiss on the cheek. Dillon tried to suppress the look of shock that crossed his features. It was the first time he had heard Lucas speak in a week.

"Hey Brat!" Bobbie called back, leaving the warmth of the kitchen for a chilly living room. She knew it had been stifling before her son and son-in-law had walked in, so she had to assume she was picking up on a different kind of cold. "Where is that grandson of mine?" She knew he was with Laura, but she wanted to make sure they understood how disappointed she was with them for not bringing him over.

"Laura just begged to see him." Dillon explained. It was probably closer to the truth to say Lance didn't want to spend yet another uncomfortable night trying to figure out which parent was the least mad. He made a mental note to add to his son's therapy fund the first second he got.

"Yeah she complained she hasn't seen him in forever." Lucas added. He couldn't rationally continue the silence treatment totally. Besides, he wasn't actually talking to Dillon; he was answering his mother's question. That was an entirely different matter.

"At this point, she sees him more than I do." Bobbie pouted, stepping away from Cruz when he tried to pull her into his arms. It would only calm her and she would forget what she was ranting about. She had very few inherent rights as a mother and this was one of them.

"Next time. I promise we'll bring him next time." Dillon swore.

"I should hope to get to see my grandson before I die. Will you try to be prompt then?" Bobbie goaded, tears automatically springing to her eyes.

"Oh now I see where he gets it from." Dillon muttered. "Cruz my friend, I hope you realize what you are signing up for."

"You're kidding? I've had everything laminated." Seeing that his joke had fallen flat, he decided to swiftly change the subject. "Did Lance have fun trick-or-treating?" Cruz wondered, uncertain if this was a safe subject or not. He and Bobbie had had to leave the party early due to an unexpected wave of nausea that had stayed with them until the following morning.

Lucas cast a dark look over to Dillon. Dillon had stormed out of the party after their conversation with Edward and Georgie had followed close behind him. Nothing happened his foot. "He had a good time." he managed tersely, glaring at his husband the entire time.

"Can you believe we forgot our costumes?" Again, he saw that his words were taken wrong, and bowed his head. Bobbie, apparently feeling sorry for him, pressed her hands to his back and kneaded away at the unseen stress he held there. He just wanted to make a good impression, wanted to make sure everyone knew he was here for the long haul.

"I heard pregnancy makes you forget everything." Dillon tried to agree, ignoring the dirty looks Lucas was shooting his way. "So when are we eating?"

Bobbie beamed. "I just set it on the stove to cool. Dillon, why don't you and Cruz set the table while I have a talk with my son?" Her tone stripped away any sincerity. She wasn't asking.

"Right. Ready willing and able to help." Dillon saluted following Cruz toward the dining room. He recognized the tone in her voice and look in Bobbie's eyes. As frustrated as he was with Lucas, he shook his head in sympathy over what he was about to face.

"Lucas, I have some boxes upstairs I prepared for you to take home when you head home. I can't lift them." Bobbie's gaze never left her son's nervous one.

"Okay. I'll get them before we leave." Lucas managed to stutter out.

"No, now. I won't be able to get through the meal without thinking about them and I'd rather start fresh." Bobbie shook her head purposefully and refrained from tapping her foot.

"Alright I'll go get them now." He walked slowly toward the stairs, making his way up the stairs. Turning to face his mother, who was standing right behind him, he looked down at her. "What room are they in again?"

"The nursery. I wanted to see if you had any ideas on how we should do it. Other than the crib, the room is mostly plain." Bobbie explained as she unconsciously placed her hand over her stomach.

Oh this wasn't going to be awkward at all. He wasn't completely convinced Cruz wasn't going to pull another disappearing trick. Dillon more than likely was downstairs right now planning out another proposal scenario, bigger and better than the last one he planned. Yet another topic they had been fighting about. It had been just fun times in the Quartermaine-Jones house this week. No wonder Lance had begged for Aunt Lulu to baby sit him. "I'm sure whatever you two decide will be fine Mom."

"But I want you involved. You're my son." She gestured toward her stomach. "And this is your sister."

"So it's a girl for sure? Cruz was right?"

"God...yes." She grumbled good-naturedly, smacking his shoulder lightly. "I don't know how I'll get up and down these stairs. I'm so tired." Bobbie wasn't known for whining and it seemed to surprise, maybe even concern, her son, so she smiled and directed him to the nursery.

"What about that chair lift Grandma Spencer has in her house? Should we borrow it for you?" Lucas tried to keep the laugh out of his voice.

Narrowing her eyes at her son, Bobbie reached behind her and flipped on the light. She hadn't been lying about the room: it was the plainest of plains. The paint was a scraggly white color, the drapes were torn and full of holes having been victimized by moths over the years, and the only thing accompanying the crib was the rocking chair Tony had bought for her when they had brought Lucas home.

"Who let Lucky decorate this place?" Lucas announced when he entered in the room.

Bobbie snorted. "The boxes are at the top of the closet. I've been putting together a scrapbook for you, Dillon, and Lance." She had needed something to do with all of the spare time that had been thrust upon her via doctor's orders. "And the other is a couple of old scripts of Dillon's I found. I wanted to make sure you took them home."

"Mom you didn't have to do that." Lucas protested. With his luck the scripts were probably from when he was dating Georgie.

Bobbie startled her son by rubbing his back soothingly. He still pouted like he had at five. "Has something happened? Things seem...tense between you and Dillon. Does it have to do with why you didn't bring Lance?"

"What child wouldn't want to spend another night trying to figure out which parent is mad the least?" Lucas laughed bitterly

Bobbie waited for him to carry the boxes out into the hall and led him into her bedroom, preferring the mattress over the cold floor of the nursery. "Darling, tell me." She insisted. He sounded as if his entire world was coming down on top of him. "I can help." She added, ignoring the incredulous huff her words brought about. Resting her hand over his, she used her touch as a way to anchor him to the safety this house had always provided him.

"I think Dillon is going to leave me for Georgie." Lucas let out in one huge breath. He glanced sideways at his mother trying to gauge her reaction.

Bobbie laughed, giving his hand a tough squeeze. "What are you talking about?" She made it a point to run her thumb over his gold wedding ring to further emphasize her disbelief.

"Ever since her farewell party he's been spending all this time with her. They talked at Lance's birthday party."

"Lucas..." She took a breath before continuing. "Is that all you're basing this on? Dillon loves you with all of his heart. He wouldn't have turned his back on his entire family if he didn't. They weren't exactly understanding in the beginning, remember?"

She had a point, but Lucas was reluctant to give Dillon the benefit of any doubt right now. "They would have come around if he actually had gone and sold all his ELQ stock to Carly like he threatened."

"What brought this on? It couldn't have been a simple talk between old friends." Bobbie chose her words carefully not wanting to send her suspicious son off the edge.

Lucas took a deep breath and tried to keep back the tears that were forming in his eyes. "He kissed her Mama. He kissed her."

"What do you mean, he kissed her?" Bobbie's eyebrows lifted. She couldn't believe that Dillon had waited this long to start being unfaithful. She just couldn't. If there had been a time to get out of the relationship it had before the surrogacy drama with Sage Alcazar...or maybe even sooner, like the night her son called and told her he was in love.

"He went to the airport to tell her goodbye and he kissed her, right there at the security check point."

"He was probably just telling her goodbye. She is overseas you know. And we both know how Dillon hates to fly." She worried she might have taken it a step too far with that last comment.

"She can stay there." Lucas grumbled darkly. "I hope she gets into medical school and doesn't return for at least a decade."

"Has she shown any interest in the medical professional? I thought she wanted to be a writer?" Bobbie was taking this piece by piece, trying to diffuse the situation before it could get any worse. Her son was in tears and now she was the cause. She couldn't let him downstairs until she made him feel better.

"That's not the point. The point is she's been waiting for years to steal Dillon back and now she has."

"I think that overactive imagination is playing tricks on you. Remember when you thought the mailman was really Superman?"

"Mom I was four." Lucas protested. "I also thought Kermit was a real person. This is totally different."

"To you, he was." She whispered, patting his hand. "Darling, have you tried asking Dillon about this? Straightforward is the only way you're ever going to get the answers you're seeking. I think you're being a bit unfair believing your husband could be capable of something like this, but you are my first priority."

"He denied it every other time I've brought it up. Why would this time be any different?" Lucas crossed his arms defensively. Even his own mother was siding with Dillon. Wasn't there a law that your parent sided with you no matter what?

"This isn't like calling him a name: this is a serious accusation Son. You need to be upfront about it. I know you think I'm taking his side over you, but I'm not. I'm simply trying to keep you from getting hurt. Carly thought she was justified in ruining her and her sons' lives every time she got angry. Are you going to do that to Lance? Are you going to take away his security because you suspect something without even the slightest bit of evidence?"

"I saw him kiss her Mom! What more evidence do I need? It's a hell of a lot more than Carly had most of the time."

"A kiss goodbye. Did she stay? No. Has she called him? I'm guessing no. Has he mentioned her once?" Bobbie challenged, folding her arms in front of her.

Why did his mother always have to make a good point? Lucas turned away and stared at the carpet in the bedroom. "You are going to redecorate so Cruz feels more comfortable in here?"

"Yes and no. I shared this house with your father. If it didn't have so many memories, I'd like to think Cruz and I would move into a new place." Bobbie admitted. How many times had she walked past Lucas' old room since he had moved out and gotten his own place?

"Well whatever you decide, I'll support you." He smiled at her. "Eventually."

"And I'll let it go that you didn't bring my grandson to see if me if you'll go downstairs and give your husband a hug. Despite his faults, he does love you, and I know you love him. Work it out. Get past your pride. It's awfully lonely by yourself." Bobbie knew what she was talking about. If Cruz hadn't found her when he had, she would still be crying herself to sleep.

"I hate it when you are right."

"I love you." She pulled him toward her and kissed his forehead. "I love you so much."


	141. This Much Is True

Robin lay in bed, tracing her thumb over her bottom lip as Patrick had done last night. The caress had been as light as a whisper. He hadn't moved in to kiss her but she knew he had been tempted. It was out of character for them to not embrace in some way and perhaps she had reveled in his touch a little too long, maybe she had stopped breathing altogether. She couldn't remember any of that, only recalled the feel of his thumb sliding across her lip.

_"I want you to be able to trust me again."_

His words had caught her by surprise. He was taking the blame for what his brother had tried to do to her. If anyone was innocent in all of this, it was Patrick. She had tried to get him to see that so many times, but the words got caught in her throat as he stood less than a foot away from her. She hadn't been able to respond at all. He swept his free hand through her hair and tilted her head back, his eyes locking on hers.

_"I think we should start over."_

Though it had been a juvenile reaction, she had automatically assumed he was breaking things off with her. She wouldn't have blamed him for wanting to. Just based on the issues she had had before the attack, she figured he was more than rational to want to end their relationship. Unable to hold back the tears, she voiced her concern.

_"You misunderstand. I want to take you back to the beginning, take you back to when the most pressing part of our relationship was whether or not you were going to kiss me."_

For a cautious man, he was saying all the right things. He understood her wariness had little to do with him, but he was still taking his time, not wanting to pressure her into something she didn't want, wasn't ready for. After the party, he hadn't tried to kiss her again, the sight of her crying his undoing. They had put on a nice front for the rest of the world for the remainder of the night but, once she had tucked Morgan into bed, she had found Patrick outside her apartment, his hand poised to knock.

_"You don't have to do this."_

Robin's own voice had startled her. She didn't want to be anyone's burden: it was why she hadn't talked to Elizabeth or Courtney about the night Patrick brought her into the hospital. Her friends had kept their distance as she had asked them to and she appreciated it. Patrick hadn't backed off though. He was still tenacious as ever.

_"Would you go out with me on Sunday?" _

How strange that his question should be filled with such modesty, such fear that she might turn him down. She brushed away a tear from under each of her eyes and just stared at him for the longest time. If this was his idea of going back to the beginning, she must have missed out on that first date, because there had been nothing subtle about it. He had made certain she knew exactly what he wanted from their first kiss.

_"I don't know what to say."_

Her admission caused him to tear up and she thought she might just collapse at the scene. It wasn't a refusal. She honestly didn't know how she was supposed to respond to his question. She had gone almost insane with trying to determine his feelings for her the first time. Could she really go back in time with him under completely different circumstances? Where was the safety net in that? What if it didn't work? He drew his hand away from her face and she felt like a coward.

_"What do you want to do?"_

His voice lacked arrogance and she found that she was terrified. If he was uncertain, who was she supposed to cling to when the storm came? What was the point of starting over if she was just going to let Logan win? Swallowing hard, she reached for his hand and intertwined their fingers. Forcing her tears back, she tried to speak.

_"What time?"_

Ever since she gave in, she had been in complete agony. Absolution was nowhere to be found. He had left her standing there, stumbled to the elevator, and been gone before she could even think to stop him. This wasn't any easier for him than it was for her and she tried to find comfort in that.

_"I want you to be able to trust me again."_

Pressing her face into her pillow, she let her tears soak through the pillowcase, feeling her body shake so hard she started to hiccup. Squeezing the pillow to her chest as if it were a lifesaver, she did something she hadn't done since childhood: She said a prayer.

Morning light swept into the room like a criminal, piercing her swollen eyelids with a single ray of sunshine. Reaching for her forehead, she rolled into her pillow and willed the brilliant shock of light to leave her alone. She had gotten almost no sleep, barely catching two fifteen-minute naps between the time she lay down and now.

Reaching for the spare bottle of Aspirin she kept in the top drawer of her nightstand, she fished out what felt like three and threw them into her mouth without turning her face toward the light, without opening her eyes. The alarm was silent, but she knew that wouldn't be the case in a few minutes. If she hadn't agreed to come in and cover for Lucas at the shop, she would never have set the damn thing. She might have actually slept in like most people did on a Saturday morning.

As expected, a shrill beep broke through the silence, but it wasn't her alarm that urged her to get up: it was the timer on her watch. It was time to take her medication. It didn't matter how many times she took them, it was always a hassle. She figured her alternative was death and let out a humorless laugh at the prospect. She would take the damn pills until they came out with some other way to interfere with her damn life. Maybe it'd be best for everyone involved to close the bakery and lock herself inside her office.

She was still three months from her taxes being due and, though it seemed next to impossible, the down payment for the Barrett-Jacks wedding split in half covered all of her expenses allowing her to break even. The side business was offering a helping hand to her business and, for the first time since she bought it, she actually thought it might start holding its own weight soon.

"Time to wake up." Robin announced, her hand softly tapping on her son's bedroom door. He was dead to the world, passed out on his stomach with his face pressed into his pillow. She used to wonder how he slept that way without suffocating but, after watching him those first couple of nights, she learned that he eventually turned his face in the wall's direction.

He had fallen asleep in his Spider-Man costume again. She felt her heart squeeze. Try as he may, he was still a little boy. He was growing, far too fast for her liking, but it was nice to see him finally act like a six-year-old. Robin purposely didn't count down how long she had before he turned seven, because it just didn't seem that she had had him as long as she had. "Come on, kiddo." She tried again, but he simply mumbled unintelligibly and rolled over so that she had a nice view of his back.

"If you get up now, I'll have just enough time to make pancakes before we have to leave." She wasn't above bribing him. It had worked on every child she had ever come into contact with and there was no reason to knock a good thing.

Morgan's ears lifted up at the mention of breakfast, but his body remained motionless. He was thinking it over, she deciphered.

"Homemade maple syrup." Robin knew she had him. He was far too much like Sonny to rely on junk food: he was relatively spoiled to healthy, filling meals. She had half expected him to demand she serve him microwave pizzas for the rest of his life when she had taken over as his guardian.

"What about strawberries?" Morgan wanted to know, falling onto his back. His face was very serious, so much so like Sonny's when he was handling a negotiation. As alike as they were, she swore she would never let him turn out like his father or honorary uncle had. Never.

"Fresh cut strawberries on top." Robin promised with a slow nod.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Morgan practically squealed, sliding out of the bed with a purpose. It was only when he whipped past her that she remembered to take her pills. They would go well with orange juice. She was almost certain they had orange juice. The impulse to call Patrick and ask if he had any was so strong she let out an unsteady breath. Tomorrow they were starting all over again. She just hoped she was ready for whatever he had planned and that, by the end, he didn't regret it.

The day was pretty uneventful. Edward and Lila did visit though, both talking about what a success the party had been and didn't she think so. She agreed, preparing their normal menu without even having to look at what she was putting into the tiny pink box. She tied a perfect bow in the middle and handed it to Lila, taking Edward's money in the same motion.

Lois snuck over, pretending to be lost, and they ended up talking for two hours about mostly mindless things until the subject broached into Lucky and Elizabeth territory and Robin made an excuse to get back to work. If she had learned anything from the men in her life, it was that she wasn't going to be a gossip. When Elizabeth was willing to admit that there was more going on between her and Lucky than sex and similar interests, she would make sure she was the first to offer an ear. How often did the planets align again?

She received three new cake orders and spent the rest of the day planning out the ingredients and décor for each one. One was for a girl's Sweet Sixteen party, one was for a fiftieth wedding anniversary, and one was to announce the birth of a brand new baby boy. If she thought she could make a living on creating exquisite cakes, she would sell the bakery to the first bidder, but she knew that was impossible. Maybe when it was actually doing better than now, more than paying its bills, she would cash in some of her money and take Morgan to Disney World.

The front door opened and closed before she knew what was happening. Abandoning the cake ideas for a minute, she plastered a smile on her tired face and went to greet her customer. She felt her cheeks flame when she noticed a familiar figure standing at the counter, his face hidden behind an incredible bouquet of flowers. "Hello beautiful." Patrick greeted her, handing over the arrangement thus leaning forward and kissing her right cheek.

"Hello." Robin was so stunned; she didn't even try to dissuade his sentiment. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something strange about the flowers in her hands. "Are they artificial?" They sure didn't look like any fake flowers she had ever seen, but neither were they real.

Smiling at her confusion, Patrick took a pink petal between his thumb and index finger, broke it off, and placed it on Robin's tongue. "It's candy." He explained when she warily closed her mouth and chewed it.

"Have you tried this?" Robin murmured, copying his technique and coaxing Patrick to open his mouth by touching the side of his cheek. "It's delicious." She half moaned, closing her eyes in pleasure.

"It is very good." Patrick agreed, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

Watching him through narrowed eyes, she swallowed the candy down and inquired in a nervous little squeak, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm eating candy with my girlfriend. You?" He teased, lowering his head to kiss her knuckles gingerly.

"I mean, I thought we were going out tomorrow." She didn't mean to sound so put off by him stopping by; she just wished she had had some warning so she could have put in a little extra effort as far as her appearance was concerned. She looked like a washed-out brunette with a mop for a head.

"We are." Patrick nodded and she noticed a tiny glint in his eye. "I just wanted to see you." Finding his admission both heartfelt and demobilizing, Robin's lips worked into a slow, sensual smile.

"I have to close the shop. Excuse me for a second." Robin figured putting distance between them was the best solution. If she could stay at least ten feet away from him at all times, she might not rip off his clothes and have her way with him. She really wanted this little experiment to be successful and that meant she was, under no condition, to give into temptation.

A slow tune caught her ears and she turned toward it, finding Patrick across the room with his hand extended to her. Her heart in her throat, she stared at him for what felt like eternities. Hadn't she just decided to keep her distance and now, here he was, manipulating the situation? "Dance with me." His words were as palpable as a familiar touch and she shivered, her arms already moving to wrap around her. "Please." He goaded further, completely unaware of the torment his plea thrust upon her.

One dance won't kill you. Pretend this is a dancing class and Patrick is a complete stranger, her mind cautioned. Only get close enough to link your fingers. You can do this. This is so simple. Maybe wait for this song to end so that you can pick out a faster beat. Slow songs are a big no-no. At the innocent meeting of their hands, she felt an electric current go through her, shaking her to her very core.

"Are you alright?" Patrick leaned into her so that their lips were almost touching and caught her startled stare. "It's just a dance." He assured her.

"Yes." Robin croaked out, relaxing her fingers over his.

"Would you mind if I make a few adjustments? I don't think I've been this nervous since my first junior high dance." Patrick chuckled, not waiting for her permission. Lifting her hands to rest across his shoulders, he slowly pulled her forward, his fingers bunching in the material of her apron, and settled his arms around her waist.

Robin wasn't sure when exactly the sun had gone down, but the shop was suddenly very dark. The pink neon sign from across the street provided them a scant amount, but she still found herself squinting to prove to herself that Patrick was still there. His hands slid over her hips and he held them there in a steady, comfortable motion that had her gnawing at her bottom lip in apprehension.

She wanted to run her fingers over every intricate detail of his face, from the brush of his brows to the bridge of his nose and then from the satiny smooth feel of his cheeks to the perfect curve of his mouth. Daydreaming about the early evidence of a five o' clock shadow tickling her lips was the first sign that the situation was fast slipping out of her control. His breath was hot and labored as it fanned over her right ear and she knew she needed to put an end to this, but she lacked the self-discipline. He was seducing her with the softest of touches, the barest of movement as their feet fell into the uncomplicated rhythm of the music, and she was indulging in naughty fantasies.

Shaking her head to knock what little sense she had left to the front of her brain, she finally met his eyes and wished she hadn't. How easy would it be to lose herself in the deep caverns of his dark chocolate eyes, in the possessive sweep of his tongue over hers? Self-deprivation was not commonplace for them, not when they had gotten carried away by the luring promises of passion countless times before. Unconsciously, she kneaded at his shoulders, her fingers digging into the flesh there, and it was his turn to moan.

Placing soft, biting kisses down her jaw line, he molded her skin beneath his fingers, causing her to whimper in response. Once his lips reached the base of her throat, her apron was as good as gone. Pushing the barrier away, he nipped and kissed her chin, relishing in the sound of her quiet, breathy gasps. "Let me kiss you," he asked hoarsely, lifting his eyes to hers. Even their first kiss hadn't been as slow and sensual as this one and she found herself overwhelmed by the realization.

Her eyes fluttered as he deepened the kiss by varying degrees. Each time he ran his hands up and down her sides he caused unmistakable friction and the ends of her ruby red shirt to come undone from her black dress pants. Her arms circled his neck and she walked deeper into his arms so that each and every one of their contours fit perfectly together. At the feel of his hands on her bare skin, she shuddered in ecstasy.

Wanting to return some of the attention he was giving to her, her fingers flicked purposely at the buttons of his striped navy shirt until they surrendered completely. He only stopped kissing her long enough to tug the shirt up and over his head and then his tongue was in her mouth again. Cradling him between her thighs, she brushed her fingertips over his nipples listening to his gruff moans as she continued her exploration of his upper body. He tugged at the loose restraint and her hair fell across her shoulders like a shawl. Dipping her head over one firm nipple, she let her tongue draw it into her mouth.

His hands shook as he undid the lax tie of her shirt and stared at her as if this was truly the first time, as if he had never seen anyone more beautiful. Lifting her head from his chest, he captured her mouth and lowered her onto the cold, tile floor.

The song switched from Rod Stewart's "Have I Told You Lately" to some irritating song, instantly bringing them back to reality. Looking into her eyes, Patrick brushed his fingers over her cheeks, stealing one final kiss before drawing them to their feet and pulling the two halves of her shirt together. She followed his lead and handed him the shirt she had wrestled off of him not five minutes ago, taking her time to fasten each button.

"I didn't mean—" He began.

"I know." She cut him off.


	142. All Around Me

**I could give you a bit of a warning before this chapter--nothing in terms of ratings--but where would be the fun in that? Don't you know me at all?**

Tugging the sleeves of the oversized sweatshirt further down over her hands, Elizabeth curled her knees closer to her face as she lay on the sofa. Shifting her legs under the blanket, she closed her eyes to avoid seeing her least favorite soap couple make out. It was bad enough she was sick, did the show really need to subject her to such a forced pairing?

Reaching for the remote she had dropped on the floor, Elizabeth flipped the channels until settling on some daytime reality show. There, she thought. Nothing that would cause her to run straight toward the bathroom.

With all the times parents had sent their children to her classroom sick, it had probably only been a matter of time before she caught the flu herself. Between helping care for Cameron when he was sick, she could count at least ten students who had come down with the illness in the past two months. When she woke up yesterday feeling nauseous and as if she had traded in living on land for living on a boat, it probably shouldn't have come as much of a shock as it did to her.

She had spent much of yesterday morning getting to know the inside of Lucky's bathroom better than she ever wanted to. Poor guy, she chuckled lightly. That was most likely not his most desired way to get her to stay with him later than she normally did in the morning. When the queasy feeling started to fade, it had been her plan to go home, curl under her covers, and just sleep for the next week. However the second Lucky found out her grandmother was out of town visiting friends, he refused to let her leave, insisting she stay there. It would have required more energy than she felt to have argued with him, so she stayed.

Elizabeth could admit to herself she had no clue how Lucky explained her presence to Cameron. Lulu would look on it as an opportunity to try get around her brother's rules. She had merely tucked herself into bed, closed her eyes, and didn't open them again until the next morning.

The ringing of her cell phone cut through her musing on the appropriateness of standing in a box and having complete strangers guess her age. Reaching out to the table, she flipped it open with out bothering to check the caller ID. "Hello?" she managed groggily.

"Hey stranger." Robin laughed on the other side of the phone.

"Robin! What's going on?"

"Have you been taken hostage? Should I sic my mother on Lucky for keeping us apart this long?" Robin teased, assuming her old friend was to blame for her new friend being scarce lately.

"Only if she wants the flu." Elizabeth coughed. "I've been sick."

"Is there anything I can do? Do you have soup? Do you have crackers?" She emphasized on the last word.

"If I have any more soup I'll be swimming." Elizabeth declared. "Turns out soup is the one thing Lucky can't screw up in the kitchen."

"That's a relief. I don't know if I'd trust him to take care of you otherwise." Robin laughed, playing with the phone cord.

"I'll let him know you approve. He'll be so relieved." Elizabeth joked. "So why are you calling me in the middle of a work day?"

"Slow day?" Robin tried, hoping her friend wouldn't probe further.

"Oh lord. That's the game we're going to play again? Have pity on the sickie."

"You don't want to hear this." Robin promised. "Tell me more about Spencer TLC."

"Nope. Nope. Nope." Elizabeth shook her head vehemently. "You called for a reason. Now spill."

"I'm having moral issues." Robin spoke quietly.

"As in?"

"Where should I start? I guess the spare bedroom in the Quartermaine mansion." Robin figured.

"Ahh yes. Finally I get an explanation for you completely disappearing during the party. Abandoning me to meet Lois Ashton alone."

"She and I had a lovely conversation you, Lucky, and Cameron this past weekend." Robin recalled.

"You aren't going to stall on this by getting me all freaked out. Although, kudos on that attempt. Excellent attempt."

"Every time Patrick and I are alone lately...well..." Robin wasn't sure how to explain what she was feeling.

"Take your time." Elizabeth counseled, pulling herself up into a seated position and resting her elbows on her knees.

"He came over after the Halloween party, after another fight, and told me he wanted to start over."

"Have I mentioned lately your boyfriend completely confuses me?"

"He wanted to re-enact a completely different first date for us. When I say start over, I mean from the first kiss, Liz."

Elizabeth was glad she was out sick. Then she wouldn't be held responsible for corrupting the ears of young children with what she was about to say. "Holy shit. Patrick came up with this?"

"Yep." Robin nodded even though she knew Elizabeth couldn't see her. "He told me he wanted me to be able to trust him again."

"Am I missing something? Did he do something to lose your trust?"

"No. He's trying to make up for what Logan tried to do. It's ridiculous I know, but I couldn't exactly laugh at the effort when he was crying."

Well trying to make up for what his pig of a brother tried to do made sense. But still... "He was crying?"

"Yeah. I haven't seen him cry like that since...the night he told me he loved me for the first time and I didn't say it back."

"Yeah. A crying man is just about impossible to say no to. I get it. So he created an entire new first date for you?"

"He came to the shop when it was time to close up and brought me candy flowers and we danced."

"Very sweet. I'm not seeing a moral issue yet."

"How about the fact that I kind of gave him the impression that I want to wait and then kind of tried to jump his bones on our 'first date'?"

"Are you sure I'm the right person for this conversation? You do remember what would have happened if my grandmother hadn't interrupted Lucky and me right?"

"It was just like old times when we were dancing. I admit, I let it go a little far, but he was the one to stop it. I don't know how to take things slow with Patrick."

"Well yeah. Because you never have."

"Exactly. But here I've got this guy who is more than willing to wait until I'm ready. And I don't really think I'm ready for that."

"Of course you aren't ready for _that_ yet." Elizabeth paused. "Maybe my brain is just running slow but I'm still not seeing your problem here."

"What if, when we actually...what if I freak out...what if I see Logan?"

"Sweetie." Elizabeth was at a complete loss here. This was way out of her comfort zone of perfect dresses and what the best revenge plan was. But Robin needed her. "From what you told me, I think Patrick would understand."

"I don't want to constantly remind him...he's already taking responsibility for it. I just want to be able to make love to my boyfriend without feeling scared. I know it's not fair to put you through this. It's why I haven't brought it up." Robin chewed uncertainly on her bottom lip.

"Hey. Hey. Hey. We're friends. It's what I'm here for. Have you thought of talking to someone about this? A professional someone I mean."

"Like who? A rape counselor? I don't...I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing…" She couldn't even get the words out and she trusted Elizabeth with her life.

"Not right now but I think it's something you need to do. I'd go and sit with you if you wanted."

"The last thing I want is to burden you."

"You're not a burden."

"I feel like one. I can't get past this, but I should be able to. I keep bringing it up. Everyone knows..."

"The only people who know are the ones who love you. That's it."

"No. Everyone knows. All they have to do is look at me. They know." She cried brokenly.

"They don't know." Elizabeth lowered her voice to a whisper. "You don't have a big sign hanging over your head. No one knows except family."

"There's a customer. I have to go."

"Let Lucas deal with the customer." Elizabeth counseled. "Talk to me."

"He had to leave early for a meeting with the principal at Lance's school. I really do have to go."

"Then you call me back as soon as you can. We're not done talking about this."

"I know. Feel better. I'm sorry for my mini-drama. I'll send over a basket for you." She hung up before Elizabeth could respond. Neither believed she would actually call Elizabeth back just like neither believed there was really a customer. It was time Robin stopped relying on everyone else and did something to insure her own future.

Sighing, Patrick finally raised his fist to knock, already wanting to be somewhere else. This was not going to go over well, but he wasn't sure what else he was supposed to do. Robin had cancelled their date yesterday and he hadn't been able to reach her since. He knew she was overwhelmed, scared that what had started at the bakery would end with something she wasn't ready for. It wasn't that she didn't trust him: none of this was about him at all. The only connection he had to the attack was one he didn't want. He hadn't spoken to Logan since Cameron's accident. He should have expected it was Logan who was stalking Robin, but he had held onto that tiniest bit of denial that his brother might be a son of a bitch but he wasn't a rapist too.

The attack had been the final straw. Patrick wouldn't devote even a second's time to making an effort with his brother. The tie was severed. He had often wondered if it could have ended differently, if maybe he could have affected the outcome and turned it around. His brother had always shown such potential no matter what job he picked up along the way, but he had underestimated the length of Logan's attention span. It had been almost a year since the divorce, the anniversary was actually coming up, and he had no doubt his brother would have tried something if he weren't safely locked away in jail.

"Patrick." Courtney greeted him. Her voice held none of its normal fierceness. There was no bitterness in her winter blue eyes, no snip in her voice. This scared him more than any other acknowledge she might have made where he was concerned. She looked as though she had been expecting him and he wasn't even going to pretend he was comfortable with that scenario.

"Is she here?" He figured there was no point in beating around the issue.

"No. She stayed at her uncle's last night. Morgan's at school, but I'll have to pick him up pretty soon." Courtney added, making sure he didn't miss the sacrifice she was inflicting upon herself for the well-being of her nephew.

"Did she saw why?" Patrick prodded, not the least bit interested in how she spent her time. Robin had left Morgan with Courtney? She was hiding at Mac's? Nothing about either made sense. Robin didn't duck when it came to her responsibilities and, he knew, the last thing she wanted to do was give Courtney ammunition to use against her later. Robin must have been desperate, Patrick deduced anxiously.

"She said she needed to think about things. My movie finished production so it's not like I have a lot else to do right now." Courtney mused, finally opening the door enough to let Patrick into the loft.

"What kinds of things?" Patrick wondered, not willing to drop the issue if Robin had slipped and told Courtney something important. There was still friendship whether or not they were ever back to how they used to be. He knew he was to blame and probably, for the first time ever, he was willing to see that he had screwed up when he had made her choose between him and Courtney. This was a girl who she had spilled all of her secrets to. This was the one who had picked Robin up after one mistake to the next, knowing that Robin would do the same for her. And Courtney was the only one who saw Robin day in and day out, the only one he would get any answers from if there were answers to be given.

"Things, Patrick. I don't know. We didn't discuss it. She asked me to take care of Morgan for her last night and promised to be back—" Courtney began.

"Back when?" Patrick interjected, too impatient to wait for her to decide to tell him, or leave him hanging.

"If she wanted you to know, she would have called you, I'm sure." Courtney shot back.

"I'm worried about her—" Patrick retorted.

It was Courtney's turn to interrupt. "You damn well should be! She's not been the same since what your devil of a brother targeted her. She couldn't fall asleep for weeks after it happened, but were you here to reassure her? No! You had to fight with her so that you wouldn't have to deal with the aftermath. You can go fuck yourself." Her voice barely rose, the hate in her eyes blatant.

"That's mature. Tell me, do you talk like that in front of Morgan? Maybe you're not the best influence." Patrick mocked tiredly.

"Of course not! And I don't have sex all over the house when he's home either." She threw in just to be cruel.

"Too bad for you. I'm sure someone will come along." He responded derisively.

"Get out! You get out of here this instant! Maybe Robin finally wised up about you." She said, pushing him into the hallway once she had succeeded in wrenching the door open.

"Always a pleasure." Patrick ground through his teeth, practically growling at the door when it slammed in front of him. Had he been standing any closer, he would have gotten knocked out.

"Is he gone?" A small voice asked from the second store landing.

"Yes and not a moment too soon." Courtney stewed as she made her way over to the couch. "He has a lot of nerve."

"That was a lot of fun. I'd forgotten what it was like to see him really angry." The other woman said, a look of extreme satisfaction spreading across her face.

"I wish Robin could see past his act." Courtney whined, dropping her head in her hands.

"Hey," the woman came up behind her and patted her head as if she were soothing a mere child. "She can and will. She had more than enough reason to without adding us into the mix." There was laughter in her metallic voice.

"I don't know if this is a good idea. Robin almost died last time—" Courtney reminded her.

"Yes, I know. You can't anticipate everything. I was surprised to see Patrick lift a finger to help her. And then exposing himself too? I underestimated his loyalty." There was fondness in her voice when she spoke of Patrick and Courtney could have gagged on it.

"I don't care what good Patrick has done. He's done a hell of a lot more bad and Robin needs to see for herself." Courtney went on angrily.

"It's not going to be easy. I need to know if you're still willing to put in the effort before we go a step farther." The woman cautioned her with a steely golden-brown gaze.

"I think it's a bit too late to back out, don't you? Attempted murder and all." Courtney chuckled brokenly.

"You couldn't have known—"

"I should have known! We could have killed her!" Courtney stormed, her hands thrown out in front of her in exasperation as well as panic.

"Do you still want to be a part of this?"

"The end result will make all of it worth it." Courtney replied, convincing herself.

"You know the next step."

"Yes." Courtney nodded. "I only wish it hadn't had to come to this."

"She forced your hand." Emily Quartermaine declared with a shockingly calm voice.


	143. Shockwave

Lulu snuck into the house, praying her brother wasn't here. It was always a fight with him. If it wasn't curfew, he was complaining about the music she listened to or the volume she kept it at. When she got ready to go to class, he would ask her to pick up this or that for him. Didn't he have a secretary? If she had become just that over the last couple of weeks, where the heck was her paycheck?

She thought about leaving her jacket on the floor, her shoes in front of the coat closet, and her socks stuffed into the couch, but it would probably lead to eviction. It didn't matter how many places she looked at; they were all out of her price range. She hadn't realized just how hard saving money would be. She was going to have to get a job besides her gig at the PCU library and that meant goodbye Friday nights. It wasn't like she was incredibly busy since Bradley had cheated on her. There was this guy in Calculus that she had her eye on. He was always flirting with her. Maybe she would drop him a hint over the next day or two. Staying anywhere overnight would be a blessing compared to living here.

"Lulu? That you?" Elizabeth wandered out from the kitchen holding a new cup of soup in her hands.

"Should I be wearing one of those hospital masks? Are you still stick? Is it contagious?" Lulu teased, relying on the flu shot she had gotten before this epidemic swept in and took two hostages: Elizabeth and Cameron.

"Funny. You should go on the road with that act." Elizabeth sat down on the couch. "That had to be the quietest you ever come in. My benefit or avoiding your brother again?"

"Neither. I wasn't cursed with giant Spencer feet." Lulu smiled.

"So found a replacement to make Bradley drool yet?"

"Yes I have. His name is Stanley. Stanley Walker." Lulu nodded smugly.

"Stanley?" Elizabeth shook her head. Would Lulu never learn? Inviting someone named Stanley near her father, brother, and cousin? Did the younger woman have some sort of sadomasochistic streak running through her? "Honey, do you think about what kind of nicknames your family can give these boys before you date them?"

"Who said anything about dating him?" Lulu asked innocently.

"I'm sorry I even asked." Elizabeth dropped her head into her hands. "So I guess you're planning on crashing on Patrick's couch next."

Lulu made a face of disgust. "I think not. My family has made it quite clear that they don't want me around. I'm about ready to go on my own."

"They love you Lulu. You just don't want to admit it."

"I'm used to being the black sheep. Have you been to the doctor to see about this cold of yours?"

"You're not the black sheep. And it's the flu. I'll be fine. No need to go to the doctor."

"What if you caught some mutated strand or something? That could be deadly."

"Thank you for your concern." Elizabeth chuckled. "Do me a favor and don't mention that theory to your brother. He'll run right to some soap-opera style disease with it."

"I figured you would have canceled his subscription to SoapNet by now." Lulu shook her head in dismay.

"I've tried. It keeps coming back. He blames you."

"Of course he blames me. I'm not even sick. See?" She held out her arm to show off her Band-Aid. "I was the only one smart enough to get a flu shot."

Elizabeth patted Lulu on the top of her blonde head. "Good girl."

Lulu glanced at her watch. "I'm sorry to admit this, but isn't it time for Sponge Bob? What have you done with my nephew?"

"Nothing." Elizabeth gestured toward the stairs. "He's just upstairs taking a nap."

"He's taking a nap? You mean he sleeps?"

"Yes. It's amazing how taking his remote out of his room encourages that."

"You took his remote? Do you have a death wish?"

"It wasn't that hard."

"I tried to do that once and he threw it at my head. I ducked, but the wall wasn't so lucky."

She had wondered what had caused the crack Lucky had tried to cover up with a lamp. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I just talked with him and he handed it over."

"What did you say? Did you threaten him with something? Go for the bear."

"No threats. Although the information about the bear is good for future use."

"Damn. I didn't mean to tell you that." Lulu grumbled. "So you just asked for the remote, he handed it over, and you suggested how taking a nap was a good thing?" Lulu didn't even try to keep the incredulity out of her voice.

"More or less." Elizabeth shrugged. "It's not that big of a deal. I just used the routine we had in class last year."

"Guess it's good you get that down now since it's getting pretty serious between you and my brother, hmm." Lulu thought on that for a moment.

Elizabeth leaned back away from the younger woman. "Have you been talking with your mother again?"

"Are you trying to be flippant?" Lulu narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"No. It's just that sounds exactly like every conversation I've had with your mother since I met her."

"It's not like I called you Cameron's mother. Jeez!" Lulu snapped heading upstairs to run a shower until the water ran cold.

"What did you say?" Elizabeth fell back stunned. Now there was something she knew for a fact Laura had never said.

It was too late. Lulu had already sprinted up the stairs, leaving Elizabeth staring after her retreating form in disbelief. All she did was get Cameron to take a nap, not broker peace in the Middle East. Ok so she knew it wasn't exactly Cameron's normal routine but it was just a nap. And what was with Lulu's comment about getting that down now since she and Lucky were getting serious?

Yes she was spending more time here on the weekends, but they both worked. The only time they had to see each other was the weekends. It wasn't like she lived here. Right now she was staying here because she was sick, her grandmother wasn't home, and Lucky had an overactive imagination. That was all. And when she was here on the weekends, Cameron wasn't even aware she stayed over. At least she didn't think he was.

She grabbed for her phone and hurriedly punched in the familiar number. There was only one person who could help her with this one. Sighing when she heard the voice mail message flood her ear, Elizabeth waited impatiently to leave her message. "Robin. Emergency. Call me."


	144. When A Man Loves A Woman

Alexis cringed at the sound of the clear tape being yanked over yet another opening of yet another box and then again when the scissors snipped at it. They had been doing this for three days straight: she seriously hadn't realized they had this much stuff. Moving from one house to the other was never an easy task, but they had already filled up an entire rental truck. Mac had thought it would be a good idea to tease her about the majority of boxes probably being filled with her clothes. She had rewarded him by making him the label maker for each and every box that was to go with them.

Kristina was having great fun with the tape dispenser; Alexis didn't even think to criticize her for using an excessive amount of tape. At least she wasn't totally terrified about moving out of the only home she had ever known. She had taken her first steps right there in the living room. She had said her first word upstairs in Alexis' bed during a night of one overworked mommy and one colicky baby.

Mac's house had always felt like his house, or the girls' house, never her home, never Kristina's home. It was an amazing decision, one that she had not come to easily. In fact, Mac started asking her three months into their relationship to move in, and she had contested the entire time, kicking and screaming that she was nothing without her independence. When she had accepted his proposal, it was understood that she would move into the Scorpio house as long as she was able to keep her last name.

Her home had been on the market for less than three weeks and it had been snatched up by a newlywed couple willing to pay twice what she was asking for it. Mac had insisted she take it—there wouldn't be a better offer for the rest of her life—but she would admit to thinking it over a lot longer than the average person. How much were her memories worth? She hated that she had allowed some stranger come up with that answer.

Snap out of it, her brain demanded. She was leaving one lonely life and entering into a large family. Her brother, Stefan, had been dead Kristina's entire life, her nephew lived a life he knew she would never approve of and that was why she had never let him near Kristina, and her mother had been killed when she was a mere child. Kristina was all she had in the world. Mac was offering her his heart, his home, his family, and the promise of more if she ever asked. He told he wasn't opposed to having a child with her if she really wanted one, but that she and Kristina were the final pieces to fill his heart. They were the missing puzzle piece he always said.

"Sweetheart," Mac whispered, wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Hmm?" Alexis sighed. He must have picked up on her anxiety and assumed she needed to be held. She couldn't think of a moment when she had more terrified or felt more safe in her entire life.

"Did I mention I love that we're going to be roommates?" He went on, moving her hair off of her shoulder so he could press his mouth to her shoulder.

"You might have mentioned something about that." Alexis responded, feeling her resolve melt away.

"Have I told you I love you today?" He murmured against her skin.

"Well, not today." Alexis smiled.

"I'll have to do something about that." Mac answered, squeezing her tighter before releasing her. "I think that's the last of it." He ushered her toward her now empty living room, kitchen, bedroom, daughter's bedroom, and every room in-between. The emptiness was so appalling, she almost stumbled back a step. It hadn't looked like this since the day she moved in with a three-month old baby Kristina. She had painted this nursery. She had shoved every stick of furniture through that front door when the movers told her it couldn't be done. She had prepared single meals for herself and baby food for Kristina in this kitchen. She had spent lonely nights in this bed. There was so much good coming out of this new arrangement. Why couldn't she just focus on that?

"Yeah, I think so too." Alexis rubbed her arms unconsciously and crossed the hallway to take one last look at the yellow stars she had stuck to Kristina's wall, her eyes following the curve of each stroke she had made with her paint brush, set in her idea that she couldn't stomach a pink nursery, even if she was having a girl—that a blue sky was much more her style, much more realistic. The rocking chair she had used to lull a wailing baby was no longer stationed in the corner. She had kept the chair despite the fact that Kristina was a big girl now, but had never changed the walls when she had moved from the crib to a single bed.

"Lexie." His voice startled her. She hadn't realized she had gotten lost in her memories. She turned to meet his concerned stare. "Are you ready to go?" There was no pressure in his tone, no impatience. He wasn't trying to push her, trying to hurry her out of the place: he merely understood that she had a lot of life she was trying to say goodbye to.

"Yes." Alexis nodded her head, the optimistic beat of her voice sounding unfamiliar. Change wasn't easy. She wasn't sure why she had been expecting it to be. "I'm ready to start my life with you."

Kristina watched the scene with a mix of curiosity and dread. She had nothing against Mac. He was an okay guy. He would be a fun daddy. It was obvious that he was the one to go to when she got in trouble, because he caved every time. Not only that, he was good at persuading Mommy to drop the charges brought against her.

She had thought maybe Mommy would change her mind in the end; she had spent a lot of time in their rooms, but Mac had convinced her to leave it all behind. He told them countless stories about how he wanted them to be a real family which meant only one thing: they wanted to have a baby. She didn't have to think about this very long; that's what parents always said when they wanted to turn their child's life upside down. She didn't want to think that, after however long it took, Mommy might have another baby. She wanted to be her mommy's only baby.

Things were already starting to change; the move was just the beginning. Mac had started coming to her school when Mommy's work ran later than she would have liked to talk with her teacher, Miss Bloomstead. When Kristina realized this, she was very upset, but she hadn't brought it up. There were few times she threw a temper tantrum, but the occasion had seemed like a good enough reason to do so. Mac had sent her to her room and Mommy hadn't let her out of punishment for a whole hour after dinner. It wasn't fair. Why should Mac get to tell her what to do? He wasn't her real daddy, hers would be back soon enough. He was just her for-now daddy. He needed to understand that. The one time she had tried to bring it up, Mommy had started crying. It was never a welcome sight to see her mother break down that way so she had kept her mouth shut ever since.

Strolling out to the garden in front of the house, Kristina knelt down in front of the patch of pansies she and Mommy had grown last summer. They were beautiful, but the weather hadn't been very nice to them and they were starting to wilt because of it. She had tried to explain to Mommy that she needed to be home more to water them, but she hadn't made any attempt to get her back in time. And now her flowers were dying! No way she was leaving them here, she thought decisively. Unzipping the pocket of her Minnie Mouse jacket, she shoved a handful of flowers inside. At least she would be able to protect this tiny portion. The rest of the bed would have to be left here.

"Ready to go?" Mommy's voice scared her and she cautiously met her stare.

"Yeah. Let's get out of here." Kristina took Alexis' hand and let her lead her to the car, not quite acknowledging that Mac got to hold her mommy's other hand.

"You're awfully quiet." Mac stated the obvious and Kristina was barely able to resist rolling her eyes.

"I don't have anything to say." Kristina replied cryptically. She had plenty to say, but there was no point in ruining Mommy's day.

"Are you excited about seeing your new room?" Alexis ventured.

"I guess. It's just Georgie's old one. I'll probably have to keep all of her stuff." Kristina said the last part in a murmur so maybe she wouldn't get into trouble.

"We're moving Georgie's stuff into the garage," Mac spoke up. "To make room for yours of course."

"That's right. It'll be great." Alexis reassured her. Sure it would be fine…for them. What about her? How were any of her friends going to find her? They were staying on her street and she was moving almost as far as Canada.

"Do I have to change schools?" Kristina wanted to know.

"No. Of course not." Alexis promised. "You'll still get to see your friends."

I'd get to see them all the time if we weren't moving, Kristina mused unhappily. Next time there was a life-altering decision to be made, she was making it alone.

"You'll get to see Morgan a lot more than you do now too since we're moving closer to him." Alexis added.

"Oh goodie." Kristina didn't mind Morgan at all, but he was a clingy kid, and she had a reputation to think about. She couldn't be expected to hang out with him all the time. "Are we almost there?"

"We've only been in the car five minutes." Mac answered.

"Five minutes too long." Kristina grumbled, turning her eyes to the window. She watched her world slip away in the form of buildings and markets, school zones, and the fire department.

"Why don't we try the radio." Alexis offered uncomfortably. She reached across the seat to switch on an oldies station and her hand brushed Mac's. He took it as a gesture and folded their hands together.

"Old people music, great." Kristina complained.

"What would you like to—?" Alexis began, but Mac's stare stopped her mid-sentence. Kristina didn't know what they were saying, only noticed them lean in close to each other out of the corner of her eye, but then they both looked at her and she knew she was about to get in trouble. The rest of the car ride was silent and Kristina was discontented with that as well. She wanted to go home.

Lucky barely glanced as Patrick walked through the door to his office. Holding up a finger to signify he would just be a minute, he gestured for his cousin to sit down in one of the chairs across from his desk. Resting the phone on his shoulder, Lucky rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to keep from strangling the manager on the other end. "Look I'm not pushing up the release date no matter what her spiritual advisor told her. You don't release albums on Saturdays."

He only half listened to the answer, tinged with what his father would classify as New Age mumbo jumbo. If it was up to Lucky, he wouldn't have any artists of the Yanni persuasion, but they sold well and the bottom line was he was supposed to make L&B money. Nowhere in his contract did it say he actually had to like all the music he put out, no matter how hard he fought to get that put in every year.

"Look the release date is final. If it gets moved it won't be because the moon is rising in the sixth house." Lucky slammed the phone down in frustration and shot a sidelong grin at his cousin. "So did you stop by to see people who actually work for a living?"

Patrick grinned, but it was an effort. "Something like that." He had learned a long time ago not to let his cousin's anger upset him. It was a difficult business—Lucky whined enough, he was practically an expert in the music business.

Lucky shook his head, trying to clear his lingering frustration from the call and blew out a breath. "I'm sorry. That dude makes Lucy Coe look boring and I swear he lives to drive me crazy."

"Don't worry about it." Patrick sunk into a chair without being told to do so.

"So what brings you to these parts?" Lucky couldn't deny he was curious. Patrick rarely stopped by the offices, ever since Lucky laid down the rules of his cousin not dating all the new talent.

"I wanted to run something by you and see what you think." Patrick explained, not used to seeking out advice.

Now Lucky was even more confused. "Go on," he urged.

"I was thinking of taking Robin to a stock car race this weekend. I know most of your relationships prior to Elizabeth rarely made it to the second date, but I was wondering if you think that's a good idea." Patrick hated the way he was stumbling over his words. This was completely new territory for him, and he didn't want to fuck it up.

"You want to ask my advice on a date for Robin?" Lucky shook his head. Patrick asking him for advice on women? Was he on Punk'd finally? "Why would I know anything about a date for Robin?"

"You're her friend." Patrick pointed out.

"Yes but we have a deal. When it comes to the two of you, details are bad."

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"I'll help. I'm just confused as to why you need the help. I thought things were going better between the two of you." He had noticed his cousin and friend had disappeared during Lance's party, with only Robin appearing at the end to take Morgan home.

"They're strained, but better. We're trying to start over from the very beginning. The first date was a success. I'd just like the second one to be better."

"Back up. You're starting over? From the beginning? Was this your idea?"

Patrick nodded. "I didn't see any other solution. She's more than worth the effort."

Lucky shook his head and stared at his cousin. "Stock car racing? For a second date?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"Have you met Robin?"

"She told me she hasn't ever been to one and, if hadn't gotten rained out that last time, she would have gone."

Lucky stood up and crossed in front of his desk. Coming to the front, he perched on the edge directly in front of his cousin. " I realize the whole concept of a relationship is foreign to you, but I'll enlighten you here. Second dates are just extensions of the first. You're still auditioning at date two."

"What would you suggest then, Godfather?" Patrick teased good-naturedly.

"Something that wouldn't end up on ESPN?"

Patrick gave him a blank stare. He hadn't thought this would be so hard when he had first thought about it. Robin and Elizabeth were always talking for weeks about Lucky doing this or that, and that was the only reason Patrick had sought him out. He had to think in terms of Robin. "What about miniature golf?"

"Better. Not the usual thing plus chance for contact by correcting her swing. You're doing better."

Patrick beamed with pride. "How are things at the home front? Is Elizabeth still sick?

"Yes. And refusing to go see the doctor."

"Women are stubborn. I'm sure it's just a cold or something. Didn't you say Cameron had it already?"

Lucky nodded. "I'm just happy Elizabeth isn't convinced he made her sick on purpose because she thinks he hates her."

"Doesn't he?" Patrick joked, sobering when he saw Lucky's head bow. "I'm...kidding."

"He doesn't hate her exactly. I think he hates the idea of her." Things had been progressing on that front. Elizabeth was staying in the house until she was better and Cameron hadn't thrown one temper tantrum. That had to be progress. "He's getting used to the idea."

"You guys are turning into the Leave It To Beaver family, you do realize that right?" Patrick informed his cousin. "Pretty soon, Cam will be busting out windows, and he'll have to think of clever ways to blame it on someone else."

"That was Andy Griffith. And you breathe a word of this to mom and I'll tell her about your pleas for help to plan dates for Robin."

Patrick flipped him the bird. "See you later."

"Don't blow it Romeo. And I'll know if you do."

"Whatever Nurse Spencer." Patrick threw back arrogantly.


	145. One Foot In Front of the Other

IBWhat is this? What is this? So remember when Kristin said there maybe some special updates...yeah that's called Beth gets to call the update shots...and since I have to update everywhere tonight...I declare it EARLY UPDATE NIGHT! Oh yes...yes I do. I know! It's crazy...but that's how much I love you guys! So leave lots and lots of feedback so Kristin feels bad about abandoning me at this crucial story junction will ya? Never let it be said I don't play dirty...I totally do. Kisses! Beth/B/I

BOne Foot In Fron of the Other/B

Robin glanced nervously at her cell phone, turning it over and over in her palms as she tried to pretend she was somewhere else. She had been avoiding just about everybody to keep them from finding out about this. Elizabeth's suggestion had come two weeks late, but how was her friend to know that? It wasn't often Robin found herself turning to a therapist.

"So Robin." Gail Baldwin kept her voice soft and non-threatening. She smiled softly at her new patient as she rested her pen against the legal pad perched on her knee. Her grandmotherly features radiated calmness, serenity, and wisdom. "Why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"

"I own a bakery on the far east side of town. I recently gained custody of a friend of mine's sons, one of which I sent to live with his biological father. There's not a lot to me." Robin answered timidly, still focusing on her cell phone.

Gail nodded. It was par for the course, in her experience, for a new patient to dodge the first question. She mentally shrugged off Robin's protestations of there was nothing much to her. The young woman came to see her for a reason and it was her job to find out what that reason was. "So you're a mother. How old is your boy?"

"He'll be seven in March. March twentieth." Robin replied proudly.

"And he's doing well in school?"

"Absolutely! He has a lot of friends. I was worried at first, because I had to switch him out of his other school. I simply couldn't afford it. He's adjusting nicely though." Robin replied convincingly.

"That's wonderful. What's his name?"

"Morgan. His father named him after a business partner. They both had to go away." Robin didn't think it relevant to explain where they had gone away to.

Gail nodded, her face not showing her recognition of the name Morgan. The fact Robin was raising the son of Sonny Corinthos confirmed her belief that there was a lot more to her patient than she was letting on. "Sounds like you were thrust into this rather unexpectedly. I hope you have support."

"The bakery is doing well and I have a side business with my boyfriend's aunt." Robin clarified. Sonny had given her money for Morgan, money that she refused to touch. It was for his college. She had been tempted when his school told her how much they charged per semester, but decided college was much more important than prep school.

"Well that is wonderful your businesses are doing well, but I was talking about emotional support. You said you have a boyfriend? How was he about this instant family?"

Robin squinted her eyes in confusion. "I don't really see how that's important."

It seemed she struck a nerve with her patient. Gail gently pressed forward. "In my experience, motherhood is a stressful situation in the best of circumstances. It sounds to me that you were thrown into this quickly, and it would only be natural if you were feeling stressed." Gail looked into Robin's eyes. "Feel free to correct me if I am wrong."

"It was a little stressful in the beginning, but we've made it so far. As far as my boyfriend goes, he came in after." Robin answered, not wanting to get into details if she didn't have to.

The tension was fairly radiating from Robin. Whatever the reason she had sought help, Gail was willing to bet this boyfriend was a part of the reason. "He must be an extraordinary person to help you adjust to such a new situation. Not many men would."

"Well, it's not like my son is a stranger to him. They're actually cousins on the Spencer side. I admit it's a little confusing." Robin wished she wouldn't continue to press on about Patrick. Gail Baldwin was nice and all, but her interrogation was starting to make Robin very uncomfortable.

"That certainly does help." In other towns, the interconnected family tree would immediately intrigue a therapist. Here, in Port Charles, it was just another fact of life. Gail noticed Robin's shifting in her seat. "Are you uncomfortable about something?"

"No. I'm alright." Robin lied through her teeth.

"Are you sure?"

"I said I'm fine, I'm fine." Robin repeated, clearly flustered. "I'm sorry. Scorpio temper. It sneaks up on me sometimes." She smiled bashfully.

"Quite alright." Gail made a brief note on her pad. "At any rate I'm glad your boyfriend is supportive. And the rest of your family? Are they in town?"

"My uncle. He lives a few streets over from my loft."

"And are you close?"

"Closer than close. He was the one who convinced me I could be a good mother to Morgan. Without him, I think I'd still be clinging to a lifesaver."

"Good for him." Gail noted the obviously positive familial relationship. Depending on how far Robin went in therapy, his help may prove useful. "Now why don't you give me some idea what I can help you with."

"There was an occurrence recently and I'm trying to get over it, but it's starting to affect my personal life. I'm here to talk it out with you so I can get past it." Robin explained matter-of-factly.

"Affect your personal life in what way?"

"My ex-husband tried to rape me." Robin said quickly.

"I see." Gail nodded in sympathetic understanding. "That must have been traumatic for you."

"Yes. It has been." Robin answered rather remotely, not picking up on the past tense signal. "And I'd just like to get over it so I can move on."

Gail made a note on her pad. Robin wasn't going to just get past this and from what she could see the young woman had barely begun to acknowledge her pain. This was not going to be something she would just get over. However, she had enough experience to not say these thoughts aloud. Robin would run right out the door. "Then why don't we discuss how best to do this?"

Lucas scribbled a bit of obligatory information into his notebook, half listening to his new prospective client, Eleanor Blanc. She suspected her daughter was planning to take her fortune. It was a lot of ridiculousness, but Lucas didn't really get to pick and choose when it came to this business. Bills needed to be paid; he needed to do his part to provide a somewhat stable living situation for his and Dillon's son. Ever since their dinner with his mother and Cruz, he had done the exact opposite of what his mother had suggested: he hadn't been brave enough to strike up a conversation with Dillon, not even if only to clarify what that kiss at the airport had been about.

He was a coward. He didn't want to hear the words that he suspected Dillon would be telling him soon enough: that Georgie was his heart and he was leaving Lucas. Maybe it was naïve, but he had actually believed they would share the next hundred years together when he had made his vows. He wondered if his husband remembered anything he had said at their ceremony. No matter that the Quartermaines had threatened his fortune and place in their family when he had told them that he was marrying Lucas. It all seemed a lifetime ago. What if there really wasn't anything left to fight for?

"So Mr. Jones, how long do you think it will take you to prove my Candice is planning on stealing my money?" Eleanor asked, leaning back into the chair, folding her arms across her chest.

"I don't have a time table for you, Mrs. Blanc. I like to be certain before I start digging into people's lives." Lucas explained. Why was it so damn hard to focus? Why couldn't he just keep his mind in his work? He forced himself to meet her eyes. She was done up like a middle-aged prostitute with her crimped brown hair, bright red lipstick, and dark blue eye shadow.

"Well I was told you were the best to come to, but if you are clearly not up to the task, I will take my business elsewhere." She started to lift herself out of the chair, pausing to struggle with untangling her purse from the leg of the vacant chair beside her.

"Nonsense. I didn't say I wouldn't take the job." Lucas quickly reassured her. "I think I have enough here, but will you leave a phone number with my secretary in case I need to collect some additional information from you?" His eyebrows lifted in question.

"You're just too good to be true..."

Lucas blinked several times, thinking the words had come from his client. He had thought he had made it clear that he preferred the other white meat. "I beg your pardon?"

"Can't take my eyes off of you…"

"Are you a ventriloquist?" Lucas asked her, though she looked put off at the mere implication. "Never mind." He let her leave, thinking maybe he was just losing his mind.

"What is going on outside?" Eleanor made a move to peer through the slats of his closed mini-blinds. Turning back around, she blinked several times. "Why is there a young man with questionable hair singing through a megaphone?"

"You'd be like heaven to touch."

Lucas spun around so fast it was amazing he didn't suffer whiplash. There was his husband, decked out in a utilitarian-white outfit, posing as a window washer. He had a yellow sponge in one hand and a microphone in the other. The microphone looked a lot like the one from Lance's karaoke machine, but Lucas was still blown away.

"I want to hold you so much." Seeing Lucas finally appear in the window, Dillon offered up a cheerful wave. Well it was about time his grumpier half showed his face. Was he going to have to get to the second verse before he decided to see what was going on? Was being serenaded like this a common occurrence? Actually if that was true, Lucas had better be the one serenading him. "At long last love has arrived."

"What are you doing out there?" Lucas called to him, throwing his office window open. "You know you're terrified of heights." He pointed out, trying to keep from smiling. His husband put a new spin on the word extravagant, and he loved him for it.

Dillon rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to be romantic here. Now hush." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He had actually forgotten how high up Lucas's office was until he mentioned the heights thing. Damn his husband. "And I thank God I'm alive. You're just too good to be true. Can't keep my eyes off of you." Lucky wasn't going to sign him to L&B any time soon, that was for sure, but this would work. At least Dillon thought it would work. It had in the movie.

"You've made your point. Now will you get down from there?" Lucas pestered, trying to grab a hold of the side of the boatswain's chair.

"No. You haven't seen the big dance finish." Dillon began to sway wildly from his rigging, kicking his legs in time with the music only he could hear. "I love you baby...and if it's quite alright I need you baby..."

Lucas clapped his hands along with his husband's far from melodic voice, unable to keep his emotions in check. There really was no deterring him when he got a thought in his head.

"To end my lonely nights, so let me love you baby...let me love you..." Dillon flung his hands open and paused for breath. "Are we talking again or do I have to do a second verse?"

"I don't know how much talking we'll need to do after this, but we're definitely over that fighting thing." Lucas told him.

"Oh thank God." Dillon ran his hand through his hair. "I hate the silent treatment you know that."

"My hero." Lucas grinned like a damned fool. He didn't care who saw. His previous worry about Georgie and the memories she had tried to tie around Dillon had gone away the instant he recognized his husband's voice.

"So does that mean you are admitting you were crazy and I should have had you committed?" Dillon laughed. He knew he was probably pushing it, but how often did you risk death for a man? You had to see the moment out.

"It means that I was wrong to pick a fight with you and I should try trusting you." Lucas explained with a slight nod.

"Note to self. The only way to get my husband to admit he was wrong is to risk falling to my screaming death while singing him a song. Please keep this in mind."

"Will you get down from there before you break your neck?"

"Only if you say you love me."

Lucas pretended to consider this. "I guess...I kind of...feel something...I love you." He muttered good-naturedly.


	146. Stack of Cards

**_A/N- This is the start of Second Sweeps!! Rejoice!_**

**Stack of Cards**

Ric Lansing barely looked up as the orderly handed him the lab report and rushed off in the direction he had been told Dr. Quartermaine had gone in. Of course the poor kid hadn't specified which Dr. Quartermaine, so Ric took a secret pleasure in the prospect of the new orderly giving the wrong report to the Chief of Staff. It had become his contribution to the unofficial initiation to working at General Hospital and it was one he was proud to continue. It beat dressing up as an elf every year at the Christmas party, he figured.

He scanned the report quickly. It was exactly as he suspected. Making his way towards the exam room where his new patient waited, he waved at several of the nurses who were situated around the nurses station. All four of them were new, student nurses really, and while attractive, only fun to flirt with. Trying to carry on a meaningful conversation with anyone them, he had found was close to Chinese water torture. It had been suggested by one of his colleges that if he found the student nurse population less than appealing, then he might want to expand his horizons. Date someone he didn't work with. Ric had scoffed at the situation. As if he had time for that.

He had been continually amazed by how busy he had stayed since coming to Port Charles. Initially his friends from medical school laughed at him, giving up a shot at a lucrative New York City private practice to go to a small city's hospital department. But who was laughing now? He had more experience with high risk deliveries, high risk pregnancies, and just plain dramatic pregnancies than anyone he knew.

Ric paused to straighten out the few wrinkles on his lab coat before walking into the exam room. He loved this part of the job and he wanted to make sure the moment was perfect. As his mentor had told him during his residency, you only get one chance to change a person's life forever, so you better make it as good of a moment as possible. Every time, no matter what the circumstances. Dr. Meadows's words echoed in his head every time he went to tell a patient any news, her gentle rebuke reminding him, he was there for one purpose and one purpose only.

He opened the door wide, meeting the worried looks from his patient and her friend. It wasn't out of the ordinary for someone to bring a friend with them to this initial appointment, especially if the father was out of the picture. Ric supposed he would find out soon enough which was the case here.

"Well congratulations are in order." He announced cheerfully. "Your home test was correct. You are pregnant."

The silence that greeted his announcement wasn't altogether unexpected. Despite all the portrayals of this moment in the media, in his experience shock was usually the prevailing emotion. Ric kept up his chatter, figuring sooner or later either she would ask a question or her friend would take charge and make some sort of effort to listen. "Now I will want to see you again soon to do a more thorough examination but I would guess you were probably around two to three months along right now. Naturally we will know more after we schedule an ultrasound."

Still nothing but blinking. Ric moved to the table where he kept his prescription pad locked up. Taking it out, he sat down in the chair and wheeled in front of the still shocked girl in front of him. He knew she was in her mid-twenties, but she was a girl to him. "I want you to start taking these vitamins daily. It's rare but some women have a bad reaction to them. If you do just call me and we'll find something else for you to take."

He held out the pad but she still didn't reach for it. Her friend seem to break out of her shock first and grabbed at the outstretched paper. Tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ears she regarding him carefully. "When should she come back Dr. Lansing?"

"In a week or two. You seem to be taking excellent care of yourself but I just want to make sure everything is fine."

That seemed to bring his silent patient back into reality. "A week? I can do that."

"Good. And you may want to bring the father to that appointment as well." Seeing the startled gaze, he hurried to explain. "If he's not in the picture it's not necessary..."

"Oh he's in the picture. Whether she wants him there or not." Her friend joked.

His patient slapped at her friend. "Ignore her. I do. No he's around. Just never thought we would have this conversation is all."

"I can only imagine your circumstances. However if you think he would be willing to be involved, I always advise the sooner the better. The more I know about his family health history, the more we can plan for a normal, _healthy _pregnancy."

"We understand. Who do we see about setting up an appointment?"

"Talk to Darlene at the nurse's station. She'll give you some literature as well since this is your first pregnancy." Seeing his patient's eyes widen as his use of the word pregnancy again, he squeezed her shoulder as he stood up. "Relax. I'll take good care of you." He made his way to the door, opening it slightly. "Congratulations once again."

Seeing the door close behind him securely, Elizabeth and Robin turned to look at each other. In all the scenarios they had come up with between last night and the drive over here, this was not one they had considered. In fact, every scenario had been to explain away this reality. Looking in each other's eyes, both friends were aware the same thought running through each other's head. This changes everything.

"Now what?" Elizabeth managed.

"I have no idea." Robin answered stunned.

Cruz realized quickly was in over his head here. When he had this idea he should have just pounded his head into the nearest wall until he regained sanity. He didn't know how to shop, much less shop for a baby. When Cameron was born, he had given him a gift certificate. While Lucky laughed himself sick over it, Jess had been less than pleased.

It seemed like such a simple idea. That should have been his first clue. His simple ideas were never simple. It had been a simple idea to call up Bobbie and finish the interview his damn self and now look at him. Just go out and buy an outfit for the baby, something cute but not too cute. Something that would in fact identify his daughter as a girl and not a boy or a rejected extra from the Wizard of Oz. However he was beginning to consider suggesting a division of labor with Bobbie. She could buy the clothes. He would stick with toys. It seemed fair to him.

Jumpsuits? Sleepers? Sleep bags? Onesies? Since when did going shopping require a second language? Why did they all look the same to him? Was it some secret parenthood DNA test that you had to pass before you had the child? Would they keep his daughter at the hospital if he showed up to take her home with a onesies and not a sleep bag?

Cruz held up what he assumed to be two onesies. He checked the tag carefully when he notice how tiny the clothing actually was. Surely he had wandered into the toy department and this was just the largest doll dress section known to man. Babies just could not be that small.

"You look like a stiff wind might knock you down." The salesgirl teased, pushing a strand of green hair behind her left ear. She couldn't have been older than twenty and yet _she _was patronizing _him_? "Shopping for a friend?" She had now moved to twirling a strand of kiwi hair around her index finger.

"No. My fiancé." Ok so he hadn't asked her just yet. He was going to. It still counted.

"She trusted you with a task this important? Wow." Her purplish green eyes seemed to roll into the back of her head.

"Leave him alone. His fiancé sent reinforcements." A familiar voice sounded behind them. Cruz had never looked so pleased to see anyone in his life.

"Laura. What are you doing here?"

"Actually, I'm daydreaming of a time when I'll be shopping in this section again. For now, I'm helping you. Bobbie called. She said you seemed a little...overwhelmed." Laura told him, patting his shoulder.

He would never underestimate the power of a woman again. Cruz had only talked to Bobbie on the phone and she knew he was overwhelmed? She was either psychic or just knew him far too well. He smirked as he planted a light kiss on Laura's cheek. "So do I get to be the one to freak Lucky out about the fact you daydream in this section? Or is it Patrick?" His eyes lit up as a thought struck him. "Oh I know. Tell me I get to tell them both!"

"I know nothing for certain." Laura assured him. "But you can bet, a woman knows these things. I knew Bobbie was pregnant before she even told me. Give me five minutes with those girls. I can probably tell."

"I thought you wanted them to stick around. The last time you spent five minutes alone with one of them, they ran out of the house and straight to New York City." Cruz pointed out.

"Ha-ha, do you want my help or not?" Laura challenged, using a wave of her hand to dismiss the strange salesgirl.

"Yes. I'd throw myself on my knees but I do have an image to maintain."

"As do I. I can't have men falling at my feet. I have a husband, you know." Laura smiled, taking the outfit from him. "Sweetheart, this is a rainy day outfit. What are you planning on doing with it? Babies can't sleep in something like this."

"I was making sure this was for an actual child and not a doll." He admitted sheepishly. "Are babies really that small? I don't remember Cam being that small."

"That's because my son is a little over protective and didn't let anyone hold that boy until he was six months old." Laura reminded him.

"True Cameron was the bubble boy." Cruz nodded remembering all too well. "Well what is she supposed to sleep in then?"

"She?" Laura looked like she might implode, her smile was so big.

"She." Cruz smiled. He thought Bobbie would have told Laura already. Apparently he was wrong. "It's a girl."

"Well, for starters, this is the boy's section." Laura lifted an eyebrow in speculation.

"That would explain the blue." Cruz followed Laura over towards the more frilly section. "See I was afraid I was going to be swallowed alive by all the frou-frou."

"Yellow and green are wonderful colors if you get sick of pink and blue. Though, you've got to have a little pink. And bows. You're going to need bows. Do you have any bottles? Diapers? A changing table?" She watched his reaction to each one and figured she had just sent him into a full-fledged panic.

"Bows?" He started to stagger. "We don't' have any of that stuff. We are so not ready for this. I have to go right now and..."

"Relax. Robin and I are putting together the baby shower. We'll make sure you get everything you need. What, specifically, are you looking for today?" She decided to use her calm, all-knowing, mother's voice.

"I was thinking..." He looked at his feet, suddenly realizing how very much like a sap he was sounding like in this moment. "Something to bring her home in?"

"Well, you just come with me, and I'll fix you up." Laura promised, taking him by the hand. "It's really easy. Once you get started, it's hard to stop."

"So Lucky's not paranoid? You do have outfits shoved in closets for future grandchildren?" he teased her, following her willingly.

"My son is young. He's got plenty of years to put together a nice family. And Elizabeth has all the right genes." Laura replied.

Robin was barely aware of driving home from the hospital. She parked her car in its designated spot, rode the elevator to the seventh floor, and let herself into the loft. The keys fell from her grip when she spotted Morgan sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, waiting for her. His head shot up at the slight noise she made coming in and he ran to her, his arms wrapping around her legs.

"I guess you're not mad at me anymore, huh?" Robin deduced, holding him tightly to her.

"Aunt Courtney was watching a TV show and one of the little boys got a hold of a gun. It was terrible." Morgan wasn't known for hysterics, so Robin figured it had to have been pretty traumatic for him. Soap operas had always had the same effect on her. She was terrified by the lack of acting, the repeated storylines, basically the entire plot being centered around the worst characters.

"And you just happened be in there with her watching this TV show?" Robin asked carefully.

"I heard a gunshot and didn't realize it was make-believe." Morgan informed her. Robin dropped to her knees, pulling him into a real hug, and he buried his face in her shoulder, shaking slightly.

"What was she doing watching that with you home?" Robin asked, mostly to herself. She and her roommate were about to have a talk, that is, once she was able to formulate more than one thought at a time. That doctor's appointment had pretty much wiped her self-confidence away with the flick of a switch, or rather the color of a strip.

"She thought I was still taking my nap, but the people started screaming, and I thought..." He didn't finish his thought. He didn't have to. If she could have taken him out of his dangerous upbringing sooner, she would have. She was less and less comfortable with situations like this. All she knew to do was hold him closer and rock him. In a little less than six or seven months, she would be holding a little baby. It was unreal. She couldn't believe everything had changed in the span of an hour.

"Morgan, honey, I think we need to talk about some things, okay?" Her tone was enough to make him lift his head and catch her stare. "Let's go sit down on the couch."

"What kinds of things?" Morgan wanted to know.

"Well, for starters, what you said about me choosing Patrick over you. I want you to know, that's not what I was doing. I would never do that. I love both of you, but you're my son and nothing can change that." Robin told him, trying to be as clear as possible.

"I know." Morgan's answer surprised her. "Aunt Courtney told me that too."

"She did? Well, anyway, do you understand that, sometimes, I spend time with you, and sometimes I spend time with Patrick? I'm not favoring one of you over the other. I'm just making sure you don't get sick of me." She responded, repeating his words to him.

"I don't want it to change." Morgan told her in a shaky voice.

"Why would it change?" Robin almost slapped herself for asking the question, but she felt she needed to know his answer before she could go on.

"I don't want Patrick to live here with us." Morgan stated matter-of-factly.

"Patrick doesn't live here. He has his own apartment. You know. We've taken you over there. Remember the racetrack?"

"I remember you trying to cheat." Morgan teased, causing Robin's eyes to widen in astonishment.

"Oh yeah? I was, was I?" She smiled before tickling his sides until he was falling onto his back, his giggles echoing off every wall.

"No fair!" Morgan squealed, trying to wiggle away from her.

Robin wondered how her son would handle learning that his life was, in fact, about to change drastically. Despite her promises otherwise. She couldn't change the inevitable. Too much had happened. She only prayed he forgave her for this poor planning.

Releasing him from her tickling assault, she combed her fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead. "There's something else we need to talk about." She told him.

"Do we have to?" Morgan whined with big brown eyes.

"Yes, we have to." Robin replied firmly, shaking her head at his attempt to get out of an important discussion.

"Too bad. Mail's here." He declared, hopping up from the couch and running over to the door.

"Morgan, don't open the door for strangers." Robin cautioned him, but he already had the door halfway open.

"Gee thanks, Miss Scorpio." Darnell, the building mailman, teased her kindly.

"I'm sorry Darnell, but Morgan is still too little to open the door for anyone, and he knows it." She added, catching the six year old's guilty stare.

"Your mom is right about that." Darnell agreed, nodding enthusiastically. "You never know who's going to be at the door…like my mother-in-law. Sometimes I just wish…" He prattled on. "Sorry." He apologized with a bashful grin.

"Anything good?" Robin asked him as she signed for the four-by-six package.

"I think I'm going to let you decide that for yourself. Hey Morgan, you a basketball fan?" Darnell inquired, pulling a tiny ball from his back pocket and spinning it on his index finger.

"Cool!" Morgan lunged for the toy, but Robin reached for his wrist before he could reach it.

"This is for you." Darnell handed the toy over once Robin's eyes conveyed that it would be alright.

"What for?" Morgan wanted to know.

"Christmas. I'm taking an early vacation in effect tomorrow morning and I probably won't see you guys until well into January." Darnell explained.

"Well we'll miss you." Robin assured him.

"I'll miss you guys too, but the wife's been waiting three year to take a vacation like this and I kind of sprung it on her for our anniversary." Darnell's eyes went soft at the mention of his significant other and he had to adjust his hat to keep them from seeing the overwhelming emotion pour onto his cheek.

"I bet she's lovely." Robin smiled.

"Prettiest girl in the world. Lucky for me, she still hasn't figured out she's way out of my league." Darnell took the signature box from Robin, handed over the small box, and bid them farewell, whistling a happy tune as he strolled down the hall.

"What is it? What is it?" Morgan wanted to know, trying to use Robin's wrist to see. Even on his tiptoes, he was having an impossible time.

"I don't know. Let's take a look, shall we?" Reaching for her keys, she selected the pocketknife she kept on the chain and sliced open the weak strips of tape. Peeling each piece away, she reached inside and came back with a tiny blue jewelry box.

"What is it?" Morgan persisted.

"Just a second." Robin wasn't sure how she managed to stay so calm when she was just as impatient as he. "Here, there's a card." She read it silently to herself and then used her thumb and forefinger to pry open the lid of the jewelry box.

"Oh." She sighed, fingering the oval-shaped locket. The front of it was carved in gold stars and the back held an inscription: "Wear us close to your heart." Popping the clip, she studied both halves. On the left, there was a picture of Morgan playing Poker with Patrick. On the right, there was a picture of Robin and Patrick curled up under the stars the night of his birthday.

"Happy Birthday." Morgan was pleased with himself for finally snatching the card out of her hand. "P.S. I'm outside. What's that mean, Roby?" He asked, glancing up.

Gulping, Robin got to her feet, the jewelry box forgotten on the couch while she kept the locket tightly grasped between her fingers. She crossed the room in a few long strides and slowly opened the door, her heart dropping to her feet when she noticed Patrick standing in the hallway, a smug grin on his face. She wasn't even aware that she was crying as she leapt over the threshold and ran into his arms, letting him pick her up and twirl her around, her hold on him never loosening.

"I guess you liked your present huh? Told you that you would." He stated glibly, lowering her to the floor, his face still close to hers. Brushing her hair out of her eyes, he kissed the tip of her nose.

"I'm sorry I bailed on our date. It wasn't fair…" Robin began to tremble slightly.

"No need to explain a thing." Patrick promised, touching a finger to her lips to silence her. "Unless you're planning on doing so again, in which case I'll have to take you hostage." He continued, scattering kisses all down her slender neck.

"You're stuck with me." Robin assured him with a crumbling smile.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Patrick whispered back. Lifting his head to meet her tender stare, he pressed a greedy kiss to her lips, one that had her standing on tiptoe.

"Ahem!" Morgan cleared his throat just behind them. Breaking apart even so slowly, they regarded him with mild curiosity, their lips swollen and wet from lingering kisses. "Can we eat? I'm hungry." He pointed out, folding his arms impatiently.


	147. A Beautiful Lie

Entranced by the smells radiating from behind the swinging door, Lulu wandered into the kitchen. Missing her mother's cooking was one downside of living in her own apartment. On the plus side, she was now reasonably certain why holidays were invented. She had arrived at the Spencer house early, since her mother declared she never saw her daughter any more now that she had her own place. Lulu had pointed out she had only moved to Kelly's, not the moon, but hadn't pressed the point further when her mother threw "the look" at her.

"Everything smells great Mom." Lulu declared as she sat down at the table. "When do we eat?"

Laura smiled at her only daughter, wanting to pull into a full embrace, but expecting that "I'm too old for this" glare if she even attempted such a thing. "Quarter of six sharp." She answered, stirring the gravy with one hand while the other pulled the oven door open to get a pleasant aroma of the sizzling turkey.

"And the rest of the natives will be descending when?" Lulu asked while she chopped a carrot left conveniently on a cutting board left on the table.

"If they want to eat, not one minute after that." Laura addressed her firmly, knowing she would wait dinner as long as it took to get her boys over for the holiday.

"It's Thanksgiving Mom. All three of them are probably planning on eating all day." Lulu pointed out wisely. "I'm shocked they aren't all sprawled on the sofa watching football and grunting."

"It's barely five-thirty. They'll be here." Laura assured her brightly, leaving the stove for a minute so that she could check the table settings in the dining room.

"This year is just so weird."

"What's weird about it? It's a full table!" Laura pointed out.

"Yeah but..." Lulu shook her head trying to put her thoughts into words. "It's just...well last year Lucky, Patrick and Cam slept here the night before so they could have you make them breakfast and they wouldn't miss any of the game. Cruz would show up about noon and would pass out shortly after dinner. Now Lucky and Patrick are spending the morning with their girlfriend's families, like they're grown ups or something. And Cruz will be bringing Aunt Bobbie, who's pregnant with his child. You don't see how just flat out weird this is?"

"Well..." Laura thought about it. She had to admit, this year was definitely more interesting than the previous ones. She couldn't have been more thrilled that all three couples were finally happy and together without any bickering or name-calling or misunderstandings standing in their way. That's what she was thankful for. Maybe by this time next year, they would have plenty of new blessings to be thankful for. Cruz and Bobbie's little bundle of joy wasn't that far away and she had a sneaky suspicion that there was something else going on. Maybe it was the way the girls had been avoiding her—nothing really new about that except that they usually at least put up the effort to talk to her—or the way they always had something going on, were always busy. She was no fool. She had been busy too: both times she was pregnant.

"Grandma! Happy Turkey Day Grandma!" Cameron came barreling into the kitchen, arms waving wildly. He attached himself to Laura's leg and raised his head enough to spot his aunt seated at the table. "Hi Aunt Lu!"

"Well there's my little guy!" Laura scooped him up and balanced him on her hip so that she could finish lighting the candles on each corner of the table. "What's that?" She pointed to a rolled up piece of construction paper he had in his hand, turkey "feathers" sticking out the side shaped like fingers.

"Present." He declared proudly, thrusting his fist out toward her. "Miss Lizabeth helped me."

Laura caught Elizabeth's shy stare. "Well, let me see. Let me see." She begged merrily, putting him down and crouching next to him so that he could spread it out on the carpet. The turkey he had made with his little hand was made of brown strips of construction paper and he had colored the feathers with red, purple, yellow, and green crayons.

"I didn't do that much. Cameron's a natural talent." Elizabeth declared, resisting the urge to smooth the fabric of her loose dress over her stomach. This day was going to prove to be the death of her. Her grandmother hadn't been too obvious with her questions and implications, but now she had to deal with Laura and her "hopes"? What crazy person invented holidays anyway?

"Don't suppose you spotted Cruz or Patrick on your way in?" She asked her son, leaving Elizabeth's comment to be brought up later. She would get her away from the crowd in some old-fashioned way. It'd be perfect. Maybe she would even devise a trick to see which of the girls was actually pregnant, if either was. Something was definitely going on.

"It's not my day to watch them." Lucky pointed out. He winced in pain as Elizabeth's hand collided with his stomach. At least that reaction was normal. Something was up with her, but he couldn't put his finger on it. She wasn't pushing him away, but it was clear to him her mind was on something else entirely. "What I meant to say is that no but Patrick was trying to get here from Mac's. I'm sure he got cornered into some discussion on what is best for Robin from him. And I would prefer not to speculate on why Cruz and Bobbie aren't here."

"Are your ears burning, Barbara Jean?" Luke teased when he saw her and Cruz stumble into the living room a second later. He had made it a point to hide in the shadows of the stairs so that Laura wouldn't make him work. Now that she had seen him, it was only a matter of time.

"No more than I'm sure yours will be by the end of the night." Bobbie teased her brother lovingly. She smiled brightly at him, realizing from the look Laura was shooting him, he must have been hiding from helping out with the dinner. "I can't wait for your famous cranberry sauce tonight Luke."

"You're evil." He muttered before Laura pushed him toward the kitchen to do just what Bobbie had implied.

"I love you too." Bobbie called after his retreating back. She made her way toward the chair, sinking down gratefully.

"You alright, Bobbie?" Laura asked carefully.

"Just tired. Dr. Lansing is threatening me with complete bed rest so I'm not as active as I usually am."

"And for good reason. What did you think you were doing this morning, vacuuming of all things? You know you're not supposed to—" Cruz patronized lightly. It was like she was unable to take it easy for more than five minutes at a time.

"Cruz, sweetie, I'm pregnant. Not an invalid."

"Yes, but you know that's on the bad list." Cruz reminded her.

"Who wants to watch the game?" Luke asked, emerging from the kitchen after what felt like forever.

"I thought you would never ask." Lucky answered gratefully.

"You're making a big deal out of nothing." Patrick told Robin for the hundredth time since they had driven away from the Scorpio house. "It's a teeny, tiny stain. No one will even notice." He went on, leading her and Morgan to the Spencer house.

"I should have gone back to the apartment and changed. It only would have taken five minutes." Robin countered stubbornly, raising her hand to knock. Both Morgan and Patrick gave her an incredulous look. "Fine, maybe ten." Patrick reached past her and opened the door.

"We didn't miss the turkey, did we?" Patrick asked, noticing the majority of his family caught up in the football game.

"No." Elizabeth answered greeting Robin with a hug. "Although Laura was about to send out a search party."

"We're ten minutes early!" Robin argued, returning the hug.

"This is approximately five minutes later than Laura wanted you here." Elizabeth explained matter-of-factly. "How you doing?" She whispered into her friend's ear.

"I'm alright." Robin whispered back. "I still haven't told them."

"You will right? Soon?"

"Well, I think it'll be pretty obvious soon, don't you?"

"Which is why you have to say something?"

"Hey ladies, what are you whispering about?" Lucky asked as he ambled over to greet Robin himself.

Robin gave him a startled look. "Whispering? We're not whispering. Trust me, just boring girl stuff."

"Which translate to things that I am better off not knowing?" Lucky nodded.

"See he learns fast." Elizabeth smiled brightly. "They can be taught."

"With a little perseverance." Robin giggled, realizing that Patrick was already settled on the couch with Morgan beside him. "I think I'm going to get something to drink." She wasn't aware that Laura was directly behind her.

"Oh dear, did I startle you?" Laura smiled apologetically. "Did you say you wanted something to drink? Here, some of our best red wine." She handed the glass over, not missing the hesitant way it was accepted.

"You know, I probably shouldn't with my meds." Robin argued politely.

"'Meds?' Are you not feeling well, dear?" Laura immediately pressed her hand to Robin's forehead.

"Oh I accidentally passed on the flu I had to her." Elizabeth scrambled to explain.

Patrick leapt up from the couch. "Don't worry, Aunt Laura." He smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "I'm taking great care of her."

"Yeah mom. You know you always wished Patrick would have studied medicine." Lucky teased, wrapping his hands around Elizabeth's waist and pulling her close to him.

"Well, that's true. Are you being a good patient, Robin?" Laura questioned, lifting an eyebrow in her direction. Robin nodded mutely.

"You guys just missed the best play ever! Get over here before you miss the replay." Cruz beckoned them forward.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as both Lucky and Patrick immediately responded to their friend's call by running back to the couch. "I take it back. Apparently training wasn't entirely successful."

"Hey, whatever gets me away from the knowing look?" Robin murmured with a smile.

Elizabeth nodded, watching Laura make he way back to the kitchen. "Yes the look. That has to be illegal somewhere."

"Pause the game. This bird is ready to come out!" Luke yelled from the kitchen, laughing when Laura shooed him into the dining room to collect the rest of the family.

"Lulu, how's living at Kelly's going?" So far the dinner had been delicious, but Elizabeth had not missed the constant speculative looks she was getting from Laura. Focusing on Lulu's foray into living somewhat on her own seemed to be an excellent strategy to shift the focus to the youngest Spencer child.

"It is so great. Well except for this guy who lives there. He's majorly annoying and I think he has a crush on me..."

Patrick didn't mean to drown his younger cousin out, but she kind of reminded him of a Furby in that she only knew certain topics and just talked about them over and over again. He took a bite of turkey but, unlike every other meal he had had over here, he was barely able to enjoy the taste. He hadn't realized he was breathing through his mouth until he tried to do so out of his nose and found it stuffed up. It would be just like Robin to get the flu from Elizabeth and then pass it on to him. Surely it couldn't have gotten into his system this quickly, not in the mere week they had spent together. No, he was just tired. Exhausted was more like it. He had had to send a client home the morning before last because he just hadn't been able to focus on the task at hand and he didn't do anything halfway. If he wasn't dedicated in his work, he might not have minded slacking off, but his pride was at stake.

He was overanalyzing this. Robin was starting to rub off on him. Pretty soon he would be rushing home because he got a drop of Mayonnaise on his shirt. He tried to laugh at this, but his throat suddenly felt too tight to allow even that. Taking a quick drink, his throat both welcomed and resisted the cool liquid running down it. He turned his head to the side to cough into his hand and no one was the wiser. He had been fine this morning, had thought maybe this was just a fluke and he needed to drink more water or take a few more breaks between the tasks he forced himself to complete everyday.

Robin's hand was like ice against his fingertips and he almost winced in pain. She must have noticed the jerk, because her eyes had taken on a more serious tone and she wasn't looking away from his face. Sweat was collecting across his forehead and he absently wiped it away with his napkin, the action not going unnoticed by Lucky. Great, now they were going to make a big deal about this. He clutched his fork a little harder, trying to just get through the meal before taking a nap. He knew he'd be fine once he slept. But his hand started to shake and he wasn't able to hold the fork for more than a few seconds at a time. The fork bounced off of the plate, startling Laura, and his eyelids started to grow heavy.

"Patrick? Patrick?" Lucky couldn't help the concern being obvious in his voice when he watched Patrick slowly start to slide down in his chair. "Patrick!"

"Oh my God." Robin pushed her chair out so fast, it bounced off the wall behind her. She was at his side that second, smoothing his hair away from his forehead. "He's burning up. Patrick, sweetie, open your eyes." She tried to shake him awake by pushing at his shoulders, but he was completely still.

"Shit." Lucky swore rising as fast as Robin had. "Has he been taking his meds like he's supposed to?"

"Yes." Robin nodded. "We need to get him off the floor."

"Meds? What are you talking about?" Laura demanded, confused, worried, and starting to panic.

"Come on man. Don't do this today." Lucky muttered.

"Robin, do you need me to call anyone?" Elizabeth asked.

"What are you all talking about? Why is no one answering me? What is going on with Patrick?" Laura asked as she raced over toward the couch.

"Alan Quartermaine." Robin responded instantly. "We need cold washcloths and a thermometer." Robin told them, her calm quickly slipping away.

"Got it." Elizabeth raced off toward the kitchen. "Lulu come help," she commanded, mainly to give the younger woman something to do.

"But what is going on?" Lulu asked, casting a backwards glance toward Patrick.

Bobbie rose unsteadily toward her feet. With steel in her eyes, she looked at the group of young people assembled around Patrick's still form. "It is obvious that something is going on here. If any of you think that we'll just stop asking questions about this, I would hope you all know that is impossible. Now I suggest someone better start telling me what is going on with my nephew right now or I will not be held responsible for what I do to each and every one of you."

"Patrick's highly susceptible to illness right now." Robin offered cryptically, taking the thermometer from Elizabeth and moving it between Patrick's lips.

"Vague doesn't cut it Robin." Laura warned. "I want answers. What is going on with him?"

"I don't have the time—" Robin insisted, willing the thermometer to determine the correct body temperature quicker. She slowly ran a cool washcloth over Patrick's face.

"Make the time." Laura insisted coolly.

"Mom...it's nothing really. Patrick wouldn't want you to worry." Lucky tried to stall her.

"Did you get a hold of Alan?" Robin asked Elizabeth.

"Then he should have told me what is going on Lucky." Laura pointed out.

"I got his voice mail. I left him my cell number." Elizabeth answered Robin.

"Damn it." Robin muttered, reading off the thermometer. "Hundred and two."

"We need to get him to the hospital." Cruz spoke up at last.

"Excellent. Everyone is talking in circles and no one is answering anything." Luke muttered in exasperation. "When you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." He let loose a loud wolf whistle which startled everyone into looking at him. "Now, before you move anyone anywhere, you will answer the following questions."

He pointed directly at Robin, Lucky, Cruz, and Elizabeth. "Are we correct in assuming you four have some idea about what is going on with my nephew and his current state?" Seeing each of them nod, he smiled, satisfied. "Excellent. Now which one of you would be the first one to know?"

Robin raised her hand.

Luke smiled. "Very good Little Scorpio." He beckoned her closer to him with one hand. "Come here and tell Uncle Luke all about it."

"Lulu, here." Robin handed over the washcloth. "If we can get the temperature down, we may not have to take him to the hospital."

Lulu nodded and rushed over to the couch, her eyes never leaving her father and Robin.

"The night I got in that car accident, Patrick was exposed to my blood." Robin explained quietly. It took her a few seconds to continue. "And I was diagnosed with HIV when I was seventeen. I told him to leave me in the car and wait for the paramedics, but he wouldn't, and he's only a month from his six-month test. That's why we're worried. This could mean...it could mean..." She closed her eyes. This wasn't supposed to be happening. She would never forgive herself if Patrick was, indeed, HIV positive.

Luke, Laura, and Bobbie shared a look between them as silence fell across the room. The shaking of Robin's shoulders convinced Laura and Bobbie of the stress the other woman was under. Bobbie crossed the table toward Robin and pulled her into a hug. "Sweet girl. Oh you sweet girl."

Robin couldn't stop the tears from spilling down her cheeks as she yielded in Bobbie's comfortable embrace. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault. Not at all." Bobbie reassured her, tracing soothing patterns on her back.

"Why's Roby crying, Aunt Laura?" Morgan wanted to know, tugging on the end of her cream colored dress. Everyone was acting strangely and whispering too quietly for him to understand. A look to Cameron told him that his cousin wasn't sure what was going on either.

"Because Patrick is going to miss pumpkin pie because he's sick." Laura improvised. No use in scaring the children with the reality. "But we are going to take him to the doctor right now and get him better." Seeing Morgan nod, Laura smiled at him. "Good. You and Cam can stay here with Aunt Bobbie and get first pick of the pie."

"YAY!" The boys cheered in unison.

Robin mouthed a "thank you" to Laura.

"No problem" Laura mouthed back. She clapped her hands together. "Now Cruz, Lucky, Luke get Patrick into my car. You three start out to GH. Elizabeth keep trying Dr. Quartermaines number in the car. We'll follow in Robin's car."

"His fever's breaking." Lulu interrupted, glancing up with tears in her eyes.

"Yes, thank you, Alan." Robin couldn't keep the relief out of her voice. Patrick hadn't woken up yet, but his breathing was steady and his fever had broken at the mere mention of a hospital. Typical, she tried to smile. It was shaky, but it was somewhat comforting. "I will, just as soon as he wakes up." She promised, closing Elizabeth's cell phone and walking over to the bed where her boyfriend lay sleeping. He looked so peaceful, his face no longer sweaty, his features no longer pinched in agony.

Laura and the rest of the Calvary had each been in to talk to him and she hadn't thought it polite to deny them their few minutes. Even Lulu had made it a point to threaten him with no pie if he didn't wake up soon. She played dirty, Robin mused. Cruz had told him that he wouldn't feel right watching the rest of the game without him, especially since he would owe him money once their home team lost. Lucky hadn't said much of anything, his fear tangible. Bobbie and Luke had had about the same reaction. Laura had spoken about her garden and about how Patrick needed to move out of the dangerous neighborhood he lived in so that he would have enough room for Robin and Morgan once he woke up and smelled the roses. Elizabeth had done a bit of her own threatening, but Robin hadn't been in the room to hear the details.

Robin felt safer in the quiet bedroom than she had in the frantic living room, but she was still half panicked that she should have taken Patrick to the hospital anyway, or had Alan make a house call. As it stood, they were upstairs in what must have been Patrick's old room. The walls were littered in racing posters and a calendar of models wearing leather jackets, boots, and hats was tacked to the back wall. There was an alarm clock next to the bed and a partially full dresser where Laura still kept a few outfits for him to wear if he should run out of clean clothing. A picture frame of Luke, Laura, Lucky, Lulu, and Patrick sat atop the dresser.

"Do you enjoy making me a mess over you?" She whispered to Patrick though there was little reason to speak so softly. There was no one around to hear the one-sided conversation. It wasn't like she was sitting on the docks in the middle of the night shouting out her innermost secrets to strangers.

"I'll have you know, if you wanted some tender, loving care you didn't have to play sick." She told him in a quivering voice. "Get a grip, Scorpio." She scolded herself. "Alan said you should be fine, just a bug he assumes. And don't think you're getting out of a hospital visit once you do wake up, holiday or not. I should have made you go." Robin rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm really glad you didn't." Patrick managed hoarsely, his eyes opening slowly.

"How much did you hear?" Robin wanted to know, folding her arms over her chest in a mock pout.

"Nothing." Patrick assured her.

"I don't believe you."

"I guess that's your right." Patrick smiled, reaching for her hand. "Lay down with me."

"I don't think so, hotshot." Robin shook her head as a smile passed between them.

"But you have to. You promised tender, loving care. I don't feel good." He reminded her, his bottom lip plumped as his brown eyes went soft.

"Only you would use that as a ploy to get me in bed with you." Robin muttered.

"Is it working?" Patrick asked, catching her troubled stare. "Hey, I'm okay." He reached out and traced his fingers under each of her eyes before cradling her face in his palm.

"You scared me." Robin admitted. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes, the tears warm as they slipped beneath her eyelashes. "You just collapsed." Robin recalled brokenly. "And you wouldn't respond to me or your family. I didn't know what to do."

"But you took great care of me if I'm alive to talk about it, right?" He could tell he should have been more tactful when she turned her face away from him in response. "Robin?"

"Yeah?" She managed weakly.

"I love you." He answered as he used his index finger to tilt her head toward him. "I should have told you I was feeling lousy before we even left your uncle's."

"Yeah." She planted a soft punch to his right arm. "You should have."

"But surely you can forgive me now, in my weakened state?" He added.

"You're impossible." Robin smirked.

"Impossibly adorable." Patrick corrected. "Come on, lay down with me. There's plenty of room." He gestured toward the scant amount of space he didn't take up.

"Fine, but just for a minute." Robin gave in, pulling the comforter back and settling in next to him.

"Hey, Robin?" Patrick asked once she was settled in beside him.

"Hmm?" She murmured, knotting their fingers together.

"Think you can sneak downstairs and get me some pie?"


	148. Something To Sleep To

She bit her lip as she watched him from the top of the stairs. Lucky had been quiet ever since Patrick's fever started to break. He had managed a few words with Cameron, even a quick goodbye as they left his parent's house, but nothing beyond that since then. This was the quietest Elizabeth had ever seen him since Cameron's accident and it was starting to unnerve her.

He had changed into a pair of sweats and a white t shirt since they returned and was now sitting on the window seat, his head leaning against the glass. He looked so lost, that Elizabeth had an irrational image of Lucky as a young boy, looking for a lost puppy. Her heart broke for him. Not wanting to disturb him, but needing him to know she was there, Elizabeth set down the stairs. She kept her footsteps quiet, so as to not disturb either Lucky or the exhausted, confused three-year-old upstairs. Cameron still wasn't' sure of what all had happened beyond Uncle Patrick got sick and it was pretty bad according to his grandma.

Sliding down in front of him, Elizabeth took Lucky's hands from where they rested beside him and wrapped them around her shoulders as she settled back onto his chest. Kissing his hands gently, she rubbed her hands up and down his arms. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Only a penny?"

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "Us preschool teachers can't afford to throw away bigger bucks."

A light chuckle was her reward for the rather lame joke. "Touché."

Sighing she rested her head back on his shoulder and let the silence cover them both. Stretching her legs out to avoid cramps later on, she weighed her options carefully. She could either press him to talk or just let him tell her what was going on in his own time. Or there was always option three, hint around it until he either told her or sent her back to her own home insisting he was fine. And since she already realized Patrick's sudden illness had started this, she could probably get pretty far with the hinting around.

Surprisingly, it was Lucky who broke the silence. "So did you enjoy your holiday?"

"I did." Cautiously she looked up at him. "You didn't tell me dinner with your family was so interesting."

"Lulu always throws a fit about washing the dishes. That's why we call her the Drama Queen."

"You didn't really think I was referring to that were you?" She arched her eyebrow at him. Apparently she chuckled silently she was going with the direct approach. How novel for them.

"I was hoping?"

"Well hope denied." Not really wanting to, but realizing this conversation would go much better if she could look into his eyes, Elizabeth detangled herself from his arms and turned to face him. Holding his hands lightly in hers, she squeezed them. "I can tell Patrick getting sick like that shook you."

Lucky laughed silently. If only it could be something as simple as being "shook". Ever since he had learned of Patrick's exposure, he had been focusing on everything else. He had been content to accept Patrick and Robin's assurances that Patrick was going to be fine. It was nothing to worry about. He would pass his six-month test and it would all be behind him. Tonight was a cold slap in the face that fine could very well be a relative term where his cousin was concerned.

As far back as Lucky could remember it had always been him and Patrick. Two peas in a pod, even before Noah had dumped Patrick on them after Aunt Mattie's death. They had successfully disrupted every family get together from the time they were five until they were old enough to cause trouble without getting caught. Patrick was the only one to know what a true geek he had been in middle school and high school. Likewise he was the only one to know the first girl to reject Patrick. Lisa Shelley, seventh grade, Matt Steven's party. Cruz had easily joined their bond in college, but as close as he was to his friend, the simple truth was their bond was different as his bond with Patrick. They weren't cousins. They were brothers.

And then there was Robin. He had been in such denial over Patrick's condition he hadn't even started to process the fact that Robin wasn't possibly HIV positive. HIV was her reality. She took medications and had been living with it for years now. And eventually Robin wouldn't be there. Shortstack would not be around to beat him up, harass him about doing the right thing, or just veg out and watch reruns of bad mid-nineties WB shows. Who else was going to help him hide his addiction to Felicity?

It wasn't fair. Patrick didn't get sick like that. Not ever. Even as a kid, somehow every virus, illness, or outbreak that happened at school managed to miss Patrick. Even mono in high school when he was secretly voted most likely to spread the disease. To see him just collapse like that was beyond unnerving. It was close to terrifying. And if Lucky let himself think about think about it too long, he realized that Robin too could potentially just collapse.

Patrick was his rock and Robin his touchstone. Trying to imagine any event in his life without either one of them was impossible. They were always there. First date. Getting his driver's license. Prom. High school graduation. College. Cameron's birth. Starting his career. His first major promotion. Even when he asked Robin to back off after Jess's death, he knew he still had her support. She always just knew when he saw her at family get-togethers, the big news in his life, and was happy for him. Contemplating any sort of future without them was impossible. He prayed to be shook. He longed for shook. This was terror.

"He's never really been sick. Not like that. Ever." Lucky shook his head as he spoke hesitantly.

"Dr. Quartermaine told Robin he would be fine."

"This time."

Elizabeth squeezed his hand harder. "You don't know that. He has his six-month test coming up and he'll pass it."

He barely met her eyes. "What if he doesn't? What if he doesn't pass his test? What then Elizabeth? What then?"

The barely disguised pain made her heart ache. "I don't know." She whispered. "I didn't go through this with Robin. I have no idea how I would have handled this if we knew each other then."

"How do you handle it?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know. I just try not to let it be her whole identity. I forget sometimes. A lot of the time really. And we both know how awesome I am at avoiding something if I am determined not to deal with it." Her small joke was rewarded with an equally small smile in response. "I'm sure a shrink would say denial isn't healthy but it helps."

"I don't think that's going to work for me."

"No." Elizabeth feigned shock over his answer. "The man who forces me to actually state what an issue is won't be able to use denial? You don't say."

"Be quiet." Lucky smacked at her hands.

"You'll find a way. You didn't know how to be a father and you figured it out. Then being a single father. And call me crazy but I have this feeling if, and it's a big if, if the worse happens and Patrick is HIV positive, you, Cruz, and he will find some way to handle it that will only make sense to the three of you and make the rest of us roll our eyes."

"Have you always been this smart?"

"Yes. But some of this is from a long talk I had with your mother tonight."

"Oh Lord. Just give me something else to worry about."

Aunt Laura must have decorated the playroom, Morgan figured, otherwise it would have been blue, just like Cam's room at home was. The bed was shaped like a race car, obviously Patrick's idea, and there was a Bob the Builder pillow behind Morgan's head. He couldn't sleep, or rather, he didn't want to. What if they weren't able to wake him up? What if something else happened while he was asleep? What if Patrick went into a coma like Cameron had, or what if Robin's "sickness"—as he had heard Lucky and Cruz talking about in the hallway—got worse?

What had Lucky and Cruz meant when they said Robin was sick too? That was the reason he couldn't sleep, he bet. He couldn't stop thinking about what could be wrong with her. Was she going to fall down too? Would they not be able to wake her up either? He didn't want to think about, didn't want to think it could happen, but closing his eyes never made anything go away.

Patrick should have gone to the hospital. Didn't he know about the candy they gave you there? Morgan couldn't ever remember Patrick being in the hospital before. Maybe Morgan would tell him about the lollipops and Patrick would want to go and get a check-up. He would leave out the part about the shots, just in case Patrick didn't know about those either. At least he always got Scooby Doo Band-Aids to show off at school.

What would his cousins do? Lance would get out of the bed quietly and sneak around, trying to find the best possible way out without making too much noise. Sometimes Morgan though Lance had come right out of a movie. Cameron would start crying and yelling for one of the grown-ups, probably Lucky. Morgan bet he could yell pretty loud and get everyone to come and see what was the matter. Maybe then they would tell him what he wanted to know. It was worth a shot. Throwing his head backwards, he took a deep breath and then let out a howl accompanied by a few tears. He had watched Michael cry enough to know just how to make it look real.

He heard scrambling bare feet a few seconds later, but it was impossible to know who was actually hurrying into the room. What if it wasn't Robin or Aunt Laura or Uncle Luke? What if it was a bad guy? He hadn't thought about that before. No way anyone else could have heard him and come this quick. Sitting up on his haunches, he launched from the mattress and landed in the arms of a very unsteady bad guy. They fell into a tangle of arms and legs and Morgan knew he had to tighten his fists if he wanted to get away. He felt a hand tug on the back of the nightshirt Aunt Laura had found for him and he was lifted off of his feet. Kicking and screaming, he noticed that his tears were becoming less and less fake. He was in trouble now.

"What's gotten into you, Rocky? Calm down." Morgan had never been happier to hear Uncle Luke's voice in his entire life.

"I thought you were a bad guy." Morgan told him shamefully.

"Well, I can see how you might think that." Uncle Luke carried him over to the bed and sat next to him. "I thought maybe a wild dog had gotten into the house with the way you were carrying on."

Wiping away his tears and sniffing instantly, Morgan met his uncle's bright blue eyes. "Is Patrick still sick?" He had tried lying to this man before and it hadn't worked. Uncle Luke was probably the only person he could actually talk to, the only one who wouldn't just look at him and see a baby.

"He's asleep. Robin said he's going to be fine. Is that what's got you so upset?" Luke asked his voice strained as if he was holding back a laugh. Or maybe he was about to choke. It was hard to tell with old people and, as Lucky and Patrick were always saying, Uncle Luke was so old he couldn't have birthdays anymore. Morgan wondered if Patrick would ever get that old and, if he did, if he could live without birthday cake.

"I got scared." Morgan admitted, ducking his head so that he could get rid of the leftover tears in his eyes before Uncle Luke saw.

"I guess it got kind of panicky there." Luke concluded, nodding in understanding. How many late nights had he found himself in this very room talking down a scared Patrick when he had worried his father didn't love him?

"It sure did. I thought everybody else might fall down too. Flu spreads you know." Morgan whispered.

"I know. It's enough to make you want to wear a doctor's mask everywhere you go. But not to worry. We're going to sneak out of here tomorrow morning and get our flu shots. Guys like us don't have time to be sick. Patrick's probably faking to get attention from your mom." Luke assumed.

"You think he was faking?" Morgan asked, his eyes going wide.

Realizing his mistake, Luke hurried to rectify it. "No, tonight Patrick really was sick. But he's going to be just fine now."

"What if Robin catches it?" Morgan wondered.

You are too smart for your own good, Luke thought to himself. "Then we'll get out the stethoscope and get her better like we did for Patrick."

"Promise?" Morgan goaded.

"Well sure. We've got a pretty cool thermometer you know." Luke reminded him.

"If I wear my Spider-Man mask, do I still have to get a shot?" Morgan wanted to know. Uncle Luke's answer was to ruffle his hair.

"Think you can get to sleep, or should I go wake up your mom?" Luke inquired instead.

"Guys like us are tough, right?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah." Luke replied.

"I'll be okay." Morgan nodded solemnly.

"I can stay with you until you fall asleep." Luke offered.

"Okay…if you want." Morgan agreed, sliding under the Bob the Builder sheets and closing his eyes.

The glow of her cell phone grabbed her attention in the darkened bedroom. Gently moving out of his embrace, she grabbed the phone and made her way to the hallway, not wanting to wake him up. Not tonight. Not after all they had been through today. She smiled when she noticed her best friend's name on the caller ID screen. "Hey you." She whispered into the phone.

"Did I wake you?" She never realized how good it was to hear her friend's voice until disaster struck. She sounded a lot less anxious than she had earlier.

"Nope. After tonight I didn't think I would be sleeping much anyways." She stretched her arms over her head. "How are you doing?"

"Okay. I've caught a little sleep, but only in twenty minute increments. I was worried about you."

"I'm fine. Nothing to worry about here."

"Are you taking care of yourself? Tonight was pretty stressful. You handled it like a pro. I guess that's what worries me. You internalize so much."

"I'm fine Mother Hen. I'll take my vitamins in the morning when I get home."

"I have an extra bottle for you that you dropped in my car yesterday. Speaking of the father of your child..." She doubted her friend would let the subject change so swiftly, but she had been pretty understanding up until this point. He had a right to know. Besides, her friend had enough to worry about without adding in what she thought he needed.

"What about him?" She wasn't stupid. She knew exactly what her friend wanted to know. Unfortunately she also knew what her friend's reaction was going to be when she told her.

"And I avoid? Please." She scolded her friend lovingly.

"I didn't tell him," she admitted in low whisper.

"He's not an idiot. Wouldn't you rather have him hear it from you than from someone else?" She pressed further.

"I was going to. Tonight after dinner. But after everything..."

"You've got to say something!" She whispered back harshly. "Don't you think he deserves to know? Last time I checked, it took two to make a baby."

"I'll tell him. Tonight wasn't the right time."

"Tonight would have been a perfect time. I can't think of a better time. You depended on each other's strength. But I'll quit judging you. I don't know if I would have handled it any differently...if I were in this position."

"Tonight was the perfect time." She admitted softly. "But then Patrick got sick..."

"There will always be a million excuses not to tell him. You can't spend the rest of your pregnancy waiting for that moment. It just might not come."

"I know that. I never thought this would happen to me and sue me for wanting everything to be perfect. You know I'm neurotic."

"If you're neurotic, what does that make me?"

"My best friend who loves me anyway?"

"Have you thought about how you're going to tell him?"

"Taking out an ad in the Insider?"

"I guess you can trust Cruz. I mean, after all, he came through for Lucky. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself."

"He'd hate me if I told his best friend before him though." She sighed heavily. "Isn't there a book on this sort of thing?"

"Maybe Bobbie will lend it to you. She's got to have baby books, right?"

"It would stand to reason." She smiled slightly at the thought of actually having to use baby books. A week after she found out she really was pregnant and it still didn't seem real to her. "Making this his Christmas present would be way too lame wouldn't it?"

"I don't think so. I think that's a great idea."

"I thought you said I shouldn't wait forever."

"Well that's before you started suggesting holidays. Anything tops this one I think. It's about time we started focusing on the good instead of the bad. We have so much to be thankful for this year. Just think, next year there'll be two little babies sitting at the table with us."

She couldn't help but giggle. "Can you imagine his face when he realizes his child is going to be a few months younger than his new cousin?"

"I think you're going to show him that some surprises are worth praying for." She responded matter-of-factly.

"So does this mean you'll help me plan the perfect way to tell him on Christmas?"

"I think I can fit you into my busy life of inspiring young minds."


	149. Piece of Me

"Did we actually leave anything in the store?" Elizabeth wondered aloud, her voice teasing. She and Robin had planned this shopping trip to pick up supplies for Bobbie's baby shower weeks ago. Now after the events of Thanksgiving it seemed like perfect timing. They had both needed a happy distraction and buying out the party supply store of every baby themed item fit the bill nicely.

"They sure were happy to see the stuff go, weren't they?" Robin smirked, pushing her purse back onto her shoulder. Courtney had done a complete one-eighty and decided to help them with making up the invitations and every other little nitpick detail that would go into making this party a reality. While Robin wanted to know the reason, she decided not to tip the scale. Maybe this relationship of hers was more serious than she cared to mention to anyone.

"Well sure." Elizabeth agreed as they gathered the bags out the trunk of her car. "I think we were the only ones who've actually planned a baby shower in the past decade. I overheard one lady say most of the baby shower stuff she sold was in connection to a wedding shower."

"It was like being back in Manhattan. It's been too long since we've gone and seriously shopped." Robin sighed, balancing the bags at a slight advantage: not being able to see over them.

"Amen sister friend. No more letting silly boys and their dramas keeping us from the important things in life." Elizabeth led the way up to her door. Her grandmother had agreed to store all the party supplies at her house. While Bobbie was aware the shower was being planned, they had to have some surprises for the older woman. It wouldn't be fun if she knew everything.

"Do you think we'll even be able to fit this little bit of stuff in the attic? It was packed pretty full last time I looked." She said the words as she headed up the stairs to the aforementioned storage area. She was in such a rush, she didn't realize Elizabeth had stopped and wasn't following her. When she moved to open the door to the attic, she was pleasantly shocked to see that everything had been arranged and shoved off to the side leaving plenty of room for this and probably a great deal more. Confused, she glanced behind her, noticing that Elizabeth wasn't there. "Liz, you've got to see—"

Elizabeth couldn't hear her. She dropped her bags, forgetting if there was anything breakable in her possession and not really caring at the moment. Her grandmother sat in her usual chair, smiling serenely at the person seated on the couch. He was tanner than when she last saw him. Maybe even a little thinner. But there would never be any mistaking his curly hair.

"Steven? Steven?" she gasped, unable to hide her grin.

Steven Lars Webber turned at the sound of his sister's voice, an even wider smile crossing his face. He rose to his full height, casually straightening out his khaki pants as he stood. Crossing to where Elizabeth stood near the foot of the steps he opened his arms wide, allowing her to easily run headlong into them. "Hey Lizzie Bear." He laughed as they hugged their hellos. "Did I surprise you?"

"You rat." Elizabeth socked him in his side, earning herself a muffled "oof" from somewhere above her head. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you working?"

"Writer's strike." Steven shrugged as he detangled himself. "Nothing to work on right now. So I thought I would come by and see some family." He shrugged his shoulders. "Between here and Alaska, this was the cheaper plane ticket."

"Oh well as long as you save money." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Steven would never go to Alaska to visit Sarah. He had been in California for far too long. An inch of snow and he freaked.

Catching sight of Robin still standing on the steps, she felt awful. How long had Robin been standing there? "Robin! Come here. Meet my brother." She called out, beckoning her friend with her hand.

"This is Steven? I can definitely see the family resemblance." Robin teased, tugging on a loose curl of Elizabeth's. "I don't know whether or not I should hug you or shake your hand." She admitted bashfully.

"Considering how much I've heard your name come out of her mouth, I think a hug would be in order." He joked opening his arms again. "Nice to meet you officially Robin."

"You too!" Robin giggled, letting him fold his arms around him. "Though I have to wonder what Elizabeth told you about me." She met her friend's innocent stare.

"That you were this horrible person with baby rabies and you were chasing down men to give you their sperm. You know the basics." Elizabeth smiled sweetly.

"Excuse me; I have some pride in myself." Robin rolled her eyes at the ridiculous of the joke.

"Actually I really am glad to meet you Robin. You can tell me the real story about these people my sister hangs out with." Steven sat down and gestured toward Audrey with his thumb. "I can't get more dirt out of her other than "oh they are a lovely family."

Robin threw back her head and laughed. "I don't know that I can say much else. They're like a second family to me most days."

"See I told you. Worried for nothing." Elizabeth stuck her tongue out. "Learn to trust my judgment."

"I've heard that about every ex-boyfriend I've had to run off." Steven pointed out.

"You've not had to run any of them off." Elizabeth protested indignantly. There were a few she had taken special care to not introduce to her brother for that very reason. The mistake in high school that wore the same leather jacket and facial expression for four years for example.

Steven cocked his eyebrow, in a manner similar to the way Robin had always seen her friend do it. "That you know of." He chuckled. For the first time he noticed the bags the two women had brought in with them. "Planning a party?"

Elizabeth fixed her best innocent smile on her brother. "Yes a baby shower."

"For Bobbie Spencer, Steven." Audrey admonished as Steven began to jump straight off the couch. "Really Elizabeth, you shouldn't tease your brother like that."

"But it was so easy." Elizabeth protested through her giggles.

Steven glared at his sister through hooded eyes. "You'll pay for that one. Mark my words." He waved his finger in her direction. He could swear this was what a heart attack felt like. His baby sister pregnant? Not without a ring on her finger. He turned his attention to Robin. "You seem unlikely to kill me. Who's Bobbie Spencer?"

Robin laughed. Oh Steven, she thought, where do I start? "Bobbie is a friend of the family, Lucky's aunt. She and her boyfriend just realized they were going to have a baby a few months ago. They're a hoot. I think you'll like them."

"Nice. When's the party anyways? If I'm still in town, then maybe I'll swing by."

"A little over a month." Robin told him. "It should make for an interesting party to say the least." She added, not missing the looks of betrayal she was receiving from her friend. "Probably more interesting than the Writer's strike."

Steven shrugged. "That won't be hard. I support them, I really do. I just know some writers who are better off being left on the picket line than going back to work."

"Did I mention that there's about twenty years in age separating Bobbie and her boyfriend?" Robin didn't watch a lot of television. Why should she when the people she kept in her company were so entertaining she rarely forgot she lived in real life?

"Oh and he's Lucky and Patrick's old college roommate?" Elizabeth added helpfully.

"Elizabeth told me you like a good scandal." Robin went on, sharing a smile with Elizabeth.

If he had taken a drink of anything, right now it would be all over his grandmother's floral couch. He coughed repeatedly, his eyes going between the two friends and his grandmother, looking for any sign this was some elaborate joke. "Are you serious?"

Audrey took pity on her grandson. He thought he was living in the fast lane in LA and was finding out Tinsel town had nothing on Port Charles when it came to scandal and intrigue. Why, she thought, wait till he found out Robin was dating her ex brother-in-law. "They are a very cute couple actually. Once you spend time with them, you understand why they work."

"I agree. They almost make too much sense." Robin giggled, trying to ease Steven out of his catatonic state.

"Holy shh...shoot" Steven corrected himself when he caught his grandmother's eye. No matter how old he was, she would always make him feel as if he was ten again. "What kind of town is this?"

"Just average small town in upstate New York." Elizabeth shrugged. "Nothing special."

"Any other shocks you want to lay on me? Secret engagements? Secret meeting spots? Secret children?" He accused

"I wouldn't hide anything that big from you Steven." Elizabeth protested. "I'd totally tell you about an engagement."

"Oh well as long as you would tell me about an engagement." Steven rolled his eyes.

"Steven, how long are you staying darling?" Audrey questioned gently. "You never did tell me."

"A few days. A friend of mine is working on a movie in Paris and got me a shot at some DP work over there. Not much, but working in French cinema will help down the line. All the greats have done it."

"Paris, really? My cousin just left for there!" Robin would admit she missed Georgie greatly. She had underestimated just how much until they had their first Thanksgiving without her youngest cousin.

"Really? What's your cousin doing in Paris?"

"She went there with a bunch of other college students to study for six months. I told her it was a great opportunity. I always wanted to go there." Robin recalled dreamily. "She wants to be a writer, so we were able to talk my uncle into letting her go."

"Good for her. I've been to the city a few times and just love it."

Elizabeth brightened as she remembered the small package Robin had bought at the beginning of their excursion today. "I know! Robin, Steven can totally give Georgie that book you bought her today! That way you'll know she got it and they'll both know someone in the city from home."

"Oh, that's a great idea! You don't mind, do you, Steven? I just know she's feeling a little homesick from the letters she's been sending." Robin asked carefully.

"Sure not a problem. Just remind me to get it from you before I leave."

"You're a lifesaver. My uncle was rambling at Thanksgiving about how he was going to hop the first flight out there to make sure she hasn't joined a band of gypsies." Robin smiled, shaking her head.

"No need for that. All the gypsies live in Barcelona. Everyone knows that."

Lucky smiled as Cameron happily busied himself coloring in the new coloring book Patrick had bought him. It was a Thanksgiving tradition for Patrick to bring Cameron something to keep the preschooler busy during the game. Lucky smiled ruefully as he realized it has also served to keep Cameron from getting too worried when Patrick collapsed the other night.

His fingers itched with the urge to call Elizabeth and see how she was doing. It wasn't an unusual urge but it felt stronger tonight than usual. Thanksgiving night had turned into his starring turn in the dramatic hour and he just wanted to check in on her. She had been great about everything but she'd been quiet. Elizabeth being quiet generally meant her inventing drama over her own.

Seeing Cameron fully absorbed in his artwork, Lucky pulled out his cell phone and sat on the stairs, deciding to start by calling her grandmother's house. If Audrey didn't hang the phone up in his ear, then Elizabeth hadn't gone too far off the deep end.

"Hello Hardy residence." A vaguely familiar male voice answered on the other end. "How can I help you?"

Lucky checked the face of his phone, making sure he had dialed the right number. Seeing he had, he couldn't hide the confused look that crossed his face. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Depends on who's calling." The stranger joked. "Who are you looking for?"

"Is Elizabeth there?"

The voice on the other end immediately dropped in volume. "Why do you want to talk to her?"

"I'd rather tell that to her. Is she home?" Who was this guy? Lucky wondered. Why wasn't he just getting Elizabeth on the phone? Why was he even in her home to begin with?

"That depends on who's calling." The voice declared arrogantly. "And since I don't know who you are, I guess the answer is going to be no."

"All I want to do is talk to Elizabeth. Just put her on the phone."

"No you haven't passed the screening process yet."

"The screening process?" Lucky spat out incredulously. "Since when is there a screening process?"

"Since I arrived and since my sister has a bad track record with men."

His sister? Lucky shook his head. "Steven? Is that you?"

"Yes." The answer came out hesitantly. "Who is...?"

Lucky hurried to interrupt him. "It's Lucky Spencer. We met in Vegas?"

"Oh right. The playboy. Tabloid target. You."

Lucky laughed lightly. "Yeah well it's all exaggerated. Is your sister home? I just want to talk with her."

"Hmmm I think, yeah she is." And without another word, Steven hung up the other line.

Listening to the echoing silence, Lucky shook his head. "Oh this is going to be fun."


	150. Hypnotize

**_It only took one hundred and fifty chapters, but we are proud to present one of our newest couples: Mic. We think you'll thoroughly enjoy them! There's a chance this update won't be alone today. I'm just saying..._**

Courtney laughed quietly as she and AJ stumbled into the loft, his hands braced on either side of her head so that the door closed immediately. His lips moved to her neck and she felt her resistance quickly leaving her. This was a risk and he knew it, but he was damn persistent when it came to what he wanted. Besides, he had a lot to make up for since Michael had walked in on them just that morning. When he had suggested the loft as a change of venue, she might have agreed a little too hastily.

"Where's your room?" AJ whispered, his hands already moving to unbutton her top. A thorough sweep and the buttons would give way beneath his fingertips. He knew this much from the time they had spent fooling around in the car. She never let it go past that when they were in public and he couldn't particularly blame her, especially since they had met under some uncomfortable circumstances: him as an alcoholic and her as a stripper.

"Why do you want to know? You're not going up there with me." Courtney teased him, throwing her arms around his neck and catching his lips with hers. He responded eagerly, picking her up so that she slammed into his hardening anticipation and holding her there.

"I think you underestimate my power of persuasion." He croaked out, letting her slide across him before letting her feet reach the ground.

"Never underestimated that." She managed weakly, walking him backwards until they were beside the stairs.

He was almost certain he had convinced her before she turned her face away from him and her startling blue eyes went wide. "Is there something wrong?"

"Did you hear something like a picture falling over?" Courtney inquired instead. She didn't notice the confused look her question inspired to appear on her boyfriend's face. "I think somebody's up there." She nodded toward the stairs.

"Robin, maybe?" AJ offered, really hoping it wasn't her. If Robin was here, he would be asked to leave. It was just one of those things, hopefully something he wouldn't have to endure much longer.

Courtney knew better than to assume the noise coming from upstairs was caused by her roommate. Ever since Robin had spilled about Logan's release, she had found herself unable to even sleep in the loft, usually relying on AJ to provide a place for her to stay or staying at a hotel on the nights he was away on a business trip. "I don't think it's her."

"Well who else could it be for God's sake? And why does it matter?" AJ challenged crossly. It would be just like Robin to keep him from scoring with his girlfriend.

"It could be a burglar." Courtney posed it more as a question, but there was almost too much certainty in her tone for it to come out sounding like one. "I think we should check it out."

"A burglar? Please." AJ belittled her shortly. "The odds are not very good. You're not exactly living on the bottom floor."

"Is that the best argument you can come up with?" Courtney wondered stubbornly.

"I'm a desperate man." AJ replied gruffly.

"Don't I know it?" Courtney took one last glance up the stairs. "Let me prove to myself that there's no one up there and we'll finish what we started."

"You're not going up there alone." AJ argued, snatching up her hand.

"So you do believe there's someone up there?" Courtney asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Of course not. That doesn't mean I'm letting you go up there by yourself. We'll go together."

They took the stairs two at a time, their hands intertwined as if that provided any comfort. While AJ thought it ridiculous, he knew she'd never relax until she saw for herself that they were alone in the apartment. Courtney, on the other hand, knew what she had heard and maybe Robin was too oblivious to worry about Logan coming after her again, but she sure wasn't. He had tried and failed with Robin. What was to stop that madman from coming after her or Morgan?

Checking her bedroom first, they discovered nothing out of place. Courtney looked under the bed while AJ quietly opened the closet and bathroom doors. It was clear so he naturally pulled Courtney toward the bed.

"We haven't checked the other two rooms." She pointed out, pulling away from him. With a sigh of displeasure, he followed a step behind.

"Morgan's room is pretty small." AJ detected.

"Everything's small in relation to your mansion." Courtney retorted quietly.

"It's amazing you're not both suffocated in such a tiny space." AJ continued as if she hadn't spoken at all.

"Focus darling." Courtney advised him, never meeting his eyes. They did a quick sweep of the room and still came up with no burglar. "Now I know I heard someone."

"Do you want to talk about your paranoia issues, or should we save that for post-coital?" AJ asked tactlessly. At least he finally had her attention, even if she did look a little annoyed.

"I'm not paranoid." No sooner than the words had left her mouth did something else crash to the floor. "You see? Robin's room."

It was less than ten feet to Robin's room but they were still cautious crossing that space. Courtney kept one hand on AJ's shirt since he insisted on being in front of her and the other hand on her cell phone. If hell did break loose, she was not above calling the PCPD and making them do their jobs. They should have had more to hold Logan on. They should have dug around in where he had been living and see if there were any missing women in that area. Anything but let him out on a technicality.

"Well now, you're not Robin." Patrick addressed the couple, more startled than his tone had given away. He hadn't ever expected to see these two in the same place together, not with AJ's shady practices and Courtney's loyalty to Robin, but stranger things had happened. He had meant to surprise Robin with candles, some soft music, and Spin the Bottle, but it looked as though Courtney was going to ruin all his good fun.

"Patrick? Oh Jesus Christ!" Courtney shrieked, closing her eyes as she relayed the information to the dispatcher, "That's right. False alarm. It's not Logan Drake, but his brother. Yes, I'm aware of that, but this wasn't a prank call. I actually thought—"

"Logan? You thought I was Logan?" Patrick answered incredulously jumping to his feet.

"Well, it's not that far a leap." Courtney snapped the phone shut.

"How about the fact that Logan's locked up?" Patrick mocked her.

"What ever gave you that idea? Logan's been free and clear for weeks now. It's only a matter of time before he finishes what he started." Courtney corrected him cruelly.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Patrick demanded hotly.

"Didn't Robin tell you? Oh right, why would she? With your temper. Anyhow, I suppose I had better spills the beans. Consider this the only gift I'm ever going to give you. Robin didn't press charges. She went to her uncle and made him let Logan go." Courtney snickered, enjoying breaking the news to him. "It's kind of funny that she didn't tell you."

"What game are you trying to play at here, Courtney?" Patrick wanted to know, refusing to take anything she said at more than face value.

"Game? The only one playing games is Robin, and it's about to blow up in her face. Don't believe me? Call Mac. I'm sure he'd love to tell you all about how Robin lost her mind and defended her ex-husband." Courtney ground through her teeth. "I'm surprised she didn't tell you, the man she loves." She said the last part with such disgust Patrick almost flinched. She really hated him, didn't she? He had always thought it was jealousy or misplaced drama, but he could finally see her hostility for what it was: rage and resentment. He would be making that phone call to Mac, because this had to be absolute nonsense. Though it did kind of explain Robin's distance, didn't it? Her insistence that they make love when she knew she wasn't ready for any such act. Innocent until proven guilty, he thought to himself, drilling a hole in Courtney's forehead with his burning chocolate stare.

Maxie took one glance into the grand hall of the Metro Court hotel and decided that this just wasn't going to work. Georgie was the one who always volunteered, not her. She had lasted two weeks as a volunteer at General and they had "fired" her. She wasn't reliable or something. This had disaster written all over it. She almost made it to the exit, almost. Uncle Mac and Alexis were blocking it obliviously having stopped to talk to Mayor Floyd about something.

Double damn, she ground through her teeth. Wasn't it just like her dad to show up when she was trying to do the dishonorable thing? It was like he knew or something. The best thing to do would be to sneak out and fake a few car mishaps. She could say she blew out all four tires. This was Port Charles, land of potholes. Something that sounded vaguely like her conscience nagged at her. Mac was counting on her. The entire hospital was counting on her. Everyone that benefited from this event was depending on her, not her alone, but her all the same.

Beats the hospital scrubs, she reminded herself. She could wear whatever she wanted and no one would be able to get onto her. They may not agree, but she was under no restrictions here. They couldn't tell her what to wear, when to talk, when not to talk. The only power they had over her came merely from scheduled tasks. She would be expected to be here at a certain time however many days a week. She had already made arrangements with Mike. She was getting paid even though she wouldn't physically be at work. This was a win-win. All she had to do was convince one of these committees that they needed her expertise in order to complete their project.

Maxie had always loved to draw and sew as a small child. Her Barbie Dolls were always the most fashionable on the block. She had sent a few of her ideas to Vogue, but they hadn't contacted her yet. They were busy, she understood, so continued to stand vigilantly at the mailbox until they responded. Until then, she could charm the pants off of these stiffs. Oh, she sighed in silent satisfaction. She hadn't realized this place would full of hotties. Starched white shirts. Dark suits. Blondes, brunettes, redheads, dark headed—it was lady's choice. Screw the rest of the women in here, it was her choice. She had always looked older than her actual age of twenty-two. Which of these fine gentlemen would like to take her home with them?

Now Maximiliana, she scolded herself. You're here for a purpose. No reason to get sidetracked just because of a few good-looking men. They would be lining up to get her once she was part of a group anyhow. She didn't have to go chasing after them. Still, a little perusing never hurt. Remember your purpose! Your purpose Maxie! Her conscience was persistent, but she had learned to tune it out at the most inconvenient times. She would get to work just as soon as she knew she wouldn't be leaving here alone. This entire ordeal was boring. She didn't even know why she had agreed. Oh, that's right, she hadn't. She had been volunteered by her father. Volunteered! As if she was still a child.

"You do know you actually have to approach the tables to join the committee right?" Ric laughed at the young blonde he had watched enter the room and promptly stop. It was impossible to miss her. "I promise they don't bite."

Her response should be tactful. She should be respectful. She was not immature. This was her chance to prove it. "Who the hell are you?" She demanded eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Ric Lansing." He'd offer her his hand, but she would probably smack it away. Traditional, this girl was most decidedly not. He grinned at her and tilted his head, catching her blue eyes with his. "This is the part where you tell me your name."

"Thanks for letting me know. Excuse me." Maxie scooted around him, but his hand immediately reached out to grasp hers. Didn't he know who she was, who her father was?

"Now how am I supposed to sign up for your committee if I don't know your name?"

"What's the matter? Doesn't a cutie like you have any friends?" Maxie couldn't believe she was taking time to flirt with him when he was nowhere near her type.

"Who said anything about friends? The hospital requires us to help with this and, if I must, I would rather look at someone beautiful while I do it." He smiled his second-best smile. This still nameless minx was fun. Ric couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed flirting this much.

"I'd hate for you to waste your precious time on little old me. I can promise you, nothing would come of learning my name." Maxie assured him, tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth unconsciously.

"Trust me Blondie, I never waste my time."

Maxie screwed up her face at the nickname. "I have to get going. Don't want to miss out on all the good committees." She would move away from him just as soon as he released her hand. His touch and nearness was having an unraveling effect on her and he must have noticed this. They both knew they were hot: they had that in common.

Ric used the gentlest of pressure to lead her in front of him, moving his hand from hers to the small of her back. "By all means, lead the way."

"Are you gay?" Maxie blurted, blushing immediately. If he was going to be in her committee, he must have been. In her experience, there were very few straight men in fashion.

Ric raised an eyebrow and resisted the urge to laugh. "I better work on my technique if you think I'm gay."

"If you're planning on being in my 'committee'—fashion that is—you had better work on more than just your technique." Maxie schooled him, patting his cheek and shivering slightly at the skin on skin contact. His face was warm under her palm and she had a difficult time appearing uninterested.

He smiled and touched the tip of her nose with his finger. "I think you'll find I'm very talented with my hands."

"Um, I need to volunteer." She hated herself for stumbling over her words, but damn he was good at this seduction game.

Maxie felt cold at the loss of his hands on her skin, but simply lifted her chin and stumbled into two deliverymen, causing the couch they were carrying in to fall on their feet. "Well, it serves you right for getting my way." She sniped at them, smiling her best smile when she finally found the table she was looking for. "Maxie Jones. I wanted to volunteer for help with the costumes. I was thinking—"

"Maxie Jones." Ric repeated behind her. "Now was that so hard to say?"

Maxie was about to respond when she heard the words she had dreaded. "We're full." A bland looking brunette assured her, never looking up.

"Full?" She was not above stomping her foot at the ridiculousness of this! How could they be full? They were clearly unaware of who she was.

"Did I stutter?" The middle-aged brunette asked tartly.

"Now..." Ric glanced down at the other woman, trying to place where he had seen her before. She had to work at the hospital. Everyone working the tables did. "Surely there's room for one more volunteer. The more the merrier and all that jazz?"

"No." The woman was about to continue when his brown eyes locked on her green ones. "What I mean is...what I mean..."

Suddenly Ric could place her. The receptionist in the dental clinic. What was her name again? Mitzi? Mindy? Mandy? Marty? Marty that was it. He smiled his most charming smile and leaned in closer to her. "Marty, we both know how flaky certain people are. And it wouldn't hurt to have a backup or two would it? Just in case some people aren't as dedicated to the cause as you."

Maxie spun around to face Ric, her arms folded. "I didn't ask for your help. Mind your own business."

"Excuse me but it looks like you needed some help."

"I don't need help from you or any other man. I was doing just fine on my own. My talent speaks for itself." She assured him snidely.

"I'm sure it does, but all talent needs nurturing. Consider this my contribution to the arts." He winked at Maxie and returned his attention to Marty. "What do you say, Marty? Can you help a talented individual such as my friend here make a difference in the world?"

"I suppose if you want me to I can." Marty answered bashfully.

Maxie took a second to sign up and then turned on her heel, stomping away from Ric.

"You're welcome Maxie Jones." Ric called after her. He winked down at Marty. "Can you call my nurse and remind me when the fashion committee meets?"


	151. Something Like That

Cruz wrinkled his nose in disgust at the offered name. To think she had thought of something so putrid, so awful, so disgusting for their child was absolutely astonishing. It was almost enough to make him jump up from the couch, but her head was in his lap, and he was in the perfect position to stroke her face and play with her hair.

"What, you don't like Bertha?" Bobbie teased as she caught the look on his face. He had practically thrown the baby name book at her about twenty minutes earlier. Normally she liked her sister-in-law but ever since Laura had helped Cruz with some shopping all she had heard was "Laura says this..." and "Laura says that..." Today it was "Laura says we should talk about a name." She smiled secretly when she realized that Laura hadn't said she had to be serious about all the names they discussed.

"Bertha Rodriguez? Why not just throw her off a bridge for all the teasing she'll be subjected to in school?" Cruz pointed out, wondering why she was throwing out names that she surely didn't like. Here he was, trying to discuss something serious, and she was making a joke out of it.

"There are always nicknames. We can call her Bertie!" She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. It was all too adorable and way too easy.

"Here Bertie, Bertie, Bertie. Why not just get a dog?" He asked, tickling the spot where her neck met her shoulder.

Bobbie flipped the book to another random page. Running her finger down the list, she paused when she spotted one. "Matilda?"

"Eh." He answered noncommittally. He didn't know why he was being so difficult. She was getting his last name after all. If Bobbie would make some real suggestions, he might be more compliant.

Bobbie sat up and threw the book square at his chest. "Alright Mr. Picky, you choose one."

"What about Carmen?" Cruz replied, throwing out the first name that came to mind. Who had he known named Carmen?

"Too close to Cameron." Bobbie shook her head. "She'll be mistaken for her nephew her entire life."

"I suppose." Cruz figured. "Sarah?"

"Too common. Can't you hear Luke on that one?" Bobbie began to mimic her brother's voice. "No Spencer will have a common name! We are not common!"

"At this point, we're going to run out of names. We'll have to be really creative then. Come here Lotion. Or Candle. Or maybe even Loofah. Loofah Rodriguez has a certain ring doesn't it?" Cruz teased, touching the tip of his finger to the end of her nose.

Bobbie grabbed at the baby book once again. "There are over a million names in this book. We will find one."

"Have you thought about after Willow is born?" Cruz met her eyes.

"Willow? You've been watching that movie too long." Bobbie shook her head. "But what exactly were you referring to?"

"After we bring her home from the hospital specifically." Cruz added.

"Put her in her nursery that we will have finished and chase off the friends and family?"

"Does that mean we're bringing her back to this house?" Cruz asked nudging toward the point he was trying to make.

Bobbie closed the book with a decided thump and finally met his eyes. "You need to work on your subtly. It doesn't work for you."

"I don't want to push." Cruz explained.

Bobbie laughed. "Since when?"

Cruz smirked. "I guess I just want to know if you've thought about our life in future terms."

So they were finally having this conversation. She couldn't say she was surprised; this was building ever since she had turned down his proposal in the hospital. But that didn't mean she had figured out exactly how to say what she was feeling. "All the time."

"And?" He urged her to continue, feeling like he was falling without a parachute.

"And..." Her voice trailed off as she tried to figure out the best way to say what was in her heart. "I think about it and realize this, whatever we have here, is perfect for me. I think about it and realize I don't want to be away from you ever again. And I think about it and become scared to death."

"What scares you about that?" Cruz wanted to know, lightly clutching her hands in his.

"Baby, I've been through this before, remember? And, even though Tony and I were apart for a long time, losing him crushed me."

"What makes you think you could ever lose me?" Cruz kissed her chin and let his eyes slowly meet hers.

"Let's see...I already drove you away once? Think that may have some bearing on it?"

"That was just my pride. I know what's important: you and this little girl." He almost choked when he caught a hidden tear at the corner of her left eye.

"I know." She whispered.

"I guess Tori Amos is out huh?" Cruz asked, needing to get them out of such a difficult situation. They obviously weren't ready for this conversation yet.

"You guess right." Bobbie smiled, grateful for his obvious change of subject. "We could be completely traditional and go with Maria."

Courtney crossed the living room in a relaxed pace. She hated keeping secrets and finally, finally, she got to spill one. Granted, it was to Patrick Drake of all people, but at least she didn't have to hide it any longer. Robin's world was about to be blown into a hundred different pieces; this was just the beginning. She had recognized the confusion and rejection in his eyes and almost reveled in the sight. It was about time people realized that her roommate was capable of making mistakes but, more importantly, that she wasn't going to get away with every single one. There were too many casualties when Robin decided to try to run everyone else's life instead of just her own.

AJ didn't say anything, but regarded her with mild uncertainty. He had never seen her blow up at anyone that way. Even back when he had first brought up the idea of claiming custody of Morgan during the time Robin had been in her coma, she had been diplomatic to him at least, and he knew it had hurt her. What he had seen in her eyes when she divulged the truth to Patrick had been something he barely recognized, something that he had only ever seen in himself. A part of him wanted to be afraid, at least cautious, but he knew she was far from becoming anything like him. She kept him pure, she kept him unscathed. She would be a great mother to Michael and he would ask her just as soon as she let herself believe he really did love her and planned on staying with her for always.

"What do you think will happen now?" He didn't actually care. She seemed to be concerned about it. Or maybe just intrigued by it.

"In true Patrick Drake fashion, he'll mope for a few hours and then confront her. She'll make up another lie and he'll forgive her because he has no balls." Courtney assumed cruelly.

"Want to get out of here?" AJ stared longingly at the front door knowing, once they passed through it, his sweet Courtney would return to him. She was acting a little too much like Carly and he didn't like it.

"Please." Courtney answered in a dramatic tone, drawing the one word so that it had about three syllables. He almost had her out the door when she suddenly stopped.

"What? What's wrong now?" He couldn't keep the annoyance out of his voice. Today was not going how he had wanted it to. Just one day, that's all he wanted. One day without Robin Scorpio or Patrick Drake or Logan Hayes or Emily Quartermaine being mentioned. He didn't mind the talks about Morgan, but he had his own reasons for that and, besides, they loved that little boy.

"There's something on my shoe." Courtney explained, making a face at the glob of pink gum she must have picked up outside on their way here. "Eww." She peeled the gum away, barely noticing that there was something stuck to it besides her favorite pair of shoes.

"You got something there?" AJ inquired, realizing that she hadn't said a word for several beats. "Courtney?"

"Dr. Richard Lansing." Courtney read the appointment card aloud. "What is Robin doing with a card from an obstetrician?" She posed her question while locking eyes with her boyfriend.

"Maybe it isn't hers." AJ suggested.

"The date and time are written in her handwriting." Courtney informed him.

"And how would you know that?" AJ countered.

"She always used to leave notes about what we were having for dinner on the fridge." Courtney retorted tartly. "This can't be right." She had to sit down. It took a half a minute to realize she already was. Reaching for AJ's hand desperately, she met his glance with tears in her eyes. "She's pregnant."

"You don't know that." AJ replied calmly. "There's no reason to blow things out of proportion—"

"Out of proportion?" She waved the appointment card at him. "I just told you that she's pregnant and that's your response?" She needed to breathe. Or scream. Or just continue to cry. How could this have happened? Logically she knew the answer, but things like this just shouldn't happen.

"What's got you so upset? So she's pregnant? That actually makes things easier." AJ pointed out.

"Easier? She had a chance before, but now she's tied to Patrick forever!" Courtney snapped at him, her body starting to convulse.

"Courtney, please relax. It's not as bad as you think." AJ soothed her, sitting beside her and pulling her into his arms. "I think you need to confront her about this—"

"What good would that do?" Courtney demanded, swatting away at the tears clinging to her eyelashes. "She's gone completely outer limits here."

"Don't you see? This is a good thing." AJ tried to explain, not blaming her for freaking out, but understanding that she couldn't see the big picture yet. "I know it's hard to see it now, but I promise everything will work out." Pushing on her shoulders, he managed to get her to her feet. "Let's go home. I'll make you a hot bath and we can watch the sun come up. How does that sound?"

Courtney didn't want to admit it sounded like Heaven. Letting him lead the way, she dropped the battered card on the top of the computer desk for Patrick to find.

Patrick stepped out of his hiding place at the top of the second floor landing and just stared at the spot where Courtney had stood mere seconds earlier. One word kept repeating over and over in his mind and it was one that brought him to his knees: pregnant.

Patrick hadn't ever expected anything like this to happen to him, had thought God was pretty just with the exception of taking Mattie away. It was only lately that he was beginning to see how little power the Lord Almighty actually had in his life. It wasn't enough that Noah had abandoned him and Logan or that his brother had attacked Robin. No, now she had to be pregnant. And at a time when she was afraid to be touched by anyone or anything. At a time when she was questioning everything. Now was when God decided she needed to be tied down with the reality of being a mother.

It wasn't that Patrick doubted her ability. On the contrary, he had seen her with Morgan enough to know she was an excellent mother. She didn't just drop him off at the babysitter's or a family member's to be looked after, to be raised. She went to every PTA meeting. She attended every fieldtrip. She helped him with his homework.

It wasn't her ability that he found fault in, it was his. Children were not in the cards for him. He had gotten over his initial hatred of Noah with Robin's help even though he was sure she had no idea. He understood his father falling apart after losing his mother because he would react the exact same way if something was to happen to Robin. That was something he was one hundred percent aware of.

Patrick knew he was too selfish to be a father. He didn't know how to put a child's needs above his own. How was he going to give up his nights and early mornings for a kid? How was he going to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a kid that he didn't even want? There was the bottom line right there: he had never even considered the possibility of having a baby. When he looked at Robin, he saw a companion, a friend, a lover. He didn't see the mother of his children. She was the nonmother to his nonexistent children.

So that's it then? You don't want it so that makes the situation easier for everyone else involved? No matter what Robin wants? She can't seriously want to have a baby. Not with him. She probably had this perfect guy picked out for a future she most definitely deserved. He would be a nine-to-five kind of guy, never missing an opportunity to splurge on her or arrive late for dinner. He would be the little league couch of their kid's baseball team and the chauffeur to ballet class. He would wear ties and have business dinners. He would be the kind of guy who kept their pictures in his wallet to show strangers when the opportunity presented itself. Patrick was not that guy. He didn't want to be that guy.

His idea of a good time was a fine wine and some kind of sport on the television, it didn't matter which one. He liked to stretch out on the couch with Robin and watch a movie or take her to bed and make love to her until the sun came up. He liked her crawling into his lap on Sunday mornings and doing crosswords with him. The day he complained about food in bed would be the day he stopped breathing altogether. A baby would just mess that up.

He had just gotten used the mere possibility that he could lose Robin one of these days to HIV. He didn't accept it, but he wasn't naïve to it either. He knew they could beat it together—hell she could beat it without him. Maybe that was what he was really afraid of: that she could survive without him, raise his child without him, and be happy without him. He hardly remembered when he could live without her. They had become so comfortable, so accustomed to each other. He wasn't giving that up because of an accident.

But what if she wanted to keep it? What if she actually thought that they could make it work with a baby? Morgan was one thing. Robin had him because she wanted him. Patrick could even get along with Morgan sometimes. They were getting better. Things were thawing in that area. How was he going to act around a baby that looked just like him or just like Robin? But then, how could he deny her something he knew she wanted? He hadn't turned a deaf ear to Logan when his brother had started complaining about how Robin wanted to domesticate him with two point five kids and a dog and a big house on the edge of the City.

The reminder of his brother sent a cold, unwelcome shock through his system. Am I really no better than Logan? Sure, he hadn't attacked her physically, but he was asking her to give up a baby that she more than likely wanted. He couldn't imagine her getting rid of something that was a part of her, of both of them.

No, he couldn't think of it that way. He couldn't think of it as a human being. Right now it was the size of a pea, if that. He knew enough math to determine exactly how far along she was and knew it would only be a few more months before she started to show. How could they go day in and day out with a child growing inside her belly without being affected in some way? What about the first time it kicked? Or hiccupped? He couldn't very well ignore it if they were in bed together at the time. What if he wasn't in bed with her at all? What if she did, indeed, choose it over him? It wasn't that far a leap. She had only wanted him for a few months. She had wanted a child for years, probably her entire life.

Whoa, boy, aren't you getting ahead of yourself? Courtney guessing something didn't make it automatically true. So she found an appointment card? It didn't mean that it belonged to Robin. Courtney was not an expert in handwriting. She didn't have a definitive way of deciding that Robin was, in fact, pregnant. He had gotten himself worried for absolutely no reason. Shaking his head at his reaction, he pulled on a coat and headed out, remembering Robin leaving him a message about having dinner with Elizabeth and her brother. She had told him she would meet him at Audrey's right after.


	152. Things Are Going To Change

Patrick had to admit, he had never had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Hardy before now. She was just what he had expected with her red and white plaid apron and sophisticated blonde bob. Her smile was grandmother-friendly and her insistence that he come in made him feel very comfortable. He had never met either of his grandparents but, if he had, he hoped they were just like Audrey Hardy.

"Now I'm sure Robin will be back shortly. They didn't go far to dinner. I think Steven was quite insistent on trying Kelly's."

"He's never had Kelly's? I didn't think there was a soul left in the world who could claim that." Patrick chuckled, letting her lead him into the living room. "Your house is very nice, Mrs. Hardy."

Audrey smiled at the compliment. "Thank you." She settled back into her chair and looked over the young man that before a few minutes ago had been nothing more than a name either cursed or praised in this house. "Is Robin expecting you or is this a surprise?"

"She asked me to meet her here. We have a special night planned." Or at least they would. He would convince her to tell him whether or not this baby thing was a hoax.

"How lovely!" Audrey clapped her hands. The one thing she could say about the young men in both Robin and Elizabeth's lives, they certainly knew how to pull out all the stops for a special evening. She would press for details but Audrey realized she would probably overhear the recap at some point or another from Robin herself. "I have seen your work as a photographer. I must say you are very talented."

"Thanks." Patrick was used to hearing compliments from strangers about his work, usually in the form of magazine articles or The New York Times. Hearing it from this woman though, there was something special in that. "It was a passion of my mother's. You could say I followed in her footsteps."

"I'm sure she must be very proud."

"I hope so." Patrick nodded. "She died when I was fifteen."

Audrey shook her head in sympathy. "How terribly sad for you." She reached out and patted his hand that rested on his knee. "But I stand by my statement. I'm sure she is very proud of you."

"Have you always lived in Port Charles?"

"Long enough to say all my life."

"I thought I remembered Laura mentioning you when she would drag me along to church. I'm just sorry I didn't make it over to meet you before now." He replied with a smile.

"Well that is a situation easily reminded now that we know each other." Audrey smiled warmly. She could certainly understand the initial attraction Robin had felt for the handsome man sitting across from her. Charming had to be his middle name.

"I don't know how you manage to keep this place looking so spotless. My studio is about a tenth of this and it's all I can do to make a safe path."

"It's not hard with two people living here, but it was certainly easier before Elizabeth moved in."

They shared a quiet laugh. "Can you imagine if you had had her in her teenage years?" She was high-strung enough now. He didn't want to think about the havoc her teenage self would have inflicted on this sweet lady.

Audrey smiled. Elizabeth had been a handful during her teenage years, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary. That wasn't to say neatness had ever been her strong point. "We'd probably still be trying to dig our way out of the mess."

"You must care about her a great deal. I love my cousin, but we were never brave enough to try and live together." Patrick recalled.

"She reminds me very much of myself when I was her age."

"So Robin was telling me that Steven just sprung up out of nowhere to surprise you and Elizabeth with a visit."

"That boy." Audrey shook her head. "We were convinced we were not going to see him before Christmas and here he pops in for a few days. He's on his way to Paris for what I gather is his version of a job interview."

"Paris? Really? What does he do?" Patrick could get used to having conversations with this woman. She was so easy to talk to. As long as she didn't give him the intentions talk, he might make his visits habitual.

"He's a cinematographer and has worked on several movies. Apparently a friend of his got him what amounts to an interview with some French director I have never heard of, but Steven assures me that he's very hip and edgy."

"Well are the French any other way?" Patrick joked.

"According to Steven, no." Audrey laughed.

"That must be so exciting. I used to travel with my mother and brother, but we never went as far as Paris."

"Neither did I although I always wanted to." Audrey smiled. "But I guess that is one of the benefits of children. You get to see them accomplish some of things you never were able to do."

"Is that right?" Patrick could feel himself squirming in his seat.

"Yes. Of course they have dreams of their own, but when you share a similar passion and you see them take it farther than you ever dreamed possible..." She trailed off realizing that the young man sitting across from her wasn't a father. He probably had no idea what she was talking about but was too sweet to interrupt her. "Of course you love your children, but it's a wonderful thing to be so proud of them as well."

"Yes." Patrick nodded in obligation. "I wonder where those crazy kids are."

Audrey glanced at her watch. "They should be along any time now." Audrey paused and remembered Patrick mentioning something about special plans for the rest of the evening. "I know. The girls went shopping today and Robin left some things upstairs when they went out for dinner. Why don't I go get them for you so you won't be further delayed when they arrive for your plans?"

"I'll get them. Sit here. Finish your tea." Patrick countered, hurrying over to the stairs. If he had to hear one more thing about the glories of a being a parent, he might go mad.

"Your mother certainly raised you right." Audrey beamed at him. "I believe they put everything right outside the door to the attic. Should be the small bags off to the side."

"Got it." Patrick assured her from the top step. He pushed open the door, his eyes still fixed on Audrey's.

His first thought upon entering was: Did I walk into a baby store? Anything and everything an expectant parent would need was less than a foot away from him. Everything from a changing table to a stroller to a swinging chair. There were stacks and stacks of plastic diapers and cloth diapers. To his right, he noticed at least a dozen stuffed animals and a box full of teething rings. Sitting atop the changing table was a pair of miniature pink tennis shoes. Patrick felt dizzy. He could taste the bile building at the base of his throat. He turned quickly, thankful that he had a good hold of the railing, because he would have tumbled down the stairs otherwise.

"Wha-wha-what's all that stuff for?" He asked Audrey, coming downstairs empty-handed.

"For the baby of course."

He wasn't sure how long he circled the nearby park. He didn't even know how he had gotten here. His car was still at Audrey's. He had barely made it out of there with a polite apology. To say he was spooked would have been so unrealistic a statement at this point. He was terrified! An appointment card he could have written off, but a room full of baby stuff? Baby stuff that his girlfriend and her best friend had spent all afternoon collecting? That he couldn't ignore.

It was really happening, wasn't it? His biggest fear was now a reality. He should have stayed and let Robin tell him, but the clues said it all. Had he been wrong in assuming her aloofness had been purely because of what his brother had done to her? Had he completely missed the bigger picture? And he had thought he was so smart. How did you miss something like this?

Why hadn't she told him? He couldn't keep the question from pushing to the front of his mind. She owed him an explanation and yet she hadn't told him. He couldn't justify her actions by saying she was still reeling from it, because she had obviously thought it out enough to fill an attic with baby supplies. Supplies that the baby would be using. Her baby. His baby. Their baby. Patrick sought refuge on a bench and fell onto it, sliding his fingers through his glossy hair.

What was his next step supposed to be? That was the question he needed to be focusing on. This decision would affect the rest of his life, the rest of both of their lives. He would either step up and take his place beside Robin to bring a child into this world that he had never even given a half-second thought about, a child he didn't want, had never wanted… No, he wasn't that big a hypocrite. Having a baby right now—hell ever—was beyond his comprehension. He didn't have a set plan for his future, but it sure didn't include raising a baby.

How was Robin going to react to his decision? She would be angry, that was a given. She would be disappointed in him, he realized. Disappointed in what he couldn't be, in what she would assume he didn't want to be. It was one thing to picture any kind of future with her, but a baby? Now that was a reach. Men like Patrick didn't have children. Men like Lucky had children. Men like Luke probably shouldn't have had children, but there always had to be an exception to the rule. Besides, Luke was a great father.

"That doesn't mean you'll share my fate son," Patrick could almost hear Luke say. Children weren't part of a future he wanted to live in. Noah would never have more children and Logan, should he ever reproduce, would never claim a kid as his. It had to end with Patrick. It was the way he had always seen his life going. Never in all of his planning had he thought to factor in a child. God couldn't be so cruel, he had thought. It took men to be fathers and he was still a scared little boy.

So you admit it then? His inner voice taunted him. You're no better than Logan? "I never claimed to be." Patrick snapped at the voice. Did you hurt Robin? "I will." Patrick answered. That's true, sport. You'll hurt her by this faithless decision you've made. Why put it off? Go, find her. Tell her that you're too much of a coward to— "Shut up!" What's the matter? Is there too much truth? But then, what would you know about truth? It's so much easier to believe a lie, isn't it? You didn't know Logan was evil until Robin was attacked. And that thing about staying with her, that was just a fluke right? You meant it at the time, but the situation has changed, so you're not bound to that promise. Promise: another word you don't know the meaning of.

"What would you have me do then?" Patrick wanted to know. "You're so smart—what?" He growled at the passing old man. "You got a problem?" Once the man was out of sight, Patrick closed his eyes. He couldn't possibly make a decision when his conscience was against it, now could he? He had before. He had walked away before. But the cost was much greater this time around. There was no hypothetical outcome. He was going to lose Robin. He had been a fool to think otherwise.

No, you're worse than Logan, the voice concluded. You're Noah. You're abandoning your child because it's too hard to stay. What good are you? You waste of human flesh! You've brought a child into existence with a woman you love and you dare question it, spit on it? Why can't you see this for the miracle it is? Do you have any idea how overwhelmed Robin must be? How many times do you think she was told that she would never have a normal life? And now you're proving that, aren't you? So walk away, you jerk. Walk away and let her be happy. It's what you were going to do anyhow. So go. Give her some chance to be happy.

Patrick ducked his head in defeat, or was it shame? Either way, he felt deflated. How would he know if he was making the right decision? Staying together for the sake of a child was the worst reason he could think of. They would grow to hate each other and he didn't want that! What happened when she finally woke up and saw him for what he was? She would look at him so differently once she knew his basic human flaw: He wasn't worth loving. And now he was expected to help raise a child? What a joke! What a slap in the face! There was no worse person for the job.

And then he started to think about what Courtney had said about Logan, what Mac had later confirmed. Logan had spent less than a week in jail without a trial because there was no reason to keep him besides the obvious. His only victim was unwilling to press charges against him. Patrick knew her fear of his brother only explained half of her reasoning. Her fear should have kept him where he was. She should have let justice take it from there. No, it was her guilt that propelled her to go to Mac and have him release Logan. His cruel words to her over their five-year marriage had actually gotten through and she actually believed she was at fault in some way. And the fact that she was now with Patrick made her feel even more lenient when it came to Logan. Her insistence to have him released further proved that she was a far better person than Patrick or Logan would ever be.

Patrick didn't want to think about how much pain she must be in, how much fear must accompany her during every waking moment since the attack, because it would cripple him. He couldn't very well leave her after all he had cost her in the few months they had been serious. How could he ask her to raise a child that would, at least in some way, resemble him and make it clear to her that he wanted nothing to do with either of them? How could he be so cruel to her when she had done everything in her power to keep him from getting hurt even before they were together? The answer was simple: He couldn't.  
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	153. Think Twice

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"Are your parents retarded? Is that why you don't have a mommy?" Chase McNamara teased, shooting a paper airplane into Lance's back to get his attention. The kid must have failed a few times, because he was the biggest boy in their entire school. Lance was terrified of him, so he made sure to always have a teacher with him whenever he was at school. What was he supposed to do now? The teachers were all off in a little room for lunch and he knew the cafeteria lady wouldn't care.

Lance spun around, one hand on his Buzz Lightyear lunchbox and the other holding an apple. He wasn't sure when he had taken the apple in his palm, but he was quickly losing circulation in this stiff position. "I have a mommy." He retorted lifting his chin a fraction of an inch.

"Really? How come she doesn't live with you? Did she take one look at your ugly face and run?" Chase mocked, shoving Lance's milk carton onto the ground so that it busted and splashed onto his white sneakers.

"You're just a big bully." Lance said in a quivering tone. "You got to be mean to everybody 'cause you don't got no friends." He was on his feet, but there was no telling how long that would last. He'd have to stand on the bench to be able to look directly into Chase's puke-green eyes.

"Big mouth for a little shrimp." Chase smiled, poking Lance in the chest.

"Don't push me." Lance warned. He was going to be in so much trouble if he got into a fight. Daddy Lucas would ground him and Daddy Dillon would take away his video games. "I didn't push you."

"Well maybe you should. Maybe you should stop crying like a baby and push me back." Chase suggested, forcing Lance into a group of other children.

"I'm not a baby!" Lance insisted, folding his arms over his chest.

"Then prove it, wimp." Chase baited. "Go ahead. I'll even let you take the first shot. Want me to bend down so you can reach me?" He offered, his grin a mile wide.

Shutting his eyes, Lance closed the space between them and brought his knee up until he heard a crunch and a yelp. Peeking through half closed eyelids, he watched Chase McNamara fall like a sack of potatoes, his eyes filling with tears.

"You little jerk." He reached for Lance's shoes, but they were still slippery from the milk and he couldn't get a good enough hold.

"Stop calling me names!" Lance demanded. "I didn't call you names. Stop being so mean!"

"You kicked me in the nuts and I'm mean?" Chase countered hysterically.

"You started it." Lance pointed out, struggling against the hand on his left shoulder. Twisting around, he noticed his teacher, Miss Appleby. "Miss Appleby, Miss Appleby, he started it!" Lance insisted, planting his feet when she tried to drag him to the office.

"I saw all I needed to see. You are in big trouble young man." Miss Appleby informed him, pushing a lock of curly black hair behind her right ear.

"I'll catch you after school faggot." Chase said in a chuckling whisper so that only Lance heard him.

Pushing his way in through the double doors, Ric entered The Outback. The restaurant was a favorite of his. Far enough from the hospital that he was unlikely to run into any former dates when he was with a new lady yet close enough to his condo that he could justify stopping by frequently after work when he did not feel like cooking. This was often.

The warm oak and brass fixtures gleamed with the careful polish of a wait staff that was trained to pay attention to details. The brown walls were covered with local high school memorabilia and instruments. Ric knew the restaurant had been owned by local families for years, which kept its menu and flavor focused on local favorites. It was the only place that name checked Kelly's when describing its chili.

He made his way to the bar, deciding to wait for his order with a drink. The day had been long and an ice cold beer was just what the doctor ordered, Ric laughed to himself. He raised his hand to motion for the bartender when a flash of blonde hair caught his eye.

Like a moth to the flame, he made his way toward the sight. The memory of her had teased him ever since she had stormed out of the banquet hall. Maxie Jones was probably many things, but forgettable was not one of them. "Maxie Jones, we meet again." He drawled.

She took her time turning to face him, making certain that the look on her face was not one of amusement. "Oh, it's you." She signaled the bartender to bring her something stronger.

Sitting down across from her, Ric smiled. "You can't be dining alone."

"I was picking up some soup actually. I'm not staying." Maxie lied, rolling her eyes at the truth in his statement. She had tried dating but, more often than not, she ended up regretting it. None of them had ever been brave enough to escort her home. She didn't know what their problem was. It's not like Mac kept the gun at his hip loaded when he was home.

"Neither am I. We should dine together." He wasn't entirely sure why he was so intent on flirting with her. There was something about her that was infinitely amusing and challenging. And Ric never backed down from a challenge.

"Now that I find hard to believe." Maxie leaned back in the chair, thankful that they had decided against stools when they had bought the place.

"That we should dine together? Why is that so hard to believe?" Ric leaned forward, careful not to knock into the candle in the middle of the table.

"That I find impossible. What I find hard to believe is that you're dining alone. This town is crawling with desperate women." Maxie replied with a cold smile.

"True. But who wants desperate when they can have gorgeous?"

"You're good. I'll give you that." Maxie awarded him half a point for effort. Now if she could just get her drink...

"And you? What is your reason for being alone?" He had to admit he was curious. In his experience a girl like this was rarely without male attention or company. And even with his flirting she had yet to mention a boyfriend.

"What makes you think that is any of your business, Dr. Lansing? Forget to mention that last time we met?" Maxie tilted her head in mild annoyance.

He cocked one eyebrow skyward. "Checking up on me Miss Jones? I'm flattered."

"Don't be." She was able to keep her smile in place even as she ground the words through her teeth. "I heard it through some hospital gossip. Don't worry. Lots of guys have that problem."

"If everything people say is true, then I should be running for the hills where you are concerned." He teased right back. Port Charles was a small town and General Hospital made it even smaller. A few well placed questions and he heard all kinds of tales about one Maxie Jones.

"So run." Her answer implied that it was all true.

"But where is the fun in that?"

"Have I misled you in some way?" She put her hand over her heart mockingly. "Let me clear this up for you: I'm not interested in having 'fun' with you."

Noticing the bartender signaling him his order was ready, Ric stood up. He paused to lean down and whisper in Maxie's ear. "Too bad. Then you could have found out if all the rumors about me were true." Catching her eye, he winked at her and started toward the bar. "Until the next time Miss Jones."

Logan noticed a familiar car pull into the driveway of the Drake cabin. He left his position at the window and started to open the door, but then he realized the driver had already vacated the car and vanished into thin air. He could have sworn…

He was barely able to protect his face from the explosion of splintering wood as Patrick kicked open the front door as easily as if it were made of toothpicks. He had never been afraid of his brother before this moment. There had been plenty of times when he had worried what he might do, how he might react, but he had never seen Patrick enraged. Logan took a cautious step backwards, but Patrick reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his red and blue striped shirt, lifting him off of the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Logan squeaked out, his eyes wide as he noticed the cold, vacant stare his brother's deep brown eyes had taken on.

Patrick didn't say a word though it looked like he wanted to say a lot. Instead, he flung Logan across the living room like a rag doll and his boot connected with his brother's ribs in one mind-blowing smack. He waited for Logan to roll over and face him before delivering a second kick to his face.

"You son of a bitch!" Logan squealed, trying to block his face and stop the blood from spewing any worse than it already was. His hands were soaked in it.

Instantly, he was on his feet again, but there was little relief in that, because he was on his back in two seconds flat, a roundhouse kick sending him tumbling over the coffee table. "What did you think you were doing?" Patrick sneered, crouching down to sit on Logan's legs so that he was trapped beneath him. Grabbing the object closest to him, Patrick slapped his brother in the face with the remote.

"You can't be serious!" Logan shot back, scrambling to get to his feet once Patrick was no longer holding him down. "She deserved a lot worse." He muttered, watching those brown eyes ignite.

Patrick was through with talking. He bent down, took Logan by the shirt collar once more, and slammed him into the refrigerator causing several items on top of it to land on his brother's head. He wanted to hurt him until he stopped moving, but that wouldn't have been smart. Call him the worst kind of hypocrite, but he wasn't going to wait for Logan to come after Robin again.

"I'm ashamed to call you my brother." Patrick growled, throwing Logan into a heap on the floor when he tried to stand up.

"Pot, this is Kettle calling. Stop being stupid, Patrick. Robin isn't worth this. I'm your brother; I'm your family, she's not!" Logan reminded him.

"You're _nothing_, that's what you are!" Patrick argued, kicking him in the stomach before turning his back on him. It didn't take a genius to figure out what his brother would do next. In fact, he was counting on it. Feeling his arms being pulled over his head, he put up almost no fight when his body shifted and he was propelled in the direction of the cabinets. His face collided with one of the bottom cabinets and his head involuntarily jerked back. He reached for his head just as he was dragged to his feet. The blow to his chin made his teeth chatter. He smoothed his hand over his busted lip and wiped it on his jeans, his eyes wild as he caught sight of his brother's scraped face.

The blast of a gunshot tore through the air and both brothers turned to see who had interrupted them. Mac Scorpio stood in the doorway, his eyes fixed on Logan. He set his jaw and aimed his gun at each of them. "What's going on here?" The words were slightly above a whisper but the hatred in his eyes did not go unnoticed by either of them.

"My brother came in and attacked me." Logan's head snapped to the right, his eyes incredulous.

"Obviously you got the most licks in." Mac observed, looking Patrick up and down. "Do you want to press charges?" They shared a quick glance of understanding.

"Oh, I want to press charges alright." Patrick answered, smiling in his brother's direction. Checkmate.


	154. Come Round Soon

"Are your parents retarded? Is that why you don't have a mommy?" Chase McNamara teased, shooting a paper airplane into Lance's back to get his attention. The kid must have failed a few times, because he was the biggest boy in their entire school. Lance was terrified of him, so he made sure to always have a teacher with him whenever he was at school. What was he supposed to do now? The teachers were all off in a little room for lunch and he knew the cafeteria lady wouldn't care.

Lance spun around, one hand on his Buzz Lightyear lunchbox and the other holding an apple. He wasn't sure when he had taken the apple in his palm, but he was quickly losing circulation in this stiff position. "I have a mommy." He retorted lifting his chin a fraction of an inch.

"Really? How come she doesn't live with you? Did she take one look at your ugly face and run?" Chase mocked, shoving Lance's milk carton onto the ground so that it busted and splashed onto his white sneakers.

"You're just a big bully." Lance said in a quivering tone. "You got to be mean to everybody 'cause you don't got no friends." He was on his feet, but there was no telling how long that would last. He'd have to stand on the bench to be able to look directly into Chase's puke-green eyes.

"Big mouth for a little shrimp." Chase smiled, poking Lance in the chest.

"Don't push me." Lance warned. He was going to be in so much trouble if he got into a fight. Daddy Lucas would ground him and Daddy Dillon would take away his video games. "I didn't push you."

"Well maybe you should. Maybe you should stop crying like a baby and push me back." Chase suggested, forcing Lance into a group of other children.

"I'm not a baby!" Lance insisted, folding his arms over his chest.

"Then prove it, wimp." Chase baited. "Go ahead. I'll even let you take the first shot. Want me to bend down so you can reach me?" He offered, his grin a mile wide.

Shutting his eyes, Lance closed the space between them and brought his knee up until he heard a crunch and a yelp. Peeking through half closed eyelids, he watched Chase McNamara fall like a sack of potatoes, his eyes filling with tears.

"You little jerk." He reached for Lance's shoes, but they were still slippery from the milk and he couldn't get a good enough hold.

"Stop calling me names!" Lance demanded. "I didn't call you names. Stop being so mean!"

"You kicked me in the nuts and I'm mean?" Chase countered hysterically.

"You started it." Lance pointed out, struggling against the hand on his left shoulder. Twisting around, he noticed his teacher, Miss Appleby. "Miss Appleby, Miss Appleby, he started it!" Lance insisted, planting his feet when she tried to drag him to the office.

"I saw all I needed to see. You are in big trouble young man." Miss Appleby informed him, pushing a lock of curly black hair behind her right ear.

"I'll catch you after school faggot." Chase said in a chuckling whisper so that only Lance heard him.

Pushing his way in through the double doors, Ric entered The Outback. The restaurant was a favorite of his. Far enough from the hospital that he was unlikely to run into any former dates when he was with a new lady yet close enough to his condo that he could justify stopping by frequently after work when he did not feel like cooking. This was often.

The warm oak and brass fixtures gleamed with the careful polish of a wait staff that was trained to pay attention to details. The brown walls were covered with local high school memorabilia and instruments. Ric knew the restaurant had been owned by local families for years, which kept its menu and flavor focused on local favorites. It was the only place that name checked Kelly's when describing its chili.

He made his way to the bar, deciding to wait for his order with a drink. The day had been long and an ice cold beer was just what the doctor ordered, Ric laughed to himself. He raised his hand to motion for the bartender when a flash of blonde hair caught his eye.

Like a moth to the flame, he made his way toward the sight. The memory of her had teased him ever since she had stormed out of the banquet hall. Maxie Jones was probably many things, but forgettable was not one of them. "Maxie Jones, we meet again." He drawled.

She took her time turning to face him, making certain that the look on her face was not one of amusement. "Oh, it's you." She signaled the bartender to bring her something stronger.

Sitting down across from her, Ric smiled. "You can't be dining alone."

"I was picking up some soup actually. I'm not staying." Maxie lied, rolling her eyes at the truth in his statement. She had tried dating but, more often than not, she ended up regretting it. None of them had ever been brave enough to escort her home. She didn't know what their problem was. It's not like Mac kept the gun at his hip loaded when he was home.

"Neither am I. We should dine together." He wasn't entirely sure why he was so intent on flirting with her. There was something about her that was infinitely amusing and challenging. And Ric never backed down from a challenge.

"Now that I find hard to believe." Maxie leaned back in the chair, thankful that they had decided against stools when they had bought the place.

"That we should dine together? Why is that so hard to believe?" Ric leaned forward, careful not to knock into the candle in the middle of the table.

"That I find impossible. What I find hard to believe is that you're dining alone. This town is crawling with desperate women." Maxie replied with a cold smile.

"True. But who wants desperate when they can have gorgeous?"

"You're good. I'll give you that." Maxie awarded him half a point for effort. Now if she could just get her drink...

"And you? What is your reason for being alone?" He had to admit he was curious. In his experience a girl like this was rarely without male attention or company. And even with his flirting she had yet to mention a boyfriend.

"What makes you think that is any of your business, Dr. Lansing? Forget to mention that last time we met?" Maxie tilted her head in mild annoyance.

He cocked one eyebrow skyward. "Checking up on me Miss Jones? I'm flattered."

"Don't be." She was able to keep her smile in place even as she ground the words through her teeth. "I heard it through some hospital gossip. Don't worry. Lots of guys have that problem."

"If everything people say is true, then I should be running for the hills where you are concerned." He teased right back. Port Charles was a small town and General Hospital made it even smaller. A few well placed questions and he heard all kinds of tales about one Maxie Jones.

"So run." Her answer implied that it was all true.

"But where is the fun in that?"

"Have I misled you in some way?" She put her hand over her heart mockingly. "Let me clear this up for you: I'm not interested in having 'fun' with you."

Noticing the bartender signaling him his order was ready, Ric stood up. He paused to lean down and whisper in Maxie's ear. "Too bad. Then you could have found out if all the rumors about me were true." Catching her eye, he winked at her and started toward the bar. "Until the next time Miss Jones."

Logan noticed a familiar car pull into the driveway of the Drake cabin. He left his position at the window and started to open the door, but then he realized the driver had already vacated the car and vanished into thin air. He could have sworn…

He was barely able to protect his face from the explosion of splintering wood as Patrick kicked open the front door as easily as if it were made of toothpicks. He had never been afraid of his brother before this moment. There had been plenty of times when he had worried what he might do, how he might react, but he had never seen Patrick enraged. Logan took a cautious step backwards, but Patrick reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his red and blue striped shirt, lifting him off of the ground.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Logan squeaked out, his eyes wide as he noticed the cold, vacant stare his brother's deep brown eyes had taken on.

Patrick didn't say a word though it looked like he wanted to say a lot. Instead, he flung Logan across the living room like a rag doll and his boot connected with his brother's ribs in one mind-blowing smack. He waited for Logan to roll over and face him before delivering a second kick to his face.

"You son of a bitch!" Logan squealed, trying to block his face and stop the blood from spewing any worse than it already was. His hands were soaked in it.

Instantly, he was on his feet again, but there was little relief in that, because he was on his back in two seconds flat, a roundhouse kick sending him tumbling over the coffee table. "What did you think you were doing?" Patrick sneered, crouching down to sit on Logan's legs so that he was trapped beneath him. Grabbing the object closest to him, Patrick slapped his brother in the face with the remote.

"You can't be serious!" Logan shot back, scrambling to get to his feet once Patrick was no longer holding him down. "She deserved a lot worse." He muttered, watching those brown eyes ignite.

Patrick was through with talking. He bent down, took Logan by the shirt collar once more, and slammed him into the refrigerator causing several items on top of it to land on his brother's head. He wanted to hurt him until he stopped moving, but that wouldn't have been smart. Call him the worst kind of hypocrite, but he wasn't going to wait for Logan to come after Robin again.

"I'm ashamed to call you my brother." Patrick growled, throwing Logan into a heap on the floor when he tried to stand up.

"Pot, this is Kettle calling. Stop being stupid, Patrick. Robin isn't worth this. I'm your brother; I'm your family, she's not!" Logan reminded him.

"You're _nothing_, that's what you are!" Patrick argued, kicking him in the stomach before turning his back on him. It didn't take a genius to figure out what his brother would do next. In fact, he was counting on it. Feeling his arms being pulled over his head, he put up almost no fight when his body shifted and he was propelled in the direction of the cabinets. His face collided with one of the bottom cabinets and his head involuntarily jerked back. He reached for his head just as he was dragged to his feet. The blow to his chin made his teeth chatter. He smoothed his hand over his busted lip and wiped it on his jeans, his eyes wild as he caught sight of his brother's scraped face.

The blast of a gunshot tore through the air and both brothers turned to see who had interrupted them. Mac Scorpio stood in the doorway, his eyes fixed on Logan. He set his jaw and aimed his gun at each of them. "What's going on here?" The words were slightly above a whisper but the hatred in his eyes did not go unnoticed by either of them.

"My brother came in and attacked me." Logan's head snapped to the right, his eyes incredulous.

"Obviously you got the most licks in." Mac observed, looking Patrick up and down. "Do you want to press charges?" They shared a quick glance of understanding.

"Oh, I want to press charges alright." Patrick answered, smiling in his brother's direction. Checkmate.


	155. Leave Out All The Rest

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His eyelashes lifted off of his cheeks very slowly and he glanced apathetically toward the bright red numbers displayed across the screen of the alarm clock. They were just another reminder of what today was, what today would determine. He had been dreading this moment for the last six months, but there was no getting away from it today, there was no denying what had happened and what he needed to do.

But he couldn't leave the bed just yet. It was still incredibly early what with them slipping off to sleep at sunrise. He hadn't been able to sleep very long, the day pressing on him. He had only one thing to do, one responsibility, but it seemed so gargantuan, so incredible, he couldn't bring himself to hurry and face it right this second.

Robin slept soundlessly beside him, her hair still damp from the shower she had taken before he had snuck over last night. Her beautiful cinnamon curls lay draped across her face like a veil and she was rested on her left side, her shoulder a makeshift pillow. He had no idea why she never relied on her actual pillows, but he would always find her sprawled across the mattress, her legs dangling off the end because she had moved there in the night.

He had spent a lot about contemplating the outcome of his test results, more time than he would ever admit to. It was only in these quiet moments when no one needed him, no one was depending on him for one thing or another, that he truly thought about it, about what today would mean for him. For the rest of the world, the day held no significance; for him the day determined the rest of his life.

Patrick kept a tiny portion of his brain as a resting place for his insecurities and fears, not all of them about the HIV hanging over his head, but of every uncertainty he had ever felt. He had purposely kept his family out of the loop for as long as he could, only a fluke of a cold catching him off-guard. Robin had explained to them what had happened and he had finally unplugged his phone. That was one of the reasons he hadn't had his phone yesterday: he simply couldn't handle anymore questions. Why couldn't he have just gotten through this on his own without everyone else trying to make it about them, about how it would affect them? He knew it was a selfish thought, but he figured he was past due for a few unsavory musings. Today he definitely got a few extra passes.

Lulu had taken the news the hardest, something he had found himself surprised by. She had said very little to him when he was over at the Spencer house getting better, none of them brave enough to move him or drive him to the hospital out of fear that it was something worse than it seemed. When she had sat with him, she simply watched him, waiting for him to turn colors or twirl his head all the way around. Patrick had actually consulted Lucky on Lulu's mood and his cousin had assumed him the girl was just going through a lot right now. Still, Patrick had worried and asked Aunt Laura, but her response had been about the same. Aunt Laura had pestered him with questions the most while Aunt Bobbie had called every afternoon at four to talk about whatever he wanted to talk about. She was the one he wished he had told from the beginning because she knew him the best.

But he had wanted to handle it alone and hurt way too many people in the process. He had been a selfish, guarded ass and had wreaked so much havoc over the last two weeks. When Robin tried to help him, he would pick a fight with her—it was easy enough to do— and then she would go crying to Elizabeth who would bitch to Lucky and then he would hear from Uncle Luke that he needed to be nicer to his girlfriend.

He had made the decision already to go to General today and get his results from Alan Quartermaine. It would be over and done with before Robin ever came looking for him. He wanted to have a little time to react mostly and didn't think he could do so with friends and family around to "support" him. He would feel pressured by their mere presence and hold it in. Holding his emotions back was part of what made him a guy, but so many things had gone wrong as a result of his trigger temper that he was worried he might hurt the people he cared about.

He glanced over at her now and ran his fingers down her arm starting at her shoulder, stopping at her wrist. She didn't even stir, but he hadn't expected her. He hadn't meant for last night to go as far as it had, had about convinced himself that she wasn't ready for him to make love to her, but she had been more than susceptible to his touch and kisses. He hadn't realized how much he had missed seeing her smile without it appearing that she did it for his benefit and his benefit only. She was still shaken from his collapse at Thanksgiving.

A clean bill of health sounded like Heaven, but he would always be aware of the fact that Robin would never have one. In fact, from the moment she had received her six-month test results, the clock had started ticking, the sand had started seeping through her fingers. From that moment on, there had been good days and there had been bad days, there had been smiles and tears and nausea and fear. He knew she was afraid of what the future might hold, but she wasn't open and honest about it. It wasn't a blatant fact that she felt the need to throw at him or anyone else when they pointed out that she might very likely die before her son was old enough to drive.

He didn't want to think about that, but the fact was there, staring him in the face. He couldn't ignore it anymore than he could stop breathing. It was more than hard to accept, it was damn near impossible to even think about. Robin was the best person he had ever known and, without warning, she could be gone. He knew she already had alternate living arrangements for Morgan though they had never discussed it. He was also aware of the fate of her business if she should suddenly turn ill. He had a pretty good idea that the profits from the business would go directly into Morgan's savings account. Sonny had left her enough to support Morgan along with whatever medical care she required in the future.

And then there was the matter of this new baby. His life would be forever changed today and then again in less than a year when his child was born. He had lain in bed last night just picturing what their son or daughter would look like, if he or she would have soft locks of curly hair like their mother or the unkempt mess he had on top of his head. Brown eyes were an obvious thing. He had never thought in terms of the shape of the baby's eyes or the nose. He assumed it would have dimples, but it could just as easily not. Maybe his kid wouldn't be into sports, would prefer cooking and the arts like Robin. These were things he had tried his hardest not to think about last night, but they had been there, clouding his mind and pinching his heart.

This child must seem a blessing in Robin's eyes: a testament to their love growing inside her still-flat stomach. He wondered if she had known long enough to find comfort in talking to their child, if she lovingly rubbed her belly when no one else was around. He had known less than twenty-four hours and he was still stumbling to keep up. These coming months were going to be hard on both of them and there was a part of him that really thought they should get married because it was the right thing. The only problem with that assumption was that Robin might not want to get married. She might decide that he felt obligated to do so and do something drastic, like cut him out of their child's life. He would have to be careful how he did this. It was one reason he hadn't pressured her into talking about it last night: he didn't want to tempt fate. She may have little or no use for fate, karma, and everything else, but he was a paranoid kind of guy and he knew better than to shake his fist at God without expecting some kind of life-altering result.

Patrick leaned across Robin's body and pressed a slow, warm kiss to her closed eyelids wishing he didn't have to leave her. An hour had passed and he could wait no longer. He needed to face this, needed to get it over with, so they could handle this next adventure together. Robin would never forgive him for doing this alone, but he figured he owed it to her, to himself, and to their future together to handle the results on his own before he shared it with her and the rest of his family. Maybe it was his pride, probably, but he didn't care. He had decided from the moment of exposure that she wouldn't be there with him when he was handed his fate in the form of an eight by eleven sheet covered in a scramble of words he didn't understand.

Lance wiggled in the leather passenger seat, his impatience clear in the way he stared over at Lucas. They had been stuck in this car for over two hours and he had run out of things to do. What kind of job was this anyway? He had always thought his daddy did something really fun like Inspector Gadget, but this was way more boring than school. But he couldn't go back there for an entire six weeks. Stupid Chase McNamara, he grumbled inwardly.

Lucas gave Lance a look of compassion. He bet his little boy found all of this very disenchanting, but there was no way he could make it into more than it was, least of all on a stakeout. Jumping from the car and making a mockery of himself to entertain his son would cost him a very substantial account and he wasn't willing to risk it. There hadn't been a choice about whether or not to bring Lance with him, because Dillon was obligated to attend the premiere of his newest picture. Lucas would wear polka dots before he allowed his only son to stand arm to thigh with a bunch of drug-addicted hippies. He had said all of this to Dillon and thus dug himself a hole when it came to where Lance would go for the night. Dillon would be flying back in the morning, he promised, which meant it would be closer to three days before he graced them with his presence.

"Do you want to play cards?" Lucas offered, already predicting his son's answer. They had played every card game he could think of, lost a half dozen pieces of the Domino's after continued use, and run out of magic tricks. Lance put both of his hands under his chin and pressed his elbows into his knees, barely able to keep from rolling his eyes.

"Why do we have to stay here?" Lance gestured toward the house they were hidden behind. "Nobody's home or it's their bedtime." He reasoned with a huff.

"It's not their bedtime." Lucas argued, figuring he was fighting a losing battle. Was there a way to argue with a six-year-old and win? He doubted it. "We'll go in a minute, but it's my job to see what's going on." Mr. Homer Whackles—it had taken every bit of professionalism for Lucas to even speak in the presence of such a man—was suspicious that his wife was having an affair. What made this case interesting was that his accusations of her extra-marital affairs extended from one to the possibility of three different men. All of the evidence so far had been circumstantial: that was why he had sought out Lucas' services. He wanted to use the adultery as leverage to get custody of his children, had told Lucas that he planned on divorcing "the whore" once he was certain of her infidelity. It was a dirty business and Lucas was again thankful that he was a big enough man to admit that he had been ridiculous in his assumptions about Dillon and Georgie reuniting.

"This is super boring, Daddy. Can't we just go home? What if we leave a camera out here in the bushes and go home? You promised you would read Aladdin." Lance reminded him. He was not above using any means necessary to get Lucas to budge and take him home.

"That would be cheating, Lance, and I was paid to catch them in the act." Lucas replied frankly.

"What act?"

"Um...well..." Lucas realized he had spoken out of turn. Just as Patrick sometimes mistook Morgan for an older kid or even a young adult, he often forgot that Lance was barely school-age.

"Don't you even know what you're 'posed to be doing, Daddy?" Lance challenged, folding his arms across his middle.

This conversation was going to come back and bite him in the ass that much Lucas knew. It would be brought up over dinner by his wonderful and loving husband and he'd never be able to live it down. He might as well straight with his son, at least as much as possible. "Well, you see, sometimes mommies and daddies have friends other than each other and they go to see them a lot more than they should."

"But everybody's gotta have friends, Daddy." Lance insisted hastily. "You mean like Daddy and Georgie?"

Lucas wasn't even aware that he had started grinding his teeth together at the mention of his husband's ex-girlfriend. He was over this so why did it bother him still? Dillon had sworn up and down that nothing was going on and that kiss at the airport could have been for any number of reasons, plenty of them being platonic. There was no reason for him to overreact yet again. "No, I trust your daddy." Lucas promised, ruffling his son's blonde hair. "But sometimes other daddies don't and I tell them I'll check into where the mommies are. Do you understand?"

"Not really. Can I listen to my iPod?" Lance had inherited Dillon's attention span.

Lucas smiled brightly. "Of course, but we can't blast it."

"When I get married, I'm gonna have lots of friends." Lance declared.

"When you get married? Don't grow up too fast on me, okay? I'm still adjusting to elementary school." Lucas answered honestly.

Looking up at the brick covered building Cruz wondered for the millionth time since Patrick's message why he was standing there. Or why he had bothered to arrive on time. Even though his friend had said meeting him was urgent, it didn't mean Patrick would actually arrive on time.

Cruz looked up and down the tree covered street, searching for a glance of the familiar blue sports car. This had to be related to some job Patrick was shooting. The residential neighborhood. The family homes nearby. Proximity to a school. His friend had to have booked some national ad campaign with a family theme. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have asked to meet at Kelly's or Jake's?

Patrick pulled into the apartment building five minutes later looking refreshed as well as anxious. He hadn't known if Cruz would agree to this at first, but look at him: here on time and everything. "Good, you're here!" He greeted his friend, coming up behind him just to watch him jump five feet in the air. He hit the lock button on his keypad and glanced up at the building. He hoped it looked like the brochure.

"Nice of you to finally show. Silly me for thinking urgent meant you would show on time." Cruz teased him good naturedly.

"I got stuck in traffic. Are you up for this? Who knows how long it could take?" Patrick warned him.

"Since when does it take you a long time to decide on a location? You planning on taking longer than ten seconds?"

Patrick smiled begrudgingly. Cruz was no fool. He didn't want to have the baby discussion with him before he had it with Robin. "Since I have a reputation to uphold."

"Oh can't damage that." Cruz rolled his eyes. He couldn't shake this feeling there was something else to this sudden need to check a location. There was a piece of information that was just eluding his grasp at this precise second. As soon as he could figure out what that was, Cruz was hoping this would all make sense. "I assume you know where you are going?"

"Yeah, fifth floor. Come on." He led Cruz to through the foyer and into the elevator, wondering if any apartment would fit his and Robin's personalities as well as provide a safe environment for Morgan and the baby.

The landlord was a short, stubby little man with receding brown hair and sharp green eyes behind a pair tortoiseshell glasses. He looked to be in his early fifties and his charcoal gray suit radiated the image of money, only his Christmas tie taking away from his professional facade. "A gift from my daughter." He explained sheepishly, unlocking the door and letting them inside. "As you can see, this apartment just screams home and family."

"Are we sure it's not radiating time warp vibes?" Cruz muttered under his breath. "Are those doilies?"

It screamed something, Patrick thought wryly. Something bad. Something he wanted to wrinkle his nose in disgust at. This was where he was expected to live? He hated it on sight, whether that was fair or not. The room smelled of potpourri and stale cookies. He felt like he had been thrown into a nineteen seventies movie without warning.

"I don't know if you have enough room in here for all your equipment" Cruz pointed out. What was Patrick thinking? He couldn't tell by just hearing the apartment's dimensions this wasn't big enough for a photo shoot? Cruz could barely walk three feet without bumping into his friend.

The salmon-pink couch openly mocked Patrick and he immediately wanted to take a pocketknife to it. "Mr. Garrison, we should be going. I don't think this will work for us." He explained politely. "Besides, that coffee table is a safety hazard." He suddenly couldn't breathe as an image of Robin holed up in the kitchen while he and Morgan lost sight of the baby in the mass of mismatched pillows.

"Well of course I'm not saying you have to take the coffee table." Mr. Garrison promised profusely.

"Thank goodness for that." Cruz joked under his breath.

"Deadlines, you understand." Patrick nudged Cruz out of the apartment and wasn't able to breathe until they were in the elevator.

Cruz smacked his friend on the back of his head. "Have you lost it? You seriously were considering that Grandma house for a national ad? I thought this was to protect your reputation."

Patrick didn't answer, his pride too hurt. What kind of moron had he been to trust the brochure? He hadn't been lying when he had used the excuse of a deadline. He wanted them to be able to get into the apartment and make it home long before the baby came.

"Tell me you had a backup. You did think of a backup right?"

"Of course." Patrick nodded. "It's across town. If you want to drop off your car here, we can pick it up at the end of the day."

Cruz glanced at his watch, and paused to consider the offer. "I better follow you. I have an interview at one, so I'll probably have to leave from door number two."

"An interview?" Patrick lifted an eyebrow in speculation.

"Yes. You know, what I do for a living? Interview people? Write up articles? That sort of thing?"

"Is that what you do?" Patrick teased with a grin.

"Well getting by on my boyish good looks only took me so far." Cruz smiled, daring Patrick to go further.

"This next place should be better." Patrick hoped. He did a mental checklist of what he needed to be focusing on: a chef's kitchen, three bedrooms, the possibility of dangerous corners, rooms, or anything else that a baby might get hurt by. He knew they started out small and incapable of walking on their own, but he had seen enough movies to know they didn't stay small and helpless. He didn't want to have to move out of this next apartment for anything short of a house. On the subject of that, his mind shut itself off, mentally blocking all that that future planning would entail. One thing at a time.

They were met at the entrance of the Granbury Apartments by a trim woman with black hair and watchful blue eyes. She was dressed for success in a black pantsuit and her hair was pulled back into a perfect bun. She led them to the elevator, never speaking to either of them. Patrick had met her once or twice through one of the magazines he worked with, but it was the reference from an acquaintance that convinced him to call her up and see if there were any available apartments.

"I'm Grace Granbury." She said at last, giving Cruz a once-over and smiling once she met his eyes. "I had a problem with the previous tenant of this lovely penthouse, but I'm sure the same won't happen with you." This she directed to Patrick.

"Tenant?" Cruz mouthed silently behind his friend. Patrick had been known to stretch the truth when he was scouting a location but this was a new one. "Well this certainly looks more in line with what you are looking for." He remarked, deciding to play along with the game for now.

"I appreciate you meeting us on such short notice. Will was singing your praises." Patrick told her winning a cunning smile.

"I'm sure he was. This way." She handed the key to Patrick and made him open the door.

Patrick blinked, noticing the contrast in the two apartments. Where the other had lacked in originality and space, this one more than made up for. The first part they were introduced to was the living area, a room that was separated from the others simply by a few wooden beams. The room was open and the ceiling was high giving the impression of a much larger space than it actually was. Two ceiling fans flapped just above them and that was when he noticed the backwards J shape of the stairs. To his left stood three floor-to-ceiling windows and a tourist-like view of the town. Their shoes were hard against the bare wooden floors as they moved through the penthouse like treasure seekers.

"I think we could fit all three of our homes in here and still have space left over." Cruz finally managed.

"Kitchen." Patrick whispered slowly. His mind was moving at a sluggish pace still trying to catch up with the enormity and beauty of this place. "The kitchen is important."

Grace smiled at his tenacity. "Off to the right." She almost laughed.

Cruz followed Patrick to the kitchen and let out a low whistle. "I think this is bigger than the kitchen in Robin's bakery."

"One can only hope." Patrick murmured. The kitchen was just as Patrick had hoped it would be: an L-shaped marble counter wrapped around the room locking in a separate bar accompanied by two stools. Running parallel to the sink was a metal refrigerator and an extra shelf where he could imagine Robin keeping her little knick-knacks. A four-bulb lamp hung above the bar just a few inches right of a second sink. The electric stove and double oven was cushioned in the back making up the other part of the L.

"I assume you are pleased?" Grace insinuated, taking note of their jaws dragging the ground.

"Where do I sign?" Patrick asked only half-joking.

"Can I move in? I can probably afford a third of the rent." Cruz joked.

"Don't you want to see the rest of it?" Grace probed lightly.

"No." Patrick shook his head. "No, I think this will do just fine."

"Yeah we don't need to see the helipad on the roof."

"Oh, they took that out years ago." It was Grace's turn to join in on their banter.

"Well you don't want to be ostentatious." Cruz conceded.

Patrick suddenly glanced down at his watch. It was nearing noon. He needed to get over to General and pick up his test results. "You know, I've got to get going, but Grace if you would please fax me everything I'll have it back to you before the day's end." Patrick handed her his card which he had had printed up a few years ago when his business started taking off.

"Get going?" Cruz questioned. "You have some client you forgot about?"

Patrick scrambled for an explanation. "Yeah, you know how it goes. Sometimes, I think I should quit being cheap and hire a secretary."

"Yeah. You need to look into that." On the surface there was nothing obviously wrong with Patrick's explanation or his sudden haste, but still Cruz couldn't shake the feeling something was off here.

"It was so great to meet both of you." Grace took the key from him and waited for them to retreat back to the elevator before locking the door behind her.

Watching Grace securely lock the door, Patrick forced a smile on his face. He had to be calm about this or Cruz would end up being suspicious. He had roughly twenty minutes to leave Cruz, get across town to the hospital, and find the right floor. "Looks like you'll make that interview." He joked, leaning back on the heels of his feet.

"Looks like." Cruz replied slowly. Was he getting the bum rush? Why did Patrick look so eager to get away from the eighth wonder of the apartment world? "I still got some time. You want to go to Kelly's for some lunch?"

That was dirty. Patrick stalled for time looking at his watch. "Damn. I can't. I'm going to be late if I don't leave right now. But later man." He took off briskly toward the elevator raising his hand as a farewell.

"Yeah later." Cruz leaned against the wall confused and took a decidedly slower pace, pausing to look out the hall window that offered a view of the street in front. He was just in time to see Patrick load himself into his car and speed off like a bat out of hell. He had definitely just been given the brush off. Patrick never turned down Kelly's. Cruz knew his sense of direction wasn't the greatest, but he was pretty sure the quickest way to Patrick's studio was the opposite of the way his friend was heading. The direction Patrick was going, he was going to have go through town, straight past the university, the high school, the hospital...

His mind stopped as the elusive information finally settled into his brain. The hospital. Cursing his own obliviousness, Cruz flipped open his cell phone and groaned when the date flashed in mockery. Of course. The test results were today. Rolling his eyes, he searched through the phone for the familiar set of numbers. Pushing the send button, he hurried his pace toward the elevator, punching the call button repeatedly. When his call was finally connected, he almost sighed in relief.

"Lucky. We have to go man."


	156. One Thing Remains

_**I hope everyone enjoys this Friday cliffhanger!**_

"I didn't expect tears." Courtney ambled into the apartment with her black Prada on one arm and a shopping bag on the other. She had made herself scarce lately, unable to handle the turn of events. Last night had been a little more than she had been able to take and AJ had provided the perfect distraction. She wondered if she would ever fully trust him not to break her heart. He had done so on plenty of occasions and, here she was, giving him yet another perfect opportunity.

Robin looked up at the familiar voice with shiny brown eyes. She had woken up crying as the result of her nightmare and then found herself in a nightmare upon waking. Patrick had left without making a sound and she must have called his phone a hundred times since she had woken up three hours ago. She knew where he was, or at least she had thought she knew, but Alan assured her that he hadn't seen Patrick since his last batch of tests and that was two weeks ago. She had gone to his studio, but he hadn't been home according to Greta. Robin didn't know what it was about Patrick's neighbor but she found herself starting to like her. She was pretty certain Greta and Patrick had never had sex, but it really didn't matter at this point. Where Patrick was right now, why he wasn't at the hospital, why she wasn't with him—all of these things mattered.

"What's the matter? Last I checked you were in love and oblivious to the world around you." Courtney recalled, not caring if her tone was stinging or not. Robin had basically ignored her since Patrick had come into the picture and she had grown tired of the treatment.

Robin's bottom lip quivered slightly and she immediately bit into it, willing back what tears she could. "Will you please sit with me?" She half-begged, gesturing toward Courtney's favorite chair. Her roommate lowered herself into the chair warily.

"Are you sure you want me to?" Courtney asked carefully. "I could name a few better friends, or maybe you'd rather have Patrick here..."

"Why are you being so mean to me?" Robin inquired in a frustrated tone. "What have I done that is so bad you feel the need to treat me this way?"

"Maybe I'm just a little tired of playing second fiddle to Patrick Drake." Courtney mused bluntly.

"It's more than that. You've had plenty of time to get used to him being in my life again." Robin shook her head, knowing she was onto something.

"And you seem to forget what happened last time he was in your life. If I remember correctly, he was the one who accused you of cheating on his brother. You do have some recollection of that, don't you?" Courtney snapped.

"Don't use me as your excuse. This has little or nothing to do with me." Robin warned, pointing a finger in Courtney's direction.

"I wish you at least respected me enough to trust that I know what's best for you. God, Robin, we've known each other forever." Courtney stressed the last word.

"What's best for me? Since when do you know what's best for me? You were the one who thought I should hook up with strangers at one your A-list parties and get it out of my system. You do have some recollection of that, don't you?" Robin gritted through her teeth.

"I just wanted you to stop staying in this apartment and feeling sorry for yourself. Excuse me for caring." Courtney shot back, moving to stand up.

"I asked you to sit with me for a reason." Robin informed her. "If we can't get along talking, let's just sit in silence. I really need a friend right this second."

"Oh, you need me now? But you haven't needed me for the last six months? You actually expect me to let you lean on me when you've all but turned your back on this friendship?"

"I did not turn my back on anything! You just stopped talking to me! You're the one who—" Robin countered hotly.

"I have no time for the blame game, if that's what we're playing now." Courtney answered in an almost bored tone.

"All I'm asking is for you to be my friend. Today happens to be a very difficult day..." She stopped talking when she noticed Courtney leave the chair and head up the stairs as if she hadn't spoken at all. Choking on her tears, Robin placed her head between her legs, trying to remind herself to breathe. Had it really come to this? Courtney hated her so much that she couldn't even have a discussion with her, couldn't even comfort her on the worst day of her life? And Patrick felt he had to sneak out and pick up his test results without her because he didn't want to deal with her reaction. It was becoming more and more difficult to take in breaths and her body was starting to shut down in response. She lifted her head and rested her left cheek against the left arm of the couch, watching the door, perplexed.

At some point, she lost the battle and fell into a fitful sleep. She knew she had been asleep because the sound of the door opening startled her. There he was with Lucky and Cruz right behind him all looking void of expression. Some part of her wanted to cry out in fear, but a much bigger part wanted to leap off of the couch and attack Patrick for leaving her here to worry about what the test results concluded. She decided to trust her instincts and moved in his direction, dodging his arm when he tried to protect himself from the blows of her fists as she slammed them against his chest, her entire body trembling as she did so.

She hit him until she grew exhausted by the effort and he quickly collected her in his arms, offering her the kind of comfort she wanted. She tried to push away from, to put some adequate distance between them, but he quickly tightened his grip and trapped her between his arms. Kicking him in the shin for good measure, she buried her face in his shoulder and let him hold her without putting up anymore resistance. Cruz and Lucky didn't say a word, didn't intrude on the moment, and that made them both incredibly wise men.

"What are you doing to her?" Morgan shrieked from the top step of the stairs, taking them two at a time, almost tripping on his descent. The panic in his voice caused all four of them to turn in his direction.

Robin quickly caught him by the arms before he could inflict whatever attack he wanted on Patrick and lifted him into her arms, hugging him tightly to her. "It's okay, Patrick hasn't done anything to me or anyone else."

"But I saw..." Morgan's voice trailed off.

Robin gave him a butterfly kiss and closed her eyes, rocking him without realizing it. "I was being dramatic." She insisted, trying to soothe his anxiety.

"It's my fault, Morgan." Patrick told him, cutting in on their reverie. He was surprised when the look Morgan gave him wasn't filled with malice. The child looked—like a child. His big brown eyes were filled with tears and his cheeks were flamed.

"Yes Morgan. You know we always blame Patrick." Lucky tried to joke. Morgan reminded him way too much of Cameron when he was upset for this to be comfortable.

Morgan nodded wiping at his tear-stained face. "What's going on?" When he spoke, it was clear that he was getting sleepy. It made sense, Robin reasoned, since it was nearing his naptime.

"Patrick was just going to ask Robin to join us for dinner." Cruz explained. "She just didn't let him talk."

Though it was Cruz had spoken up, Robin glanced over at Patrick, her eyes locking on his. "Dinner?" She parroted.

Patrick nodded slowly. "Yeah, we have a lot to celebrate."

The Metro Court was the current gold standard for hotel excellence in Port Charles. When the original Port Charles Hotel had burned to the ground after a freak electrical fire, the Quartermaine family had vowed to re-build and modernize the beloved icon. Edward had wanted the new building to surpass the first in every category: luxury, elegance, and modernity. The restaurant on the top floor was the best example of Edward's vision. Sleek, sophisticated, large enough to hold a noisy event but intimate enough to be the current hot spot for proposals.

As the elevator doors opened to reveal the dining room, small tables lit by flickering candles and soft overhead lighting, the walls and linens in various shades of cream, Elizabeth briefly wondered how on Earth this place was chosen for the celebration. Patrick getting a clean bill of health she would have thought would have involved a place a bit noisier and more closely resembling Jake's than here. A nagging suspicion there was something else going on tonight began nibbling in the back of her mind. She wasn't objecting to the restaurant by any means, but it didn't exactly match the picture she had in her mind when Lucky had called and invited her this afternoon.

"This feels like a suspiciously grown up place for a celebration. What are they doing picking a place like this?" she joked, pausing long enough to pass her wool coat toward the coat check girl in the corner. Gesturing to the Christmas trees decorated entirely in white Christmas lights that serenely dotted the room, she continued. "I'm not complaining but this place has been featured in Martha Stewart. I never took Patrick for a fan of hers"

"Don't ask me. I had to verify the address because I seriously thought he was joking." Robin replied with a smile. She had to admit, she was curious as to what else was going on besides Patrick's test results, but maybe she was over thinking again and that's all this was. She was not above taking an ad out in the paper and writing it in the sky if it made him smile.

Elizabeth put her hand out on Robin's arm. "You don't think we are going to hear some speech tonight about how he knows what is important in life and he's going to put all the silliness behind him, turn over a new leaf, and be a new man, do you? I'm just starting to get along with the original Patrick. A new one will throw off the whole rhythm we are working on."

"I've been wondering that myself." Robin admitted, unconsciously biting into her bottom lip. What if she was suddenly nothing more than the woman who had helped him during a difficult time, a possible crisis, and he no longer wanted to be with her? What if he had decided since receiving his test results and coming out healthy and HIV free that he needed to go out and reestablish his independence, his freedom, his masculinity?

Spotting the guys across the room, Elizabeth adjusted the sleeves of her blouse. "Well we can stand here and wonder or go over there and just find out. What's the verdict?"

"Let's go see." Robin decided, locking her arm in Elizabeth's and pulling her toward the table.

Smiling brightly as the two reached the table, Lucky stood up to greet them both. "Great. Now everyone can stare at us with jealousy." He quickly hugged Robin and kissed Elizabeth's cheek before pulling out the chair next to him for Elizabeth to sit down.

Smiling sweetly at him, Elizabeth returned the kiss on his cheek and turned her attention to Patrick. "Congratulations Patrick."

"Well, you know, I always knew. I just wanted to keep you three in suspense." Patrick joked, smiling in return.

"Of course since we are such calm, cool, and collected folks." Elizabeth teased right back. "No over reactors here."

"Nope." Robin agreed, shaking her head slowly. Patrick jumped up and pulled out her chair, leaning down to press a kiss to the back of her neck. She could feel herself blush and reached for his hand when he sat down beside her.

Spying the two empty chairs, Elizabeth pointed at them in curiosity. "Who else are we waiting for?"

"Cruz and Aunt Bobbie." Lucky answered simply.

Her eyes wide, Elizabeth leaned forward toward Robin. "I'm sorry did you just hear what I heard?"

"I think you're making that up. We're not supposed to talk about those two, didn't you know? Haven't you ever been in a secret society before?" Robin answered glibly, smiling at each of the guys so wide they could see her teeth.

"We must have ended up at the evil twin table by mistake. I remember being told we couldn't discuss them unless they were completely drunk and even then, not in detail." Elizabeth concurred. She snapped her fingers as the answer came to her. "That's it. You're drunk already. You started the party without us!"

"Are you two done yet?" Lucky asked patiently. He should have known the announcement would have that kind of reaction.

"Almost." Robin assured them. "Do you suppose we should look for hidden cameras? You never know what ends up on television these days."

"Oh like that guy with awful hair?"

"Didn't he get shot in the finger with a rubber dart, or something?" Robin lifted her eyebrow.

"Or something. I was too busy hoping that car would fall on him."

"Are we really so boring that you feel the need to bring up soap operas at the table?" Patrick rolled his eyes at her.

"How would you know it's a soap?" Elizabeth tilted her head to the side.

"I suspect real actors have to, well, act." Patrick informed her smoothly.

"That would imply you've watched."

"Isn't that cute? You stay up-to-date with soap operas." Robin teased him, kissing the tip of his nose as if he were a child.

"Just the ones with really pretty girls." Patrick replied, watching her eyes narrow in reaction. Two could play this game.

"Who wants a drink?" Lucky offered. This was heading into dangerous territory quick.

"Sounds like a good idea. You two up for it?" Patrick inquired, looking from left to right.

"Actually," Robin began, "none for me thanks. My stomach's been a little upset. Just an iced tea."

"None for me. It's snowing and I drove." Elizabeth nodded. "Water is fine for me."

Patrick signaled the waiter over. "We're going to need an ice water, an iced tea, a martini, and..." He glanced over at Lucky, but his mind was focused on Robin's answer. He had known she wouldn't order alcohol, but just hearing her turn it down further proved what he already knew. He only hoped she wouldn't go running out the door once he told her what he had set up for them this afternoon. It was all a matter of paperwork now.

"Scotch neat." Lucky supplied. Turning toward Elizabeth he joked, "And yes it's the first of the night."

"Keep trying to sell that story Cowboy. Maybe your reporter friend can help you write it."

Robin was blatantly aware of Patrick's attentiveness to what she said and how she acted. It was irrational, but she had started to wonder, since last night at least, if he knew what she wanted desperately to tell him. It was possible, but how could he have put it all together this fast? And with no help from her? She had been careful not to let it slip out in casual conversation and she was always where she said she was when he called so he wouldn't get suspicious. So far, only Morgan knew.

Patrick rubbed Robin's knuckles with his thumb and smiled as Lucky and Elizabeth got into a little argument about whether or not the Rangers had a chance this season. He would wait for her to tell him, but only because he had seen what happened when he tried to rush her into spontaneous decisions: he never came out on top.

"Now that you don't have this hanging over your head," Robin's voice brought him back to the present, "what are you planning on doing next? Traveling the world? Finding a cure to world hunger? Buying a mail-order bride?"

"Finally curing that phobia of muddy footprints then?" Lucky cut in.

"Actually, I've been thinking a lot about it." Patrick assured her.

"It's a speech. I knew there would be a speech." Elizabeth laughed.

"And what did you decide?" Robin wanted to know, trying not to hold her breath.

"To focus on what's important." Patrick told her, stroking her hand gingerly.

"I think I might need that drink." Robin laughed, waving her hand at the waiter.

Patrick's laugh died in his throat. "Yeah, okay." He gave her a look of feigned surprise.

"You better just order a double." Elizabeth advised. "After all, this is only the beginning of the night."

"I don't really think you should be drinking." Patrick countered quietly.

"Why can Lucky drink and I can't?" Robin pouted.

"Hey Patrick? The whole 'he's a guy' argument won't work here." Lucky pointed out.

Patrick ignored his cousin's comment, his eyes nothing more than wide brown marbles as he stared at Robin. "I think we both know why."

"Do we? I seem to have forgotten my rule book As According to Patrick Drake." Robin retorted, snatching her hand out of his.

"Patrick, it's fine. I totally drove." Elizabeth offered. "She's not driving tonight. If she wants to drink it's cool."

"Would you mind, just once, staying out of this? You're supposed to be her friend and you're advocating alcohol?" Patrick couldn't keep the incredulity out of his voice.

"Don't snap at her just because you're not winning the caveman argument." Robin warned him.

"What the hell man?" Lucky wondered.

"Robin, would you mind filling our friends in on why you're not supposed to be drinking, or should I?" Patrick challenged, folding his arms over his chest.

"You've seriously lost it." Robin remarked coldly.

"Did you fall on your head today at the hospital?" Lucky wondered.

"Robin, don't." Patrick insisted when she took the apple martini from the waiter. She came here often enough for the staff to remember what she liked.

"Patrick you are not her father." Elizabeth pointed out

"Oh look," Robin mocked him. "It's to my chin, now my lips; I'm opening my mouth..." When she noticed the absolute fury in his eyes, she slammed the drink down, almost shattering it in the process, and scooted out of her chair with a loud squeak. "If you'll excuse me..." That said she scurried over to the elevator with every intention of stepping into the cold night air.

Lucky stood up, intent on stopping Robin. This was supposed to be a celebration of Patrick's good news. Did his cousin inherit some kind of talent for self-sabotage? "What the hell was that about you moron? This party is a celebration for you. And, newsflash, you love her and want her here."

"Lucky, she's not supposed to be drinking." Patrick breathed out. "She's pregnant."

Lucky sat down in shock and Elizabeth looked between her friend and Patrick rapidly. "What...How...?" She struggled to put words out in her shaky voice. "What are you talking about? Robin isn't pregnant."

"Mom did say she thought Robin was avoiding her." Lucky muttered. "That would explain it."

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe she wanted to tell me before you?" Patrick asked bitingly.

"Did she tell you?" Elizabeth pointed out.

Patrick's silence was enough of an answer.

"If she didn't tell you then how did you draw this conclusion?" Lucky wondered.

"Courtney found an appointment card to General's top obstetrician, Audrey's attic was filled with baby stuff, and you've both got to admit, she's been dodging everyone." Patrick ticked each one off on his right hand.

"An appointment card?" Elizabeth questioned weakly.

"Aren't you two planning Aunt Bobbie's baby shower?" Lucky looked over at her, noticing her rapidly paling complexion.

Patrick felt like a fool. Of course. Robin had mentioned that to him. That didn't mean he wasn't right.

"Yeah and we're storing everything at Gram's for space." Elizabeth nodded hastily.

"But the appointment card." He stressed the last two words. "What would she be doing with that if she weren't pregnant?"

"I really hate to admit I know this, but curse of having Lulu live with me. Her yearly exam?" Lucky offered.

"Why would she leave the card out for me to find then?" Patrick wanted to know.

"I thought you said Courtney found it." Lucky pointed out.

"I did." Patrick admitted.

"Maybe it was dropped. And the person who dropped it didn't know it was there." Elizabeth spoke nervously.

"What person? Courtney was absolutely spooked by it." Patrick pointed out, hating that Courtney was the strongest part of his argument.

"Why was she spooked by it? Did the card say outright it was a pregnancy related appointment?" Lucky wondered.

"No." Patrick shook his head. He looked across the table at Elizabeth. "You're sure she's not pregnant?"

"Positive."

"Well that's just great. I better go find her and apologize. I really thought I was helping." Patrick grumbled, glancing toward the exit.

"No you were jumping to conclusions again you moron." Elizabeth grumbled.

"I was just concerned." Patrick argued hotly.

"Because you jumped to conclusions." She pointed out.

"Fine, maybe I did. Maybe my head's just not screwed on right. I was so worried about these test results and then Courtney made the comment that she thought Robin was pregnant and I guess a part of me just panicked. But, damn it, I've done everything since then that I can think of...maybe it won't all have been for nothing." He mused, immediately hoping Robin would like the apartment.

"Everything you can think of...to what? Prepare for a baby that doesn't exist? How long have you been thinking this?" Lucky wondered

"A day." Patrick told him.

"A day?" Elizabeth sputtered. "Did the concept of just asking her not cross your mind in the twenty-four hours you've been preparing?"

"Have you tried asking that woman a straight answer lately?" Patrick shot back. "I didn't want to pressure her into telling me until she was ready. She's hiding something!"

"Have you tried not asking her questions about things she's not? You might get those straight answers." Elizabeth pointed out, crossing her arms.

"What's got you so flustered? It's not like this concerns you anyway." Patrick reminded her.

"Besides the fact Robin is my friend?" Elizabeth paused, tilting her head up to the ceiling. "Doesn't concern me. I drop one card and he jumps to the mother of a wrong conclusion." She grumbled unaware it wasn't entirely under her breath.

"You dropped what?" Lucky spun around. "What did you just say?"

Elizabeth froze, her eyes focused straight ahead on the flickering light of the candle. "Nothing. I said nothing."

"No you said you dropped one card. What did you mean by that?" Lucky struggled to keep his voice calm, even though he knew if he had still been standing his knees would have given out by now.

She caught his eye and debated the merits of lying briefly. He could let it go. Cruz and Bobbie could show up right now and save her from this conversation. The earth could open up and swallow her whole. What were the odds of a group of masked gunmen busting through the doors and taking them hostage? Couldn't be that small, could they? This wasn't the plan. This wasn't the plan.

"Elizabeth?"

Looking up she saw Lucky's confused eyes and Patrick's curious ones. They weren't going to let this go. There would be no one to interrupt this time. Of all the times for people in this town to suddenly develop respect!

"Fine. I know Robin isn't pregnant because that was my card. My appointment. I'm the one who's pregnant." Shaking, she quickly pushed away from the table and stood up. Catching Patrick's eye Elizabeth shook her head. "Thanks so much for this special moment. Exactly the way I dreamed of this happening."

She ran for the exit, pushing past the just arriving Cruz and Bobbie in her haste. The late arrivals neared the table, noting Robin's absence, Patrick's confusion, and Lucky's shock.

"So," Cruz started gamely. "We miss anything?"


	157. Full Of Grace

Robin had seen a hundred and one ads warning her against the filth of public facilities but as she sat curled up on the cold tile she saw only the gray door protecting her from the rest of the world. She had her knees to her chest and her cheek resting atop them thinking, just thinking. Thinking about the first time she had ever seen Patrick, a full twenty minutes before she was actually introduced to him. He had shown up in the same car he had now, his hair sun-streaked from countless trips to the beach and his eyes hidden behind a thin pair of black shades.

She had been half in love with him just based on physical appearance alone, but then he had said something glib, she forgot what now, and she had disliked him immediately following that, or had tried to. Her courtship with Logan had made it possible for her to stay close to Patrick while learning what he actually thought and felt as told by his brother. It was a cheap way to get to know someone, but Patrick had all but turned her away from even a platonic friendship. She had never admitted it to anyone else, and never would, but there were times when she would wish he would stop by once, just once, while Logan was gone. The temptation to have an extra-marital affair had grown considerably worse once she received a call from Logan's mistress, the first of many. She didn't know how many there were, but she had ignored the first, telling herself it was just a joke, a cruel one, but a joke all the same. Surely. Surely it was all a mistake. Once she had come to terms with what Logan had done, she had had a very strong inclination to pay him back. It wasn't until she actually found Logan in bed with Mona—yes of course she would remember her name now—that she was forced to face the truth.

She hadn't been kidding when she had probed Patrick for questions into what he wanted his life to include and, if he hadn't been a complete asshole about her one drink, he might have actually told her what she wanted to hear, or what she had prayed she would never hear from him. It was only six months, a little voice reminded her. There had been a lot of turmoil during that period, a lot of good, and they had actually convinced each other that what was between them was a real bond, a real love, but what if it was all a lie? What if Patrick had clung to her out of fear and now, now that he was in clear, he wanted to break free?

"Baby? You in here?"

Robin bristled at what was clearly a male voice. Assuming it was Patrick but unable to make it out due to the dryer drowning out his tone, she let out a huff and hoped he would just leave her alone. What did he think he was doing, and in the ladies room of all places? So he thought he could just track her down and call her baby and everything would be okay?

"Come on we need to talk about this. You know we do."

Talk about what? Robin wanted to scream. I don't want to talk about any of it. I'd rather live in blissful ignorance than give you the perfect opportunity to break things off with me. She sat in silence, watching the black shoes move from one side of the bathroom to the other. He was opening doors now and she became a little anxious. The stall she was currently hiding in was only two from the far right wall.

"This isn't a bad thing. I was just shocked."

"Lucky?" Robin hadn't realized she had spoken until the door to the stall opened revealing a distressed Spencer on the other side.

"Robin?" He blinked several times in confusion. He had been convinced Elizabeth had run here and Robin's appearance was an unwelcome reminder he had assumed wrong.

"What's going on? Who are you looking for?" Robin asked, lifting her head from her folded arms.

Sliding down so as to not tower over her, he ran his fingers through his hair. "Elizabeth. I thought she would have run in here. Looks like I was wrong."

"What did you do?" She inquired bluntly.

"Actually I'm pretty sure there is no way this one is my fault. Well maybe but her running is all on Patrick."

"Great. What did Mr. Wonderful do now?" Robin met his eyes and felt instant empathy. She should have stayed at the table instead of running off like a child.

"You want the whole list?"

"Yes." Robin nodded. "I need context."

"Well when you left I questioned his sanity for running you off. And he proceeds to tell us that you're pregnant."

"WHAT?" Robin's voice bounced off every stall in the place.

"Oh wait. It gets better." Lucky promised, patting her arm.

"What happened?"

"First we ask how he knows. And he proceeds to tell us about Courtney finding an appointment card, baby stuff in Audrey's attic, and you avoiding everyone lately. You know the obvious signs of pregnancy."

"Right." Robin barely refrained from rolling her eyes.

"So Elizabeth says something along the lines of he's a moron and jumping to conclusions."

"Oh." Robin could already see how this was going to play out, but she decided to let her friend finish.

"Words are exchanged. Patrick wonders why Elizabeth is so concerned since this isn't about her. She mumbles something about dropping one card and he jumps to conclusions. And I'm thinking you know the rest that was blurted out."

"Pretty much. Oh Lucky, I'm so sorry. This isn't how it was supposed to happen." Robin apologized profusely.

"I got that impression."

"What are you going to do now?"

"Well apparently my original plan was a flop. I was supposed to find her in here and talk about this. Find out basic information. Try to talk without sounding like a moron. The basics. Did I mention she blew past Aunt Bobbie and Cruz? So I have to figure out a way to explain why she's completely gone now, without telling the whole story since that will get back to mom in three seconds."

"Do yourself a favor. Take the back way out of here. I'll cover for you. Time is crucial right now. You've got to find Elizabeth. The longer you wait, the worse it'll be." Robin cautioned him.

Rising to his feet he nodded. "She probably already has me eloping with the waitress while she's alone and pregnant."

"Sounds like our girl. Good luck." Robin smiled up at him.

"Thanks. Cause now I have to figure out how to get past Audrey."

Kneeling at the open window, Elizabeth drew in a calming breath as the snow continued to fall down. Growing up in Colorado, she had always sworn she could smell the snow. Steven had just laughed and agreed with her. Sarah had looked at her as if she had three heads and her parents eventually started paying her to not mention the "smell of snow" in front of company. It sounded crazy to her own ears, which she later changed her mind on when it became a part of the Gilmore Girls. The smell of snow somehow calmed her and right now she needed calm.

She had rushed out of the restaurant and blindly toward her car. Only when she was halfway back to her home did she realize she had just made a bad situation worse. She could have salvaged that announcement somehow, granted she couldn't think of how exactly but running out and not telling anyone where she was going wasn't going to help matters. The words had flown out of her mouth and the old instinct to run before she got hurt kicked in. Run, the little voice had taunted, run before he yells or tells you he doesn't want anymore kids.

Alright it wasn't her most rational thought process ever. And she should probably stop watching the Lifetime Movie Network for the next five months. Or at least stop watching in marathon binges. Those movies were worse than drugs for messing with your mind. Especially the pregnant women in peril movies. Those were the worst. Elizabeth shook her head to refocus her thoughts. She had given Lucky all of two seconds to react to her news and ran probably before her words even started to sink in.

Hell it had taken her a week to even start to realize she was actually pregnant. If it hadn't been for Robin, she would have walked right back to the car without making an appointment, taking the brochures (which she had deemed worthless about three seconds after reading) or getting her vitamins filled. Robin could say the words baby, pregnant, father, mother with ease. She had frozen up and changed the subject every single time.

On some level, Elizabeth was aware it was ironic she had been so freaked out by the news. It wasn't as if she hated kids. She was a preschool teacher! Lucky was a single father! And it wasn't as if the idea of having kids had never crossed her mind. She had always assumed one day it would happen, when the time was right and with the right guy. It had never occurred to her the right time would be six months into a relationship, while she lived with her grandmother and his son was just beginning to not hate her.

She had still been unsure about everything until that first appointment. Using the ultrasound, Dr. Lansing had shown her the outline of the baby on the monitor. After gazing at the hazy image for a few silent minutes, for some reason her panic had started to lesson. Oh she still had doubts as to her ability to do the whole motherhood thing. She still was mastering not losing her cell phone in her car; the concept of being responsible for another human being was terrifying. But the denial was gone. Even if you did need someone to point it out to you, there was no denying the baby in the picture.

Moving her way across the room, Elizabeth picked up the rectangular objected, wrapped in shiny silver paper from her vanity. Turning the package over, she smiled as she sank down onto the white duvet cover of her bed. It was just exactly like her, Elizabeth realized. She had finally figured out the perfect way to tell Lucky the news, and she had gone and screwed up the moment herself. If she tried hard enough, she could probably figure out someway to blame Patrick for this, but the truth was this was her fault. She had over reacted and blurted the news out. And now Lucky was probably wondering why he had dated such a freak.

"Elizabeth?"

The voice from the still open window caused her to jump up startled. Immediately she flashed on the idea of a serial killer but dismissed that as silly. Why would a serial killer target anyone in a town as small as Port Charles? It would be way too easy to figure out. And she doubted a random psycho would know her name. Glancing toward the window, she dropped the present on the floor when she saw Lucky's form sliding in through the window. She raced over to help him steady himself. "Lucky! What are you doing?"

"I was in the neighborhood. Just thought I would drop in." He smiled as he brushed the snow out of his hair and directly onto the carpet.

She socked him in the arm. "Smart ass. Is there some issue you have with the front door?"

"Nothing. But I couldn't figure out what I was going to say to your grandmother, your brother, and the three people I saw in the living that I assume are your parents and sister. I didn't think 'Hi Mrs. Hardy. Elizabeth just told me she was pregnant and ran. Mind if I go upstairs and see if she's here?' would work too well."

He was joking. At least she was somewhat sure he was joking. It had to be a good sign right? Sitting down on the bed, she nodded at his point. "True. But how did you know this was my window?"

Sitting on the floor across from her, Lucky cocked an eyebrow. "I've only heard two people ever talk about leaving their window open during a snow storm to smell the snow and one was fictional. I took a chance."

"Good point." Elizabeth bit her lower lip and studied the pattern of the carpet. Her left leg couldn't stop shaking. Silence grew between them as Elizabeth searched for the right words to say. If only she had handled this better she could have just stuck with the speech she had prepared for Christmas. A gentle pressure on her left knee caused her to look up and directly into Lucky's green eyes. His hand rested on her leg, using the smallest of squeezes to stop it from shaking.

"We need to talk," he whispered.

"I know." Elizabeth slid off the bed, ending up only inches away from where he sat. Lacing her fingers with his, she took a breath. "This wasn't the way I was planning on doing this."

"I hope not or else I'll ban you from planning all surprises of any kind." He joked. "Let's just start with the basics. When did you find out?"

"It was after I thought I had the flu. So right before Thanksgiving."

"Almost a month ago?" his voice was incredulous. She had kept this quiet for almost a month? When was she planning on telling him? When she went into labor?

"I know. It sounds horrible. But I was in shock. Even though the home test said I was, I had convinced myself I wasn't. So when Dr. Lansing said, 'Congratulations,' I freaked."

Lucky couldn't argue that. Elizabeth could freak out over nothing better than his sister. Give her a legitimate freak out opportunity and it was probably more surprising it only took her a month to tell him.

"And I was going to tell you at Thanksgiving but then Patrick got sick and it didn't feel right to tell you that when everyone was worried about him. And then I got this stupid idea to tell you as part of a Christmas present and Robin thought it was just sweet so..." Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the now anti-climatic gift. Reaching over to grab it, she offered it to him with a half hearted smile. "Well, it's a little late now, but Merry Christmas."

Lucky looked down in confusion at the shiny object she had placed in his hands. He could clearly read the message to "hurry up and rip the paper" in her eyes. "What is this?" he teased, slipping his fingers under the tape with ease.

"Just a little something."

"Just a little..." The teasing words died in his throat when he finally saw what was beneath the paper. Inside a simple silver frame with the words "Baby's first picture" engraved at the top, was a sonogram picture. It took him a few minutes but his eyes eventually began to distinguish the lines and make out the small shadowy form of a baby. Their baby. He swallowed back the lump in his throat. "Wow."

"Apparently your child is very at ease in front of the camera. Who could have guessed that one?"

"How far along?"

"About four months." She managed. "So it's a good thing you know now because I don't think I could hide it any longer." She smoothed the fabric of her blouse flat to reveal the definite swell of her stomach. "Apparently your child also is afraid of never eating because I am gaining weight like there is no tomorrow here. Dr. Lansing is surprised I've put on as much as I have."

His eyes widened slightly at the undeniable proof of the child living inside of her. Well that explained whey she had suddenly developed a love of loose clothing. And why she had been using every excuse in the book to not stay with him. While he hated to admit his mother had been right and Elizabeth had been avoiding her, he could completely understand the reason. Any hint of this in the air and his mother would have had a field day. Gently he laid his hand on top of her stomach. "So does this mean I missed morning sickness?"

"No. That was the flu."

Looking up to meet her blue eyes, he noticed the trepidation that still lay in them. Of course she was scared. He was too and he had already been through this once before. Not in the exact same circumstances but still. "Hey." He nudged her chin up with his finger. "This is pretty incredible. You know that right?"

Elizabeth smiled shyly. "I've come around to that conclusion, yes."

"Good." Pulling her closer to him, Lucky closed the gap between them with a sweet, slow kiss. When they separated for air, he rested his forehead on hers. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"As long as we have that straight, we'll figure out everything else."


	158. Chemistry of a Car Crash

Patrick sensed the danger before he even walked into his studio. He had gone to her loft, to Mac's, to Audrey's, to Kelly's, to Jake's, back to the Metro Court, so it made sense for him to find her here. She had to stop hiding from him or he might never find her. He had no way of knowing if she was aware of how the dinner had ended. He didn't know why he hadn't checked here in his list of places to look, but he had spent the better part of the night and the first few hours of the morning trying to find her. He hadn't slept in twenty-four hours and the roads were slick and unforgivable.

Patrick had gritted his teeth when Lucky had come back to the table to announce that he was leaving. Neither Cruz nor Bobbie had thought it a good idea to stay in such turbulent weather so they had called it an early night. How he had made it here, he did not know. It had to be adrenaline and stubborn will, because nothing else could have gotten him so far. His body was starting to drag now that his brain could confirm Robin was safe and sound.

She sat in his favorite chair, her legs thrown over the left side if only to frustrate him and her hands folded in her lap. Glancing from left to right, he noticed that she had lost her shoes and coat on the way to chair and not bothered to pick them up. She didn't look upset, but he had learned not to trust appearances, especially when it came to Robin. "I've been looking everywhere for you." Patrick informed her, peeling off his gloves and blowing a hot breath against his chilled fingertips. He wanted to fall over, but passing out in her presence when he wasn't sure how she currently felt about it could end very badly for him. He had no way of knowing if she would resuscitate him or not.

"Good for you." Robin answered noncommittally. He had seen her when she was crying, yelling, quiet to the point of discomfort, but he wasn't sure how to gauge her mood right this second. She wasn't crying and she wasn't biting into her bottom lip or fidgeting. She wasn't drilling a hole in his forehead with a piercing stare. Her eyes were decorated in black shadows and new lines proving that she hadn't gotten in a wink of sleep either. God, he wished he had just come here first but that had felt like giving up and he hadn't thought that the best solution at the time.

Patrick started to take a step toward her, but she held out a finger to keep him back. It was a warning, a beacon, the last thing he would get from her if he was reading her eyes right. "Are you alright?" Patrick asked timidly. He could handle screaming or even crying, but he had only seen this stare one other time and it had been a pretty miserable and embarrassing time. His body was starting to give out so he had two options: pass out or consider losing his head by closing the space between them. She might take pity on him and let him curl up next to her, but he somehow doubted it.

"Why did you tell Lucky and Elizabeth that I was pregnant?" There was no shrill underlying in her voice, but the soft emotion creeping in was almost enough to bring him to his knees. "Did you, even once, consider asking me to verify it?" So she was embarrassed then? And who could blame her? He had taken the idiot's approach to pregnancy and now he bet she could care less about how he was currently feeling.

Patrick visibly gulped. This wasn't how it should have gone, but then he'd thought that all night long. He had screwed up Elizabeth's news by making it all about him and his own insecurities. He had had so little to go on; his current behavior was positively barbaric. Without asking her, he had started to think of sharing a life with her, Morgan, and their child. Without asking her, he had gone apartment hunting and decided on one. Thank God he hadn't signed the contract before talking to Robin first. If she could possibly give him a free pass, he would tell her all about it. His biggest concern was that, when he told her, she would get up and run. She wouldn't just stop at locking herself away in the loft, she would move out of state, out of the country, or even to another planet just to keep him from pulling her into a life she didn't want. He knew she would react this way, because it had been his immediate thought when Courtney had mentioned the mere possibility that he had gotten Robin pregnant.

"I guess I let my fear get the best of me." He admitted grudgingly. There was so much more he wanted to say, but the words weren't coming. He had been on his own too long, so much so that the very idea of asking another person to analyze it was unthinkable!

"Your fear? You're afraid of getting me pregnant?" Robin inquired, surprised. Obviously she hadn't put much thought into it, not even when the doctor had confirmed her best friend pregnant. Large, gaping hole for one. She knew he was holding something back but, thank God, she wasn't intuitive enough to figure out what it was. He was at the stage where he had started thinking about the future whether he meant to or not, whether they were ready or not. He had to assume that's what had propelled him to find a place for them to live before even asking her if she wanted to share a space with him.

"Terrified, actually." Patrick had been on this side of the argument enough to know that honesty was truly the best policy even if it ended up costing him greatly in the end. "But it's my issue, not one I have about you." It was as if he could hear the anvil loosening from the rope that currently held it but couldn't determine where it actually was so he had no way out of dodging it.

Robin pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't understand. Getting me pregnant isn't my issue, just yours?" He was fucking this up! He needed to take a giant step backwards and better assess the situation, but he felt like he was already drowning. He had taken in too much without being aware of it and, now, even a lifesaver wouldn't save him from an impending crash and burn.

"Wait, that's not what I mean." Patrick tried to salvage what he could, but he realized he had already said too much. "Between the two of us, you're by far the better parent. What I mean is, I have no doubt that, if you were pregnant—which you're not (he gave her a questioning look to which she shook her head)—you could handle it. I, on the other hand, am no one's idea of father material."

"You've made an awful lot of assumptions based on nothing! You don't even ask me if I am, but think it's great dinner conversation." She grumbled, shaking her head in dismay. "And what better way than to show you are in control than degrade me at the table?"

"I was worried about you, that's all. That's it." He insisted, taking a few cautious steps toward her.

"Do you consider me an idiot? Is that why you weren't going to let me drink?" Robin challenged.

"What? No, of course not. I know you're very capable, very brilliant." Patrick assured her, crouching down in front of her.

"Then why would you act this way? You couldn't have honestly thought I would find out about an impending pregnancy and not tell you! If that were ever to happen, it wouldn't just be my life affected: I'd have to consider your health—" Her nervous ramble was only cut short by Patrick's fingers pressed lightly across her lips.

"I didn't doubt your concern for me, babe." He promised, cupping her chin. "I just wanted you to know that you could tell me. All I know is that, when you picked up that drink, I kept waiting for you to tell me, but you didn't. I understand why now, but I didn't at the time."

"Obviously, it's a good thing I'm not pregnant." Robin deduced, pushing his hand away. "Especially if this is the way you would react."

"That's not fair!" Patrick countered angrily.

"No, I guess it's not, but it's logical isn't it?" Robin shot back, turning her back on him.

"The hell it is! If anything, this whole experience should show you that, if it comes down to it, if we end up in this situation for real—" Patrick argued, twirling her around.

"Situation?" Robin repeated. "Is that what you call a baby? A situation?"

"You know that's not what I meant! I meant situation as far as circumstance, not the baby itself." Patrick told her.

"I don't know what you mean! Why don't you tell me?" She dared him, tucking her finger under his chin and tilting it up.

"I just did. God, why are you making this so hard? There is no child to speak of."

"But there could be." Robin snapped.

"So we're fighting over a hypothetical?" Patrick realized.

"We're not fighting!" Robin shook her head.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I must have misunderstood the yelling." Patrick replied condescendingly.

Robin huffed at him and squeezed her eyes shut, probably counting to ten. "We've never even talked about anything like this." Her voice was barely stronger than a whisper. "So you'll have to forgive me if I'm not reacting the right way."

"Bullshit." Patrick regarded her with suspicion. "This isn't about my expectations; this is about your fear."

"My fear?" Robin balked at him. "Didn't you just say that this was all about you and has nothing to do with me?"

"That's not what I said and you know it." Patrick stared down into her eyes. "This is obviously something we need to talk about."

"Now, I have to disagree. There's no reason discussing something that's not true. If you'd like to witness baby drama, maybe you should go visit Lucky and Elizabeth, though I have to say he handled it a lot better than you."

"I'd be offended by that, except that I'm sure he was a regular William Powell. Don't ask. Aunt Laura. Just don't ask."

"You know I would never try to trap you into a life you don't want." Robin informed him, taking his hands in hers.

"I do know that. Nothing I've thought over the last forty-eight hours has been in reference to your intentions for me. However, that's not to say I haven't thought about things."

"Things? What kinds of things?" Robin asked apprehensively.

"Things in terms of the future." Patrick answered vaguely.

"You're scaring me." Robin admitted, glancing down at their intertwined hands.

"That's the very last thing I want to do." Patrick promised, reaching into his back pocket and extracting something. She couldn't immediately tell what it was because he had his hand closed around it.

"What's that?" Robin pointed at his closed fist. Her heart was in her throat as she asked this. He had to be careful about how he did this, because the idea of her running away from him was too devastating a prospect.

"You mean this?" As he said it, he started to drop the item in his hand but caught it in time with his thumb and index finger.

Robin stared at the shiny silver key as if it would unlock the Plague. When she didn't speak at all, he began to worry he had made the wrong decision. This was too fast for her, his mind told him. He was pushing too hard. But he couldn't go on pretending that this was all he wanted from their relationship. He didn't want her to have to sneak over here in the middle of the night when she got lonely or to have to schedule "meetings" at her loft for right after Morgan fell asleep. It was way past ridiculous and this made the most sense. So why wasn't she saying anything?

"Robin?" Patrick squeezed her hands softly, but still received no response. "It's okay. If you're not ready, I'll just keep it for you when you are." He hurried to assure her. She finally met his eyes and he couldn't ignore the confusion he found there.

"You're not breaking up with me?" Her question caught him so completely unaware he almost lost his hold on the key, this time for more than a dramatic response.

"Break up with you? Of course I'm not doing that." He brought each of her hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles gingerly.

"I'm confused." Her eyes said that was the understatement of the century.

"You honestly thought I wanted to end us?" He emphasized the last word, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Well…yeah." She managed weakly. "I can't handle this right now. I just…I can't even begin to fathom what would make you want to go through something like this."

"I'm asking you to move in with me, not join the Olympics." He teased, touching the tip of her nose and drawing his finger down it.

"Move in with you?" She echoed blankly.

"Can you think of a better reason for me to give you your own key?"

Robin took a quick glance around the living room even though she knew what it looked like, how big it was, and every intimate detail about it. She had thought suggesting throw pillows would be extreme, but what he was asking her…he couldn't be serious. But his eyes said he was serious and that frightened her. He didn't know what he was getting himself into. She'd give him twenty-four hours before he changed his mind. Of course, by then, she and Morgan would be completely moved in…if she said yes. She wasn't sure that she should. They weren't playing house and this wasn't just about them. "You want me to live here?"

"Not exactly." Patrick searched her eyes for some semblance of acceptance, but it was a bottomless pit of confusion and agitation. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." Robin nodded.

"Then will you go somewhere with me?"


	159. All These Lives

Lucas chewed on his thumbnail instantly regretting it. He would have to return to the salon less than twenty-four hours after leaving it due to this nasty habit. It had taken ten minutes but he and his mother had finally gotten through their pleasantries and he could finally tell her what was going on. Dillon had suggested grounding Lance to his room until his suspension was over, but Lucas wasn't sure that would do any good what with all of the toys and distractions up there. They had come to a compromise and, at the moment, Lance was outside raking leaves and taking rocks out of the flowerbed at the front walkway.

Lance was a pretty good kid—he knew he was still biased enough to believe his boy was perfect—so this idea of punishing him was almost completely foreign to he and Dillon. Their son was kind and courteous and was an excellent student at school. They spent half their weekends listening to his teacher talk about how wonderful he was, how attentive, and Lucas wondered if all of that was going to have to change now. What kind of school suspended a six-year-old for defending himself? This wasn't high school; there were no weapons involved. He still didn't know what had set him son off because Lance refused to even discuss it. For his little boy to be quiet—well it just wasn't natural. Dillon had called it his way of picking up bad habits from his Spencer-Jones side and, for once, Lucas couldn't argue the point.

"Do you think we have any chance of having a white Christmas this year?" Bobbie wondered idly. Something was bothering Lucas, he only ever bit his nails when something was nagging at him. Sooner or later he would tell her. She just had to be patient. Bobbie rubbed her stomach absentmindedly. "It's a shame the snow from the other day didn't stick."

"We always have a white Christmas," Lucas reminded her pressing his lips into a tight smile. "It's about the only thing we can count on." She had picked up on his subtle signals whether he meant for her to or not. How was he going to explain that his son, her grandson, assaulted a boy almost twice his age?

"That is true. And if there wasn't any snow I wouldn't put it pass Dillon to create it for effect."

"He hopes to be finished with production before the holiday." Lucas said, peeling the fingernail away from his thumb. He might as well get started on the rest. He was going to get it from Brenda when she saw the mess he had made of them especially since their outing had been her first free day from wedding planning. He had insisted and she hadn't turned down the offer. She still didn't have any idea when the wedding would take place. Poor girl. Every time she and Jax agreed about something, there would be some external force, mainly their families, who would create more drama.

"I'm sure he will." She cast a sidelong look in her son's direction. "Is that why Lance is so quiet? Because he's worried Dillon won't make it back in time?"

"It might be part of the reason." Lucas answered awkwardly. He was here so he might as well spill. It was why he had invited her over—to pick her brain, to figure out what the hell he was supposed to do and if doing so would make him a bad father. He worried about that all the time—that his and Dillon's decisions over the last seven years had been erroneous in some way and they were actually ruining Lance's life instead of making it better.

"Care to enlighten me on the rest of it?" Bobbie had figured Lucas's mood had something to do with Lance. It had not missed her attention her grandson had missed several days of school last week. Sometimes, she was sure Lucas forgot Morgan went to the same school as Lance. And the boy was full of stories about his younger cousin this week.

Lucas decided to take the plunge. "Lance got in a fight with an older boy at lunch. The school suspended him for six weeks."

"Does that time include Christmas break?"

Lucas' eyes shot to hers. Here he was, freaking out over the time his son would miss from school, over how this incident would affect his son when it came time to scout for colleges, without even figuring in Christmas break! "Oh, yeah." He felt about two inches tall. "He's supposed to be grounded."

"Darling I've seen his room. Grounding wouldn't work."

"That's why he's raking leaves. It keeps him away from the TV and all his toys until his little arms get tired." Lucas felt like a monster subjecting his only child to such work when the rake was twice his size, but he honestly didn't know what else to do. His threats were all empty and he knew he wouldn't be able to punish him properly. If Lance would just speak up about what had happened, what had made him attack the other boy, then Lucas could come up with something fair.

Glancing over, Bobbie saw the look of guilt flash across his face. "Don't do it." She warned him. "You are not going to feel guilty about giving him a consequence."

"I wish he would just let me in, but he's the strong, silent type." Lucas tried to laugh, but his voice cracked at his attempt to do so. "And Dillon and I have been trading him back and forth while he's been out of school hoping he would open up. He doesn't even argue when we give him extra chores to do. I'm really worried about him, Mama."

"Sweetie." Bobbie wished she could help him more but she couldn't. Morgan didn't even seem to know what had caused the fight. All the little boy knew was suddenly he was being called "Lance's cousin" instead of "Kristina's little brother" and he liked it. "Lance will talk when he's ready. You can't force it out of him."

"But how else am I supposed to know?" Lucas asked impatiently. "It's not like he's keeping a journal or talking to his friends about it on the phone. I'm years away from that."

"Did you talk to the teachers?"

"They saw him kick the boy, but none of them were close enough to hear what words were exchanged and none of the kids that witnessed it are saying anything. He kicked a bully. How am I supposed to punish him for that?" Lucas wanted to know.

"The same way your dad and I had to punish you when you hit that kid for making fun of BJ."

Lucas beamed. He had enjoyed kicking that kid even if it meant he was grounded from everything for two months afterwards. It had been worth it! But that didn't mean he could praise his son for doing the same thing even if it had been for the right reason, which he figured it was. Lance was not prone to violence. "Next thing we know, he'll be giving up his education to be a professional wrestler!" Lucas fretted, glancing down at his ruined nails.

"I thought Dillon was the dramatic one, not you."

Lucas shook his head. "Oh, that husband of mine is already fitting Lance for the costume in his spare time I bet."

Bobbie laughed outright. She couldn't argue the point. "My point is that Lance will tell you when he is ready. And even if it is for the right reasons, he still needs a consequence, just like you did." Bobbie paused and looked over at Lance. "If I remember correctly you never did tell us what caused that fight. BJ eventually broke down and told us everything, but I don't think we ever heard a word about it from you."

Lucas sighed. What if Lance did the same thing? What if he never knew the cause of the fight? What if the punishment wasn't severe enough or what if it was too much so? Would Lance really regret it after it was all said and done? "What should I do?"

"Be patient. Just be his father."

"How can you be so calm and still call yourself a Spencer?" Lucas probed, tucking a piece of wild red hair behind his mother's left ear.

"Someone had to try to calm you down." She joked.

Lucas scooted over and hugged her. "Don't tell Dillon I asked. One of us has to appear knowledgeable and he's just as lost as I am. I have a reputation you know."

Blocking her exit route with his body, Lucky rested his hands on her shoulders lightly. "You can't change your mind."

"Yes I can. He can just find out when the baby gets here. In fact we don't have to tell anyone. It can be a secret."

"It can't be a secret when Patrick and Robin know already." Lucky pointed out. "Sooner or later people would begin to ask questions."

Lucky laughed and began rubbing her arms lightly. "It's just an audience of one. And he's already in a good mood with all those new toys he just got." Cameron had just returned from his Christmas visit with Tony and Lisa. Looking over her shoulder, Lucky could clearly see his son playing with his new collection of Transformers. "It will be fine."

He didn't have the heart to tell her Cameron was probably going to be the easiest family member to break the news to. Outside of Cruz, Patrick, and Robin, he honestly didn't see this going over all that well. Steven was making clear he barely tolerated him. Lucky had yet to meet her parents officially but he couldn't imagine combining first meeting with announcing you were pregnant would endear any boyfriend, let alone him, to them. Audrey might be fine at first, but he doubted the rest of their announcement would go over well. Although he knew the circumstances were different this time around, he well remembered what happened the last time he made this announcement. Even though his friends laughed at him, Lucky swore he still had the bruise from where his mother hit him that day. Laura Spencer could pack a punch.

"I believe you insisted we tell Cameron first." He pointed out.

"Obviously I'm hormonal and not thinking straight already." Elizabeth muttered under her breath. She knew they had to do this. As much as she might wish it, there was no way she was going to conceal this much longer. It just would have been easier if she had been able to stick to her plan, then she wouldn't feel like she was about to destroy Cameron's Christmas. With a sigh she finally gave in. "Ok let's do it. But if we are back to glares o' death, it's your fault."

Smiling Lucky led her out to the family room and motioned for her to sit down on the couch. Sitting next to her, he caught Cameron's eye and motioned for Cameron to come closer. "Hey Champ, come over here for a minute will you?"

Cameron crossed the room, carrying Optimus Prime and UltraMagnus tightly in his little hands. Sitting down at his father's feet, he immediately began trying to transform from their car form to the robots.

Lucky scooped Cameron off the ground and placed him in his lap. Removing the toys from his hands, he placed them down on the coffee table in front of them. "You can play with them in a bit. We have to talk to you about something right now."

Catching the "we", Cameron looked back and forth between Lucky and Elizabeth, trying to puzzle out exactly what was going on. "Ok." He said nervously.

Lucky took a deep breath and caught Elizabeth's eye. She nodded for him to go ahead. It was her idea to tell Cameron first, but she had also insisted it would probably go better if he took the lead in this. As much as he had wanted to make fun of her theories on this, he had to admit she probably had a point. "Well something has happened and that means there will be a change in our family," he started out.

"Are we moving?" Cameron wondered.

"Moving?" Elizabeth finally found her voice. "No sweetie you're not moving."

"Yeah we're staying put." Lucky promised. "No see what happened is..."

"Are you having a baby?" Cameron blurted out suddenly.

They couldn't contain their shock at his question. Lucky looked wide-eyed, with his jaw open over at Elizabeth, who wore a similar expression. Cameron looked between the two of them with patience, waiting for his question to be answered. Blinking furiously, Elizabeth managed to speak. "How...what..." She paused and took a breath. "Cameron why would you ask that?"

The little boy shrugged. "Kristina said that's what happened when daddies date. And Grandma said something was going on. She hoped it was a baby." He looked up at his father expectantly. "Is it a baby?"

"Oh God, your mother suspects." Elizabeth leaned back on the couch.

"Daddy?"

Lucky shook himself back to reality. He really need to have a conversation with Alexis about her daughter's view on parental dating. He also made a mental note to talk with his parents about making sure Cameron wasn't around when they decided to map out his future. Smiling down at Cameron, he ruffled the three-year-old's hair. "Yeah. Elizabeth is having a baby and you're going to be a big brother. What do you think of that?"

Cameron screwed his face up in concentration. "Do babies cry?"

"Yes. They all do. But not always." Elizabeth answered, still leaning back on the couch.

"Do I have to share my room with the baby?"

"No." Lucky responded. "But eventually you'll have to share toys."

Nodding at the information, Cameron pursed his lips together in thought. Slowly he smiled. "Cool."

"Cool?" Lucky questioned. "You think having a baby brother or sister will be cool?"

Cameron nodded. "Yeah. Cool."

"I don't understand why we have to decorate my place when I'm clearly going to be at yours for the holiday." Cruz mused, watching Bobbie wrap another strand of lights around the banister. She had come over, decorations stuffed in two large boxes, less than an hour ago and already his townhouse looked like the inside of a catalog. He had been about to scold her for dragging the boxes into her car in the first place but she quickly explained that Lucas had helped her, that she hadn't lifted a finger.

Really, he didn't mind her showing up unannounced, and it wasn't like she had asked him to help her, but of course he had felt roped into the whole prospect, terrified that her little project was going to cause her stress or worse. He'd rather his townhouse was the least festive on the block if it meant she wouldn't exhaust herself. But he couldn't tell her that without asking for a fight.

"I told you. I can't have you looking like the Grinch." She stood back to look at her work. Perfect. She had agreed with his silly protestations about not having a tree but not decorating at all? Bobbie shook her head as turned her attention back to one of the box she had brought with her. She had the perfect ribbon somewhere in here for a bow.

Cruz watched her head disappear into one of her gargantuan boxes and fingered the string of icicle lights that now hung above the entrance to the patio door. She had a knack for this, but then he figured he shouldn't have been surprised. She was constantly having to come up with new designs for her business catalog to "keep up with the times" so she had a natural talent for sorting out colors and objects that complimented each other.

"Do you have any strange Christmas habits I should know about before you raise our child to have them too?" This would be their first Christmas together since last year it had been impossible to spend any time with each other due to their own familial obligations. His mama had insisted on coming down to visit them this Christmas meaning that she would be accompanied by all ten of his cousins, Aunt Teresa, Uncle Vincenzo, and probably Grandma Maria. He hadn't found the right time to tell Bobbie about this, nor had he given his mother and the rest of his family any indication that he accepted their offer. Everything was at a standstill until he was able to determine what Bobbie felt the most comfortable doing.

"It's all fairly typical. The hospital party, presents with Lucas, Dillon and Lance in the morning. I suspect Morgan and Michael will probably drop by at some point in the afternoon." She pulled out the ribbon roll, finally locating it at the bottom of the box. "We save all the truly crazy traditions for St. Patrick's Day."

Coming up behind her, Cruz wrapped his arms around her stomach, sighing when she relaxed against him. "Let's just run off and not tell anybody. We could get as far as Vegas without anyone noticing."

"And what would we do once we got there?" she teased. "Take in a show? Lounge by the pool?"

"Why not? It'd be way less complicated than blending our families." He pointed out, moving his mouth to her left ear. "I could be at your beck and call."

"Tempting." She sighed as she felt his mouth descend on her skin. She twisted their fingers together and squeezed them.

"What do you say we take a break and sit down?" It wasn't actually a question and if he had to carry her over to the couch he would. Her face was almost as red as her face proving that she was working too hard whether or not she would ever admit it.

"You just don't want me stringing ribbon all over your place." She accused as she made her way over to the leather sofa.

"We won't miss the holidays if we take a little rest." He assured her, lightly massaging the back of her neck and shoulders. "I got an interesting call last night." Cruz's expression was stoic as he caught the nervous glance Bobbie sent him. "It seems you've been working with Robin against doctor's orders."

"I have not." Bobbie protested.

Cruz narrowed his eyes at her. "Barbara Jean Spencer."

"I told Dr. Lansing I wouldn't take on any more clients and I haven't." She defended herself. "Did you really think I was going to pass Jax and Brenda's wedding off on Robin without helping her?"

"Yes, actually that's what I thought when you told me you would." Cruz whispered. "Why do you have to push yourself so hard? Robin is more than capable of handling the business until you can come back."

"I know Robin is. But this business is mine and Brenda and Jax's wedding is finally going to make it pay off." After all the years of sacrificing and working impossibly long hours, her dream business was finally going to take off in the way she had always secretly imagined. She couldn't quit now so close to seeing her dream realized.

Cruz knew he didn't have it in him to fight with her. She just had to be so logical, didn't she? "Can you cut it down to an hour a day? I know that's asking a lot, but I sure would sleep better knowing that you're not straining yourself."

"I can do that." She promised.


	160. Where You Are

Maxie stared at herself in the bathroom mirror one more time before deciding it was time to face the music. She figured it could have been worse, but she didn't know how. Nothing immediately sprung to mind. The forest green velvet top hung nicely to her subtle curves and the halter neckline was made entirely of white faux fir. She wore simple black heels on her feet and her hair was pulled back in a bun to hide it beneath the velvet green and white hat. The costume included a pair of green and white tights and a black and gold belt that fastened in the front. It could be worse, she told herself. She could have had to wear pixie boots like Robin when she had volunteered back in high school.

She really wanted to smear on some red lipstick and pull her hair down, but it wouldn't be worth it. The chairman of the committee she was a part of had thought it would be funny to see her in a costume even if she hadn't said so directly. Ric, scratch that Dr. Lansing, hadn't been to the last couple of meetings so chances were good that he wouldn't see her like this. Not that she cared. It wasn't like she missed him or anything. He was just the only one she recognized in the group.

Okay, so he was kind of cute, but that was where the attraction ended. He had made it a point to stop talking to her after their run-in at the Outback so she had no choice but to assume he was sick of her. It was just as well. She didn't have time for some messy relationship with any man; she didn't even have time for a fling. She had tried it both ways—committed and convenient—and both left her burning pictures and chopping off the ends of her hair to such extremes that she would have to go to a salon wearing a hat. She didn't even know why he kept coming up in her mind; it wasn't like they had anything in common. He had been forced into this volunteer thing just like her. It wasn't like he was sticking around because he wanted to be near her.

There was a big difference between indifference and coy. For his efforts, he had been rewarded with a cold shoulder. He had implied some sort of fling which made her some worthwhile challenge and, while a part of her was completely intrigued by the idea, she had been the example of how not to handle men too many times to make another stupid mistake. She was tired of being referred to as the troubled daughter when Robin and Georgie were constantly praised as perfect in Mac's eyes.

Stepping out of the bathroom, abandoning her refuge for a floor of rowdy children and some idiot playing Santa Claus, she adjusted the collar of her top again. She couldn't stop fidgeting with it. It wasn't like it was too revealing. It barely showed any skin at all and the outfit ran from her shoulder to the back of her knees. This was entirely appropriate so why couldn't she relax? Alan Quartermaine smiled and waved her over to which she responded with a forced smile of her own and a spine-tingling sensation to run away.

"Well, well, well looks my beautiful helper has finally arrived." Ric couldn't help but smile as he took in her outfit. He stroked the snow white beard that was part of his costume. For the first time, he was happy he had been roped into wearing this getup as penance for missing the last two committee meetings. If he had known Maxie Jones was going to play elf beside of him, he would have volunteered gladly.

She had been consistent since their last meeting at the Outback. He'd received nothing more than a cold shoulder, or the obligatory response if he asked her a question in committee, where it would have been rude to outright ignore him. It wasn't like him to continue to put this much effort into someone who was clearly trying to signal back off to him, but there was something about her. Maybe it was the gleam in her eyes, the pout in her lips. Maybe it was the way he somehow realized she was only trying to signal him back. He wasn't too sure what it was exactly, but this more exciting than anything else offered to him at the moment.

"I think I might forgive you for being late." He winked at her, tugging on the end of the hat she wore.

Maxie slapped his hand away on instinct. His voice was muffled so she couldn't determine who he was or if she was supposed to know him. All she did know was that he had no right to touch her without her permission. "Sorry Santa. You're too old for my tastes."

"I thought no one outgrew Santa?" It was all he could do to keep from laughing.

"Well, I wasn't your average kid." Maxie told him. "And I have work to do."

"What a surprise! So do I!" Ric bowed and extended his arm, pointing toward the chair he would spend the better part of this party sitting in.

"That's okay. I don't need an escort." Maxie assured him, trying to be polite in case he turned out to be the mayor or something.

"But I insist Blondie. A woman as beautiful as you should always have an escort." He winked at her, his eyes twinkling under the false hair of his costume.

Maxie's face scrunched up at the nickname. It couldn't be. "What makes you think I don't?"

"Because if you did, he would never let you wander around alone in that costume. It might give some people ideas."

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Maxie berated him. "You're here for the children, not to flirt with me." Now she knew it was him. That didn't mean she had to let on that she knew.

"But there you're wrong." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Whenever you're around, I'll be there to flirt with you. Now go be a good elf and introduce me." He pushed her forward, using no more than a slight pressure on the small of her back.

"Jerk." But she was smiling when she said it. Stopping a few feet from the children, she clapped her hands together with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. "I have a special guest to introduce to you! He's here all the way from the North Pole!" Maxie added, smacking her hands against her knees. The room exploded with excitement and her speech was cut short. She turned her head to gesture him forward, but he was already behind her, and the result was a colliding of heads. "Santa Claus." She managed, rubbing her forehead and glaring at him.

"Ho! Ho! Ho!" Ric winking at her as he paused long enough to sneak a pinch to her side, making her jump. "Merry Christmas! And don't forget to say hello to my good friend Blondie here!"

"Hi Blondie!" The children mimicked and she gave them her best smile. He was going to pay for that.

"They're like a bunch of vultures." Robin commented, startling Elizabeth out of her silent reverie. It was like a high school dance in that she and Liz were on one side and the mass of Spencers claimed the opposite wall.

"Completely. I'm trying to stay out of the kill zone for as long as possible." She smiled.

"How are you feeling? You never did tell me what happened after the dinner." Robin nudged Elizabeth's arm with her shoulder.

"Better. As for what happened? We talked. Be quiet, I don't want to hear your jokes on that right now. We figured a few things out. We've told Cameron and now we are planning on dropping the bomb on both families tomorrow."

Robin kept her face passive as long as she could. Three seconds was a record for her. "Ooh, this is better than a Friday cliffhanger." She whispered harshly.

Elizabeth scoffed. "Like those are any good. Ohhh will the hit man be able to kill again? Like I care."

"You're awfully hormonal." Robin leaned in close so that no one would overhear them.

"It's nerves. Laura was ready to marry us off before we even went on one date. She'll be impossible after this."

"The trick is to look them in the eye." Robin replied teasingly, patting Elizabeth's left shoulder. "It'll all work out."

"Speaking of that, how'd it go with Patrick? Did you spill your real news to him?"

Robin didn't say anything for a long time. "No." She shook her head.

"What?" Elizabeth spun around, shielding her friend from the view of the rest of the party. "You didn't tell him? Why not?"

"He kind of beat me to it." Robin forced a quick smile and then glanced down at her hands.

"Ok that means explanation."

"You wouldn't believe me anyway." Robin insisted. They had agreed she would give him an answer by the end of the party.

"Oh try me."

"Well...okay...it's like this. Um, well. Okay so I went to his studio to wait for him and, when he finally gets there, he tells me he's looked for me all night. We talk about our fake baby and get into some discussion about our own securities on the subject."

"Ok I'm with you so far."

"That's it. That's all. Nothing more to report."

Elizabeth cocked her eyebrow at her friend. "Is there something you aren't telling me here?"

"No. No, of course not."

"Because I'm getting this feeling you are holding back on me?"

"Now why would I do that?" Robin couldn't meet her eyes. She just couldn't.

"Because you are evil?"

"I am not." Robin whined.

Elizabeth held up her hand. "If you are holding back on something that would put Laura's attention on you over me, then yes you are evil."

"If I had something like that, why would I tell you? You would just blackmail me with it later." Robin pointed out, and then clamped her hand over her mouth.

Elizabeth snapped her fingers. "You are holding back!"

"No I'm not." Robin lied, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Liar, liar pants on fire. See if I name my child after you."

Robin looked pained. "I haven't made a decision about it yet."

"I'm assuming this 'it' is life changing and involves Patrick?"

"Well..." Robin watched her friend through half-closed eyelids.

"Does it involve a ring?"

Robin had just taken a drink of her cherry punch so Elizabeth's question caused her to spew it across the floor in front of them. Choking, she reached for a few paper towels off the table and quickly bent down to clean up the mess.

"I'm going with that's a no." Elizabeth bent down to help clean up the mess.

Dropping the soaked towels into a nearby trashcan, they checked to make sure no one had noticed before slinking back to their corner and discussing the issue further. "He asked me to move in with him." Robin said it so fast some of the words blended together.

Elizabeth shook her head. She had to have heard that wrong. "Are you kidding me?"

Robin took another drink to try and alleviate her sore throat. With the plastic cup to her mouth, she slowly shook her head.

"Wow." Elizabeth stepped back and looked over toward the rest of the Spencer family, spotting Patrick easily enough. She let out a low whistle. "I'm guessing that's why you didn't fill him in on the whole moving idea you had?"

"Pretty much." Robin nodded. "And get this. He not only wants us to move in with him, he scouted for an apartment and told me he'll sign the lease if I can see myself living there."

"Ok are we positive we didn't end up at the evil twin table the other night?"

"No." Robin smiled. "I have until the end of the party to give him an answer."

"Do you have any clue what it's going to be?"

Something was going on, Lulu decided. She just wasn't sure exactly what it was just yet. First there was Aunt Bobbie and Cruz's complete no-show at the hospital Christmas party, a town taboo. Unless you or a child were deathly ill, you came to the Children's Ward on Christmas Eve. It was that simple. Lulu was almost convinced it was a law, but her mother just laughed at her when she brought up that theory.

And then there was Patrick. Oh her cousin was putting on one hell of a show. She had to give him credit for that, but she had noticed the constant looks he kept shooting Robin. He had this look on his face she had never seen connected with Patrick. It was almost nervous. Patrick wasn't nervous. But then again if he was nervous, Lulu was willing to bet he would do something about that before the night was over. If there was one thing she could count on with her cousin it was he did not do nervous well.

But what was really catching her attention was her brother. Now he was acting odd. He was almost frantic in keeping Cameron near him and not by mom and dad. Granted he had been that way after Cameron's accident but in the past few months Lucky had actually gotten better about that. He had even allowed someone other than Patrick and Robin to baby sit Cameron not that long ago. But this was different. It was almost as if he didn't want Cameron near the family for too long. Which was ridiculous.

And if Patrick was nervous, Lucky was radiating them. If Lulu looked closely enough, she would swear she could see sweat forming. Of course some of that could be the presence of Elizabeth's family. The last parents she could remember Lucky meeting had been Tony and Lisa, which had proven over time to be a disaster of Biblical proportions. She would assume that Elizabeth's presence would calm Lucky down, but perversely it seemed Elizabeth was feeding Lucky's nerves. As often as Lucky was looking nervously at her family, Elizabeth was looking nervously at the Spencers. If she was a betting woman, Lulu would wager on an announcement coming before the holiday was over.

"Aunt Lulu!" Cameron tore away from the crowd surrounding Santa Claus. Lulu managed a sympathetic smile in Maxie Jones's direction. The two girls may not be friends but no one should endure the elf costume. Leaning down to pick up her nephew as he attached himself to her leg, she grinned as she noticed the candy-caned covered face.

"Hey Cams! Did you have a good visit with Santa?"

"Uh-huh. Did you ask Santa for anything Aunt Lulu?"

"No buddy. Right now it's the kids' time with Santa." Lulu laughed. Not to mention Maxie would never let her hear the end of it if she did stand in the line.

"But how will Santa know what to bring you?"

"I text him." Lulu explained in her best serious aunt voice.

Cameron didn't look completely convinced but then again he had only recently come around to the idea of Santa in the first place. Understanding the entire concept of presents had gone a long way into convincing the little boy Santa wasn't a bad man for breaking into his house every year. "Ok." he said uncertainly.

"So Cams have you been good this year? Think you'll get everything you want?"

Cameron nodded excitedly. "Uh-huh. I'm even getting a special present next year too."

A special present next year? What on Earth was he talking about? Lulu tried to catch her mother's eye but she was too busy laughing at a joke Patrick had just told. "What special present?"

"The baby." Cameron said matter-of-factly.

It was a good thing they were already in the hospital because she was about to drop Cameron and break his other arm. Lulu wobbled unsteadily and felt her mouth drop open. That wasn't exactly the announcement she had thought might be coming. She tried to think of a logical question but only one thing came to mind.

"Mom!"

Laura steeled herself away from Patrick and Luke at the sound of her daughter shrieking. Nine or nineteen, Lulu reacted the same to big news. Taking a few hurried steps toward her youngest child, she reached out and took Lulu's small hands in hers. "Is everything alright?"

"Tell Grandma about the special present you are getting next year Cam." Lulu prompted.

"I told you Aunt Lulu. The baby." Cameron repeated with a roll of his eyes. Would grown ups learn to listen to him?

Laura ran her hands through Cameron's brown curls and gave him a soft smile. He was always coming up with these little white lies to try and fit in with his older cousins. "What are you talking about sweetie?"

"The baby. Daddy and Elizabeth said the baby would come next year. Like an extra present."

"What baby?" Laura insisted as the overhead lights began to dim around her head.

"The new baby." Cameron repeated. How many times did he have to say the same thing? "My new brother or sister."

Laura smiled. She laughed. And then she fainted.

"Mom? Mom? Dad! Patrick! Lucky!" Lulu called out. "Get over here!"

All three men scrambled over while Robin and Elizabeth watched on curiously. Alan was right in the middle of his annual Christmas story and even he had stopped mid-sentence.

"What did you do to her Lu?" Lucky asked.

"Oh this one is squarely on you big brother." Lulu retorted hotly adjusting Cameron on her hip.

"What did I do? I was over there talking to Elizabeth's family." Lucky defended himself, noticing for the first time the quietness and every eye at the party looking over at his family. Steven was actually looking at him with something other than contempt, which was a first.

"Somebody tell me what's going on." Luke demanded, brushing Laura's hair out of her face. "Or, God help me, I'll drag you both home and ground you."

"I told Grandma about the baby Daddy." Cameron bounced up and down in Lulu's arms.

"Baby?" Luke managed finally.

"The what?" Steven's voice bellowed. The crash of a cup hitting the ground in the corner and a gasp was the only indication that Elizabeth had heard what Cameron had just announced to the entire town.

Steven strode over toward his sister, with his father and mother close behind. Audrey stood near the Spencers in shock. "Elizabeth?" Steven begged. "Please tell me Cameron got that wrong."

Elizabeth met Lucky's eyes from across the room. This was the last time she tried to plan anything. She felt Robin place her hand on her shoulder and squeeze it in support. Taking a deep breath she looked her brother in the eye, trying her best to ignore the shocked expressions of her parents. "He didn't. I'm pregnant."

Until this exact second, it had been possible for the rest of the partygoers to pretend not to be watching the drama unfold. It was impossible now. Every eye swung back and forth between Laura's still frame and the quartet in the corner, holding their breaths, waiting for the explosion to come. Jeff and Steven Webber turned and spotted Lucky still huddled near his mother. Elaine Webber put her hand to her head and covered her mouth with her other hand. "Elizabeth, you have to be mistaken."

"I'm not. I'm pregnant." Elizabeth moved to stand in front of her brother and father. "Please don't make this bad."

"And you call me the Drama Queen." Lulu muttered under her breath. "Crave the spotlight much dear brother?"

Lucky ignored his sister, making his way through the still staring crowd. "Obviously we didn't plan this," he started resting his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders.

"Oh that's a big comfort." Steven sneered.

"But we're happy about this." Lucky continued trying to ignore the glares Steven and Jeff were throwing his way.

"You'll forgive me Mr. Spencer if I don't find that very comforting." Jeff Webber said coolly. He tapped his fingers underneath his chin. His eyes focused on his youngest child. "Elizabeth have you considered all your options?"

Patrick looked from one family to the other, recognizing the mixture of shock, horror, and anger set deep into their expressions. The irony of it all just wasn't fair. Lucky loved Elizabeth and the feeling was obviously mutual, so why did everyone always have the same reaction to an unplanned pregnancy? Opening his mouth to comment, Robin beat him to the punch. "Didn't Elizabeth just ask you not to make this bad?" She sneered, her eyes jumping from Elizabeth's father and then to her mother and brother.

"Robin stay out of this." Steven dismissed her with a wave of his hand. "This doesn't concern you."

"Don't talk to my friend that way." Elizabeth sputtered. "She's been there for me every step of the way on this."

"Elizabeth, this is your decision, not hers." Elaine Webber pointed out, missing Robin's irate expression. "This is about being an adult and making the right choice."

"This is the right choice for me." Elizabeth retorted hotly.

Steven moved closer toward Lucky. "And after you have this child then what? You give up custody and disappear from his life and your child's?"

"What would you know about it?" Robin narrowed her eyes at him, hands moving to her hips. Patrick recognized the move and had to smile at Steven's obliviousness to it.

"It's a logical conclusion." Steven pointed out. "It's not every day you meet a guy with sole custody of his three-year-old."

"Ever consider why that might be? Does Lucky look like the kind of guy who would take a child from his only mother? I'm going to take pity on you, since you've never been lucky enough, excuse the pun, to have this guy watch your back. Maybe you need to get your story straight before you start making accusations." Patrick threw in, about ready to push Steven into the growing crowd.

"Cameron has nothing to do with this." Lucky declared in a low voice. "Elizabeth knows all about that and she understands."

"Am I to assume then that you intend to stay involved with my daughter?" Jeff asked his voice low.

"Not that you have any say in this, but yes." Elizabeth threw back to her father.

"Then when is the wedding?" Jeff asked slowly.

Patrick closed his eyes. He already knew his cousin's stance on marriage. Yes, he adored Elizabeth. They must have had some kind of discussion about this before telling Cameron, not realizing that he would blurt it out because not a one of them had a lick of common sense, but he would fall over now if his cousin agreed to this arrangement this fast!

Elizabeth and Lucky shared a guilty look. Biting her lip Elizabeth glanced between Lucky and her father. "There isn't going to be one."

Robin moved closer to Elizabeth as if the lasers in her family members' eyes were going to harm the nervous brunette. She would offer as much comfort as she could, but the battle was going to be Elizabeth's and Lucky's to fight.

"What?" Steven and Lulu asked at the same time.

"Did I hear someone mention a wedding?" Laura mumbled, turning her face into Luke's arm as she started to come to. Patrick and Lucky helped Luke get Laura to her feet.

"Keep on planning darling." Luke whispered. "Sounds like history is repeating."

"Here, drink this." Robin shoved a fresh cup of red punch into Laura's hand. "There's enough sugar to keep you standing at least."

"Look we talked about it. We did. But it's not right for us." Elizabeth waved her arms. "We're not getting married."

"You mean it's not right for him." Steven accused coldly.

"No, for either of us. We'd only be getting married because of the baby and that's not good for anyone." Elizabeth defended. This was why she didn't talk to her family outside of her grandmother and brother often. Her parents were making feel as if she was six years old again. She hadn't expected them to be happy for her. Steven however was throwing her for a loop. No she hadn't expected him to be thrilled, but for him to react like this? This was not her brother.

Laura's eyes went somber. "I didn't say anything before." She began, putting her hand out in front of her when Lucky looked like he might interrupt. "But, darling, I'm afraid I have to say something now. I can't keep hoping you'll make the right decision." Her eyes never left her son's as she spoke the words. He looked absolutely stunned that she had expressed her opinion so openly; not only that but also that her explanation showed how unhappy she had been with his decision regarding Jess and Cameron back when this had happened the first time.

"Mom..." Lucky started to explain. "It's not what you think."

"I used to think you were afraid of responsibility," she went on, the words as flee-flowing as her tears. "But then, I saw how you were with Cam, how you stepped up even before Jess—even before." She might have been in the minority, but she had truly thought Jess and her son made a good match. That wasn't to say that she thought any less of Elizabeth. "You've been given a second chance, a miracle. You've found love again and you're telling me you're still going to squander it away?" She was practically shrieking now, her shoulders quivering even when Luke pulled her closer to him.

"It's still his decision." Luke told her.

"Don't!" Laura warned.

"We wouldn't have even discussed this yet if it wasn't for the baby." Elizabeth pointed out.

"Mom, this isn't the same. I know it seems like it but it's not." Lucky tried to reassure his mother but she still turned away from him.

"Don't tell me it's not the same. I was there the first time, same as you." Laura reminded him. "Have you even considered what this is going to do to the next one? What happens when it gets too hard? Are you going to walk out then too?"

"I didn't walk out the door." Lucky defended himself.

"You didn't try hard enough. You had one fight and then it was all over." Laura accused him angrily.

"That you knew about." Lucky sighed. "It was one fight you knew about."

"What have you got against being happy? Doesn't Elizabeth make you happy? Don't you think she deserves some sort of stability?" Laura challenged, crossing her arms.

"I'm the one who didn't want to get married." Elizabeth blurted out. "Me."

"Elizabeth you aren't thinking clearly. Don't take the blame for his forwardness." Elaine begged her daughter, taking her hand.

Elizabeth jerked her hand back as if her mother stung her. "It's not him. It's me. We talked about it and I was the first one to say no. It's not the right time. This would only be about the baby. Getting married for that reason alone isn't fair to this baby, me, Lucky, or Cameron."

"Okay, let's just calm down." Patrick suggested stepping in-between the two families and moving Elizabeth over to the Spencer side in an almost unnoticed motion. "This arguing isn't helping anybody, least of all Elizabeth."

"And just who are you?" Jeff wondered. "What does this have to do with you?"

Patrick would have laughed if the situation weren't so damn serious. He had been gearing up for this conversation just with different family members. "Patrick Drake." He introduced himself, bowing. "And this has plenty to do with me. See, unlike you, your wife, and your son, I, like the rest of my family, have watched these two from the very first day and it's obvious they love each other. What doesn't make sense, what I can't wrap my head around, is why they're constantly having to prove it to you or anyone else. You're like holiday parents, never around for any of the really defining moments. All you want it to have your voice heard even when you're the last ones who should be speaking. That's who I am."

"Loud, angry voices. This way!" Dillon deduced, pulling Lucas around the corner and spotting the family. "Bingo. You want to tell them? I'm kind of shy."

"Since when?" Lucas wondered.

"Since your family terrifies me." Dillon explained.

"My family? Yours is right out of a horror movie."

"Yeah, but at least they're open about it. Yours reels you in with fake sweetness." Dillon told him.

"Yours just reels people in with money and promises of power."

"Shiny object." Dillon gritted through his teeth. "Go on." And, with that, he shoved him forward.

Lucas look sheepishly between his aunt, uncle, cousins and the other family he didn't quite recognize outside of Audrey Hardy. This had to be Elizabeth's family, he had heard through his mom they were coming to town. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces, he and Dillon had just interrupted something major, something Lulu was probably dying to fill him in on. Any other night of the week, this drama would probably top his, but not tonight. "Um, I know why Mom and Cruz are late to the party." Lucas began holding out a note.

All eyes turned to look at him, momentarily distracted or just needing to take a moment to calm down.

Lucas cleared his throat and began to read from the paper. "'Dear boys, Sorry to do this to you on Christmas, but Cruz and I decided we couldn't wait. I always told you Lucas, when the time and the person was right, you would know. Well I know. By the time you read this, we will be landing in Las Vegas and heading for a wedding chapel. I'll see you in two weeks. Love, Mom.'"

"Guess we got that wedding after all." Luke said after a long moment of shocked silence.


	161. Lyrical Lies

**_So sorry I'm late! Updating alone sucks lol. All will be better on Monday when Beth returns._**

Maxie beamed as she crossed the corridor, coming to a halt when she finally found the right office. She had barely slipped out of the crowd and that was hard to do in a skimpy elf suit, but how had Ric Lansing managed it, in a bright red Santa suit no less? There was no way she was letting him sneak off to leave her to pacify a bunch of angry children.

She had to give the Spencers credit for causing a scene. They had provided the perfect opportunity she had been craving all night. Santa suit or not, Ric had been even more vigilant in his tendency to flirt with her, causing her to respond quietly with shady comments about "Mrs. Claus" and be grateful that the children were too young to understand any of it.

Something was clinging to the back of her head, making her neck hurt, so she reached behind her with her left hand and retrieved the sticky object. Barely suppressing the urge to cry when she recognized what felt like a candy cane stuck to her crown, she carefully peeled it from each strand, letting herself into the office, momentarily forgetting who occupied it.

"Now if you wanted to see me that badly Maxie you could have just said something." Ric teased from behind her.

"Please." Maxie rolled her eyes. "I simply needed to borrow a mirror and I knew you would have one since you are so in love with yourself."

"You passed two bathrooms on your way here." Ric pointed out. "Why not stop on in there if it was just for a mirror?"

Maxie was about to comment, but her hand was stuck in her hair. How did she get herself into these messes and how could she slip out without letting on that something was wrong? He would either assume she was too weak to fight with him or smile in amusement at what he would refer to as her latest escapade.

"What's the matter Maxie?" Ric moved toward her, the red velvet coat long gone. She couldn't help but notice the thin white t-shirt he wore, along with the red velvet pants he had yet to change out of. "Cat got your tongue?" he winked at her.

"Not even close." She assured him, turning around so that she could yank her hand away without him noticing. "I was just trying to figure out why you're stalking me."

"I'm not stalking you. I appreciate beauty."

Maxie didn't have a response for that, at least not a biting one. She enjoyed their banter, but that was all it could ever be. No way was she getting involved with him, his reputation notwithstanding. The candy cane released its hold on her hand and she was able to pull it gingerly away from her head, feeling slightly less foolish. "Why did you have to go and say that for?"

"Because it's true."

"You don't even know me." Maxie shook her head. "I don't even know what I'm doing in here."

Carefully, Ric reached out to trace her face with his finger mindfully aware she may lean back and slap him for this in less than twenty seconds. "Why do you feel the need to rationalize everything?" He wondered. "Why can't you just let yourself enjoy something because it just is?"

"Because that's stupid." Maxie shot back. "Trust a feeling? Please. Been there, done that. And I'm always the one regretting it." So what was she doing in his office to begin with? What did she feel she needed to prove?

"So why did you come in here tonight? Why did you stay when you realized it was me? You could have told your father easily enough and gotten out of your obligation." Ric wondered, pushing back an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "Why do you never leave right away?"

Maxie shivered at his touch and hating herself for it. "I owed you."

"For what?"

"For getting me into the committee." Maxie reasoned

"The committee?" Ric chuckled softly to himself. "I told you that was my contribution to launching your career."

"But you didn't have to." Maxie explained.

"I wanted to."

"And that's exactly why I have to go." Maxie backed away from his touch and made a beeline for the door.

"Do you always run from what you want?" He called after her retreating form.

Maxie stopped, stiffening, and turned her head slightly to the right so she could see his face out of the corner of her eye. "I don't—" Her mouth closed before she could utter the lie. The truth was, she had wanted him for a while, but she wasn't sure she could trust what she was feeling. Her heart had led her in the wrong direction so many times before now. But then, who said she had to invest? It was obvious Ric would stick around for one thing and then he'd move on. She was counting on it actually.

"You don't what?" Ric drawled moving closer to her. "Don't run? Or don't want something?"

Maxie faced him ever so slowly her eyes focused on the ground for several beats before she finally lifted them to meet his probing stare. He was closer suddenly and she wanted to jump back as much as she wanted to leap forward. "I don't think I have anything to worry about with you." She said, curling her fingers around his neck.

"Why's that?" He rested his hands on either side of her waist.

"Because you're an open book. You've wanted me from the beginning." Maxie whispered arrogantly, dancing her fingers up the back of his neck.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Not at all. If we're both honest with each other here, there's little chance..." Maxie didn't want to talk about regret or let on that she had had her fair share if she didn't have to. His eyes were zoned in on her lips and she smiled, deciding there was a time to talk but this wasn't it. Pressing her fingertips into the back of his head, she tilted it to the side and stood on tiptoe to brush her lips over his. She wanted to tease him, to make him want her so bad he couldn't stand it, and then leave. But the meeting of their lips was electric and she had no choice but to merge them again, this time moving her tongue over his bottom lip. His hands tightened around her waist and she felt him shudder beneath her hands.

He must have liked her taste on his lips because his mouth was already trying to claim hers, his hand leaving the belt at her waist and combing through her hair. She let him pull her head back and deepen the kiss, her internal alarm silenced by the feel of his tongue meeting hers.

Maxie backed out of his arms, her fingers touching her lips in fascination. Good lord, it hadn't been that great a kiss, so what was her problem? Why was she having trouble swallowing? Why couldn't she form a coherent thought? "That was..." Fantastic, her brain screamed. Phenomenal, it went on. "I'm not sure what that was."

Ric grinned at her, similar to how she imagined a Cheshire cat would grin, reaching for her again. "Then I suggest we try that again so you can form an educated opinion."

It took another hour, but the foursome was able to clear out the two furious families and convince them to go back to their houses and hotel rooms collectively. Elizabeth told them she was feeling a little worse for the wear so Lucky took her and Cameron back to his house, knowing she wouldn't want to return to the Hardy house just yet. Patrick and Robin stayed behind to help with the cleanup crew, neither ready to admit their true intentions for doing so.

Robin still hadn't given him an answer and Patrick was about to jump out of his skin in agitation. One word and she would impact his world forever. He couldn't stop wondering how he would react to her turning down his offer. On the other hand, was he ready to commit to sharing a space with not one but two other people? Was he ready to share a bathroom with Robin, knowing full well that she would ignore the two extra bathrooms at the end of the hall from their room? Sharing a bed was one thing—that he couldn't imagine not doing. Neither could he even remember what it was like to not wake up with her beside him.

Could he look any more uncomfortable with this situation, Robin wondered fretfully. He was the one who had suggested they do this, but that had been when he thought she was pregnant. Now that he knew she wasn't, he had still gone through with his plan, but what if he changed his mind at the last minute? He could preach commitment and the "next step" all he wanted; she would still find herself doubting his capability to do so. The last thing she wanted to do was move Morgan out of the only place they had ever shared only to find out that it was nothing more than a whim on Patrick's part. There was very little stability in him asking her and even less in her reasons why she simply couldn't go through with it.

Patrick touched her hand and she jumped a foot in the air, a smile instantly coming to her mouth in a practiced sort of way. He was trying to keep her calm and she was trying to do the very same for him, so how much sense did it make for them both to be terrified? Maybe this was just too soon. Maybe they weren't far enough into the relationship to be thinking about sharing an apartment, let alone the sometimes mundane hours between the really good and the really bad. What if they grew bored of each other? It was unlikely with such strong personalities, but what if those same personalities provided them with separate but equal barriers in which to hold the other one back? That would be just as bad. She should have just said no from the start.

Holding off living together didn't mean they would be breaking up, not at all. There was a really good chance they weren't ready for such a commitment. And then he thought about the time they had spent together, about the habits they had developed together and separately, and he would smile. She would smack him in the head with a pillow when he snored too loudly and he would drag her out of bed by her ankles when she knocked his alarm off the nightstand table for the billionth time. When he said something out of line, she would hide his keys in Morgan's fish bowl. When she treated him like a child, he would dismantle her kitchen, hiding all of her spices, the silverware, and the dinnerware. Could they really handle the day in and day out together without becoming bored of their routine?

"We don't have to decide anything tonight." Patrick told her. "I've been looking to move for a while now so I could just sign the lease and then we could see where we are after that." He was trying to take the pressure off, but it refused to dissipate.

"Patrick, I can't ask you to do that. What if it's never workable? What if...?" What if she never agreed to share the apartment with him? What if she never thought it was a good idea?

"Who says it's not workable? I didn't say that and I don't think it for a second. I think you and I could make it happen." Patrick reasoned honestly.

"Based on what? A hunch?" Robin challenged lightly, not wanting to fight with him but unable to just give in and trust that it would all fall into place.

"A hunch is all it took for us to get started. I don't think you're giving this hunch idea enough credit." He was teasing her, she noticed, and she wanted so badly to believe in his certainty that they were meant to do this.

"It took more than a hunch. It took a lot of misunderstandings and name-calling, stupid fights, hurting each other—we've come so far, why do you want to go backwards?" Robin wanted to know.

"Well I guess it's a good thing I have faith in us." Patrick bit off, squeezing his eyes closed and counting to ten.

"That isn't fair! You know that's not what this is about!" Robin retorted, wanting to shake him.

"That's exactly what it's about, Robin. You're scared of change. You're scared of spontaneity. What's more, you're scared to need me." Patrick accused, shaking his head.

"That's preposterous! I'm not scared of needing you." Robin argued forcefully.

"The hell you're not! Needing me means that you're admitting maybe you can't do it all alone. It's not about being capable of creating a life, it's about knowing how to live it." Patrick explained.

"Did you get that out of a fortune cookie?" Robin blasted him.

"No, I found it in one of your self-help books." Patrick mocked, his eyebrows descending over his dark eyes. "This is crazy. We shouldn't be fighting in the middle of the hospital. We should be at home."

"At home fighting?" Robin countered.

"At home fighting, making up, fighting some more, and making up a little more than that. It's fool-proof." Patrick rationalized.

"Is sex your answer to every question?" Robin asked flippantly.

"Depends on the question I guess, but it's worked so far." Patrick replied with a wolfish grin.

"I have to get Morgan and take him home. It's getting late." Robin told him. He had gone over to Kristina's to play, not to live.

"Just tell me where home is and I'll go with you." Patrick prompted.

Robin gave him a long look, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion and doubt. If she said yes, she was admitting that she had thought about them in a more serious atmosphere leading them into even crazier thinking, thinking that would lead one of them to the door and the other one walking out of it. If she said no, she would be returning to a life that no longer fit, one that was too constricted, too planned. There were no surprises in the former and too many in the latter.

Patrick held out his hand; his breath caught in his throat as he watched her battle with reason, with her heart, with what made sense and what never would. There were days when he could revel in how much sense they made together and others when he was ready to wash his hands of the whole affair. Obviously, he wasn't depending on what he knew. He was taking off in an unfamiliar vehicle without seatbelts, without any kind of actual protection, and hoping the crash wouldn't leave him battered and broken, wouldn't kill him. It was a risk, but he thrived on risks. And this risk, the only laying between them like a live wire, was the biggest gamble he had ever come in contact with.

He wanted to tell her that she had no choice, that he would sooner throw her over her shoulder than imagine a morning without her in bed with him, but in the end he wanted her answer to be one she came to after careful consideration. He never wanted her to question her reason for choosing to live with him, nor did he want her to feel pressured into doing so because it was what she thought he wanted. So, even as the question rested on the tip of his tongue, he held it back.

"Home is with you." Robin responded after a long pause. "I hope you don't expect me to leave all my furniture at the loft and accept yours as is." She went on, watching him lick his bottom lip in anticipation.

"Babe, I'll buy you a year's worth of catalogs and we'll throw out every bit of furniture in my apartment if you want to." Patrick gave in. He wasn't particularly attached to anything.

"Well, as long as you're willing to compromise." Robin smiled, leaning into him when his lips met hers hungrily.

"I never figured you for Mr. Scrooge." Alexis remarked, glancing over her left shoulder at Mac. He was sitting in the middle of the couch with his face buried behind a newspaper while she was slaving over the decorations for the Christmas tree. Since Kristina had been born, they hadn't gone a single year without a Christmas tree and this year had been no different. There had been a lot of changes in her and her daughter's life recently and she just knew decorating a Christmas tree would encourage her daughter to open up, to feel comfortable in the new life they were now a part of.

"You do such a good job," Mac mumbled, flipping the paper in half to meet her eyes in an earnest gesture. He had only been home forty-five minutes and, in that time, he had managed to burn dinner forcing them to order pizza and wait another forty-five minutes for it to arrive. He just hoped the deliveryman didn't get lost again. How hard was it to find Oak Lane? It was a straight shot from the police station, barely far enough to encourage driving as opposed to walking.

"Kristina and I don't believe you." Alexis pointed out, winking at her little girl. Kristina simply rolled her eyes and shoved another ornament onto an empty branch.

"We wouldn't want company to see the tree if I were to stand up there and mess with it. I got it in the stand; can't you do this part?"

"Company?" Alexis raised an eyebrow at his insinuation. "What company? You're speaking strictly in the visiting sense right? You did promise after Thanksgiving that we were depending on someone else for the next holiday meal."

"Yes, of course." Mac assured her. "We're good at a lot of things, but holiday meals are just too hard with our schedules." It wasn't a lie. They were especially busy between the months of November and February. He simply couldn't understand it. What was it about those four months that made this town go bonkers?

"I'm not saying we couldn't do it. We've proven we can." Alexis mused, digging through the box for the new ornament she had picked up on her way home.

"I agree completely." Mac told her, returning to his paper.

"So you think you should play Santa next year?" Alexis tested him, watching his eyes scan over the front of the paper.

"That's what I think." Mac agreed with an affirmative nod.

"Mac, are you paying any attention to what I'm saying?" Alexis challenged.

"Of course. You were talking about holiday parties. I told you we don't have to host them anymore. If I can ever talk that niece of mine into moving out of that crackerjack box apartment, she can take over the task."

Kristina grinned. "Actually, she was saying you should play Santa next year instead of Dr. Ric." She corrected him with a sharp smile.

"Oh, sorry." Mac apologized, folding the paper and meeting Alexis' put-off stare. "I really did hear the part about the—"

"I know exactly when you stopped listening." Alexis cut him off. "Hand me that hook, will you?" Mac reached into the shoebox of doohickeys and found what he was looking for. "Perfect." She smiled, sliding the ornament onto it, watching Mac's eyes widen in alarm.

"Alexis, what is that?" Mac asked slowly.

"It's an ornament. You know, to decorate the Christmas tree?" She was barely able to hold back her smile.

"I don't care what the clerk told you it was. It's not going on my tree." Mac assured her, leaping up from the couch.

"It's not just your tree." Kristina pointed out, sticking out her tongue at him.

"She's right." Alexis countered, letting the ornament dangle from her fingertips. "And I thought you didn't care how it looked so long as you didn't have to help?"

"But it's a penguin." Mac stressed the last word. "Penguins have nothing to do with Christmas. By putting that plastic sacrilegious toy on our tree would be a great disservice to the holiday."

"Maybe you should tell us what this is really about." Alexis suggested, placing the toy on the top flap of the box.

"What do you mean? Penguins don't go on Christmas trees." Mac repeated.

"But this penguin has a little red and green scarf, not mention a bright red hat. You can't get more Christmas than that." Alexis insisted.

"Is this a woman thing that I'm not supposed to understand?" Mac wondered, tilting his head slightly.

"That is so completely sexist I'm not even going to comment on it." Alexis grumbled through clench teeth.

"It wasn't meant to be sexist." Mac told her. "Here," He peaked into the box. "What about this little police dog? He's cute and he's got a little hat and coat." It was a hard sell, but he had to try, right?

"So this is about your image as a policeman? Tough cops don't have wimpy little plastic penguins on their Christmas trees?" Alexis deduced.

"Way to cut me down to size. Thank you." Mac sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn't sure if he had picked it up from Robin or if she had picked it up from him, but it was one habit they seemed to share. That and creating fights out of thin air. He didn't want to fight with his fiancé the night before Christmas.

"I wasn't trying to do that. Honest. It's just a stupid penguin." She reasoned placing her hands on her hips. "But if it's going to affect your masculinity, then by all means take it into the backyard and burn it. I think I heard the pizza guy pull up." Her retreat worked as an effective dismissal but, more than that, it had Mac worried. Since when did Alexis Davis back down from a fight?

He came up behind her, not missing the immediate stiffening of her shoulders, and slid his arms around her waist. "Just a petty little argument. If you really want the penguin, I don't have a problem with it."

"It's not that. I'm not mad at you." Alexis whispered. "I'm just edgy."

"You haven't been getting a lot of sleep lately." Mac recalled. "Do you think maybe you should have a checkup or something?"

"Don't be ridiculous. He'll tell me to cut back on work and we both know I can't do that. I don't need to waste my insurance on something as stupid as that." She argued, opening the door since the fog had started to pick up and there was little chance of seeing the driver if he was even out there. Breathing in the chill, Alexis instantly started to cough, her body bending in half as she tried to stop.

"Lexie?" Mac couldn't hide the concern in his voice. Slamming the door shut, he urged her to couch and took the blanket Kristina already had in her hands. It was as if she had been expecting it. Had this happened before? He hadn't noticed, but that didn't mean a lot. Alexis was a good actor when it came to serious problems.

"I'm alright." Alexis promised, sinking into the blanket.

"You sound anything but." Mac replied.

"Nothing that a little hot chocolate won't solve." Alexis insisted, already moving toward the kitchen.


	162. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Comfortable in an old sweatshirt of Lucky's she had "borrowed" a few months ago, Elizabeth stretched out on the couch. She was curled into Lucky's side, her legs resting across his lap. Her head rested lightly on his shoulders as she watched Cameron tear into the presents Santa had brought the night before. Catching sight of the smile, Lucky pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before returning his attention back to Cameron.

The night before had been tough. Elizabeth had tried to hide it as best she could, to hold it back as long as she could, but eventually he had heard her quiet crying well into the night. He had wanted to comfort her but was clueless as to how to go about it. No they hadn't expected either set of parents to initially react with joy to their news, but the outright hostility had thrown them both for a loop. And while Lucky felt it was obvious Steven wouldn't be thrilled, her brother's disapproval had obviously come as a shock to Elizabeth. Empty words weren't going to help her with this one, so he had settled for holding her close to him, trying to calm her with his presence alone.

When Cameron had come bouncing in with the first rays on the sun, for a split second Lucky considered sending his son back to bed. Elizabeth had barely fallen asleep and Cameron was ready to open every present between here and his grandparents' house. But she had surprised him, waking up and walking downstairs with Cameron eagerly. Either she didn't need that much sleep or she had fooled him into thinking she had fallen asleep. Judging by her quiet demeanor and the way her head was drooping on his shoulder, he was willing to bet it was the latter.

"You ok?" he whispered. "You can always go back upstairs if you want to."

Elizabeth met his eye slowly, smiling softly. "I'm fine. Besides it's Christmas. You don't sleep through Christmas morning."

"But..."

"Lucky I'm fine. Besides this is more about Cameron today than me anyways."

"Daddy look!" Cameron called out delightedly, proudly waving a new train set over his head. "Look!"

"I see. Santa picked out a pretty cool set there Champ." Lucky smiled. It had taken him the better part of three weekends to find that particular set but seeing Cameron's smile right this second made all the pushing crowds worth it. Seeing Cameron safely enthralled with opening another present, he looked back down at Elizabeth. "Well at this rate he'll be done in ten minutes. You can go back upstairs then if you want."

Elizabeth lifted her head up and arched one of her eyebrows upwards. "I thought we had to be on time to your parents or they would disown you. Don't we have to be there about lunchtime?"

"Who said we are going?" He took a sip of the coffee he had poured right before Cameron began demolishing through the wrapping paper.

"Lucky." She started cautiously placing her hand on his chest. "We can't skip Christmas with your family over this." It was incredibly sweet of him, but she couldn't let him do this. Not to mention she couldn't allow him to break Cameron's heart about not going to see his grandparents.

"Yes we can." Lucky leaned back far enough to look her in her blue eyes. "I knew they weren't going to be thrilled at first, but I'm not going to stand by and leave you open for attack about this. This is our decision, not theirs."

Elizabeth leaned forward and kissed him lightly on his lips. "I appreciate that but this is Christmas. Spirit of forgiveness and all that jazz."

"Guess that means you want to go see your family then?" He teased her.

She shot him a dirty look. "That is different. Not going to see my family won't disappoint a certain little boy. And there was no promise of Santa stopping by my family's place but I do recall your sister promising that to Cameron."

Lucky was about to voice a complaint about his sister once again sticking her nose in where it didn't belong when a knock sounded at the door. Carefully moving her legs off his lap, he stood up pointing a finger in her direction. "We aren't finished with this yet. We're not going."

"You're being ridiculous."

"Well I learned from the best." He smiled and easily ducked the pillow Elizabeth tossed at his head. Chuckling softly to himself, he opened the door, briefly wondering who would be stopping by on Christmas morning. The laughing immediately stopped when he noticed Audrey Hardy standing on his porch with an absurdly large shopping bag at her feet.

"Mrs. Hardy. What are you doing here?"

"Grams?" Elizabeth rose to her feet and padded her way toward the door.

Audrey smiled and pulled her granddaughter into a hug. Releasing Elizabeth, she immediately moved to pull Lucky into a similar hug. Noticing the confusion on the young couple faces when she finally released them both, Audrey motioned toward the interior of the home. "It's good to see you both. May I come in?"

"Sure. Sure. Of course." Lucky moved quickly to take the bag from her and usher inside. He saw the mixture of confusion and fear on Elizabeth's face as her grandmother walked past them both and sat on the chair. Making their way closer to her, Lucky snuck a peek into the bag and almost breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed it filled with presents.

Audrey smoothed out the fabric of her wool pants and met the expectant looks of the young couple and the questioning look of a three-year-old. "I know you are wondering what I am doing here. I didn't mean to interrupt your Christmas plans."

"Grams you're not interrupting." Elizabeth protested.

Audrey brushed off Elizabeth's protest with a wave of her hand. Taking a breath she made herself more comfortable. "Now I know I didn't say anything last night, mainly because I think quite enough was said last night by both sides. However I was going to talk to both of you when I saw you last night. Unfortunately that didn't happen." There was no judgment in her voice, but Elizabeth still felt the need to squirm in her seat.

If there was one person's acceptance and support she had wanted more than her brother's last night, it was her grandmother's. If her grandmother had come over here on Christmas morning to break her heart, Elizabeth didn't know if she could survive it.

"Mrs. Hardy, I can explain..." Lucky started, not wanting any more blame to fall on Elizabeth for their choices. He hadn't even entertained the notion of taking her back to her grandmother's house last night.

"Not that I blame you." Audrey continued as if Lucky hadn't spoken. "Jeff, Elaine, and Steven behaved terribly. Yes your announcement came as a shock but I am well aware all three of them know how to handle news with more graciousness than that."

"Grams?" Elizabeth ventured tentatively.

"And your sister." Audrey rolled her eyes. "I hadn't even thought she heard everything but apparently she considers your announcement the reason why she hadn't been able to talk with the doctor who was Santa last night." Audrey shook her head and refocused her attention on the two sitting across from her. "I wanted to apologize for my family's behavior."

"Grams it's not your fault."

"Maybe so, but I raised Jeff to be better than that and I helped raise the three of you as well." Audrey looked down at her hands briefly and then caught her granddaughter's eye. Elizabeth shared a nervous look with Lucky.

"I might not agree with your decision to not get married but it is your decision, not mine. This is your life and if you both feel this is the right decision then I will support you." Audrey shook her finger in their direction. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Yes ma'am." Elizabeth whispered, tears shining in her eyes.

"Come here." Audrey opened her arms and Elizabeth willingly went into them, resting her head on her grandmother's shoulder. "Merry Christmas darling girl."

Robin started to smile when she heard familiar footsteps slip into the room. He was trying his hardest to be quiet, but he was practically a giant compared to Morgan, and Courtney had moved out after the Christmas party. Still, she didn't want him to know she was awake. Was that breakfast she smelled? She felt her resolve break and let the threatening smile loose, her eyelids lifting.

"Well, good morning. Or should I say afternoon?" Patrick teased, setting the tray of food next to the bed and pressing his knees into the mattress.

"It's not afternoon." Robin pointed a finger at him, shaking her head.

"It could be. You don't know." Patrick went on, taking stock of her wild hair and deciding it'd be in his best interest to not comment on it.

"You made breakfast?" Robin asked incredulously.

"Yeah, well. Morgan and I needed something to do while you were up here sleeping." Patrick explained in a joking voice.

"You should really work on that subtly." Robin suggested, pushing the covers away and starting to stand up, barely missing the tray. "You don't expect me to eat all of this do you?"

"No." Patrick shook his head. "I was planning on stealing some of it while you were distracted."

"Distracted? By what?" Robin asked.

"By my devilish good looks of course." Patrick clarified, pulling her toward him and kissing her softly.

"Oh, yes, how could I miss those? Will you do me a favor?"

"Hmm?"

"Carry me." Robin begged, giving him a pitiful expression.

"What?" Patrick responded incredulously. "Carry you? This is Christmas, not your birthday."

"So? This is a day reserved for giving and goodwill toward man."

"And that refers to you being carried downstairs how?"

"Please? Pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top?"

"Okay, you sold me." Patrick got to his feet and slid his hands under her knees.

"I've got you trained. It's a nice feeling." Robin smiled, patting his cheek.

"You think that now. Wait until we move. We're spending the first twenty-four hours in bed." Patrick cautioned her, touching the tip of her nose.

"You say such nice things. Remind me to draw up the house rules after breakfast." Robin declared.

"House rules? What are you talking about?" Patrick actually stopped walking at the top step of the stairs.

"Later." Robin insisted.

"I always knew Elizabeth was a bad influence." Patrick laughed.

"You can't fool me." Robin shook her head. "You're starting to warm up to her."

"What? No. Not me." Patrick argued, resuming their descent down the stairs.

"Then why did you defend her last night at the party?" Robin wondered.

"I was defending Lucky." Patrick replied.

"I'm not saying you have to set up lunches and go shopping together. It's good that you can like my friends. It's a sign you're growing up." Robin patronized him lightly.

"I've never disliked Elizabeth." Patrick assured her.

"I know. You and Morgan's constant fight for my attention was enough of an example about how jealous you are when I even talk to another person." Robin continued.

"That's crazy. Now, hop down and let's get to those presents." Patrick demanded playfully, glancing under the tree where half of Morgan's body was hidden. "I think we lost Morgan in the presents."

"I can't get this one in the back." They heard Morgan say. His head was buried so his voice was muffled.

"What makes you think it's for you?" Robin teased, tickling the back of his neck until he raised his dark head and met her stare.

"It's a bike, Robin. If it's not for me, who's it for?" Morgan wanted to know.

"It could be for Robin. You two are about the same size." Patrick reminded them. They responded by sticking their tongues out at him.

"Leave the bike for now. I see you sorted the presents." Robin replied proudly.

"Yeah. It's easier that way. I don't want your boring presents in the way of mine. Who knows what Santa brought me." Morgan reasoned.

"I can't argue that logic, can you?" Patrick asked.

"Nope. Can't. Here." She scooted him his section of presents while Morgan started tearing away at his.

"What's in here?" Patrick gingerly shook the biggest box he found.

"A package of Lego's. Only the best for my sweetie." Robin lied, her smile so wide it showed teeth.

"If you give a mouse a cookie…" Morgan stared at the book in confusion. "What's this mouse doing with my cookie?"

"I think you'll like that book." Robin told him.

Morgan flipped open to the first page and started reading, inadvertently ignoring his other presents.

"Hey, why don't you see what else Santa brought you." Robin suggested, nudging his larger presents toward him.

"Okay."

"No way!" Morgan yelled as he held up his newest present. "A Spi-Dog?" His eyes jumped from Robin to Patrick, not sure who he should be thanking.

"That's a gift from both of us." Robin told him. "If you'll keep digging, you'll see the iPod." Morgan picked out the tiny portable media player with a red silicon cover and blue stripes, his mouth dragging the ground.

For the next ten minutes, they watched him disassemble each perfect bow—Robin's OCD showing through—and cut through the mess of tape—Patrick's contribution—with his fingernails, his headphones shoved into his ears even though they hadn't any music for him yet. Multicolored paper flew in every direction until finally all of the lids had been lifted off of the boxes. He had separated clothes from toys, games from books, and so on.

Having waited for Morgan to open his presents, Robin and Patrick now took a moment to open theirs, only the shrill sound of the phone interrupting their plans. Robin scurried over to it and put it to her ear. "Hello? Merry Christmas! Yeah, just a second." She motioned for Patrick to take the phone.

"Merry Christmas." Patrick repeated, listening for a second to determine the identity of the caller. "No I haven't. A little later. I know. I don't know where they could be—yes. Yes, okay. We'll be there." He ended the call almost as abruptly as he had started it. "That was Aunt Laura. She's worried that we're the only ones who will be at Christmas dinner."

"She should be worried." Robin shot back, folding her arms across her chest. "They were downright ridiculous last night."

"Hey, they were just surprised." Patrick defended.

"There's a big difference between being surprised and being cruel. Last night they were cruel." Robin emphasized the last word, her eyes narrowing at the memory.

"I agree they could have handled it better." Patrick nodded. "But you've got to understand, this has already happened once."

"Of course I remember. I was there last time, same as you." Robin reminded him.

"Do you have to fight?" Morgan interrupted, his brown eyes the size of marbles.

"No." Robin shook her head. "I'm sorry baby."

"Are you mad at each other?" Morgan asked.

"No." This time it was Patrick who answered. "We just disagree about something. We shouldn't have fought in front of you."

"Are you going to open your presents?" Morgan wondered. "I worked really hard on them."

Robin and Patrick shared a guilty look and made their way over to where he was sitting.

Robin's thumb slid across the small metal picture frame, her heart in her throat. It was a picture of Morgan, Kristina, Cameron, and her at Chuck E. Cheese's the day she met Elizabeth. There was a giant gray mouse behind them with a goofy expression on his face and Morgan had obviously cut the picture out of the original frame otherwise it would have been multicolored. "Morgan, I love it. It's going on my dresser." She promised, wiping away tears.

"Elizabeth helped me with it. She said she had the picture taken and then forgot to give it to you." Morgan clarified simply.

Patrick turned the Matchbox car in his hand so that he could study the writing on the side. The car was white and the number was done in blue. 52. His eyes caught Morgan's in a startled fashion and the little brunette smiled smugly. "You raced in high school, remember?" Morgan's response had the three of them laughing. As if Patrick could forget drag racing through high school. Photography had just kind of fallen in his lap.

"It's great! Thank you Morgan." Patrick replied with a smile.

"It's just a car. Don't get mushy on me or I'll tell Uncle Luke." Morgan warned playfully.


	163. Winter Wonderland

It was a simple gold band. It was lighter than the pen in Bobbie's hand. The hotel room had cost more than the ring. The plane fare had been more costly. Even the cab ride from the airport to the hotel…and yet, it was priceless. Its significance was phenomenal. This ring said more than a million pictures could. This ring said more than any music artist could express. Cruz couldn't stop staring at it.

He was afraid to take it off. What if he happened to walk past a small crack and lost it? What if it flew from his grip and got run over? That would lead to a lot of explanations and raised eyebrows, two things he was used to but had grown tired of.

There was no way to hide it now. Every stranger on the street could see it. They had seen it resting on his left hand when he had absently tapped away at the counter, waiting for his and Bobbie's coffee and bagels. They had seen it when he had hailed a cab since they were dependent on public transportation while they were in Vegas. They had seen it when he signed for room service last night. Half of Vegas knew they were married and the other half would surely find out if he could convince Bobbie to leave the room and go gambling with him downstairs.

They had found something in Las Vegas that Port Charles never allowed them: a moment's peace. No longer did they have to fight to be together or continue to justify it to everyone who had an opinion on the subject. When they went out in public now, no one gave them a funny look when they spotted Bobbie's growing tummy. No one asked him his age or hers. It was...almost paradise. He knew they would have to return eventually, but not today. Today he could simply be Bobbie's husband and she could be his wife.

He held out his hand and stared at the gold band, awestruck. The pillow slipped from behind his head and he fell into the headboard, cursing wildly as if he had been attacked by something more than an inanimate object. In his haste, he fell off the mattress taking the sheets and comforter with him. Bobbie barely glanced up from the letter she was writing, but he could tell she was amused.

"Hit your head?" She smiled over at her husband. Her husband. It still felt so strange and yet so right to say that about him.

"I'm fine." Cruz grumbled, his smile proving that he found it a little funny himself. "How about you lose the pen and come back to bed with me?" He suggested, climbing back into the bed.

Bobbie cocked her eyebrow in his direction. "Is this how it will be now? I no longer get the good pick up lines now that we are married?"

"From what I hear, sex is just a memory once the kids come. I figure we've got to get ahead of the curve." Cruz explained with a smug grin.

"I think being ahead of the curve is what caused this in the first place." She gestured down to her expanding stomach.

"Maybe, but I love that particular curve." Cruz told her, hopping off of the bed and pulling her into his arms.

She laughed as she settled her head into the crook of his shoulder. Agreeing to his plan to run off to Vegas and get married on Christmas Eve had been both the most impulsive and, she suspected, the smartest thing she had ever done. "You're hopeless."

"You're welcome to try and reform me." Cruz made a big gesture with his hands.

"I guess its a good thing I have a lifetime to accomplish that then." She teased him.

Cruz spun her around gently and they fell into an easy rhythm, dancing to the music only they seemed to hear. Sighing contentedly in his arms, Bobbie wished she could freeze time right here, right now. A quick glance at her watch still set to Port Charles time, revealed back home Dillon and Lucas would most likely be getting ready to sit down for dinner. As much as she wanted to stay here, wrapped in his arms like this, at some point they had to return back to reality. "When do we have to leave again?"

"Not for two glorious weeks." Cruz answered in a voice slightly above a whisper.

"Think they will forget all about us and just let us stay out here?"

"They might forget me but, you my dear are unforgettable." Cruz slurred, burying his face in her red hair.

"You're good."

"Yeah, I try. Before me, men were depending on good looks and comic books."

"So you're saying before you all women were drunk when they got pregnant then?"

"I'm saying none of them were smart enough to understand what true love really is." He clarified.

Bobbie laughed lightly and pulled him closer to her, reveling in the feel of his arms around her. She smiled up into his eyes and brushed his lips lightly with a kiss. "I knew there was something I forgot to do this morning."

"Where's Grandma Bobbie?" Lance asked first off as they sat down to assemble the table for dinner. He wasn't used to having a holiday without Grandma Bobbie. Grandma Tracy was somewhere south of France or in the South of France...Lance couldn't keep up with her. Daddy Dillon had tried to explain that she was a curious woman and, even at her age, couldn't be roped down to things like planned trips or blood pressure medicine. No, she was always leaping from one adventure to the next. She sent good presents, Lance recalled, glancing over at his new motorbike. Cameron was going to flip out when he saw it.

Dillon tried not to laugh as the expression of horror crossed Lucas's face. It was one thing to know a wedding could happen, another thing all together when your mother runs off with her just barely older than you baby daddy and elopes. If it hadn't happen to his family, he would have sworn it was a bad Lifetime movie. "Grandma Bobbie is spending Christmas with Cruz this year."

"Why?" Lance pressed on. He wasn't sure it was allowed to have a Christmas without Grandma Bobbie. What if Daddy Dillon and Daddy Lucas got it wrong? What if they didn't have ham? He was allergic to turkey. What if they had forgotten? What if they accidentally poisoned him?

Dillon glanced at Lucas and motioned toward their son with his hand. This was his family drama. He had to explain why Great Aunt Monica and Great Uncle Alan always fought over who's house it was. "She's your mother."

"She's your mother-in-law. And I thought you and Cruz had a connection or something like that." Lucas shot back, grinning.

"But she addressed the note to you."

"Grandma Bobbie and...Cruz are on holiday." Lucas replied unsteadily. "They'll be back in two weeks, just in time to see you return to school." School had been a touchy subject. Dillon had almost demanded they not send him back to "that" school after the way they treated Lance, but Lucas had managed to calm him down. Despite their best efforts, they hadn't been able to keep his punishment going for more than a few days after the fact. Lance had convinced them he would do it again no matter what limitations they set and they had backed off.

"Is he gonna be Grandpa Cruz now?" Lance went on, his eyes shooting from one parent to the other.

Dillon caught the look Lucas shot his way and shook his head. "Oh don't blame this one on me. I said nothing."

"I'm not a baby. I found the note first." Lance piped in. "So, is he? Is he?"

"Lance, stop." Lucas ordered, glancing down at his empty plate, having forgotten to get the food out of the kitchen.

"Tell me, tell me." Lance persisted.

Dillon took pity on his son and sighed. The kid was a Spencer, curious to the core and never knew when to stop. "Yes. But I think we may need to come up with another name for him."

"Like what?" Lance wondered, not missing the silence that was radiating off of Daddy Lance. He had never seen him look so terrified.

"Well that's a good question." Dillon paused to stroke his chin. He had only been calling Cruz "Daddy Cruz" because it was a good way to annoy Lucas from time to time. Now that Bobbie and Cruz had upped and married, he had to come up with something to call him. "Do you have any ideas?" he asked Lance.

"I like Super Cruz." Lance smiled.

Lucas mumbled something unintelligibly.

"That's a great idea!" Dillon enthused. "When they get back we'll try it out."

A strangled sound boomed out of Lucas' throat, but no words leapt from his mouth. Instead, he retreated to the kitchen, still mumbling.

"I think he likes it." Dillon whispered to Lance.

"You did not buy him a lock picking set!" Robin shrieked, taking the tool from Morgan, winning an indignant "hey" from her son.

"Don't you suppose you're making a big deal over nothing? He's a curious boy and what's wrong with him having this little toy?" Anna Devane-Scorpio reasoned, snatching the tiny tool from her daughter and returning it to her grandson.

Patrick watched from across the room, his face set in an amused pout. He hadn't been expecting the eldest Scorpio female to stop by Mac's, but he figured he shouldn't have been surprised. She didn't outright hate him any longer…no that would take effort. She was merely indifferent to him. It didn't even matter that he had gotten her a present. She had taken one look at it and asked Robin to pick out the next one if it was even a factor next year.

No one got Robin flustered like her mother and that was what kept him in this light mood. It was like watching Lucy and Ethel when they would trade suggestions back and forth: neither thought the other's life was quite what it could be. Anna had lost her campaign to a much shorter, much balder politician who was at least ten years older than she, but she was taking it in stride. Not once had she stopped to talk about it, simply focused on giving Robin mothering tips. From what Patrick remembered hearing about the woman, she had barely been a more constant fixture in her daughter's life than Robert, Robin's father. Patrick had yet to meet Robert, and tonight was no exception. Robin had listened half-heartedly as her father explained why he wouldn't be seeing her for the holidays, even though Patrick knew the blow off had hurt her.

"How about that this 'toy' gives the impression that it's okay to break into someone's house?" Robin answered heatedly.

"He wouldn't do that, now would you Luv?" Anna caught Morgan's stare. Instantly, the six-year-old shook his head innocently.

"Hot chocolate, hot tea, hot tamales!" Mac joked, pushing through the swinging kitchen door with a tray of treats in his arms.

"Alright!" Morgan squealed, making a leap for the hot chocolate.

"Morgan, darling, just a second." Anna lovingly scolded him, a split-second before Robin even had the chance.

Patrick noticed Robin's jaw set, but her expression remained neutral. Deciding to bite the bullet, he crossed the room and placed his hands on her hips. "Enjoying the festivities?" He teased, pressing a kiss to the left corner of her mouth.

"I really am." Robin whispered back. She had missed seeing her mother. Too many months had passed in the time since their last visit, and she definitely was thankful that their most current visit wasn't centered on something so terrible.

"Robin tells us you're moving in together." Mac casually changed the subject, setting the tray on the coffee table. "You're not staying at that tiny little loft, are you?"

Patrick chuckled. "No, and we're not moving into my studio either. We found a place we could agree on about a mile from here. It works because it's closer to work for her and closer to Morgan's school."

"Patrick's thought of everything." Robin told her uncle, her smile reaching her eyes.

"That's what I thought when Felicia and I moved in together for the first time, but it's going to get harder from here on out. All of those little annoying habits you both have…they're going to be more like the cause of every stupid fight you'll ever have." Mac cautioned them before bringing the hot chocolate to his lips.

"Oh, I think we've had our share of stupid fights." Robin countered, waving off his concern as she set Morgan's cup in front of him. "Give it a minute to cool."

"Spoken like the naïve, wouldn't you say, Anna?" Mac deduced, locking eyes with his sister-in-law.

"I would have to agree." She turned her attention to the young couple in front of her. "Today it's little things, tomorrow you're fighting over a couch."

"Why would we fight over a couch?" Patrick wanted to know, his tone incredulous.

"We won't have a chance to fight over something so innocuous since I'm the one picking it out." Robin rationalized with a quick shake of her head.

"There. You see. Nothing to worry about." Patrick assured them. "Maybe that's how it happened for the two of you, but we're different."

"Different?" Mac and Anna asked in unison.

"Yeah. We've done everything backwards in this relationship. We're set." Patrick told them.

"Would you listen to Mr. Confident?" Mac mocked, lifting his eyebrows. "You think what you want, Hotshot. You'll be begging me for advice in about a week after you're all moved in."

"Only if you stop answering the door with a cocked pistol, Sir." Patrick replied with a deliberate shake to his voice.

"It's not like he could aim it anyway." Alexis lightly teased from the top step of the stairs.

"There you are!" Robin rushed over to meet her soon-to-be new aunt. "I was thinking you snuck out the window."

"Only Luke Spencer can get away with that kind of nonsense. My big butt would never fit through those dollhouse windows upstairs."

"I would have come after you if you'd left me here alone." Robin mumbled, smiling. She noticed that Alexis was in Uncle Mac's red robe and her hair was messy as if she had just woken up. "Did the holiday start too early for you too?"

"What?" Alexis hadn't heard her or she just hadn't understood the question.

"The robe." Robin explained, gesturing toward the oversized garment.

"I got cold earlier and left my jacket at the office." Alexis clarified airily.

"Are you still? I think we could convince my cheapskate of an uncle to turn up the heat." Robin offered.

"No. I'm fine now. Merry Christmas." Her voice was low, but somehow everyone reacted to her greeting, four sets of eyes jumping to her slumped form.

"Merry Christmas, Alexis!" Morgan beamed, hurrying toward her and throwing his arms around her legs. "Did you bring me toys?" Alexis threw her head back and laughed, taking the little boy in her arms.

"Merry Christmas sweetheart. I might have hidden a few under that tree. Why don't you go and see." She directed him toward the magnificent tree, not a lonely branch in the bunch. Mac and Kristina had finished up the tree last night after she had fallen asleep on the couch. She woke up in bed so she assumed Mac had carried her upstairs.

"Are you hogging my fiancé?" Mac teased, pulling Alexis into his arms.

"We were having a discussion about how you're trying to get her sick by keeping the air conditioner going during the winter." Robin argued, smiling brightly at him.

"Is that right?" Mac met Alexis' stare and led her to the couch. "Let's sit down, huh?"

"I don't know how you do gifts, but the Spencer tradition is to hand them out until there aren't any presents under the tree." Patrick explained.

"Sounds good to me. Morgan, honey, would you come sit by me?" Robin patted the spot on the carpet nearest her, unable to ignore the protective hold Uncle Mac kept on Alexis' upper arms as if he was afraid she would collapse if he let her go.

"I suppose." Morgan gave in, ducking his head almost as if she had told him he had to go to war.

"I'll sit by you." Kristina called from the kitchen. She realized, not too long after moving into the Scorpio house, that anything and everything she wanted to know could be learned from simply hiding in the kitchen and waiting for her family to spill their guts.

"Thanks Kristina." Robin ran a hand through Kristina's thick brown hair. "Have you had a good Christmas so far?" She knew the fastest way to learn anything in this house would be to ask Kristina. The girl was as bad about keeping secrets as Lucky.

"Yeah. Santa brought me a lot of stuff. I was surprised since he gave me gifts last night at the Christmas party too." Kristina replied, knowing Robin was the weakest link to the chain of secrecy. Maybe Robin knew what was really going on with Mommy. It wasn't a cough. At least, not just a cough. She had found Mommy throwing up in the bathroom the last day of school before Christmas break.

"Santa's cool like that." Robin agreed, fingering the bow on her first present.

"Maxie must have been really good this year." Kristina assumed.

"Why do you say that?" Robin wondered.

"Santa was flirting with her. Doesn't he know he has a wife?" Her question was so straightforward, the adults had to laugh.

"Old age." Robin threw in, reminding herself to have a talk with her cousin before the day was out.


	164. Grey Sky Morning

The Port Charles Airport was surprisingly busy for such a small town. The short flight distance to larger hubs in the state meant it was frequently used by bargain hunters who didn't mind driving a little bit longer to pay a little less for their flights. While it was normally crowded, the after Christmas rush of travelers returning to their real lives made every available space packed with throngs of people.

Elizabeth stood on the top of a chair in the area just before the security checkpoint, scanning the crowd for the familiar curly head. Steven was scheduled to leave in a few hours and if she knew nothing else about her brother, he would be ridiculously early for his flight. Part a desire to get through security with plenty of time, part an anal retentive trait inherited from their mother, one that had skipped Elizabeth entirely.

Her grandmother had been her only family member to even attempt to contact her on Christmas, a fact that stung deeply. Elizabeth could appreciate their needing time before coming around to the news, which was why she had her plan in the first place. But there was still time to work on her parents and sister. They weren't scheduled to leave before the New Year. Laura had called repeatedly, but Lucky had insisted on sending her calls to the answering machine. He had convinced Patrick to stop by on his way to Christmas dinner and take Cameron, but he had remained firm in not going. But Steven was leaving today to talk to that French director about a possible job. There wasn't time to let him get over his shock and decide to support her. She was going to have to force him to talk with her about this.

She hadn't told anyone where she was going, driving over to beat the early morning crowd. Steven's flight to New York was scheduled to leave at 8:30, with another flight out of La Guardia at 10. By the time his direct flight to Paris landed it would be another day and he would have twenty-four more hours to create ways to make this situation worse. She hadn't expected the crowds to be so numerous so early in the morning, but she guessed she should have figured it out. The earlier you left, the better chance you had of making your connecting flight on time.

The familiar dirty-blonde curls caught her eye first. She checked for the rest of typical flight outfit to make sure it was really him. Black jogging pants. T shirt emblazoned with his current favorite band, this month being his Linkin Park concert t-shirt. No iPod but a regular CD player held in his hand. A neon orange backpack safely hoisted onto one shoulder, a gift from her so no one would ever confuse his bag with their own. Even though she was still mad at him, she couldn't help the smile as she finally looked at the face of her big brother.

Carefully she made her way toward him, making an effort to tap him on the shoulder when she got close enough. True to form, she could hear snippets of his CD the closer she got to him. Just yelling his name wouldn't have been enough to catch his attention. Feeling her touch, Steven grabbed off the headphones and turned in her direction. "Steven," she greeted hopefully.

His normally kind eyes flashed with disappointment. Now that she had told everyone, he couldn't help but focus directly on her stomach, noting the swell she had hid from him. Elizabeth had never been able to hide anything from him in the past. She was a horrible liar and more times than not far too proud of whatever it was she did to keep quiet for long. Maybe that was what was hurting him the most. It was the one thing she had kept from him and it was life changing. "Elizabeth." He said, managing to keep his voice even.

"Can we talk please?" she asked softly, pointing to the chairs she had just come from.

"I have to make it through security. It's going to be extra tight because of the holidays."

"You're three hours early. You have time." She could see him stiffen his shoulders and Elizabeth felt her heart break as the realization washed over her that he was determined to leave without talking to her. "Please Steven. Please don't leave this way." She whimpered.

If there was one thing he couldn't stand, it was to hear his baby sister whimper. It didn't matter how stupid the idea was, if she whimpered, he most likely would end up going along with her brilliant plan. With a defeated sigh he motioned in the direction she had pointed. "Fine. But you aren't making me miss my flight."

"I'd never do that." Elizabeth swore, leading them both over toward the chairs. Sitting down, she seized her brother's hand. "Steven, you can't seriously be mad at me about this."

"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not, but I can be mad at him," he grumbled under his breath.

"His name is Lucky, which you know, and it wasn't just his decision. I was there too."

"Ok you know what? Changed my mind. We really don't need to talk anymore." Steven tried to stand up and make his way back to the line, but Elizabeth's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Running away isn't going to change this. In five months you will be an uncle." He turned and met her eyes, which were starting to well with tears. "I want my child to know his or her uncle. At this rate, the only other family he or she will have is Patrick, Robin, and Grams."

Reluctantly Steven sat back down. "Low blow."

"It worked didn't it?" She sniffed. "Talk to me Steven. I know you aren't thrilled with me being pregnant."

"And not getting married." Steven added quickly. "Don't forget that point."

"Fine. And we aren't getting married. And I get that having it blurted out in the middle of a town wide Christmas party is not the best way to hear about it. But it's still me. And you've never questioned my decisions like this before. I expected Mom, Dad, and Sarah's reaction, but yours? Steven that wasn't you."

He could see the hurt in her eyes and hear it in her voice. She had been counting on him, obviously, and he had let her down. Biting the inside of his lip, Steven dropped his head and looked at his hands. "Explain it to me."

"Explain what?"

"Just..." Sighing, he rearranged himself on his chair so he could look his little sister in the eye. "You told me you loved him. Is that still true?"

"Yes."

"And you really see this pregnancy as a good thing?"

Unconsciously she rubbed her stomach. "After I stopped freaking out, yes."

"And he's told you he's going to stand by you and support you?"

"Yes Lucky has." She overemphasized his name just to annoy her brother. Her grandmother had once promised her someday her brother would realize she was no longer six years old. Elizabeth had just assumed that day would occur before she got pregnant.

"Then why aren't you getting married? That's what I don't understand. You say it's your idea, but I don't get it."

Biting her lip Elizabeth paused as she tried to find the right words. She had realized she was going to have to defend her decision, but it didn't make finding the words any easier. They hadn't been easy to say the first time and she doubted the explanation would get easier each time she had to explain. Blowing out a breath, she tried to begin. "If I had called you up and said I was getting married to a guy I had known for seven months, what would you have said?"

"When are you due?"

"Steven, be serious."

"I am. I would assume you were knocked up and had to get married."

"What a nice way of putting it. Thanks so much." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "And when I said no, you would have asked if I was crazy."

"Yes and then when you told me you weren't, I would still say you're crazy."

"So how is this any different?"

"Elizabeth." Steven gestured toward her stomach. "Come on. Hello!"

"Steven. It's the same thing. We aren't ready. And it's not just us we have to consider. There's Cameron too. It's not fair to him if we got married because of the baby and then something happened...Cameron's been through enough."

"Now that you mention him..." Steven kicked his backpack under his seat. "Look it's just odd that Cameron's mother is nowhere around. You don't mention her. She's just not there. It's like she doesn't exist." He paused and reached out to squeeze Elizabeth's hand. "I know you keep saying that whatever happened between those two won't happen to you, but I don't want to see you cut out of your child's life like Cameron's mother obviously is."

"You don't understand the situation. That's not going to happen to me."

"That you know of. All that boyfriend of yours has to do is sic his legal team on you and you'll be bounced out of your child's life so quick your head will spin."

"That's not what happened."

"That's what he told you. You don't know for sure that's not what happened."

"No I do know Steven." Elizabeth shook her head softly. "Jess wasn't kicked out of Cameron's life. She died."

"What?"

"I don't know all the details. But Jess and Lucky were sharing custody of Cameron. They were broken up when she found out she was pregnant. Anyway Cameron was just a few months old and she was hit by a drunk driver. Cam was with Lucky at the time. Jess died and Lucky was granted custody of his son. There was no plot to drive Jess out of Cameron's life. And the reason we didn't say it the other night was Cameron's too young to know all the details. And that was definitely not the time or place to start explaining them to him."

Steven sat back in shock. Elizabeth leaned forward to him and held his hand in both of hers. "I love that you worry about me, but Steven you have to trust my judgment on this one. Lucky isn't going to try to drive me out of this child's life. And I'm not getting married when I'm not ready just so you feel better about this."

Steven fell silent, trying to process what Elizabeth had just told him. It certainly changed his perspective, but his concern was still there. Just because it hadn't happened before, didn't mean it wouldn't. And there was still the part of him that believed if you were pregnant, you got married. On the other hand, this was the first time his sister had felt this strongly about a guy to stand up to him. And he had to admit she did seem happier than he had seen her in awhile. "I'm not going to like this overnight you know." He warned.

"I wouldn't expect you to."

"I heard what you said. But I still think you are full of crap."

"Thanks for your support." Elizabeth said wryly.

"However I promise I will try to work on being more open-minded. Apparently my niece or nephew is going to need someone with a lick of sense to tell them what's right and wrong."

Steven stood up intent of rejoining the line to get through the checkpoint. Elizabeth joined suit and followed him. "Does this mean you'll be talking to me again?"

"How can I convince you I'm right if I don't talk to you?"

"Thank you for listening to me." Elizabeth sighed as she went to hug him hard.

Closing his eyes, he returned the hug. "Promise you're happy."

"I promise."

"And if you ever become unhappy?"

"I'll call you to come kick some butt." She laughed into his chest. "But I am happy with this Steven."

"I guess that is all I can ask for."


	165. Meet Me At Midnight

The unfamiliar landscape passed before her eyes as the Eurail sped along the track toward it's destination. Georgie laid her head against the window, trying her best to maintain the same level of excitement her two roommates had. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she attempted to focus her eyes on the ever changing Italian landscape.

"New Year's Eve in Verona!" Lindsay Maguire sighed. "My sister would totally die if she knew." The red head leaned against the seat she and Georgie shared and kicked her feet up against the seat facing them.

Nodding her agreement, Veronica Miller swatted at Lindsay's feet. "It's totally lame to want to have a New Year's kiss in front of the statue of Romeo and Juliet isn't it?"

"Not at all." Georgie smiled softly. Truth be told if she had long imagined the same scenario, ever since she had first heard of the tribute to the young lovers. And ever since Maxie had found her journal entry describing it and teased her mercilessly for weeks over it, she had kept that particular dream to herself.

The decision to go to Italy for the New Year had been Veronica's suggestion. They were on a two week break from their classes in Paris. After spending Christmas drinking wine underneath the Eiffel Tower, the trio had decided to do something not as touristy for New Years. They were studying and living abroad, Veronica had argued. What was the point of spending so much time there if they just did the same things every other person did? Veronica had reminded Georgie of Maxie when she was begging them to do something different and new, so she had purchased the Flex card and went along for the adventure.

Maybe it was her sister's voice that was encouraging her to do the other slightly crazy thing. Look up Steven Webber. Robin had emailed her about Elizabeth's brother and the book she had sent along with him, forwarding his email address. The two had exchanged a few brief emails trying to figure out where to meet but an unexpected sojourn to Italy had disrupted their plans. Steven had apologized, promising the second he returned from Verona, he would call her and give her the gift that day.

Georgie had to admit when Veronica had decided on meeting up with Steven had crossed her mind. It was nothing more than a whim really. A chance to talk with someone who had recently been home. Steven was far too old for her if he was Elizabeth's older brother. She was just trying to save someone a trip. He had been nice enough to bring her, a total stranger, a gift from home. It would be the least she could do to make it convenient for him.

She would just look around and notice if she saw any film locations when they finally arrived in town. There couldn't be that many movies being shot there right now. She would just near the set and ask if anyone knew Steven. With her pocket translator she should be able to know just enough Italian to help her search if she needed it. From Robin's email, Georgie had gathered it was a French crew so talking to them would be no problem.

Georgie settled back and pulled out her battered copy of Possession and began to read. It would just be a hour or so more before they arrived. She and her friends would wander the town for awhile and eventually Georgie would find an excuse to separate herself from the group. If she found Steven, great. If not, she would find a quiet café and sit and read her book.

Steven paused as he came out of the café, rubbing the glass of water to his head. The only good thing about working in Europe was the European Union hours, he decided. And the scenery couldn't be beat. The air was crisp and cool, but it was still comfortable enough to walk outside. A quick call to his grandmother the other night had told him it was snowing in Port Charles.

The trip to Italy hadn't been part of the original plan, but Steven wasn't about to complain. He was the assistant director of photography working with a certified genius director and head director of photography. They were both also certifiable insane but geniuses none-the-less. A small but important scene in the script was based in Italy and rather than re-create it on a soundstage, at the last minute they both decided they wanted to use a location for the "real sense of space." So he had been sent out to scout for some possible locations. Already Steven could see this shoot stretching out longer than the tight thirty-six weeks he had been promised.

He wandered through the square, half his mind looking around at possible locations and debating their practicalities, the other half just enjoying being in Italy. The country had always been on his list of places to go see and by some stroke of luck, he was here in Verona, the very city he had wanted to visit. Sure he knew Venice, Rome, Milan and Pisa were all more popular choices, but he had a secret soft spot in his heart for Verona ever since he saw the Franco Zepperelli version of Romeo and Juliet. It was the movie that made him fall in love with the cinema and started him on his career path. As he neared the statue of the tragic lovers, he felt it was only right that he come here, as if he had come full circle.

He found a seat at a small café, facing the statue. Sitting down, Steven wondered at the beauty of the scenery and the architecture. There was nothing like this in Los Angeles. Nothing could even come close. Turning his face slightly to the left, he caught sight of a young woman; she couldn't be more than twenty. Absentmindedly, she tucked a stray piece of brown hair behind her ear as she concentrated on the book in front of her. A piece of paper from a neighboring table flew past her, causing her to merely brush it aside without so much as breaking her concentration. Curious as to what book had her so enraptured Steven craned his head to see the title. He smiled when he made it out. Possession. Good book, underrated movie. He cleared his throat and searched through his rudimentary Italian to find the right phrase.

"Buon libro." It was one of the few phrases he could manage without his pocket translator.

He pointed to her battered copy. "Buon libro." He said again slowly, figuring he had somehow destroyed what he meant by messing up the accent. With his luck he probably had just told her she had a nice butt.

"Buon libro. Buon libro." She muttered under her breath as she put the book down, carefully marking her spot and began fishing in her bag. "Buon libro." Finally finding what she was looking for she pulled forth from the bottom of the black bag a familiar sight. The very pocket translator Steven had in his own back pocket.

"Do you speak English by chance?" He asked hurriedly.

"Yes." Georgie sighed in relief as she recognized the American accent. "I'm sorry what did you just say?"

"I said good book. I was just afraid I had insulted you by mispronouncing the phrase horribly."

"No. No insult." She smiled shyly into his warm brown eyes. Feeling the urge to laugh at the way the wind flipped his curls around she concentrated on looking in his eyes. "Yeah it is a good book. One of my favorites."

"It was ok but I liked the movie better."

"How could you? I mean the movie was alright, but it cut out all the romance. All the soul. The tension between Maude and Roland was simply lost."

Steven chuckled. Of all the people he could run into in Italy, he had somehow picked the one other person who had both read the book and seen the movie. "I think we may have to agree to disagree on that one."

"I don't compromise when I'm right."

Steven laughed outright. She had spunk; he had to give her that. He offered her his hand. "Can I at least know your name if we are going to be debating this for all time? Because I am never going to come around to seeing this your way."

"That's what you think. I am very persuasive when I want to be." Georgie took his hand and shook it lightly. "Georgie Jones."

Steven did a double take. He couldn't have heard her right. "Ge-Georgie?" he sputtered.

"I know. My parents thought it funny to give me a boy's nickname. It's one of the many reasons my sister and I are billing them for therapy."

"No it's not that. It's just..." Shaking his head, he decided to start again. "Well it's nice to finally meet you, Georgie Jones. Steven Webber."

It was her turn to look stunned. She had spent the better part of two hours trying to find out where the film crew was working, only to be told repeatedly no one was filming in the town. She had just about convinced herself that Steven had unknowingly sent her on a wild goose chase and now here he was sitting in right next to her. "This is crazy." She declared.

"Completely." Now that he knew she was Robin's cousin, he could see a bit of a family resemblance to her. The same uplift in the chin. Same intelligence in their eyes. "I'm just sorry I don't have Robin's present with me."

Of course he wouldn't, Georgie chided herself. He thought she was in Paris and he obviously would have some place to stay there if he was working there. Great plan, she told herself. "Well this trip was sort of spur of the moment. What are the odds we would meet up here of all places?"

"Still I feel bad. I know I'm missing home a little bit and I got to see my family at Christmas. You didn't. Let me make it up to you."

She had to admit she was curious. "How?"

"I'm just scouting locations. Why don't you walk with me? You can help me find some places and I can fill you in on what is going on back at home, or at least the limited amount of stuff I know about. At least we can talk about Kelly's chili or something."

Spend the day with a good-looking older guy, help with his work for a movie, and talk about home? It was tempting. Oh who was she kidding, she questioned herself. It was most likely the best offer she would ever get. And it would make for one hell of a story to email Dillon and make him green with envy. Georgie smiled up at Steven. "That sounds great."

Maxie twirled her new style of curls around her index finger, her eyes scanning the room as she took on the amount of people her best friend, Valerie, had decided to sardine-pack into the two-story loft. She had called Maxie last minute, had planned the party in much the same fashion, her excuse being that she was starting to forget what her friends looked like. When she pointed out that Maxie should come if for no other reason than it was New Year's Eve and no one should be alone on such an important holiday, Maxie had almost declined. The last thing she wanted to do was hook up with some stranger at a party. Who knew what kind of diseases might still be lingering in good 'ole Port Chuck? Sonny Corinthos had been locked away for the better part of a decade, but he had, in his time here, made it a point to sleep with anything that moved, and there was a chance whatever disease he might have handed them they might have handed one of the many guys at the party.

She was used to the looks she got from her "friends" when she went anywhere alone, and tonight was no different. The only reason she had agreed to this little social gathering was because she hadn't received a better offer. Her flighty version of McDreamy had scurried out of his office after a brief make out session with her and convinced her to do the same. He hadn't called, written, shown up, or anything. So maybe her coming here had more to do with spite than actual opportunity. She knew she couldn't expect too much, and had thought she understood that going in. He would be convenient sex and that's all she would be to him, all he would probably allow. He had a reputation to keep and she would be just be another proverbial notch on his belt. She didn't mind, had been treated a lot worse by several other guys. It just kind of hurt that he hadn't made a single attempt to contact her since their kiss.

Maxie was proud of herself. She hadn't stooped to digging up his schedule and personal information, something, she was ashamed to admit, she had done too many times. She always seemed to meet men through General Hospital. They always told her she had some kind of Florence Nightingale syndrome to which she would laugh and roll her eyes. None of them understood her. It was why they never stuck around. What was this, "Feel Sorry for Yourself Day?" She needed to break out of these self-deprecating thoughts and enjoy the party. Just because some or most of these guys were probably dripping with syphilis or something worse didn't mean she couldn't at least make conversation, make herself available. She was available.

Adjusting the strap of her emerald-green knee-length dress, she started toward the balcony, a hand reaching out and pulling her away from the throng of people. Her initial reaction was anger, because she was not a yo-yo and how dare anyone treat her like one! From anger spawned irritation when she realized it was Valerie who had done so. Well who had she been expecting? What would Ric Lansing be doing at a college New Year's Eve party? She really needed to get her shit together before she blew her chances at another kiss.

"Earth to Maxie." Valerie waved her hand in front of her friend's face until the shorter of the two women slapped it away.

"Would you stop that?" Maxie spat, her gray-blue eyes as dark as the summer storms the town was famous for. "I'm not a mutant. All you have to do is call my name and I'll answer." She went on, understanding that she was rambling and she never rambled. Well some situations required rambling, she told herself.

"Calm down there, crazy girl. I was just going to say that I was kind of bad." Valerie whispered with a smile.

"Do I want to hear this?" Maxie couldn't keep her tone from sounding dreary because it took a lot to find Valerie interesting before she had a few more drinks in her.

"It has to do with you. I kind of invited you both with the intention of setting you up." Valerie admitted, looking awfully sheepish. She looked as if she had run over Maxie's dog and was just now confessing to it.

"That's okay." Maxie assured her, patting her on the shoulder. "I kind of expected that. Where is this Don Juan?" She made it a point to glance from one corner of the living room to the other in case he was leaned up against one of the walls or sitting on the couch watching them.

"He's on the balcony. He said, if it was fate, he would run into you, so call me fate." Valerie carried on, laughing at her little joke.

"Thanks Val." Maxie smiled, needing the distraction from her own destructive thoughts. "Tell me…is he cute?"

"Oh, he's dreamy." Valerie placed her palm against her forehead as if checking her temperature. Her skin was the perfect shade of cream next to auburn hair and translucent blue eyes. She was the sort of person who never dated "beneath" her or allowed her friends to, which meant this guy must be pretty high up there if Valerie was recommending him.

"What's his name?" Maxie wondered, her attention already moving to the balcony.

"Nate." Valerie divulged. "Now, go. Make magic happen." She shoved Maxie through the crowd and then abandoned her where the doors opened to the balcony.

Maxie could admit she was feeling as if she were merely floating from one place to another. She was a little nervous, truth be told. What if she didn't meet his expectations? But then, he must have seen her when she walked in, and she had been here a long time. He wouldn't have sent Valerie to find her if he hadn't liked what he had seen. "You're awfully dressed up, aren't you?" She teased him, tapping on his right shoulder to get his attention.

He was in a pair of black trousers, a white button-down, and a form-fitting black coat that brought out the indentions in his shoulders, proving he was more than just a social fitness buff. His hair was dark and wispy. She instantly wanted to comb her fingers through it. There was something almost familiar about him. "I dress to impress when I know beautiful women will be in my company."

"Ric Lansing!" Maxie yelped her eyes narrowing as he slowly turned to face her. "What do you think you're doing, busting up my friend's party?"

She was outraged; he could see it in her stormy eyes. Hell, he could hear it in her voice. This wasn't exactly how he had planned on approaching her again, but he had jumped at the opportunity, knowing he had waited too long to contact her after such a powerful couple of kisses. In fact, he thought he might kiss her again before the night was out. That is, if she ever let him that close to her after this charade he had pulled on her. "It's a good thing I caught this now," He told her, tugging at a small blonde curl, smiling when her response was to frown and smack his hand away. "Before you did something you would regret."

He sounded so damn patronizing Maxie considered abandoning him on the spot. The nerve! They were nothing to each other, less than nothing, but he felt justified in judging how she spent her time? She was going to strangle Valerie. This never would have happened if her friend hadn't thrown a spur-of-the-moment party and invited everyone she happened to walk past that afternoon. "What makes you think you have any say in what I do?"

"I could take the defensiveness of your posture, tone of voice, and anger in your eyes to mean that you're not pleased to see me, but we both know that's not true, don't we?" Ric teased, leaning into her.

"Ha!" Maxie reacted a little too quickly to fool anyone, even the practical stranger in front of her. "If you think for a second I'm happy to see you, you're wrong."

"I am, huh?" Ric asked warmly. The passion in his eyes was absolutely unmistakable so Maxie turned her attention to his shoulder, figuring that was as safe a place to look as any.

"Yes. Dead wrong." Maxie emphasized in frustration.

"You know, a couple of years ago, that phrase might have been considered an omen." Ric mused.

"A few years ago people were drowning each other at the docks and no one was doing anything about it. A few years ago my father brought us here to see them prosecuted." Maxie threw back.

"What are you mad at me for?" Ric asked offhandedly.

"Mad? Who said I was mad?" Maxie retorted in a pitch just above a screech.

"I had to deal with family. You know, the holidays are busy." Ric answered, the understatement not lost on either of them.

"That's it? You're blaming your inability to pick up a phone on relatives?" Maxie inquired incredulously.

"Ha, so you are mad!" Ric looked quite pleased with himself.

"Being mad would require effort and I'm afraid I can't rise to the occasion." Maxie countered, folding her arms.

"Oh, I don't think that'll ever be our problem." Ric argued.

"Men!" Maxie shouted, already returning to the living room.

"You can't walk away from a fight." Ric pointed out, snatching her arm and holding her in place.

"It'd be a really good idea to let go of me." Maxie informed him.

"I'm not afraid of you." Ric told her.

"Have you met my father? He'd make a pancake out of your sorry ass." Maxie corrected him.

Ric muttered an expletive. "I wasn't blowing you off."

"Okay." Maxie's response proved how little she cared.

"You don't believe me."

"No. I try not to look for truth in a liar."

"When have I lied to you? When?" Ric challenged.

Maxie gritted her teeth together, unable to think of a quick answer. "I guess you never have. Looks like I'm making way too big of a deal over this. I apologize. Please let me go."

"In a minute." Ric practically growled at her. "What is it you want from me? I'd really like to know, because I'm getting sick of this back and forth bullshit."

"It's about…it's…" Maxie couldn't name what she was feeling, because she didn't entirely trust it. There was no real reason to be mad at him, no evidence to hold him. She would calm him down and then saunter off like it didn't matter to her one way or the other.

"I don't think I like that look in your eye. You're plotting something, aren't you?"

"I don't plot." Maxie almost laughed at the outright lie that had tumbled from her lips.

"Maybe I'd believe that if this town wasn't full of stories about your endeavors." Ric told her.

"You think it's all true? What you've heard?" Maxie wondered.

"I don't believe a lot of it, no. But some, some I can't ignore."

"Then what are you doing here?"

Her question silenced him. What was he doing at a college party surrounded by a bunch of rowdy twenty-something's? He could have any woman tonight, so why was his brain fixated on this one? She was absolutely mind-boggling and she made him want to punch a wall. Why did he think she was worth this kind of effort?

"Maybe I should have called." Ric whispered begrudgingly.

"Maybe I should have stayed by the phone." Maxie snorted.

"Would you have answered if I had called?" Ric wanted to know.

"Probably not." Maxie admitted with a small grin. "But I would have appreciated the effort."

"Can we start over please?" Ric begged his eyes at once warm and probing.

"Well?" Maxie waved her hand for him to act on whatever he thought "starting over" meant. He took her hand so that he held them both and pulled her closer, dipping his head and angling his mouth over hers.

She thought about letting him, Ric noticed. But the refusal rested in her foggy-blue eyes. Still, she hadn't voiced it and he hadn't gotten the nickname "scoundrel" in his hometown for nothing. Swiping his tongue over her bottom lip, he pulled the tender piece of flesh into his mouth and lightly nibbled on it.

Maxie pushed him back, her eyes flying to her shoes. "I think we have conflicting opinions about starting over." She murmured in a shaky voice.

"Probably." Ric agreed, kissing the corner of her mouth.

"You don't just get to kiss me anytime you want." She went on. "There have to be rules to this sort of thing. We don't want to send out the wrong impression. We're not dating."

"Whatever you say." Ric whispered, brushing his cheek over hers.

"Would you listen to me?"

"I am listening. I promise."

His lips found the spot below Maxie's ear and she mewed. His hands swept up her arms and cupped her head in his hands, his mouth lifting to hers. She was powerless to stop any of it, let alone predict it. At first, she was too stunned to do anything but allow him this small intimacy. As the seconds ticked by, her own impatience got the better of her and she pressed her body into his, her tongue flicking over his. Her response started a battle for control, one she let him win.

"Happy New Year Blondie." Ric whispered in-between kisses.


	166. Read My Mind

**_Since I was so late updating last Friday, here you go._**

"I'm fine. You heard Dr. Lansing. The little princess is just fine. Now go on to work and make sure you still have a magazine. You have a wife to support now remember?" Bobbie teased into her cell phone. It has been two hours since they had returned from Las Vegas and fifteen minutes since he had left her after her appointment. In that brief time, this was his fifth phone call.

"God I love hearing the sound of that."

"I love saying it, and the sooner you get to work the sooner you can get home to your wife." Although he was still in the middle of packing up his townhouse, Cruz had all but officially moved into the Brownstone weeks ago.

"Yes ma'am. You'll call me if you fell ill or anything? No, wait. Call Dr. Lansing first and then call me. No chances. And no working Bobbie."

"I promise I'll call Dr. Lansing if I feel strange and then you. But you're worrying over nothing."

"I did notice you didn't say anything about the no working part."

Damn it. Sometimes Bobbie felt Cruz was way too observant for his own good. All she was going to do was manage one phone call to Robin to see if Jax and Brenda really were sticking with their last theme. That didn't qualify as work. "Fine. No working."

"Good. I'll be home soon."

"You better." Bobbie flipped closed her phone and rubbed her stomach as she started the car up. "Your daddy little one is a bit overprotective. You may find it cute now but wait until you're sixteen and want to date."

Almost as soon as she neared the exit of the hospital garage, her phone began ringing again. Bobbie laughed as she wondered what new news report Cruz could have possibly found to worry about now. If he kept this up she was going to ban him from listening to talk radio or watching the news. "What are you worried about now?" She teased as she answered the phone.

"Bobbie? Oh my God, you're alive!" Laura responded kindly.

"Laura!" Bobbie wished she could be surprised at her sister-in-law's call but the truth was she was surprised she hadn't heard from Laura earlier. As it was, ever since she assumed Lucas and Dillon shared the news with the family, Laura had filled her voice mail with message after message.

"How was your trip? And the wedding? And Vegas? How was it? What's this about not calling me back at least to let me know you got there and back safely?" Laura reprimanded lightly.

"The trip was fine and Vegas, as always is Vegas. The wedding was lovely and yes I have pictures. We only got back two hours ago, so I haven't had time to call you. But I figured sooner or later you would call me."

"I suppose I can forgive you this one time. Is Cruz with you? I haven't seen either of you in what feels like ages!" Laura emphasized.

"He had to go to the magazine and make sure it was still standing. Axe was apparently the one in charge while we were away."

"Oh good heaven." Laura breathed.

"Have you had a chance to unpack yet?"

"I was on my way home to do just that. So tell me. How was your Christmas?"

"If you aren't too busy, you really ought to stop by." Laura countered.

"You know for someone who's been married to my brother for forever, you really are bad about evading questions Laura. Maybe we can discuss that when I drop by tomorrow."

"Cruz really isn't with you?" Laura prodded, returning to her original question.

"No. He's at the magazine."

"I'll just have to call him then." And then Laura hung up.

"Do you think we could fit anymore balloons in this living room?" Patrick asked skeptically as he reached over Robin's head to hang the party banner. Cruz and Aunt Bobbie would have to be psychic to figure this one out and they were probably still...yeah he wasn't going to let him mind go that far.

"Lucas apparently thought so. Didn't he go out for more balloons?" Robin answered picking a piece of lint out of Patrick's hair. This party was about their friends but, more than that, it was about re-establishing relationships between Lucky and the rest of the Spencers. He was still pretty ticked at them. There were two things that told her this. One, she wasn't stupid and could pick up the tension between them when they talked about the other. Two, the phone chain had never gotten to her this fast. She was used to being the last person to know anything but, with Cruz and Bobbie out of the state and Lucky and Elizabeth not talking to Laura, Robin had been the first one she called. While she was flattered, Robin wanted her friends to be before her.

"Nah, he went out for a drink. I don't know what he told you, but I know my cousin." Patrick corrected.

"I would assume they're together or else one of them would have stayed behind with Lance." Patrick nodded toward his little second-cousin as he played Lego's with Morgan. Alexis had spread out a blanket for them to play on so there would be no missing Lego's—a relief for anyone who had ever stepped on a Lego—and they were completely engrossed in their building.

"I'm not wearing this." Mac declared from the bottom step of the stairs. His curly peppered brown hair was poking out from under a Congrats party hat. Alexis glanced up from where she was setting the table and busted out laughing.

"Oh but you look so cute Uncle Mac!" Robin exclaimed trying to get him to come around to the idea.

"Cute? I look, cute? That's it. I'm leaving them a card. I'm too old for this." Mac whined as he fumbled with the white string that held the hat on his head.

"But Uncle Mac..." Morgan looked up from his and Lance's contraption. "You have to stay for the party. If you don't, Patrick will eat all the cake."

"Hey!" Patrick argued missing the "your point is?" look he was receiving from Robin. "I would not eat the entire thing."

"Besides, Grandma Bobbie will be so happy to see you!" Lance replied ignoring Patrick's indignant yelp.

Mac looked from Lance to Morgan to Alexis and then to Robin knowing he was stuck. This whole thing was strange. He had known Bobbie for the better part of a decade, but he still felt out of place at her wedding/baby shower. If Alexis hadn't looked so damn pale, he would have agreed with her that they should stay in and miss the party. But she did and he wanted her moving around, wanting the color back in her face. She still refused to see a doctor and he was still upset about that. She could pretend all she wanted; he knew something was wrong.

"Whoops!" Kristina exclaimed kicking the Lego's until they tumbled apart. The smile on her face said that she wasn't sorry. Morgan stood up but didn't say anything. Lance burst into tears.

"Kristina!" Alexis snapped almost dropping the plate she was holding.

"It was an accident!" Kristina insisted.

"The heck it was!" Mac shot back thankful he had learned to censor his language in front of small children even though this little girl had gotten him to slip last week and he was still hearing about it from Alexis.

Robin abandoned the balloons and went to coddle Lance who had started to scream. She hadn't ever seen her uncle so unwound. It wasn't as if Kristina didn't deserve to be scolded for knocking over the boys' toy, but she recognized the tone in both Mac and Alexis and knew this was only the beginning. She shared a worried look with Patrick and pressed her cheek to Lance's forehead, patting his back and trying to soothe him.

"It wasn't my fault." Kristina chimed in.

"Was too!" Morgan argued.

"Was not!" Kristina wailed stomping her foot.

"Was too." Lance added through muffled sobs.

"It's not so bad." Patrick moved cautiously toward the mess of Lego's and bent down to try and put it back together despite the fact that he hadn't seen how it looked before Kristina smashed it.

"Will you be able to fix it?" Lance asked through sniffles lifting his head from Robin's shoulder.

"All by myself? No, I don't think so. I might need some help. Why don't you three help me, huh?" Patrick suggested trying his best to diffuse an already out of control situation.

"That's a good idea, Patrick." Alexis spoke up. "Uncle Mac, maybe you want to help too?" She prompted.

Lance crawled out of Robin's lap, Morgan sat down beside his cousins and with a huff Kristina sunk down onto the blanket to help them. If she left it to a bunch of boys, they would never get it right. Why was everyone always yelling at her? It really had been an accident, but she had found it funny all the same. Mac just wanted to get her in trouble and Mommy was right there behind him. Maybe she should run away. They wouldn't miss her. No one would miss her.

"Do I have to be here? Can't I send a card?" Lucky grumbled as they stood on the front step on his family's home.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Honestly today it was hard to tell who was turning four, Cameron or Lucky. "No you can't. Cruz is your best friend and Bobbie is your aunt."

"This is the perfect reason to not be here. Come on, even your soap doesn't go to that extremes."

Elizabeth continued as if he hadn't spoken, which had been her plan of attack ever since she heard the message Laura left on the machine. "This is the exact reason you don't have a choice here. You love them both and you would be guilty for the rest of your life if you didn't do this."

Since when was she the one to make the good points, he silently fumed. She was right and it was a similar thought that made him get in the car and drive over here. But it didn't mean he had to like it. He sighed and was about to make a comment about not speaking to anyone he was immediately related to, when he felt a small hand tug his arm. He looked down into the eyes of his son. "Yeah buddy?"

Cameron pointed to the door. "Lance and Morgan be there?"

Even though he hadn't seen Lucas's minivan parked down the street, the Hornsby-Quartermaine-Jones family attendance was practically a given. And where there was the chance for cake, there was Patrick. "Yeah they're here."

Cameron smiled. "Good. I missed them."

Lucky shot Elizabeth a glare. "I don't know how but you planned that one." The unfortunate outcome of the current cold war with his mother was Cameron spent less time with his cousins. It wasn't a situation Lucky exactly liked but it was what it was.

"I would not." Ok maybe she would, but Cameron had come up with that one all on his own. She still wasn't too happy with Laura herself, but Cameron needed her. And unlike her and the majority of her family, Lucky actually liked his. It wasn't normal for him to go this long without talking to them.

"Anything I say will be held against me. So I won't say anything at all."

"We aren't staying long. And I'm not talking to her." Lucky warned.

"Just open the door. If we stand out here much longer, you'll ruin the surprise and then you will have to talk to your mother."

"And what exactly did Laura say?" Cruz asked worriedly as they crossed the parking lot to the Spencer house.

"Just that we should stop by since she hasn't seen us since Christmas."

"And that's why I had to rush home from work? Because she hasn't seen us since Christmas?"

Bobbie shook her head. "I do believe you were the one to cave to her request first my dear."

"I didn't cave. I conceded." Cruz rolled his eyes.

"Same thing."

"It's not the same thing." He took her hand in his. "We can still make a run for it if we turn back now."

Bobbie noticed the quick movement of the drapes in the front window. Pointing to them, she smiled. "Too late for that. We've been spotted."

"Maybe we can fake it."

Seeing the door start to open, Bobbie hit him on his arm. "I'd like to remind you this whole being in public quest was your idea. So just smile and enjoy this."

Cruz was about to reply when the living room suddenly filled with familiar faces. "SURPRISE!" They shouted in unison.

Bobbie recovered first. She should have known Laura was planning something like this. Moving into the room filled with family and friends, she easily spotted her sister-in-law. Giving the other woman a hug she exclaimed, "How on earth did you manage to do this?"

"Talent." Laura answered automatically.

"And I'm arrogant?" Patrick teased moving through the crowd. "Well, if it isn't Mr. and Mrs. Bobbie Spencer."

"How did you know we decided on that?" Bobbie teased, leaning up to kiss Patrick's cheek.

He hugged her carefully half worried he would squash her otherwise. "It was Morgan's idea."

"Super Cruz!" Lance rushed to Cruz's side and looked up at him. "Did you bring me something from your vacation?"

"Sure did." Cruz reached into his back pants pocket and pulled out a pair of black shades. He handed them over and Lance struggled to make them fit his much smaller face. Cruz bent down and slid them into the little blonde's hair so that they wouldn't fall off. "There."

"Awesome!" Lance smiled up as Lucas shook his head.

"Lance. What have we told you about manners?" Lucas questioned his son. He would have corrected him again about using that ridiculous name, but he was convinced Dillon was spending his every spare moment encouraging Lance to use it frequently.

"Thanks Super Cruz." Lance managed to look up without tipping the glasses right off his face.

"Beats Grandpa any day." Cruz laughed messing up Lance's hair and winning a scowl from Lucas. It was all Dillon could do to keep a straight face.

"You haven't even given it a chance. Patrick could give you tips on how to hide that gray hair." Robin mocked with a smile. Patrick was too quick for her and soon she was trapped in his arms. She was in trouble now.

"True, the old man keeps saying he's all knowing." Lucky made his way out of what Elizabeth had been dubbing his "pout corner" to talk with his friends.

"Well, look who came out of hiding!" Cruz smirked.

"You know me. Never miss an opportunity to make fun of Patrick."

"That's true. Don't you start calling me Uncle Cruz now." He warned with a shaking finger.

"Not enough alcohol in the world." Lucky shuddered at the mere thought of it.

"Don't mention alcohol." Both Bobbie and Elizabeth begged.

Laura looked absolutely uncomfortable as did Lulu, Luke, and anyone else in the room who knew the story. Mac and Alexis had missed it and the children were too young to pick up on it. "Did I miss something?" Cruz wondered nodding in Elizabeth's direction.

Elizabeth drew closer to Lucky and leaned her chin on his shoulder. "You know what? It can wait."

"Nonsense." Laura surprised them by saying. "I think they should know."

"Know what?" Bobbie questioned, starting to pick up on the tension in the air. She had never seen her nephew tense so much when Laura started speaking.

"It really isn't your place to tell anything Laura. If they don't want to discuss it, they shouldn't have to." Robin defended her friends still a little put off with their behavior at the Christmas party. She could feel Patrick stiffening behind her but she couldn't stop herself. They should be congratulated not scolded.

"This isn't the time or place." Elizabeth began. "This is a celebration for Cruz and Bobbie."

"If you don't want to tell us whatever it is, you don't have to." Cruz assured them. "We have Christmas gifts in the car. I'll get them."

"Presents!" The assembled children began to cheer. "Presents!"

"See what you did!" Luke laughed uncomfortably as the kids trailed behind Cruz.

"Did you bring all of us presents or just for the ones under five feet tall?" Patrick wanted to know.

"Like you would let me forget you?" Bobbie laughed.

"Have to keep my priorities straight you know." Patrick replied with a wolfish grin.

"Yes presents and cake. Now that he has those covered, he's set for the rest of the month." Lucky tried to keep his tone light. He was not going to blow this party for Aunt Bobbie. Reluctantly he could admit she was happier than he remembered her being in a long time. But he was never going to admit that to anyone.

Since it was a party for them and not the guests, the adults kept their presents wrapped and promised to open them as soon as the party concluded. The kids hadn't taken the same amount of consideration and there were boxes, string, and paper covering the floor to prove it.

They made three piles: the gifts that were for Bobbie, the ones for Cruz, and the ones that they shared. It was a seamless transition and soon they were down to Cruz's last present. Lucky and Patrick made sure to watch his reaction to this particular gift. Neither of their girlfriends knew about it. They had agreed to go in together for one great present and they figured they had done a pretty good job.

Cruz peeled away the plain red wrapping paper from the rectangular box and pulled a pocket knife from his back pocket when he encountered tape. The card had been from both Patrick and Lucky so he knew he was in for something crazy. Curiosity got the best of him and he had to know what it was. Pulling each flap of cardboard away he peeked inside, glanced over at his best friends, and then readjusted his eyes to better understand what exactly it was they had given him.

He could hear Bobbie goading him to hurry, to tell her what it was, but he had no response for her. Pulling the somewhat innocuous toy from the box by its right arm he showed it to the guests. Their immediate reaction was to giggle. His eyes widening when he realized what it was, he almost threw it across the room when it started to cry. A crying baby doll? That had been their joint decision gift? Its wailing only grew louder as he fumbled with it, instinct telling him to give it to Bobbie. She handed it back and told him he had to figure out how to calm it down. This was a nightmare! They were so dead once he figured out how to shut this thing up.

Lucky and Patrick turned away to keep from falling to the ground laughing. The expression on his face was priceless. Lucky hoped that Elizabeth had gotten a picture of pure panic that had crossed Cruz's face when the doll began to cry. "Come on Cruz. Make your child be quiet." He managed.

"Yeah." Patrick agreed. "You're going to have to figure it out sooner or later right?"

"I'm going to get you for this." Cruz said through gritted teeth.

"First you have to stop your baby from crying when you put it down." Lucky pointed out.

Cruz took a good look at the baby and then searched the box for anything to make it be quiet. All he found was a misshapen plastic piece. Noticing that it must fit into the baby's back, he inserted it into the little hole and turned it clockwise, counterclockwise, and then back again until it finally stopped. He hoped his kid made as much sense.

"There." He grinned at the crowd. "Easy."

Lucky snorted loudly. "You wish."

A look of panic spread across Cruz's features. "What do you mean?"

"Don't scare him." Elizabeth warned.

"I wouldn't do that. Besides watching him panic is going to be half the fun for me."

"And what's the other half?" Robin asked.

Lucky shrugged. "Just the usual enjoyment of watching him make mistakes."

"Did we forget to mention that?" Patrick couldn't help but feel a slight bit of pity for his friend. "You're in charge of it for the next week."

Lucky snapped his fingers. "I knew there was something we forgot to put in the card."

"What do you mean?" Cruz sputtered. "What are you talking about?"

"This is a loan." Lucky explained. "Inside is a little computer that will tell us how many times you fed the baby, changed the baby, and even just held the baby. At the end of the week, we're going to see if you passed your test."


	167. All Is Forgiven

"It's not that bad." Bobbie started to explain but was cut off by the loud electronic whine of the doll. She busted out laughing as the scowl crossed Cruz's normally placid face. "It could have been worse." She pointed out.

"Oh really? How's that? They could have picked up a real baby and given it to me. Because, at this point, I think that's the only thing that tops this." Cruz gestured toward the doll, reaching into his shirt pocket to extract the black plastic key to silence it.

"Well knowing Patrick and Lucky, embarrassing photos of some sort could have been involved." Actually she had to give her nephews credit. They were handling this turn of events way better than she had expected them to. Maybe they were growing up. Or maybe she had better thank Robin and Elizabeth.

Cruz, having finally calmed the baby down, cut a sideways glance at his wife. "I always assumed their devious nature came from Luke, but maybe it was you."

Gently kissing his cheek, Bobbie patted her husband's shoulder. "I guess you'll just have to stick around to find out."

"Are all babies this heavy?" Cruz wanted to know.

"Only when you feed them."

"Between the baby and the car seat...I may have to cancel my membership to the gym and just spend my day lifting them in and out of the car."

"And don't forget the diaper bag, the toys, and the stroller." Lucky ticked off as he and Elizabeth neared the car. Cameron, tired after a full day of running around with his older cousins, was out cold, resting his head securely on his father's shoulder.

Cruz blew out a breath and shifted the baby to his other shoulder. "It's a good thing you've got Elizabeth and Cam with you or I would run you over with my car." He assured his friend, certain that it was going to be a long seven days.

"You don't drive fast enough Grandpa."

Cruz caught Bobbie's smile. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?" Without waiting for her to respond, he handed Bobbie the doll and went about strapping in the car seat. He had watched Lucky do it a hundred times, and maybe even done so himself, but he couldn't remember exactly how to do it. The way he saw it, the baby should only need the required seatbelt. What were these other ones for?

Bobbie smiled at the young couple and noticed the tension she had seen rest in both of their shoulders seemed to have vanished now that the party was over. On some level she had assumed the tension was over the wedding but after several near fights through out the party, she knew it wasn't that. Something was going on but she couldn't quite put her finger on it just yet. "I'm glad you came." She told Lucky patting his cheek.

"See? I told you just sending a card was a bad idea." Elizabeth chimed in with a laugh.

The three of them were stunned by the sound of the car seat hitting the floorboard. Following a string of muttered expletives, they saw Cruz's head dip and the car seat jumped into the seat.

"Are you really sure about this one Aunt Bobbie? He doesn't seem too bright." Lucky pointed out.

"I heard that." Cruz called back, snatching the baby from Bobbie, turning the car seat around, and locating the places on the car seat where the main seatbelt was supposed to go.

Bobbie ignored the parade of insults between her husband and nephew. It had been this way since the two of them met and would be this way until the end of time, she figured. There was no use in trying to change the inevitable. Cameron stirred slightly in Lucky's arms and Elizabeth turned slightly to the side to pat the little boy on his head. It was only for a second but it was long enough for Bobbie to notice the tell-tale bulge, similar to the one she herself had. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed.

"What? What?" Cruz asked almost dropping the baby in the process. His head shot up as if he expected to see someone on fire.

"You're pregnant!" Bobbie exclaimed, pointing toward Elizabeth's stomach. "You're pregnant!"

Lucky and Elizabeth shared a nervous look. They had thought Laura had told the other couple everything the second they had landed. Well, Lucky thought wryly, that was obviously wrong. Maybe this announcement would go better than the disastrous first two. Third time was the charm right? "Yes." He said simply, squeezing Elizabeth's hand lightly.

"Hey." Cruz smiled. "Congratulations." He and Lucky did the man-hug thing and patted each other on the back. Then he turned to Elizabeth. "Are you sure? This is Port Charles. You might to run a test and make sure it's even yours." He suggested. When the town had been centered around the mob, they were constantly having babies for each other and then forgetting whose belonged to which.

"Well the first one did say it was yours, but we weren't planning on telling Bobbie that just yet." Elizabeth smiled as Bobbie congratulated her with a hug.

"So I guess this means you're taking custody of the doll at the end of the week?" Cruz asked Lucky lifting an eyebrow.

Lucky smirked and adjusted Cameron higher on his shoulder. "I think I already passed that test."

"You got lucky, no pun intended. Cam was an easy baby." Cruz reminded him.

Bobbie caught Elizabeth's stare. "How far along?"

"Four months. Almost five."

Cruz smirked at Lucky. "You have some serious competitive issues, my friend."

"You haven't told anyone yet, have you?" Bobbie asked. "That's why everything was so tense inside."

"No they know." Elizabeth replied in a strained voice. "That's not what they are mad about it."

Bobbie and Cruz shared a puzzled look. "What then?" Cruz inquired.

Lucky braced himself. "Once again, everyone thought we should get married now. And we aren't."

"Any particular reason why?" Bobbie barely beat her husband as the question leapt from her throat.

"It's just not the right time." Elizabeth reasoned. "It would be about the baby and that's not fair to us or the baby or, not to mention, Cameron."

"It's not something anyone should rush into." Cruz told them, relieved that he was finally in a position to give his friend some advice.

"Thank you. Can you discuss this concept with my mother please? She seems to like you these days." Lucky grumbled.

"It's been the silent war ever since Christmas." Elizabeth explained. "Today was the first time they were even in the same room since then."

Cruz whistled. "Well that explains the tension."

Bobbie nodded. "That it does." Turning toward the young couple she smiled at them. "If you are happy then we are happy for you. And don't worry about Laura. She will come around sooner or later. Most likely right before the baby shower. She can't resist the chance to throw a party."

Robin paused in the archway of her new apartment. It was only about three or four times bigger than the loft had been, only three or four times the size! She was still as awed by it today as she had been the day Patrick showed it to her. The box in her arms was weightless as she let her mind wander a little bit. Wall-to-wall carpeting might be a way to go, but she wasn't opposed to the sleek wooden finish. The living room needed at least a few rugs and some pictures. In fact, the entire apartment needed something other than these, while beautifully managed, neutral-centric colors.

She wasn't so dense to think that the place would come complete with any of that and she was already prepared to put a few of her own touches into the place without leaving Patrick out in the cold so to speak. He was going to help whether he liked it or not. She didn't want this to be her apartment, she had very big hopes of it being theirs, and that meant he had to contribute in its style, its flow and, most of all, the feeling each of them got when they walked in from a long day at work.

All three bedrooms were located upstairs along with two bathrooms. A remaining bathroom was set off to the side of the kitchen just beyond the living room along with a laundry room, a dark room, and what Patrick referred to as his "office." She had a similar room upstairs that he had left her the power to do anything with. She had teased him that, one day out of the blue, she was going to switch the rooms up and not tell him.

"Um, Robin…?" Patrick interrupted her current thoughts and she turned to face him. He had insisted that he take the largest boxes, convinced that they didn't need moving guys to help them. Well, let's see how he felt when he pulled a muscle or something. "This is kind of heavy. Do you think you could move a little to the right?" He half begged in a hoarse, scratchy voice. She jumped out of his way, a look that must have resembled pity spreading across her features. "Good God, what do you have in here?"

Robin tilted her head to the right and read the black writing. "Clothes." She informed him.

"Clothes?" Patrick responded incredulously.

"Well I have to have clothes, Patrick." Robin pointed out.

"Clothes." He repeated dropping them just past the door.

"Careful." Robin goaded him.

"I'm sure they aren't fragile." Patrick answered sardonically.

"I don't remember you complaining about my clothes before." Robin reminded him.

Patrick gave her a pointed look. "You could wear a paper sack and I'd react the exact same way."

"That's true." Robin nodded. "Come on, we've got a lot more to do."

"Yes, I know." Patrick grumbled.

"Don't tell me you're already losing adrenaline? Should I call Cruz and Lucky, because I'm sure they would help—" She wasn't at all surprised when he cut her off.

"No." He held out his hand in front of him. "I'm fine."

"Then quit you're bitching and let's get back to the task at hand, shall we?" Robin ordered, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.

"Yes ma'am." Patrick saluted her and they walked back to the elevator together.

It took all morning and the better half of the afternoon to get every box and stick of furniture from the truck they were borrowing from Uncle Luke—he kept insisting they should just take it because he had had his time on the motorcycle and he doubted he'd be able to go back to the monster of a vehicle. Robin felt like she was on autopilot so the little detail of the last box she brought in not being taped shut didn't register. She couldn't remember what was in this box and couldn't bring herself to care. She was bone-weary as was Patrick. He had only whined about that first box. Since then, he had been quiet. It wasn't until these last couple of trips that they had both started panting and taking longer to get back and forth than they originally had.

"There." Robin breathed out a sigh of relief and Patrick shut the door behind them. "Did you lock the truck?"

"I don't think I did." They shared a look of guilt but then each shrugged it off. Uncle Luke had made sure no one could ever hotwire his truck though neither of them understood how, they just trusted him.

"When did you say the couch was arriving?" Robin asked, stretching out across the one carpeted area of the entire bottom floor.

"Before five." Patrick responded, lifting the flaps of the box Robin had brought in. "Hey Roby?"

"Yeah?" She hadn't realized her eyes were shut until he called out to her. Sitting up on her left elbow, she met his eyes.

"We have a stowaway." Patrick explained, nodding toward the box.

"What?" Robin pushed herself to her feet and peeked into the box. Morgan was curled into a tiny ball with his hands underneath his head. "How long do you think he's been in there?".

"Probably not long. He had to have climbed in on our last trip to your uncle's." They had left Morgan with Mac so that they could get this done, but the older man insisted that they stop and have lunch with him and the kids half an hour ago.

Robin bent down and, with Patrick's help, lifted Morgan out of the box. "His bed is upstairs. I'll take him." She whispered brushing a piece of her son's dark bangs from his forehead as they situated him in her arms.

Patrick watched her climb the stairs slowly and smiled. He was starting to like this idea of living with them even more if he could expect moments like this in the future. Remembering their brilliance in stocking the refrigerator with bottled water and beer, he headed toward the kitchen, but the sound of a knock at the door stopped him.

"Hi!" Elizabeth said slowly as the door opened to Patrick's tall frame. She held up a small package to explain her presence. "Robin around?"

"She just took Morgan upstairs. He climbed into one of the boxes without either of us realizing." Patrick told her.

"Oh well. I'll just drop this off then. I don't want to bother you guys." Even though Patrick had been nothing but supportive of her since he found out, Elizabeth still was nervous around him. She had blown a simple mistake way out of proportion and reacted like an idiot. Seeing Patrick just reminded her of that fact.

"What is it?" Patrick wondered, taking the small box from her.

"It's just a little housewarming gift. It's not much but I saw it and immediately thought of you two." Elizabeth shrugged it off

"She'll be up there for a while. I might as well open it and save her the trouble." Patrick grinned. He lightly pulled the green ribbon from the plain white box and lifted the lid. "Water pistols?" He caught her stare and had to laugh. "How'd you know?"

"I'm good. I keep telling you all that. Maybe someday you'll believe me."

"Maybe." Patrick nodded awkwardly. "Do you want to come in?"

Spying the still unopened boxes, Elizabeth tried to back out of the door. "I'm interrupting. And you're busy. I should just go."

"Actually, we just brought these up. I'm pretty sure if I open any of these boxes I'll pop a muscle." Patrick assured her. "Come in. You want a beer? Or a bottle of water?" He added remembering her current condition.

"No I'm fine." She moved cautiously into the massive apartment. Robin had told her it was huge but she hadn't quite believed her until this exact moment. "Good gravy Patrick. You really don't have to land planes in your living room to have enough space you know."

Patrick's laugh came from deep within his throat. "Yeah, I might have gone a little overboard. Do you like it though?"

"I doubt my opinion really matters here but the first few acres I've seen I like."

"Your opinion matters. You're our first guest." Patrick explained.

Elizabeth clapped her hands in an imitation of overwhelming glee. "Oh goody! Do I get my picture taken? Do I get to sign my name in a book in gold?"

"Camera's still packed so we'll have to do that next time."

Elizabeth snapped her fingers in regret. "Damn. It just won't be the same."

"Uh, I can tell Robin you're here if you want." Patrick offered.

"So that's how it's going to be now?" Elizabeth wondered. "A few jokes and then run off to find Robin?"

Patrick stopped in place, his back facing her. "I don't know. Maybe. She's about the only safe subject, isn't she?"

Elizabeth looked up to the ceiling to consider the other options. "At this moment I think so. All other conversations lead back to there."

"I had more questions than answers and you were an easy target. Plus, I was pissed about Robin." Patrick attempted an apology, knowing this was about as far as it could possibly go.

"I was thrown. And freaked. And I overreacted to it."

"No one likes being accused and I caused yet another fight between you and my cousin."

"It wasn't actually a fight. More like a flight."

"This is going to sound lame, but I don't want things to stay like this between us. We're about to have another person in common."

"Oh that was lame. It's going to ruin your rep when it gets out." She teased him, smiling. "But yeah I guess we are."

"I really am happy for you guys."

"Thanks. You, Robin, Cruz, Bobbie, and my grandmother are about the only ones."

"Unlike my usually perceptive girlfriend, I don't think that's true. Cut the family some slack. I know they were terrible at the Christmas party, but Spencers don't do well with surprises. Aunt Laura couldn't stop asking Cameron questions about his little baby brother or sister when we went over there for Christmas morning."

Elizabeth nodded. "Cameron mentioned that. Still doesn't help Lucky believe it."

"He'll come around. None of us have a very long attention span." Patrick joked.


	168. What I've Done

"I don't care how sure you are it's a girl. It could still be a boy. We thought Lulu was a boy." Laura was trying to express to her sister-in-law that nothing was ever set in stone, so why was she met with a defiant stare?

"Luke thought Lulu was a boy. The rest of the family believed the sonogram." Bobbie pointed out.

"Yeah well." Laura wasn't going to win this one, was she? "I'm just saying, you might experiment with green..."

"You know you may have better luck with that argument with your own son. I don't think they know if it's a boy or girl yet." Bobbie pointed out with studied casualness as she folded the soft pink blanket decorated with purple bunnies.

"I don't think they want my advice on anything at the moment." Laura whispered running a hand over the side of the crib. It had taken an extra day, but the boys had finally gotten it together.

"Well can you blame them?" Bobbie asked gently.

"Bobbie, I thought you were on my side. You know as well as I that it'd be best for everyone involved if they provided my grandchildren with a stable environment."

"I think you have a point. But the kids have one as well." Bobbie looked at her sister-in-law with a knowing look. "They have only known each other for under a year Laura."

"I understand that. It's as the saying goes, 'If they're old enough to play adult games, they might as well act like adults.'"

"Which they are."

"No, they're acting like scared little children." Laura shook her head. "They're not thinking of any of this in future terms. What's to keep Elizabeth from taking this baby with her when she gets spooked or misunderstands or has a fight with Lucky?"

"And marriage prevents that?" Bobbie shook her head. "Laura how long have you lived in this town?"

"Almost twenty years." Laura responded. "I'm just asking her to think about it. I wasn't trying to imply that I wasn't happy. It's just so fast. I love Cameron, but a part of me still thinks it would have been better for my son if he had at least waited for love before bringing a baby into this world."

"His marrying Jess wouldn't have helped him. Tony didn't like Lucky from the second he saw him. And doesn't it matter for anything that he found love now?"

"Of course it matters." Laura snapped defensively. "Elizabeth is a lovely girl and I think the two of them could make it. But I've been wrong before and I watched how much it hurt my son when Jess died."

"Don't you think it would have been worse if he and Jess had been married?"

"I honestly don't know." Laura admitted.

Bobbie sat down in the rocking chair in the corner of the room. "Laura, I know you only want what is best for everyone, but you can't protect Lucky from every hurt."

"Why not? I told Luke I wasn't ready for him to come out when I went into labor. I needed more time to protect him." Laura recalled, brushing a tear off of her cheek.

"And Lucky didn't listen to you then either did he?" Bobbie laughed.

"No. He was so ready to come into the world he was almost two months early."

"And he thrived. Remember we joked after two weeks he was conning the other babies out of their blankets?"

"He hates me doesn't he? I know he does." Laura glanced down at her folded hands. "And I don't blame him at all. I would hate me too. I took something that should have been a wonderful moment and turned it into my own selfish agenda."

"You were surprised. I know why they told Cameron first. I just don't think they realized he can't keep a secret any better than his father." Bobbie reached out and touched Laura's shoulder. "I don't think he hates you. I doubt even Elizabeth would have been able to talk him into coming to the party the other day if he hated you."

"That was about you and Cruz, not me."

"But it was still at your house and he knew you were going to be there. Remember how he was going to skip his junior prom because Nikolas Cassadine was going to be that girl's date?"

"And she ended up with Lucky by the time they left." Laura smiled through her tears.

"But before that how many arguments did you have with him over it? Not even Patrick could convince him it was a dumb idea. He had to realize that on his own."

"Are you sure you're Luke Spencer's sister?" Laura gave her a funny look.

"So I'm told."

Emily rolled her eyes and tapped her fingers against the top of her knees, watching Logan tear apart the room bit by bit. He had been at it for a good hour and, if they were near anyone, she would have put a stop to it sooner, but there was no reason to do so now. She could scream bloody murder and no one would hear her out here. That's what made this location an optimum location for what they had planned. Two miles past the only road leading back to civilization provided both peace and protection. Not to mention that they could hear a pin drop or a leaf crush underfoot from anywhere in the house. There wasn't a way to sneak in or out of the place without one of them noticing.

"It's like I've told you a hundred times," she patronized, "he stopped being your brother the moment he started fucking your ex-wife. I should mop the floor with your head for all the trouble you've brought down on us."

"What do you mean?" Logan's obliviousness to what he had done, what he continued to do, made Emily want to shove his face through a plate-glass window, but she restrained herself. "You told me to scare Robin and that's exactly what I did."

Emily gave him a stern look. "You really expect me to believe you would have stopped at scaring her. Please. If she hadn't kicked your ass, you would have raped her eight ways to Sunday and you can bet we'd never have sex again."

"I can restrain myself. And she didn't kick my ass." Logan argued, pointing a finger in her direction.

"Right. Patrick kicked your ass, not Robin." Emily clarified cruelly.

"You knew my temper before you enlisted my help. I'm not some brain-dead enforcer with a gun. I believe that loser went straight to prison." Logan recalled, smiling at her darkening eyes.

"Watch your mouth. That enforcer just happened to be my brother." Emily reminded him.

"Yeah and he wasn't smart enough to keep from getting caught. I don't know how you can still talk to him though. He's a god damn pedophile." Logan went on.

"He's not a pedophile! There was no proof of anything like that!" Emily screamed at him.

"There's never proof where your brother is involved." Logan pointed out.

"That's because the District Attorney was out for blood. Her and Robin Scorpio's damn uncle." Emily raged.

"Isn't that what you're after?" Logan raised an inquisitive brow in her direction.

"I'm out for justice, that's what I'm after." Emily explained coolly, her expression once again placid. "And if I have to bring a few people down with me, I will."

"You are one messed up broad." Logan regarded her warily. "You might be a little more so than your brother."

"There's nothing to worry about. Everything is quickly falling into place." Emily told him.

"Only if we keep up this charade. You know Courtney would flip out if she knew I was in on this too." Logan reminded her.

"That's why we're not going to tell her, you moron." Emily snapped.

"Moron?" Logan shouted. "Moron, huh? Well this moron could, at any time, walk out that door and go straight to the police."

"No, you won't." Emily countered, closing the space between them. "Because, if you do," she went on in a cold whisper, "I'll have no further use for you. Besides, who would believe you anyway? I can do no wrong as far as this town's concerned."

"I wouldn't want to mess up a good thing." Logan assured her, dropping his hands to her waist and lifting her off of her feet. "Just don't call me a moron."

"Did you pick up everything that was on the list?" Emily asked quietly. She brushed her thumb softly across his bottom lip.

"Yeah and a few extra things too. But the other two don't have to know about it." He reached into the lone brown paper bag he had dropped on the counter and pulled out a shiny black gun.

"Don't point that thing at me." Emily scolded him, pushing the gun to the right. "It looks real enough."

"It is real." Logan emphasized. "And it should keep the kids in line in case they try to escape."

Emily pushed away from him until he released his hold on her and turned her back to him. "I don't like the idea of a gun being involved."

"Too bad. I don't do this without a gun." Logan informed her.

"What if one of them gets a hold of it?" Emily challenged, folding her arms across her chest and turning her head to the side so their eyes locked.

"I'll keep the safety on." Logan promised.

"Do you even have a license to carry that thing?" Emily wanted to know.

"You're lecturing me on laws and restrictions? You?" He chuckled. "Need I remind you that you broke into my brother's apartment, you cut Robin's brake lines, and you're plotting to take—?" Logan was cut off by Emily placing her hand over his mouth.

"Shh. Call me paranoid, but I don't think we should discuss it this close to what we're about to do." Emily cautioned.

"About to do? You say it like we're striking tomorrow." It was Logan's turn to roll his eyes.

Emily pulled her hand away from his mouth since even it couldn't silence him and knocked on his forehead. "Hello? There is no rest for the wicked. Now put that gun away and let's go upstairs." She suggested, reaching for his hand.


	169. Best Imitation Of Myself

**_This is not a new trend. Don't get used to it. We're just showing you that we can be spontaneous._**

"It's not like I'm asking you to lie, just skew the facts a bit." Lindsay Maguire insisted as she puckered her lips in time to apply a different shade of red lipstick. She had a suitcase devoted to just lipstick and she was determined to try them all. "There's no point in having a rendezvous with a French native if you get dragged back by your perfect brown hair." To further explain her argument, she flipped her hair a few times and it fell across her shoulders as smooth as silk.

Georgie glanced up from her current task of painting her fingernails a perfect shade of lavender. She had her book balanced on her left thigh and a pair of sunglasses she had forgotten about tucked on top of her head. "Just think about what you're doing. You've only just met the man. He could be, well, crazy." She leapt toward logic, but watched it crash at her feet.

Veronica paused to correct the braid she was currently weaving in Georgie's hair. Using one hand to push her own blonde locks out of her eyes, she smiled. "You better listen to the little mother, Linds. She knows best after all." She teased gently.

Georgie reached back and smacked her friend's hand lightly, her fingers colliding with the sunglasses. Blushing, she slid them off, careful not to ruin Veronica's hard work.

"Why do you get to have all the fun?" Lindsay asked Georgie, not missing the blush.

"Yeah we can't all meet handsome older men with glamorous jobs."

Georgie drew her hand to her chest. "What are you talking about?" She asked innocently.

Veronica leaned over Georgie's shoulder and grabbed the book from her lap.

"I don't know what we could be referring to."

With an easy air, she tossed the book toward Lindsay's open hands. "Catch Linds."

"Hey! Give that back!" Georgie demanded, instantly lunging forward only to have her head pulled back. "Ow!"

"You don't want messy hair if Mr. Wonderful happens to stop by tonight now do you?" Veronica chided.

Georgie frowned. "He wouldn't stop by at night. He knows the rules." She hated that she came off sounding like the heroine in a romance novel. Steven had mentioned something about maybe stopping by, but she wasn't going to admit to remembering any of that. Especially since her roommates were probably going to split and try to leave them alone together only to drag details out of her later. She didn't know what all of the fuss was about. So she had met a guy? He was her cousin's best friend's brother. How awkward would that be? There was no reason to even consider how it would be because she wasn't going to entertain such thoughts.

"Rules are made to be broken." Lindsay declared.

"Isn't that the truth?" Veronica chimed in.

"Have you both gone mad? What exactly are you insinuating?" Georgie asked boldly.

Lindsay made a few kissing motions at the mirror and smiled at Georgie without turning to face her friend. "You like him, don't you?"

"What? No! He's old enough to be my big brother. That's just disgusting." Georgie assured them weakly.

"Someone protests too much." Veronica nodded catching Lindsay's eye in the mirror. "If you don't like him, why did you spend all day with him the other day?"

"Lost track of time. It's as simple as that." Georgie told them.

"But doing what I wonder?" Lindsay teased, knowing that her naïve friend was probably completely unaware that she was being courted.

"And for the second time? I mean what was the reason for ditching us in Verona again?"

"I didn't ditch anyone! He wanted my opinion on a film location. It was strictly professional." Georgie wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out again. She could feel her face flame at what they were assuming.

"Yeah cause you're the expert on that." Veronica snorted.

Georgie refrained from sticking out her tongue. "And then it got late and we stopped for a bite to eat."

Lindsay beamed. She had no idea what she had just walked into with that statement. "How was your first date? Something to write home about?"

"Date? It wasn't a date. I was feeling a little queasy and he suggested a little café in the area. There was nothing romantic about it." Georgie protested.

"Queasy and he still calls to give you a present." Veronica laughed. "You must be awesome on a first date."

"It wasn't a first of any kind of date." Georgie snapped. "Leave it alone." She implored looking from one roommate to the other.

"Should we let it drop Linds?"

"Heck no." Lindsay shook her head fervently. "She needs to be true to herself and I need to take a layer away from this outfit." She gestured toward her pink satin top, cream jacket, and black pants. Stripping off the jacket, she fingered the straps of her top.

"Sorry Georgie. You lose. And you look fine Lindsay. Quit hogging the mirror."

"Touchy. Do you have a secret boyfriend too?" Lindsay shot back with a grin.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Georgie shrieked.

"Not yet. Give him another week."

"I'm sure he's far too busy to hang out with some kid from Port Charles." Georgie told them.

"But not too busy to email you several times a day." Veronica pointed out.

"Do you want me to cover for the two of you or not?" Georgie used the only bargaining chip she had.

"I think we hit a little too close to the truth. What about you Ronnie?"

"I think so. With Lindsay gone and myself as well, it seems you'll have the entire place to yourself." She said to Georgie.

"What's new about that?" Georgie rolled her eyes.

"Maybe your new friend Steven would like to see your bedroom. Maybe he can make a few suggestions on this particular location." Veronica suggested.

Georgie was about to comment when her cell phone buzzed from the inside of her gray coat. She debated on whether or not to answer it. Only one other person had this number.

"Could be your boyfriend." Lindsay teased in a sing song voice. "You better answer it."

"He's not—oh shut up." Georgie demanded as she walked onto the balcony and shut the doors behind her. "Hello?" She said timidly into the mouthpiece.

"Hi Georgie." Steven cheerfully greeted her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"Praying these lunatics don't change their minds again. Did I tell you they accepted, rejected, accepted, rejected, and accepted those places you picked out?"

"Umm, no." Georgie giggled.

"Well as of right now your fountain is in."

"Fantastic! I mean, I'm glad you were able to convince them. Knew you could." She added awkwardly.

"It was your eye."

"No, I don't think so. I think it was your argument."

"I wouldn't have an argument if you hadn't have spotted it."

"Well, okay. That's true. What are you up to right now? Anything exciting?" She inquired dreamily.

"Nope. Film shoots are interminably boring. The set builders are moving stuff around and in about two hours I'll help lens it, but right now, nothing."

"So you're just sitting around talking to me? You're ruining my image of you being big and important." Georgie blushed at the unintended pun.

"I hate for you to lose that image." Steven laughed. "What can I tell you to revive it?"

"I-I don't know. I was just teasing you." Georgie replied.

"What if I take you out to dinner tonight? Would that help?"

Georgie's lost her voice in her throat. "I don't think I can do that."

"Why not? Are you sick?" Steven asked, his voice full of concern.

"No, no, no. I'm not sick. I just promised my roommates that I would cover for them and we have a curfew." Georgie explained sadly.

"Oh well I can understand that. We'll do it another time. Maybe after you finish that book from Robin."

Georgie buried her face in her hands and balanced the phone between her ear and shoulder. "Would you believe I'm halfway through it just since you gave it to me?"

"Well considering I think you finished Possession while we were walking around Verona, yes I can."

"I did not!" Georgie argued. "I finished it when I got back to the hotel. Which really isn't better I guess."

"Doesn't help your cause. So knowing that, I guess that means you'll be free tomorrow night?"

"You don't give up do you?"

"Am I pushing you? If I am, I'm sorry. It's just I liked talking with you and there's not that many people who will debate me as well as you."

Georgie realized her mistake too late. "I like talking with you too."

"Good. Then there is no reason for us to not to meet for dinner."

Georgie gnawed her fingernail. She wanted to say yes, but she knew her roommates would never let her live it down if she did. "It's too bad we can't see each other tonight. I wouldn't have made other plans if I had known you wanted to..." She let her voice trail off.

"It's fine. I shouldn't have asked at the last minute. But now that we are talking about it, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

"You tell me." Georgie challenged feeling giddy at the prospect.

"Dinner? I should be done around seven."

"Where do you want to meet?"

"I'll pick you up."

"Okay." Georgie agreed, nodding stupidly. "I'll bring you a new book and we can compare it to the suckage of a movie."

"Now that sounds like a plan. I'll see you then."


	170. Never Thought I'd Say I'm Sorry

**Never Thought I'd Say I'm Sorry**

"I win!" Cameron crowed, jumping up and down, knocking the pieces off the board in his excitement. "I win!"

"Yes you did." Elizabeth laughed, trying to avoid the flying Chutes and Ladders figures. "You beat me. Good job."

"Let's play again!" Cameron said breathless. "Again!"

"Cams, we've played three times." Elizabeth pointed out. And he had beaten her every time too. She had quit pretending to loose after the second game. Now it was just sad. "Why not something else?"

Cameron paused to think of it and jumped up, racing toward the steps to his room. "Memory! I'll get Memory!" He called as he sprinted up the stairs.

Chuckling to herself, Elizabeth busied herself in picking up the now forgotten board game. It was strange to be over at Lucky's house without Lucky being home, but with Lucky working and still not talking to Laura, someone had to watch Cameron. And since Cameron's classroom was just right down the hall, the simplest solution was for her to pick him up and stay with him until Lucky came home.

She wasn't going to allow herself to think about how domesticated the whole routine sounded. It hadn't been a conscious decision, or even a long discussion. In fact now that she thought about, there wasn't even a discussion per say. More like a realization that Cameron's after school was going to change as long as Lucky remained stubborn. Something had to be done and she had done it.

It wasn't that she didn't understand his reasons, or even share some of his feelings. But the truth was Elizabeth hadn't expected the cold shoulder to last this long. She had thought surely it would be over by New Years. Laura called almost every day and Lucky would calmly erase the messages. The past few days, Laura had been quiet. Instead of the usual multiple messages, there was one or two. Secretly Elizabeth feared Laura was giving up and was just going to accept Lucky's subtle warning. And now with Cameron's birthday fast approaching, she was afraid it was going to affect that little boy in ways for more damaging than not seeing his cousins as often as he used to.

A hesitant knock broke Elizabeth out of her musings. Glancing up to make sure Cameron wasn't going to come barreling down the stairs head first, she went to open the door.

"Hello Elizabeth." Laura Spencer stood nervously on the front porch, wringing her hands back and forth. "I thought that was your car I saw."

Elizabeth took a step back and blinked in shock. How was she supposed to handle this? "Yeah. I'm watching Cameron."

"Good. Good." Laura attempted to smile sincerely but the tension of the moment killed the effort. The few interactions she had with Lucky and Elizabeth since she found out about her newest grandchild had always been buffered by other people. Now with no one to run interference, as it were, she could clearly see how damaging her comments had been. "I'm sure that is good practice for you."

The silence between them grew. Laura shifted on her feet nervously and Elizabeth started to chew her bottom lip. Finally as the seconds threatened to stretch into minutes, Laura steeled her shoulders. "May I come in? I think we need to talk."

Lucky would probably kill her when he found out about it, but it couldn't hurt could it? Elizabeth stepped aside and gestured toward the living room. "Why not?"

Even though she knew Lucky wasn't home, she knew it was too early for him to be off of work, Laura still walked in carefully, nervous as if he could sense her mere presence in his home. She perched on the edge of the chair and watched as Elizabeth sunk into the couch. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Nothing to report just yet." They had a sonogram appointment scheduled at the end of the month. Currently they were still debating if they wanted to find out the sex of the baby, if it was possible to see. Lucky seemed to be of the opinion the baby would be stubborn but Elizabeth was convinced this child was a born ham.

"That's good. No news is generally good news. When did you move in?" Laura clutched at the edge of her coat. All around her she could see signs of Elizabeth's increased presence in her son's normally messy bachelor pad. Not that it was overt, and a person had to be a frequent visitor to notice the changes, but they were still there. Instead of Cameron's overflowing toy box, there were colorful containers. Normally his books were shoved haphazardly into the low bookshelf, but now they were lined up in neat rows.

The question threw Elizabeth and she shot Laura a confused look. "I didn't move in. I have a key. That's all." The key had been a recent occurrence. If she was taking care of Cameron she was going to need someway to get into the house, Lucky had argued with her. It was still somewhat of a shock to see it sitting there calmly on her key ring, intermixed with her own house key, car key, and classroom keys. There hadn't been any discussion of her moving in, although Elizabeth was starting to realize it was probably going to be a conversation soon. It was probably some plot on Lucky's part to argue that she should move in because Cameron was used to her being in the house more now. The sneaky bastard.

"But I thought…" Laura shook her head as she dismissed her line of questions. She hadn't yet fixed the mess she created from her last attempt at managing her son's love life. One step at a time, she warned herself. "That's not what I came to talk to you about."

"I didn't think so."

Laura paused to try to gather her thoughts. Elizabeth sat back and looked at her in silence. It was an odd experience, Laura realized, trying to apologize to your children. Especially for something in principle you feel you are right in. "I wanted to apologize to you for my behavior at the Christmas party. I shouldn't have said the things I said to you or my son. I made what was a difficult situation for you both worse."

Elizabeth twisted her hands together and blew out a breath. "You shouldn't have found out like that. We were going to tell you on Christmas but I thought we needed to tell Cameron before anyone else and I didn't want to ruin his Christmas if it went badly…."

Laura shook her head. "No. No. Don't apologize for that. I understand that perfectly well. No matter how I found out I shouldn't have reacted like that."

"You were surprised…"

"Yes but it was more than that." Laura blew out a sigh and finally looked Elizabeth in the eyes. "Lucky was born two months premature."

Seeing the other woman's silence, Laura continued. "You would never know to look at him, but he scared me for the first few months of his life. It didn't matter how many doctors told me differently, I always saw the tiny little baby in the incubator." She offered Elizabeth a watery smile. "I hope you don't have that image but I'm sure you will soon understand what I am saying."

Elizabeth felt a shiver rush through her. She hoped she never would have the same experience as the older woman sitting across from her.

"And from the first second of that very early arrival, he never listened to me. I pleaded with him to not come so early, and he came faster than the doctors were expecting. I would plead with him to not follow Patrick right up the tallest tree and he'd try to go faster and higher than him. Any stunt he'd get in his head, I would try to talk him out of it and he'd just go ahead with it."

"Stubborn." Elizabeth smiled softly.

"I blame his father for that. At any rate, Lucky and I have never agreed on the way he should live his life. And I love Cameron dearly but I can't help but think how his life would have been different if his parents had been married. Or if Lucky had just waited a few more years before he fathered a child. I've only ever wanted what is the best for my son and grandchildren." Laura emphasized the last word.

"I understand that. That's why we aren't getting married. We really haven't known each other that long. Before this we hadn't even discussed him giving me a key, much less moving or getting married. We were working on Cameron being used to me being around. The baby has sped up the timetable a bit, but that doesn't mean I want to rush into anything. Lucky and I can't consider just us on this one. Cameron and the baby count too and we have to make the best decisions for all four of us."

"Sounds like you two have talked about this a lot." She didn't want to admit it, but their reasons were certainly more responsible than she had been willing to give them credit for.

"Endlessly." Elizabeth laughed. "I've almost forgot what's its like to have more than one topic of conversation."

"Wait till the baby comes. You'll have nothing else to talk about for months." Laura advised with a laugh.

Lucky rolled his eyes as he tried to concentrate on the drive up his street. He knew he shouldn't be conducting business while driving, especially given the frustration one Norbert Getz drove him to. How a guy with the name of Norbert became one of the more successful managers in the music business was beyond Lucky. Unfortunately with Getz's success had come an enormous ego. This explained why Lucky was debating with the man on his cell phone instead of at the office. Getz had long ago declared himself too damn important for normal rules of business. And the man had a damn track record to back up that ego as well. If Lucky wasn't so excited about his newest signer, he would have hung up the phone hours ago.

"I don't know about the residuals rate you are offering Spencer." Getz drawled in his fake Southern good old boy accent. Lucky knew for a fact the man was from the dead center of Oregon and had only adopted the Southern drawl when he moved to Nashville in a failed bid to be a country singer. Some day, when he had more leverage than he did right now, Lucky swore to himself he would drop that little information nugget on Getz and just laugh at the fallout. It wasn't often Dillon and Lucas combined to give him some excellent information, but when they came through, they came through.

Lucky tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice as he turned into his own driveway and pulled into his two-car garage. "An unproven artist isn't going to get a better offer than the one I'm offering Getz."

"Still we have several offers on the table and of course I'll have to advise my client as to which one will provide the best opportunity to grow as an artist."

Of all the things in life he hated, a list that included Barney, people dressing their animals as people, the entire cast of The Hills and crappy knock off movies of Japanese horror movies, preening agent double talk drove Lucky right up the wall. Getz would advise his client to sign where he would have the most opportunity to make the most money. Artistic growth, Lucky's ass. "Of course. You do that." He barely restrained himself from slamming the car door shut.

"We'll be in touch I'm sure Spencer."

Lucky tried to not curse when he realized Getz had just in fact hung up on him. Cameron was home and the last thing he needed was his son getting in trouble for teaching the other kids in his class more adult expressions. "Oh I'll just count the minutes on that one." He muttered as he entered into laundry room.

Pausing just long enough to kick his shoes off without hitting the dryer, he made his way toward the living room where he could hear the distinct sounds of 101 Dalmatians playing on the TV. Cameron had probably driven Elizabeth crazy with wanting to re-watch the scene of all the puppies running down the stairs over and over again. The least he could do was give her just a few minutes' break.

The familiar blonde hair stopped him in his tracks. How had she gotten in here? What was she doing here? Where was Elizabeth and more importantly why hadn't she warned him about this? He hadn't planned to say anything. He didn't want to say anything to her. But when she turned her head to respond to something Cameron had just said, he couldn't help but speak. "Mom."

Laura looked over her shoulder to meet the cold anger in her son's eyes. She hadn't expected this to be easy and it looked as if Lucky had no intention of making it any easier on her. She reached for the remote and casually paused the movie. "Cameron, why don't you go hi to your father?"

"Daddy! Hi!" Cameron ran over with no extra encouragement. Smiling as Lucky picked him up, Cameron squeezed both his arms around Lucky's neck.

"Hey you." Ruffling Cameron's curls, Lucky kept the smile on his face by not looking at his mother. "You haven't run Elizabeth out of the house have you Little Monster?"

Cameron laughed and shook his head. "She taking a nap." He explained seriously. "The baby makes her tired."

Lucky trained the corner of his eye on his mother's reaction. "Well I'm sure you've been very quiet for her."

Cameron nodded and cocked his head to one side. "Daddy can I go swing?"

Putting Cameron down on his feet, Lucky shook his head. "It's too cold out. But why don't you go downstairs and go play with your trains?"

Cameron nodded enthusiastically and ran off for the basement steps. Waiting until his son was safely out of sight Lucky finally turned and faced his mother who had started to rise up off of the couch. "So nice of you to stop by. You can go now."

"Lucky." Laura tried to reach for him but he pulled back. She knew she had hurt him but seeing him willingly pull away from her touch cut her in a way she had never thought was possible. "Lucky we have to talk about this."

"What do we have to talk about Mom? About how I'm making a mistake again? Or I'm running from responsibility and happiness?" Lucky shook his head. "Gosh I can't wait to visit those topics again."

"Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, my behavior the other night was nothing I was proud of but I know I did not raise you to be rude when someone was trying to apologize to you. I am your mother and you will hear me out."

It didn't take much more than the strident tone of her voice to make Lucky feel like a rebuked three-year-old again. He sat down slowly in the chair but couldn't help the hurt whisper from escaping his lips. "Like you heard me out Mom?"

"Sweetie. I was surprised. And Elizabeth explained why you told Cameron first and I understand that but it doesn't mean I was any better prepared to hear the news."

Lucky looked at her in confusion. "But when we told Cameron, he said he overheard you saying you thought a baby was on the way. How can you suspect something and be shocked at the same time?"

"I thought it was possible when both Robin and Elizabeth were avoiding me. But if Cameron had heard everything, he also would have heard I was also thinking a wedding would come along with it."

"And here we go..." Lucky dropped back dramatically in his chair.

Laura held up her hand. "I know you have your reasons. I'll admit under some duress that they even make sense. However I still believe it is the best course here."

"Your apology skills need some work Mom."

She reached over and swatted him on his knee. "Just listen to me. I have only wanted what's best for you and Cameron. And this new baby. You know I adore Elizabeth. It's just everything between you two happened fast and I find it strange that of all things, you both choose this to slow down on."

"This is exactly why we did." Lucky straightened up and looked his mother in her deep blue eyes. "Mom, I was with Jess for four years and it took me that long to realize we were too different to make it work or we just didn't know how to do it. Maybe if we had slowed down some it would be a different story and Tony wouldn't hate me as much. I don't know what will happen with Elizabeth and me but I don't want to repeat the same mistakes."

"Jess isn't Elizabeth." Laura reminded him. "And it's taken a little while for me to see that."

Lucky smiled at his mother. "Good. Look I know you aren't thrilled with this whole idea we have going but we are happy and it's working. I'm not going to analyze why but it is. And I hope you'll be happy for us. Someday."

"I'm happy for you now." Laura insisted, reaching for his hand again.

Lucky let her take his hand this time. "I'm glad."


	171. Stay You

Maxie took one look at the atrocious piece of red material and tried to remember how she had gotten roped into this. Well, logically, she knew, but that didn't help lessen the frustration she was currently feeling and her attitude was focused on the dress in front of her. What was it with Lucy Coe and bright, vibrant colors? As if anyone could miss Lucy! Pushing her headband farther up on her crown, swiping her loose bangs off of her forehead, she snuck a glance at Ric.

He didn't seem quite as lost as he must feel. Like anything else, brilliance and determination bounced off of his creaseless suit and rested in his dark eyes. Realizing that he noticed her watching him, she quickly turned her face away, thankfully hiding her threatening smile. His fingers ran carelessly over the silk fabric and she felt a tremor run through her. Really, she chided herself. She was acting worse than a stupid girl with a crush. But this wasn't simply a crush. It wasn't a relationship. It wasn't casual, nor was it complicated. And that's what made it tricky. She was never quite sure what she should do or say, always worried it would be out of line. Then, because she was who she was, she would end up saying it anyway and they would both get a good laugh. Maxie couldn't say anything right now, as her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.

"You could cut the tension in here with a knife," Ric almost said and knew Maxie would agree with him. He wasn't sure why or how he had gotten into this mess, but at least he wasn't alone. He couldn't imagine having to construct—was that even the right word?—an outfit for a woman whose dressmakers seemed to always forget the important function of the dress: be that it wasn't supposed to slip off mid-sentence when she was addressing a room full of people. It never failed. As long as he had lived and worked in Port Charles, he had attended the annual Nurse's Ball. It was Port Charles' version of Disney World and it wasn't that uncommon for tourists to pour in late June, early July to attend.

He took a few moments to focus on her flaming cheeks, hoping he was at least part of the cause. He wished she would look in his direction again because he wanted to see the smile in her eyes. Blue eyes that could be as crisp as Port Charles' winter or as cool as the water lapping up against the harbor, Maxie Jones was a truly magnetic female. A part of him wanted to pick her apart and see what made her tick; he wanted this almost as much as he wanted to sit back and figure it out on his own. It was his analytical mind that waged this indecision in him.

Balling the piece of fabric in his hands, Ric tossed it over his shoulder. "This would be much easier if you would just agree to be the model," he pointed out.

Maxie scoffed loudly, appreciative that no one else was around to witness his lame come-ons. "I bet you'd just love that." She replied, instantly regretting it. The look in his eyes more than proved that he would.

He picked up the edge of the fabric she was working with and skimmed it over her hand, barely brushing her skin with his. "It would make the day more interesting."

Maxie gave Ric a speculative look. "I bet you're kicking yourself for signing up in the first place, huh." It wasn't a question and she saw no reason to phrase it as such.

"No but it is all your fault."

"My fault?" Maxie's hand flew to her chest and her head dipped. "I wasn't the one going, 'Sure, sure. Whatever you think,' when the committee chose us to put together this costume."

"True but you were the cause for my distracted answer."

"You started it." Maxie rolled her eyes at him. He had. She hadn't only told him to stop she had shot him a hard look. But the big bad Ric Lansing would not be deterred.

"Which you wanted me to." Ric matched her look by moving closer to her. "That was why you wore that outfit today."

"What's wrong with my outfit?" She gestured toward her cream cardigan and straight black shirt.

"Nothing except you know you look gorgeous in it."

When he tucked a strand of hair behind her left ear, she stiffened. "You start that we'll never get this done."

"All work and no play?" Ric winked at her, but made no move to move in closer which he assumed she appreciated.

Maxie chewed on her fingernail. "If you had your way, there'd be no work and all play."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"When we're entrusted with a committee project, yes it is." Maxie reacted, trying to sound dignified despite the tremor in her voice.

"It's a dress that Lucy Coe will most likely fall out of midway through." Ric reasoned. "It's not peace in the Middle East."

"Says you. Hundreds of people are going to see it!" Maxie shot back just as rationally.

"Hundreds of people are going to pay to see if she falls out of it. Now it would be more fun to make sure that happens." Ric winked.

"You wouldn't dare! I'll never forgive you if you—" Her indignant sentence was cut off by his kiss. She placed her left hand to his chest now, intent on pushing him away. She could feel his heart hammering against his ribs and her resolve began to slip. "Umm...no." Maxie whispered, turning her face away.

"What? Why?" He blinked in confusion.

"Because we have a job to do." Maxie shot to her feet, intent on putting a lot of distance between them. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms.

"It doesn't have to be completed now. We can always work on it later." Ric followed her across the room. "All we have to do is make a deadline. No one said we had to finish this in one night."

"You know what we need?" Maxie exclaimed suddenly, snapping her fingers as if a light bulb had just clicked on in her head.

"I do but I bet it's not what you're thinking." Ric muttered to himself

Maxie ignored him. "Dinner. I haven't eaten and I'm guessing you haven't either."

"Dinner would imply you want to be seen with me in public." Ric cocked his eyebrow in her direction and used his finger to trace the curve of her face.

"I think we need to be around a bunch of people." She didn't let herself daydream about what would happen if they, say, ordered in and spent the rest of the night alone together.

"So some place secluded? Private even?" Ric teased her. If he had his way they would just order in and see what would happen.

"Down Casanova." Maxie smiled and Ric realized she wasn't looking at his face at all. Trying to find a safe subject to talk about, she went on. "So, what are you hungry for?"

"Besides you?"

Gulping, Maxie turned her back to him. "Chicken? Italian? A burger?" She wondered, her voice impossibly tight.

"You choose."

"Do you have any allergies?" She sounded like her mother. Cringing, she placed her hand to her forehead feeling feverish.

"She does care!" Ric moved to spin her around so she would face him. "Nothing can hurt me." He promised.

"I don't care." Maxie argued. "I just don't want to carry your heavy butt back to the hospital halfway through a plate of ribs."

"In that case maybe we should just stay here and order in." Ric smirked at her.

"Maybe we should." Maxie shot back, never able to back down from a challenge.

Ric took his cell phone out of his pocket. "Requests?"

"Just messy. I like messy." Maxie crossed the room and sat on the edge of the stage, leaving him to interpret her statement.

"You seem to be doing well." Robin tried not to read too much into the good doctor's welcome as she sat down and got comfortable. It was still a little strange, coming here week after week, and still, without anyone else knowing. She wasn't sure what brought her back today, especially when her life was as close to perfect as she could ever remember it being. Maybe it had to do with consistency and routine. Hopefully Gail would leave it at that and not make her delve into feelings and hidden fears. She didn't dislike the psychiatrist, just wished she didn't dig quite so deep. Robin had scars, some that no one else even knew about. Being her scars, she wanted to keep them to herself.

"I have nothing to report. Negative that is." Robin clarified, catching the doctor before she could respond to the first part of her answer.

"Well why don't you talk about the positive?" Gail encouraged.

"Patrick, Morgan, and I have been living together harmoniously for the past week. They've finally stopped acting like adversaries. I think Morgan's beginning to trust that Patrick's around for good." Robin piped up, smiling warmly.

"That is very encouraging. How are you adjusting?"

"Better than expected." Robin reported.

"Would you care to elaborate on that?"

"Patrick and I have a tendency to come up with problems out of thin air and, when he first suggested the change, I had my doubts." Robin explained.

"Well that would be expected given all the other changes you have experienced recently." Gail reasoned gently.

"Would you care to elaborate on that?" Robin asked just as cautiously.

"Motherhood, your uncle getting married, your cousin moving to France, a new career." Gail ticked off and then carefully approached her main point. "A divorce and a new relationship within a relatively short period of time."

"It's finally coming together." Robin whispered in absolute awe. "And I have you to thank for it."

"You did the work. I just listened."

"But you gave me advice too." Robin assured her.

"Again, based on your work." Gail shook her head. "Why can you never accept a compliment Robin?"

Robin laughed. "Patrick asks the same thing."

"And what do you tell him?"

"I usually distract him with something else. Usually something shiny." Robin joked.

"Jokes aside, why do you have difficulty accepting that you are strong Robin?"

"Because I'm not. Strong, that is." Robin's smile faded and she stared at her hands.

"Despite all the evidence to the contrary? Not many people would have survived all you have Robin."

"Survived." Robin repeated glumly.

"Yes survived. It's what you did."

"At the cost of something I always wanted though." Robin whispered quietly.

"Which is what?"

"A normal life." Robin sniffed. "I'm sorry." She reached into her purse for a handkerchief and blotted her eyes with a corner of the cloth.

"Nothing to be sorry about." Gail reassured her. "Please define a normal life for me. What does that include for you?"

"I told you about Thanksgiving." A nod was the response Robin received. "It's just another example of how one bad decision can mess it up for everyone around you. When Patrick got sick..."

"An understandably scary time for you."

"And for him and his family." Robin added.

"Which I think he would say includes you."

Robin blushed. "Yes, he probably would. Sometimes I wonder if I cheated him out of what he deserves."

"You still have to explain that statement."

"I told you about what the doctor said after the accident. So far, you're the only one who knows about that."

"Robin we've discussed that your worth as a woman is not solely defined by your ability to have children."

"I had another nightmare. I wake up covered in sweat and Patrick asks what's wrong, but I never tell him. He holds me and then I fall back to sleep."

"Why don't you just tell him Robin and let him make his own choice?"

Robin felt her gaze lift. "Because I'm not sure I'd like his reaction."

"Why do you fear that?"

"We're at such a good place...finally. I don't want to ruin it."

"Doesn't it have the same potential to enhance this place you are in? It would relieve your concerns and Patrick would understand what has been sparking some of your anxieties."

"I don't want him to know." Robin shook her head.

"Then you are content to live with this anxiety and fear?"

"If it means I get to keep Patrick..." She let her voice trail off.

"Until he presses you on what you are hiding from him."

"He'll look at me like I'm damaged." Robin insisted.

"Have you even broached the subject of children with him?" Gail asked reasonably.

Robin laughed humorlessly. "He thought I was pregnant right before Christmas."

"I'm assuming there is a story behind that?" Gail was reasonably sure her patient would have mentioned a pregnancy scare sometime before now.

"There was some confusion. You see, it's really Elizabeth...she's the one who's pregnant, but he found an appointment card and jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"I see. And how did he react?"

"To finding out I wasn't or thinking I was?"

"Either."

Robin laughed again, her voice still flat as ever. "He knew a mere day, and already he went out and scouted for a larger apartment for the 'four' of us."

"And after he found out you weren't pregnant? Did you discuss what children would mean to your relationship?"

"We had a fight and then he suggested we still move in together."

"It sounds to me like Patrick wants a committed relationship with you. Pregnant or not."

Robin shook her head. "He was covering his tracks."

"Robin, he's going an awfully long way to cover his tracks."

"I'm wary of too much happiness." Robin admitted. "I'm sure his motives were completely honorable. Turns out, he knew what he was talking about. Cohabitation has worked out better than either of us realized."

"Happiness scares you." Gail stated.

"I don't trust it to last." Robin explained.

"Happiness is an emotion. A state of mind. It is a choice we make."

Robin didn't respond to that.

"You don't have to answer me but think about it. We can talk about more next week if you wish. If happiness is a choice you make, then maybe what you don't trust is yourself Robin."

Robin nodded. "Maybe."

Alexis tapped her pen furiously against the desk in front of her, waiting impatiently for the defense attorney, Landon Keats, to wrap it up. "So, it's possible that this neighbor of Mary's saw a man who looked like you climb over the back fence and break in through—?"

"Objection!" Alexis shrieked. "Leading the witness!"

"Overruled. Continue Mr. Keats, but get to the point, will you?" Judge Edgecroft suggested in a grumble. The man was almost a foot taller than Alexis, but his hair was white as snow...what was left of it. He was a force to be reckoned with, but fair. She couldn't ask for more than that.

"Yes Your Honor." Landon Keats nodded. "Mr. Willis, were you at Mary Stringle's home last Thursday night?"

"No." Gregory Willis shook his head. "I was not. Last Thursday, I was out drinking with some friends."

"And yet, not a single alibi amongst these so-called friends." Alexis grumbled, winning a warning look from Judge Edgecroft. "I apologize Your Honor."

"You'll have your turn, Miss Davis." He assured her. "Mr. Keats, proceed."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Landon looked positively smug and Alexis wanted to stab him in the eye with her pencil.

"Would you mind carrying us through the events—?" Landon began.

"Your Honor!" Alexis all but whined in protest.

"Miss Davis, one more outburst from you, and I'll hold you in contempt."

"Yes Your Honor." Alexis ducked her head in embarrassment.

"Maybe you should let me—" David Korals suggested, but Alexis raised her hand to cut him off.

"You're here to assist upon request." Alexis reminded him.

"As acting A.D.A.—" David Korals pointed out.

"Are you throwing titles at me? Because, last time I checked, I was still your superior. The only reason I'm covering this case is because you fucked it up beyond reason." Alexis growled at him.

"Miss Davis, the floor is yours." Judge Edgecroft announced, interrupting them.

"Thank you, Your Honor." Alexis shot up to her feet and instantly regretted it. Reaching for her files to steady her quivering knees, she drew nearer the defend/witness. He was guilty. She knew he was guilty. His slimy lawyer knew he was guilty. He had broken into Mary Stringle's home, bound and gagged her, raped her, and then slit her throat. The evidence might seem circumstantial, but she had a secret weapon that even her A.D.A. didn't know about. She would use it if she had to. She'd rather rely on her own brilliance.

Willis withered under her callous stare. "Mr. Willis, you keep changing your story."

"Your Honor!" It was Keats' turn to whine in protest.

"I'm simply trying to verify Mr. Willis' story and, seeing as it's changed twice already, I'm just wondering if he's going to fabricate another one and waste the court's time." Alexis defended herself.

"Thanks so much for your concern, Miss Davis." Judge Edgecroft replied sardonically. "Will you please rephrase in a question form?"

"Certainly, Your Honor." Alexis smiled. "Mr. Willis, if you were where you said you were on Thursday wh-why can't anyone verify that?"

"People lie." Willis offered.

"Thank you for that brilliant assessment." Alexis muttered. "Is it possible that you weren't really at the corner bar when your ex-girlfriend was being brutally raped and murdered?" If she closed her eyes, she could still see the crime scene photos. It was enough to turn her stomach.

"Hell no!" Willis almost shot to his feet in indignant rage. "I would never—"

"The bartender doesn't remember seeing you there." Alexis read off of her notes.

"He was probably just as drunk as we were. Guy couldn't hold his liquor any better than we could." Willis reasoned.

Alexis beamed and asked her next question before Keats could stop her. "Should we add violent drunk to your list of attributes, Mr. Willis?"

"I would never hurt Mary!" Willis shouted.

"Maybe not when you-you're sober, but that wasn't the c-case was it?" Alexis ground her teeth in frustration as her words started to jumble together.

"I would never hurt Mary." Willis repeated, this time quieter.

"You know what I think, Mr. Willis? I think you used your key to get into her home—I'm sure she didn't even remember that you still had one—and then faked the break-in to put yourself above reproach."

"Miss Davis' wild guess is entertaining sure," Keats growled, "but I was under the impression that we were here to get my client's side of the story."

Alexis shot him a dirty look, but she couldn't ignore the 'sustained' response that boomed from Judge Edgecroft. "I'll rephrase." Alexis promised.

"You'll leave it alone, Miss Davis." The judge argued.

"Your Honor..." Alexis practically whimpered.

"Miss Davis." He replied sternly.

"Did...?" Alexis cleared her throat and tried to start again. "Did?" Struggling to get her words out, she pressed on. "Did your decision to visit Mary's have anything to do with her alleged new boyfriend?"

"What new boyfriend?" His surprise was totally fake.

"Mr. Alan Dasher." Alexis clarified for him. "Did you, say, interrupt a lover's moment—?"

"What? No, of course not!" This time, he was on his feet, his fists poised at this side.

She smiled at his reaction. "Which is it?"

"Which is what?" Her plan to confuse him had worked.

"Miss Davis, rephrase." Judge Edgecroft demanded.

"I apologize, Your Honor." Alexis blinked, trying to clear her vision.

"Are you alright, Counselor?" It was the judge's concern that caught her off-guard.

"Perfectly fine." Alexis assured him. "Did you interrupt a lover's moment," she began again, turning toward the accused, "or did you stumble into Mary's home inebriated with the intention of inflicting bodily harm?"

"Neither." Willis countered with a smooth smirk.

"Need I remind you that you are bound by law to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

"Your Honor, my client answered the question. It's not his job to make her job easier for her." Keats insisted, on his feet.

"Overruled." Judge Edgecroft snapped. "Maybe he needs reminding."

"Your Honor?" Keats' voice was laced with panic.

Alexis braced her right hand against Willis' chair half afraid she would accidentally touch him. Her legs were wobbly again. Maybe she should give the case over—NO! No, she wouldn't do that! "I'll ask again, Mr. Willis? What was your intention for stopping by Mary's home on Thursday night? You see, I assume you did, since no one remembers seeing you, your eyes are twitching, and you're far too calm for a man who just attended his ex-girlfriend's funeral."

"As I told you already, I wasn't at Mary's." Willis' answer was demobilizing but she wasn't sure why.

"Miss Davis, do you need to take a recess?" Judge Edgecroft again.

"No." Alexis lied.

"Then proceed so we can get to lunch." His gruffness was lost behind a kind smile.

Alexis thought she smiled back, but there was no way to be sure. "I have no more questions, Your Honor." She informed him, turning around too quick. Her legs began to tremble furiously and it was all she could do to cross the room. Her seat was within reaching distance. But she never made it there. Her knees buckled and she went crashing, her face slamming into the unforgivable floor.


	172. What If?

"Why is everyone around me under four feet tall?" Luke grumbled. "And why can't I see them because of too much scotch like normal people?"

Yet another four-year-old zoomed past him in an attempt to beat his friend to the top of the gigantic inflatable slide in one corner of the room. Various other children were bouncing with glee in other inflatable contraptions, screaming in delight as they soared toward the ceiling. Off to one corner a banner reading "Happy Birthday Cameron!" hung on the wall over a table loaded down with presents and a cake in the shape of Sponge Bob.

"Hush." Laura swatted at her husband. "This was where Cameron wanted his party."

"Oh sure. Now we let four-year-olds decide things. Where do we draw the line woman? The next thing you know Leslie Lu will be thinking she's allowed to make her own choices."

"Keep it up and I'll give Patrick your cake." Lucky pointed out casually from behind his parents.

"Did I hear someone mention cake?" Patrick's head perked up and he joined his family immediately.

"Good God man. You're like Lassie hearing Timmy in the well." Lucky shook his head.

"Yeah but I'd leave that little brat." Patrick assured them.

Nodding his agreement, Lucky looked on sagely. "Totally more trouble than he was worth."

"Speaking of Cruz...where is he?" Patrick teased.

"Lance has him cornered in the boxing ring." Laura pointed to the other side of the room.

Lucky and Patrick dissolved into laughter. "Figures." Patrick muttered.

"What do you think he did with the baby doll?" Luke wondered, remembering that neither Patrick nor Lucky had taken it back, but also that it didn't seem to be in Cruz or Bobbie's possession.

"Lucas dug threw the trash and it wasn't there." Lucky shrugged. "I think he paid someone to kidnap it."

"It was fun while it lasted. Of course, it'll be even more so to see the two of you juggling two new infants in a couple months." Patrick smirked.

"Don't worry Uncle Patrick. We plan on making sure you don't feel left out." Lucky patted his cousin on his back. "I think Robin's offering up free baby-sitting at your place as a shower gift."

"She is not!" Patrick argued, sneaking a quick glance at his girlfriend who was at the present's table, sorting them out.

"I think she said something about a spare room that would be the perfect place for them to stay when they came over..."

"We don't have any..." Patrick stopped mid-sentence. They had one she hadn't done anything with yet. Well, hell. "What's a little babysitting? I did it with Cam."

"With Mom's supervision."

"It took a while but, like everything else, I perfected it." Patrick reminded his cousin smugly.

"So when we leave you with two infants, Cam, Morgan, and Lance you'll be just fine then?"

"Um..." Patrick stammered. "Sure."

Quietly Lance pulled on the untucked edge to Luke's button down shirt. "Uncle Luke, will you go on the slide with me?"

"Of course he will Lance." Laura chimed in, pushing her husband and nephew toward the contraption before Luke had a chance to voice his protest. "Uncle Luke was just talking about how much fun it looked."

"I've seen her hung up on a guy before, but not like this." Robin mused, playing with a ribbon on one of Cam's presents.

"If she's not talking to you about this, how can you be so sure there is a guy?" Elizabeth wondered as she kept an eye out to keep stray children and a few determined adults by the cake before it was time to cut it.

"I know my cousin. She's so, to the point, about most things. Lately, she's been flighty and she's cancelled on me twice. Something is up and I'm willing to bet it's a guy." Robin reasoned, giving Elizabeth an all-knowing look.

"But why would she hide something like that from you? I've only met her a few times but Maxie doesn't strike me as the type to hide anything."

"And you see why I'm worried, then?" Robin said, biting on her bottom lip in contemplation.

"You make a good point. If she's hiding a relationship, there must be a reason."

"I wonder how serious it is." Robin had seen Maxie hurt too many times to not worry.

"Is she still sleeping at home most nights?" Elizabeth wondered.

"Uh huh. From what I can see."

"So it's couldn't be that serious yet."

"Unless he's sleeping over too. With Mac and Alexis' schedules, they'd never know." Robin pointed out.

"Have you found evidence of him?"

"No, but maybe I should send Lucas over." Robin laughed.

"You know we never did pay him back for ratting our location out in New York." Elizabeth said thoughtfully.

"You're absolutely right!" Robin placed her hand over her mouth. "That's a perfect plan. I'll just get him to do a little digging and find out if I need to maybe step in."

"Think we'll convince him we get the family discount?"

Robin smiled. "I think so."

Nikolas zipped up his tracksuit and casually made his way closer to the Spencer festivities. No one would recognize him in this outfit. The Cassadine prince in a tracksuit? It had been Emily's idea. The only reason he had agreed to do it was so that he could continue to do her. When it all came crashing down, he wouldn't be guilty of doing anything. He wondered if the other four realized this.

"Ok everyone! It's time for cake!" Lucky announced, carrying the cake over, candles aglow from the present table to the center of the room, where most of the children pushed closer to Cameron in order to get a good piece.

"Cake! Cake!" Cameron clapped his little hands together and almost fell face-first into it in his haste to block the other children from getting near the table.

"Hold on. We have to sing first." Elizabeth pulled him back just in time to prevent a face-first dive.

Nikolas couldn't tell what they were saying, but the gathering around the table was enough of a clue that the party was quickly coming to a close. Close enough without being obvious about it he snapped a dozen pictures, catching all four children in a few good shots. Some of the shots would be terrible, but he didn't really care. All they needed was one good one of each child. AJ called it motivation. Emily called it precision. He called it sick satisfaction. The Spencers were finally getting what was coming to them. He had only had to wait his entire life. Soon it would all be worth it. When Lucky Spencer went to tuck his only child into bed, he would find the room empty. The rest of the Spencers would have similar reactions when their little brats came up missing.

"Happy birthday dear Cameron...happy birthday to you." The off key singing concluded to the sounds of cheers as Cameron made an effort to blow out all his candles in one breath.

Nikolas' mother had abandoned him when he was an infant. His father had been assassinated before his first birthday. He had never felt an ounce of love from anyone. As the Cassadine heir to the throne, Helena had raised him as her own, but she had never treated him like anything but the prince, never remembering that he was her flesh-in-blood grandson. Titles were all that mattered to that old woman. The day he had curled his fingers around her neck and squeezed the life out of her had been the single greatest moment of his life.

At an age when most children were accustomed to bedtime stories about dragons and knights and princesses, Nikolas had been told accounts of what a whore his mother was, God rest her soul. He had found out later that Helena's plot to murder her had been thwarted only for the poor woman to die in a plane crash a month later, unbeknownst to anyone but her only son. Helena had spurted out rumors of there being a second child, a daughter, but Nikolas had never found any such proof. Clearing his thoughts, he snapped a few more pictures and let the crowd sweep him out the door.

Steven chuckled as he spotted a familiar brunette ducking out of the corner book store. He had only known her for a few short weeks, but he was fairly confident this was a familiar haunt for Georgie. He hurried across the street in an attempt to catch her before she got swept up in the thickening crowd.

If he had stopped to think about it, his haste to see a woman (no a girl, he corrected himself, anyone younger than his sister was a girl) that he had only really known less than a month would seem insane. It wasn't like they were even dating. He appreciated her intelligence and her refusal to back down from any debate. And she was a nice reminder of home in a strange city. Steven slowed down as he came up directly behind her. Reaching a hand out, he tapped her on the shoulder gently. "Hey Georgie Girl."

Georgie's hand flew to her chest and she spun around to face him, her mouth set in a perfect pout. "Steven, you startled me." He looked good, she thought to herself. Way too good to be allowed to roam free. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten, she prayed for a distraction, but didn't expect one. Ever since her roommates' insistence that she and Steven were more than they admitted, she had done her best to dissuade them and herself.

He grinned at her, trying not to laugh as she flushed. "I'd say I'm sorry, but you look too cute when you're scared." He reached out and touched the tip of her nose with his finger.

"Are you stalking me?" Because that would be okay, she added to herself. What was the matter with her? Hadn't she learned her lesson already? Butterflies were the kiss of death. In her last case, she had turned her significant other gay. She gave Steven a speculative look. There was little chance of her having that same effect on this man. Besides, he saw her like a little sister.

"No. Although I can't say the same about you and every bookstore in Paris." He teased. What was that questioning look of hers for?

"I like to read." Georgie knocked on his head with a soft fist. "Hello? We met over a book, if you can remember back that far."

He grabbed her fist in mid air and held it down by his side. "Yes but you don't have to read every book in the city before you go home."

"What should I do in my spare time then?" She challenged.

"Have you been to any place in the city? The Tower? The Louver? The Seine?"

"Have you?" Georgie shot back.

Steven cocked his head to the side and smiled at her. "Was that a direct challenge to my cultural awareness, Miss Jones?"

"I believe so, Mr. Webber. Well?"

"Just so happens we have a couple of hours before the Louver closes. Follow me." Steven stepped out in front of her pulling her along by the hand he still held.

"I don't want to take you away from anything." Georgie countered, not so sure being alone with him was such a good idea tonight. Her hormones were all over the place. She was on overdrive. And he didn't even realize. Deflated, she met his eyes and tilted her head to the side to further study him. He had a nice face with those bushy eyebrows and a comical set to his mouth. His eyes were sharp as if he never missed a single detail.

"Not a problem. We wrapped up early tonight. Or the director had a temper tantrum and sent us all home." Steven rolled his eyes.

"Imagine that. A stubborn man threw a temper tantrum when he didn't get his way." Georgie smiled.

"It's a completely foreign concept I know." He caught her smile out of the corner of his eye and felt his own grow. The way her whole face lit up when she smiled made it impossible not to grin in response, he decided.

"I don't know if I trust you to be my tour guide. You've been known to be...flaky and...unreliable." Georgie reminded him, slowing down to a more leisurely pace. She felt their fingers disentangle and held back a sigh.

"I told you I can't control how long shoots run." Steven explained. "I didn't mean to be late the other day."

"It's not just that you were late. You left barely half an hour into dinner after you got that phone call." Georgie hated that she sounded like she was in a much more serious position than she was, but it had hurt her feelings to be abandoned in an unfamiliar city while her friend dashed away, cell phone glued to his ear.

"My mother. She's still having a hard time dealing with the fact my sister is pregnant. It was going to get ugly fast." He caught the downtrodden look in her eyes and used his finger to raise her chin so she couldn't avoid his gaze. "I didn't mean to abandon you. I promise. I just didn't want you to think less of me." The scary part was how true it was, Steven realized. He didn't want Georgie to think badly of him.

"So leaving me alone in a fancy restaurant was to spare my feelings? Is that right?" She didn't look any more convinced than she sounded. Of course Georgie understood Steven's loyalty to his family. It was his loyalty that had led them to meet in the first place. She just wanted to be a little more important than she was. It was petty and unfair of her.

"How can I make it up to you?"

Georgie wanted very much to say that there was nothing he could do. She wanted to turn and run, run until her lungs burned and her vision blurred. Panic seized her throat. This couldn't be happening again. Not again. She was very much afraid of what would come tumbling out of her mouth so she chose not to speak at all. This was all her, had so little to do with him it was almost laughable. So why did she instantly feel like crying? "I guess we can go with your original plan." She managed, lifting her eyes to his.

"You sure?" He was beginning to get the impression that going to the world-famous museum was the last thing Georgie wanted to do. The waves of distress coming off of her were almost palpable in the cool January air. "Why don't we go for a walk by the river instead?" he offered.

Georgie smiled. What was she so freaked out about? Just because her feelings were playing tricks on her didn't mean his were having the same effect on him. There were no feelings to speak of as far as he was concerned. He just wanted to be her friend. And she could use another friend. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad." She apologized profusely.

"You didn't. Is there something bothering you?" Steven prodded gently.

"I guess I'm homesick." Georgie lied.

"Any particular reason or just general missing home blues?" He pulled her closer to him, resting his arm over her shoulder as they began to walk in the direction of the banks of the Seine.

"You know how these things go. There's never one specific feeling. It just ambushes you all at once." Georgie replied.

"That's true. But I do have one surefire way to help with that issue."

"What's that?" Georgie wanted to know.

"Hot chocolate and a friend. You up for it?" He pointed to a small café that was just feet away from them.

"Can we walk for a while? It's so beautiful." Georgie gave him a soft stare, her bottom lip poked out as she tried not to smile and ruin the image.

"Fine. But only if you promise not to go all weepy on me. I can't stand crying women." He teased.

"Promise." Georgie nodded.

"Good. Then we can go."


	173. Better Days

"Did you finally get him to stop bouncing on his bed and get in it?" Elizabeth laughed as she adjusted the pillows behind her head. She snuggled herself as close under the covers as she could. The chilly January day had given way to a cold night and if there was one thing Elizabeth could not stand it was a cold room to sleep in.

"If someone hadn't told him about Bounce U, there wouldn't have been such an issue." Lucky pointed out as he moved his way around the bedroom, removing his watch and placing it on the nearby dresser. He laughed when he saw how covered up Elizabeth was. "Warm enough Nanuck?" he teased as he got into bed himself.

"You're the one who didn't want a typical McDonald's birthday. I thought you said that was too normal for your child." Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at him. "Don't make fun of me."

"But you make it so easy." Lying on his back, he rested his head on his arm as Elizabeth curled up into his side, resting her head on his chest. He began rubbing her back as he turned his head just enough to kiss the top of hers. "I will admit it was a good call."

"I keep telling you to not question my taste." She fell silent for a moment, content to just lay there by his side. The party had gone better than she had hoped. Cameron and his friends had all gone home exhausted, always a good thing where four-year-olds were concerned in her book. Lucky was actually speaking to his parents again and their relationship was starting to resemble normal again. She had been terrified that Tony and Lisa's arrival at the party would lead to a screaming match when they spotted her pregnant stomach, but the other couple had called citing car trouble and had been unable to make it. Cameron had been disappointed but it was better than his party to become an ugly grudge match.

Glancing over at the alarm clock, Lucky moved the arm under his head to pick it up. "What time is the appointment again?"

"Nine am. Your mom said she would take Cameron to school tomorrow so we won't have to rush." It still seemed like a strange dream but tomorrow was on more step to making this an impossible to deny reality. Tomorrow morning, Dr. Lansing was doing the sonogram picture and said it was possible they would be able to know if the baby was a boy or a girl. "You do realize we still have to decide if we want to know."

"Honestly I'm ok either way. Jess didn't want to know so we didn't find out with Cam. If you want to know, I'm alright with that."

"You're no help." Elizabeth smacked his chest with her open palm. "On the one hand, I think it would be great to know. Save a lot of headaches. On the other hand, I've met your family and I think finding out would lead to a whole new set of headaches."

"I hate to tell you this, but no matter which way we go, Dad will be convinced the baby is a boy. No matter what the sonogram said, he was convinced Lulu was a boy until she came. And then he acted shocked."

Elizabeth laughed softly and found a comfortable position to try to sleep in. She was barely into her second trimester and the baby had already started to mess with her sleeping patterns. "I'm glad you're coming."

"Wouldn't miss it."

She tried to smile but a yawn overtook her. "I'm glad you convinced me to stay tonight. I think I might have fallen asleep behind the wheel."

"Can't have that." Lucky chuckled softly. Nervously he looked down to the top of her head. The idea had been forming in his head for a few days now, maybe ever since he heard about the baby. And now it seemed like the perfect time to suggest it. Or at least it was the perfect time if the butterflies in his stomach were any indication. "You know you don't have to leave."

Elizabeth laughed softly. "Well I wasn't planning on getting up and driving home now after I finally got comfortable."

Of course she would misread what he was saying. Lucky took another breath. "No not tonight. I meant ever. You could move in. With me and Cameron."

Slowly Elizabeth raised her head so she could look directly into his eyes. She scanned them, looking for any hint of a joke. Had she heard right? "What did you say?" She whispered.

"You could move in with us. If you wanted. You already have a key. You're here more than at your grandmother's. And I would be around more to help you get ready for the baby." He paused and traced her face with his finger. "Move in."

Her heart felt as if it leapt up to her throat and had sped up to the speed of a jackrabbit. It wasn't' as if she hadn't thought about this, in the back corner of her mind. When he had given her the key, it had filtered through her mind and she had quickly dismissed it. Thinking like that had helped lead to the disaster with Max. She wasn't willing to set herself up for disappointment yet again. Cautiously she held his free hand with hers. "What about Cameron?"

"He's doing fine with you being here more often. He's talking more to you than to me most days."

"Only because you were being a stubborn ass about your mother."

"Still, he'll be fine."

Elizabeth chewed her lower lip and finally allowed herself to really think about his offer. Was this what she wanted? What she really wanted? It could all go horribly wrong, but it could all go completely right as well. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine getting up right now and going back to her grandmother's house. If she said no, could she get up and leave right this second? She opened her eyes as the realization washed over her. Not only could she not leave, there was no way she wanted to leave. "Yes."

Lucky blinked in confusion. He hadn't expected her to say yes right away. He had at least twenty more arguments to throw at her for the all the roadblocks he was sure she was going to create. "Did you just agree with me right away?"

"It's not a new trend, so don't get used to it."

Mac stared at the gold band he held between his thumb and index finger, letting his thumbnail slide across it as he studied it carefully, thinking about all it represented. He had worn one before, had made up his own vows and taken his daughters' mother to be his lawfully wedded wife for the rest of his life. That particular arrangement had ended bitterly and with a lot of regret and resentment. He had told him that this time it would all be different. Neither he nor Alexis had ever broached the subject of getting married until recently on purpose. He hadn't wanted to spook her, understanding her track record as well as his own. Each had a lot of baggage, only some of which included their children.

He glanced over at Kristina and felt his heart break for the millionth time. Her eyes were trained on closed hospital room door knowing her mother was just beyond it but not understanding what kind of condition she was in. He had nothing to tell her, because no one had told him anything yet. He had no facts, only bits and pieces of the circumstance that had landed her in the hospital to begin with. It was why he hadn't intercepted Kristina's invitation to stay over at Lance's for the night and ride with him and his dads over to Cameron's birthday party the following day: he had hoped he would have some concrete information to provide her with.

Dillon and Lucas had offered what almost sounded like condolences and Mac had barely managed to keep from crying after leaving their home with Kristina in tow. She must have understood the grave tone in which he spoke with Dillon and Lucas even though he had made certain to keep the conversation only between the three of them, not wanting to scare her unnecessarily. Alexis' A.D.A. had been the one to call Mac, remembering that they were involved, and he had left work mid-conversation with one of his deputies. The hospital assured him that, even if Alexis' co-worker hadn't known to call him, they surely would have since he was on her In Case Of Emergency card. He was thankful he hadn't had to wait that long.

Why had he been in such a hurry when all they had done was wait? And for how long? He received the call last night and it was edging closer and closer to the twenty-four hour mark. Still, the doctors ignored him and he hadn't been updated about Alexis' condition, whatever it was. He was beyond frustrated, so far past tears he was next to homicidal. How hard was it for one, just one, doctor to stop and notice him and Kristina sitting her outside of Alexis' room, no more informed now than they had been the previous night? Clearly next to impossible. He wanted to leave Kristina here and track one down, but he was without that option as Maxie hadn't shown up yet. There was no way he was leaving his future stepdaughter all alone.

His hold on the ring was almost enough to break it he mused, and tucked it into the right breast pocket of his charcoal gray suit. There had been so much hope in Alexis' eyes when he had asked her. It had been the same night they disappeared in their special cabin, the anniversary of their first date, and now it was the place he would always remember proposing to her. Of course they had wanted to tell their family long before they had, but each understood the difficulties in doing so. Kristina had been the most pressing concern since his girls were all grown and living their own lives. Sonny had gone away late in his only daughter's life so she had more memories with him than Morgan. Michael had the most but AJ had taken him out of the town so she never got to see or talk to him. He had almost suggested that Robin and Patrick take her along with Morgan when they went to visit, but Alexis had forbade it, not wanting it to seem that they were forcing Kristina on her brother or his dad. The truth of it was that Michael had never viewed Kristina as his sister and this often led to a distraught little girl whose feelings were always hurt when he refused to play with her.

Finally, finally, Mac spotted a man in a white suit and assumed that was Alexis' doctor. When the man moved toward her room, Mac engaged him immediately, "Can you please tell me what's going on with my fiancé?" When it looked like the man might shun him, he gestured toward Kristina. "We've been here all night and we need answers. The nurses won't even let us see her!"

The doctor, scratching his black head, said, "Well that was a mistake. They were waiting for me to arrive. I was currently away. I apologize for the wait. Please, both of you can come in. She's resting comfortably—" Mac had heard the phrase too often for it to offer any kind of comfort so Dr. Bernstein continued, "She had a mild collapse and we've run a few tests. We'll know what's wrong within an hour."

"Thank you, Dr. Bernstein." Mac led Kristina into the room and she instantly ran to Alexis' side, stopping short when she noticed how still her mother was. Mac watched the scene with a mix of apprehension and unabashed love. Yes, she was a little tyrant when she wanted to be, but she was starting to warm up to him…she was just taking her time. Pushing her thick cinnamon hair behind her ear as he had seen her mother do a hundred times a day, she pulled a chair to the bed and climbed in beside Alexis. Mac was about to pull her away when Alexis reached down, eyes still closed, and ran her left hand over Kristina's head, her words not words, more like mumbles as she fought the built-up phlegm in her throat. If he listened quietly enough, he could make out the sound of Kristina sobbing.

"How's my brave girl?" Alexis greeted her daughter, trying to hold her closer but the IVs in her arms making it almost impossible. Mac closed the space between them, ever cautious, and watched her eyelids lift. Her eyes sought his and he had no choice but to reach out and let the bed rail support his quivering form.

"I've been good Mommy." Kristina promised.

"Have you?" Alexis attempted a smile.

Kristina nodded seriously. She tried not to stare at the tubes and machines that were all attached to her mother. They made Mommy look like a creature out of one of Morgan's comic books rather than Mommy. "I even listened to Lucas and Dillon."

Alexis coughed even though she had wanted to laugh. "I'm so glad you're being a good girl. You're much more fun to be around when you're listening to grown-ups. Have you been listening to Mac?" It was the first acknowledgement besides eye contact that she had given him in the short time they had been in her room. She didn't have any recollection of the time between her collapse and now. Time had ceased to matter.

"Yes." Kristina nodded furiously.

"I was telling Kristina that you needed your rest so you could get better, but we've been out in the hall..." Mac nodded toward the door as he stammered. Despite the necessity to remain in the hospital when Robin or Maxie required his presence, he would never feel comfortable in one.

"I know. I felt you." Alexis assured him, wiping away a tear when she noticed his eyes turn glassy.

"What's wrong, Mommy?" Kristina asked cautiously staring up into her mother's eyes, her cheeks enflamed.

"Oh baby…" Alexis let her voice trail off and fought to keep her emotions in check. "That's what the doctors are trying to find out."

"But they'll give you medicine and then you can come home, right?" Kristina begged her eyes squeezed shut as if she couldn't accept any other outcome.

Alexis closed her eyes and rolled onto her side so that Kristina wouldn't notice the obvious tears in her eyes. She didn't know what was wrong and if Mac knew he hadn't shared it with her or her daughter. "I'm sure it's just a routine check..."

Mac spoke up, his heart in his throat. "No, darling, it's not a routine check. Something is very wrong." There was no reason to lie to Kristina; she understood the gravity of the situation whether or not she was consciously aware of it.

"I got a little dizzy. It's probably my blood pressure." Alexis reasoned, not sure what she would do if it was something worse.

"Mommy, I want you to come home right now." Kristina told her stubbornly. Alexis and Mac shared a shaky laugh at her bluntness.

"I want to come home too, baby. Just as soon as the doctor lets me, I'll be home with you and Mac and Maxie." Alexis promised, swallowing a lump in her throat, forcing herself to look at her daughter's broken expression.

"And Morty?" Kristina chimed in referring to the goldfish Maxie had bought for her when they were at the mall looking at bridesmaid and flower girl dresses.

"Yes, how could I forget Morty?" Alexis' bottom lip trembled and she stared over at Mac in desperation.

"How about we go find Maxie and you two can get some dinner?" Mac suggested, unbeknownst to the shaking figure in the doorway.

Maxie bent down and Kristina ran into her arms. "Hey munchkin, I missed you." Maxie cooed to her, her gaze snapping to Mac's and then back to Alexis'.

"I can't leave my mommy." Kristina countered, nodding toward the hospital bed.

Maxie gave that a moment's thought. "We wouldn't be gone that long. Besides, she and Mac need to talk to the doctor. When we get back, we'll get to know what's going on with your mommy." Maxie insisted brushing back Kristina's drenched bangs.

"That's a really good idea." Alexis agreed with a smile. "Go and get something to eat. I'm not going anywhere." She was able to keep her features light and her eyes warm just long enough for Maxie to convince Kristina to go with her. Staring over at Mac, she whispered, "What's wrong with me, Mac?"

He pushed the chair Kristina had abandoned out of the way and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "I don't know, sweetheart, but we're going to fight it."


	174. Long Way Down

Alexis drummed her fingernails silently against her left thigh in case anyone was blind to her obvious impatience. They had brought in blankets for her during the night because she had started complaining that she was freezing to death, and in a hospital that was just too god damned ironic. The IV in her right arm had made it next to impossible to eat dinner last night and she was tired of dragging the machine with her every time she had to use the restroom. The nurses had suggested she let them help her and—wouldn't you know it?—she hadn't seen them since. A new shift of nurses had come in to poke and prod her during the night with countless needles and she had actually cried, but Mac promised not to tell anyone. Dr. Bernstein had never returned so they had had him paged and were currently waiting for him to show up. Alexis had already been here far too long, almost a full day to be exact and they were no sooner to finding out what was wrong with her than they had been when she was first brought in.

"Lexie, he'll be here." Mac promised, reaching for her right hand and kissing her knuckles gently. He had been a saint to stick around as long as he had. When the staff had threatened him with visiting hours, he had threatened them with parking tickets for the rest of their lives. They had gotten the same amount of sleep and their red rimmed eyes mirrored each other's. Still, he hadn't stopped smiling at her, talking to her, or trying to make her feel better. He was doing more for her than whatever medication they had her on. Probably a placebo the way her luck was going lately. She had been taken off of the biggest case to hit Port Charles in six years and she didn't even get to know why!

"Oh my God, I need coffee." Alexis grumbled, rubbing her tired eyes with her free hand.

"Too bad." Mac replied sternly. "I'm not taking any chances."

"Oh yeah? How are you going to stop me?" Alexis challenged, smiling slightly until she saw Mac's eyes cloud over with worry. "God damn this waiting."

"You sick of me already?" Mac lifted an eyebrow in her direction and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Yes. Please, God, go away." Alexis rolled her eyes at his pinched, mocking tone.

"It's okay to be scared." Mac whispered quietly.

"I'm not scared; I'm irritated. If this is so serious, where is my doctor? Why can't I be at work while he's figuring out what caused the collapse?"

Mac's eyes narrowed. "Do you hear yourself? Your collapse, Lexie. You're not well enough to go back to work."

"You don't know that." Alexis countered just to argue. She needed someone to take her frustrations out on and Mac was proving the best possible candidate. She didn't like not knowing what to expect any more than she enjoyed being stuck in a hospital bed when she had a lot of work she needed to get done.

"Hey you guys." Dr. Bernstein stuck his dark head into the room, hating that he had to interrupt almost as much as he wished he would be able to deliver good news.

"It's about damn time." Alexis snapped.

"Lexie." Mac lightly scolded her. "I'm assuming you got the test results back?" He didn't like the way the doctor wouldn't meet his eyes.

Dr. Bernstein glanced down at the chart in his hand, having forgotten he was holding it.

"Did you find something?" Alexis inquired in a shaky voice.

"Yes." Dr. Bernstein replied, clearing his throat. Between them, they were almost forty years older than Alexis' doctor. It did not instill confidence.

"What did the MRI show?" Mac insisted impatiently.

Ignoring the commissioner's outburst, Dr. Alan Bernstein met Alexis' stare with a pair of solemn blue eyes. "We found a malignant tumor in your left lung."

"A tumor?" Alexis asked in a frantic yelp. She immediately turned away from his gaze, away from his noise, and held her head in her hands. She could feel Mac lightly rubbing her back and just that subtle comfort caused her to burst into tears. As much as she wanted to know what Dr. Bernstein was saying, she dreaded the words all the same. She had already been warned the last time and she had ignored the warning. Radiation? Like she had the time. Chemotherapy? She wasn't going to wear a wig when the infection was clearly benign. They had warned her she might relapse, but she hadn't realized…she hadn't realized.

Dr. Bernstein waited for the district attorney to collect herself before continuing, "Miss Davis, the tumor has already spread to most of your left lung. It will have to be removed but, in doing that, there's a chance it might cause one of two problems: it could spread to the other lung or it could cause lymphocytopenia...that is, it could lower your white blood cell count and leave you vulnerable for illnesses." He let the words settle in, still not entirely convinced that she had heard a word he had just said.

"Cancer." Alexis deduced, shriveling in Mac's arms.

"Yes. Lung Cancer. There are several courses of treatment available to you—" He began.

"Like what?" Alexis interrupted him.

"As I said, surgery will be something you should think about since the infection has spread—"

"Surgery." Alexis and Mac whispered in unison, their voices laced with awe and dread.

"There is a chance that it may be too dangerous." Dr. Bernstein cautioned. "If that's the case, we will start with chemotherapy—"

"What would the surgery entail?" Alexis cut him off again, her thoughts tumbling out of her mouth.

"One step at a time, Miss Davis. We caught this early." Dr. Bernstein informed her. "Your prognosis is very good."

"Stop sugarcoating and answer her damn question then!" Mac barked at him.

"The surgery would require us to remove your infected left lung, but there's a chance—" Dr. Bernstein reiterated unobtrusively.

"What are the odds that it won't?" Alexis murmured.

"In sixty percent of these cases, surgery isn't an option." Dr. Bernstein explained.

"And in my case?" Alexis pressed on.

"As I said before, we caught this early. Patients have been known to live five years after diagnosis and that's without treatment. With treatment, the odds of living a full, productive life is very plausible." Dr. Bernstein informed her gently. "I'll need to know whether or not you would like me to perform the surgery within the next twenty-four hours."

Watching the numbers on the elevator climb higher and higher, Dillon wondered when his life became a series of trips to the hospital. Lucas had worried when they had decided to get married life that the Spencers/Jones/Scorpio clans would seem boring and tame compared to life with the Quartermaines. Dillon snorted. It wasn't his family that was calling them at all hours of the night because someone else had been admitted to General Hospital. His family just worked there, they didn't feel the need to check into the place as if it was the Metro Court.

True to his role as the family caretaker, Lucas had spent the past twenty-four hours worried how everyone else was handling Alexis's hospitalization. Too bad he was on a stakeout and so most of the worry had come in the form of constant calls to Dillon. In order to keep his husband calm and focused on his job, Dillon had volunteered to find out what was going on and exactly how they could help. It was a good thing he liked Lucas' family, Dillon mused as he stepped off the elevator and began looking for a familiar face on the floor. Otherwise this constant helping other people thing would do serious damage to the teachings of his mother.

Where was everybody? Apparently the Scorpio/Jones family didn't feel the need to overtake the waiting room as the Spencers did. While he was sure the hospital staff appreciated it more, it was making Dillon's job a heck of a lot harder. He approached the nurse's desk to ask which room was Alexis's exactly when he spotted Robin's familiar frame walking down the hall. Smiling Dillon sped over to meet her. "Robin!"

Robin glanced up from her Styrofoam coffee cup and sent Dillon a smile, rubbing the sleep away from her face as best she could. Uncle Mac had finally broken and called her last night after receiving the prognosis from Dr. Bernstein. Robin had been on the phone with various family members of Alexis' but couldn't reach a single one, so she had tried her family and all but her parents and Georgie had shown up, ready to help in any way possible. Kristina had found a friend in Maxie, a confidant, and Robin was relieved. She and Maxie had been taking shifts with the children since Maxie had her job at Kelly's and Robin had gone ahead and put a "Family Emergency" sign on the door and decided to leave it closed so as not to be called away or distracted during such a dire time. "Dillon, thank you for coming." Robin greeted him.

"No problem. Do you need anything? Is there anything Lucas and I can do?"

"I don't think so. Alexis was diagnosed with lung cancer and the doctor informed us that she's going to go ahead with the surgery." Robin explained quietly. Uncle Mac had told her that the surgery was a risk because the cancer could spread to the other lung. They would have no way of knowing until they removed the infected part in her left lung. "It's just a lot of waiting now. She goes in at eight tonight."

Dillon faltered. He hadn't realized the situation was that serious. Or that they had to move this quickly. Trying to remember when his Aunt Monica had breast cancer, a vague connection of a surgery needing to be done this quickly and the cancer being aggressive formed. "Oh God. I didn't...I mean Lucas and I knew it was bad obviously..." Dillon shook his head and tried to focus himself. "Alexis is going to be fine. She's too stubborn to give in."

"That's right." Robin nodded, trying to smile but feeling her lips quiver in protest. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before now. I've been running around like a chicken without a head since last night."

"No. No. It's fine. I'll call Lucas in a few minutes and he'll call Bobbie, and well I'm sure the rest of the Spencers will descend as soon as we could possibly want." Dillon cocked his head to the side, catching sight of Robin's trembling lower lip. "Or I could call Bobbie now. Or maybe Patrick?" Moving toward the smaller girl and drawing her into a hug, Dillon rested his head on top of hers. "Since you've taken over Lucas' role here, what can I do to help you Robin?"

"What?" Robin gulped. "I'm not the one..." Her voice trailed off when she felt Dillon softly rub her back. She had convinced Patrick that he didn't need to be there, that the hospital was already too crowded and she didn't want him to cancel appointments with his clients over something that would be over so quickly. She hadn't had a chance to call Elizabeth yet, but that was just as well. The younger woman didn't need to be under any more stress than she already was. Robin had almost convinced herself that this was a Scorpio matter, but when so many of them had found better things to do—a selfish thought—she was left to receive comfort from a good friend who she had known only a handful of years.

"No but I am familiar with the concept of taking care of everyone else but yourself here, Robin. You are related to my husband."

"Is it that obvious? I thought I was handling this all so well." Robin whispered brokenly.

"Only to those of us who know the signs of caretaker battle fatigue." Dillon reassured her. "I'm positive to Alexis and Mac you are the pillar of strength, a rock, and any other compliments they will throw at you."

"How's Lance? Lucas told me that there were some problems just before the holiday." Robin redirected the conversation smoothly, promising to come back to the situation at hand when she felt a little more secure.

"He's fine. A fight at school but he refuses to tell us what started it; other than that, he's the same old Lance. He'd love for Kristina and Morgan to come visit again. Do you need me to pick them up later today? Lance would love it and it would let Lucas feel like he's doing something to help."

Robin beamed at him. "That would be so nice." She agreed wholeheartedly. "I could come and get them in the morning. I'm sure they'll want Alexis to recuperate and the weekend is coming up so I'll have extra time to watch her."

"It's a play date then. And don't stress out about when to pick her up. If you need time to recuperate, she can stay as long as she needs."

"I don't want to inconvenience you." Robin replied adamantly.

"It's not an inconvenience Robin. You're part of our family and so is Kristina. This is what families do. They help each other." Dillon winked at her. "Even mine is familiar with this concept here Robin."

"Do you want to see Alexis? She keeps telling me to send in as many people at a time so they can convince the doctor that she looks perfectly fine and should be allowed to go home." Robin encouraged, nodding toward Alexis' room.

"Oh well any excuse to use my acting skills."

"Ohhh yes. Right there baby." Bobbie nearly purred as Cruz adjusted his movements and put just the right pressure in the spot she indicated just a second ago. Oh her husband was very good at this, she thought.

"Feels good baby?" Cruz asked with a smile creeping up his face.

"Like heaven." Bobbie sighed. Her feet had been killing her for the past three days. Even though Laura swore just the opposite, Bobbie knew her feet had swollen to four times their normal size. They hurt. She couldn't stand to be in anything other than slippers right now and even though Dr. Lansing swore it was normal, she felt anything but normal. Not until Cruz had started his foot massage. Right now her husband could ask her just about anything and she would grant it to him.

"Your wish is my command from now on." Cruz assured her, though sometimes it felt like it had always been that way. He smiled at the thought and applied a little more pressure to her right foot than he had the left one. She had been so stressed out, even before they found out about their daughter, that he had started to worry she would work herself into an early stroke any given day. He wasn't going to press his luck. She was letting him take care of her and he wasn't going to play the "I told you so" card.

"Perfect answer." She leaned her head back on the arm of the couch she was currently sprawled out on. Bobbie closed her eyes and pictured the only thing that could possibly make this a more wonderful moment. "Butterscotch pudding would be the only way this day could get better."

"Lucky for you I stocked the fridge with it." He chuckled, leaving her only long enough to retrieve it from the kitchen and find a spoon.

"You're perfect. I may just marry you." She sighed as she reached up for the treat.

"I may just let you." Cruz answered, leaning down to kiss her before handing over the pudding cup.

A persistent ringing of the doorbell interrupted their kiss. Cruz furrowed his brow, trying to figure out who could possibly have timing bad enough to interrupt this precious moment. Any one of the Spencers could fit the bill. A client of Bobbie's that she had forgotten to tell him she was still working with? He started to walk toward the door, preparing to tell whoever was on the other side this was not a good time and they should just come back later. His heart stopped and his mouth dropped open when he recognized the familiar figures standing on the porch.

"Mama?"

Isabella Medina-Rodriguez stood a full foot under her son, but that didn't keep him from looking positively frightened by her and his Aunt Teresa's surprise visit. This was not the way she had planned on meeting her daughter-in-law. In fact, she had been thinking maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't disgrace his entire heritage and she'd get to meet Miss Barbara Jean Spencer before they shared last names. "You don't kiss your mother hello?"

"Of course. Of course. I'm just surprised that's all." Cruz kissed his mother's offered cheek before repeating the action with his aunt. "Tia Teresa."

"Are you sure about this neighborhood?" Aunt Teresa began warily. "We've been up and down this block, looking for the right house, and met some of your neighbors. They live in sin I think."

"It's fine. The neighborhood is perfectly safe. Plenty of churchgoers."

"If you're sure." Aunt Teresa whispered, glancing over at who she assumed to be her new niece. "Are you going to introduce us?" She wondered, pushing her black hair back, showing off the blonde streaks she had had put in to cover the gray. The rest of the family thought she looked ridiculous, but she didn't care. You were only as old as you felt...and she felt half past dead.

"Yeah of course, come in." Cruz stepped aside and let his mother and aunt walk past him. What were they doing here? He had thought his mother's rapid fire Spanish when he had called from Vegas to tell her he had gotten married was going to be the end of it. And now they were here? "Mamma, Tia Teresa, this is my wife Bobbie. Bobbie, this is my mother Isabella and my aunt Teresa."

Isabella and Aunt Teresa shared a glance and both stared at Bobbie's growing stomach suspiciously. Of course, they had understood the "situation," but that didn't mean they had to like it. At least he had done the right thing and married her, but he could have at least invited them to the ceremony. "I hope you don't find us rude," Isabella began, twirling a bit of loose string from her sweater top.

"No, no. Of course not." It seemed rather ridiculous to feel this nervous. She was a grown woman, but the way these two women were looking at her made her feel as if she was nineteen again. And not in a fun way.

"We did think of calling, but considering how far that's gotten us..." Aunt Teresa didn't finish her thought.

"Well, you are here now. Would you like to sit down?" Bobbie offered politely. Maybe if they sat down she would feel less intimidated here.

"I don't think I will. Bad hip. You understand." Isabella explained, watching the couch as if it would suddenly come to life and swallow her whole.

"Isa, stop being a snob." Aunt Teresa snapped moving to sit down. "You have a lovely home Barbara."

"Thank you. And please call me Bobbie. Only my brother calls me Barbara. And that's just to annoy me."

"Your mother thought it would be a good idea to call you a boy's name instead?" Isabella nudged the subject lightly, not trying to be rude, just curious. She wasn't sure what she should think of her only daughter-in-law.

Bobbie shrugged her shoulders. "Curiously enough that was my brother's doing as well. He really wanted a brother instead of another sister."

"'Another sister?'" Aunt Teresa smiled. She was glad to know she wasn't the only one who had been blessed and/or cursed with a sister with whom she was expected to share attention with.

"Yes. I'm the baby of the family."

"We do hope to meet this family of yours before we return home." Isabella stated. "We aren't sure where we'll be staying just yet..."

"You can stay at Cruz's townhouse!" Bobbie suggested, ignoring the panicked look Cruz kept shooting her. "There's plenty of space and it's empty right now anyway."

"That is very nice, but we don't want to impose." Aunt Teresa interjected.

"It's not imposing." Bobbie insisted. "Is it Cruz?"

"Not at all." Cruz recovered after a short, choking cough.


	175. My Beautiful Rescue

Lulu walked into the room she had been renting above Kelly's and collapsed on the couch, smiling when she realized there were blankets and pillows already there from the previous night. It was a good day when she made it to her actual bed, but lately it just hadn't happened. She was lucky to make it up the stairs and remember to lock the door behind her. This wasn't at all what she had thought living on her own would be like.

Her brother and cousins had always made it sound so glamorous, but she was just now starting to notice that maybe her parents knew what they were talking about. Before dropping her into Lucky's care, they had tried to explain the kind of responsibilities she would take on; it was one of the reasons they hadn't goaded her to leave when she graduated high school. Life was expensive, she had learned, and maybe she had compromised herself a bit to make ends meet.

Business was booming though, she thought to herself. The students in her class, and the strangers that approached her, were the most sleep-deprived, stressed-out individuals she had ever met. Granted, this first semester was kicking her butt, but she couldn't imagine being as worried about a term paper as they all seemed to be. She had read ahead in the syllabus and compiled all six of her papers so that she at least had an outline ready. This had freed up her time and the other students seemed to realize it; people paid big bucks for term papers and, at least if they went through her they'd never be found out. The same couldn't be said for buying a paper on-line.

The last time she had counted, she was currently working with twenty students which meant she was responsible for one hundred and twenty papers not including her own. They paid a hundred dollars a paper and it's not like the papers ever took her more than an hour to complete. This new idea had kept away from her domineering parents and pitying cousins. It wasn't easy being the youngest of the original set of the first cousins; it seemed her work was never done. They were all so successful in their careers while she was paying an amazing amount of money to even find out what she wanted to spend her life doing.

Her eyes half open, something ran across her vision and she sat up quickly in surprise. Her shoes were across the room as was the phone. Was it likely that it had been a mouse or worse, a rat? "You're tired." She told herself, lying back down. At the sound of scurrying feet, she hopped up onto the couch cushions and peeked into the kitchen. While most of her peers lived in one-bedroom, one-bath apartments, her entire living space was stuffed into one room. Five feet from the living room was the kitchen; five feet in the opposite direction was the bedroom. The bathroom was in-between them. If there was a rodent in this place, it didn't have a lot of places to hide.

Leaning over the couch now, her eyes darted from left to right. Her fingernails gripped the back of the couch and she considered hopping over it to frighten the animal. Maybe it would have a heart attack and then she wouldn't have to catch it or kill it. A dead mouse was not something she wanted to deal with; this was why she should have snuck up a cat. Wait hadn't the Murdock's had a cat that chased mice? She could still remember Shelby telling her about how it would kill mice all week long and then wait until the end of the week, usually right before church, to show them off like trophies. There had to be an easier solution.

"I'm going to close my eyes," she told the suspected mouse, "And you're going to have the perfect opportunity to crawl back into the hole you crawled out of." If she had any kind of courage, she would run and open the door, giving it a better chance to escape, but there was a small chance that she would end up stepping on it. Please be gone, she prayed. Please just be gone. Her body was crouched in a taut, uncomfortable position. If the situation called for it, she could spring forward and catch it by surprise.

Maxie abandoned her dishrag when she heard a shrill scream cut through the familiar atmosphere of the tiny diner she had worked in since she was seventeen years old. It was just supposed to be a temporary thing, not take up five years of her life, but was still waiting on her ship to come in and, with her obvious talent in designing clothing, it was bound to happen.

She took the stairs three at a time, curious and a little excited. The restaurant had been quiet up until this point. She had almost fallen asleep during the beginning of the afternoon slump. Thankfully, customers had started to pack in about thirty minutes ago. There were enough waitresses on duty today for her to go upstairs and see what was going on. Mike was in his office, on the phone, dealing with business affairs. Maxie had thought about asking him to explain it all to her a few months back, but she had a feeling it was creditors. Why else would he look so defeated when he finished a call and came out to greet customers?

Lulu had managed to climb even higher onto the couch so that now she was balancing her body on one of the arms. She almost fell when the door sprung open without warning and crashed against the back of the door. She hadn't meant to scream, but the little creature had climbed across her new brown sandal just as she was pulling the other one on, putting him mere centimeters from her fingertips.

Squinting when her brain registered who had come to check on her, she bit the inside of her cheek. As if Maxie Jones could help her, she mused morosely. The last time they had gone camping together, the last time they had been friends—Maxie, 12 and Lulu, 8—it had been a disastrous affair. The Scorpios and the Spencers had rented a cabin for the weekend with two bedrooms which meant the children had to sleep in the living room area with sleeping bags and pillows. At first, it had seemed like the night was going to be fun that is until Georgie had screamed that something was in the sleeping bag with her. They jumped out of their collective sleeping bags and put three books at the opening of Georgie's to trap it inside. Quietly, barely breathing, they had watched in horror as it fought its way through the soft material of the sleeping bag. Each of them called for their parents, none of them remembering that all four adults had gone to a party at the end of the road and left Maxie in charge of all of them.

They let the animal wear itself out before they decided to act, figuring it would be easiest to get rid of that way. They had talked Georgie into picking up the bag from the entrance and holding it closed until they could get it outside. Maxie had worried it might come back and threatened to beat it over the head with a rock, a threat that was as empty as her promises. Georgie had started crying nonetheless clearly disturbed by the idea of killing what was probably nothing more than a field mouse. In the end, they stacked more books on the sleeping bag and waited for their parents to come home and get rid of it.

"What the hell are you doing?" Maxie demanded, hands on her hips. Mike was always renting out this room, but it was the last place she had expected to see her arch nemesis. Lulu had never worked a day in her life so that must mean that, either her parents were handling her bills or Mike was picking up the tab. The second possibly made Maxie see red. As if the old guy didn't have enough to worry about, now he was taking in Lulu Spencer.

"Go away!" Lulu growled at her, pulling a pillow into her arms in hopes of being able to break its neck and/or crush the mouse if it ran past her.

"Why did you scream?" Maxie didn't know why she cared. It wasn't like she was going to help Lulu out of whatever predicament she had found herself in this time.

"There's a m-m-m-mouse." Lulu forced through gritted teeth.

"A m-m-m-mouse huh?" Maxie laughed. Ten years and Lulu was still terrified of mice.

"Don't make fun of me! It's huge!" Lulu insisted as her teeth started to chatter together.

"I'm sure." Maxie rolled her eyes. "I'd love to help, but I don't want to."

"Fine! Leave! Go ahead! I'll just make sure one of your customers finds it in one of their hamburgers." Lulu warned with a shaky grin.

"Just try it. I'll drop it into your box of cereal for you to find. I see you have three over there." Maxie countered defiantly.

"God, just help me. All we have to do is catch it—"

"I'm not catching anything." No sooner than the words had left her mouth, the mouse ran out from under the couch. "Kill it! Kill it!" Maxie wailed, taking off at a run.

"You kill it!" Lulu argued, throwing her shoe at the mouse and missing.

"All you have to do is step on it." Maxie was frozen in fear and disgust. She could run downstairs, the door was open and inviting, but then it could follow her into the kitchen. Quickly, she shut the door behind her. They had to confine the area.

"I'm not stepping on anything." Lulu assured her.

"Put your damn shoes on and kill the little son of a bitch!" Maxie ordered, running around the chair nearest the door.

Lulu watched the area where Maxie was now since it would make a lot of sense for the mouse to try to escape through the door. She couldn't believe that little witch had shut the door, but there wasn't a way to open it without leaving the comfort of the couch. Maxie's eyes widened and she pointed at Lulu's hand, moving back. Lulu followed the motion with her eyes and watched the mouse touch its tiny paw to her thumb. Screaming, she leapt off of the couch and ran for the kitchen.

"He's coming after you!" Maxie wasn't sure why she warned Lulu. It'd be funny as hell to watch her feet fly over her head again.

"Shut up! Shut up!" Lulu wailed, trying desperately to climb onto the counter.

Distracted by the door opening again, she was only vaguely aware of something skidding across her shoe. Looking down, another scream tore from her throat and she threw her leg out with as much strength as she could. The creature landed in Maxie's hair, to which the taller blonde shrieked and tried to disentangle it from her hair without actually touching it.

Satisfied that her hair was rodent-free, Maxie turned to see Ric standing in the doorway trying not to laugh. Without thinking, she ran over to him and jumped into his arms. "Kill it." She half whispered, half begged.

"How about you hop down so I can?" Ric suggested with a chuckle.

"I don't know or care who you are." Lulu informed him. "Just please get it."

"It's just a little mouse." Ric told them once he set Maxie on her feet. "Nothing to worry about. May I?" He asked gesturing toward a baseball cap Lulu had gotten at her very first game.

Lulu nodded enthusiastically and let out a sigh when he scooped the mouse into it and turned over the bill to keep it from getting out. When Maxie followed Ric out of the room, a little light bulb went off in Lulu's mind. Well now, she thought to herself. That's interesting. It wasn't uncommon for Maxie to cling to men she didn't know, but she seemed to be at least a little acquainted with the guy that had saved them from the mouse. She started to wonder if he would have been as hospitable if Maxie hadn't been in the room too.

The lilac polish was starting to crack and chip away, but Georgie couldn't bring herself to care enough to doctor it. Doctor, she thought grimly. Robin's phone call in the middle night. Lung Cancer. Surgery option open. Surgery confirmed. No contact as of now. She stared at the cell phone in her hands, willing it to ring, praying the news would be good. She had never felt so in need of her family than right this second. Not once, save the first week overseas, had she been hit with a longing for home, at least not to this extreme. Curling up and crying herself to sleep seemed a reasonable reaction considering she hadn't slept since that first phone call from the States. Her professors understood her need for a few days to think through what she was going to do. It was simple. Stupid simple. She had to go back to Port Charles.

Georgie turned the cell phone over and over in her hands, gritting her teeth at the overwhelming silence. What would she do if it never rang? What if the next call she got was to inform her that Alexis had died during surgery, or shortly thereafter? She had considered turning it to vibrate just to avoid the shrillness of her once-loved ring tone, but she was too worried that she would miss the call if she did. She didn't trust her voicemail. There was no option but to sit and wait. Her roommates had understood her seclusion much like her professors. She hadn't talked to Steven in over a week. Finals were kicking her butt and she hadn't had a spare minute to call him. He probably thought she was mad at him. Oh Georgiana, what are you worried about him for? Alexis is critical!

She had enough to worry about without adding whatever it was she had with Steven to the mix. She had just about convinced herself that her hormones had been on overdrive the last time they saw each other. It was bound to happen. Steven Webber was attractive and the last guy who had shown this much attention to her had gone off and gotten married to someone else. She could easily say that it had been too long since she had been in the company of a man and she was reacting on instinct and deprivation. But when he had smiled at her and told her he hadn't wanted to ruin the image she had of him, all of her so-called suppositions had gone down the drain. Georgie pulled her knees to her chin and buried her face between them. She did not need this right now.

Lost in her thoughts, Georgie jumped a foot in the air at the sound of her cell phone receiving a text message. Slapping her hand to her chest, she thumbed the enter button and read the message quickly. It was Steven, but then, of course it was. He probably knew she was sitting here thinking about him. "You need to get a grip." She chided herself, going to the window and glancing down at where Steven had said he was waiting for her. Brown curls brushing against his face, he looked up at the right moment and waved at her. She waved back weakly and returned to the seclusion of her room. He would come up now. He would want to know what was wrong. How would he even know? A little voice wondered. Georgie absently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and that was when she felt the onset of tears.

Knocking quietly on the door he knew was hers, Steven wondered what exactly was waiting for him on the other side. He had assumed finals had been keeping Georgie busy and that was the reason for her silence. But the random email he got from her roommates the other day concerned him more than he wanted to admit to himself.

She needs to talk to someone. And we think she'll only talk to you.

"Georgie girl?" He called through the door. "Come on, I won't interrupt your studying for long. I just wanted to show you something real quick. I promise. Two minutes and I'm gone." He carefully kept the small bag behind his back just in case she decided to actually use the peep hole in the door.

Georgie slowly got up from the bed and crossed the room. She opened the door halfway and was met with Steven's brilliant smile which dimmed the second he noticed how awful she must look cuddled up in a brown wool blanket, hair tangled, makeup washed away by tears and regret. "Hi." She managed quietly.

"Hi." He gently eased his way into the room, closing the door behind him as he went. "What's going on?"

"Same old, same old." Georgie lied, biting the inside of her cheek.

"Georgie. Something's wrong." He said simply, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"My cousin called. Robin...you know...you met her. Anyway, she said that my dad's fiancé...that she's been diagnosed with lung cancer." Georgie choked out.

Steven blinked as he watched the tears start to fall down her face. In the back of his mind, ever since he moved across the country from his family, he had feared just this situation. Being far away from home, feeling helpless and knowing there was nothing you could do at this exact second. He reached up and pulled her down to sit next to him on the bed. "Come here," he whispered, gently laying her head on his shoulder, pulling her shaking body close to him.

Georgie closed her eyes and reveled in the feel of his hand on her cheek. She wanted to turn away from his tenderness, but it was too needed. Settling her arms around his waist, she leaned in closer and let out a ragged breath. "I'm not usually like this." She assured him in case he thought otherwise.

"I think this time it's understandable."

"I feel so...useless." She admitted uneasily.

"What do you know?" Steven pressed gently. "Do you know how advanced it is or anything?"

"It's centralized in her left lung. They're doing surgery—" Georgie glanced at Steven's watch, "now. The doctor was hesitant because, with the surgery, the tumor...the cancer could spread or she could lose several white blood cells leaving her unable to fight off diseases."

"So you're sitting here waiting for the phone to ring?"

"What else can I do? The first flight out of here—" Georgie was a little surprised that he cut her off.

"Leaving? You're leaving?"

Georgie couldn't meet his eyes. "I have to go home. My family needs me."

"Did they tell you to come home?"

"No, but they wouldn't."

"That may be true, but what did they say exactly?"

"That they'll call me the second they know something...that there's nothing I could do even if I was there, but I don't believe them. It's part of the Jones-Scorpio birthright: You don't ask for help. You do it yourself. Al—Alexis will fit right in." Georgie ducked her face from his view so he couldn't the catch the new wave of tears forming in her eyes.

"Hey look at me." He tried to turn her toward him. "How long have you been sitting up here by yourself worrying about this?"

"A long time I guess." Georgie murmured.

"I'm going to guess from the second you found out. That's why you've been ducking me lately right?"

"I haven't been ducking you. Or not just you. I haven't even gone to class..." Georgie prattled on.

"Or talked to your roommates." He held up his hand when he saw her start to protest. "They emailed me. They're worried about you."

"They did what?" Georgie shrieked.

"They said you were upset and not talking. They thought I might have better luck getting you to talk for some reason." Steven shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, because they were just trying to help."

"For some reason." Georgie parroted. "You came here to check on me as a favor to my roommates?" She asked carefully.

"No. I was coming by anyway to see you. They just sped up the timetable is all."

"Yeah?" Georgie felt something like a smile grace her lips. "Did you miss me?" She teased him.

"Of course I did. Who else is going to tell me A Walk to Remember is actually a good movie?"

"There is that. Steven, can I ask you a favor?" Georgie whispered, staring down at her hands.

"Name it Georgie."

"Can you—could you hold me just a little longer?"

"Sure thing." Steven pulled her closer to him and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "I'll stay as long as you need me to."


	176. More Than Fine

Biting her lower lip, Elizabeth looked over where her grandmother stood putting the finishing touches on their dinner. Normally the aroma of pot roast made her smile, but tonight she wanted to throw up. And not from morning sickness. This was going to be harder than she had originally thought.

"There!" Audrey exclaimed as she picked up the large stock pot from the stove and made her way to the table. "Now it's time to eat."

"It smells delicious Grams."

"Thank you." Putting the meal in the center of the small table, Audrey sat down across from Elizabeth. "Go on. Help yourself."

Elizabeth laughed when she saw the sheer volume the stock pot contained. While they had often had a few leftovers after every meal, it was clear they would be able to eat this every day for the next month if they needed to. "Grams, you made enough to feed an army."

Audrey tilted her head to one side and smiled knowingly at her granddaughter. "You are eating for two now my dear." Pausing to straighten out the napkin she had placed on her lap, she began to prepare her own plate. "How did the ultrasound go?"

"Fine." Elizabeth answered quickly, deciding to concentrate on her plate instead of her grandmother's face. She and Lucky had decided to keep the results of the ultrasound to themselves, surprising the rest of the family. Elizabeth realized it was a bit of a stretch to think Lucky would be able to keep a secret for the remaining four months, but it was going to be fun to watch him try. But if he could do it, it would be worth it to see the look on the faces of their friends and family when they found out. "No problems. Everything looks good."

"Did you find out if the baby was a boy or a girl?"

"We decided it would be much better if it was a surprise."

Audrey nodded. "There are a few good surprises in life. This is one of them."

"That it is." Elizabeth smiled brightly as she continued to pick at her food. How was she supposed to do this? She knew her grandmother wasn't going to flip out or condemn her to hell. And she was reasonably certain she wasn't going to hear that dreaded phrase "living in sin", even though Elizabeth could admit she was currently a walking advertisement for sin. Her own sister had lived with a guy throughout college and her grandmother hadn't so much as lifted a slightly disapproving eyebrow, and Elizabeth was convinced that was more about the guy Sarah was dating than anything else. But then again, Sarah wasn't technically living with her grandmother when she moved in with Marco the wannabe model/skeevy pervert. She had just done it and let their parents break the news.

"Elizabeth? Darling? Are you ok? You've hardly touched your food." Audrey's concerned voice broke through Elizabeth's musings.

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about something." Obsessing really, but that was the same thing as thinking, wasn't it?

"About what dear?"

Elizabeth could only shake her head. She planned out how to make the perfect announcements, and everything would go horrendously, hideously wrong. She'd worried and dithered about how to say something and the perfect opportunity would come up. Next time she wasn't planning a darn thing, that was it. "Lucky and I have been talking. A lot really. About the baby and how he involved he wants to be with the pregnancy and all."

"That's good dear." Audrey answered noncommittally, trying hard not to smile at the younger woman's obvious nerves.

"Yeah I think so too. And the thing is, we've both been thinking about something. Something big. A big step."

"Really? And what is that?"

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth said it all in one rapid breath. "Lucky asked me to move in with him and I said yes."

She had braced herself for at least a mild protest, an "oh my", some sort of reaction. Opening one eye slowly, she half expected to see her grandmother sitting in shock. The joke was on her as her grandmother sat calmly, picking up a piece of potato with her fork. "Grams? Did you hear what I just said? I'm moving in with Lucky."

"I heard you dear. I'm just waiting for the big step you were talking about."

"Grams!"

Audrey laughed as she put down her utensils and grabbed Elizabeth's hands. "Darling, I'm sorry but it's not that shocking of an announcement for you two to make. You spend more time at his place than here already."

"So you're ok with this then?"

"I'm not going to pretend this is exactly what I think the two of you should be doing right now, but this your decision. Not mine. Does this make you happy?"

Nodding quickly, Elizabeth couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Yeah. Yeah it does." The more she thought about it, the more sense it made to her.

"Then that's all I need to know." Audrey winked in her granddaughter's direction. "Now eat up my dear. If you thought Laura Spencer was an incurable matchmaker before, just wait until you move in with her only son."

"Sit down before you fall down please." Patrick ignored Robin's blatant hostility at being ordered to do anything and felt rather pleased with himself when she did as he wanted and climbed onto the couch. They had gone over and over furniture since moving in but only because she thought it was important. He couldn't have cared less about side tables and stools if he suddenly worked for a furniture store. Still, she had clung to it as a way to cope with all of the changes the move required so Patrick had humored her and given her his honest opinion about everything they looked at together.

"I'm perfectly capable—" Robin began, an argument in sight. She didn't understand what the problem was with her being at the hospital a few more hours. Alexis would be in surgery for that long and there'd be no word on her at this point, but how dare Patrick demand she come home when it was her place to take care of everyone else? She wanted to smack that knowing look off of his face, but that would require movement, and her body was already starting to mold into the couch.

Patrick pressed his thumb to her lips, silencing her. "I never said you were anything less than capable, but you need to rest, baby. Just a little bit. I'll go with you if you want to go back to the hospital before your uncle calls us, but you're not going back alone and you're not going back tonight." He assured her stubbornly. He didn't know where this need came from, the one that said it was her job to take better care of everyone else than herself, but it was beginning to give him a headache. A little rest on her part would not be a drastic action for her to take and he was going to do all he could to make sure she didn't overexert herself.

"Oh yeah? Since when do you control what I do?" Robin asked pointedly. This was all Dillon's fault. If he hadn't made that call to Patrick and over exaggerated quite as much as he had, Patrick wouldn't feel obligated to baby-sit her. She hated feeling weak. Maybe she was a little tired, but how did Patrick think Uncle Mac was feeling at the moment? It wasn't like he had gotten any sleep. He was currently watching the surgery from a room above the OR. And Maxie? She had gone straight from the hospital to her night shift. That simply wasn't fair. None of them had had any sleep and Robin didn't feel that she should get to slow down when the night was just beginning for her family.

Patrick didn't respond immediately, taking advice from Alexis and counting to ten before doing so. Robin was obviously upset, but her mood was not going to improve if she didn't stop to take a breather. He wished she would let her guard down just a smidge and let him take care of her. It wasn't that he thought himself superior to her; this wasn't even a man/woman thing. "I'm not trying to control what you do. I'm worried about you." He answered sincerely.

"That makes no sense at all, Patrick." Robin assured him.

"Because me worrying about you is a new thing?" Patrick lightly teased, dropping onto the couch next to her, not missing the way she slid further away from him. He would take her kicking and screaming if that's what he had to do. She was mad, so he would keep his tone light. She was irritated so he would stay calm. She was feeling put off so he'd make certain not to be patronizing. She was exhausted so he would have to relax her.

"Why are you being so difficult?" Robin whined, pushing his hand away when his fingers crept toward hers. She didn't want him touching her. She didn't even want to share a space with him at that moment. God, why did he have to push and push and push? Was it so unfathomable that she could take care of herself? Sure, he wanted to help, and most days, she wouldn't mind, but today was different. Today Robin was frightened and the emotion was no stranger to her.

Grinning, Patrick leaned in closer and whispered directly into her ear, "Because I love you."

No matter how many times he said the words, she was still in awe to realize that he meant them with all of his heart. She had had her doubts for so long that he would never feel this way about her, that she would be in love alone, but he had surprised her; he had charmed her. But, damn him, why did he have to use the words now when she was feeling so angry and so, well, useless? What could she get done here when her family was stuck at the hospital waiting on Alexis to come out of surgery? "That's not always going to work." She pointed out, still beyond his reach even though he was closing in on her.

"Yes it is," Patrick countered, smiling when he watched Robin stiffen in defiance. "You live to hear those words from me. And I'll say them as often as I want to, because sometimes I think you forget."

"If you say them as part of an agenda, then they lose their meaning." Robin insisted, using his words as a buffer between them. It was a last-ditch effort, one she had every intention of clinging to.

Patrick actually laughed and Robin looked like she might pounce on him. "Sweetheart, 'I love you' has always been part of an agenda and that's true of any man. It doesn't make it any less true." To further prove his point, he kissed the tip of her nose and smirked when her face got hot.

"So when you first told me you loved me, you were trying to get me into bed?" Robin challenged, crossing her arms.

Patrick was having the damndest time trying to keep his expression passive. "Honey, when I told you hello I was trying to get you into bed."

"This is very interesting," Robin was fully aware that she had started to ramble and it was the exact reaction Patrick was looking for because that was the time he placed his hands on either side of her waist and pulled her into his lap. She made a loud yelping sound as she flew through the air even though the entire journey couldn't have lasted more than two seconds and she had only moved a matter of inches.

"You know what I find very interesting?" Patrick asked, kissing the side of her neck. He let his kisses move just beneath her ear and stroked her hips when he heard her sharp intake of breath. She could put on the cold hard bitch façade for someone else, he wasn't buying it.

Robin's head lolled to one side unintentionally giving him better access to her neck. His teeth closed over the tip of her ear and he sucked it strongly, using his tongue to soothe the sting. His hands slid up her sides and then back down causing friction between his fingers and the bottom of her mint green sweater and her arms reached up, encircling his neck. "Hmm?" Robin breathed.

Patrick smiled and eased a bit of the shaggy material up so that only her stomach was exposed. "I think we talk far too much in this relationship. In fact, I think that if we must talk, let's limit it to only a few words an hour. There are so many other things we can be occupying ourselves with."

"Is that so?" He had learned the way she liked to be touched, to be held, and her body was responding just the way he wanted it to. He could manipulate every breath she took in or expelled; he had a way of talking to her that made her feel as if he had never been with anyone but her. She was good for his ego and he was good for her body. She could feel him lower her onto her back and sighed at how perfectly they fit together from their shoulders to their toes. He was a foot taller than she so what sense did it make for her body to meet his in just the right places? How could a simple touch from him be more powerful than any of her previous sexual experiences?

Robin yawned, breaking the sensual spell and Patrick laughed again. "You're tired, huh?" He didn't sound upset, slightly amused, but definitely not annoyed. He had spent the better part of an hour trying to get her to relax and she was taking him up on his offer.

Robin shook her head. "No, I'm alright." It was a lie. God help her, falling asleep was not on her agenda.

Patrick touched his lips to hers tentatively and she met his careful question with outright intent. He would stop if she wanted him to, if she was too tired. As the moments ticked by, she was finding herself less and less tired. Her arms, still wrapped around his neck, moved to his shoulders, and she pressed her fingers into his muscled back. A wave of passion rippled through his entire body and he moaned against her mouth.

She let her eyes close as his fingers moved to her shirt again, pushing down the sleeve to expose her left breast for his eyes and mouth to feast on. Her body jerked and he softened his hold on the sensitive nipple, replacing his teeth with a slow swipe of his tongue. She reached behind her—lifting her body against his a little more intimately—and unbuttoned her blouse since it refused to cooperate with Patrick's impatience. Together, they wrestled the sweater off of her and she moved him into a sitting position, burying her face in his shoulder as he continued to familiarize himself with her body.

Her breathing slowed and she noticed her eyes start to droop. Patrick didn't notice right away but, once he realized, she felt herself being lifted off of the couch and carried upstairs. She was expecting to be put in their bed and found herself disoriented when her exposed back was placed against the chilled frame of the bathtub. When he grappled for the button on her jeans, she fought him, feeling uncomfortable. Patrick lifted her out of the tub and stood her on her feet, stripping her clothes down to her ankles and helping her out of them. Her eyes blinked open, her confusion clear, but Patrick reached beyond her and flipped on the hot water. The water filled the claw footed tub at an alarmingly quick rate and the bathroom soon filled with warm steam. Not wanting to scald them, he twisted off the hot water and added a layer of cold.

Even though she knew would have no trouble climbing into the tub, she didn't fight him when he hurried to do the task for her. The water closed over her body like a warm blanket and she let her head fall lightly back to rest against the tub. When Patrick didn't immediately join her, she glanced up at him with unveiled passion. He smiled, turned off the water, and made a quick grab for the soap. Robin's eyebrows lifted in fascination as he brought down the bar of soap and spent the next several minutes lathering her skin. Several times, she tried to pull him in with her, but he was very evasive and managed to dodge her each time.

It was as if he had flipped a switch and was suddenly not as desperate to be inside of her as he had been downstairs. His left hand that held the soap was focusing on her upper body, mostly her neck, her breasts, and her ribs; his right hand was resting against her stomach while his long fingers wrapped around her lower body and plunged between her thighs. She gasped, straining against each of his hands. His left hand slid up to cup her chin and he angled his mouth over hers. His lips bruised hers but she couldn't find any fault in it and when his tongue probed her lips she parted them for him and drew him into a much deeper, much wetter kiss.

Her left arm wrapped around his neck and she attempted to pull him even closer. He crouched down slightly and used the kiss to force her back a little so that she was once again at the mercy of his skillful fingers. He caught her whimper in his mouth and pressed his thumb between her thighs, holding, pressing, but no longer stroking. The sound she made was one of frustration, of desperation, and he seemed to revel in it.

"Why?" Robin managed to choke out before his mouth settled over hers again. Why must he make her work for it was what she meant. She felt her body strain upward and wished very much for him to be in here with her. Her jerky movements caused water to splash out of the tub, but she didn't give a damn about the mess.

"Why what?" Patrick asked, his confusion only acting as temporary deterrent from his current task. He turned his hand slightly, letting his thumbnail graze her most sensitive flesh and moaned when she bit his bottom lip in response.

Robin gave him a sideways look. "If you don't get your cute butt in this bathtub, I'm going to bed."

Patrick considered his options for about half a second. He pulled his navy cardigan off so fast it flew over his head. He shucked out of his jeans in the same fashion. Robin couldn't suppress her sigh when he stood gloriously naked in front of her. Sitting up and turning around to make room for him, she smiled victoriously. He stretched out and relaxed his head against the back of the opposite side of the tub. Crooking his finger toward her, he smiled when she closed the space between them and collected her in his arms.

Robin let her hands fall down his chest slowly and traced his nipples with her thumbs. His hand came to rest on the back of her neck and he merged their mouths together, their tongues flicking and dueling as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. If he turned a little to the left, he would already be inside of her. Pleasure coursed through her body and she unconsciously moved her hips against his.

His hands shot out to grab her waist and hold her back a little. He found surprise in her eyes, at her behavior mostly, and he knew he would have to keep his head about him or they would completely bend the rules and that would be a very stupid mistake. His knees shook a little when he climbed out of the tub and hurried across the hall to find the box of condoms. He was so thankful Morgan wasn't home, because he honestly didn't know how he would explain this to his cousin.

Lowering his body into the tub, Patrick was able to take in one full breath, nothing more, before Robin climbed into his lap and put her own agenda to good use. Forcing his breath out through clenched teeth, he tried to adjust her more comfortably against him and managed to slide into her a little deeper. This time a tremor ran through her body and she met his eyes. He tilted her head back with his thumb and kissed her, using his free hand to draw her closer.

Her legs wrapped securely around his waist, her eyes closing on another wave of sensation and his hands climbed higher up her back, his fingertips leaving marks on her perfect skin. Caught up in the sensual dance, she let her head fall back, breaking the kiss, and his lips moved to her neck while his fingers traced the undersides of her breasts. The momentum caused Patrick to lean forward thus trapping Robin underneath him, exactly where he wanted her.

Her ankles biting into his lower back, he pushed all the way inside of her and their voices caught on screams. He made certain to keep his hands under her head and she held onto him for dear life. For several seconds, neither could move. And then impatience got the better of him and he started thrusting into her with long, slow strokes. Reading the wild look in her eyes, he kissed her lips, marveling in her sweetness. She made a helpless sound and then began to climax taking him with her. Water splashed out of the old-fashioned tub and they held each other for a long time in the aftermath.


	177. The Little Things That Give You Away

She introduced herself as Rosa Maria Medina. She was Cruz's grandmother and, upon meeting her, Bobbie was convinced that the ninety-eight-year-old woman despised her. Bobbie wasn't sure what she had expected, but when Cruz talked of Grandma Maria, she had envisioned someone more talkative, or lively, definitely taller. She held the phone between her shoulder and her left ear and tried to reiterate her feelings to her husband but, as usual, her words were going in one ear and out the other. "I don't understand why you can't come home a little early. I got the house ready for your family. The least you can do..."

"The least I can do? Bobbie, you know why I can't drop everything and come there. You act like my grandmother is the Antichrist." Cruz patronized, signaling for Axe to come back later when his most faithful employee showed up at his door. "Listen, we'll talk when I get home—"

"When you get home?" Bobbie shrieked, covering the phone with her right palm to listen for any noise outside the bedroom she had barricaded herself in. "This is not the nineteen fifties. You will come home right now or I will make your life a living hell." She warned, twisting the cord around her left index finger.

"You're the one who suggested they stay at the townhouse. If you're sick of them, just go back to the Brownstone." Cruz suggested through gritted teeth.

"I was trying to be nice since you were the one who wanted to run off and get married without inviting any of our family." Bobbie pointed out.

"What?" Cruz spurted incredulously. "If you didn't want to get married that way, you should have been a little more vocal beforehand." He knew it was hormones, but God help him, he didn't know if he would survive the rest of this pregnancy with Bobbie's alternate personality.

"Well maybe if you had been a little more willing to use protection that one time, maybe then I would have gotten to meet your family before I got knocked up. Have you thought about that?" Bobbie challenged angrily.

"Bobbie—" In Cruz's voice there was a warning, but he doubted his wife would pay any attention to it.

"No! Don't Bobbie me! Do you have any idea how people look at me, how your family looks at me? They didn't know me before. They probably think I'm a middle-aged gold-digger." She whimpered.

"First off, it would probably be the other way around. I've always had a soft spot for...the mature."

"Good save." Bobbie congratulated. "Can you please get here soon? Your grandmother is holed up in the nursery and I don't want to make them go to the Brownstone if they don't want to. I'm playing dutiful wife, expectant mother, and hostess. I need a little bit of help."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Just, try to get to know them. Once you do, I'm sure you'll be forced to look through mountains of scrapbooks—on second thought, ask about recipes." Cruz advised.

"I love you." Bobbie took a breath and hung up the phone, glancing nervously at the bedroom door. It was still two hours until dinnertime which meant recipes were out. There wasn't nearly enough room in any of the women's suitcases for them to hold even one scrapbook of a much younger Cruz. She didn't know what it was about them, but she felt like the outsider. Cruz would come home and they'd talk nonstop with him until she entered the room. Once she was in their presence, the room would fall into a hush.

"What kind of hostess am I being?" She called out to the room. "They're in a new place and I've done nothing to make them feel welcome." She couldn't always hide behind Cruz, especially since he made certain to not be home a lot.

"You got yourself into this mess and you're going to plow forward and get your self-respect back." Bobbie repeated it over and over like a mantra and it was powerful enough to get her to her feet. "You're a Spencer. Start acting like it."

"BS!" Maxie said a little too loudly, attracting the attention of a white-haired woman passing them on a walker.

"Is not." Lucas crossed his arms defensively, careful to keep the rest of his cards from the view of Maxie.

"Oh, now, please. Don't be a spoilsport. It's obvious you're lying." Maxie fanned her cards in front of her face.

"Pull the cards if your so sure." Lucas challenged.

Maxie lifted an eyebrow at him and flipped over the aforementioned cards. "Damn." She whispered.

Snapping his fingers at his cousin, Lucas smirked. "What is it you like to say...oh yeah? Eat em."

Maxie's hands swept over the cards and she pulled them toward her, grumbling all the way. "We should play Speed. It's much more fun than this."

"Spoken like someone who is losing."

"Ha-ha." Maxie rolled her eyes.

"What's taking so long, Daddy?" Lance wanted to know, looking over at the still-closed hospital room.

"The doctors have to make sure everything is fine before they talk to us." Lucas tried to keep his voice neutral and calm. He had hated hospitals ever since BJ died. He hated them even more since his family had decided to take up residence in them. It was almost enough to make him want to convince his mother a home birth was the way to go.

"That's right Lancelot." Maxie added, pushing his hair back with a corner of the card in her hand. "Pretty soon they'll let us know what's going on. See, if Alexis is okay, we get to take her home."

"But why? They should know. They're doctors." Lance insisted impatiently.

"Yes. That's why they want to make absolutely sure. It's no fun to come back if they were wrong." Lucas tried to keep his own memories at bay. Aunt Mattie had been told to go home and then had to come back.

"But what's wrong with her, Daddy?" Lance persisted.

"The doctors found something wrong in her lungs. And they had surgery to fix it. They are trying to make sure they got it all out."

"Is there something in my lungs too?" Lance pointed to his chest.

"No. Your lungs are fine."

Maxie could tell the child was about to ask something else, so she handed him the kaleidoscope keychain she kept in her purse. She couldn't stand this waiting any more than the child in her presence, but his questions were making her uneasy. Why did they have to make a habit of being in the hospital so much? Pretty soon they would be spending holidays here. She shook her head, trying to erase that thought out of fear that it might happen. It had been over two years since her last appointment; BJ's heart was still keeping her alive. The doctors had tried to convince her that her cousin's heart wasn't strong enough, that she needed to move onto a better one, but Maxie had thrown a fit to keep it. The day she gave up BJ's heart would be the day she was dead.

A pair of feet shuffled and the trio glanced up to see a haggard looking commissioner. Mac held the door halfway open, his way of inviting them in. He seemed incapable of even speaking. Maxie immediately rushed to hug him, but he pushed her away, clearly unable to hold it together if he leaned on her for even a second. Rubbing his tired face, he refused to meet Lance's eyes, knowing his eyes would give him away. There was no reason to frighten the child.

The smiling, bouncing creature he spotted further down the street was a far cry from the weeping girl he had held in his arms a few short days ago. Holding her until her breathing gave away the fact she was asleep, Steven had tucked her into the bed and left quietly, leaving the gift he had brought her on the nightstand next to her phone where she was sure to see it. For a brief minute, he considered staying with her, just in case the phone rang, but reason quickly returned to him. Georgie would call him if she needed him. And she had. Nearing her, he reached out a hand to gently tug on a flyway tendril. "Someone looks better."

Georgie met his cautious stare with a quiet composure. It had been at least a few days since she had seen him and she could admit to herself that she had missed him. Everything had come pouring out of her mouth in a string of mumbles and barely heard curses, but he had held her through all of it, understanding her pain. Her roommates hadn't approached her until this morning, until she had waved the proverbial white flag—it was actually a sock. "Hi."

"Hi. Are you feeling better?"

Georgie beamed at him. "Yes I am and so is Alexis." She practically chirped.

Her smile was contagious. And beautiful. He quickly pushed that thought out of his head. She was barely over twenty. That was dangerous territory. Steven smiled back. "That's great!"

"I'm sorry for the other day." And yet, as embarrassed as she was about how she had acted, she wasn't sorry that he had stayed with her until she had fallen asleep.

"Don't worry about it. Everyone is allowed one bad day in Paris. You just used yours early in your trip is all."

Georgie lightly punched his left arm. "Are you busy right now?"

Technically he was supposed to be looking for the umpteenth new location to re-shoot the scene they had just done even though the director would probably end up using the first scene after all. Wasting his time or hang out with Georgie? The choice was infinitely simple. "Not a darn thing. What do you have in mind?"

"I'm hungry. Do you want to get something to eat? It's nice weather. Maybe we could go for a walk. You still owe me the rest of that tour." Georgie picked a piece of blanket fuzz from his sandy hair and held it out for him to see. "Sleeping on the job? Shame on you."

"No. That's called it freezing at five am in the dark." What the man had against actually shooting in a studio Steven would never learn. He offered Georgie his arm. "Shall we walk malady?"

Georgie nodded and linked their arms together. "This is going to be fun."

Steven led them toward the banks of the Seine once more, pausing every now and again to watch the boats float by. Spotting a man sitting in front of an easel, he nudged Georgie with his elbow and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "What do you think? A real painter or just trying to get the girls?"

Georgie made a face of surprise. "Of course he's a real painter. He's..." She happened to glance over the man's shoulder and her face went white as a sheet. When she met Steven's curious stare, she whispered, "He's gearing up for the smut cover of his next novel."

Sneaking a similar glance, Steven struggled not to laugh. "If that's any indication, the book must suck."

"He's a struggling artist. Cut him some slack." Georgie teased, blushing when he looked up from his easel.

Leading them quickly away before the man could hear them further, Steven laughed. "He's not struggling. His art is though."

She giggled, throwing her head back a little. "What made you want to come to Paris?"

"Work. And it doesn't get much more glamorous than shooting a movie in Paris. Even jaded Hollywood types do the same thing. What about you? Of all the cities in the world, why study in Paris?"

"Why not?" Georgie responded in quiet fascination. "I couldn't think of a better opportunity to get to really see the world as a whole. I don't know if you've noticed, but Port Charles is pretty small. And small towns carry gossip. It's just nice to be this far away so, if on a whim I decide to do something crazy, it won't get back to the people who used to baby-sit me."

"Something crazy huh? Like what?" He teased her.

"I don't know. I haven't really made it a priority." Georgie admitted.

He stopped her suddenly and turned her body so they faced each other. "Then I think it is my mission to make sure you make it a priority."

"How are you going to do that? A risk involves fascination, a little fear, and exhilaration. Paris is so calm." Georgie rationalized.

"Then you aren't looking in the right spots." Steven argued. "Paris is the City of Lights. The City of Love. A city with this reputation isn't calm. You can't be the world capital of romance by being calm. If it was possible then the whole world would flock to Port Charles to find love."

Georgie smiled at his skewed expression. "It's pretty calm right now." She nodded toward the mass array of colors sprinkled across the darkening sky. "And beautiful." She added for good measure.

He locked eyes with her and felt himself return her smile. Without his conscious approval, he took a small step toward her. "Everything is beautiful in Paris."

The wind picked up a little and Georgie moved to brush her bangs out of her eyes but Steven's hands were already there, on either side of her face, tucking the wispy strands behind her ears. She brought her hands to rest against his and felt a shiver go through them both. The night had been perfectly cool a minute ago, but now it was suddenly very warm.

"We should...um...we should..." If he would stop staring at her, she would be able to get through a full sentence.

"We should what?" If she stopped moving closer to him, he would be able to just put one step in front of the other and walk away.

They both seemed to leap forward though she wasn't certain of anything until she felt their lips meet tentatively. His hands were still on her face, applying enough pressure to tilt her head to the side and deepen the kiss. She had thought about this moment for a long time, she realized. A lot longer than she should have. She was here, in Paris, to study, to get an education...but all of that seemed to float away when she found that she was suddenly participating in the kiss.

Her hand came to rest against his chest before she was ready to end the kiss. She didn't know if she ever wanted it to end. Breathing had fallen on her list of priorities to at least number two. But then he broke the kiss and she was left feeling disoriented. She pulled her hand away from his gray pullover as if he had stung her.

"This wasn't the crazy thing I had in mind for you." Steven breathed out. He tried not to look at her. Looking at her would lead right back to kissing her. And as good as it had been, he couldn't kiss her again. He just couldn't.

"No." Georgie made certain that there was no question in her voice. He obviously regretted it. She tried not to let that hurt her.

"Bungee jumping. Skydiving. Drinking too much wine." He rattled off nervously. Two minutes ago he might have added kissing someone she wouldn't normally kiss on there. Alright, maybe he had lied about this not being on his list for her. But the fact remained she was still younger than his baby sister. He was probably already going to school when she was born. As beautiful as he was starting to realize she was, he couldn't fall for her. He couldn't have fallen for her already. He glanced at his watch. "I...I've got to get back to the set."

Alexis shared a nervous look with Mac, barely noticing that the rest of the cavalry were leaving the room. Nodding toward the phone, she felt herself gulp before she asked, "Do you think Georgie bought it?"


	178. Lottery Winners On Acid

"This is completely uggo." Elizabeth declared, putting back the wildly patterned shapeless shirt back on the rack. "I may be pregnant, but I am not blind."

"And neither are the rest of us." Robin shoved the skirt further into the mess of hangers.

"I always dress with you in mind Robin. Always." Elizabeth teased, reaching for a lilac sweater and a stripped collared shirt. "Better?"

"Much." Robin emphasized.

"So Alexis is really going to be ok?" Elizabeth asked as she grimaced at the sight of the elastic pants. They could try all they wanted but the tops of maternity pants would never be cute, she decided. She felt guilty for not being there with Robin during the entire surgery process. She had been just a few floors away during some of it and never even knew.

"She's out of the woods. I don't know if that means she's going to be okay." Robin answered uncertainly. "They're letting her go home."

"That has to be a good sign. Surely they would keep her if she wasn't going to be okay. No insurance company could be that bad."

Robin laughed as Elizabeth had meant for her to. "It's amazing to me that you even need this stuff. You're tiny as it is. I figured you'd gain maybe five pounds."

"I know I'm a fat blimp. You don't need to rub it in Tiny Tim."

"Oh, that's not what I meant at all." Robin insisted. She had seen pre-hormones Elizabeth and she was scared.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry. I'm just totally all over the place and I know I sound crazy." Elizabeth paused to hold up a simple black dress to add to her pile. "Maybe Lucky's the crazy one for wanting to live with the mess I've become."

"What's that?" Robin goaded. "What did you say?"

"I didn't tell you?" Elizabeth scrunched her face up in feigned ignorance.

"No you didn't. Isn't Audrey's house a little small to accommodate Lucky, Cam, and Jr. here?" Robin mocked.

"You're hilarious. When's your comedy special again?" Elizabeth mocked before turning serious. "Lucky asked me to move in."

"But where will he sleep?"

"I'm sending him over to you and Patrick's. That one room is still empty right?"

"When did you make this decision?" Robin wanted to know.

"A few days ago."

"This is great news! We've got to celebrate. Grab your outfits; we've got more stores to hit." Robin declared.

"More stores? What are you talking about?" Elizabeth held onto her outfits as Robin dragged her toward the cash register.

"You're going to need, well, things to make it feel like your home too." Robin explained.

"Oh you mean stuff Patrick and Lucky would term 'girlie crap' then?"

"This is your house now too. Do you really want to feel like a guest for the rest of your life?" Robin challenged.

"Damn I hate it when you have a point. You're impossible to argue with when you are actually right."

"It happens so often, I hardly have to make an argument." Robin smirked.

Elizabeth snorted but decided to keep quiet as she paid for her purchases. Gathering her bags she turned to her friend. "Ok. I know you have a plan here. Where should I go first?"

"Pottery Barn." Robin informed her.

"Lead on girlfriend. Lead on."

"I don't know why you two are acting like this is the end of the world." Lucky rolled his eyes at the exaggerated looks of shock on his friends' faces. Pointing his finger between the two of them, he continued. "You just moved in with Robin and you just ran off to Vegas to elope."

"But you always think things through." Patrick argued.

"That's right. We're the spontaneous ones and you are the straight shooter." Cruz went on.

"I asked my pregnant girlfriend to move in with me. How is that not thinking things through or even close to spontaneous?"

"You never asked Jess to." Patrick reminded him.

"Yeah because that would have worked out so well." Lucky snorted. "I'm sure Mom would have loved that plan."

"If you told her I thought of it..." Cruz suggested.

"You weren't family then. You'd have been killed."

"I've always been family." Cruz shook his head.

This was why it was a bad idea to tell these two anything. "It's not that big of deal. She's here more than her grandmother's house anyways." Lucky reasoned.

"So it's a logical thing then?" Patrick couldn't keep the smile off of his face. He was relieved that they had called a truce, especially since it seemed Miss Elizabeth would be in their lives for a long time. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't give his cousin some grief about it.

"As logical as you and Robin living together." Lucky smiled.

"It saves on gas." Patrick reasoned.

"And we all know how environmentally conscious you are."

"I did have to decide between my car and a Hummer. Isn't that ecologically friendly enough for you?"

"I stand corrected Leon DiCaprio."

"Where is Miss Elizabeth now?" Cruz wanted to know.

"Shopping with Robin."

"For?" Cruz pressed on.

"She said something about clothes. I think." Lucky shrugged. "She's with Robin. Whatever they start out shopping for, inevitably they will end up shopping for something else."

"Why are you not more worried about this?" Cruz inquired, alarmed.

"I thought it was supposed to be expectant mothers who had the mood swings. What is the big deal?"

"She's taking over your house and you don't even realize it." Cruz explained.

Looking at his friend in complete bafflement, Lucky shook his head. "Did you fall on your head? How the hell do you make that jump from shopping for clothes?"

"You stupid, stupid little man." Cruz shook his head again. "They start at clothes. By now, she's already moved to the furniture section. I bet you go home and the only thing that hasn't changed is Cam."

"You know those prenatal vitamins aren't for you to take. You do know that right?"

"I'm being serious smart ass." Cruz cautioned. "Today it's clothes, tomorrow your chair is gone, and your clothes are out of the closet. Just you wait."

Lucky turned to Patrick and motioned to Cruz. "Are you following this logic at all?"

"I'd have to care about furniture and changes in my apartment. I gave that right up when I asked Robin to move in with me." Patrick answered.

"I thought the arrangement was you pretended to care and Robin got free reign?"

"That's it in a nutshell." Patrick smirked.

"You're both so blind." Cruz threw his hands up in frustration.

"No. We're just not crazy."

"You want to talk about crazy? You didn't live with Jess when she was going through her pregnancy and you're in the very beginning stages with Liz. You come to me in a few months and we'll see which one of us is crazy." Cruz shook his finger at them.

"Oh even then, you'll still win my friend." Lucky pointed out. The ringing of his cell phone silenced any further argument Cruz may have made. Holding up one finger, he answered without checking the caller ID. "Spencer."

"Lucky?" Dillon kept his voice light and slightly pinched so that there would be no mistaking that something was terribly off. "It's Dillon. Listen, man, I was picking up some new items for the house, and I spotted Elizabeth and Robin checking out...well...and this is strange coming from a gay man, but frilly stuff."

"Frilly stuff?" Lucky purposely ignored the amused look Patrick had on his face and the triumphant look on Cruz's. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"The usual stuff. Duvet sheets, quilts, stitched pillow cases with lots of flowers and ribbons and lace." Dillon ticked each item off on his fingers.

"You're making this up."

Dillon smothered his laugh behind his left hand. "I promise I'm not. Between the two of them, they're making Martha Stewart look like a slacker. How nice! A Welcome Mat with black paw prints."

"The two of them? So Robin's in on this one as well?"

"Women tend to trust their friend's opinion. Robin's basket is pretty full. You might tell Patrick if he's there with you." Dillon suggested. Lucas was right. Revenge was fun.

"He is. I'll let him know." Lucky hung up the phone and tried not to look in Cruz's direction. The gloating smile would be too much to take right now. "According to Dillon, Robin and Elizabeth are determined to make us live in a Laura Ashley catalog. Hope you can fake a liking for lace and ruffles."

"What are you talking about? Robin doesn't do frilly." Patrick rolled his eyes despite the nagging memory of Robin's need for knick-knacks in both her store and their room.

"Apparently now she does."

"This is all your fault." Patrick nodded toward Cruz.

"I was just trying to warn you guys. Women nest. Especially pregnant women." Cruz met Lucky's nervous stare.

"I am so screwed." Lucky groaned.

"So do you think he bought it?" Elizabeth asked as soon as Dillon hung up the phone. Ever since running into him on the way to the Pottery Barn, the three of them had been having one laugh after another. When Robin had suggested this as a great payback for Lucky's sugaring up Lance while babysitting, Dillon had practically leapt at the chance.

"Are you kidding? That was superior acting there girls. And I should know." Dillon laughed, throwing his arms around each of them.

"I should probably feel bad about this. But I don't." Elizabeth mused.

"This is just the beginning." Robin assured them.

"They do make rather easy targets, don't they?" Dillon pondered.

"Completely. They should have learned by now." Elizabeth declared.

"Are we ready for some real shopping? I have a date with an emergency PTA meeting at six." Robin sighed.

"I am ready to shop until my feet give out. Then I'm planning on letting Dillon shop for me." Elizabeth smiled.

Sergeant David Harper strolled toward the group, recognizing Miss Scorpio from the picture in the commissioner's office and Mr. Jones from the newspaper headline a few years ago when he had still lived in L.A. He knew the remaining woman to be Lucky Spencer's new beau, but he accomplished this by process of elimination. He was going on rumors only since, despite the picture in the tabloids, she had been little more than a blur. "I thought I'd come over and see how D.A. Davis is doing."

The three friends shared a quizzical look and it was Dillon who spoke up. "She's hanging in there. I bet she'll be back to work once she can make the IVs blend with her wardrobe."

"Who should I say is asking? I'm sorry, but your name escapes me." Robin admitted bashfully.

Sergeant Harper smiled and waved his hand as if her forgetting his name was of little consequence. "Sergeant David Harper. I work under your uncle, Miss Scorpio."

Robin scrunched up her face at the greeting. This man was her age so it was a little weird for him to address her the way he had. Grasping for a polite response, she managed a weak smile. "I think I've heard him talking about you at dinner sometimes. He says you're the only competent officer in the department."

"Well hello Sergeant." Dillon saluted. It was a long time before his hand fell to his side.

"Aren't you married?" Elizabeth reminded him.

"Lucas would understand." Dillon assured her.

"Oh as long as he understands." Elizabeth laughed.

"I'll pass on the message Sergeant." Robin promised.

"She's in my prayers." Sergeant Harper said, sauntering away.

Dillon paused to watch him walk away. He loved his husband, but it didn't mean he couldn't look. Hell, he had even caught Lucas checking out that new heart surgeon at the hospital during their last visit over there. He loved Lucas too much to do something like that to him, but it didn't mean he was blind to a fine specimen of masculinity. "Well ladies, I think it is time to melt those credit cards. You with me?"

"Damn straight." Robin chimed in.


	179. I Shall Believe

_**This chapter is very sad, so I thought I'd post it when I woke up, that way it gives everyone time to absorb it. Thank you all so much for your continued support! You're invaluable!**_

Robin wasn't sure how the night had gotten away from her, but the light currently piercing her vulnerable eyelids more than proved it was morning. She couldn't remember even coming home, getting into her nightgown, snuggling up next to Patrick—it was just a void, her memory. I must not have realized how tired I was, she thought to herself. She and the gang had kept up the shopping trip for the better part of the afternoon and she had barely made it to the PTA meeting. As luck would have it, she had been only one of two people to actually show up, so she had gotten to go straight home. Maybe she had fallen asleep on the couch or something. She wouldn't know until she opened her eyes.

Instantly, she realized something was wrong. She wasn't in her apartment at all, but a hospital bed. This was highly unorthodox since she didn't even have a cold not to mention the fact that she didn't remember actually coming to the hospital for any reason. Mac had cleared out the family for the night so that he and Kristina could spend some time alone with Alexis. The doctors were still skeptical about letting her leave and Robin was all the more relieved at that. Not only was she not sick, she should have been wearing clothes, not this double-breasted hospital gown. It seemed to swallow her up. The room was quiet save the consistent buzzing and beeping and whirring of the machines around her. Glancing down, she noticed an IV stuck in her right arm.

Her eyes shot from one corner of the tiny room to the other, trying to make sense of a senseless situation. Where was Patrick? And Morgan? Where was Elizabeth? And Lucky? Where was her family? You're not going to get answers by staying here, Robin told herself. If she wanted to know what was going on, she was going to have to get out of this bed and find someone who could provide her with the information she was seeking. It was a simple enough task, getting out of the bed, but her body refused to cooperate. In fact, the more she tried to throw her legs over the bed, the more her body fought back. Something was pulling. Pulling up the gown, she traced the stitches extending from one side of her stomach to the other.

Tears burned her eyes, blurred her vision, and she let them fall shamelessly. She couldn't move, couldn't speak. Resting her back against the pillow, she was startled by a nurse entering the room. "Excuse me?" She called out to her. She had seen her before, Robin remembered, but her name was escaping her mental grasp. Her hair was the color of woven black silk and her eyes were barely a shade lighter than her hair. She had a nice smile, one that, from what Robin could tell, was full of promiscuous promises.

"Are you feeling better, Robin?" The nurse wanted to know.

"What's going on? Why do I have stitches?" Robin asked gesturing toward the swollen brown slits across her flawless skin.

"It was all part of the procedure. You did such a good job. Really, I wish all of my patients were as brave as you." The nurse went on.

"Please, I don't know what's going on." Robin was barely able to voice her confusion when the door opened a second time, this time by Epiphany Johnson, the nurse who had tended to her after the car accident. "Nurse Johnson, would you mind telling me what's going on here?"

"I guess you have every right to be irritable. Nineteen hours with no drugs? I wouldn't have handled it so well. In fact, I didn't. I still tell Stan—" Nurse Johnson rambled.

"I was just telling Robin that she did an excellent job in delivery." Nurse Lee—or so her nametag broadcasted—praised her.

"Delivery?" Robin parroted stupidly. "Is this some kind of joke?" She demanded shrilly.

"Maybe she'll help refresh your memory." Nurse Lee reasoned, heading toward the door and taking something from the nurse standing there. Robin couldn't tell exactly what she was holding, but she was becoming more and more perplexed as the seconds ticked by.

"I say, that is the sweetest little baby I've ever seen." Nurse Johnson admired the tiny angel swaddled in the pink blanket, barely brushing the infant's thin brown hair away from her closed eyes.

"Sorry." Nurse Lee apologized. "We don't mean to hog her." As soon as she said the words, she turned and held out the baby for Robin to see.

"Who—who's that?" The tears were falling freely now. This was far beyond cruel. Why must they tempt her with a baby when they knew perfectly well that she couldn't conceive?

"Your daughter, Robin." Nurse Lee informed her.

"What are you talking about? I don't have a daughter." Robin insisted, her heart in her throat.

"Well we could look and see if there's another one in there if you want." Nurse Johnson offered sardonically. "I think you should give her a chance." As she said this, Nurse Lee pushed the baby into Robin's arms.

"Get her away from me!" Robin screamed trying to back away, her face contorted in pain.

"But why? She needs her mommy." Nurse Lee countered, carefully placing the baby in Robin's rigid arms. "Hold her head."

Robin stared down at the child. She was unable to wipe away the collection of tears falling down her cheeks because the baby required both of her hands. She looked like a giant compared to this little girl. Even their hands were so vastly different in size. A small patch of brown fuzz sat atop the baby's head and, stirred by the commotion, she showed Robin her matching cinnamon eyes. "Take her please." Robin begged.

"Are you getting tired?" Nurse Lee inquired, her eyes clouded over with worry.

"Don't you want to feed her?" Nurse Johnson tried to persuade her.

"I want you to take her. That's what I want you to do." Robin said again. "You've made a mistake. This isn't my baby."

"I never figured you for a paranoid person, Robin." Lucky teased from the doorway.

"Lucky? They're mistaken; please tell them." Robin's bottom lip began to tremble mercilessly.

"Mistaken about what? Damn, she looks just like you." Lucky noticed, closing the space between them and touching the baby's right fist. When she curled it around his index finger, he blushed. "That's it. I'm in love."

"Why does everyone think this is my baby?" Robin wondered, meeting each of their eyes.

"Well at least two of them were in the delivery room with you." Lucky told her. "Besides, there's no chance of them switching babies because Patrick was very stubborn about them only taking her away long enough to get a bath."

"P-Patrick?" Robin brought the baby closer to her face and breathed in her sweet baby scent. Maybe this was her baby. Maybe. But it made no sense. She wasn't able to give birth to any child. How could this be happening?

"Did I hear someone call me?" Patrick smirked, letting himself into the room. "Would you guys mind giving us a minute?"

They cleared the room as quickly as they had entered it leaving only the couple and the newborn. Robin met Patrick's eyes in search of some semblance of truth or understanding. All she found swirling in those dark hazel eyes was unabashed love. He moved closer to them and she could no longer meet his gaze. It was too hard. He was going to tell her this wasn't real.

"Isn't she perfect?" Patrick gazed down at the baby in awe.

"Patrick—"

"It's okay, honey." He assured her, touching the tip of her nose with his index finger. "They promised me that you won't always be this sore."

Robin wanted to be able to laugh at his playful tone, but she couldn't. "This—she—"

"I was in the delivery room and I still can't quite believe it either." Patrick nodded in agreement.

"She's really ours then?"

"You have to claim her babe. She looks just like you."

"This is too much." Robin admitted with a gulp.

"It'll get easier. I mean, I told you, I'm not sure what kind of parent I'll make. With you here, I'm not worried."

"Patrick…"

"Yes?"

"Nothing." Robin decided. "Do you want to hold her?"

"Are you getting tired?"

"A little." Robin told him.

"How about we sit with you until you fall asleep? Would that be alright?" Patrick offered, kissing her lips softly.

"Just what I was about to ask." Robin watched Patrick take their daughter from her and settle her carefully in his arms.

"Sleep now. We'll be here when you wake up." Patrick smiled, nuzzling her forehead with his nose.

Robin made certain to stay facing them even as she felt sleep take her hostage. She didn't want their images to fade. This was all she had ever wanted, though she hadn't realized until a freak accident threatened to take it away. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

She awoke with fresh tears on her cheeks. Turning, she reached for Patrick and was surprised to find him asleep beside her. She hadn't thought the bed that big. Blinking, she noticed that they were in their bed. She was no longer in a hospital gown. She wasn't even in the hospital anymore, but their bedroom. Jerking upwards, she searched the room for the baby girl she had just held. But the room looked as it had the day before. She stumbled off of the mattress and tried to find something that would serve as a bassinet. There wasn't even a toy or a pacifier. There was no evidence that a baby had ever resided here.

Patrick was startled awake by a scream. Sliding off of the mattress, he crawled over to Robin. Wiping a hand down his face to try and fight through his exhaustion, he used his free hand to pull her into his embrace. She surrendered to him and shook in his arms, the words she spoke not making sense. He pressed her face to his shoulder and rocked her. "Robin? Robin, honey, what's the matter?"

Robin found no comfort in Patrick's arms. These were the same arms that had held their imaginary daughter only moments before. Bending in half, she continued to cry, to scream. It wasn't right to dream such a thing night after night! And she never had any warning because they were always different. One time she had woken up in the car after the wreck and found Morgan dead. The time before that she had held Elizabeth and Lucky's child in her arms, coming to terms with the fact that she would never get to hold her own. She could no longer breathe. Her quickened breath only worked to initiate a cough that started in her throat and worked all the way through her shaking body.

"Whatever it is, I can fix it." Patrick whispered into her hair, feeling useless.

"No you can't!" Robin shouted at him. "You can't fix it!"

"Did you have a bad dream?" Patrick guessed.

"A living nightmare." Robin clarified, pushing to her feet only to have him follow her movement.

"It was just a dream." Patrick tried to comfort her, but it was obvious she wasn't going to let him near her right now.

"It wasn't a dream!" Robin snapped angrily. "It was a reality!"

"Start from the beginning." Patrick encouraged, anxiety clear in his eyes as well as his tone.

"I can't." Robin murmured.

"You can't? Oh, honey, yes you can." Patrick argued, touching her shoulders and turning her to face him.

"I have to tell you something else first." Robin countered, hanging her head.

"Tell me then." Patrick ordered, lifting her chin with his thumb.

"I can't have children." The quiet admission sent Robin tumbling to her knees. Patrick managed to hold her up and make her look at him.

"You already have a child." Patrick reasoned.

"I mean, I can't conceive a child, Patrick." Robin clarified.

"Is that what the nightmare was about?"

"Yes and no. In the dream, I gave birth to our child…a child we're never going to be able to have." Robin told him brokenly.

"Did you find this out recently?" Patrick treaded carefully.

"No. Almost seven months ago." Robin explained.

"The car accident?" Her silence was the only answer he received.

"I'm sorry." Robin whispered.

"What are you sorry for?" Patrick asked incredulously.

"I was driving. If I had been paying closer attention—" Robin closed her eyes, fighting her own share of demons.

"Damn it Robin, they labeled that accident as just that." Patrick reminded her. "You were no more to blame than anyone else."

"But that one moment has impacted both of our lives!" Robin shot back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Patrick muttered, burying his face in her hair. "I could have helped you come to terms with it."

"I don't want to come to terms with it!" Robin countered, shaking her head furiously. "This is never going to be okay for me."

"And I've just made it worse with my assumptions." Patrick chided himself.

"No, you've been wonderful." Robin promised him. "There's no way you could have known."

"Were you afraid to tell me?" There was no denying the hurt in his voice.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It took us so long to get to this place." Robin explained. "I didn't want to ruin it."

"You should have told me." Patrick groaned.

"I didn't know how." Robin sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. Patrick followed her down. "I didn't know how to tell you that, by being with me, you'd never be able to be a father."

"I never said I wanted to be a father." Patrick recalled.

"But I saw how you reacted to thinking I was pregnant. You may not think you want to be a father, but if I had been pregnant, I know you would have wanted to be a part of its life."

"I would have wanted to be more than that."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter now. It's never going to happen."

"There's always adoption."

"No."

"Why not? You adopted Morgan and that seems to have worked out perfectly for both of you. There are plenty of unwanted babies out there—"

"Patrick, you're not listening to me." Robin met his eyes. "No one is going to give a baby to an HIV positive single woman."

"You're not single." Patrick countered.

"I'm a health risk. There's no way—"

"The State obviously thinks you're capable enough to take care of Morgan."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Robin muttered sadly.

"We need to talk about it." Patrick reminded her.

"Not tonight. I don't want to talk about it." Robin whimpered.

"Hey? Okay. Okay, we don't have to do this anymore tonight. Please don't cry." Patrick begged, hugging her to him. "Are you tired?"

"Yes, but I don't want to sleep." Robin told him. "Don't let me sleep tonight Patrick. Please?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Robin touched her lips to his. "Make love to me please."

Patrick cradled her face in his hands, his gaze never wavering. "Come here."


	180. Who We Are

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, Elizabeth worked at sorting out which of her clothes would go where. Even though it wasn't as if she had tons of furniture to bring with her, Lucky had insisted that she "take it easy" on Moving Day and focus on the non-heavy lifting tasks. She wasn't completely convinced the little joke Dillon had played on him hadn't worked too well. He was probably going through all her boxes right now looking for secret stashes of potpourri and satchels.

So while Lucky moved the few heavy boxes she had, she sat in their bedroom trying to figure out where everything would go. Their bedroom. She felt, rather than saw, the goofy grin start to form on her face. It was a good thing Robin had been stuck in the bakery today with Lucas out on a case or Elizabeth was sure she would never hear the end of it. This was their bedroom. Not his. Not some room at Kelly's but theirs. It was both unsettling and completely wonderful to realize this was home now. This was where she lived.

"What'cha doing?" Cameron's voice interrupted her musings from the doorway. Turning her face slightly, she spotted him leaning against the door, a ragged bear trailing behind him in his left hand. His right hand scratched at his nose as he took in the scene with his inquisitive eyes. This was reality too, she reminded herself. No more hiding from Cameron.

"Unpacking." Elizabeth said lightly, keeping her hands busy with the task. "Want to help?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Cameron made his way into the room, dragging the teddy bear along the ground. Sitting down just outside of the circle of clothes she had around her, he stayed quiet for a few minutes before giving her a puzzled look. "You have a lot of clothes."

Trying to keep her laugh back, Elizabeth smiled at him. Lucky had said something very similar earlier today while bringing up suitcases and boxes. "It's a girl thing Cameron. One day, since you are so very smart, you'll understand."

Cameron squished his face in obvious disgust. "Eww. I don't want to know about girl things."

If you are anything like your father, you'll be way too knowledgeable about them Elizabeth thought. Instead of voicing her inappropriate musing she opted to merely smile. "Some day you may just change your mind."

"Nope girls are yucky. They have cooties." Cameron explained seriously.

"How did you find out about cooties?" It wasn't an uncommon word for her to hear at school, but she had never heard Cameron use it before.

"Lance." Cameron stated matter-of-factly. "He's six so he's smart."

Trying not to laugh, Elizabeth reached out and ruffled his curls. "Well that is certainly true." The fact that Dillon and Lucas's son was being considered an expert at male-female relations struck her as funny. And even though she didn't know Dillon very well yet, she had a feeling he would find it just as amusing as she did.

They fell into silence as Elizabeth continued sorting her clothes into piles. The original plan had been to separate by season, but that had fallen by the wayside. Port Charles's weather was anything but confined to actual seasons. She and Robin had joked once if they hated the weather, they could just wait an hour and it would change. Now the plan was to separate into similar peeves. T-shirts in one section, jeans another. Once she had her main sections then she could work on sub-dividing them. And people thought Robin was the neurotic one, she scoffed mentally. They didn't know the half of it.

"Elizabeth? I got a question." Cameron's soft voice cut through the silence.

"Hmm? Go ahead Cams." She encouraged distractedly as she refolded a pair of work pants.

"When the baby comes, I'll be a big brother right?"

"Yes." She picked up a long sleeve shirt, folding it before placing it in the pile slightly behind her.

"What will the baby call Daddy?"

"Well the baby won't be able to talk for awhile but when it's time, I guess Daddy." Elizabeth paused to meet Cameron's eyes. His face was still scrunched up in concentration and it appeared to be clear there were still a few more questions bothering him.

"What will the baby call you?"

"I guess Mommy when the time comes." She couldn't help it. The goofy grin made reappearance on her face at the mere idea of being called Mommy by someone. Going on three months to get used to the idea already and it still seemed to be part of a dream to her, she mused.

Cameron nodded as if she answered in the exact way he had expected her to. It was impossible to miss the lost look on the little boy's face as he started to pick at the fur of the teddy bear sitting in his lap.

"Cameron? Is there something else?"

For several minutes, the four-year-old looked as if he was debating with himself in the intense manner only young children could manage. His nose was scrunched up in concentration and she could clearly see him try to work out a solution to whatever it was that was perplexing him. Cameron would look at his bear, look up to the sky, back to the bear, and then to the ground. Finally it seemed he reached a conclusion. "When the baby comes, what am 'posed to call you?"

The absolute frankness in his question made Elizabeth stop with her sorting and face him. What was he supposed to call her? What was wrong with using her name like he had been doing? It was better than, "Hey you." "Cameron? What do you mean?"

"The baby is going to call my daddy, 'Daddy.' But I can't call you 'Mommy,' because I don't have a mommy. So what am I 'posed to call you?"

Where was Lucky when he was really needed? Why was she the one to answer all this little boy's questions about his family dynamic? Was it too late to reconsider this whole living together plan? Cameron had a mother, he just didn't remember her. But good luck explaining that to a preschooler. "Cameron you have a mom. And why can't you just call me Elizabeth like you've been doing?"

"No I don't." Cameron said matter-of-factly. "And I can't call you Elizabeth because that's what I called you when you were my teacher. And teachers aren't mommies."

She bit at her lips to keep the laughter back. It wasn't the first time she encountered a child's belief that teachers just lived at school and did nothing but teach all day and night. It would be the first time she would have to have this conversation surrounded by laundry. "Cameron plenty of teachers are mommies."

"Nuh-uh. They are in school all day with us." He stuck out his lower lip stubbornly, a move she had seen his father do time and time again. "I can't call you Elizabeth. I gotta call you something else."

"Well I think it's fine if you want to call me Elizabeth still, but if you want to call me something else, that's fine too." As long as it wasn't something along the lines of Evil Stepmother, she could deal she told herself.

Cameron pursed his lips together in concentration. "Robin calls you Liz sometimes."

"Yes she does. So does my grandmother and brother. Do you want to call me Liz?"

"No. Too many people use that." Cameron pouted.

Oh he was his father's son through and through alright, Elizabeth mused silently. "What about Lizzie? Nobody has called me that in years and it could be a just you and me thing."

Cameron nodded eagerly. "I like Lizzie."

"Good. That's settled then."

Maxie had told Mac that she couldn't breathe. She needed a break. She needed to be away from Alexis' room for just a few minutes. He could text her if something changed. Alexis was stabilized. Her condition hadn't worsened. During surgery, they had severed the infected lung and had to remove it completely. They were keeping her on some pretty strong medication. Mac had breathed the word, "Chemotherapy" more than once tonight. Robin hadn't even stopped by today, but Maxie could cut her some slack on account of her looking the worst of any of them. It was obvious she wasn't sleeping so, when Mac had suggested she meet with the teachers at Morgan's school and then go straight home to bed, Robin hadn't argued.

Maxie checked her watch. It was well past seven in the evening. Where had the afternoon gone? Oh right, she had worked it. Off to work and then back to the hospital. It had been this way for days now. This was the time they should be focusing on wedding invitations and bridal showers, china patterns, and wedding vows. She shook her head. This was exactly what her walk was supposed to be blocking out! By miracle of memory or just plain unconscious planning, Maxie found herself in front of Ric Lansing's office.

This was just the kind of distraction she had been seeking. Ric was so self-involved he probably wouldn't notice that she had been crying earlier. They hadn't spoken since the mouse incident, but she knew she was to blame for that. It had been downright embarrassing to call him after causing such a ruckus over something that was small enough for her to step on. He didn't seem the type to hold grudges, or maybe he was cursed with having a short attention span. Whatever the case, this was the best idea she had had all night.

She thought about knocking; after all, he could be in a meeting with a patient. Immediately she dismissed the idea. There was something so absurd about knocking that she couldn't stoop to. He was the one who kept insisting that they were more than they seemed: This was her chance to prove just that. Besides, she wanted to make a hell of an entrance so that, no matter what he was doing, he would immediately turn his focus to her. Maybe she was a little self-involved as well. Turning the handle to the right, she pushed in and the door gave way. At least this meant he was around, otherwise she would have encountered a locked door.

Smiling at the possibility that he may have been expecting her tonight, she craned her head to the left to see if she could see him before he spotted her. He was just a flash of black hair once he rounded the corner, their eyes meeting ever so briefly. His fingers latched around her right wrist and he yanked her into the office, propelling her backwards to shut the door and hold her against it. Surprised, she didn't let him deepen the kiss, not even when his hands slid up to her face. She had never seen him so uncontrolled. It was at once exciting and terrifying.

She tasted like licorice. Sweet, but not too sweet. He had been about to go home when her blonde head poked its way in through the door. The urge to grab her and kiss her senseless had been overpowering. It had been far too long since he had kissed her thoroughly, an oversight he was determined to correct. Seeing her slight hesitation, he winked at her, leaning ever closer to her. "Miss me Maxie?" he breathed.

Maxie pressed her forehead against his, trying in vain to catch a full breath. Who did he think he was, kissing her like that? She touched her fingers to her lips and found that his taste still lingered there. "Uh...um...you startled me. Where the hell did you come from?"

"Born and raised in New York City sweetheart." He teased.

Maxie laughed and released a sigh of relief at how good it felt. "Yes, I missed you." She admitted quietly.

He was startled she owned up to it. He had been more than prepared for another insult to come flying his way. It was what they did. They bickered until they couldn't fight this attraction a single second more and then they attacked. "Then what took you so long to get here?" he wondered softly, kissing her again, pulling her close to him.

"Can we not talk about it?" Maxie asked, meeting his aspiring demands with a few of her own.

"I find talking highly over-rated."

"I figured you would." Maxie smiled, pushing him into the desk, her haste causing several items to go flying off the countertop. "What am I doing?" She asked aloud, ending the kiss immediately. He must have thought she was joking because he nuzzled her braid to the side and kissed her cheek.

"If you have to ask that, something is very wrong here."

The look she gave him was one of wry amusement. "We have to slow down. There are things to consider..."

"I agree." He kissed her earlobe softly. "For one thing this desk is not comfortable enough."

"I hardly know you." Maxie rationalized. She wasn't sure which of them she was arguing with.

"And this is a problem now because?" he drawled. Barely knowing each other hadn't stopped them from sharing some intense kisses when they were working on Lucy's dress or on New Year's Eve.

"Because it's a very real possibility now and it wasn't before." Maxie told him. He was doing his best to distract her with tender kisses to strategic places and he was damn near succeeding.

"So you admit there's a possibility?"

"I'm saying if there was, there's still no way I'm jumping into bed with a stranger." Maxie clarified.

He noticed her backtrack, but chose not to comment on it. "What do you need to know?" He dropped his lips to the point behind her ear that seemed particularly designed to make her come undone.

"A lot more than I know now. Other than your name and profession, you're a stranger to me."

"Only because you never asked." He pointed out. "You kept insisting we were nothing. Nothing was going to happen and nothing had happened."

Maxie chewed on her lip. "I still don't know if anything should happen."

Ric traced her lower lip with his finger. "Why are you so determined to fight this?"

"Character flaw."

Sitting up on his desk, he pulled her between his legs. Resting his head on her forehead, he laughed lightly. "What am I going to do with you?"

Maxie closed her eyes as a shiver ran through her. He was too good at the seduction game. And her body was responding exactly how he wanted it to. She could hear the difference in her breathing, feel her nipples pinching into tight little points, and her knees were getting a little shaky. She leaned into him and he kissed her again, his technique luring her away from logic and reason. "Damn you." She whispered, her eyes shooting open.

"Just let yourself enjoy this Maxie."

"Are you married?" It seemed the most pressing question at the moment.

"I'm legally separated. In the process of getting a divorce."

"So you still have a wife?" Maxie wasn't quite sure how she felt about that, so she didn't know why she was asking him to elaborate.

"It's all a mere technicality at this point. I haven't even seen her since I moved to Port Charles. We only communicate through our lawyers."

"Do you still love her?" Stop it Maxie! God! What was wrong with her?

"No." His marriage had ended long before he moved out. He had accepted that months ago. Ric knew he would always care for Kate, but love her still? No he most decidedly did not.

"How long have you lived in Port Charles?"

"A little over two years now."

"Do you have any children?"

"None that I am aware of." He joked.

"Do you do drugs?"

"Other than you?"

Maxie blushed. "Answer the question. I need to know if you're living a clean life." She sounded like her mother and she hated it, but better to be safe than sorry.

"No drugs. I drink occasionally which you know. I don't live like a monk, but I'm tested regularly. Completely clean."

"Does that seem like a weird question?"

"Only if you are asking someone there is no possibility with."

"Do you have any questions for me?"

"Let's see I know you aren't married. You live with your father, who's the chief of police. You have a party girl reputation, but after seeing you on New Year's Eve I have to suspect that is more talk than anything with you." He tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Are you living a clean life?" he asked smiling at her turn of phrase.

"That is one thing I am doing. After my cousin contracted HIV from her first boyfriend...well let's just say she was better than any seminar. I got the party girl reputation in middle school, but I think Lulu Spencer started it. She's always hated me. I do live with my father. My sister is studying in Paris for the semester. I'm not married, never wanted to be. My parents provided plenty of reasons to never agree to that sort of arrangement." Maxie replied with a nod of her head.

Using his fingers to trace the lines of her face, he let his other hand trail down along her sides until it rested at her waist. "So now we are no longer strangers." Ric teased with a slow grin.

"You know, I was just thinking the same thing." Maxie met his grin and leaned in to kiss him, only the sound of her phone beeping stopping her. "Hold that thought." She flipped open the phone and saw that there was a new message from Mac. "I have to go."


	181. Everything's Just Wonderful

**_OH! Before I forget, THIRD SWEEPS starts on MONDAY! I hope you're all ready for an emotional rollercoaster! As far as sweeps go, this is the last one, but don't worry. There are almost 100 chapters already written after this one and we're not leaving you to the cancelled show any time soon. Thank you!_**

Cruz didn't want Bobbie to think he had come to this decision hastily even though he had made it without her. He just felt he owed it to his mother, his aunt, and his grandmother. It was his mother who volunteered to stay with them until after her granddaughter was brought into the world and he hadn't been able to argue with her fool-proof logic. Still, now he had to explain it to his wife in a way that didn't make him look like the bad guy. He hadn't chosen his family over her, hell she was his family now, but he couldn't keep ignoring his own family any longer. Closing their bedroom door, he caught her surprised look and matched her smile. He took her hands in his and sat down on the end of the mattress with her.

"Did you have a good visit with your family?"

"Yes I did." Cruz nodded. "I'm just glad they agreed to stay at the townhouse so I can ravish you properly."

Bobbie lifted one eyebrow gracefully. "You have a thing for whales I'm not aware of?"

"Darling..." Cruz let his voice trail off as he pressed a slow kiss to her collarbone.

"You're too good at this."

"I know I haven't been paying you the attention you deserve lately. I've just been trying to keep everyone happy." Cruz assured her as he wrapped her in his arms.

"I know that. And it will get back to normal once your family goes back home." She sighed as she nestled her head into the crook of his neck, kissing his shoulder blade.

Cruz used his index finger to turn her face toward him and kiss her deeply. His hands moved to the back of her head and his fingers kneaded away at her scalp. "About that..."

"Hmm?"

"They might be here a little longer than we originally thought." He murmured against her cheek, his lips sliding to tug at the tip of her left ear.

Pulling back slowly, Bobbie met Cruz's guilty eyes with her own. "How much longer?" She asked slowly.

"Just—" He tilted her head to the side and grazed the side of her neck with a soft, biting kiss. "Until the baby's born."

"Cruz that is two months away."

"It'll zip past. I promise." Cruz told her, bringing her left hand to his lips and kissing each of her knuckles.

"That's easy for you to say. They like you." Bobbie pulled his hand away and crossed her arms in front of her chest, resting them on top of her stomach.

"Why do you think they don't like you? They haven't gotten a chance to know you, that's all." Cruz insisted, folding his hands on top of hers, smiling when his little girl kicked hard enough for both of them to notice. "She agrees with me."

"They don't talk to me. They look at me as if I am a huge fat bug." Bobbie ticked off with her fingers.

"No they don't. This is new for everyone involved. I didn't do any of this right and I apologize for that." Cruz kissed her mouth lightly and then met her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I should have introduced you to my family the moment I knew I loved you." Cruz explained quietly.

"You only didn't because of me." Bobbie reminded him gently. Going public had always been her issue. Her problem. Not his.

"Hey, look at me. None of this is your fault. Listen, Mama offered to help you finish the nursery." Cruz informed her as he held her chin tightly in his hand so that she couldn't look away.

"She did?"

"Uh huh." Cruz smiled at the surprise in her voice. "She brought a bunch of stuff for the baby and a quilt for you."

"Well she has to have better decorating taste than you and my nephews." She tried to joke lightly.

"She said she's been trying to give it to you since they came down, but you run into a corner every single time she tries to approach you." Cruz gave her a knowing look.

Bobbie looked away and blushed. It wasn't that she was trying to be antisocial. It was just difficult to find conversation with your mother-in-law when she practically your same age. "Maybe there are some nerves involved."

"If you hadn't told me, I'd have had no idea." Cruz teased. "Is this okay? Them staying longer I mean?"

"I'll try harder. And it's a good idea for her to know both sides of her family. So yes. It's ok."

"Good." His lips merged with hers and broke off a second later with a loud smack. "I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"Duty calls." He told her, stroking her face with the back of his hand as if he couldn't stand to not touch her.

Pulling him closer to her, she reached up and kissed his lips. "Hurry home."

The normal bustle of what constituted activity on a set was all around Steven. The lead actors were in their trailers "rehearsing", which was code for recovering from the hangover the night before. The stand-ins looked bored out of their minds for the lighting tests he was currently performing. Steven couldn't blame them. It wasn't the most exciting thing in the world to do, but it was better than sitting around doing nothing. Or in his case, sitting around obsessing over those brief kisses with Georgie.

What had he been thinking? The question had echoed in his head ever since his lips parted from hers. Actually, he knew the answer to that question. He hadn't been thinking. That was the long and short of it. If he had been using his actual brain, he would have reminded himself that Georgie was younger than his sister. She was twenty-one. He had already started going to reunions for his high school class and she had just left. He should be warning her against lecherous older men in Paris, not being one.

It was momentary insanity. It was her relief at her future stepmother being okay. It was the ridiculous cliché of being in Paris. But it shouldn't have happened. And he shouldn't continue to remember it constantly.

Walking away had been the right thing, the honorable thing, and the sane thing. Continuing to stand there with her would have led to something even crazier happening, such as his kissing her again. And again. And again. She probably hated him right now. Certainly she hadn't contacted him since then and he didn't blame her. But with time, she would see this was the best way, the only way, to handle this.

"Alright. Thanks. Could you move to the marks for the next shot please?" He waved the bored stand-ins closer to the camera. Pretending to ignore the dirty looks they shot him, he struggled to not roll his eyes. "Don't blame me because you're over the hill and stuck as a stand-in," he muttered under his breath.

Georgie saw red when she opened her eyes. She saw red when she closed her eyes. Suffice it to say, she hadn't slept since the kiss, if it could even be called that. She had put more thought into her Science Fair projects in grade school than Steven had in kissing her. It was insulting and his swift departure had made her even angrier, if not completely embarrassed.

So what was she doing at his workplace? Seething, that's what she was effing doing! She was so angry she couldn't see straight and she was pretty sure she was shaking too. He thought he could kiss her and walk away? With so much left unsaid? He was out of his mind! One of two things had happened: either he had realized the age gap between them and instantly taken a dislike to kissing her or he was an asshole who had taken total advantage of her when she was vulnerable.

So maybe she had participated in the kiss. So what? He had kissed her and she had responded without even realizing it. It wasn't like the feelings she had for him were anything new. She both recognized and abhorred them. She had chosen to hate him. It was just easier. That's what she was doing here: She was going to announce to anyone who would listen that she hated him and wanted nothing more to do with him. She had enough friends. She didn't need another one. And that's all he seemed to want to be. So to hell with him. She had a date with a Humanities final.

She would march right up to him and say, "I hate you (insert profane comment followed by incoherent words of rage and topped off with some insult to his libido.)" Spotting the back of his beautiful curly head, she charged toward him, stopping short when he spun around before she could say anything. He reached out to steady her and she slapped him in the face. This wasn't part of the plan. She wasn't supposed to hit him. She was merely supposed to throw hurtful words at him and storm out like the self-assured woman she knew herself to be.

Steven raised his palm to his stinging cheek. Well that answered part of his wonderings. Georgie was angry. Very angry judging by the flashing in her eyes. "Georgie? What are you doing here?"

"No, I didn't say you could talk. Shut your stupid mouth!" Georgie warned him, taking a step backwards to collect herself. "You and I need to get a few things straight. What happened the other night meant nothing."

"Georgie..." He tried to start, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"You're doing it again. Stop it! Stop patronizing me!" Georgie screamed at him, not caring who heard her. She was definitely shaking now; the pressure was causing her teeth to chatter together.

"I'm not patronizing you. I wouldn't do that."

"You'll forgive me if I don't take everything you say to heart. Was I at least an easy target? Was I some experiment in some pre-mid-life crisis or something?" Good girl, she thought to herself. Bring up the age. And calm down or you'll never get this all out in the open where it needs to be.

"Why don't we go outside and talk about this calmly?" He offered. Most of the crew spoke little English, but they understood it perfectly. Georgie was attracting more attention than Brad and Angelina visiting the set.

"NO! You stay away from me. I'm not going outside or anywhere else with you for that matter. We're staying right here." She promised through gritted teeth.

"Look I'm sorry about the other day..."

"You're sorry? Why? It obviously made more of an impression on you than it did on me. I'm just here to clear things up. I don't want to see you ever again." By the end of her declaration she was in tears. "Damn it."

He reached out to wipe the tears off her face. "That wasn't what I meant."

"So that's why you ran off like a scared little kid?" She challenged, slapping his hand away.

"I admit it wasn't my best moment but if we could just talk..."

"I don't want to talk to you." Georgie argued in a grumble.

"Then why did you come?" he challenged. Even though he didn't want to admit it, he knew this woman in front of him. If she really didn't want to deal with him, she wouldn't have sought him out.

"Because you hurt me." She whispered brokenly.

Her hushed tone broke him and he took a cautious step toward her. Walking away from her was supposed to help her, not hurt her. He had a spectacular talent of making situations far worse than they needed to be, Steven realized. He reached for her arm, resting his hand lightly on it. "I never meant to hurt you. That wasn't what it was about."

"What was it about then? I was there and I'm more confused than anyone. That includes this bunch of strangers." Georgie nodded toward the group that was crowded around them. She had ignored them before, but they were making their presence known.

"I was afraid..."

"Of what? Me?"

Steven shook his head emphatically. "No. I was afraid of me."

"What does that even mean? I could have stopped you. I didn't. Doesn't that mean anything?" Georgie emphasized the last word.

He couldn't form the words. What words he could think of didn't seem powerful enough to express what he was thinking. So he did the only thing that he could think of, he acted. Stepping closer to her, Steven pulled her to him. Before she could protest, he lowered his lips to hers, tasting her sweet peppermint taste once again. He paused long enough to rest his forehead on hers. "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop once we started." He whispered.

She wanted to punch him, even more so when he parted her lips expertly as if he had ever right, as if he'd done it a hundred times. "I didn't want you to." Georgie replied in-between kisses, her voice as soft as his.

The applause and amused laughter of the surrounding crew yanked Steven back into reality. He smiled when he noticed the blush starting to creep up Georgie's cheeks once the sound penetrated her ears. "You're adorable when you're embarrassed."

Georgie smacked her forehead. "I can't believe I just said that."

"I'm glad you did." He kissed her lightly.


	182. Haunted

**Oh wow. Okay, what can I say? This is the final sweeps. It's kind of amazing to realize we've written enough for about six of them, but that would be too Bob Guza for us. Without further delay, I give you Third Sweeps! I know you'll enjoy it as much as we did!**

"Higher! Higher!" Kristina squealed as her swing flew threw the air. It was the first time Mac had seen her smile since he and Alexis announced their engagement. Coming to the park had been a good idea, he realized. Hell, being outside away from the cold waiting room and the scary hospital room was enough to bring the light back into her chestnut eyes. "I want to go higher, Mac!"

"You'll have to speak in my good ear." Mac teased, stepping behind her swing and catching the back of it so that she slightly jolted forward. "Higher, huh? How much higher?" He was smiling too, he noticed. He was laughing too and he hadn't felt right doing that since Alexis had been admitted.

"I want to touch the sky." Kristina explained. "Higher, Mac. Please?" She begged, giving him the look her mother had long since perfected. They knew he couldn't resist it.

"The sky or the stars?" Mac wondered.

"The stars! I want to touch the stars!" Kristina nodded enthusiastically.

"Will you bring one back down for me?" Mac smiled, pulling the swing back as far as it would go.

"And for me!" Morgan chirped from his spot on the nearby park bench. He was stretched out on his tummy with a half dozen crayons in front of him, one in his hand, and a giant coloring book that depicted a dragon.

"I promise." Kristina told them. "Now push me really high!" She said again, catching Mac's soft gaze and making a fish face at him.

"Okay here we go." Mac, with the swing still in his hands, walked under her so that he was standing in front of her and then released it. She screamed and held on tight enough to make her knuckles whiten under the pressure. It was times like this when he remembered Georgie and Maxie at this age, always wanting to go faster, higher, taking a big slice of life and not giving it up for anything, except maybe another adventure. There had been a forest behind their old house that they had disappeared into time and time again any time they were given the opportunity. They had explained that they were looking for hidden treasure.

"Uncle Mac, can I go on the slide?" Morgan inquired, slapping his coloring book closed and placing his crayons on top even as they began to slip through the cracks of the old bench.

"Here, I'll go with you. Kristina, we'll be right over here. Once you get those stars, come over here please." He urged her.

"Okay!" Kristina screamed, barely noticing that the swing was starting to slow.

"Get on the slide with me." Morgan instructed, taking the plastic steps one at a time.

"Wish I could partner, but I may not be able to get back down. How about I stay down here and catch you? Would that be alright?" Mac suggested with a goofy grin.

"You're so funny." Morgan regarded him seriously, positioning himself at the top of the slide.

"Ready?" Mac asked.

"Yes." Morgan nodded and used his little hands to propel his body forward. Just as Mac's hands settled around his waist, Kristina was wailing from her swing.

"It stopped!" She exclaimed as if she couldn't believe such a thing had happened.

"You're kidding?" Mac responded in mock seriousness. "I think you should give up on that old swing and come on the Merry-Go-Round with us." He nodded toward the contraption and Morgan caught up with them.

"Mac?" Kristina's quiet voice caused Mac's head to whip around.

"Yes Princess?"

"Is Mommy ever going to get out of the hospital?" She was doing her best to keep him from seeing the sudden tears running down her cheeks.

"Yes." Mac replied immediately. She would get out of the hospital and she would be fine because he wasn't willing to accept anything less.

"Don't worry, Kristina." Morgan told her, wrapping her in a hug. "Robin got out of the hospital and she was asleep for a long time. Cameron too. Alexis will too. And then she can come to park with us. Right Uncle Mac?"

Mac would have shook his head in disbelief if he hadn't worried it would have appeared to the children to be a negative response. His nephew was something, far too old in mind than he would ever be in body. He was the younger sibling and yet he was the one comforting Kristina. "Right."

Lucky did a double take when he looked over at Elizabeth. Surely he hadn't just seen what he thought he did. Cameron had picked the movie out but had fallen asleep just a few minutes into it. And now Elizabeth was crying openly. He glanced again at the screen. There was nothing that would inspire tears. It was a sports movie for the love of all. "You're crying?" he asked incredulously.

Elizabeth sniffed and waved him off. "Hush. Don't make fun of me."

"It's a hockey movie. You don't cry over hockey movies." He was sure there was a law somewhere about this. No crying over hockey movies, slasher flicks, or alien invasion movies. The only sports movies crying were allowed fell under ice skating movies and Brian's Song. That was it.

"You do when it's so moving." Elizabeth defended herself. The team was just learning to put aside their differences, work together, appreciate the strengths the others brought to the team. It was beautiful, a tribute to love, trust, and friendship. How could anyone with a heart not watch this movie and be moved to tears?

"But it's The Mighty Ducks." Lucky shook his head in confusion. "The Mighty Ducks. Who doesn't think they'll win it all in the end?"

"Don't you see the underlying message? The real heart of the movie?"

"Coaching a team of misfits makes you care if you're a lawyer?"

"No. That trust and friendship and love triumph over everything." Elizabeth threw her hands up in exasperation. "Why can't you see that? Have you no heart?"

"I have a heart. I'm just thinking you are reading a little too much into this." Hormones, this had to be hormones Lucky thought. And he had made fun of Cruz for being confused by this part. Never again. Obviously Elizabeth would not be watching the Hallmark channel anytime soon if he had anything to say about it.

"I am not reading too much into it. You are missing the subtext."

"The subtext?" Lucky shook his head to keep from laughing. "Like everyone else missed the subtext between that couple you like on your soap?"

"That was totally there. Those two are not over. It's everyone else who can't read the signs! And don't change the subject!"

"I'm not. I swear I'm not. It's a Disney kid's sports movie. I just don't think there's a lot of subtext involved here."

"Are you making fun of me?" She asked hurt, tears continuing to well in her blue eyes. Oh hell, Lucky realized, he had broken his father's cardinal rule in dealing with pregnant women. Don't make them cry over something you did. Do whatever you have to do to stop that.

"No. No. I just hate to admit I'm wrong. You know that. I just never thought about the subtext before. And I'm kicking myself for missing it and I just took it out on you." Lucky rushed out the explanation. He sent up a silent prayer. Please oh please let her buy this.

Elizabeth eyed him suspiciously, looking for any small hint of insincerity in his expression. He did hate to be wrong, but this was an awfully fast turn around for him. "You aren't patronizing me because I'm pregnant are you? Because I'll have you know..."

"No! No! I would never do that." Lucky interrupted. He already knew she was capable of plotting destruction before this. With the added hormones he didn't want to think what she could be capable of if he really pissed her off. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have made fun."

She bit her lower lip and glanced at the screen. Maybe it was a little silly to get worked up over a movie she had seen a million and one times already. But only just a little. "Maybe I did get a little carried away."

Sane Elizabeth was returning, Lucky rejoiced. He kissed her forehead lightly and pulled her close to him. "Maybe, but it's just too cute."

Kristina was already in bed, princess sheets pulled to her waist, Teddy Bear in her arms, when Maxie reached her room. In the short time she had been here, she seemed to be adjusting quite nicely, and it was to their parents' relief. Though she hadn't voiced her concerns, Maxie had recognized Alexis' anxiety when they had first moved in. It was why she had backpedaled for so long, why she had always had something else that they needed to focus on. "What are you doing in your play clothes?" Maxie arched an eyebrow at her little sister and the small girl scrambled from the bed and ran to her dresser, pulling the bottom drawer open.

"I forgot." Kristina admitted with a sheepish smile as she selected a Cinderella nightgown.

"Did you brush your teeth?" Maxie wondered.

"Yep. Want to smell my breath?" Kristina offered, showing off a wide smile.

"No. That's okay. I believe you. Besides, if you're lying, your mouth will be green in the morning." Maxie replied nonchalantly, smirking when Kristina hurried toward her bathroom. Even though the room was accustomed to the tiniest of people, Kristina was still dependent on her step stool when it came time to brush her teeth or run a comb through her hair.

"What book tonight?" Kristina prodded, returning to her bed and climbing into it. Maxie made sure to keep the selected book behind her back.

"Guess." Maxie insisted with a playful grin.

"Lion King?" Kristina assumed.

Maxie made a mock scowl. "The one about the big cats? No way!"

"Pinocchio?" Kristina tried again.

"A little boy made of wood? No, I don't think so." Maxie shook her head.

"Tell me, Maxie. Tell me." Kristina begged, her bottom lip pouted.

"Oh you think you invented that look do you? Please, I was perfecting that look years before you were even a thought." Maxie informed her.

"Please?" Kristina batted her dark lashes at Maxie.

"Green Eggs and Ham." Maxie clarified, setting the book on top of the covers before sliding in beside Kristina.

"And the movie?" Kristina pressed on.

"What do you care? You'll be counting sheep by the time I put it on." Maxie reminded her.

"It's Oliver & Company, isn't it?" Kristina decided.

"A classic." Maxie nodded with a smile.

Kristina anxiously flipped the book open the first page. "I want to read tonight." She told Maxie.

"You want to do all the work? I'm not going to complain." Maxie assured her.

Maxie was halfway through the newest issue of Vogue when Ric came to her door. She had been expecting him, so she didn't bother getting up. Before she could run off as per Mac's request, Ric had insisted that they meet up again soon, sooner than soon. She had caved instantly and invited him over. Mac wouldn't be home tonight and Kristina was already asleep. Why couldn't she indulge in a fantasy or two with a hot doctor? "Door's open."

"No it's not." Ric argued, trying the handle.

"Yes it is." Maxie countered, folding her arms over her chest. She knew the door was unlocked.

"Get up and let me in." Ric cajoled.

"The door's open. If you can't turn the handle, I have no sympathy for you." Maxie told him.

"You're really going to leave me out here all alone? What if some obsessed woman comes and snags me?" Ric wanted to know.

"She'll give you back." Maxie teased, slowly lifting her body off of the couch and heading toward the door.

Ric was smiling when she finally opened the door. Maxie took a step back in case, remembering all too well their last encounter. "Come to your senses, then?" Ric whispered, placing a lazy hand on her hip.

"I didn't want you startling the neighbors." Maxie corrected him, taking a few more steps back so that he was no longer touching her.

Ric closed the door behind him and stood there for several seconds just watching her. He knew he was delicious and he seemed to revel in the fact. Maxie had long since decided that when a man looked this good, it was not opinion or preference that influenced her, it was fact. A fact had to be proved and she had plenty of evidence to back her up. "Come here," He ordered smoothly, crooking his finger.

Maxie figured she could keep their banter going for a while, but she couldn't see any reason why she should. Obliging his request, she took his hand and let him pull her against his taut body. Tilting her head back, he dropped his mouth to hers snatching her to him with his free arm and lifting her a few precious inches. Her inaudible words reverberated against his mouth and he smiled, flicking his tongue across the seam of her lips until she parted them for him. The ease in which he kissed her was mind numbing, but the force in which his fingers pressed into her back left her giddy with pleasure.

When he broke the kiss hastily and slid his lips to her neck, Maxie felt her head loll back in surrender. "Ric." His name trembled from her lips as he bunched her forest green t-shirt at her waist. Dusting her neck and shoulder blade with avid kisses, he stroked her cheek with his thumb and caught the wild look in her eyes, matching it with a similar one.

The next minute found them on the couch, hands searching, lips kissing, breaths catching and dwindling away. His hands settled on either side of her head and he eased her onto her back, using her current state of vertigo to stroke the back of her jean clad knee. He could feel her fighting the buttons on his plaid shirt and knew, if they didn't slow down, he wouldn't last two seconds inside of her. Clamping his hands on either side of her hips, he pressed a searching kiss to her lips and drank hungrily from her mouth until she was arching off of the couch.

Her teeth clamped tightly onto his bottom lip and he groaned helplessly into her mouth, urging her thighs to part by nudging her softly with his right knee. She made a strangled sound and threw her arms around his head, kissing him roughly. "Maxie." He breathed, burying his face in her hair. "I want you." He managed hoarsely.

She tried to laugh but her throat was as raw at his. "I can tell," she sighed, "I want you too." It was as if all he had needed was to hear her confirm it before he was pulling her into a sitting position and tearing at the ends of her shirt. "That being said, we're going to have to slow this down just a little. I don't want to come with my clothes on." She elaborated wryly.

"I make no promises." Ric murmured, taking the opportunity to slip his hands underneath her shirt. "I want to touch you." He traced the hem of her bra, asking, his eyes never straying from hers. Nuzzling her cheek with his nose he continued, "But I won't if you don't want me to."

Maxie was conflicted. Finally, she said, "How about you kiss me and we'll work out negotiations along the way?"

Ric gave her an incredulous look. "Negotiations? In a few minutes, I won't even know the definition of that word."

Maxie would have laughed if he didn't look so damn serious. "Oh come on Dr. Lansing," she goaded huskily, "you've been talking a big game since we met. Is that all it is? Talk?"

A smile lit up Ric's face. "I'm just warning you."

"I've been warned." Maxie replied, aloof. "Now, come here." Leaning over her, he settled his weight on his elbows and kissed her passionately, his body running over hers shamelessly.

"MAXIE!" Kristina's wail caused Maxie to jerk up, slamming her forehead into Ric's.

"I'm sorry." She apologized hastily. "Kristina?" Stumbling toward the stairs, she rubbed her head, sneaking a glance at Ric.

"MAXIE!" Kristina called in a panicked voice.

"I'm coming, Kristina. Almost there." Maxie assured her, running now.

Maxie turned the corner in time to see a flash of dark brown hair disappear out the window. "KRISTINA!" She shrieked, making a jump for the windowsill and crying when it shut on her vulnerable fingers. Jerking her hand free, she took off her shoe and slammed it into the window, ignoring the glass as it sprayed toward her uncovered face. She could see the assailant clearly now, all dressed in black with a bawling Kristina under his left arm as he reached for his ladder and slid down it without even looking.

The front door opened and Maxie saw Ric hustle toward the stranger, knocking the breath out of all three of them. Kristina tried to crawl away, but the stranger held her by hair and reached into his side pocket to retrieve his taser. Misjudging the space between the ladder and edge of the roof, Maxie flew off and landed on her arms. She watched in horror as the stranger snapped out his taser and struck Ric with it.

Ric blocked the first few blows with his right arm, but eventually his strength wore out and he had to succumb to the threatening darkness. Maxie pushed herself painfully to her feet, her knees broken and bleeding, in time to see the stranger throw Kristina into the passenger seat and climb in beside her. Expecting to see her little sister try to open the door and roll out into the street, Maxie realized that one of the shocks must have met with Kristina's tiny body and demobilized her. Only wearing one shoe now, she kicked it off and ran for all she was worth after the car, the license plate number flashing past her eyes as she tried to push enough oxygen into her lungs to keep up with the vehicle.

The black car swerved to miss an oncoming white car, but Maxie didn't see it until it slammed into her, knocking her several feet into one of her neighbor's yards. She tried to roll over and get up, the adrenaline was pumping through her at an almost alarming rate, but she couldn't move. Her fingers grazed over her side and she realized that one of her ribs was poking out. She watched the car drive away through blurry eyes.


	183. Breaking Point

Her eyes were closed. Her breathing was shallow, almost nonexistent. Her pulse was steady. Her face was frozen in fear. Ric stroked her face, trying to rouse her, not ignorant to the rib poking out of her side or her bloody arm from where the glass had attacked her in her haste to get out the window. He hadn't understood what was going on, had assumed Maxie's little sister was just having a nightmare—that is, until he heard Maxie scream. He hadn't acted as fast as he would have liked and that had cost them precious seconds, seconds in which they could have gotten her back. Staring down at Maxie's face, he noticed that both of her eyes were sporting shiners and her nose was bleeding. He had called the paramedics but, despite his training and years of medical experience, it all seemed to leave him as he took in her battered, still form.

After dialing the paramedics, his next call had been to the police, and yet neither had arrived. He had called—quick glance to his watch—ten minutes ago! How did the Commissioner's daughter being kidnapped not rank top priority in this god damn town? He had been trying, in vain, to wake Maxie, but she was barely a step above being knocked out cold. When he had seen her fly off the roof, he had told himself that her sister was in worse shape and he had to get her first, but now he was starting to wonder if it would have made a difference. "Come on Blondie." He demanded, lightly shaking her shoulders. He didn't even want to think about the kind of pain she must be in, but her injuries flew in front of his eyes and he was already assessing the damage in his mind.

The scream of sirens caught his ears and his head lifted slowly, his hands still on her shoulders. Pulling his button-down shirt off, he bunched it up and used it to elevate her head. The scratches on her arms and face would heal with time, but the protruding, possibly broken, rib worried him greatly. As the worst-case scenarios ran through his head, the paramedics lined up on either side of him and bent down to collect Maxie. "What's her name?" One of them, a skinny Latino man wearing a New York Knicks hat, asked.

"Maxie Jones. She's the Commissioner's daughter." Ric informed them.

"How long has she been out?" The second man, a taller, bulkier Caucasian with thinning nutmeg-brown hair, inquired.

"Fifteen minutes." Ric answered, almost on autopilot.

They lifted her onto the stretcher and rolled her toward the ambulance, each of them taking hold of the back doors and thrusting them open. "I want to ride to the hospital with her." Ric yelled suddenly and without thinking.

The Latino paramedic must have recognized him because he responded, "Doctor, you know as well as we do that there isn't enough room. You can follow us in your car."

The Caucasian paramedic regarded Ric with a pair of eagle eyes. "Say, are you alright?"

"Do I look alright?" Ric challenged angrily. "Let me go with her."

The two co-workers shared a look and then shrugged. "Don't get in the way." They said in unison.

"Can I tell you something slightly disturbing?" Elizabeth curled her feet up under her as best she could as she cradled the phone on her shoulder.

Robin held her breath. The last time Elizabeth had told her "something disturbing" it had had to do with her favorite soap couple's scenes getting cut in favor of glorified violence. "Okay." She answered hesitantly.

"I'm a total pervert for watching The Mighty Ducks and thinking how hot Joshua Jackson became a few years down the road, aren't I?"

"No. He did. Have you seen his goatee?" Robin asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes. I'm debating on trying to get Lucky to grow one."

"I think he'd be mighty fine with a beard myself." Robin mused.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and savored the mental image Robin's words conjured up for her. A solid kick in her stomach reminded why such thoughts only lead to bad things, just as her mother had warned her years ago. "Oh. You may be on to something there."

"Um, Liz, don't you remember what got you in this situation to begin with?" Robin teased, flipping the television off of the hour of dribble the local station was currently airing.

Elizabeth flicked the remote and furrowed her eyes in confusion. "When the hell did SoapNet stop showing soaps?"

"Since they started airing in France?" Robin offered.

"Oh that explains everything." Elizabeth rolled her eyes even though her friend couldn't see her. "So has Patrick stopped looking for ruffles and lace everywhere yet?"

"No. And I finally figured out what to do with the spare room." Robin answered.

"Now this sounds promising."

"A craft room." Robin clarified. "I always loved restoring dollhouses as a little girl and I'd love to teach Morgan to paint, er find him someone who can paint."

"That sounds perfect! And I totally have leftover stuff from my classroom you can use if you want it."

"That would be wonderful!" Robin exclaimed. "Oh, hell, why am I sucked into this soap when I have more than enough drama to last me?"

"Because the guys they don't showcase are really cute?"

Robin sighed. "That must be it. Oh, Liz, just a second. Call waiting."

"I'll be here. That hot cop is on."

"Hello?" Robin said into the phone once she had successfully clicked over.

"Is this Robin Scorpio?" The metallic voice wanted to know.

"Yes it is." Robin stated. "May I ask who is calling?"

"This is Nurse Epiphany Johnson from General Hospital. Your cousin, Maxie Jones, was just brought in. I'm calling you because you were on her In Case of Emergency card." The nurse explained.

"Maxie? Is she alright?" Robin insisted.

"She was in some sort of scuffle and fell off the roof. That's all I know. Dr. Lansing was with her when she was brought in." Epiphany clarified.

"Dr. Lansing? Are you sure he came in with her?" Robin challenged, confused.

"I know what I saw with my own two eyes. He was talking to her and holding her hand." Epiphany indulged easily.

"Is she alright though? Is she awake?"

"No. She's not awake. I'm not on the staff treating her." Epiphany ground through her teeth, obviously impatient to get off of the phone.

"I'll be right there. Thank you." Robin said, retrieving Elizabeth's call. "Elizabeth, something terrible has happened. Can you meet me at General Hospital?"

"Of course. It's not Morgan or Patrick is it?"

"No." Robin shook her head, forgetting that Elizabeth couldn't see her. "It's Maxie."

"I really don't think she should be disturbed, Alexis." Dr. Monica Quartermaine advised, biting on the end of her thin-rimmed glasses in speculation. She had been following Maxie's case since the Jones-Scorpio family had moved to Port Charles so it was impossible to not feel hesitant to let her young patient have visitors after such a violent fall.

Alexis met Monica's eyes, glimpsing into her soul where she was not a doctor, just a mother. It had been hours since Maxie had been brought in and hours since her surgery had been completed. This was the time to see her. She may not be conscious yet, but Alexis wanted to make sure she was in the room when she was. Kristina was missing—correction, someone had broken into her bedroom window and snatched her. There was precious little evidence: Mac's detectives and the CSU had already swept their home, coming up with nothing but Maxie's fingerprints on the glass of the window. "Monica, I have to talk to her. She was there when my daughter was kidnapped. If she can remember anything, it would help bring Kristina home faster. You and I both know how many children fall victim to abduction as well as the number that aren't ever returned." Alexis pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Alexis. It simply isn't policy. She isn't strong enough to even lift her head. The medicine is keeping her in a semi-conscious state where she can hear you but she can't respond intelligibly. Any information you collected from her tonight could be useless to you." Monica reasoned.

"Then I'll sort it out later. Monica, I have to talk to her. If I have to go over your head to do it I will, but that will cost me precious time; it'll give the kidnapper a better chance to get away with my baby." Alexis countered, tears glistening in her eyes. "Please."

"Ten minutes. That's all I can do. If you haven't gotten what you want by that time, you'll have to wait until morning." Monica offered. She took a step to the left to let Alexis enter Maxie's room. Reaching for Alexis' arm lightly she murmured, "If I come back and you have in any way upset her, this will be the last time I'll allow you to talk to her until she is released. Are we understood?" Monica was not going to compromise her patient. Yes, she was a mother too, but she had to be objective. Maxie wasn't as strong as she would like everyone to think. She was living on borrowed time with a heart that wasn't hers.

Alexis nodded solemnly and closed the door behind her. It made an impossibly loud bang when it closed even though she hadn't slammed it. She glanced back to see if Monica was watching her, but found that she was alone with her future stepdaughter. Mac was tied up with the investigation so this gave her the one and only chance she would get to talk to Maxie alone without the buffer of her family. There was so much she wanted to say, so much that was bottled up inside of her, but these words were from a mother and, if she was going to get through this, she was going to have to think like a district attorney. Cold, clean facts. It was the difference between a conviction and a slap on the wrist. Still, anger burned inside of her like a sleeping volcano.

"Maxie. Can you hear me?" Alexis called to her as she drew nearer to the bed. "If you can hear me, I need you to open your eyes." The damage on the young girl's body was not minimal by any means. She had twisted her ankle on her way down from the roof and landed on her arms and in a position where one of her ribs had pinched through her skin and had to be surgically repositioned. The glass had been removed from her face, but minute-sized scars remained in their place. Her bottom lip was split and the skin from her knees had been peeled away almost as if she had been attacked by a cheese grater. She had pulled her left arm out of socket and the other had taken most of the impact from the fall so it was black and blue as were her closed eyes.

"If you can hear me, squeeze my hand." Alexis instructed, taking her right hand gently as she lowered herself into a nearby chair. "Maxie, I really need for you to wake up. Kristina's life is in danger and you're the only one who can tell me what happened." When she received no response, she jerked her hand back and covered her mouth with her hands to fight back a threatening sob. "Maxie, come on. Wake up. Damn it, wake up." She ordered through clenched teeth. "I can't find my daughter if you don't wake up." Alexis shot to her feet and began to pace the room from one wall to the next, covering every square inch.

The fingers from Maxie's left hand moved first. It was just a slight response, but it was something. Gradually, she turned her wrist in a circular motion. The inside of her palm rubbed against the soft white sheets at her fingers. She couldn't lift her arm and became instantly distressed. She followed the same process with her right hand: fingers first, then wrist, then palm, but she still couldn't lift her arm. Tears slid through her closed lashes but her eyes were too swollen for her to blink them away. An inhuman sound tore from her throat startling Alexis and, though it took her several attempts, rolled onto her side and screamed.

Alexis hurried toward the bed. "Maxie, calm down. You're in the hospital. You were in an accident." She explained hoarsely. Maxie licked her cracked lips wanting to talk but unable to. Understanding, Alexis went on, "Don't force it. Take your time. I want to make sure the statement you give me is clear enough for me to be able to make out." At her words, Maxie's entire body flexed and then she was still. For several seconds, Alexis thought maybe she had fallen into a deeper level of consciousness.

Swallowing thickly, Maxie twisted her head toward Alexis' voice and managed a weak, "Kristina?"

Alexis stated unflinchingly, "She's gone, Maxie."

"No." Maxie argued. "No! She's not gone."

"Someone broke into the house," Alexis continued without pausing to take a breath, "and stole her from her bed. They stole her, Maxie."

The moments stretched on. Alexis squeezed her eyes shut trying her hardest to find the district attorney and separate her from the mother, but there was no differentiating. As a district attorney she knew the awful things a person could do to a child, especially a little girl. As a mother, she had seen enough, heard enough, lived around enough to know that Kristina might already be dead. "How could you let this happen?" She accused leaning forward so that her face was mere inches from Maxie's. "How could you let someone come into our home and take Kristina? You were supposed to be watching her! You were supposed to be protecting her!" Alexis shrieked, shaking.

"I tried—" Maxie sobbed.

"You didn't try! You left her upstairs alone!" Alexis charged.

"She was asleep. I went to her as soon as I heard her call for me." Maxie protested.

"But you didn't protect her. She's going to be your little sister. Would you have thought so little if it had been Georgie?" Alexis wanted to know. "Would you?" She repeated when Maxie didn't answer her right away.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Robin demanded from the doorway, the knob colliding with the wall hard enough to make the room shudder. "Forget it. I don't care. Get the fuck out of my cousin's room right now!"

"Robin, she knows about Kristina's disappearance..." Alexis insisted, pointing an accusatory finger at Maxie's quivering form.

Robin advanced on Alexis, walking her away from Maxie's bed and into a corner. "What part of 'recovering from major surgery' did you not comprehend?"

"The first twenty-four hours in a kidnapping are the most crucial." Alexis defended, bristling.

"Who do you think you are to come in here and harass Maxie? You're treating her as though she sat idly by while Kristina was kidnapped—" Robin shot back.

"She might as well have for all the good it did!" Alexis cried.

"You need to get out of here." Robin warned. "And I don't care what kind of connections you have in this town. You are banned from this hospital room. You will conduct your investigation without her."

"She is the only witness to the abduction." Alexis reminded her.

"Well maybe you should have thought about that before you came in here hurling insults." Robin narrowed her eyes.

"This isn't over." Alexis promised them, stomping out of the room.

"Robin, you shouldn't have done that." Maxie scolded her gently.

"We're all worried about Kristina, Maxie. That doesn't mean she gets to treat you that way. For Christ's sake, you can't even open your eyes."

"I wasn't the only witness." Maxie informed her.


	184. No Backing Down

**No Backing Down**

It had taken far longer than he had wanted to find out where Maxie Jones was recovering from her surgery. Somehow he had found the one nurse who didn't seem to know who he was and was immune to his charm. It was a good thing Patrick wasn't here, Lucky mused as he stepped out of the elevator and on to the floor. He'd never live it down.

When he had heard about Maxie's admission to the hospital, Lucky had insisted on coming. He knew Robin had asked for her best friend, but Lucky realized a few things as well. He assumed Patrick was at the apartment with Morgan, Robin wasn't going to be leaving Maxie alone in the hospital, and Elizabeth wouldn't leave Robin alone. Dr. Lansing had told Elizabeth to avoid unnecessary stress and, while she had argued, Lucky remained firm. Her spending all night in the hospital was unnecessary stress. She would visit in the morning; he would stay up all night with Robin.

He spotted his old friend easily enough. Robin stood in the corner of the waiting room trying to keep all attention away from herself. Her shoulders and hands were shaking. Not wanting to startle her, Lucky approached her carefully, gently tapping her shoulder to get her attention. Catching sight of the unshed tears in her cinnamon-colored eyes, Lucky felt his heart break.

"Come here Shortstack." He whispered, pulling her close to him.

There was a time for pride and this wasn't it, Robin realized as she fell into Lucky's strong embrace. She needed to be held, she needed to be comforted. She had been angry before, but the blowout with Alexis, a woman she respected, a woman her uncle loved unconditionally, her future aunt, had left her feeling entirely too vulnerable. When she had seen the way that Alexis handled Maxie, leaning over her as if she were a cold-blooded criminal, Robin's heart had stopped. "Oh Lucky," she whimpered.

Comforting words had felt hollow to him when Cameron had been a few floors above them. He doubted Robin would find any peace in a meaningless phrase such as "It will be ok" or "Maxie's a fighter." There was no guarantee this would be ok. He stuck to rubbing her back lightly as she continued to shake. He settled for facts, facts he could deal with. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Kristina's been kidnapped." Robin answered bluntly. She wanted it out before she explained anything else. It needed to be said. She needed to accept it, believe it. When she had called Uncle Mac on the way over, he had explained the situation. Nurse Johnson had directed her to the correct room, but she had almost been too late. Alexis knew how vulnerable Maxie was. Her cousin wasn't well, not even on a good day.

His heart stopped. Every parent's worst nightmare was coming true practically in his backyard. "And Maxie?"

"She tried to fight off the kidnapper. She's all cut up by the glass from Kristina's bedroom window. She fell off the roof, ran after the car, and then was hit by an oncoming car traveling in the opposite direction. One of her lungs collapsed. She's only been out of major surgery to reposition one of her ribs a few hours. One of her arms was knocked out of socket from the fall. Her lip is busted. Her eyes are welded shut with bruises." Robin ticked off each one, feeling less and less steady in her seat as she did so.

Lucky pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head. "What do you need me to do?"

Robin gave him a tremulous smile. "Don't let go."

"They'll need to pry me off." Lucky promised.

"How could this have happened?" Robin wondered aloud as she clung to Lucky. She couldn't get the look of Alexis' panic-stricken face out of her mind. She had jumped to the defensive because anger and family loyalty were two things that came so easily to her. She hadn't wanted to understand the older woman's pain because, to do so, would have been admitting that Kristina really was gone and that the kidnapper may have more than just the D.A.'s daughter in mind.

Just a few short months ago he had asked himself the same question. The answers didn't come any easier now than they did then. He continued to rub his hands up and down her arms. "I don't know Shortstack. I don't know."

"I couldn't have acted worse when I confronted Alexis in Maxie's room...interrogating her." Robin buried her face in his shoulder to hide her shame.

"Alexis is worried and you were scared for Maxie. No more no less."

"How am I supposed to help, Lucky? I am truly at a loss. All I can think of is when my mother was kidnapped though the man had come intent on taking me. I felt as helpless then as I did when you were presumed dead freshman year. When I think about what Faison must have done to both of you...I know this is different. We all saw his body, but I can't keep the panic back." She admitted, her voice little more than a murmur in Lucky's shirt.

It was hard to keep his memories of those few weeks with Faison back. The fear, the helplessness, those weren't feelings he liked to associate with himself. After his escape he had sworn to himself he would never look back and wouldn't allow anyone else to make a decision for him. Lucky bit his lower lip, contemplating his answer. "I think you're doing it Robin. Being here. I think that's all anyone can do."

Robin lifted her head and gave him a small smile. "I love you."

"I thought we were keeping that on the down low from Patrick and Elizabeth. Don't want to start any triangles." He teased her.

Robin pouted. "Elizabeth can't have you. You're mine."

"You're welcome to tell her that." Lucky tilted his head to side. "Did I mention she's very hormonal today?"

"I know you're too smart to mention that directly to her?" Robin gave him a wry look.

"Of course. This is why I'm telling you in the safety of the hospital."

"Robin?" Mac called from the end of the hallway, quickly closing the space between him and the two friends. The young adults shot up to their feet to greet him and he held back a shudder at the way Robin seemed to collect all her strength from Lucky. "How is Maxie?"

Robin gave him a somber look. "She's out of surgery. Monica wants her to stay at least a week for her body to heal, but you know Maxie."

"She'll stay as long as she needs to even if that means I have to put a guard outside her room to insure it." Mac growled tiredly.

"I hear Hannah's available." Lucky joked.

Mac looked past them as if he could locate Maxie's room by sheer determination. Understanding, Robin linked their arms together and led her uncle toward the appropriate room. "Lucky, I'll be back in a bit."

"Go ahead. I'll wait here and contact the rest of the cavalry." Lucky mock saluted with one hand, waving his cell phone with the other.

He had managed to miss Mac by mere minutes and he considered that a great accomplishment as much as a miracle. The Commissioner had been sitting vigil at her bedside for the better part of the night and he had almost missed his chance—that is until D.A. Davis called him to her room. He hadn't even known she was in the hospital, but a quick word with an orderly later and he was more than a little informed of the entire situation. He couldn't imagine what it must be like to watch two women you loved both struck down at the same time and pray that each of them would make it while, at the same time, being out of your mind with grief that your new daughter was at the hands of a maniac. He didn't know and he told himself he would never know.

He wasn't brave enough to speak and that fact left him feeling immobile. There was nothing that said upon his entering the room she would even want to see him. Closing the door quietly behind him, he quietly headed toward the bed, his footsteps as light as his breaths were choppy. With each nearing step, he felt his throat constrict. She had been torn apart when the paramedics had placed her on the stretcher, but even then he wasn't able to see the true damage. Now he could. He could see it in the darkening of her eyelids, the twist of her arm, and the bandage around her midsection that was clearly outlined beneath her hospital gown. Her face was sliced from the indeterminable amount of glass shards that had struck her with little consideration for her haste and her once slick and passionate pink lips were swollen and broken.

"Ric." Maxie's voice startled him and she had the good sense to take in a full breath before continuing, "You shouldn't be here."

"You're in no position to stop me." He pointed out, moving slowly toward her.

"No I'm not." She agreed quietly. "However, my dad might not see it that way."

"Your father is with Ms. Davis right now. He won't be back for awhile yet." He sat down next to the bed gingerly, careful not to jar any of the numerous lines and monitors that were connecting her to the medication and fluids her body needed.

Even though her eyes were not open, he noticed them pinched in agony. "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy."

"Now that that's done, I really think you should go." Maxie insisted. She didn't want him to see her like this. She had deduced enough by Robin and Dr. Quartermaine's words as well as Mac and Alexis' reactions that she must look like an abused voodoo doll. Moreover, his being here just reminded her who was missing.

"I don't think so." It was the familiar urge to pick a fight with her, but this time with an unfamiliar motivation. Instead of wanting to see her eyes flashing, the passion rising up in their blue depths, this time Ric wanted to convince himself she really was fine, at least medically.

"I don't remember giving you a choice in the matter." Maxie pointed out.

"If I let your protestations stop me Blondie, you never would have been placed on the committee with me."

"So that's where I should have ended it then? Gee, maybe it's not too late." She replied bitingly.

"What are you talking about?" Ric reached out to touch her hand, trying hard to ignore the IV line protruding from there. A few short hours ago her skin had hot and fevered to the touch, his touch. Now as his thumb barely brushed hers, she pulled her hand away.

"Please, I don't want—I can't do this right now!" Maxie snapped at him.

She turned her head away from him, but not before he noticed the tear tracing its path down her cheek. The only admission he knew she would give him about the pain she was in tore at his heart. He didn't want to see her cry. He wanted her to scream at him, tease him, bait him, and challenge him. He wanted to think of ways to corner her around town without alerting anyone to what was occurring between them. Ric had always associated want with Maxie, but he was starting to realize just what he really wanted with her. Thinking about the correction she made in her statement, he smiled. "But you want to. You want me here Maxie."

Maxie's fingers tightened around the bar on the right side of her bed. She was impatient to do something that would release some tension in her sore body, but this was about all she could manage the moment. "Why are you here?"

"To see you. Make sure you are alright." It was the simple answer. She wasn't ready for the more complicated one.

"Why should you care how I am?"

He shouldn't, he knew that. Ever since Kate, he hadn't spent this much time actively pursuing a woman. No woman had seemed worth the effort. But right from the start, there was something that kept pulling him to the tiny blonde in the hospital bed. "Because I do."

"And the fact that I don't want you here doesn't matter?"

"You always say you don't want me around and then you seek me out. I'm saving you the trip."

"That was different. This is different. We're not joking around anymore. My sister is missing and it would be a very bad idea for us to be caught together." Maxie warned him.

Ric realized her statements were not directly about them. She was worried about her sister. But she had no idea how close her words struck to home. _This is different_. Her words echoed in his head. It was. It hadn't truly hit him until this exact moment. In the back of his mind he had attributed his more pursuant chase of her to their similar natures. But now, it stopped him to realize he wouldn't still be here for anyone else. He wouldn't have insisted on riding in the ambulance. He wouldn't have stayed to sneak in to see her after her family had left. It wasn't in his nature. He had tried serious relationships and failed miserably. Keep it light, keep it simple. Shaking his head softly, he chuckled lightly under his breath. If he wanted light and simple, he should have never stopped Maxie Jones in that hotel ballroom.

"Why is that such a bad idea?" he asked her. "If you didn't want to get caught, why invite me to your home? My place has more privacy."

"I had to baby-sit and I thought you wanted to see me." Maxie answered, hurt.

"I did. I still do." He assured her.

"My family needs me right now. My sister needed me." She said bitterly to herself.

"And what? You think I couldn't understand that?"

"No. I don't. I have a hard time believing you could do anything without it suddenly becoming an inconvenience. So you see this is for the best really."

Words were obviously not working with her. Ric grinned as he realized they never communicated well with words anyway. Leaning over her, he stroked her cheek before lowering his face to kiss her lips gently. She resisted slightly but succumbed to what he knew was right and she was determined to fight. "I'll be the judge of what is the best for me Blondie."

"You son of a bitch." Maxie ground out. "Are you not listening? You have to go. I don't want or need you here. Please just leave me alone." With that, she rested her left cheek against her pillow, successful in showing him her back.

Difficult. He had known she was going to make this difficult. But would it be half as much fun if it was any easier, he wondered. Standing up he made his way to the door. Pausing long enough at the doorway, he turned back around facing her. "I'll go. For now. But if you think I'm going to leave you alone, then you don't know me as well as you flaunted." Ric stepped out of the doorway, stopped, and snapped his fingers. "One more thing," he continued as he turned around. "I don't believe you about not wanting me either."

Maxie watched him go as hiccups began to attack her brittle throat. Why did he have to make this so difficult? Why couldn't they just end things rationally? Must it always be a fight? His retreating back was not something she wanted to become accustomed to but she figured, if she kept letting him get the last word, she had better get used to it. Once he got what he wanted, he'd be right back out the door. At least for now she could hide behind the truth: If they hadn't been so caught up in themselves Kristina would be safe at home in her bed tonight instead of God only knew where with some monster. Her eyes closed and she let the medication carry her away to oblivion.


	185. Thieving

Alexis knelt down and brought her hands to her face blocking her intake of oxygen as the inside of her hand pressed against her nose and mouth. She had managed to keep it together for the better part of the night, but there was no one here to prove anything to. Mac was with Maxie and she had snuck out of her room during the nurses' shift change without anyone even noticing. She was still sick whether or not she was lying in that hospital bed. What had brought her into this small chapel she didn't know. She wasn't even an avid churchgoer. If not for her tenure at Catholic school, she probably wouldn't even know who God was let alone that He sent His only son to Earth to show the people the magnitude in which He loved them. Desperation, she decided. Desperation had brought her to this altar and it forced her to bow her head in unworthiness.

What had she done? Was she not been living the life she should be? Was it too soon to accept Mac's proposal? The questions spun in front of her eyes and she had to fight back the urge to be sick. She had about given up on the ridiculous aspects of karma until she was able to put both Sonny and Jason behind bars. Yes, Sonny was Kristina's father but at least now she was...she was safe. A cry tore from Alexis' throat and she had to grab onto the corner of the step to keep from losing her balance. Kristina was supposed to be safe damn it! Why wasn't she? What kind of monster broke into a little girl's bedroom and just took her? No, she wasn't naïve enough to believe that she had single-handedly gotten rid of every scrap of evil in this town, but she had watched so much of the ugliness leave when the Five Families were disbanded.

Alexis took the cell phone from her back pocket having changed into real clothes for her little outing. She had stolen the phone from the inside of Mac's jacket. The time read one in the morning. Her baby had been missing for almost six hours. She should have been at home in her bed snuggled up with her Teddy Bear, lost in her sweet dreams. Alexis knew this was not the case, not tonight. Tonight her baby was alone and scared and she didn't want to think about—but she had to think about it. She didn't want to be immobilized by it, but if she didn't face it—she still had to be the District Attorney. Her job required her to stare facts straight in the face. She didn't fabricate evidence. She never brought a case to a judge without knowing from the beginning that she had it in the bag. How was she supposed to look her daughter's kidnapper in the face and still be able to uphold the law?

"Are you cold my precious baby girl? Are you scared?" She screamed aloud, showing little concern for the respect of the church. It was just a chapel located in the middle of a hospital set in a town that was so corrupt sometimes their drinking water ran red with it. "I'll get you back. I'll bring you home to me and then I'll kill whoever did this." Her words surprised her. Such malice, such contempt coming out of her mouth when she had always been so repulsed by violence.

"You should be with me." She muttered angrily. "You should be in my arms." The weight on her shoulders so heavy she couldn't hold head up, she let it hang down. "I never should have left you alone. When I got sick the first time, I should have taken all the necessary precautions and gotten rid of it once and for all. I wasn't expecting you to come into my life, my miracle. Had I known, had I realized..." The rest of the declaration was lost in a string of broken sobs.

"You must think I never even cared for you since Mac came into the picture for the way I treated you. I ignored you and your fears because they were similar to mine and I couldn't handle them. Your questions were—are—mine." Gulping, she scraped her palms over her tear-stained face. "You are a fighter, do you hear me Kristina? Can you hear me? Listen to Mommy. You are so strong. When you were a baby and you got sick I knew—I knew you would fight. I still worried though, God I worried. This is no different. You will fight this; you will stay strong for Mommy. I'm coming to get you. I'm coming to—" The chirping of Mac's cell phone cut her off. Clearing her throat, she flipped it open and scanned the number only to be told that the number was anonymous as was the caller's identity. "This is D.A. Davis." She stated without preamble.

Well hello D.A. Davis." A monotonous voice greeted her wickedly. "I wasn't expecting you to answer, but I'm so very glad you did."

"Who is this?" Alexis wanted to know.

"Who I am is not important," the voice assured her, "only who I have."

Alexis felt all of the air in her lungs rush out as she tried to push down her hysteria. "Is this the person who was at my home tonight?"

"No." The voice had the audacity to laugh. "But I am looking at your beautiful daughter. She's such a peaceful sleeper."

Alexis shot to her feet in anguish. "If you touch one hair on her head—!"

"You'll what? Get big, bad Sonny Corinthos out of prison and send him to come and hunt me down? Please. The man couldn't find his dick in the dark if his life depended on it." The voice went on, amused.

"I want to talk to my daughter." Alexis ordered.

"Sorry. She's sleeping. I'd hate to wake her up. She had such a hard time falling asleep."

"What did you do to her?" The mother in Alexis demanded to know.

"Nothing. Once she realized that we weren't going to hurt her, she relaxed."

"What assurances do I—have that she's not been hurt? You won't let me talk to her, you won't address yourself..."

"Oh don't worry. We've got big plans for both of you."

"Why are you doing this?" Alexis pleaded. "She's just a little girl!"

"Is it unsettling to realize that you pose a bigger threat to your daughter's life than her father ever did?"

"What is it that you want? Please, I can get you whatever you want." The mother was front and center. She was done with negotiations. Having Kristina home and safe in her arms was the only acceptable outcome.

There was a long pause as if the caller was trying to articulate his or her demands perfectly. "I want you to know loss." And then the line went dead.

"KRISTINA!" Alexis shrieked into the phone.

"Whoever you are, please tell me this is worth it." Lucky grumbled sleepily into the phone. He had just started to drift off, uncomfortably scrunched into hospital chairs he was convinced were designed for little people, when his phone rang. It was one in the morning and phone calls at this hour were rarely worth it or brought about good news.

"Lucky." Patrick breathed in relief. He had been trying his cousin's phone for the better part of the night, but apparently he had had it turned off.

"Patrick?" Lucky rubbed his eyes in confusion. "I thought you were a fanatic about getting your full beauty sleep."

"I so rarely need it." Patrick quipped. "Have you seen Robin?"

"About an hour or so ago. She's down in Maxie's room right now."

"How is Maxie?"

"She's going to survive, physically at least. Mentally I'm not so sure." He could only imagine the guilt trip the younger girl was laying on her right now. There was most likely nothing she could have done, but that didn't mean she wouldn't try to think of a million scenarios to prove that incorrect.

"What do you mean?"

"There was nothing she could do. But I don't think anyone is going to convince her of that for a good long time."

Patrick stared at the phone as if he didn't understand its purpose. "Nothing she could have done about what? All I know is Maxie was taken to the hospital. I don't know why."

Understanding started to catch up with his sleep-addled brain. Lucky rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Robin didn't call you."

"She called long enough to tell Morgan goodnight." Patrick replied.

Of all the times Robin had to pick to be self-sufficient, she had picked this one. She hadn't called Patrick to give him any more details than she knew when the hospital called her. And now, if Lucky knew his cousin, Patrick was close to driving everyone in the family a little nuts right now. "I thought she told you. I would have called you earlier if I knew she hadn't," he groaned.

"Lucky, please tell me what's going on." Patrick begged him.

"Kristina was kidnapped while Maxie was babysitting. The bastard came right into her room. Maxie tried to stop him, which is how she got hurt."

"Kidnapped?" Patrick breathed. He had to sit down. "Do the police have any suspects?"

"Not that I know of. I think Mac still has people all over the house."

"Damn it, why didn't she just call and tell me that? I've been going out of my mind here. Did you know there were different types of Macaroni and Cheese? Did you know Morgan was allergic to tuna, because I sure didn't?" Patrick felt a little more comfortable in his ramble because it allowed him to focus on anything but the dire situation. "Do you know if she's slept at all?"

"If she has, it's with her eyes open." He had tried to convince her to sit down, rest for just a few minutes, but it had been impossible. She had run back to Maxie's room, trying to fix the impossible.

"Shit." Patrick cursed tiredly. "If she's not home by the morning I'm coming to get her. I didn't realize..."

"If she's still here in the morning, I'll drive her home myself." Lucky promised. "And I'll sic Elizabeth on her for worrying her to death too." He added for good measure.

"You okay?" Patrick asked casually.

"I'm fine." Lucky reassured him. The memories had come back, as he had feared but so far no nightmares had visited him.

"Call me if there's any change. Thank you for taking care of her."

"You're the first one on the list. And she's family." His meaning was clear. There were no thanks necessary for doing what you did for family. He would have done nothing different if it had been Lulu or Lucas who called this night.

Georgie rubbed her nose against Steven's left cheek since it seemed he had started to doze on her. His liquid blue eyes were glazed over when they met hers and she smiled like a dope as she snuggled up to him. The morning was crisp and that fact persuaded Steven to pull the covers more tightly around them, something that earned him a sweet, brief kiss. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth when she said, "I've never stayed up all night before."

Steven quirked one eyebrow skyward. "Never? Not even to study?" he teased her before kissing the tip of her nose.

"I usually finish work during class discussion." Georgie confessed quietly as if she were admitting to cheating on her taxes.

Laughing at her embarrassment, Steven pulled her closer to him, resting her head on his chest. He gently stroked her hair, long since disheveled from the up-do she had when he picked her up the night before. "So was it everything you dreamed of?"

"Well..." Georgie feigned deep thought, absentmindedly stroking her index finger over his chest where his heart lay beating loudly beneath his clothing.

"Brat." Steven declared tickling her sides.

"No...Steven, stop it!" Georgie giggled, trying to get away from his tricky fingers.

"No. No. Not until you admit you had a good time."

"Best night of my life." Her whispered response was more than enough for him and he, instead, wrapped her in his arms.

Gazing into her ginger-colored eyes, Steven tucked a piece of stray piece of hair behind her ear. Dropping a soft kiss to her lips, he pulled back just an inch . "Happy birthday."

"It sure was." Georgie replied flippantly.

"That sounds like someone making fun." Steven said evenly, wiggling his fingers threateningly on her sides.

"No. I'm not. I promise." Georgie held up her hands in surrender and Steven lightly tackled her so she was on her back in a matter of seconds.

"Are you sure?" he asked, lifting one eyebrow. "I'm not convinced."

"I'm sure." Georgie nodded leaning up to kiss him.

"I like negotiating with you." He tilted his head and deepened the kiss with ease.

Her cell phone chirped and they moaned in unison. "I knew I should have turned it off." Georgie remarked, wiggling out from under Steven—missing the slightly pinched features of his face—and retrieving the shrieked phone. "Hello?

"Thank God you aren't dead in a ditch!" Veronica's rushed voice sounded in her ear.

"Ronnie?" Georgie acknowledged in surprise. "I meant to call..."

"Don't listen to her." Lindsay interrupted. "I told her you were out with Mr. Wonderful and didn't want to be disturbed."

"She said she was going to be back and she wasn't. Did you want to call her father and tell him we let her go with an older man?" Veronica argued.

"Hey girls? I'm still here." Georgie reminded them with a chuckle.

"Hello? We were going to tell her sister who would totally understand. Get with the program here." Lindsay continued as if Georgie hadn't spoken at all.

"Okay, you two can fight this out. I'm hanging up now." Georgie assured them.

"No! Wait! Look, are you with him right now?" Lindsay asked.

Giving Steven an amused look Georgie replied, "Yes I am. We're pretty tired."

"It's always the quiet ones. I told you it was always the quiet ones." Lindsay said, clearly impressed.

"Damn girl. I thought you were the slow and steady type." Veronica whispered.

They locked eyes. "What can I say?" Georgie mused. "He's absolutely irresistible."

"Yeah like we are going to let you get away with that statement." Lindsay declared. "Are you at his place?"

"Uh huh."

"Did you sleep any at all?" Veronica asked.

"Nope. Up all night."

"I have one more question and you need to answer it honestly." Lindsay declared in all seriousness.

"No. I have to go. Steven's giving me that look." Georgie flipped her phone closed.

"What look?" Steven asked pulling her back down to him.

"Oh nothing. I didn't think it was any of their business what we were doing so I let them assume what they wanted." Georgie reasoned.

"This means they will call again in just a few minutes." Steven deduced.

"If you hadn't made me drop my phone last night, maybe the silent feature would still work." Georgie shook her finger at him in mock disappointment.

"I didn't hear you complain." He grabbed her hand and pulled her back to rest on his chest.

"Who's complaining?" She murmured with a smile.

"Certainly not me." Steven smiled as he lifted his mouth to kiss her again. He chuckled when her cell phone sounded once again. "Told you so." He teased.

"I'll get rid of them." Georgie promised. She gave him another of those quick kisses and picked up her phone. "This had better be life or death."

"Georgie?" Her sister's normally confident voice sounded strained.

"Hey Maxie." The one person Georgie had missed talking to. "What's up?"

"How was your birthday?"

Georgie couldn't help but smile in Steven's direction. "So far so good."

"Good. Good. I'm glad." Maxie's voice sounded distant and there was something Georgie had rarely heard in her big sister's voice. It almost sounded like Maxie had been crying.

"Okay, I give up. Why are you calling me? And why do you sound so...out of sorts?"

"Georgie..." Maxie's voice trailed off, as if she were gathering her thoughts. "I think you need to come home."

"What are you talking about? Alexis is getting better..."

"No she's not. Dad and Alexis lied to you because they didn't want to ruin your semester. But it's not Alexis. It's Kristina."

"Kristina?" Georgie couldn't figure out why her eyes immediately teared up—the defeat in her sister's voice maybe.

"She's been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Georgie echoed. "When?"

"Last night. I would have called sooner, but..."

"But what Maxie? But you couldn't be bothered? But you remembered that I'm the last to know everything? Well, which is it?" Georgie snapped angrily.

"Maybe Dad was busy investigating? Maybe Alexis was too busy blaming me and trying to not get worse? Maybe I'm in the hospital because I was on the losing end of a fight with a car? Maybe because it was your birthday? Take your pick." Maxie shot right back.

"A car?"

"I tried to fight the bastard but lost. When I chased him, I ran right into a car."

Georgie slid off of the bed, her back to Steven. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump all over you. Do we know anything?"

"Nothing."

"How long?"

"Seven hours ago."

"Start from the beginning."

"I was babysitting, she was kidnapped. I tried to stop him but I lost. It's not that great a story."

"I'm sorry." Georgie said because she couldn't think of anything else to say. Putting her hand over the phone, she whispered to Steven, "Where's your laptop?"

He pointed over toward his desk. "Right here. What's going on?"

Georgie ignored him for a minute and turned it on. Thankfully, it had only been on idle and she was already connected to the Internet. "I'm looking for a ticket home as we speak." She said to Georgie as Steven leapt off of the bed.

"I'll tell Robin. We'll see you soon."

"Maxie? Maxie!" Georgie realized she had been cut off. Tapping the keys loudly, she fought back tears.

"Hey. Hey." Steven rubbed her arms gently. "Talk to me. What's going on?"

"Alexis isn't getting better and my little sister was kidnapped last night." Georgie choked out. "Oh," she added bitingly, "and my older sister was hit by a car trying to save her."

"Come here." Steven pulled her into his arms and held her while the tears started to pour out of her eyes. Rocking her gently as she curled up on his lap, he whispered into her ear. "What to do you need? Just tell me what you need."

"Nothing. There's nothing you can do to make this better. I have to go home and you have to stay here." Georgie answered.

"Look at me." Steven tilted her head back. "You'll get through this. You're strong. And anything you set your mind to do, I have no doubt you'll do. Even if it's a cross-continental relationship."

"I'm going to miss you."

He kissed her forehead. "I'll miss you too. But there are always emails and phone calls."

"There is something you can do for me." Georgie murmured. "Kiss me until I have to leave."

"Done."


	186. No Roads Left

Robin looked pale. It was the first thing Patrick noticed when she came stumbling through the front door of their apartment. She looked pale and fragile. Shooting up from his spot on the couch, he closed the space between them and caught her in his arms. Moving his hand under her legs, he lifted her off of her feet and carried her upstairs, sighing in relief when she dropped her cheek to his shoulder.

"You should have told me," Patrick mumbled, "but we're not going to talk about that right now. Right now you're going to bed and I'm taking Morgan to school." At her moaned protest, he kicked open the door to their bedroom and said, "Don't argue. I'm going to drop him off, check on Alexis and Maxie, and then come back and take care of you." Pulling back the covers—she was so light in his arms he didn't need more than one arm to hold her—he lowered her onto the mattress.

Patrick didn't want to admit how hard it was to leave her even though she was already asleep. She had looked haggard upon entering the apartment. Her lips had been turned downward and her eyes had been wide and wary. Sweeping his hand over her shoulder, he bent down to kiss her cheek. "Sleep my sweetheart." He tucked her in and went down the hall to give Morgan a thumbs-up. The two of them headed quietly down the stairs.

"Where's Robin?" Morgan wanted to know after Patrick locked the front door.

"Sleeping. She was at the hospital all night." Patrick explained.

"Is she a doctor? She's always at the hospital." Morgan pointed out.

"I'm pretty sure they have a sign that reads, 'Must be this tall to perform medicine.'" Patrick laughed.

Morgan giggled and then sobered. "But why was she there all night? She didn't kiss me goodnight."

Patrick stopped walking just as the elevator doors slid open. Leading Morgan into it, he took a breath, "Maxie was taken to the hospital yesterday. She was hit by a car."

"Doesn't she know better than to play in the street?"

Patrick wished for innocence. "I guess not." There was no reason to worry Morgan with the full truth.

"Is she okay?"

"She will be."

"Can we go see her and not go to school?"

Patrick narrowed his eyes in jest. "Your mother would have my head. So, no. Maybe after school."

"But I don't want to go to school." Morgan whined, dropping his backpack and kicking it.

"Why not?"

"Billie Sanderson is going to say something mean about Daddy and the teacher's not going to believe me. Again."

Patrick felt his heart break a little. It was cruel for fate to force another little kid to suffer ridicule because of what his father did for a living. "I'll talk to your teacher."

"She won't know who you are. You're a stranger."

"I'm not a stranger." Patrick argued. "Strangers are bad news, but I'm family."

"But you don't like me. You'll probably say bad stuff about me and I'll get in trouble."

Patrick grabbed Morgan's arm when he saw the elevator doors slide open, knowing full well he'd never catch him otherwise. "Who told you I don't like you?"

"You don't." Morgan reiterated. "You never liked my mommy or my daddy."

"I didn't really know either of them. Your mom was a little older than me and she left home when I was really young. And I never thought what your dad did for a living was the right thing. That said, you're my family and I love you." Patrick insisted.

"You just want me to like you so you can stay with Robin." Morgan accused.

"We're still family whether or not I stay with Robin and you know that." Patrick retorted hotly.

"I'm sorry Patrick." Morgan whispered looking up at him.

"For what?"

"For being mean to you."

"No harm done. It comes with the territory." Patrick assured him messing up his hair.

"Patrick!" Morgan struggled against his hold. "You're messing it up."

"You want to mess up mine?" Patrick offered.

"What could I possibly do to it?" Morgan teased.

"Get in the car." Patrick ordered with a chuckle.

"Can I drive?"

"No you cannot drive."

"Why not? My legs are longer than Robin's."

"No they're not."

"Yeah huh."

"Nuh uh."

"On the ride home?"

"Maybe."

The morning sun was clear and crisp. Although it was still cold, it wasn't unbearable conditions. Not a trace of snow or sleet was visible on the horizon, only the deep blue of the winter sky. On any other day, someone driving through Wabash Avenue would smile, looking forward to a beautiful mid-winter day.

But Lucky saw none of it. As he made his way down the street, careful to avoid the children leaving for school and the parents hurrying to work, his mind remained fixed at a point in time he had forced himself not to think about in almost a decade. His night in the hospital had been fitful, but at least there he had Robin nearby to keep his mind focused on the problem at hand. Maxie. Kristina. Now as he neared his own home, there were no distractions. Nothing to keep him from thinking about that night. And Faison.

Growing up, his father had told him stories of Faison and his illegal activities, his obsession with Robin's mom, the rivalry with both the Spencers and Scorpios and the ruthless manner in which he let nothing stand in his way. As it was with most of Luke's stories, Lucky had dismissed some of the more outrageous statements of his evilness as exaggeration to make a better story. Maybe on some level, he hadn't really believed in Faison's existence at all. He was a figment, a convenient creature his father had created to frightening him and Patrick into behaving, Luke's version of "Don't make me turn this car around" as it were. The night he was grabbed from the side of the road while he was walking home from Missy Happy's party freshman year, he realized he had been wrong all those years.

Shaking his head, he pushed the memories to the back of his mind. He didn't think about Faison often, but when he did, it consumed him, blocking out anything and everything else around him. He was helpless to stop the onslaught once the flood started and the memories left him feeling weak. Two things he hated. He had to keep them back. In a few minutes he had to see Cameron off to school and Elizabeth off to work. He wasn't going to expose them to his misery. These weren't their demons to fight.

Forcing one foot in front of the other, he tried to talk himself out of the impending events. Don't do it Spencer. Don't do it. This isn't about you. It's about Kristina. You have moved past this. Focus on Kristina. Focus on Cameron. Focus on Elizabeth. Focus on anything but this. You can fall apart later but not now. Now is not the time.

"Daddy!" Cameron's cheerful voice jolted him as he entered the kitchen. "You home! Lizzie said you would be!"

Elizabeth smiled at him and patted Cameron's head from the chair she occupied next to his son. "Someone was worried you would miss him going to school." She explained as Lucky neared the two of them, kissing the top of her head before bending down to tickle Cameron.

"Miss you going to school? I don't think so pal." He growled as Cameron giggled under the attack. Sitting down after he kissed the top of his son's messy curls, he forced a smile onto his face. If he could last just a few more minutes, he could go upstairs and collapse. If he was living up to his nickname, the exhaustion would keep the nightmares from returning full force.

"Cam? Why don't you get your stuff together for school ok?" Elizabeth motioned with her hand toward the kitchen door. "You don't want to be late."

Nodding Cameron scrambled out of his seat, pushing through the swinging door as he raced toward his small backpack and sneakers sitting by the front door. Waiting to make sure he was safely out of ear shot, Elizabeth turned her attention to Lucky. He had updated her last night and it had taken every persuasion skill he had to keep her from racing to the hospital last night once she found out about Kristina's kidnapping. "Ok, tell me the truth. What's happening?"

Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing's changed. There are still no leads. At least none Mac is talking about right now. Maxie will be fine physically soon. I gathered from Robin Maxie snuck a call to Georgie last night and now she's on her way back."

"How's Robin doing?"

"She's exhausted, been taking care of everyone else but herself. Typical of her. She left just before I did. I bet Patrick has her in bed and isn't letting her leave the apartment today until she looks more human."

Elizabeth chewed her bottom lip. She should have been there. Robin had asked for her to come damn it. The reasons that sounded so logical and sane last night didn't seem to hold up in the harsh light of day. Her best friend had needed her and Lucky had gone instead. And if she had to make a guess, he hadn't slept anymore than Robin had. She had to do something. "I'm staying home today." She announced suddenly.

"What?" Lucky shook his head in confusion.

"I'm staying home. Robin needs me and it looks like you need me too. I'm staying. I'll call your mom to come get Cameron and I'll tell Old Lady Osencraft I'm sick. I'm pretty sure when you're pregnant they don't question sick days too much." Standing up, she searched the kitchen counter for the cell phone she had laid down earlier.

Lucky followed her, trying to stop her moving hands. "You don't have to do that." He was dangerously close to falling apart. The last thing he needed to do was drag her down with him. He was not going to fall apart in front of her. Not again.

"Yes I do. I should have gone last night." She protested, breaking free from his gentle grip. "I didn't do anything last night, so I have to do something today."

"There was nothing you could have done last night. And it's better me be sleep deprived right now than you." He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair, resting his hands around her stomach. A small kick made its presence felt under his fingers. "See?" he teased. "That's agreement. Majority rules on this one."

She shook her head at his attempt to sidetrack her. Cuteness was not going to work this time. "Maybe. But I'm still staying home today."

"And what? Watch Robin and me sleep? Because I'm pretty sure that is all that is on the agenda for today." She couldn't be here while he slept. If the nightmares were going to come, she couldn't be here. This wasn't the time to tell her about this. She didn't need any stress and he knew her. There was no way she wouldn't take this to heart.

"What's wrong with that idea?" Elizabeth challenged as she turned in his arms. His resistance to her playing hooky was confusing her. Normally she was the one to argue things like work and attending family functions were important. Lucky was generally more than happy to skip and lock them behind the doors of the house, preferably the bedroom doors. Why was he so determined to keep her away now?

"Nothing is wrong. It's just there's nothing anyone can do right now." He held her tightly. Some part of him told him to just let her stay. Her presence would keep him calm. Another wiser part of told that part to shut up. He was hanging on the edge of a freak out and he knew it. Nothing was going to keep it back short of falling into an exhausted sleep. It was best she leave right now.

Elizabeth gave him a quizzical look. On the surface there was nothing wrong with what he was saying, but she couldn't shake this feeling there was something else going on. "Ok I'll offer a compromise here. I'll take Cam to school, but I reserve the right to come straight back here if I feel like it."

It was possible, Lucky reasoned, he could be asleep before they left the street. As long as he was asleep before she decided to come back, he could deal with it. And it was always possible Ms. Osencraft would see her bring Cameron and refuse to let her go home. On some level he knew it was a ridiculous notion but it was still possible. And if he didn't agree to something, she may start to get more suspicious than Lucky suspected she already was. "Deal."

Robin had moved downstairs when sleep had come and gone in a matter of an hour. Patrick wouldn't like her being awake but she figured as long as she wasn't traipsing off to the hospital thereby putting herself and others in harm's way on the road he didn't have much of an argument. The knock at her door proved that she was to endure company. Maybe if she stayed quiet, they would go away. On the other hand, it could be Uncle Mac with news. With a long sigh, she got to her feet and went to the door. "Who is it?"

"Land Shark?" Elizabeth's muffled voice carried through the thick door.

"Elizabeth, come in." Robin yawned opening the door.

"Hey you." Elizabeth said softly taking in her friend's haggard appearance. She drew the smaller girl into her arms. "I'm so sorry Robin."

"Thank you." Robin whispered, holding back the urge to cry. "Do you want coffee?" She asked, stepping out of her friend's embrace.

"I think that is on the list of bad foods. But it looks like you could use a pot. I'll make it." Elizabeth answered moving toward what she believed was the world's largest kitchen.

"You don't have to, but I won't stop you." Robin yawned again, returning to the couch.

"Please. Making you coffee is officially the least I could do for you right now." Elizabeth was grateful that, with all the gleaming, new, state of the art appliances in the polished kitchen, the coffeemaker was still easy to figure out. Making the proper measurements and setting the carafe down, she returned to the couch, taking up position next to Robin. "Did you get any sleep?"

"Almost a whole hour." Robin answered glumly.

"Oh sweets." Elizabeth murmured.

"I don't know why I can't sleep. Something just won't let me. It's like I've forgotten something." Robin told her.

"I'm sure you haven't forgotten anything. From what Lucky told me you were a rock last night."

"How is Lucky? Sleeping I hope."

"He didn't answer when I called and I told him I was coming back. So I think that's a good sign."

"Good. Good. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. But this isn't about me. I'm here for you now. How are you doing?"

"Not so good. Mac finally broke apart last night after a call the kidnapper made to Alexis. Whoever has Kristina is out for blood." Robin explained feeling cold all over.

Elizabeth reached out and put her arms around Robin's shoulders. "The bastard will pay."

"I just want her back." Robin admitted softly.

"I know you do sweetie. I know you do."

"Since I can't sleep and you're obviously playing hooky what should we do? I haven't had a day off in so long I don't even know what to do with myself."

"Well there's all day ice cream binge, watching all the soaps live instead of on SoapNet, or getting every girlie movie we can and forcing Patrick to watch it with us when he gets back from wherever he is."

"Patrick went to check on Alexis and Maxie." Robin explained.

"He's going near Mac willingly? My how times have changed."

"Him hanging out with us is bad since I'm supposed to be in bed. He'll be a real wet blanket about the whole thing. I say we binge and play cards."

"Only if you deal."

"Morgan, please take your seat so we can start our lesson." Miss Leslie instructed.

"Now, as I was saying..." Morgan didn't mean to block out what she was saying; he simply couldn't concentrate. Maxie was in the hospital. Maxie had been hit by a car. Alexis was at the hospital. Alexis was very sick. Kristina hadn't been at lunch for the first time ever.

"Tori, what did you bring for show and tell?" Miss Leslie asked her favorite student. The tiny blonde made her way to the front of the class with her pet turtle in her hand. She explained that his name was Crash after Finding Nemo and…and then Morgan ignored her as well. Why hadn't Robin taken him to school instead of Patrick? And why hadn't Robin come home? Patrick's answers made absolutely no sense. Robin was always home with him.

"Your turtle is kind of fat." Nettie Bellum assessed with an accusatory finger.

"He is not!" Tori screamed in response. "This is his shell!"

"Tori, no yelling. Nettie, apologize." Miss Leslie ordered.

"No!" The girls said in unison.

"Then how about we go to the principal's office and you explain to her why you thought it was okay to misbehave?" Miss Leslie's question sounded more like a threat. She took the turtle from Tori and set his glass container on her desk before leading the girls out by their braids.

To her immense annoyance, the piercing cry of the fire alarm caught her ears and the children hopped up from their desks in excitement. Miss Leslie Gordon tried to corral her class into listening but sometimes it was a losing battle. "Alright everyone, you know what to do during a fire drill. Get in line please." She lined them up from shortest to tallest, maybe because she was a little neurotic, maybe because she wanted something this morning to go as planned. "You don't have to hold hands but you are not to leave my sight. Understand?" Their silence was the only answer she received. "March." She led them into the hallway where other teachers were herding their students in the same fashion.

Morgan fell to the back of the line when something caught his eye, or rather someone. Hurrying to catch up, he noticed his classmates and teacher fade into a hundred others and fought down his panic. He was supposed to stay in line! Oh man, he was in so much trouble. They were all going to the same place, right? As long as he got outside, it should be okay. Tori ran past him in desperate need of her forgotten turtle but she didn't give Morgan a chance to ask her where Miss Leslie was.

Treading forward, Morgan recognized exactly no one. Starting to cry, he finally made it outside. Turning the corner his heart jumped into his throat. "What are you doing here?" He wondered.

"I've come to take you home."

"But I just got here."

"I know, but Robin wants you home."

"But Patrick told me to stay. Robin is asleep. She's really tired."

"That's why she asked me to come and get you so she can rest. Ready?"

"We have to tell Miss Leslie I'm leaving."

"I've already talked to your principal. She'll tell your teacher."

"Promise?"

"Don't you trust me Morgan?"

"Yeah."

"And it's not like I'm a stranger."

"That's right." He remembered Patrick's explanation of which kinds of people fell under strangers and which didn't. "I guess we can go."

"Give me your hand."

"I've missed you Aunt Courtney." Morgan told her.

"I've missed you too little dude." Courtney gathered him into her arms and held him close.

"We're going to my house?" Morgan wanted to be sure.

"Not just yet, but we will soon." Aunt Courtney promised.

"Promise?" Morgan pressed on.

"Get in the car, Morgan." Aunt Courtney demanded.


	187. Unthinkable

Sergeant David Harper plotted another point on the dry erase board with his blue marker and made a short note next to. The commissioner, the district attorney, and he had been working on a timeline for the kidnapping and he had been dragged out of bed four hours before his original shift. He knew this was a high priority case and not just because of his superiors but also because of who her father was. Despite D.A. Davis' insistence that the kidnapper was targeting her, he wasn't so easily convinced. It was very possible that they wanted her to think that; they wanted to throw her off so that she would be focusing on the wrong thing. It was important to cancel them out as best they could to narrow the scope.

"No, she was kidnapped at seven p.m., not seven a.m." Alexis corrected the sergeant sharply. She knew she should give him a break and, if this wasn't about her daughter, maybe she would let his incompetence slide. However, this was completely about Kristina and the enemies her mother had made over the years, not Sonny's. His denial that she had her fair share was making her want to stand up and throttle him, but Mac's protective hand on her knee kept her seated. He had been incredible through this entire thing, but she had recognized the aftermath of his secret breakdown when he had brought her coffee that morning. She knew this wasn't any easier for him; after all, Maxie had been hurt trying to save Kristina. Alexis needed to apologize to Maxie, she understood this, but every time she neared her room she saw red and her heart refused to be reasonable.

"Maxie said the car was a white Malibu." Mac added, taking a long drink of his coffee as he willed his mind to continue to function even as his body started to drag. Realistically, he was exhausted so he could only imagine how terrible Alexis must feel. Maxie had been hurt severely but at least she was receiving the best possible care, at least he could reach out and hold her in his arms. She'd start physical therapy in a few days. He would be there to see her through it. Alexis didn't have luxury of holding Kristina. She had no assurance that her daughter was even still…no he wasn't going to think about that.

Alexis noticed Mac's head shake as if he was trying to fight the demons that warred within him. She rested her hand on his and he gave her a soft smile. The smile didn't reach his eyes; the effort it must have taken him put a very harsh strain on his features. She wanted to comfort him but she had no positive thing to say to him. Her baby, her perfect little girl, was missing, had been stolen for God's sake, and she didn't have the strength to reassure her fiancé. Dr. Bernstein was upset with her for leaving the hospital in her condition, but she had promised to not overwork herself. She was sick and she knew it, but until she had her baby back in her arms, she had no will to live.

"And there were no other witnesses?" Detective Harper asked for clarification. He already knew there weren't because he had scaled the neighborhood, but there was a chance one of his superiors had gone back and collected more information.

Alexis frowned at him. Why was he making them repeat themselves? She knew they had next to zilch as far as bringing the perpetrator to light right this second, but couldn't he at least pretend he had gone through the police academy? She felt Mac's fingers tighten around hers and assumed her body language had given her away. She had such little patience for bullshit and that's all this seemed to be. They needed more information and they weren't going to get it sitting here. "Call me on my cell if something changes." She informed them, already making her way toward the door.

"Alexis, where are you going?" Mac wondered.

"To find my daughter Mac. I have to be actively doing something." Alexis stressed each word to the point of making tears spring to her eyes. She didn't actually believe she would cry because she had done so much in the past twelve hours, but there was always a chance.

"You are lucky I've let you be involved as much as you have. You are sick whether or not you want to admit it. I won't have you going off on some wild goose chase." Mac raged, throwing his hands out in front of him.

"We aren't living in caveman times. You don't get to tell me what to do." Alexis pointed out, her eyes flashing.

"I am going to be your husband and I damn well get to have a say in how much stress you put yourself under." Mac shot back.

"You're trying to smother me and I hate it!" Alexis screamed at him, oblivious to the sergeant's departure.

"I'm not trying to do anything like that, but yes I am worried about you. In case you've forgotten, the last time you got this worked up you collapsed." Mac gritted through his teeth.

"I was there. I remember." Alexis countered, her tone softening softly. "I'm just scared." She admitted.

"I know, but we will get her back. I swear." Mac promised, pulling her into his arms and holding her while she cried. He knew how much she hated to cry and that for her to do so in front of him must have been a major blow to her pride, but he reveled in the trust she continued to put in him.

"I know." Alexis nodded into his blue blazer. "I know.

She watched him with an amused grin. In the entire time Patrick had been with her cousin, Maxie could count on one hand how often he willingly interacted with Robin's family. There was Mac's birthday, Georgie's goodbye party, and that was it. And now here he stood, awkwardly shifting from one foot to the next. Maxie grinned at him. "So you can pick me out of a crowd. I'm impressed."

Patrick managed a small smile. Maxie was a spitfire; he had always thought so. She didn't let anyone within an emotional mile of her, ever, probably because of the way her mother had abandoned her and Georgie at such young ages. He had told Robin he would come and check on her cousin and aunt and that's exactly what he planned to do. "Don't you know better than to play in the street?" Patrick wondered, repeating Morgan's question from their last conversation.

Looking him up and down she settled her gaze on his brown hair. "Don't you know to comb your hair before going out in public?"

"I could lather it up with gel; it'd still look like this." Patrick assured her, gesturing toward his unruly hairstyle. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a car."

Patrick cringed at her scratchy reply. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

Maxie shrugged off his attempt at sympathy. She had enough with the sad looks, whispered words, and the hand patting. Sympathy wasn't going to get Kristina back. Sympathy wasn't going to get her out of this bed to look for her little sister. She needed action, not sympathy. "Hey you're into cars right?"

"Yeah. I used to race them in high school." Patrick answered, smiling in spite of himself. She couldn't be any more different than Georgie if she tried. He was learning his way around these Jones-Scorpio women. "Why?"

"Because you can help me identify the exact car that asshole used to take my sister." Maybe if she looked at enough cars, she could remember a detail, something to lead them to Kristina.

"You told your dad it was a white Malibu. I'm guessing you don't know the year, but maybe there's a way we can determine it. If it was the 2008 Chevy Malibu when he drove away he would have had to turn pretty quickly and the breaks, even if the turn wasn't very sharp, would squeal like a cat that just got his tail stepped on. If it was an older model, it would have looked far junkier because, let's face it, the 'Classic Chevy Malibu' was a piece of shit. It was cheaply made and massively produced." Patrick informed her.

"Then get your information Spikey. We've got work to do."

"No. No. No." Dillon shook his head defiantly. "We can not be friends if you prefer that remake to the original." He snarled on the word remake, making it sound as if Robin and Elizabeth had decided to support terrorists in their spare time.

"Dillon, calm down. Really." Robin placed her hand on his arm. "It's Alice and Wonderland. If you tell the truth, no one has ever liked that movie, past or present."

"It's a bit creepy. And psychologically damaging. I had nightmares about that disappearing cat for weeks when I first saw it." Elizabeth agreed.

Dillon shook his head in disappointment. "You poor, uneducated women. I suppose you prefer that new version of The Thomas Crown Affair as well, since you have no respect for the classics."

"Well of course. Pierce Bronson doing the tango. What's not to love?" Elizabeth wondered.

"I don't know. I thought Sean Connery was the best James Bond myself." Robin mused, tilting her head to the side in deep thought. "And he's just gotten better-looking."

"There's hope for you yet." Dillon hugged Robin to his side. He waved a finger in Elizabeth's direction. "You're going to be thrown out of the cool people club."

"Can't be that cool if they let _you_ in." Elizabeth pointed out with a deceptively innocent smile on her face.

"Who said you were part of our club?" Robin asked Dillon, eyebrows lifted. "Can you make Cherry Chocolate Cheesecake?"

"That's right, can you?" Elizabeth crossed her arms on top of her stomach and leaned back in her chair.

"No. But I can bring over any hot man in Hollywood history in their hottest role." Dillon said proudly.

Robin smiled devilishly. Amazing what a little sleep and good company could do for a person. "We might have use for you."

Elizabeth nodded. "Now you're in the cool people club."

"Do I get a decoder ring?" Dillon wondered.

"Only if you get more ice cream." Elizabeth pointed out. "It's part of the initiation rite."

"Already putting me to work. Where is that boyfriend of yours? Aren't cravings his deal?" Dillon challenged.

"Oh this isn't a craving. This is one of the five basic food groups. Dairy, meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables, and ice cream."

"How could I forget a major food group?" Dillon smacked his forehead humorously.

"For reals." Elizabeth shook her head. "Should have paid more attention in school."

"Speaking of school..." Robin's voice trailed off as she read the number that had just flown across her caller ID. "Hello?" She said into the receiver.

"Is this Robin Scorpio?" Margaret Winthrop, the principal of John L. Collins, sounded depleted.

"This is she." Robin gave her friends a motion with her hand to quiet down. She could barely hear Mrs. Winthrop.

"Miss Scorpio, I'm calling to inform you that your son, Morgan, left school grounds during a fire drill and hasn't been seen since." Mrs. Winthrop told her.

"Left school grounds? Like he walked off alone? Are you sure we're talking about the same little boy? My son is very wary of strangers, Mrs. Winthrop." Robin assured her confidently.

"One of his classmates noticed him talking to a woman, but she—" Mrs. Winthrop began.

"What woman? What did she look like?" Robin demanded, causing her friends to look worriedly in her direction.

"Robin? What's going on?" Elizabeth questioned.

"She couldn't say for certain." Mrs. Winthrop insisted.

"What's her name? The child who saw Morgan?" Robin wanted to know.

"I can't—"

"What's her name?"

"Tori Cassidy. She was only returning the classroom to collect her show-and-tell pet. She only saw him for a second—"

"Robin. Calm down." Dillon wrapped his arms around her waist, trying to stop her shaking.

"She's a witness then. Listen, my uncle is the commissioner. I'll have him contact you. I need to talk to Tori." Robin ignored her friends as she barked orders at the principal.

"I'm afraid that's impossible, Miss Scorpio."

"Impossible? How dare you? How dare..." Robin blinked back tears and dropped the phone, suddenly oxygen-deprived.

"Sweetie? Sweetie? What's going on?" Elizabeth begged grabbing Robin's hands. "Tell us."

"Morgan." Robin managed, choking on her tears. "He's missing." Robin struggled out of Dillon's protective hold and retrieved the phone. "Mrs. Winthrop? Are you still there?"

"Yes, Miss Scorpio. I know this is difficult to understand..."

"It's not difficult, it's unacceptable! You let my son be snatched up by a stranger!" Robin accused furiously. "If he is not found in one hour, I'll tear your school apart. Do you understand me? Find my son!" She slammed the phone into its cradle and wrapped her arms around her stomach, trying to hold it all in. This simply wasn't happening. No. No!

Dillon pulled her close to him, cradling her next to his chest. Resting his chin on the top of her head, he gently rocked her back and forth. He bit his lip to keep his own eyes from tearing. Lance went to the same school. It was too close. Too close.

Elizabeth grabbed hold of Robin's hand. "He'll come home. You're going to find him."

"Just like Kristina, right?" Robin shrieked incredulously.

"Both of them. They are both coming home."

"What are you talking about? Did you hear what that monster said to Alexis in regards to Kristina? He wants her 'to know loss.' What do you think that means? Huh? And if he has my son now too? What then? What then?" Robin screamed, pushing away from them.

Dillon pulled his phone out of his pants. "I'm calling your uncle."

"No call Alexis. She knows more about Sonny's enemies." Robin countered, closing his phone.

"But the police need to be on this now. And they are probably together anyways." Elizabeth pointed out.

"What can they do?" Robin challenged. "Honestly. This doesn't have anything to do with the PCPD. This is about Sonny. It's always about Sonny."

"The more people that are looking for Morgan and Kristina the better. Even the mob can't hide forever." Dillon answered.

"Fine. Call him. I'm outta here." Robin decided, her legs giving out before she could even take a step toward the door.

"Robin!" Elizabeth called out, racing as fast as she could to catch her friend before she hit the floor.


	188. Name Of The Game

It wasn't often she got called to Port Charles for a story. Ever since the famous "kingpin" had been locked up along with his hapless hit man, the news had mostly revolved around her hometown, New Jersey. She currently lived in New York City so it wasn't an extravagant commute. It was exciting. It was exhilarating. Why did it have to be Port Charles?

She couldn't focus on that. She had a job to do, fans and the network counting on her. It was her duty to portray the news as she saw it, never divulging too much, never twisting anything that didn't need to be twisted. She loved her job. It had led her away from something bad and toward so many wonderful things. Kate Howard stared out the passenger seat window as her cameraman, Arturo, drove them to their location. She could already feel the temperature dropping and knew they weren't too far from their destination. The Weather Channel had labeled Port Charles as "The Next Ice Age" what with its harsh winters and brief summers. She hoped she had packed enough sweaters because it wasn't like she could return home before the story was completed.

"Don't worry Ms. Howard." Arturo smiled, signaling for the other drivers as he swerved into the far left lane. "I'm sure you won't even see him."

"What?" Kate hadn't been paying attention the conversation. She was mentally drooling over the opportunity she had just been presented with: Mac Scorpio and Alexis Davis. Their names and faces were constantly tied to some of the biggest busts in New York history and were often called Bonnie and Clyde.

"Your husband, Ms. Howard." Arturo clarified looking uncomfortable.

"My ex-husband you mean." Kate corrected.

"I didn't know it was settled." Arturo admitted sheepishly.

"It's just paperwork, Arturo. Can you please watch the road?"

"Yes. Of course. Sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a sore subject." He apologized profusely.

"Of course you did. You knew—it doesn't matter. He doesn't matter. He's not part of the investigation." Kate pointed out.

"Are you planning on attending the press conference first or interviewing the witnesses?"

Kate smiled broadly. It was through careful wire tapping that they even knew about the second abduction. "We'll figure it out when they get there."

She used the rest of the car trip to think about how much this story would do for her career. There were so many big fish in New York City people hardly ever noticed her. Port Charles was the perfect place to start. Her bosses were entrusting her with this assignment and she wouldn't blow it. She had gotten this far because she was better than good, she was damn near obsessed.

"I hope it helps. I'll bring by some pictures tomorrow and you can look through them." Patrick assured Maxie as he bent down to give her a hug.

"I'm sure it will. See you later Bed Head." Maxie returned his hug with the first genuine smile she had felt all day. At least now she would be doing something.

At least she would feel like she was doing something productive, Patrick thought to himself as he passed a man he had never seen before. He seemed to have been waiting for them to conclude their meeting. "Can I help you?"

Ric met the stranger's eyes with blatant hostility. Sure, he wasn't supposed to be visiting, but he hadn't thought that doing so would result in finding some other guy in Maxie's hospital room. "No. I found the room on my own thanks."

"Maxie, do you know this guy?" Patrick challenged, his arms folded. He didn't feel comfortable leaving her with a strange man. He felt positively terrified about admitting to Robin that he had left her younger cousin alone with a strange man.

Up until that point, she had been watching them in horror through her fingers. "He's a doctor here."

"Funny." Patrick commented. "He's not wearing a white jacket or a pair of scrubs."

"I don't work today."

"No? Then I have to ask what you're doing here." Patrick dared him.

"Are you her father? Because I don't have to explain anything to you." Ric defended himself hotly.

"Patrick, it's fine. Really." Maxie told him.

"It's not fine." Patrick pouted.

"That were her polite way of suggesting you take a hike." Ric informed Patrick.

"Shouldn't it be my decision who stays and who goes?" Maxie asked in desperation. Patrick was the quickest way to Robin and she had convinced her cousin that Ric was nothing more than an extra witness. She still wasn't sure how she had done it.

"No." The guys countered in unison.

"Shouldn't you be taking care of my cousin today, Patrick?" Maxie reminded him.

A smile sprung instantly to Ric's face. "Yeah so why don't you go and do that and I'll stay here."

Maxie rolled her eyes. "Zip up your pants boys. The competition's over."

"I'll be back to check on you later." Patrick promised, shoving Ric backwards with his shoulder as he walked past him.

Once Patrick was out the door, Maxie attempted to throw her pillow at Ric, watching it fly about two feet. "Idiot."

"Is that any way to greet your doctor on his day off?" Ric smirked, bending down the pick up the pillow. With ease, he tossed it back at her.

"I'll let you know when I notice the doctor. Right now all I see is an egotistical jerk." Maxie was smiling when she said it.

Ric feigned a look of hurt as he settled himself on the edge of her bed. "And here I thought you would want my help today."

"Your help? What good has your help done me so far?"

He held up one finger against her lips. "Shh. You haven't heard my idea yet."

"I don't think I want to." Maxie grumbled but motioned for him to continue.

He played with the ends of her hair that rested near his fingers. Coming to see her was a risk, but one he felt confident enough to take. Not throwing him out right away had betrayed her words last night as lies. Or at least partial lies. She wanted him near her. She would have already called security on him if she didn't. "Did the nurse tell you your schedule for today?"

"No." Maxie watched him with narrowed eyes.

"Then I guess it is up to me to correct that mistake." Ric glanced at his watch. "Looks like it's time for your physical therapy."

Maxie blushed in spite of herself. "And you just thought you'd volunteer?"

"Do you want to discuss my qualifications for the job?"

"By all means. I don't trust my 'therapy' to just anyone."

He moved his hands slowly down her shoulders. "Obviously a good physical therapist has to be gentle."

"That's true." Maxie agreed, leaning back slightly. Her body was still very sore and stiff and she would take all the tender, loving care he was willing to give her...within reason.

When he reached her tiny wrists, he held them up, circling them with his fingers. "They need to know just how strong you are."

"I agree." Maxie whispered, her eyes crinkling slightly.

Hooking her arms around his neck, he moved his hands to her waist as he lowered himself closer to her. Leaning over to whisper in her ear, he blew softly first. "They need to be very familiar with your body."

Gulping when his eyes settled on hers, Maxie whispered his name in a shaky breath. He turned her mouth into his and kissed her tenderly. "I don't think this is in the job description."

"I like to go above and beyond the call of duty."

Maxie pushed him back a little. "Ric, come on."

"Don't pretend you aren't enjoying yourself Maxie."

"That's not the point." Maxie shook her head.

"It is the point." Ric argued.

"No. No, it's not. You should go. I need to rest." Maxie dismissed him, pulling her hands into her lap.

Ric blew out an impatient breath. "I'm not a damn yo-yo, Maxie. You can't keep pulling me in and pushing me away!"

"You started this. Remember? You're the one who won't accept that this can't work." Maxie shot back, gesturing between her to him.

"Only because you continue to fight this. I'm not the one who's confused about what they want Maxie."

"Then tell me, Dr. Lansing, what do you want?"

Ric leaned forward and kissed her so hard their teeth clicked together. "You." He whispered fiercely when he released her.

"I think I might need a little more proof." Maxie told him, breathless.

"Hello lover." Emily murmured from behind Patrick. She laughed when he jumped in response and turned angry eyes on her.

"What do you want, Emily?" Patrick pinched his nose in frustration. It was bad enough he was in the dark about the guy in Maxie's room. All he wanted to do was go home and curl up next to Robin.

Emily took a moment to run her eyes over his body appreciatively. "Well, if you have to ask..." She dragged her right index finger down his bare arm.

Patrick grabbed her wrist and held it in place. "I don't have time for this." He pushed her backwards enough to make her stumble.

"Got to rush off to Suzie Homemaker?" Emily assumed with a roll of her eyes.

"What would you know about it?" Patrick growled at her, wishing just once he didn't take the bait.

"More than I want to. Trust me on that." Emily sighed irritably.

"Why can't you let go? Don't you have Nikolas and his wonder dick?" Patrick recalled.

Emily barely suppressed a groan. "He had more fun with it than I ever did."

Patrick gave her an expression of mock sympathy. "Oh, past tense? That's too bad."

"Yes well, I knew there was better out there." Emily tilted her head, her eyes dark.

"There's always better than Cassadine. However, I'm taken." Patrick reminded her.

"I know." Emily said with a sulky expression. "And to think, it's all because of a car."

"A car?"

"Yeah. Suzie's car. She ran it into a tree, right? At least that's what the papers said." Emily mused.

"There wasn't a story in the paper." Patrick argued.

"Well not in that crap paper you read. Don't worry. I'd never tell Cruz that to his face." Emily assured him, resting her hand on his wrist.

"Be careful Em." Patrick warned.

"Always." Emily promised, grinding her teeth together when Patrick's cell phone sprung to life.

Recognizing the number, Patrick flipped it open, moving away from Emily. "Hey babe, how are you feeling?"

"Patrick." Elizabeth's worried voice came through the line. "You have to come home right now."

"Why? What's happened?"

"Morgan's missing."


	189. Running Low

"I don't want to talk about it." Dillon cut Elizabeth off when she tried to make yet another comment about how close the abductions were. They had left Robin in Patrick's care and were on their way to pick up their children.

"I can't help it." Elizabeth bit her lower lip and looked out the passenger side window. "This shouldn't be happening."

"We can't change it. All we can do is prevent it from continuing." Dillon told her through gritted teeth. He was holding the steering wheel hostage, his knuckles whitening under the pressure.

"Then why are you driving so slow?" She challenged. All she wanted to do was grab Cameron, run home, and never leave the house again. And she had laughed at Lucky when he expressed a similar reaction after Cameron's accident.

"I don't want to be pulled over." Dillon informed her hotly.

"You're right. I'm sorry. I just want to get to the schools before something else happens."

Dillon blew out a breath. "I'm sorry. I'm scared and it's not a welcome feeling."

Dillon pulled his blue nineteen fifty-one Chevy into the parking lot of Cameron's preschool and parked, not missing the way Elizabeth hopped out before he had even stopped the vehicle. "Liz, wait. I'm coming."

"Why? Lance doesn't go here."

"Someone has to drive you home." Dillon pointed out.

Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm losing it. Dr. Lansing said being forgetful was a part of pregnancy, but I thought I was skipping that."

They ran the rest of the way to the principal's office where Elizabeth had insisted Cameron be. They hadn't even questioned her, which made Dillon nervous. Throwing open the door, Elizabeth's eyes searched desperately for Cameron. Finally, he leapt out of a chair three times his side and wrapped his arms around Elizabeth's right leg. "Lizzie!"

Dropping down to her knee, she hugged Cameron to her hard. "Cameron." She sighed, mouthing the words "thank you" to the secretary seated behind the desk. Forcing a smile onto her face, she pulled back just long enough to look into Cameron's eyes. "You ready to go?"

"Uh huh! Why's Dillon here?" Cameron wanted to know, nodding toward the shaking blonde.

"He's our ride. You know I can't drive Daddy's car." She couldn't explain why driving the Jeep or the truck made her nervous, but they did. Plus it was getting a little uncomfortable sitting behind the wheel these days.

"Alright guys. We gotta go." Dillon reminded them, ushering them toward the car.

"Yeah. We have to go pick up Lance before we get home." Elizabeth grabbed hold of Cameron's hand tightly and scanned the hallway and parking lot for anyone that looked out of place.

The situation at Lance's school was no less dramatic. Dillon must have held his son in shock for at least five minutes before Elizabeth's placed her hand on his left shoulder, snapping him out of the spell. Dillon dropped Elizabeth and Cam off with every intention of driving straight to Lucas' office. This was too important to talk about over the phone.

She hoped Lucky was still asleep. This would go so much easier if he was still in the bed. Then they could just slip in and pretend everything was normal, at least for a few minutes longer. But as soon as she opened the door, her hopes were dashed. Lucky was coming down the stairs, wide awake and in a considerably better mood than the one she left him in.

The nightmares hadn't been that bad this time around. He had even managed to get back to sleep after them, which sometimes never happened. Maybe, Lucky mused as he made his way downstairs, today wasn't going to be as a bad of a day as he originally feared. Seeing Elizabeth open the door, he initially smiled, guessing she had taken the day off to see Robin as she had suggested this morning. But his smile gave way to confusion as he saw Cameron rush in from behind her.

"Daddy!" Cameron yelled as he spotted his father. He launched himself up the stairs, causing Lucky to reach down and catch him mid-step before the four-year-old could knock him on his back. "I'm home early."

"Yes you are." Lucky looked back and forth between Cameron and an increasingly nervous looking Elizabeth. "Are you sick buddy?"

Cameron shook his head. "No. Lizzie and Dillon came to get me and Lance."

Dillon? Lance? "Did they now?" Lucky reached the living room and set Cameron down, moving toward Elizabeth. "Any reason?"

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Elizabeth sank down onto the couch. The words hadn't been easy to say to Patrick and now she had to say them again. Glancing at Cameron, she sent the little boy a wink. "Why don't you go upstairs and find that new train of yours?" She asked forcing calmness she didn't possess into her voice.

Cameron nodded and shot up the stairs in a second. Lucky watched him go before turning to Elizabeth. "The train is in the basement. Not his room."

"I know. But he doesn't need to hear this yet." Elizabeth motioned toward the spot next to her. "Sit down. I have to tell you something."

Slowly Lucky took a seat, taking a hold of her hand in the process. This couldn't be good news that much Lucky realized. "Was there bad news from Dr. Lansing?"

Shaking her head quickly, Elizabeth chewed on her lower lip. "No. No. Everything is fine. I'm fine. Everyone is healthy."

Lucky blew out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Then what is it?"

"It's Morgan. He's missing."

For the second time in two days, Lucky felt himself being hurled back into his worst nightmare. Closing his eyes, he could see the evil smile Faison had sneered at him, the white hair gleaming under the bright light. _"No one is going to look for you Young Spencer. Why do you fight my hospitality?"_ He shook his head to clear the image from his mind. Not again. Not again.

Elizabeth continued on, hoping if she could just get the words out, maybe then the situation would start to make sense. "Robin got a call from the school. Morgan never came back from a fire drill. A little girl saw some woman talking to him and then he was gone."

It was too close. Too close. The details weren't the same as his own ordeal, but there were similarities. Kristina and Morgan? Less than a full day apart? It didn't happen here. It didn't happen in Port Charles. Not since Sonny and Jason went to jail. "Robin?"

"She's a mess. Hysterical. Patrick's with her now." The image of her friend shaking violently as she screamed in rage against Dillon's chest would haunt Elizabeth for years to come.

"And you picked up Cameron."

"I know it seems insane, but I just needed to make sure he was here and he was safe. If Morgan could be grabbed at school and Kristina out of her bed..." Elizabeth let her words trail off as she shuddered. Was there nowhere safe anymore?

He understood the impulse perfectly. Looking at his watch, he listened carefully for the sounds he associated with Cameron looking for his toys. Bangs. Clatters. A laugh of delight. Five minutes? Would he still be looking for that train after five minutes? Did he go upstairs now to make sure Cameron was still in his room, still with him, when Morgan and Kristina were God knows where?

"Maybe I was wrong." Elizabeth called upstairs. "Check down here." She offered a soft smile. "I didn't want to scare him."

Lucky nodded. "No. We'll explain it to him later." Right now, he had to calm down and focus. He wouldn't be able to protect Cameron if he was too busy freaking out over old issues. Not now, he told himself harshly. Not now.

Cruz whistled as he crossed the driveway to his house where his wife and his mother were waiting for him. He smiled when his nose picked up the familiar aroma of homemade lasagna. His mouth was watering and he wasn't even to the door yet. He turned the knob and the smile froze on his face.

Curled up in his mother's embrace was Bobbie. Her face was hidden from his view and her back was turned toward him. He could tell from this distance that she was shaking and he could hear her sobbing. This wasn't hormones, a little voice told him. This was heartbreak. What was going on? Bobbie didn't just break down into tears for no reason, and break down in front of his mother didn't comfort him in the least. "Mama? Bobbie? What? What's wrong?"

"My baby...my baby..." Bobbie moaned out.

"Baby?" Cruz parroted, tears instantly springing to his eyes. "What about the baby?" He closed the door behind him and pulled Bobbie into his arms.

Isabella shook her head. "No. Not this baby. Morgan."

"What about Morgan?" Cruz demanded.

"He's missing." Isabella said sadly. "Just like his sister."

"Missing?" Cruz breathed out, stroking Bobbie's back lightly. If he hadn't been sitting down, he surely would have been now. Less than a day apart. What was going on? Who was taking the children and why? Even the relief he felt at the announcement that nothing was wrong with his baby didn't do much in repairing his shattering heart.

"He can't be gone. He can't be gone." Bobbie cried softly.

"He's not gone." Cruz argued. "Mac is going to find him." If only saying the words meant that that was exactly how everything would play out. He had no guarantees.

"Why would someone do this? Why?"

"It doesn't make any sense." Cruz murmured against her frizzy red curls.

"Cruz, can I see you in the kitchen?" Isabella suggested.

"Would that be okay?" Cruz asked Bobbie.

Nodding her head, Bobbie wrapped herself up in a blanket she kept on the back of the couch. "Hurry back."

"I will. I swear." Cruz told her, kissing her forehead and sluggishly moving toward the kitchen. "I need to be in there."

"You need to calm down first." Isabella corrected him.

"How can I?" Cruz challenged. "How? I love that little boy. How am I supposed to act like nothing's wrong, that it's not eating me up inside?"

"You are going to do it because your—because Bobbie needs you to. You're going to hold it together for your family." Isabella explained.

"Did Robin call and tell her?" Cruz whispered even though Bobbie couldn't have heard him over her wailing.

"No. Patrick." Isabella clarified. "He didn't sound too good."

"No. I guess he wouldn't." Cruz answered, rubbing his hand up and down the back of his neck. "Okay, I can do this."

"I'll check on dinner." Isabella offered, giving him a small smile.

"Hey, come here." He ordered, pulling Bobbie close to him. "I love you. I love you so much. And you're so strong. Morgan will be back before you know it."

"I want him back now."

"I know it baby." Cruz nodded against her cheek.

Mac stepped into the kitchen and was barely able to dodge the plate of china. "Alexis? The hell?" He roared, noticing that more than half the dinner dishes were missing from the open cabinets and their skeletons were littering the mahogany kitchen floor.

When Alexis faced him, her eyes were wide and incredulous, "You said we would get Kristina back! You said we would! But now Morgan's missing too!" Her scream sounded the proverbial fingernail scraping across a chalkboard. "They're both gone and we've done nothing to prevent it!"

"There was no reason to believe that Morgan would be targeted." Mac rationalized. "Are you willing to believe that maybe this is about Sonny after all?"

"Oh, you're so much smarter than I am, Malcolm. So much smarter. So much faster. So much more friendly. You're a better investigator than I am." Alexis growled at him, tossing another plate in his direction.

"We've both been clouded on this issue because it's hitting too close to home. You're not the only one hurting, Lexie!" Mac pointed out harshly.

"Have you even been to see your niece yet?" Alexis challenged. "Have you?"

"No! I came to check on you! Why is that suddenly a crime?"

"The only crime is that we didn't see this coming and stop it!"

"Do you want me to go?" Mac asked in a strained voice.

Alexis hung her head. "No. I don't want you to go."

Closing the space between them, Mac wrapped her securely in his arms. "We're going to get them back and whoever did this—" His voice broke off. He had always upheld the law and lived by it his entire life, even before the Academy sparked his interest. He lived and breathed the law. He wanted more than justice this time. He wanted blood.

"Do you think they'll call Robin tonight?"

Mac squeezed his eyes shut. His niece was going through enough. He wished he had been the one to answer his phone when the kidnapper had called the night before. It should have been him. He could have handled it. Alexis though...Robin...they shouldn't have to. "God I hope not."

"When you go see her," Alexis whispered, "tell her I'm sorry."

"For what?" Mac inquired, lifting her chin. "What could you possibly have to be sorry for?"

"I thought I had gotten rid of the crime in this town. I thought—and our last exchange wasn't pleasant. Please just tell her."

"You don't have anything to apologize for. You're both grieving." Mac muttered.

"No." Alexis shook her head fervently. "She's not to that point yet. She's not lucky enough for grief."

Mac let out a shaky breath. He didn't want to think Alexis was an expert in this. He didn't want to think that someone had both his stepdaughter and his nephew and were planning on terrorizing their mothers. So he did what he could and he rocked her. He stroked his hand through her silky cinnamon strands. He whispered words of reassurance that he didn't have evidence to back up. He loved her. It was all he knew how to do.


	190. Everything Changes

If this had been under any other circumstances, he would have protested. He would have refused, his mother's disapproval and fight with Dillon be damned. But this was beyond petty jealousies and insecurities. Someone was taking members of his family. There was no reason. No explanation. So far as Lucas knew no demand for ransom. No indication the kidnappings were going to stop. Lance could be next on this madman's list. Right now the more people looking for this asshole and working to get Kristina and Morgan home the better. Even if it was Georgie.

At some point in his life, Lucas could remember seeing Georgie as something other than his rival for Dillon. At some point, she was his cousin, maybe even a friend on some level. He had always been closer to Maxie, but he had enjoyed time with his quieter cousin as well. She hadn't done anything overtly hurtful to him. It was what she had that he never would.

She was Dillon's first love. And while he had accepted it had taken Dillon a longer time to figure out who he was than Lucas had, it didn't mean he actually had to like the fact he wasn't the only love Dillon had in his life. Or the fact that Georgie could have given his husband a child. The one they lost.

The aftermath of the miscarriage had been devastating for both, but it was only Dillon who had run clear across the country to escape the pain. Georgie had shoved Dillon away, hiding behind Mac's disapproval. He knew at some point in the years between then and now, the former couple had talked and come to terms with their grief and loss. But it was still a bond between them that Lucas knew he could never penetrate or fully understand. And he hated it.

Georgie wasn't sure what she was expecting when she stepped off the platform to pick up her bags, but Lucas Jones wasn't it. She could feel the hatred radiating from him and inwardly flinched. He had never been able to accept that she and Dillon shared a past, the love of a child, but she had been desperately hoping that they could get past it what with Kristina's kidnapping and all. If he was the one picking her up, surely it had to be a good sign, right? Otherwise Robin would have. "Lucas, hi." She greeted him awkwardly.

"Georgie." He tried to smile, honestly he did, but it just wasn't in him.

"I knew you liked to watch planes when we were younger, but I have to say you're the last person I expected to see." She told him earnestly, attempting a smile even as her lips protested.

"Believe me if you told me this morning I would be picking you up, I'd have said you're crazy."

"It is good to see you." It wasn't a lie. She had missed seeing him, even if most of the visits resulted in yelling, pouting, or her own destructive behavior. He had often accused her of pretending Lance was her son instead of his, but she had sworn up and down that that simply wasn't the case. Yes, the child they had lost was a boy, but when she looked at Lance she saw her second cousin, her cousin's pride and joy, and Dillon's second chance at happiness.

"You probably want to get your stuff and go home." Lucas offered awkwardly. He knew he did, just to reassure himself that Lance was home and ok. Why hadn't someone written a handbook on this sort of thing?

"I am anxious to see how Alexis is doing. She must be a wreck." Georgie mused, following Lucas to the baggage claim.

"I think your dad is threatening to chain her to the bed. Of course Robin probably isn't doing much better."

"Well, I can imagine. She loves Kristina just as much as the rest of us." Georgie nodded, picking up on the subtle grief in Lucas' tone.

Lucas froze. How had he forgotten Georgie was already been on her way when Morgan had been taken? Slowly he turned around, meeting his cousin's eyes for the first time in five years without hatred. "It's not just about Kristina."

Georgie's heart dropped to her feet and her eyes widened. "What are you talking about?" Was this why he had been the one to come and get her? Had something happened to Lance? Is that why Dillon wasn't here? Is that why Robin was upset?

"It's Morgan. He's gone."

"Gone?" Georgie squeaked out.

"There was a fire drill or something at school yesterday. A girl saw Morgan talking with some woman and he never made it back in the classroom."

"You're being cruel." Georgie accused him sharply. "Unnecessarily cruel." She spat.

"I'm not." Lucas shook his head and put his hands on Georgie's arms. "I swear on BJ's grave I would not make something up like this."

"But that's impossible! Kristina was just taken two days ago!" Georgie shrieked, her head shaking rapidly from side to side. In the time it had taken her to fly home, another member of her family was stolen? Memories flashed through her mind like a psychotic reel. She saw Morgan holding a cup of juice in one hand and a crayon on the other, his eyes fixed on his project. This couldn't be happening. "Morgan wouldn't just go off with a stranger."

"That's what Robin keeps saying. Mac thinks it means..." Lucas felt his voice trail off, unable to say the name of the man that had already cost his family so much.

"It means what?" Georgie prodded. "If you know something..."

"Mac thinks it means Sonny. He thinks it's related to Sonny."

"Sonny is in prison." Georgie whistled through her teeth.

"But not all his enemies are. Or his friends." Mac hadn't mentioned the possibility, but Lucas remembered his former brother-in-law well. If Sonny wanted his children, there were more people than just Jason Morgan around to make sure it would happen.

"No." Georgie argued with a quivering bottom lip. "No."

"I don't want to be right. But there's no other connection between Kristina and Morgan. There's been no ransom demand."

"It's still early. There could be..." Georgie insisted desperately. "This could simply be about money."

"I hope I'm wrong. But I've worked too many missing person cases to not consider all the angles here."

"They're just little kids." Georgie protested.

"Strong kids. Don't forget it."

Georgie could no longer stand, nor did she feel comfortable leaning on Lucas. She plopped her suitcase beneath her and sat down, trembling. With no ransom demand and no contact, what did that leave? Revenge. The word sprung to her mind without her permission. "Take me to Robin." She begged. "Please."

"The van's right outside."

Had her parents experienced this feeling when she had gone missing? Robin mulled over that question as she lay with her knees to her chest and her back to Dr. Alan Quartermaine. She had seen him a few times over her lifetime, only a few occasions actually noteworthy. He had been her rock when Stone had been diagnosed with AIDS and then again when her results had come back positive. He had been the first to congratulate her when she was awarded custody of Morgan. Since then, she had only seen him at Lance's birthday party and that could have only been because they were hosting it at the Quartermaine mansion. He had made no further effort to contact her until now and it didn't take a genius to figure out why.

Alan lightly patted her shoulder and spoke to her the same way he had when she was seventeen watching the love of her life slip away in front of her eyes. She didn't listen to the words because in them lay obvious evidence of his pity; instead she focused on his constant, calming tone and found far more comfort in it than she would have in any two-cent certainties he might have been offering.

Patrick paced the length of the hallway, back and forth, fourteen steps one way, twenty-eight both ways. The walls desperately needed some color; until now he hadn't noticed just how stark and awful they were. The paint was fresh and clean and he hadn't minded it upon moving on, but it bothered him now. Nothing about this hallway told stories about them, not even a little bit. He realized it was still new for them, that they hadn't lived here very long, but shouldn't there be a picture of them somewhere? The pictures were downstairs on the mantle, the living room, the bedrooms, but not in the hallway where they would be able to see them every time they got ready for bed or were just getting out of it. The picture of them playing with the racetrack was downstairs; the picture of Robin and the kids was on their nightstand.

That picture said it all, he told himself. It had been there, in front of them, this whole time, but they had been too busy to pay any attention. It was almost as if the kidnappers had the same picture and were drawing thick red X's over their faces. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to their bedroom door, listening for evidence of Robin resting. He knew she wasn't, knew that nothing would convince her of its importance until her son and cousin were home, maybe not even then. He could easily imagine her grabbing a hold of them and never letting go.

What kind of God let this happen? The kind that stole your mother, a bitter voice spoke up. The kind that broke up your family. The kind that drove Logan to physically attack Robin. Choking back unwanted tears, Patrick gripped his fingers into fists and brought them to his mouth, muffling the sound of his own pain.

A hand on his back startled him and he stood up straight, his eyes meeting Alan Quartermaine's. As a constant fixture in Robin's life when her world had fallen apart around her not so long ago, Patrick had thought it smart to consult him on this to check on her. Alan's eyes were somber when they settled on Patrick's. He gripped Patrick's shoulders tight. "I'm very worried about her, Patrick."

"I am too. Would she talk to you?" Patrick wondered. When he had walked into the loft, she had been mumbling quietly, her hands fisting and releasing. The scene was all too familiar and he had and he had had no choice but to turn his face away from her pain.

"No." Alan shook his head. "I really wish you would let me prescribe something for her to sleep."

"No. I can't do that to her again." Patrick had never forgiven himself for inducing sleep after her attack mere months ago. He could still see her eyes open in surprise halfway through her exam; he could still hear her begging him to take her home.

"I don't know if she is strong enough to handle this." The older man admitted though his eyes were conflicted.

"Then you don't know her very well, Dr. Quartermaine." Patrick countered, shrugging off the man's advice. "Robin's the strongest person I know."

"She's already been through so much," Alan reasoned.

"That doesn't mean she's about to give up." Patrick assured him.

"I hope to God you're right Patrick. She has such a wonderful spirit." Alan took a shaky breath. "Listen to me: she needs to eat something. I don't care what it is. A candy bar, juice, a handful of raisins, milk. Something. She needs to keep her strength up since we really have no way of knowing how long this is going to last."

"Elizabeth said they tried to get her to eat some soup earlier but she threw it up. Her stomach can't take anything right now." Patrick explained.

"She can have crackers. Nothing else until she feels confident she can keep it down. Understood?"

"Yes. Thank you, Dr. Quartermaine." He watched the doctor leave with uncertainty in his eyes. Now he was supposed to take care of Robin on his own. Surely there must be someone stronger than him, smarter than him, more compassionate than he was for the job. But there was no one else. This was something he had to do for the woman he loved even though it may very well kill him. You selfish bastard, he thought. Stop thinking about your own pain and focus on hers.

Patrick opened the bedroom door and just stood watching Robin as she hunched over, her head in her hands as she fought her body's need for sleep. He had had to be told that his mother was dead by a complete stranger instead of his own father. No one had even thought to comfort him but he wasn't so sure he would have let them anyway. He didn't try to understand her pain or the hollowness taking up residence in his soul, he simply watched her. He didn't know what he was waiting for. She certainly wasn't going to talk to him. She hadn't spoken at all. Her attempts only led to screaming, crying fits when her words were nothing more than choppy breaths and broken sobs. She was a million miles away from him.

"Do you think he's cold?" Robin's voice broke through the pounding in Patrick's head. It was so quiet he was almost convinced she hadn't said anything, that he had imagined it. Forcing himself into the room, he sat next to her, not attempting to touch her in case it wasn't what she wanted. Her thick cinnamon mane had fallen from its loose ponytail hours ago and her face was almost as pale as the sheets that covered her lower body. If her hands had stopped shaking since he had come home, he was unaware.

"No." The word tore from Patrick's throat without a moment's hesitation. "They know how important he and Kristina are and that it wouldn't be in their best interest to let the kids get even a chill."

"If they weren't Sonny's would you be as confident?" Robin's tone implied a challenge but there was no hostility in her voice.

"That doesn't matter." Patrick argued. "They're not just Sonny's."

"I guess that's true. Kristina's mother is the District Attorney." Robin mused.

"And Morgan's mother is the daughter of a super spy and niece of the commissioner." Patrick reminded her. "Don't doubt your importance. No one else does."


	191. Edge Of Reality

A hastily erected call center to help find Morgan and Kristina was set up in the Lakeview Shopping Center. The owners of the empty storefront had offered up the space in the early hours after Kristina's disappearance made the news, a space for the people who wanted to do something for the little girl stolen from her bedroom to gather and work with the investigators. When Morgan followed in his sister's footsteps, the number of volunteers swelled. Even though the evening hours were beginning to march toward night, the room remained full.

Throughout the room, volunteers answered the ringing phone writing down all the tips from members of the community. Another table was staffed with people sorting the tips into categories, similar descriptions, similar overheard conversations, the truly out there theories. The back wall was covered with a large map of Port Charles, currently decorated with pushpins. Tips regarding locations where indicated with blue pins. Search areas were red. A police officer spoke with a former Marine about the best way to start a search in the early morning hours.

Audrey moved easily through the tables, offering coffee to anyone who needed it. She had already decided to volunteer after hearing about Kristina's disappearance, but Elizabeth's panicked phone call after Morgan went missing had sent her straight here. Audrey had lived through the years of the mob running this town and had thought she had lived to see her home regain a reputation as a peaceful place to live. She had a great grandchild coming into this world in a few short months and a town where he or she wasn't safe in their own bed was not the place she wanted that child to live.

She smiled softly at the young woman in the PCU sweatshirt currently sitting cross-legged on the floor, organizing the newly printed flyers. With her soft brown hair that flowed over her shoulders, the young girl reminder her of Elizabeth. Audrey sent up a grateful prayer none of her children had experienced this nightmare firsthand, quickly followed by another plea whoever responsible was caught before another family experienced any pain.

The rumor going through the center was AJ Quartermaine was taking Michael out of the country for his own protection. Although Audrey doubted the kidnappings were directly related to Sonny Corinthos, she couldn't fault AJ for his caution. The youngest Quartermaine had made a brief stop at the center to set up a reward for the return of the children. While she did not fault the gesture, Audrey just couldn't shake the feeling there was something else behind AJ's willingness to help his son's half-siblings. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on just yet, but she was confident she would figure it out sooner or later.

"Toffee? Oh that's late!" A young man with sandy blonde hair that hung in his eyes raced toward her tray, grabbing at a cup.

Audrey shook her head. "I'm sorry. What did you say?" She questioned him. She must have heard him wrong.

"Coffee. That's great. Thank you." He responded, clearly puzzled by her request.

"Yo…you...you're welcome." It felt as if her tongue had suddenly expanded at least a foot as she struggled to get the words out. She had never thought of herself as old, but now she was wondering if her age was finally catching up with her. First she didn't hear the young man correctly and now she couldn't even speak properly.

Raising her hand to massage her temple, Audrey felt the headache that had been lightly throbbing for the past hour start to gain power. Even after her most stressful shift in the hospital, she had never felt a pain like this. If she had ever imagined what it would feel like to have a power tool drilled directly into her head, she would safely say it would rival this. The throbbing caused her to sway, stumbling into the woman standing next to her.

"Are you alright?" The red headed stranger asked, her voice laced with concern. "Maybe you should sit down." She gestured to a nearby chair, but before Audrey could protest, she was startled by the presence of a hand resting on her left arm. Looking over, she saw the police officer standing next to her, his hand resting on her forearm, his face calm but concerned. When had he moved? Audrey wondered. How long had he been standing there?

"Ma'am? Are you feeling alright? Do you need any help?" The officer asked her.

She tried to move her arm out of his grasp but it wouldn't budge. She tried to tell her feet to move just one inch, but nothing was happening. Opening her mouth to speak, she could feel half of her mouth refuse to move. She could feel the words on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't get the words to form. Panic began to course through her veins. What was happening to her?

The police officer eased her into a nearby chair and nodded at the red headed woman, who still stood nearby. "Call 911. I think she's having a stroke."

"Audrey Hardy? Excuse me do you know where Audrey Hardy is?" Elizabeth pounded on the desk of the nurse's station trying to get some answers to the questions that had been running through her head since the phone had rang ten minutes earlier. All she knew was her grandmother had been brought in after some sort of collapse at the search center. A police officer had called 911 and her grandmother was brought here. A brief stop in the ER had directed her to the sixth floor. And still no one had answered a single one of her questions.

All she knew was what the nurse had briefly told her over the phone. And now she couldn't find anyone to tell her anything else. This was her fault. She had moved out and left her grandmother alone. She should have been there. Her grandmother shouldn't have collapsed in a crowd of strangers, Grams should have been with her, her family. And now her grandmother was in the hospital again, most likely scared and she was having to find a nurse to play twenty questions with.

"Excuse me? Excuse me?" Elizabeth continued without success to get the attention of the nurses as they walked by her, heads down and seemingly intent on studying the charts in their hands. Weren't they supposed to answer questions, be more available than the doctors? She felt a tear course it's way down her face and she paused to wipe at furiously, trying to resist the urge to stomp her feet in frustration. Although she in no way wanted to be a stereotype of a hormonal pregnant woman, if someone didn't answer her questions in about two minutes, this floor was about to see a mood swing they would be talking about for years to come.

"Hey. Hey." Lucky came up from behind her and placed his hands on her arms. She had left him in the dust once she had been told what floor her grandmother had been transferred to. It was probably the fastest a pregnant woman had ever moved. Now she realized Lucky may have stayed behind a moment longer to ask a few questions Elizabeth now desperately wanted to know. What had happened? How was she? What did the doctors think? "Did you find her yet?" he asked softly.

"No. I can't even get anyone to stop." She gestured wildly around her at the nurses and doctors still passing her by.

He steered her toward the waiting area. "You sit down. I'll find out where she is."

"No." Elizabeth shook her head stubbornly. "I have to find out what's going on. I have to call my parents and tell them, Sarah. Oh God. I have to call Steven." She pushed her hand haphazardly through her hair as she bit her lower lip. Outside of her brother this would be the first time she would speak to her family since the disastrous Christmas. She had to do this right. She had to have answers and be in control. That meant she had to find answers.

Lucky held firm. He was worried about Audrey as well, and he could see Elizabeth working herself up to a hysterical level. Not that he blamed her for it but her having a panic attack in the middle of the floor wouldn't help matters any. It may guarantee him a seat in hell but he wasn't above using emotional blackmail to get her to slow down just a bit. "And I'll help you do all that. But first you need to let me find out some answers. We'll handle this, whatever it is. But you have to calm down first. The last thing Audrey would want is for you to go into early labor over this."

Elizabeth shot him a dirty look. With every passing day, he found a new way to play dirty she discovered. He was right, damn him. She pursed her lips at him as she sat down. "Don't think I don't know this is a low dirty manipulation."

"Whatever it takes baby. Whatever it takes." He leaned down to kiss her forehead and went off to corner a nurse. Elizabeth rolled her eyes when she noticed the same ones who had ignored her mere moments earlier just about fell over themselves to talk to Lucky. Typical, Elizabeth thought. I would have had better luck if it were male nurses and I didn't look like I swallowed a beach ball.

She watched him talk with the nurse for a few minutes before clearly thanking the little bimbo and then jogging back to her. Lucky perched himself on the edge of the table in front of her. "Ok. I couldn't get much out of her since I'm not family but Audrey is here and they are running a few tests. She's going to tell the doctor you're here and he'll be out to update you."

Nodding her head, Elizabeth raised her hand to cover her mouth as tears filled her eyes. She had always hated waiting and right now there was nothing else she could do. She could call her family but if it turned out to be nothing; her grandmother would be horribly embarrassed about all the fuss that was made. You know it's nothing, she told herself sternly. If it was nothing you would have seen her by now. Blinking back the tears that threatened to spill out of her blue eyes, she met Lucky's concerned gaze. "I'm so scared." She admitted brokenly.

Moving himself into the chair next to her, Lucky pulled her into his arms and kept rubbing her back. "I know baby. I know."

He kept his arms around her, half hoping the doctor would come soon and half hoping Elizabeth wouldn't realize how long it was taking if he didn't. With all his heart he hoped it was truly nothing and the tests were just precaution, but he was far too much like his father to hold out much hope for that. If it was really and truly nothing, they would have never moved Audrey out of the ER. They would have been able to take her home from there. No moving Audrey to the neurology floor meant one thing. It was serious, serious enough to warrant test and specialists.

Lucky kept one eye on the clock as the minutes ticked by and Elizabeth quietly sobbed into his chest. This wasn't fair. It wasn't right. He had known Audrey Hardy distantly his whole life and she didn't deserve to collapse in a crowd of strangers. She had given her life to caring for the sick of this town and now it looked as if she was about to be as ill as some her former patients had been. Finally a doctor, looking not much older than Lucky did, rounded the corner.

"Ms. Webber?" He asked.

"Yes?" Elizabeth raised her head but clung onto Lucky's hand tightly. This was it. The next few minutes had the potential to rearrange her life, exactly like the moments while she sat in Dr. Lansing's exam room awaiting the results of her pregnancy test. "I'm Elizabeth Webber."

Approaching them, the doctor took up a seat on the same table Lucky had perched on minutes ago. "I'm Dr. Holzman. I'm the neurologist that's been examining your grandmother. It looks like she had an ischemic stroke."

"A stroke?" She fell back and was thankful Lucky was behind her, keeping her from completely falling out of her chair.

Dr. Holzman continued on as if she had barely spoken. "She was very lucky she came in as quickly as she did. It looks as if the bleeding is treatable with medication right now but the next 48 hours will be critical. The CT scans look good but of course we will be monitoring."

"Right of course." Her mind was reeling. A stroke? Her grandmother had a stroke. The rest of the words the doctor was rattling off flew right past her as she tried to focus on those six little letters. Strokes were things people who weren't active, who didn't watch their diets, who didn't' take care of herself. Her grandmother didn't fit any of those categories.

"The main thing is we are not thinking of a surgical option at this point. She's in her room resting and you can go back to see her. We can talk about further options tomorrow once all the tests are in."

"Options? What options?"

"As I said we'll know more once all the tests are in, but right now it looks like she has at least partial paralysis on her right side."

"Aunt Lu?" Cameron's voice interrupted her recitation of The Lion King book that sat across her lap. "Aunt Lu when is Daddy and Lizzie coming home?"

Lulu didn't answer right away because she had a strict "Don't lie to Cameron" philosophy and had managed to live by it in her nephew's four short years of life. Playing with the top edge of the front cover of the book, she slowly met his eyes. "I don't know, Cameron." It wasn't a lie at least. She had no idea how long it would take. She was just thankful that Lucky had called her to baby-sit. He may not trust her entirely just yet but he would.

"Daddy reads the story better than you." Cameron sighed as he settled back farther into his pillow.

"That's because I don't do the voices." Lulu muttered to herself.

Cameron nodded and then scrunched his lips together as a thought occurred to him. "Grandma's not going to the hospital too is she?"

Lulu smiled at his curiosity and closed the book, realizing he wouldn't be able to concentrate on it any more tonight. "No, buddy, Grandma's not going to the hospital."

"How you know?"

"I just do." Lulu inwardly cringed. She sounded exactly like her mother. "Do you want me to pick out another book?" Despite his laid-back lifestyle, Lucky was almost Hitler-like when it came to Cameron's bedtime.

"Aladdin!" Cameron clapped his hands.

"Does the monkey remind you of Grandpa Luke or Cruz?" Lulu wanted to know.

"Grandpa."

"Figured." Lulu slid off the mattress and collected the book, complete with Cameron's Abu stuffed animal. "Okay, scoot over shorty." She told him, letting out a dramatic sigh and "forcing" her way onto the bed to reclaim her spot.

"Aunt Lu?" Cameron looked up at her and smiled. "I'm glad you're back home."

Lulu met his smile and raised him a couple dimples. "I'm glad too."

"You be here for the baby right?"

"Of course. Someone has to make sure your Daddy doesn't drop it." Lulu's grin grew and she stroked Cameron's soft brown curls absently. She hadn't realized she had missed him so much.

"Lizzie says that's her job."

Lulu laughed. Now that sounded like Elizabeth. "Are you going to hush so I can start the book or do you want to read it?"

"You read." He settled into her side and hugged his stuffed monkey to his chest. "And use the voices."

"Just don't tell Daddy." Lulu held out her pinkie for him to shake. Once their fingers crossed she said, "Now remember the rule: I get your pinkie if you lie."

"Pinkies don't come off Aunt Lu."

"You don't know. Yours could just fall off. You saw what happened to Pinocchio when he lied."

"Pinocchio is just a story."

"You got me there." Lulu released her loose hold on his pinkie and opened the book. "Now...let's see."

General Hospital was the first place that had sprung to Georgie's mind when her cousin had turned her away, not even coming out of the bedroom to tell her herself that she didn't want to see anyone. Arguing with Patrick had been about the most pointless decision, she soon realized, because he wasn't willing to go against Robin's wishes. Any other time she might have considered his loyalty an admirable trait, but any other time he wasn't standing between her and Robin.

This wasn't anything like she had thought she would be coming home to when she booked her flight. Ronnie and Lindsey had helped her do some last-minute packing and her professors had told her that her family was in their prayers. Maybe it was the way they had said it that made Georgie inwardly shiver. What was with the insinuation that her family wasn't going to recover? She didn't like it and she had burst into tears at the mere indication. Steven hadn't been there to pick her back up because he had been called back to the set for an "emergency." From what Steven told her, all things opposite the movie production were considered emergencies as far as the director was concerned.

Maybe it was the way the lights hit their still forms, but Lucky Spencer and Elizabeth Webber were the last two people Georgie had expected to find. Sure, they cared about Maxie and Alexis, but it made little sense for them to be here checking on them with such grim expressions on their faces. She had spoken to Maxie earlier and knew her sister was only a few days from some pretty intense physical therapy. Alexis was starting Chemo the same day. "Lucky? Liz? What are you two doing here?" She approached them quietly so as not to disturb them.

"Georgie?" Lucky gave the younger woman a startled glance. "I didn't know you were home."

"I just got in a few hours ago." Georgie clarified. "It's really sweet of both of you to come, but I'm afraid I'm a little confused as to why."

For a split second Lucky was confused by her statement but then he realized Georgie must be referring to Maxie and Alexis. If she just got in, there was no way she would have heard about Audrey's stroke already, even with the lightening fast Port Charles gossip chain. "Audrey had a stroke," he explained softly, holding Elizabeth tighter to him as she winced with the words being spoken out loud.

Georgie's hand flew to her mouth. "I'm so sorry! I had no idea! I've been behind all day it seems. I just now heard about Morgan." She took a seat next to Elizabeth and waited for Lucky to continue.

"It's ok. It just happened." Elizabeth offered a watery smile at the younger woman who reminded her so much of Robin at times. "I've barely had time to call my family, much less alert the whole town."

Georgie had to bite back her blush even as she felt it creeping into her cheeks. Damn him! She was supposed to be here on a strictly supportive intention, but one mention...she was getting ahead of herself. "How bad?"

"They won't know for sure for another few hours. But it looks like she'll need lots of therapy in the future." Lucky explained

Why did things like this have to happen? Mrs. Hardy had always been the nice old lady at the end of the block who made it her mission to have milk and cookies waiting for her and Maxie as soon as school let out. Over the years they hadn't visited as they should have. "But she's okay?" Georgie squeaked out.

Elizabeth nodded with more conviction than she felt. "I think so."

"How's the baby?" Georgie asked, remembering a conversation she had had with Steven over his dramatic Christmas vacation.

"The baby's fine. How are Maxie and Alexis?" Elizabeth asked, trying to focus on someone else's family drama over her own.

"I haven't seen them yet." A look of pure guilt spread across Georgie's face. "I was on my way to see them when I remembered I have no idea where their rooms are."

"I think they are on the next floor down." Lucky offered. "You're on the neurology floor."

"I am?" Georgie tilted her head to one side in confusion. Could this day get any weirder?

"Yeah. Just blame the jet lag. It will be alright." Lucky joked.

"It's already tomorrow in Paris." Georgie smiled, waving. "I'll be by to check on the two of you later."

"Thanks." Elizabeth checked her phone and sighed. "He should have his flight information by now. Why hasn't he called?"

"Steven will call and then we'll deal with getting him here." Lucky reassured her. "If he got the first flight out to New York, he may already be in the airport."

"I couldn't help but overhear...did you say your brother is flying in?" Georgie asked in her most "I don't actually care" voice.

"Yes. But he hasn't called yet to tell us when he's getting in. Or how he'll get here. He has this bright idea he'll just call a cab." Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"In Port Charles? I thought you said he had been here before." Georgie giggled. He was so clueless to Port Chuck life.

"He has. But I'm not convinced he hasn't confused it for New York."

"Well I have to check on my family, but I have my car with me. I could pick him up if you want." Georgie offered. Please don't see through me, she begged. Please don't see through me.

"Georgie...you don't have to do that." Elizabeth protested. "You have your own family drama to deal with."

"Honestly..." Think, damn it. Think! "I need to feel like I'm doing something important."

"If you're sure..." Elizabeth said slowly.

"I mean, it's not a big deal. If you don't want me to, I don't have to. I just want to help." Georgie stammered.

"No. No. It's not that. I just don't want you to feel obligated when you have your own stuff to deal with." Elizabeth assured her.

"Ok, you're both way too nice here. Georgie thank you for your offer. We'll call you when Steven tells us his flight plans. If there is something going on then just tell us and we'll get someone else to do it ok?" Lucky smiled. The way these two were going, Steven could row a boat across the ocean before they would reach a decision.

"That sounds like a plan." Georgie saluted him and then walked off giggling.

"Yo." Cruz answered his cell phone. Bobbie teased him about the greeting so much, he felt obliged to keep it going.

"Bobbie hasn't stopped you from saying that yet?" Despite the drama of the day, hearing his friend's customary greeting brought a smile to his face.

"How's everything on your end?" If he knew anything about his aunt, it was she was panicking over Morgan's kidnapping. He had felt bad about not running over to see her the second he found out, but he had his own family to protect. Aunt Bobbie would understand that perfectly.

"It's been better." Cruz admitted with a weary sigh. "You?"

"Don't freak out but we're at the hospital."

"Why? Why are you at the hospital?" Cruz demanded, ignoring his friend's warning. They were getting a new hangout.

"Audrey had a stroke."

"Oh man..." Cruz went silent. He wanted to comfort his friend, but he needed to focus all of his energy on his wife. "Is she alright? I mean, is she conscious? What did the doctors say?"

"She'll be ok. We think. Or at least that's how I'm interpreting doctor talk." With all the doctors he had dealt with in the past few months neurologists, Lucky decided, were the worst. Arrogant as hell and condescending, which he supposed they needed to be if they were going to play God with someone's brain.

"Is there anything I can do?" Cruz wondered, sneaking a glance into the bedroom where Bobbie was quietly talking to their daughter.

"Mom and Dad are at your place right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"We left in such a hurry I left Cam alone with Lulu. And I was hoping someone would go check on them." He was trusting his sister a tiny bit more where his son was concerned but he still wasn't entirely comfortable leaving Cameron alone with her for extended periods of time.

"So you want me to head over and casually check on her without letting her know that that's why I'm there?" Cruz assumed.

"If you could. I'd ask Mom or Dad but Lulu would figure out what I was doing pretty quickly and all hell would break loose. A Lulu fit is the last thing anyone needs tonight."

"No problem. I'll let you know what I find." Cruz promised.

"Thanks man. I owe you one."

"Yeah. You do." Cruz agreed, disconnecting the call. "Baby?"


	192. Hit The Floor

**As we enter our third week of sweeps, we just want to thank you for all of your wonderful contributions.**

Cameron watched the streetlight as it filtered through his thin bedroom drapes. The night was cool enough for Aunt Lulu to decide to leave the window open for him. She knew he got hot and how hard it was for him to get to sleep after that so he thought it was a good idea when she suggested it. "One...two...three..." He sang quietly to himself, counting the number of lines of light bounced across the drapes each time they fluttered in the chilly night air. "Four...five...six." Cameron grew bored of this game rather quickly and snuggled up with Wolfie, closing his eyes. He should go to sleep. It was bedtime and Daddy would be mad if he wasn't asleep when he and Lizzie got home from the hospital. He had begged Aunt Lulu to let him stay up and wait for them, but she had said no.

"Seven...eight...nine..." He mumbled just to give himself something to do. Wolfie's ear tickled Cameron's nose and he set his new friend farther away from him so he could listen for the Sandman. Grandpa Luke had told him all about the Sandman when he had been having bad dreams and fighting monsters in his sleep. The Sandman got to wear pajamas all day long and stay up all night long. He carried around pixie dust that he had stolen from Peter Pan and Tim Allen. "Mr. Sandman...bring me a dream..." Cameron hummed to himself.

Something moved in front of the streetlight and Cameron furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He always fell asleep with that light; it was why Daddy had been able to convince him to take out the Sponge Bob nightlight. Cameron reached for Wolfie, but the quick movement caused the battered toy to tumble off the bed. Scrambling to the edge of the mattress, he bent in half and shook his head at Wolfie's attempt at flying. "Dogs don't fly silly." Cameron told the stuffed animal, turning his head slightly. His heart in his throat, he screamed.

"Cameron?" Lulu's voice carried down the hall. She had been all set to watch TV when she remembered she had left her purse upstairs in Cameron's room. His scream caused her to hurry her steps toward his room, fear gripping her throat, her mind flashing back to the last time she had heard Cameron scream like that. Please just be a bad dream, she prayed. Please just be a bad dream. "Cameron? Cameron?"

Entering his room, she realized Cameron's terror was in no way the result of a bad dream. A figure clad entirely in black was pulling himself into the open bedroom window. Cameron sat on the bed, his eyes wide, Wolfie clutched tightly to his chest.

"Cameron. Run! Hide buddy. Don't leave until I or Daddy come find you." She grabbed him in her arms and set him down, pushing him out the door.

Seeing Cameron nod and scramble off, she stood to face the intruder. The vague details of Kristina's kidnapping began to filter through her mind. It was too similar right now. There were very good odds, Lulu realized, she was standing face to face with Kristina's kidnapper. "You son of a bitch. You won't touch him." She hissed.

Shit, he thought to himself. What the hell was she doing up here? She shouldn't have had time to get to Cameron! Maxie hadn't had time to get to Kristina and he had made a lot more screw-ups that night than anyone seemed to realize. But Cameron was already downstairs hiding and he had to deal with Lulu. He couldn't let her see his face that much he knew. It would all be over if she did. The entire plan would be ruined. That was why going after the kids had been the best thing to do, because none of them were tall enough or brave enough to pull off his mask. He knew the same didn't hold true for Lulu. She looked way past pissed and she was still trying to get in Lucky's good graces. If he wasn't careful, she would blow this whole thing wide open.

He made a beeline for the window, but she rammed her head into his side, sending him flying across the room. Stunned, he noticed her reach down and try to choke him. At least he had the good sense to kick her backwards. She flew into the wall next to the door and slid down it.

This was his chance! He started toward the window but tripped over a misplaced stuffed animal and slammed his chin into the windowsill. Cursing, he ignored the metallic taste of blood that filled his open mouth. He bent his arm and smashed the window in with his left elbow, sending glass splintering for miles.

"Lulu? Cam? Where is everyone?" Cruz yelled out through the seemingly empty house. He had swung by Lucky's house while Lulu was babysitting enough times in the past to know he should find her parked on her brother's couch, watching a week's worth of her soap on his TV.

She would call out and give him away! He just knew it. She wasn't ever completely satisfied until she fucked up everyone around her. It was why she couldn't keep any friends. He had to make a decision. Obviously, Cameron was a lost cause. Emily wouldn't care because he wasn't actually supposed to take Cameron, he had just been a little something extra, one final "Fuck You" to Lucky. What she would most definitely yell at him for was if he got caught. It wouldn't be that hard to put all the pieces together. It would take someone smarter than Mac Scorpio though.

Cruz's footsteps sounded on the stairs. It was too quiet. Far too quiet. "Hey are you guys up here?" He paused outside of Cameron's room, suspecting Lulu had let her nephew stay up late yet again and they were probably in his room watching the kind of movies and TV that Lucky would kill his sister if he ever found out she let Cameron watch.

The door opening surprised him. It apparently distracted Lulu too, because her head jerked to the side. Pulling a .35mm from the back pocket of his black jeans, he pointed the gun at Cruz, daring the man to take even a step toward him. "Come on in. Join the party." He suggested dryly, swinging the gun around his finger by the trigger.

"What the hell?" On some instinct borne of way too many hours of childhood television watching, Cruz felt his hands rise in the air. "Where's Cameron?"

He nodded toward Lulu, expecting Cruz to understand. "I thought we would need him to make this fun, but maybe not. Hands up Lulu."

"You're not going to get away with this." Lulu hissed as her hands slid up the wall.

"Oh, are you going to stop me?" He looked amused at that; his expression was clearly outlined against his black mask. "What should I do with you two, huh? You're both a lot more trouble than you're worth. Do I maybe take a shot at Lulu, the striving college student?" He swung the gun toward Cruz. "Or how about the expectant father? Which would do the most damage?"

If he could just distract the guy, Cruz was reasonably sure he could grab the gun from his hand. Glancing toward Lulu, he could see the same idea forming in the young blonde's mind. Great, he mused. He hadn't officially been a member of the Spencer family for a full three months yet and already he was thinking like them. This was going to be interesting. "You realize we aren't going to go without a fight?"

"You realize I'm the one with the gun?"

Tearing down his street at a speed that was unsafe no matter what the neighborhood, Lucky's panic grasped him harder as the flashing lights of police cars and an ambulance filled his eyes. He couldn't' get closer to his house than halfway down the street. Even in the dim light, he could still make out the yellow crime scene tape that blocked his front door. What the hell had happened here tonight?

Barely turning off the engine, he jumped out of the Jeep, leaving the door wide open. Melissa Mitmesser, his neighbor from across the street, had called him stating she had heard gun shots and called the police. That news alone would have worried him if she hadn't have added on the second bit of news. The bit about the white Malibu she saw parked in front of his house.

A white Malibu. A white Malibu. A small, still rational part of his brain tried to say it was a common car. White was a common color. However he wasn't paying any bit of attention to that part of his brain as he raced down the street on foot. His whole attention was focused on the fact gunshots were heard from his house, a car that could be the same car Maxie saw the night Kristina was kidnapped was in front of his house and he had no idea where his son, his sister, or his best friend were right now.

Plowing face first into an officer he barely recognized from around town, Lucky blinked as the other man held him by his shoulders. "You can't go over there sir." the officer said tersely.

"The hell I can't! That's my house!"

"You have some ID?" The officer questioned, folding the two barrels he probably called arms across his wide chest.

Fishing for his license, Lucky tried to call on the officer's sense of mercy. "Please. I was at the hospital and my son is supposed to be here. I just want to know what is going on."

Nodding after checking to see that the address on the license matched the house he was standing in front of, the officer motioned for a grey-suited female to come over. She strode with confidence and authority, her straight brown hair pulled back in a no-nonsense bun. Narrowing her eyes at the officer who called her over, she spoke in the tone of a person tired of having to give the same directions over and over again. "Yes Murphy?"

"The homeowner." Officer Murphy gestured to Lucky. "He just arrived."

Nodding, she offered her hand out to Lucky. "Special Agent Erin Mahoney. FBI." she introduced herself.

"Lucky Spencer." He had assumed Mac would leave nothing to chance in bringing Kristina and Morgan home. The presence of the FBI just confirmed his hunch.

"Mr. Spencer, where were you tonight?" Agent Mahoney stood back on her heels, giving a look that clearly said "Lie and I'll see right through you."

"My girlfriend's grandmother had a stroke. We were both at the hospital. What happened here? Where's my son? Where's my sister? Where's my friend?"

"That's what we are trying to figure out. There were supposed to be three people here tonight?"

Seeing Lucky nod, Agent Mahoney turned and spoke into what Lucky assumed was a tiny microphone somewhere on the sleeve of her grey jacket. "Update. There are two more confirmed occupants. Repeat. Two more confirmed occupants."

"Two more?"

"Mr. Spencer..." Whatever explanation she was going to give was cut short by a buzz of activity in her ear. Holding up one finger, she took a step back, trying to keep him from overhearing what she was listening to, which Lucky thought was ridiculous since it sounded like the buzz of a fly to him right now. "Did you tell him you were the police?" she asked.

Tell who? Tell who? If she wasn't going to give him any explanation, Lucky was just going to run past her and find out himself. It was his house and if he took her by surprise surely he could through the front door before she realized what exactly he was doing. He was two seconds away from breaking out into a sprint when Agent Mahoney turned back to him.

"Mr. Spencer. Come with me please. We have a small situation in the kitchen."

A situation? If this was her attempt to calm him down, Lucky thought as he followed her rapid steps under the yellow tape and into his house, then she really needed to work on the whole comforting the victim aspect of her work. When they entered the kitchen, four uniformed officers and an assortment of detectives and agents stood shaking their heads. Two female officers crouched on their knees near one of the lower cabinets, giving each other helpless looks. "Come on sweetie." One tried cajoling. "We promise we're the good guys."

"NO!" The muffled voice came through loud and clear. "NO!"

Agent Mahoney tried to not laugh as she turned toward Lucky. "Apparently he was told to not come out until his father or aunt came looking for him. Congratulations on having the only four-year-old who follows directions."

"Cameron?" Lucky's heart leapt to his throat as relief washed over him. Cameron was still here. Whatever else happened, at least Cameron was safe and still with him. "Cameron?"

"Daddy?"

Sinking to his knees, Lucky struggled to keep his voice from breaking and the tears from spilling out of his eyes. "Yeah buddy. It's ok. Come out."

The cabinet door opened slightly, followed by a small head peeking out, making sure it really was Lucky's voice he heard. Once he spotted his father in the crowd of unfamiliar faces, the door was kicked open and Cameron ran out, a blur in his yellow and blue Sponge Bob pajamas. "Daddy!" He yelled as he ran into Lucky's outstretched arms.

"Aunt Lulu said to hide and I hid. She said not to come out till you or she came. So I didn't." Cameron explained hurriedly as Lucky squeezed him hard. "I do good? I do good?"

"Yeah. Yeah. You did good. You did real good Champ." Cameron was safe. He was safe. It was the only thought that could form. Cameron was safe.

"Cameron?" Agent Mahoney knelt down to meet Cameron's curious eyes. "I'm Agent Erin. It looks like something pretty scary happened here tonight." Seeing the little boy nod, she continued. "Can you tell me what happened so I can get the bad guy?"

"I dropped Wolfie." Cameron pointed to his stuffed friend who still sat in the cabinet amid the seldom used pans. "And I saw the bad man."

"I know. Then what happened?"

"Aunt Lulu came up and told me to hide. So I did."

"And you did a good job." Agent Mahoney patted his head. "What did the bad man look like?"

Cameron shook his head. "He had a snow mask."

"Of course he did." Agent Mahoney muttered. She spoke once again into her sleeve. "Did you find a mask of any sort near the victim?"

Lucky's head shot up at the word victim. Still holding Cameron close to him, he stood up slowly. "Victim? What are you talking about?"

Agent Mahoney stood up as well and walked toward the living room, Lucky following her as fast as he could. "Confirmed. And you found ID on him?" Nodding at whatever answer she had received, she turned sharply to face Lucky. "Do you know a Cruz Rodriguez?"

"He's my friend. I asked him to come over and check on Cameron and my sister. What happened to him?"

"He's ok. Take him on." Agent Mahoney instructed to the voices on the other end of the microphone. Looking at Lucky, she answered his question. "We found Mr. Rodriguez upstairs unconscious with a gun shot wound."

His heart constricted once again. Cruz was shot? Oh god, who the hell was doing this? If it was the same person who had Kristina and Morgan, it blew the theory it was someone connected to Sonny. He had nothing to do with Sonny or Jason. And now whoever it was had escalated to shooting people? Lucky pulled Cameron's face close to his chest as the EMTs made their way down the stairs with Cruz strapped to the gurney. As he followed the procession toward the door, who was missing filtered through his brain.

"Where's my sister?"


	193. This Is Just A Dream

Georgie couldn't contain her excitement. She had managed to volunteer to see her boyfriend and no one knew, not even Steven. She had thought about calling him, but it would be so much better to surprise him, especially with the damage that had been inflicted on each of their families. She only hoped he was happy to see her. People reacted to tragedy different ways. She had to stay on top of things and feel like she was being helpful. Maxie would usually mope around until someone called her on it. Mac was loyal to a fault and always helped where he was needed, all too often calling the shots. Alexis was still such a new figure in their lives, Georgie wasn't sure how she dealt with all that was going on. Just from what she had seen last night, her soon-to-be stepmother was holding up better than anyone else.

An hour in, and she was starting to wind down. Lucky had called to tell her the flight had been delayed slightly, but that explanation did little to calm her nerves. Had there been a layover somewhere in-between Paris and Port Charles? Was it due to weather? Was there a malfunction in the plane? Were they low on fuel? "Oh Georgie," she sighed, "You're wasting your time at college. Just become a best-selling author and stop squandering your talent for the unbelievable." If anyone thought it was strange for a freshman to be talking to herself, they didn't feel brave enough to voice their concern. They looked bedraggled and she had no way of knowing if they were coming or going, how long they had been in this little café with her, where they were going, and a million other details. She didn't care. That was the first thought that came to her mind. She honestly didn't care. She was going to stroll over to the counter, order something with a lot of sugar, and pray that Steven's plane landed safely.

Steven was relieved that he had carried his luggage onto the plane so he wouldn't have to worry about claiming it later...or discovering that it had been lost when they were flying over the water. Though it would have made a great story later on, he didn't want to be forced to wear his sister's boyfriend's clothes or purchasing more. Shaking his head, he pushed those thoughts from his mind. The point was that he had been smart enough to pack light and smart, unlike Miss Georgie Jones who had been determined to take every article of clothing she owned no matter how many times he reminded her that she was going "home" and her clothes would already be there.

Strolling through several mobs of people, he realized that he had no idea who he should be looking for. Would Elizabeth send Lucky to pick him up? Would she come herself? Would they send Elizabeth's friend, Robin? Should he be looking for a sign with his name written across it? Why hadn't he asked Lucky? The guy wasn't brave enough to lie to him. Steven had promised himself that he would put aside his differences with Lucky in favor of his sister and grandmother. Neither needed the stress and there was no way he was crediting his swift return to Port Charles as wanting to see Lucky Spencer.

Maybe she wasn't paying attention, Georgie mused. How else could she walk into a total stranger and spill ice and soda all over him? She somehow assumed that a cute smile would not help her in this situation. It was such a waste, because she was adorable. The mountain of a man in front of her took one look at his white shirt and then glared down at Georgie. She gulped, handing him her plastic cup complete with lid and straw, and made a beeline in the opposite direction, her heart in her throat. Logically, she hadn't expected to be manhandled, but a woman had to protect herself. You're ridiculous, she thought to herself. You should have at least apologized. Spinning around so she could head back to the food court, she found herself blocked by yet another solid body. This time, thankfully, she recognized the man with the smirk spread clear across his face.

Steven reached out to steady her, not missing the way her eyes went wide as marbles as her mind registered who exactly was holding her. "I think I saw tread marks behind you. What were you running from?" He decided not to question what she was doing here, because he must have been the cause. He smiled even wider when he thought about how she had gone out of her way to make sure she was the one to meet him. It was pretty unlikely that she had been volunteered.

Georgie's eyes did a quick assessment as they stood in comfortable silence for a minute. His clothing was perfectly pressed: his white shirt was tucked into his tan trousers, he wore a tan suit over that, and his shoes were un scuffed and shiny. His hair was another story, the tiny curls bunched up and shoved to one side as if he had been sleeping on that side during the plane ride. She wouldn't have blamed him. The trip was treacherous to say the least. "A big...bear." Georgie lied.

"A bear?" Steven tried to hold back his chuckle, he really did. His right hand naturally swept through her soft caramel locks and she tilted her head to the side as if to ask, "What? You don't believe me?"

"Maybe just a man the size of one. He was really big." Georgie breathed, her eyes scanning the area behind Steven.

"Don't worry. I'll keep you safe." Steven promised, pulling her into a hug. He hadn't thought distance from her would be so difficult. It hadn't even been two days!

"How was your flight?" Now that he was here, Georgie's mind was stuck with one-dimensional pleasantries.

"I don't remember a lot. I was knocked out." Steven explained, releasing her slowly so he could see her eyes.

"Knocked out?" Georgie asked. "By a pill or a bear?"

"Oh, a bear for sure." Steven mocked, kissing the dimple in her chin. "Have you seen Grams?" Steven inquired carefully. He should have asked about Alexis, about Maxie, but his heart had asked the question, not his mind. He hadn't been able to stop worrying since the call came in from his sister.

"Seen her? No. I did talk to Elizabeth and Lucky and they don't know a lot, just that she's had a stroke. Elizabeth thinks she's going to be fine." Georgie added for good measure.

"My sister, always the irrational optimist." Steven muttered to himself. "I'm sorry."

"For what? Worrying about your family? All I've done is whine about mine since you met me practically." Georgie reminded him.

"Yes, but it's because of your family that we even met." Steven pointed out, sliding his right arm across her shoulder.

"Shh, don't tell them that." Georgie giggled. "You ready?"

"No." Steven admitted quietly. "But we should get going anyway."

What a perfect setting for the end of the world, Robin thought morosely to herself. She signaled to the blue car to her left and moved into the lane, the act so familiar she was scarcely aware she did it. Her windshield wipers were on full blast, but she couldn't make out a lot around her. The rain pelted her windshield and she worried it might just break the glass in its attempt to be seen and heard. Red highlights blinded her and she swerved into another lane. She didn't want to stop. She wanted to keep driving. She wanted to drive clear out of town. But the night had other plans for her.

Robin didn't understand what other drivers had against large trucks. They didn't make her flinch or tense; she was never so nervous in a car that she felt compelled to grip the steering wheel with two hands. It was easy enough to stay in her lane, even during a downpour such as this one. Driving was anything but calming tonight. The drivers in front of, beside, and behind her were terrified at the mere indication that there was rain on the road and proved this by their constant braking and honking. Holding the steering wheel comfortably in her right hand, she used her left hand to rest against her throbbing forehead. What had happened to the time when rain was soothing? Why couldn't she enjoy it? She used to love this kind of weather. Of course, she reasoned, that had been before she had been legal to drive.

If she kept driving, would crossing the state line really be that difficult? She had lived here most her life, save the first five years when her parents had dragged her all across Europe, and she liked to think this place was home. But what if it wasn't? What if it was just some place she had gotten stuck in? What if it wasn't in the cards for her to reside in Port Charles?

She had thought the violence would leave with Sonny and Jason, but it had just replaced with faceless monsters. Monsters whose prime targets were children. Was Uncle Mac right? Was this happening because of Sonny? Were the kidnappers really adversaries of the team formerly known as Corinthos-Morgan? Or did the connection lie somewhere else? Was this happening because of some common denominator that she and Alexis shared? Was it someone they had each blown off at one point or another? Was it AJ getting back at her for not signing over both kids to him, when he wasn't even legally considered Michael's father until she told the court that he deserved the chance to be? Was this about her mother's campaign? Or her father? Of course, what did either of them have to do with Alexis?

Robin didn't close her eyes, not even when the traffic came to a complete stand-still. She didn't want to see Morgan's face. She didn't want to see tears in his eyes when Patrick carried her into the apartment. She didn't want to hear his voice when he asked why she had allowed some stranger to take him. Her fingers flexed around the steering wheel and she lightly tapped them against the horn, contemplating but not giving in because the pain in her head would only get worse. She wouldn't be able to drive carefully if her headache moved to migraine level. In fact, she'd have to pull off the road.

How far was Canada? She mused as she willed the cars to get a move on. She didn't have any luggage with her, not even her meds, but she could get them there and probably for a lot cheaper than she paid in Port Charles. There was really nothing holding her back. Canada would be cold this time of year, much harsher winters than New York, but she had enough saved to make a life for her there if she really wanted to. She would lose contact with her friends and family, but was that such a bad thing at this point? Was it...was it wrong to be so selfish? She wasn't at the call center where Mrs. Hardy had gone to volunteer. She wasn't collecting clues with Uncle Mac and Alexis. She had been completely against seeing Georgie even though she remembered what a horrid trip her cousin must have had up until this point.

"You never deserved to be that little boy's mother anyway." Robin told herself. "He was so much better off before you came into the picture. Sonny was an idiot for signing over legal rights to you."

She squeezed her eyes shut and could hear Morgan asking why she was giving up on him. Screaming out, in frustration, in anger, in terror, she laid on her horn, flipped on her blinker, and merged into the traffic once more slowly making her way to the exit. She didn't read the name or the number. She could be anywhere; time had become elastic. She had no idea how long she had been driving and didn't care enough to glance down at the mileage. She hadn't memorized it before leaving the apartment so the estimate would be off anyway.

How ironic to end up at General Hospital of all places. She didn't ask herself why she had chosen this exit, just knew that she was tired of being on the highway. She would plan that trip to Canada another time; something was pulling her to this place. Though she had never believed in fate, or karma, or even destiny, she knew that she was supposed to be here at this very moment. An ambulance cut her off and she showed the driver a stiff middle finger. Swinging in behind them, curiosity got the best of her and she followed them to the Emergency Room entrance. Parking in a handicap space, she climbed out of her car and crossed the parking lot in record time. Finally, she knew what she had been worried about, even if only subconsciously, when she looked past the paramedics. "Oh my God. Cruz?"

The fear was supposed to be over. The phone ringing in the middle of the night was no longer supposed to frighten her. She wasn't supposed to fear every time her husband left the house was going to be the last time she would see him. All those fears were supposed to have been buried with Tony. With all the concerns Bobbie had about her relationship with Cruz, the very idea he could possibly be shot had never crossed her mind.

Maybe Luke had always been right and safety was only an illusion. After all this was still Port Charles, one time murder capital of New York State. Mac and Alexis may have run the mob out of town, but hadn't the past few days reminded them all that danger still lurked in the dark corners? It had just been a simple favor for Lucky to check on Lulu and Cameron. Cruz was supposed to be back and harassing Lucky on the phone for being too paranoid in less than thirty minutes. He was not supposed to be in the hospital with a gunshot wound.

Bobbie sat frozen in the backseat of Laura's car. Her in-laws were following behind in their rented Oldsmobile. She couldn't do this. She couldn't go in there and be strong for him. He was her strength. Without him, she would fall apart. Without him, she was lost. He needed her and she was going to fail him. She looked into Laura's concerned blue eyes. "I can't go in there."

Laura's expression registered very little surprise. Luke had said the same thing to Bobbie both times Laura had gone into labor with their children. Laura had said it when the police found Lucky after his abduction. "Yes you can."

"What if it's worse? I can't go in there and hear..." She let her voice trail off. She had already lived through the death of one husband. Could she handle surviving another?

"Hear what? That your husband is recovering nicely? That he maybe needs you?" Laura goaded, undoing her sister-in-law's seatbelt. 

"You are far too optimistic to be married to my brother."

"When we got Lucky back and I didn't want to let him return to school, what did you say?"

"You couldn't live in fear."

"So what are we still doing in the car?" Laura challenged, lightly patting Bobbie's left hand.

"Waiting for you to come with me?"

"Luke's probably already in there. Remember when he and Lucky did that doctor skit complete with the doctor's masks?" Laura chuckled, following Bobbie toward the entrance.

In spite of her fear, Bobbie chuckled. "I think he was just trying to prove to Lucky he could get phone numbers from nurses if he wanted to."

"How funny that my twelve-year-old was better at it than my husband." Laura reminded her as they hurried toward the front desk.

"Excuse me?" Bobbie read the name tag of a Nurse Lee who was standing behind the desk. "I'm looking for my husband, Cruz Rodriguez? He was just brought in?"

Kelly Lee looked up from the chart she was currently studying. "I'll get a doctor for you." She promised, disappearing into the crowd.

"This isn't good Laura. If he was fine, they wouldn't be getting the doctor. She would have just told me."

"Unless she didn't know." Laura piped in.

"How could she not know? She's a nurse. She's supposed to know."

"Clearly the nurses leave something to be desired." Laura muttered.

Luke came from around the corner, a sour look on his face. Approaching his wife and his sister, he shook his head. "We need to start going to Mercy for our medical needs." He announced without preamble.

It was pure instinct: Laura smacked him on the back of the head. "What did you do?" She demanded with arms crossed.

"Nothing. I just suggested that little cafeteria of theirs might be more popular if they had something stronger than coffee to offer people."

"Lucas Lorenzo Spencer, did you find a doctor?" Laura wanted to know, narrowing her eyes at what she suspected his answer might be.

"I thought that was your job."

"We sent you ahead to get a doctor." Laura smacked him again. "Ah, here we go." She blew out a sigh of relief when Alan Quartermaine met them halfway.

"Dr. Quartermaine, what's going on with my husband?" Bobbie asked desperately, striving to ignore the increased kicking from her child. I'm sorry little girl, she said silently. I promised I would be calm, but your father had other ideas.

Dr. Alan Quartermaine had washed his hands several times since they had managed to stabilize Cruz, but he still glanced down at them. "He's stable. For now. The bullets are lodged—"

"Lodged? You couldn't get them out?" Bobbie felt herself go weak in the knees and if Luke hadn't have been behind her, she surely would have fallen to the floor.

"Without causing further damage, no. His blood isn't clotting and it's too dangerous to do a surgery of any kind until we can put in as much blood as we're taking out." Dr. Quartermaine explained.

Luke held out his arm. "We're both A-. How much blood are we talking about?"

Dr. Quartermaine smiled at the offer. "More than you could safely give. We're giving him the transfusion now, but it's mostly just keeping him alive."

"Oh God. Oh God." Bobbie felt herself sway and Luke tighten his grip on her. This wasn't supposed to happen. This couldn't be happening. It was a nightmare. She had to wake up. She had to wake up.

"You just said he was stable!" Laura accused.

"I said 'for now.'" Dr. Quartermaine clarified. "He's holding his own."

"Where is he? Can I see him?" Bobbie pleaded.

"Eleventh floor. This way." Dr. Quartermaine led her to the elevator.

Lucky bounced Cameron as his son rested his head on his shoulder. The hour was getting later, but Cameron was showing no signs of sleep. Not that Lucky could blame him for that. He was preparing himself for several long weeks of little sleep and nightmares.

They couldn't go back home tonight. The police and FBI were still all over the place. Blood had sprayed through Cameron's room and the detectives were taking their time to process the scene. Unfortunately, his son's bedroom had the potential to be the best possible lead for catching the bastard that had Kristina and Morgan. And Lulu.

Watching the numbers in the elevator climb higher, he wondered how he could do this. Agent Mahoney had offered to come with him to tell his parents Lulu had been taken instead of Cameron, but Lucky had turned her down. This news couldn't come from outside the family. It had to come from him. It happened at his house, while she was watching his son. No, it had to come from him. He had to break his parents' hearts.

As the doors opened and he walked out, balancing Cameron on his hip, he realized he probably should have taken Cameron to stay with Elizabeth. Cameron had been through enough for one night and there would be no reason to make him watch his grandparents fall apart, but Lucky knew he could only say what he was about to say once. If he saw Elizabeth first, he would have to explain and he wasn't strong enough to do repeat himself. He just wasn't. He scanned the floor and spotted his family sitting with Cruz's in the waiting room. "Mom...Dad...we have to talk."

Laura stood up first, taking Cameron from Lucky. "What are you doing having my baby out so late? You should be in bed pumpkin." She cooed to her grandson.

"I no sleep. The bad man will come back." Cameron said seriously.

"Bad man?" Laura gulped.

"Come back?" Luke parroted.

"Mom..." Lucky reached out to pull Cameron back to him. "We have to talk."

Laura turned her back to Lucky, rocking Cameron and humming to him. "Did you see my grandson?" She asked, showing him off to the Rodriguez family.

"Mom, Audrey had a stroke tonight and Lulu agreed to come over to watch Cameron while Elizabeth and I came to the hospital. I asked Cruz to go over to check on them." Lucky closed his eyes and prayed to be able to do this. He couldn't look at his mother. He couldn't meet his father's blue eyes. He kept his eyes on his shoes.

"Did you drive Lulu home? I don't like that neighborhood she's living in." Neither father nor son was brave enough to point out that she lived above Kelly's, the safest place in town.

"Momma, something bad happened. Someone broke in and tried to grab Cameron." Lucky pressed on, trying to get it out before his nerves took over. "Cameron screamed and Lulu came running. She got him away and then somehow Cruz showed up. I don't know what all happened but when I got home, Cameron was hiding, Cruz was shot, and Lulu is missing." Tears started to fall out of his green eyes. "Someone has her Momma. Someone has Lulu."

"No. She's just...did you check...did you check...no." Laura handed Cameron to Cruz's grandmother, worried she might drop him. Luke looked as if he had been socked in the gut. "No." She repeated.

"The police and the FBI are looking for her. I told them what she was wearing. I gave them a picture of her. It's why I just got here. They're going to find her Momma. They're going to find her."

"Why would they need to find her?" Laura countered. "She's not missing." She shrugged away Luke when he tried to hug her. "No, just don't. Don't touch me. Don't."

"She wasn't at the house when I got there. You know Lulu wouldn't leave Cameron alone. Not now. Not after his accident."

"Stop it!" Laura shrieked, placing her hands solidly over her ears. "I don't want to hear any of this. You're wrong. Lulu's a Sp—Spencer." She choked out. "She's just hiding. She must have just realized you have Cameron and will come here looking for him. She will. Or she'll call." Laura rambled, digging through her purse for her cell phone.

"Angel..." Luke attempted to rest his hands over hers.

"No, Luke, I have to find my phone. She could have called." Laura insisted.

"Even if you do find it, she won't have called." Luke assured her.

"You don't know that." Laura said through gritted teeth. "You're always saying that our children are resilient. Why...how can you believe that someone...that someone just took her?"

"Because she was trying to protect Cameron. If it was a choice between her and Cameron to be hurt, she'd choose herself." Luke said softly.

Tears spilled shamelessly down Laura's cheeks as Luke collected her in his arms, albeit cautiously. She shook her head and started to tremble so badly he pulled her closer and sheltered her in his embrace, pressing her face into his shirt sleeve and rocking her in the same fashion she had just been rocking Cameron. "Our baby..." She whimpered into his shoulder.

"She's strong. You said it yourself. She's a Spencer. She'll come back to us. She'll come back." Luke promised her, kissing the top of her head.

Bobbie stepped out of Cruz's room, confused but too nervous to voice it. She hadn't seen her sister-in-law fall apart in almost a decade. This was the first time she had ever seen Luke cry. She took Cameron from Cruz's grandmother, knowing he would be the most subtle way to stop those tears. Almost instantly, she had to set him on his feet, a sharp pain originating where her hands now rested and shooting up her spine, causing her to hunch over. Not now, she thought to herself. Not when Cruz is fighting for his life. Not now.

"Aunt Bobbie?" Lucky questioned, seeing her hunch over and racing over to help her. "What's wrong?"

"The baby is coming." Bobbie forced out.

"Doesn't she know it's not time yet?" Luke asked pointblank.

"It's too early." Lucky protested.

"Get her off her feet." Isabella demanded, nodding toward a nurse. "We need a wheelchair. Do you happen to know where we can find one? My daughter-in-law is in labor!"

Laura swayed slightly in Luke's arms. She met his eyes. They both knew she was in no shape to go with Bobbie. "But what if I drop her?" Luke wanted to know.

"You won't drop her." Laura assured him. "Your sister needs you." By that time, they had maneuvered Bobbie into the wheelchair.

"I can't do this." Luke protested.

"Yes. Yes you can." Laura argued, holding his face between her hands. "I have faith in you."

"You and your faith." Luke muttered. "One day that won't work." He threatened.

"I love you. Go help bring our beautiful niece into the world." Laura shoved him toward the crowd so that he couldn't fall behind the excuse of getting lost.


	194. If You Don't Know Me By Now

Patrick stared at the speedometer as it continued to climb in multiples of ten. The red dial flicked cautiously, but his foot was pressed to the floor causing the car to jerk several times. He held the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip and gave little warning or consideration to the drivers also occupying the highway. They all thought about laying on their horns when he would cut them off, but he gave absolutely no time for them to do so. By the time he swerved into their lane, efficiently cutting them off, they would still be recovering from the shock of the action as he prepared to do it again to some unsuspecting motorist.

The glow from the hospital sign almost blinded him and he forgot where the turn-in was leaving him with no other option than to do an illegal U-turn, head down a one-way the wrong way, and squint until he found the only way in. He barely gave his poor car a moment to catch up before he jammed it into park, hopped out of it, and clicked the lock button. The double doors shot open for him and he ran for the elevator, slamming the white button with the heel of his left hand.

Why was it taking so god damn long for the elevator to climb six floors? It was six floors, wasn't it? His brain was still spinning from Uncle Luke's phone call about Aunt Bobbie going into labor and Cruz getting shot, not to mention a third kidnapping attempt, this time for Cameron, and Lulu foiling the plan so that now she was the one missing. He could barely see straight for all of the information floating around in his head. It had to be six. He would search every floor until he found it.

Finally, finally, the elevator came to a jolt, the doors slid apart, and there was a Maternity sign staring at him when he climbed out of it onto the blessed sixth floor. He turned the corner sharply and almost collided with a five foot nothing nurse with short blonde hair and unflattering brown eyes. "I'm sorry." He apologized, rushing to help her pick up the charts he had knocked out of her hands in his haste to find Bobbie's room, or at the family since the idea of being in the delivery room was not a pleasant one.

"It's okay. You look like you've seen a ghost. Can I help you with something?" She asked sincerely.

"I'm looking for my aunt, Bobbie Spencer. She went into labor and she's been moved to the room. I guess I'm really just looking for my family." Patrick rambled out, his eyes searching for any familiar face.

"I can check for you." She assured him, throwing her charts onto the Information desk they were suddenly standing in front of and rounding the desk so that she had full access to the computer. "Bobbie Spencer. Yes, she is in delivery. Your family would have been asked to wait in waiting room number…four. I'll show you." She offered, leading him toward the bedraggled group he instantly recognized as Laura, Lucky, two women that must have been Cruz's mother and grandmother just from the stories he knew and the likelihood of them staying in town for the birth of the baby, Elizabeth, and Cameron. Cameron had his eyes opened, but they looked so full, so heavy that he might have been asleep without anyone realizing it.

"What's going on? What's happening?" Patrick demanded, startling all of them into meeting his worried stare with tired ones of their own.

"Cruz is still downstairs. Luke is in with Bobbie." Elizabeth responded, adjusting Cameron on her lap.

"Uncle Luke is in the delivery room?" Patrick asked, shocked.

"I wasn't consulted in that decision. I would have vetoed it." Elizabeth joked lightly.

"I made him go in." Laura managed, stretching her arms over her head.

"Aunt Laura, what if he comes out with the wrong baby?"

"We'll know right away." Isabella spoke up.

"It probably wouldn't be the first time. Remember when he got confused as to which baby Lulu was in the nursery?" Lucky remembered, and then winced as soon as he said his sister's name.

"She was the only blonde in the entire nursery and he brought out a little Asian baby." Patrick recalled.

Isabella looked worried.

"Note to you. Your father is not babysitting ever." Elizabeth pointed out to Lucky.

"And that's why I've always had the supervision policy." Lucky retorted. "Mom or Aunt Bobbie's presence is always required."

"I would volunteer..." Patrick told them. "But I don't think I'm quite qualified for the job. I mean, Cam's easy. It's every other kid..." His voice trailed off when he thought of the last conversation he had had with Morgan.

"Oh that's already solved. Robin will always be with you." Elizabeth pointed out.

"You haven't...talked to Robin tonight, have you?" Patrick wondered, nervous.

Elizabeth shook her head and bit her lower lip. "It's been a busy night."

"She snuck out and turned off her phone." Patrick admitted.

"Snuck out? I thought you were playing guard dog?" Lucky wondered.

"I fell asleep." Patrick muttered. It was bound to happen. He hadn't slept since before Kristina went missing. Logic didn't make him feel any better. Robin could be very destructive when her life started to tumble out of her hands.

"Robin will turn up. She wouldn't go far, not with Morgan..." Elizabeth felt her voice trail off, remembering acutely who else was missing from the family picture right now.

"I don't want to think about it. I just want to find her." Patrick told her.

"Anybody up for Poker?" Cruz's Aunt Theresa spoke up.

"I'm in." Lucky took Cameron off Elizabeth's lap and held him close to his chest. "Come on Champ. It's time I taught you a few lessons."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Lucky's comment but reached out to grab Patrick's sleeve. "Patrick?"

Like a flash, Patrick could remember the night Morgan had been sick and he had taught him how to play Poker. He could still see the surprise in Robin's face when he told her what he had done. "What? Did you say something?"

"I was just going to tell you that you will find Robin."

"But in what condition?" Patrick mumbled aloud.

"She won't let you find her until she can't fight anymore. You won't see her until she accepts she needs you more than anyone else right now. When she breaks, then she'll call you. But she will call you."

"You went to college to keep from having to go into the Army?" Maxie asked, shaking her head in mock disgust. "That's so lazy."

"No that was self-preservation." Ric countered, touching the tip of her nose with his finger.

"You wimp." Maxie teased with a smile. "Self-preservation," she repeated.

"You didn't grow up with Colonel Lansing." Ric pointed out. "I assume by your reaction you would be the first one to sign up for the police academy?"

Maxie scrunched up her face at that. "Blue isn't my color."

"But if Mac told you it was the police academy or college, what are you choosing?"

"I guess I can see that. Your dad's really strict, huh?"

"Up at five am every day. Meals at the same time every time. If you were one minute late, you didn't eat." Ric rubbed his thumb over Maxie's knuckle lightly. "If I didn't get straight A's there would be hell to pay."

"I got straight C's so I guess I wouldn't have survived in that house." Maxie replied, trying to imagine what it must have been like to grow up in a place like that.

"Probably not." Ric laughed. "But then again if you excelled in sports you might have survived."

"Did you?" Maxie wanted to know.

"I played baseball. Good enough to make the team, not good enough to be the star."

"Do you still have your uniform?" Maxie asked offhandedly.

Ric lifted one eyebrow and leaned closer to her. "Why? Are you _interested_?" he drawled into her ear.

"Very much so." Maxie whispered, shivering slightly at his nearness.

"I'll have to keep that in mind." He leaned back just far enough for her to see him wink. "What about you? Any uniforms I should know about?"

"I tried out for cheerleading all four years and made it senior year. I might still have it in a trunk somewhere."

"Now that is something I have to see." He whispered to her.

"Well you know," She watched him with dark eyes. "I only root for winners. If you win, maybe I'll show it to you."

"Haven't you figured out by now I only play to win?"

"Is that why you play?"

Ric bent his head just low enough to nibble on her ear. "It's why I play with you."

"What are you trying to win?"

"What are you offering?"

The pager clipped to his belt cut off whatever reply she might have had. He sat up as if he had been shot and she could feel her face burn. The door was open. If the pager hadn't stopped them, she doubted even her current condition would have done much to hinder the passion the room was currently suffocating her with. "What is it?"

"It's the maternity floor. A patient is in labor. I have to go." He smiled in apology. "I'll come back when I'm done."

"Come back in your uniform or just don't come back at all." She smirked.

Winking as he walked out of the door, Ric pointed in her direction. "Only if you find that cheerleader outfit."

"Any cute doctors in this town?"

Maxie looked up, startled, half certain the woman in front of her had read her mind. "I think it's part of the written exam."

"Good to know." Kate strode across the room with an easy confidence, her yellow high heels clicking on the linoleum floor. When she reached the bed, she held out her hand. "Kate Howard, WSBX News, New York."

"Maxie Jones." Maxie shook her hand awkwardly. What was a reporter doing here, and would there be more after her? "Can I help you with something?"

"You can tell me what you know about the Kristina Davis kidnapping." She could beat around the bush, but it rarely paid off for her. The police commissioner had done well keeping his daughter's name out of the media, but he hadn't counted on the presence of one determined Kate Howard. One well placed bribe and she had everything short of Maxie Jones' shoe size. She didn't doubt for a few dollars more, she could have gotten that information as well.

"I don't know anything." Maxie lied. She disliked the woman on sight, but she didn't know why. Maybe it was that she reeked of devious reporter and Maxie could find no respect for her.

Kate arched one perfectly sculpted eyebrow skyward. "Not very good for the star witness."

"I don't know what you mean." Maxie answered calmly.

"Miss Jones, you strike me as an intelligent person."

"I'd tell you what I think of you, but my mother used to wash out our mouths with soap when we used those kinds of words." Maxie shot back with a slight tilt of her head.

Kate continued on as if Maxie hadn't spoken. "So I fail to understand why you want to choose to play dumb. An intelligent woman such as yourself would realize that even when your father is the police commissioner there is no such thing as being anonymous in today's society."

"I'm not hiding behind my father." Maxie assured her. "I've never liked reporters. The fact that we've spoken this long only means that I can't get up and run away."

"The more information the public has, the more likely it is your step-sister will be found."

"Don't act like you care if we get her back or not." Maxie warned in a deadly tone.

Kate smiled at the young blonde with the narrow blue eyes, her fists clenched by her sides. She stood to her full height, smoothing out the wrinkles on her black skirt. She pulled a business card out of the front flap of her purse. "You'll see I'm right." She dropped the card onto the table next to Maxie. "When you decide this is the best course of action, give me a call."

"I'd rather roll up that card and smoke it than call you." Maxie told her frankly.

"You'll change your mind. And when you do, I'll be waiting." Kate waved from the doorway of the room. "Until we meet again Miss Jones."

"Oh, I'll be on pins and needles until then." Maxie rolled her eyes.

Robin made her way slowly to the sixth floor. She had been directed by this nurse and that, never paying enough attention to understand their directions. She must have passed this floor at least three times before she stumbled upon it. The large picture of a mother rocking her newborn was the only indication the floor gave of its purpose. She would have kept going if not for it, as well as the large sign that screamed Maternity. She had caught snippets of phone messages from both Patrick and Elizabeth, but it had taken her some time to make sense of it all. Apparently Cruz had been shot while trying to thwart the kidnapper's attempt to snatch Cameron and they had taken Lulu instead, which made so little sense. Amongst that tragedy, Bobbie had gone into labor early. Cruz was several floors up fighting for his life while Bobbie was struggling to bring a life into the world.

It was all coming at her so fast; she didn't try to stop the unrealistic scenarios from flashing in front of her eyes. She could easily see Cruz trying to stop the kidnapper, but since she didn't know the details, she could only imagine how the assailant had shot the gun, where he had been standing, how many times Cruz had tried to stand up and get out of the way of the bullet. She hated knowing these things. She hated that her childhood had been filled with so much violence and that her adult life was no different.

How had Cameron gotten away? Clearly that must have been when Lulu stepped in or Cruz. Her money was on Lulu. Ever since Cam's accident, the young woman had been hell-bent on proving herself to Lucky. She wouldn't have been able to differentiate between saving herself or saving Cameron: it would have been an automatic response. If a gun had been pointed at them, she would have stepped in front of her nephew before she would even let him know what was going on. She would never sacrifice him in the name of fear or second-guessing.

Lucky must be an absolute mess right now. No doubt he had Cameron with him and wouldn't be letting that sweet little boy out of his sight at least until the others were returned, maybe not even then. She couldn't blame him for that. She was seriously considering giving up the bakery and going to school for a teaching license so Morgan would never have to leave her, so she would know where he was at all times. When he got older, they would just work around sports and things which he would do through the local recreation center or something. She wouldn't be coaching these, but she wouldn't be letting him stay alone for any amount of time.

Robin didn't want to think about the kind of stress Elizabeth was under. Her friend was strong, but she was fragile in all the ways that mattered and Robin didn't want to think about what could happen if the children and Lulu weren't returned soon. Sometimes simply working too hard could bring on a miscarriage. Robin would have to do whatever she could to keep that from happening. Her friend wanted this baby so much and Robin wanted her to have it, her and Lucky. Lucky needed this baby as badly as he had needed Cameron which was why he had fought Jess' parents for so long and so hard.

Patrick met her at the elevator even though she had no idea how he had realized she was even there. He looked surprised to see her, so maybe he hadn't known. Maybe he had volunteered to get coffee for the group or something. Maybe he needed to stretch his legs. There was no way to know how long he had been here or how long Bobbie had been in labor without checking her phone and she didn't trust herself to complete even that small task. She couldn't ignore the hurt expression Patrick wore when their eyes met. She jerked her eyes away from his and she walked past him.

"Robin." Patrick reached for her but she just kept walking. "Where did you go?" He demanded, spinning her around.

At first Robin considered not answering on the grounds of not wanting to. Saying anything would fuel his temper and she didn't have the energy to fight with him. "Nowhere." She whispered.

"You went somewhere otherwise I wouldn't have woken up to find you gone and you would have answered the damn phone when I tried to tell you what was going on." Patrick snapped.

"I got your messages." Robin gestured toward her purse where her phone was.

"Then why didn't you come right away?" Patrick wanted to know.

"It doesn't matter." Robin shook her head.

"It does to me." Patrick countered, placing a hand against the wall to block her path. "And you're not going anywhere until you tell me."

"Patrick, I told you, it's not important." Robin clarified through gritted teeth. "Can we drop it?"

"No we cannot drop it. Tell me. Tell me." Patrick repeated sternly. "Robin, come on."

"I was just...walking around." Robin told him. "I wasn't anywhere."

"Walking around here?" Patrick wondered.

"Here. Outside. Down the block. Through the neighborhoods. I was just walking." Robin said.

"The last thing you should be doing is strolling through unfamiliar neighborhoods in the middle of the night." Patrick scolded her condescendingly.

"I needed to think." Robin shot back.

"What did you need to think about for three god damn hours?"

"Don't talk to me like that." Robin sneered at him.

"Like what? You scared the hell out of me!" Patrick informed her.

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Patrick. If something had gone wrong, I could have handled it."

"You shouldn't have to handle it alone." Patrick argued. "I don't like the idea of you going off and not telling anybody where you're going."

"Anybody or you?"

"Both."

"I didn't realize I needed you to run my life."

"What?" Patrick's eyes widened as if she had just slapped him.

"I'm not a child." She reminded him.

"Then why are you pouting like one?" He challenged.

Robin's eyes flared to life, leaving the dull look in the dust. "How dare you! My son was kidnapped yesterday! Do you even understand what that means?" Robin shrieked. "And I have no idea where he is, who he's with, if he's safe, if he's cold or hungry. I don't know anything! I didn't even get a call, so I don't know if the same people who have Kristina have him. I don't know anything but this pain. That's the only thing I recognize."

"Robin—" Patrick knew he wasn't going to get a word in edgewise now, but he had to try.

"I don't want to talk to you right now. Just leave me alone." Robin pushed his hand off the wall and went to sit with the rest of the family. Elizabeth didn't comment on the tears in her friend's eyes.

"Hey you." She whispered pulling Robin close to her. "Come to join the party?"

"I haven't missed one yet."

"Good. I do wish we could change locations once in awhile."


	195. Right Where I Need To Be

Lucas bowed his head and folded his hands together just like his father had shown him a hundred times when they attended Sunday morning service. Since Tony and BJ 's deaths, neither Lucas nor Bobbie had made church a priority; there was always something more pressing going on to spend an hour and a half saying thanks to God for all they had. At first, it had been too difficult to go without them; by the time he met Dillon, church was something that he had done at one time for a number of years but lost interest in. The Quartermaines hadn't been big on worship so he and Dillon had never even broached the subject of church for their son.

Maybe he had been wrong to not keep faith in his life. He had so much to be thankful for, after all: his son, his husband, his aunts, uncles, and cousins, his friends, and everyone in-between. He had a job he loved which few people could say for themselves and a husband whose dreams kept him from losing his own. He had a beautiful son who was funny and intuitive…and safe. He couldn't forget safe. There hadn't been an attempt made on Lance, but that didn't mean there couldn't be one. Dillon had him now and only under the excuse of checking on Maxie and Alexis. Lucas knew no one would try and take his son, not tonight anyway. He would take a few days off, call it a family emergency which wouldn't be a lie, and wait out this kidnapping spree.

Lucas didn't have to wonder what his friends and family members were going through because the moment he had heard about the other two abductions he had felt outraged, terrified, out of his mind with grief, and the emotions just kept piling up, even now, hours, days later—since it was almost two days since Kristina had been taken, his watch announced. He had started to feel guilty for punishing Lance over Christmas break and not getting him that toy he wanted—he couldn't remember what it was now—and everything in-between. He had wondered if he was really as great a parent as he had always thought himself to be, if he and Dillon's lifestyle caused too much stress on their son, and if they should take him and run.

He hadn't been able to leave. One look at Alexis, one broken sob from Robin, and he and Dillon had agreed that staying here was the best thing they could do. They were familiar with the two previous kidnappings and, even though they hadn't contacted Robin yet, Lucas and Dillon believed that they would. They were letting her fret a little longer, that's all. They were trying to make her doubt herself. Lucas had dealt with enough kidnappings to know how criminals worked.

No doubt, his mother and Elizabeth were hesitant to bring any child into the world right now when they could just as easily be snatched up. Of course, they didn't have a choice. Elizabeth was halfway there and his sister wasn't patient enough to wait for the kids and Lulu to be returned. When he had imagined his mother going into labor, he hadn't anticipated that Cruz would be shot and struggling to breathe in a room several floors up. He had found relief in believing that she wouldn't have to go through it alone like when she had had Carly. Oh Carly, he thought to himself. I hope you're helping Mom with all of this. He knew Uncle Luke was in the delivery room with her but, somehow, that didn't bring him much consolation.

No patience was right, he thought to himself. His little sister was showing up two months early. With all of the medical issues his mother faced, he really didn't want her to have another one to deal with. She must be scared out of her mind. He wished he could help her, but they only allowed one family member in the delivery room and that wasn't him. He could only pray to a God that must not have forgotten about him if the wonders in his life were anything to go by.

Even though he didn't practice any one faith and hadn't for years, Dillon could still appreciate the beauty and peace the hospital chapel provided for the visitors who found their way to the wood paneled pews. He just hadn't expected to find Lucas there. Looking down at Lance, he pointed his son toward a pew that was just off to the side of the one Lucas currently occupied. "Hey," he whispered as he sat down next to his husband. "What are you doing here?"

"I figured praying couldn't hurt." Lucas answered honestly.

"I always approve of covering all the bases. Have you been upstairs yet?"

"I tried, but it was really crowded." His answer sounded lame even to him. There was no way to hide the fear in his tone.

"Since when do you dislike crowds?" Dillon asked quirking one eyebrow upwards.

"How are Maxie and Alexis?" Lucas asked instead.

"Alexis is trying to run the investigation from her hospital bed and giving Mac fits. And Maxie is pouring through car magazines Patrick brought over trying to remember anything that can help. Don't think I didn't notice that subject change either there babe."

"I'm just hoping you won't make me answer right away." Lucas almost smiled.

"Fat chance. Answer it or I make you watch Center Stage again."

"You really want to know, don't you?" Lucas scrunched up his face at his husband's threat. "I guess I just didn't feel comfortable. There's so much grief up there."

"I know, it's not the Quartermaine way, but I thought you Spencers always came together in times of stress. Family solidarity and all that stuff Grandfather just yells about."

"I felt guilty." Lucas admitted.

"Guilty?" Dillon did a double take. Of all the emotions he had been prepared for Lucas to name, this was last on the list. "What do you have to feel guilty about?"

Lucas nodded toward Lance.

"Because he's safe while Morgan, Kristina, and Lulu are still missing?"

"Yes." Lucas whispered.

"Babe." Dillon whispered in an even lower voice and pulled Lucas closer to him. "You have nothing to feel guilty over."

"I know that logic agrees with you. I just don't think I can face them yet." Lucas told his husband.

"Well tough because your baby sister has decided to be a bigger drama queen than you and I combined and make her grand entrance tonight. Your family needs you right now." Dillon argued bluntly.

"I can't do it alone." Lucas murmured.

"Who said you were going to?" Dillon asked. "Did anyone say Lance and I were leaving? Our son is beyond excited about getting a new aunt and he's heard rumors Cameron is upstairs so he's all about playtime right now. And right now is the perfect time for me to convince Elizabeth I should throw her baby shower."

"What if I say the wrong thing?" Lucas wanted to know.

"You apologize and move on. Everyone is all Blair Witch right now and I bet everyone is worried about the same thing. You think Lucky isn't feeling guilty that his son and the baby are safe while Robin's up there still freaking out about Morgan?" Dillon challenged.

Lucas considered that. "All right, let's go meet my sister." Lucas decided with a confidence he didn't feel.

"Good man. Keep this up and maybe I'll buy you a cookie along with Lance."

"Peanut Butter?" Lucas' eyes twinkled in jest.

"Only the best for you."

"Daddy? Is my aunt here yet?" Lance asked, tugging on Lucas' sleeve with his blue eyes shining with the excitement of the moment and childhood glee at being up way past his bedtime with total permission. "Is she? Is she?"

Lucas looked down at his son. He was just as excited, but there was a lot of worry mixed in with it. "Not yet, Lance." The family looked up once they recognized his voice and Dillon was talking to the desk nurse about the difference between Rear Window and Psycho, his reasoning being that one was actually slightly scary while the other was just trying to rip it off.

"Lucas." Laura's voice only trembled slightly, giving away the terror she was just barely keeping in check. She had to focus on this new baby, or she would give in to the temptation to cry and scream until her daughter was home, safe and sound.

"Hi Aunt Laura." Lucas greeted her, unable to hide the tremor in his voice.

"Aunt Laura is my new aunt here yet?" Lance ran up demanding.

"Not yet sweetheart." Laura answered, stroking his blonde hair gently. "Uncle Luke will come out and let us know when she's here."

Lance's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "Uncle Luke is a doctor?"

Lucas coughed loudly to try to cover the laugh that threatened to erupt from him. He also tried to avoid the amused looks of Patrick, Robin, and Laura. "No. No he's not."

"Where's Cameron, Daddy? You said Cameron was going to be here." Lance whined, tugging on Lucas' left hand urgently.

"I thought he was." Lucas looked around confused, trying to spot Lucky or Elizabeth in the waiting room. He wouldn't have thought Lucky would let his son out of his sight with the events of the night still fresh in his mind.

"The nurse. She came to talk Elizabeth. They left after that." Isabella offered.

Robin's head jerked up. She had been in the restroom when they had left and she hadn't received an explanation until now. Still, she had questions, "What did the nurse come talk to Elizabeth for? The baby's alright, isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes." Laura hastened to reassure Robin. "It's probably Audrey."

"What about Audrey?" It was Patrick who spoke up this time.

"I imagine either some test results came back or Elizabeth's family has started to arrive."

"I didn't realize anything was wrong with Audrey." Robin admitted, suddenly feeling awful for not questioning Elizabeth and Lucky's absence before now.

"They didn't tell you?" Laura's questioned. Her first instinct was Robin and Patrick would have been the first ones her son and Elizabeth would call. Too late she realized they must have been too distracted to call anyone other than Lulu to baby-sit. "Audrey had a stroke tonight. It was why Lulu was baby-sitting. They were already at the hospital."

"A stroke?" Robin and Patrick breathed out in unison.

"I don't know many of the details. The tests were still coming in when..." Laura's voice trailed off, unwilling to speak the rest of the night's events out loud.

Robin placed her hands over Laura's. "It's okay. We know the rest." She promised with a sad smile.

"At any rate, I know they were still waiting on some test results. And I think Steven, her sister, and parents were on their way. They are probably on the neurology floor right now."

"I think I'm going to go find them." Robin decided, standing up. She half expected Patrick to argue the point with her or tag along, but he remained where he was and didn't say a word.

Steven couldn't help but pace the small space between his grandmother's room and the nurse's desk. They had been waiting for tests a lot longer than he had been in town, but he felt like he would explode if they didn't tell him something soon. Georgie had disappeared upstairs to check on her sister so he was trying to hold it together for his baby sister and her boyfriend.

It had been a little while since he had seen Elizabeth. She was definitely a lot farther along than he had realized: she had switched out of the outfits he had gotten used to and into frilly maternity clothing. This was just one of these things he had been avoiding in France: his sister's impending motherhood. While gone, he had been able to focus on other things. Yes, they had talked and he was excited about being an uncle; it was just intimidating to see her figure filling out. And, what's more, it just reminded him of why she was in this condition.

"Are you sure we didn't miss him?" He asked irritably, directing the question at both of them.

"The nurse said Dr. Holzman would be here in a few minutes." Elizabeth sighed. "She just didn't specify exactly how long a few minutes were in real people time not doctor time."

"We've been here forever." Steven grumbled. "You would think they understood how dire the situation is." Part of the problem was that he hadn't seen her yet. Both Elizabeth and the hobbit standing next to her had gotten to see his grandmother, only briefly but still more times than he had. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.

"I can go try to run him down." Lucky offered from his seat next to Elizabeth, his arm draped over her shoulder.

"No. I want you here if the doctor shows up." Elizabeth shook her head.

Steven gritted his teeth together tight enough to give himself a headache. "The doctor will be here. We don't need you disappearing and scaring Elizabeth. She has enough to deal with."

"Steven I'm pregnant, not a porcelain doll."

"I never said you were." Steven assured her. "I just didn't think Boy Wonder should put in his two cents. This is about Grams, not him."

"That's it!" Elizabeth stood up and marched over to her brother. "You come with me."

"Where?" Steven demanded sounding a little worried.

"Just march." She pointed one finger down the hallway. Lucky held up his hand, gesturing that he was staying out of it. He had learned a long time ago to not argue with Elizabeth when she looked as if she was about to spit fireballs.

"Elizabeth, get a grip." Steven told her. "I was just joking."

"It's not the time for jokes right now Steven."

"Maybe I was trying to think about something else, because the idea of Grams fighting for her life scares the hell out of me." Steven managed softly.

"It scares me too, but could you please, please pick something else? Anything. I beg of you."

"For you." Steven agreed.

"Thank you." Elizabeth sat down and rested her head on Lucky's shoulder. "I just want this night to end."

The elevator doors slid open and Robin stepped out of them, spotting her tired friend instantly. "Elizabeth, I didn't realize. I'm so sorry!"

"You couldn't have known." Elizabeth protested. "You had enough going on."

Robin's eyes filled with tears at that. "I'm sorry you didn't think you could tell me."

"It wasn't that at all. Everything just happened so fast..." Elizabeth tried to fight back the yawn but it was useless.

"You're exhausted. You should go home. Lucky, take her home." Robin ordered.

"I've tried. She won't listen to me." Lucky protested. "You're welcome to take a crack at it."

Elizabeth shook her head stubbornly. "I'm not leaving until I know what is going on with Grams."

"At what cost?" Steven wanted to know.

"I'm fine. Dr. Lansing is just downstairs and I'm sure he'd tell you the exact same thing."

"I was just about to go visit with Maxie and Georgie. How about you come with me." Robin offered, reaching for Elizabeth's hand. "I hear all exercise during pregnancy is good."

"Go. Steven and I will stay here and find out everything for you." Lucky urged her. He pointed to Cameron, who sat trying to fight off sleep in the corner flipping through a book one of the nurses brought him. "Take Cameron with you. He likes Georgie."

"I don't trust you two alone together."

"We'll play nice." Lucky swore, making an approximation of what he vaguely remembered the scout's honor sign to be.

"We are adults, Elizabeth. We can get along." Steven told her.

"Hear that?" Robin smiled. "That settles it. Cam, you want to come with us?"

Cameron looked carefully between Lucky and Elizabeth. "You come Lizzie?"

"Alright, but just for a few minutes." Elizabeth sighed giving in. If it had just been Robin, Lucky, and Steven, she might have been able to stand her ground. But they just had to throw Cameron into the mix. Now that just wasn't fair.


	196. Little Wonders

_**Happy Friday everyone! I do hope you're enjoying your day and that we can make it a little better.**_

All Lucky wanted was to crawl into a corner, close his eyes, and pretend this whole day never happened. That his son hadn't almost shared the same nightmare he had experienced. That his sister wasn't currently experiencing a version of hell he would never wish on his worst enemy, let alone his little sister. But he couldn't do any of that. Elizabeth was depending on him to be strong. Robin was clearly expecting him to step up and take over some of the worries from Elizabeth. His parents were counting on him to not lose his sanity so they could concentrate on finding Lulu. Cameron was counting on him to keep the "bad man" away.

The pounding in his head was only getting louder. His emotions swirled uncontrollably, swinging from rage and anger to terror. He wanted to run away from the hospital and never return. Pack up the few possessions he cherished, grab Cameron and Elizabeth, leave town and not look back. As tempting as the plan sounded, he couldn't leave. Not before he knew Cruz was ok. Or Aunt Bobbie and his newest cousin were fine. And Audrey. And judging by the look Steven Webber was shooting him at this very moment, not before Steven kicked his ass for the pregnancy.

Steven didn't try to understand what Lucky was going through because that would have been a great disservice to the man. What he wanted to know most of all was how he was supposed to trust his baby sister to a man who hadn't even been able to keep his immediate family safe? If his sister and friend hadn't acted when they had, the way they had, Cameron would be in the kidnapper's possession right now and the sister would probably be in the same condition as the friend, if not worse off. Steven could look no further than the young man's eyes and see how guilty he was, but that didn't mean he was willing to leave his sister's life and his future niece or nephew's life in the hands of a man he barely knew.

The silence echoed off the walls of the ever-shrinking room. What exactly was the protocol for small talk with a man you had only ever met twice in your life when the only thing you had in common was a petite currently pregnant brunette, Lucky wondered. Did you start off talking about how the weather was, or the way the local team was playing? Did you bring up the obvious topic of conversation right away or did you avoid it at all costs?

From what he had learned of Lucky Spencer before he ever met him, the man was a player. He had set up Elizabeth to believe that he was seeing a woman behind her back and made her feel like an idiot once she realized it was all a joke. He made her question every decision she had ever had. She had lost her common sense in the last seven months; she had lost herself. She was no longer the mess of a woman whose ex-boyfriend had cheated on her and left her with a broken heart. He knew this was a good thing and wanted to be happy for her. He hadn't been joking when they had made up at Christmas; he just wished he could have some kind of guarantee before accepting the relationship completely. He had met Max on occasion and his sister had been head over heels in love with him too. Yes, the baby complicated things, but it was not a good enough reason for him to suddenly trust Lucky Spencer.

"How long are you planning on making my sister wait to get married?" Steven held up a hand when he assumed Lucky would interrupt him. "I'm just wondering how old my niece or nephew would be."

"That's up to your sister." Lucky shrugged, not surprised that once again everyone assumed it was his reluctance that led to their decision. "The second thing she told me after she said she was pregnant was that we weren't getting married."

"So I'm supposed to assume that my sister, my young, pregnant, vulnerable, crazy sister is completely against marrying a man she 'loves?'" Steven didn't try to hold back his sarcasm.

"When she's convinced herself it would only be about the baby and not about love. You have seen her when she convinces herself of something right?"

"Yeah, and that's the only reason I never took a shot at you." Steven laughed without humor.

"There you go." It was way past time for them to have this conversation, Lucky realized. The timing sucked but it was what it was. If he had learned anything from the mess he was always in with Tony Grimes it was he had to work with Elizabeth's family for the best situation for everyone. Two families constantly watching him to pounce on any mistake was not a good thing. "Look I know you don't like me very much."

Steven laughed again. "Who's been lying to you? I don't like you at all." He managed a smile.

"But I do love your sister. I don't think we need to be friends, but it would be better if we got along or could at least pretend. For her sake."

"I think my sister would see through it." Steven reasoned.

"True. Which is why we should probably at least attempt it."

Steven thought for a moment. "We could just avoid each other."

Lucky paused to consider that option. "It wouldn't be that hard to pull off. Except at holidays."

"I'll just distract myself with the baby." Steven suggested.

Lucky chuckled softly. "You've not met my family. You're not getting near the baby if my mother or aunt is around."

"Your aunt's having a baby tonight, yeah?" Steven asked, trying his best to make some sort of pleasant conversation.

"Yeah. A little girl."

"I heard about your friend." Steven murmured. "I'm sorry."

"Thanks." Lucky didn't want too think to long about Cruz and his fight to just breathe a few floors below them. It was his fault his friend was there. His fault. He could never make it up to Cruz, especially not when it included missing the birth of his first child. Cruz had been the one to drive him to Cameron's birth and he had made it impossible for Cruz to have the same experience.

"How long has this been going on?" Steven had a rough idea from Georgie, but he had a funny inclination that they hadn't been completely honest with her about the timing. Maybe, but something had definitely been stirring long before now. "The kidnappings I mean."

"Two days." Checking the clock hung on the wall, Lucky corrected himself. "Almost three." Had time really been so short when it felt so long?

"And the police have no leads?" Steven asked carefully.

"Nothing concrete. There are theories about the involvement of Sonny Corinthos but as far as I know, those are nothing but talk."

"Does this Sonny Corinthos have anything to do with your son?"

"No. This is why the theories don't hold up right now."

"Why did they think it had to do with him before?"

"He's Kristina and Morgan's father. And he may be in jail but he still has enemies and friends who aren't."

"Elizabeth's friend and Sonny share Morgan?" Steven inquired, confused.

"No." Lucky shook his head. He kept forgetting Elizabeth and Steven didn't grow up in Port Charles. It made the interwoven relationships of the town almost impossible to decipher at times. "Robin and Sonny are old friends. When Morgan's mother was killed due to Sonny's mob ties, Sonny was already in jail for life. Obviously he couldn't take care of him so he asked Robin to take care of Morgan. I'm sure no one was as surprised as Robin was."

"But it was his decision to sign his son over to Robin?"

"It was."

"Then why would he try and take back his children now?" Steven scratched his head. "Unless I'm just an idiot, I was under the impression that if a man goes away for life that means no bail."

"Not when your name is Sonny Corinthos and you have half the lawyers and judges in the state in your back pocket."

"But, unless he's confused, Cameron isn't his child."

Lucky shot Steven a dark glare. He remembered well all the paternity drama the various lackeys of Sonny found themselves in over the years. "That's not even funny to joke about. But he's not and that's why tonight blows the whole 'Sonny is behind it all' theory out of the water."

"So why are we wasting our time with it? If he's not getting out, his enemies wouldn't need to go after his kids. Cameron changes the playing field, if you'll excuse me for saying so. The attempt alone proves that this has to do with something else the three children have in common." Steven told him.

"I agree. And I don't think it was ever more than just a theory that Sonny was involved."

"So now all we have to figure out is what else the kids share." Steven got to his feet and headed down the hall, only Lucky's voice causing him to pause.

"How do you know so much about solving mysteries?" Lucky wondered.

Steven laughed, this time a real laugh, "Elizabeth was into Nancy Drew when we were kids. We used to solve crimes during the summer."

Luke glanced longingly at the door. How did he get himself roped into things like this? It was all of the goodness that rested in the brilliant blue eyes of his wife, he decided. He had never been able to tell her no. The last time he had been in a delivery room had been when Lulu had been born, so he was a little rusty on what he should be doing. Laura had been a screamer, he recalled. She had begged for drugs, but Lulu had been in too big of a hurry, both her and Lucky, so Laura was never given any kind of drug. Currently, his baby sister was trying to break his right hand.

The first two hours had been wonderful. Despite Bobbie's water breaking so fast, his niece seemed in no hurry. He could hear the doctor mumbling about every half hour that Bobbie was at this centimeter or that. Luke decided he didn't want to know the details and had told Dr. Ric on several occasions only to have the guy chuckle at him. At first, she had been worried, damn near hysterical. From that, she moved to a semi-calm state that he attributed to the vodka the nurse must have slipped in her ice chips. God, his hand was almost purple. "Barbara, it's alright." He tried to assure her.

Her red head whipped around so fast, he felt like he was living The Exorcist. Her lips were curled in something that fell between anguish and pure hatred. It was only speculation, but Luke wondered if his sister realized that the man who had put her in this situation wasn't the one standing beside her. Her eyes glazed over and he visibly gulped. Maybe Dr. Ric should just inject him with something and he would wake up in a few hours when Miss Bobbie Jr. decided to grace them with her presence. It seemed plausible.

"Alright?" Bobbie repeated. "What would you know about it?" She challenged, clamping her teeth onto her bottom lip when a contraction rippled through her entire body. "Oh God. This is awful." She growled out, bowing her head and trying to catch her breath.

"You're doing wonderfully Bobbie." Ric told her reassuringly.

"I'm so glad the men in the room are confident that this is all dandy. I, however, am trying to—"

"Please Barbara Jean," Luke begged. "I beg of you."

"It won't be long now." Ric said.

"You said that two hours ago." Bobbie reminded him.

"I said you were progressing beautifully." Ric countered calmly.

"Don't argue with her, damn it." Luke snapped wincing as his sister brought him to his knees.

"Don't you swear in front of my daughter. I don't want the first thing she hears to be profanity." Bobbie whimpered.

Luke was about to retort, but Ric cut him off. "Well Bobbie it looks like this little girl is finally ready to grace us with her presence. Are you ready to push?"

Bobbie gave him a "get real" look, but reached for Luke's other hand. "I'm ready."

"Good. Luke I'm going to need you to keep her focused here ok?"

"What does that mean?" Luke asked cautiously.

"I thought you've been through this before?" Ric wondered. Certainly Luke had brushed off any conversation with him earlier in the evening with a quick, "Yeah. Yeah. I remember."

"A little out of practice." Luke admitted gruffly.

"Well when I say push, then you keep her pushing. Alright let's go people." Ric turned to direct the team of nurses behind him. "This little one obviously thinks she deserves a star entrance and I say we give it to her."

Bobbie thought she smiled at that. "I wish Cruz could see this."

Luke half-smiled. "Well if you'd let Dillon bring in the camera..." He mumbled.

Bobbie gave him a startled look. "Can you imagine how awkward that would be later on?"

"So that's how you know when you're having a contraction." Luke pointed to the spiking lines on the monitor next to the bed.

"Right. And it looks like right now it's time to push. So let's do it Bobbie. One big push for me, come on." Ric prompted.

"You heard the man. Push!" Luke ordered, giving Bobbie his hand and willing back the tears stinging the back of his eyes.

"I am pushing!" Bobbie screamed at them.

"Yes you are. Keep it up Bobbie. Keep it up." Ric chanted as he made his preparations to deliver the newest member of the Spencer-Rodriguez family.

"I can't." Bobbie shook her head.

"Barbara Jean, yes you can." Luke told her.

"No. I can't. I need Cruz here." Bobbie whined.

"Too bad. You're stuck with me. You can do this. You're a Spencer."

"And this little one refuses to wait. Come on I need another push." Ric announced.

Bobbie squeezed her eyes closed and pushed for all she was worth, falling backwards a moment later, praying that it had been enough. Her daughter's precious scream greeted her ears. I did it, Bobbie thought faintly. I did it. She watched Ric show the baby to Luke and was ready to accept the baby from the doctor when she realized Luke had passed out. "Luke! Wake up! No sleeping on the job." She teased him, waiting for one of the nurses to clean up the baby and wrap her in a soft pink blanket.

Ric smirked at her. "Would you like to meet your daughter?"

Bobbie nodded and he carefully placed the screaming newborn in her arms. "My God, she's so tiny." Bobbie breathed touching her daughter's left hand and tracing her knuckles.

"Does she have a name?" Ric wanted to know.

"Maria Alejandra."

Ric stared over Bobbie's shoulder. "Maria, you're lucky to have such a strong mommy."

"What happened?" Luke wanted to know as a few nurses helped him to his feet.

"You missed it." Bobbie shook her head in mock disappointment.

"Missed what? She's here, isn't she?"

"Yes she is. A little early." Bobbie shot Ric a nervous look.

"We'll take good care of this little angel." Ric promised her.


	197. Break It To Me Gently

_**I actually forgot to post last night. The hurricane happened right where my brother and sister were with their families and my sister came up the night before last since power and water are out in Houston. I apologize, but I just forgot.**_

The first thing Cruz was aware of was the dryness of his throat. He immediately reached to his right—cringing slightly when something restrained him—seeking the water bottle he kept by the bed. Something was definitely pinching him and he instantly had to give into it and settle back against the pillow. He buried his face in the pillow as the sun shone brightly through the mini blinds in case he might mistake the time of day. He held his left hand up to block the offensive light and growled trying to turn over but again something was holding onto him. The sheets and blanket were restricting his legs as well so he would have to go about this some other way.

"Bobbie." He whined flicking his tongue across his upper lip and his teeth longing desperately for a glass of water. His eyes were too heavy to lift so he was left with no option but to depend on his other senses to determine what was going on. When he reached for Bobbie, his arms wrapped around nothingness. The bed even seemed to disappear. He must have been on the end of it which was strange considering he always slept on the left side of the bed with Bobbie cuddled up next to him.

Had he slept through the alarm clock or beat it by a few hours? The latter was probably true. Lately he hadn't been able to sleep long enough for his alarm to stir him. He supposed it had a lot to do with these last few weeks of Bobbie's pregnancy. Used to sleeping on her stomach, she had had to adjust to sleeping on her back or her side and she hadn't done so without a lot of complaining. He would usually find himself on the edge of the bed kind of like this morning but he was still on the wrong side.

"Alright," he muttered to himself, "time to get up." Again, he tried to kick the offensive covers away but they were enclosed around his legs like twigs. Frustrated, Cruz let out another disapproving growl and attempted opening his eyes. The light was brutal on his sensitive eyes even though it took him a lot more time to open them than usual. At first, all he could see were the thin brush of his eyelids. Slowly, ever so slowly, he was able to make out some distinct colors, the boring white merging into the brown chair next to the bed, the blue curtains draping over the top of the window, and the grayish-green of the end of the bed. What was going on?

Blinking, it all came to him in a rush: showing up at Lucky's to check on Lulu and Cameron, the kidnapper pulling a gun on them, rushing him, hearing Lulu scream, the burning in his chest when the first bullet was accompanied by a second, falling to his knees, watching the kidnapper knock Lulu out with the butt of the gun, and finally darkness. "Cameron!" He screamed, sitting up too fast, biting back the pain while his eyes jumped from one corner to the next. "Cameron!"

"Shh, shh baby." Bobbie moved closer to the bed, reaching out to hold his hands as they began to thrash about. She was supposed to be in her own room, recovering but she had bribed two of the nurses to let her come down here and see her husband. Using one hand she stroked his head. "You're ok. You're ok."

"Bobbie?" Cruz blinked at her.

"Yeah, it's me. I'm right here. I'm right here."

"Are you alright?" He couldn't just ignore the fact that she had come into the room in a wheelchair.

"I'm fine." Bobbie smiled at him. He woke up from surgery to remove bullets in his chest and he was worried about her. "This is only because it's hospital policy."

"What? What happened? Who did this to you?" He demanded.

Too late she realized her mistake. "No one did anything to me. Everything is perfectly fine."

"Bobbie..." He scolded. "I'm not an idiot."

"I'm not saying you are. But when it takes you three hours to give birth, the doctor just wants to make sure everything is fine before sending you home."

"You...you..." Cruz couldn't put two words together. It was unfathomable that he had missed the birth of his daughter.

"Our little girl apparently decided that she just couldn't wait any longer."

"Is she alright?"

"She's fine. A fighter." Bobbie held his hand close to her and kissed his knuckles lightly. "Just like her father."

"But two months early?" He couldn't keep the panic out of his voice.

"So far everything is fine. She's in the NICU as a precaution and the doctors are monitoring everything."

"Did you see her?" Cruz wondered.

"She's beautiful."

"Cameron?" Cruz remembered. "And Lulu?"

"Cameron is fine. He hid until Lucky got home. My brother is ridiculously proud of him for arguing with the police about coming out."

Cruz almost smiled, but then realized that she hadn't answered his other question. "And Lulu?"

Bobbie bit her lip and looked to the floor. The knowledge that Lulu was still missing wasn't any easier to understand in the light of day than it had been last night. She felt the stab of guilt at even being remotely happy about Maria Alejandra's birth with Lulu being God knows where and with God only knew what kind of monsters. She could lie to him, but Cruz would see right through it. "We don't know where Lulu is."

Cruz had to look away for a moment. It was too hard to look at her when his grief must be written all over his face. His daughter was okay and he wanted her to focus on that. "Do you think they'd let me see Maria?"

"I'd like to see them try and stop you."

This was the third morning Kristina had woken up in tears. It wasn't a nightmare that caused this but her current situation. She had tried to get away, but they always knew where she was. She wouldn't have been surprised if they had some kind of camera somewhere. They were gone for now, but she wasn't brave enough to try the door. The cabin was cold as it had been for three days. No amount of blankets ever got her warm enough. She refused to eat what they cooked for her so one of them had given her a box of crackers to keep her alive. They had made up a pallet for her in the living room next to the fireplace, but she hadn't been able to sleep there. She wanted her bed, her room, or at least her toys. She wanted Mommy.

There was a collection of books she recognized on the bookshelf in the corner of the living room and a plastic crate of toys she didn't like. Every time she brought it up, she was told to be quiet so she had just stopped talking. She didn't know exactly who had her because she had never met them before. What she did know was that they weren't working alone because one or both of them was always on the cell phone talking to someone else. They hadn't told her what they wanted her for, but she had thought maybe it had to do with Daddy. Mommy used to tell her that she would always protect her. When they had talked about Daddy, Mommy had tried to explain why she hadn't wanted him to see her or her to go and visit him: it wasn't safe. It was almost like Mommy wanted everyone to forget who her daddy was.

Even though Kristina hadn't thought it possible she missed Daddy Mac. She missed walking past the bathroom in the morning to catch him shaving and she missed his smiley face pancakes. She missed his stupid jokes and she missed her mommy's laugh. She missed Maxie too and the bedtime stories. She missed the park and playing with Morgan.

The only way Kristina knew how many days it had been was because she had stolen Logan's stupid watch and it showed the date in the right-hand corner. She only knew his name because the lady with him had used it several times. Kristina wondered what he done last night to spark the lady's temper. She had been so mad Kristina had hidden under the sofa and put her hands over her ears until she stopped. The one thing she never did was cry. After being taken from her home, she hadn't cried one single tear. There was still so much she didn't know about her own kidnapping, things that she figured she should have figured out by now. For instance, who was that guy that came out of her home and what had he been trying to do? Apparently he and Logan hadn't been friends or they wouldn't have started hitting each other. She could hear Maxie crying out her name when she closed her eyes.

They expected nothing of her, nothing more than to sit and be quiet. She had considered yelling until they grew tired of her and took her home but that was before she saw the gun. Logan's gun had scared her like nothing else. He was always playing with it, twisting it around his finger. Didn't he know that guns hurt people? She had tried to explain this to him, but like always his answer had been for her to shut up. Every morning since they had taken her, one of them would come downstairs and make her something to eat. Depending on which one it was determined what she would be doing for the rest of the day. Logan liked to leave her with cartoons and read some of the books to her when it got dark outside until she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. The lady made a much better breakfast and she was constantly giving Kristina books and puzzles making her feel as if she wasn't missing any school.

The front door was thrown open and Kristina started to retreat for the couch until she saw Logan and some woman she recognized carry in Morgan and Lulu. Well that didn't make any sense, Kristina thought to herself. Morgan was clung to the woman and Lulu was asleep. They walked past her and the woman kicked the door closed behind her. They paid Kristina little attention and set Lulu and Morgan on opposite sides of each other: one on the couch, one in the chair. "What's going on?" Kristina demanded. "What are you doing with my little brother?"

She would have been able to handle this better if she thought they only had her. If they had Morgan, did that mean that the remaining lady was going to bring in Michael? Or Maxie? Or Georgie? Or Mommy? Her head was spinning so fast she reached for it.

The blonde lady addressed her first. "It's alright Kristina. Calm down. We didn't hurt him."

"What are you doing with him? Why is he here? You got me! Who else do you need?" Kristina sobbed. She went to Lulu, pushing on her shoulder, but the older girl didn't move. "Lulu, come on." Kristina urged in an urgent whisper.

"She's sleeping. She'll wake up in a little while and then you can talk to her." Logan promised. "Unless you're bad. If you're bad, we'll take them away and you'll be all alone again. Do you understand?"

"She's a child you jerk." The lady hissed at him. "Don't threaten her."

"Get off your high horse. You're a part of this. You're a kidnapper." Logan taunted her.

"No." The lady argued.

Kristina blinked. How did she know this lady? Her voice was familiar and her face. It had been so long since she had gotten to visit her daddy she wondered if this lady had something to do with him. It was possible. Just like when she looked at the other lady and thought she knew her. Something was wrong. She wasn't a forgetful girl. She didn't forget faces. Why couldn't she concentrate? "I'm just driving a purpose through a few hearts."

"When can I go home?" Kristina wanted to know.

"Soon." The lady promised. "Soon."

"Yeah just as soon as Emily—" Logan began.

Repulsed by the action, the lady placed her hand over his mouth. "Hush. It's bad enough I'm stuck with you. Don't screw this up."

"You're the one who goes away stealing your nieces and nephews." Logan pointed out.

That's it! Kristina silently cheered. This must be Aunt Courtney. Despite her constant visits with Morgan and the fact that she used to live with him, this aunt of theirs held little or no consideration for her brother's only daughter. She didn't take time out to see her, call her on the phone, or anything. It hadn't ever bothered Kristina because she had plenty of family who wanted to see and hang out with her. Daddy had always been yelling about Aunt Courtney doing this or that but Kristina hadn't been paying attention. She hadn't been very old when Mommy made it so that she didn't get to see Daddy anymore. They had had a talk the night Daddy went to prison in which Mommy apologized to her for what she had done but swore it was the only thing she knew to do to keep them safe.

Aunt Courtney stomped up the stairs and Logan met Kristina's wide stare. "Don't worry kid."

Kristina's eyes narrowed in the same kind of disgust Aunt Courtney had just displayed. "My Daddy Mac is going to kill you."

Easing her way down the hall from the nursery, Georgie cringed as she realized how much like her sister she was acting. Her newest cousin was barely a few hours old, two months premature and in an incubator to keep her healthy, and she was sneaking off down the hall to try to find her boyfriend instead of cooing at the glass with the rest of her family. As she neared the elevator around the corner, she could see her older sister standing there smirking with her hands planted defiantly on her hips, laughing as she began to press the elevator buttons.

As the polished silver doors slid shut, Georgie blew out the breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding. She had kept her distance through the night, the combination of the three kidnappings, one hit by a car, one lung cancer, one stroke, and one premature birth making it all but impossible for either one to do much more than text a brief hi to each other. She had missed Steven's presence, his easy smile, his calm demeanor last night.

Georgie didn't even know if he was alright. She knew he would take care of his grandmother and Elizabeth, well as far as Elizabeth and Lucky would let him take care of her, but was he taking care of himself? Had he slept any? Eaten anything? Found out any more information than had been available when he arrived? He probably hadn't and she couldn't have that, if for no other reason than she needed him for her own selfish reasons. She needed him to keep her sane.

Staring at the floor buttons, she debated about where to start looking for him. The neurology floor was the logical first stop but if his family was there, it would prove difficult to explain why she was looking for him. She could always say she was just checking for Robin, and technically she would tell her cousin if anything important was going on. Closing her eyes and hoping for the best, she pressed the button that would hopefully take her to Steven and not open them up to a million and one questions from well-meaning relatives.

It had been easy to get wrapped up in their little world in Paris. The only two that really knew them there were Ronnie and Linds. There they could just be Georgie and Steven, without the eyes of everyone they knew watching them. In Paris they could forget for moments at a time that they had families, friends and lives back home. In Paris if she needed to hear his voice, all she had to do was pick up the phone and call. She could do the same here, but not without answering several questions as to when they became such good friends and how good of friends were they.

The doors slid open and Georgie cautiously stepped out, checking both ways before heading toward the waiting room. Hopefully Lucky and Elizabeth had made their way downstairs to wave at Maria from behind the glass wall. Hopefully his parents and other sister were in with Mrs. Hardy right now. Hopefully he hadn't decided to sneak off and find her at the exact same time she had decided to see him.

With the bad cup of hospital coffee halfway to his lips, Steven almost dropped it when he saw who had just stepped out of the elevator. He had thought about going to see her at least a thousand times once they parted ways to visit with family and check on those who had been hurt or were bringing babies into the world, but after his talk with Lucky he had wandered around aimlessly. And to think he had been on his way to snag a hospital bed and catch a few minutes of sleep when he could spend time with his girlfriend! "Hi." He couldn't help but whisper even though Elizabeth, Lucky, and Cameron were visiting Georgie's new cousin.

"Hi." She whispered right back. The dark circles and blood shot eyes confirmed her theory he hadn't slept at all last night. But somehow he still looked wonderful to her. "How are you doing?"

"So much better now." Steven assured her ardently. Leaving his coffee on the ground where he had been standing, he closed his arms around her and hugged her to him. Holding her was every bit of wonderful as he had remembered it being.

Burying her face into his chest, Georgie inhaled his unique scent. A combination of soap, detergent, and something purely Steven. This was what she had needed all night. One touch of him and she could feel the calm start to build in her. "Ditto." She barely breathed out.

"How are you?" Steven wanted to know stroking a careful hand through her hair.

Biting her lip she looked up into his blue eyes. "I'm fine. No need to worry about me."

"I'm sorry I didn't come see you sooner." Steven told her resting his cheek on the top of her head.

"It's ok. You had to deal with your own stuff." No matter how much she had wanted to see him, she had to remind herself he hadn't crossed the Atlantic just to see her.

"But you're just as important and I should have made you a priority." Steven chided himself.

She tried to fight the smile that threatened to consume her entire face. "I'm important huh?" she teased lightly, nudging him with her shoulder.

Steven smiled back lifting her mouth to his and taking in her subtle sweetness. It was amazing how the simple act of kissing her could reenergize him. He frowned at her when she abruptly ended the kiss. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes flitted wildly around the hall. "Where's your family?"

"Checking on your aunt and cousin." Steven explained kissing the side of her mouth.

"Your parents? Your other sister?" She sighed.

"Not here yet." Steven answered.

"In that case." Georgie smiled up at him and pulled him down to kiss him properly.


	198. No Bravery

Robin lightly tapped on the door to Alexis' hospital room. As she had expected to find her, the D.A. was surrounded by files that she must have felt had been neglected during her hospital stay. She smiled at Robin and waved her hand. "Hi Robin. Come in please."

Robin had never thought she would have something in common with Alexis, at least not something as terrible as this. No longer did she have to wonder what it was like to have her child practically stolen out of her arms because she was living that particular nightmare. She hadn't been home yet under the excuse of being here for Elizabeth and Maxie and Alexis and Bobbie and the guy down the hall who had night terrors and Bobbie's cute doctor and the guy that collected pennies off the floor outside. She couldn't face her home knowing that she wouldn't find Morgan there. She wondered if that was why Alexis hadn't gone home yet. Yes, she was incredibly sick, but when Alexis Davis didn't want to be somewhere, namely a hospital, she did her best to get out of there. "Hi. Are you feeling okay? Should I come back?"

"I'm feeling fine." Alexis promised with a warm smile. "Sit here." She patted the chair next to her bed. "Can I help you with something?"

"I just hadn't checked on you." Robin wondered if the words sounded as bland to Alexis as they did to her own ears.

"I'm still alive." Alexis chuckled. "Are you all right?"

Robin could feel the tears building behind her eyelids but she forced them back. "No."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Alexis suggested.

"I shouldn't have yelled at you—" Robin began.

"Robin, it's over. I was out of line." Alexis assured her.

"No! No you weren't. I had no right to—" Robin tried again.

"Is that why you came in here? To apologize?" Alexis didn't sound convinced.

"Actually, no. I needed someone to talk to." Robin told her.

Alexis barely kept back her indignant yelp. "Don't you have family and friends covering the hospital?"

"I can't talk to any of them." Robin admitted.

"Have you given any of them a chance? I didn't want to talk to your uncle at first, but I eventually wore down and told him what was wrong. And you know what? I felt a hundred times better afterwards."

"I can't talk to them about this. They don't understand." Robin clarified.

"And what? I do?" Alexis scoffed.

"Look, I don't expect you to be nice to me after the way I treated you..." Robin informed her.

"Good because I don't feel obligated to be nice to you." Alexis replied. "Look, I know that you're scared. You're a good kid, you really are. The way your uncle talks about you...I just don't have enough energy to make you feel better. What you're feeling now...yeah it sucks. There's nothing you can really do. I don't have a magical cure for you. I'm sorry."

Robin bowed her head and stared at her hands unsure of what she should say next. Alexis was absolutely right. She didn't have the slightest inclination to get mad at her for what she was saying. She was the first person who wasn't filling the air with positive promises that couldn't be backed up. "Thank you." She managed slipping out of the room.

The newest member of the family tree was holding court in the NICU. Even at a few hours old, it was easy to see little Maria Alejandra Rodriguez was going to be a heartbreaker when she got older. A fine dusting of her father's almost black hair sat upon her head, set off by her mother's alabaster skin. Although they all realized things like eye color changed, there was not a person who looked into the little girl's blue eyes and didn't hope they stayed that exact shade the rest of her life. Kicking her tiny legs, she held up a tiny hand, searching for a person she could wrap around her long thin fingers.

"When Daddy?" Lance tugged on Dillon's sleeve.

"He'll be here. He's just checking on Grandma Bobbie." Dillon assured Lance.

"No." Lance shook his head. "When can I hold the baby?"

"We'll have to ask the doctors." Dillon explained to his overexcited son. "Remember what we said about her being a lot smaller than the other babies?"

"Was I a small baby too?" Lance wanted to know.

"You weren't as small as the Princess in there. You were perfect."

"Now?" Lance tried again, standing on a chair to peek through the window at his newest aunt. "She looks like she wants me to hold her."

"She does?" Lucas questioned, coming up from behind both of them. He had just finished attempting to get his mother to agree to actually follow the doctor's orders when it came to her recovery but he was under no illusions that she was going to follow anything. Unless he missed his guess, she was already on her way back to Cruz's room and planning another trip to this very spot in the next hour.

"Did you see Grandma Bobbie?" Lance wanted to know.

"Yes. She's fine. Just a little tired from little Maria Alejandra here."

"Tell Daddy Dillon to let me hold the baby. Please?" Lance looked up at Lucas with big chocolate chip brown eyes.

"I don't know. She's pretty tiny." Lucas hemmed as he caught Dillon's eye. It was hard to tell his son no, but they couldn't always give in when he looked at them like that.

"Please?" Lance stuck out his bottom look. "I want to see her."

Meeting each other's eyes over the eager face of their son, Dillon and Lance could tell the exact second when each caved in to Lance's begging. It wasn't like they were going to keep Lance from seeing her forever and it wasn't like they actually planned on following the rules about no children in the unit. With a quick wink, Dillon started toward the nurse's station. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you." Lance replied politely.

"So you're excited to go see her huh?" Lucas asked, patting Lance's hair down. Dillon must have combed the boy's hair today judging by the wild fly away look it had.

"Yeah!" Lucas clapped his hands together. "I gotta ask her what it's like to live in a stomach."

Patrick found Lucky in the cafeteria of all places but he wasn't eating anything, he was just sitting at an empty table with his head in his hands. From this distance, he could tell his younger cousin was shaking. Having not been completely oblivious to what this must be doing to Lucky, and not just because of Cameron, Patrick had waited to approach Lucky until he was away from everyone else where he would most likely feel compelled to be strong for them. "If you stick around long enough, I hear they give out free Jell-O." Patrick greeted his cousin sitting down in the only available seat.

"The good cherry kind?" Lucky questioned.

Patrick snapped his fingers. "No, green."

"Well I guess we can't actually get everything we want then." Lucky sighed.

Patrick grabbed a lone straw off a nearby table to give his hands something to do. "You okay?" He asked carefully.

Lucky wanted to proclaim ignorance or lie. It would be the easiest thing to do. But Patrick knew better and would call him on it. It was what they did: they called each other out on their lies and self delusions. "I've been better." He allowed

"You want to talk about it?"

Patrick's proposal was a double-edged sword. Talking about it could very well relieve some of the tension Lucky was feeling resting in his chest. It could also lead him to the dark place he didn't want to go right now. Talking about his experience always accompanied a black mood for the next few days, which was the last thing Cameron, Elizabeth and his parents needed right now. He had to be strong. At the same time, not talking about it could very well lead him to completely break down, something he could feel himself teetering on the edge of. Blowing out a breath he made his decision. "I don't know what I'm feeling right now."

"Scared?" Patrick ventured lightly.

Lucky snorted. "I wish for scared."

"Too many similarities?"

"Way too many. I know he's dead, but I keep thinking..." Lucky let his voice trail off, unwilling even with Patrick to voice his darkest fear.

"He is dead." Patrick clarified with vigor.

"I know. I saw his body. But this is Port Charles. I can't help thinking it."

"That's understandable." Patrick nodded. "But he is dead. I promise he's dead."

"What good are promises?" Lucky wondered. "I can't keep Cameron safe. I can't promise this won't happen again. I can't promise Steven that I'll keep Elizabeth and the baby safe. I can't promise anything."

"Lucky..." Patrick tried to reassure his cousin, but he didn't have any answers for him. He had done his own what ifs since this whole thing had started. What if he had kept Morgan home from school? What if he had taken Robin and Morgan out of town until the culprit was caught? What if he had simply forbade Robin from going to the hospital to check on Alexis, gone himself, and convinced her to keep Morgan home with them for the rest of the day? Would taking Morgan have still been as easy? Would they have climbed up the building and snatched Morgan out of his bedroom window?

"Don't try to tell me it will all work out. I just...I just don't know what's going on. Why target Cameron? Why any of them? Why is some one determined to do this? What did I do?"

"The sooner you tell me, the sooner you can back to being everyone's hero." Patrick promised sardonically.

"I'm no one's hero." Lucky shrugged off. "Cruz got shot because of me."

"Cruz is fine. You gave him a great story for Maria." Patrick pointed out.

"Yeah, the day he missed her birth."

"The day he was a hero." Patrick countered.

"I just want everyone to be safe. I want everyone here. I want everyone to be fine."

"We're not all here, but we're all safe." Patrick insisted. "Lulu and Kristina and Morgan are okay."

"I thought you weren't going to sugarcoat it?"

"Think about it. Lulu wasn't the primary...by taking her, I'm sure it's screwed up their plans royally. She's smart and resourceful. If anyone could get the kids out of this, she can."

Lucky allowed himself a small smile at the thought of anyone trying to tell his sister what to do. "They'll probably beg us to take her back."

Patrick nodded. "And pay whatever ransom we ask." The atmosphere was at once somber and Patrick wished he had chosen his words more carefully. The last thing he wanted was to force Lucky to relive the worst moment of his life.

"She shouldn't have to go through this. None of them should." It was easier to focus on the unfairness of the situation for Lulu, Kristina, and Morgan. Talking about his own feelings would lead him down a slippery slope he wasn't sure he could handle being on right now.

"They're going to come home. All of them."

"And then what?" Lucky wondered. "What happens then? Nightmares, panic attacks, clinging to their parents?"

"Then we get them back!" Patrick snapped, trying to grasp onto something that resembled patience for the horror Lucky had gone through, continued to go through.

"I'm sorry. I want them back too. I just can't help but think..."

Patrick wiped his hand down his face. "I shouldn't have yelled at you." He never knew how to approach the subject of Lucky's kidnapping, not even after it had just happened. He had to cling to hope or he would be of no use to Robin or anyone else. "I'm scared I'm going to be wrong."

"Me too. I want to hope for the best. I know that's what everyone needs to do. I just can't seem to do it."

Patrick didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. They had to get the kids back because he couldn't let their last conversation be the last one they ever had.

_"You just want me to like you so you can stay with Robin." Morgan accused._

Patrick got to his feet awkwardly. "If you need to talk, I'll be here." And then he was gone.

"Thanks." Lucky said to his cousin's retreating back. Most likely he wouldn't take Patrick up on his offer, but it was nice to know it was there.


	199. It's Alright Baby

Elizabeth looked over at Robin, who was swaying unsteadily, even while seated. Cameron had long ago lost the battle against sleep and was resting somewhat comfortably at her feet. Lucky was off somewhere, probably with Patrick or checking on Cruz. She knew it was against hope that he had snuck off to get sleep; she would most likely have to drag him away herself for that to happen.

But Robin looked the worst out of any of them. Her features were dull and lifeless and her normally pale completion looked ghostly. Robin needed to leave the hospital and sleep or she would be no good to anyone, especially Morgan. "You doing ok there?" she asked carefully, trying to not startle Robin when she spoke.

Robin knew concern when she heard it. The last thing she wanted was for her friends to pay her attention that should have been going to the kids, to Cruz, to Bobbie, to their new daughter, Maria, to Elizabeth, to Lucky—anyone but her. She could hold it together if they would keep the magnifying glass off of her. "I'm good. Are you alright?" She asked, meeting her friend's eyes without fear.

"I'm fine. And don't change the subject. When was the last time you slept?"

"I wasn't changing the subject." Robin argued. "I just worry about you. This is stressful—"

"It is but everyone is fine." Elizabeth said, patting her stomach for emphasis. "Dr. Lansing is going to check me out just to make sure."

"When?" Robin wondered.

"In a couple of hours." Elizabeth responded while checking her watch. "He said he had to reschedule with a patient he was seeing when Bobbie went in to labor and then he'd be free to see me."

"Have you eaten?" Robin asked tentatively.

"Have you?"

"You've been here longer."

"Between Steven, Laura, and Lucky I've eaten." Elizabeth quirked an eyebrow. "Are you out of ways to deflect attention away from yourself yet?"

"Never!" Robin tried to smile but it felt hollow so she let it drop.

"Robin, you have to sleep." Elizabeth prodded gently. "Or eat something."

"I'm fine here thanks." Robin answered without emotion.

"No you're not."

"Really I am." Robin nodded. "I like feeling needed."

"I know you do, but sweetie, no one would blame you for taking care of yourself too."

"I'll be the first to admit I need a break when I actually need one."

"When would that be? When you fall over in the middle of the hospital because you're exhausted?"

"Liz, I'm okay."

"You don't look it."

"Looks can be deceiving. Really, Liz, I promise I'm okay."

"Not when you can't tell me when you last ate or slept." Elizabeth argued. "I'm worried about you."

"There's no point trying to eat. We both know I can't keep it down." Robin sighed. "As for sleep, I can't until I have Morgan back." The very thought of going home and facing his empty room sent shivers down her spine.

"And when he gets home you'll claim you can't sleep because you want to make sure he's ok. Robin you can't keep going on like this."

"I'm fine." Robin gritted through her teeth for the hundredth time.

Elizabeth knew she was close to causing Robin to explode. She could tell in the rigid way her friend was holding her body upright. Maybe she should proceed more carefully but this was Robin, her stubborn best friend who took forever to budge from a position. A fight and blackmail may be the only way to get her to take care of herself. "I don't believe you." She stated simply.

"I don't care. I'm here and I'm staying." Robin gave her a sideways look.

"Until when Robin? You can't stay in the hospital forever."

"Until everyone is released from here at least." Robin explained.

"Robin, you'll be useless to them if you're falling over."

"I'm not going home." Robin shook her head in defiance.

"Then I'm not going home either." Elizabeth said, crossing her arms. "You need someone who will make sure you'll take care of yourself and I'm volunteering."

"What?" Robin lifted an eyebrow. "Elizabeth, you're pregnant."

"And my doctor is in this hospital. They have food here." Elizabeth smiled sweetly. "If it's good enough for you, it'll be good enough for me."

"I'm not carrying a life inside of me." Robin pointed out gruffly.

"Why does everyone assume being pregnant means I can't do anything?" Elizabeth grumbled. "Again, my doctor is nearby. This means Miss Smarty Pants there would be medical monitoring. You stay. I stay."

"That's low." Robin wagged her finger at Elizabeth.

"I'm a proponent of whatever works. I prefer to think of it as intelligence."

"It's blackmail! You know how much I already love that baby." Robin whined.

"This is why you need to take care of yourself. You can't be the godmother if you're all looking like death."

"If I go home, you'll get checked out and go home too?"

"Only if I can send an independent source to verify you did in fact go home."

"What does that mean?" Robin huffed.

"It means I know you and I totally know you are planning on telling me this, seeing me leave, and then staying here." Elizabeth explained calmly. "No verification. No deal."

"Who are you going to use for a spy? In case you haven't noticed, Cruz is a little incapacitated, Lucky is taking care of you, Luke is upstairs with Laura..."

"Patrick ringing any bells? Tall, good-looking, lives with you? Totally afraid to lie to me?"

"I don't think that's going to be possible." Robin murmured.

"Why? Has he become invisible?"

"We had a fight—"

"Pardon me for interrupting but how is that a major news flash? You two always fight."

"I think you're going to have a hard time convincing Patrick to—"

"Convincing Patrick to what?" The aforementioned boyfriend interrupted coming up from behind them.

"That you'd be willing to be my verification that Robin does in fact go home and get some sleep." Elizabeth explained. "You'll do it right?"

Patrick watched Robin squirm in her chair and contemplated making her wait for his answer, but realized the satisfaction would be short-lived and unnecessary. "It's obvious she doesn't want me to."

"Nonsense." Elizabeth waved her hand. "You both need to get out of here and sleep."

Robin met his eyes after another moment of uncomfortable silence. "Will you take me home please?"

"May I come in?" Laura knocked hesitantly on Cruz's hospital room door. He looked a lot better than he had when they brought him in.

"Laura, please." Cruz slowly waved his arms toward her in invitation.

"How are you feeling?" Laura asked quietly.

"A lot better since I got to meet Maria." Cruz answered honestly.

Laura took the seat next to Cruz's bed. "Cruz, I have to know what happened." She didn't meet his eyes when she spoke to him.

Cruz took a breath and squeezed his eyes shut. He could still hear Lulu's single scream in the truly quiet times when he didn't get visitors. He was not only going to answer any question Laura had, he was going to convince her not to leave him alone. "Well you know about Audrey's stroke," Cruz assumed. "I pulled into the driveway and used my spare key since I haven't knocked, well, ever. The first thing I noticed was that the living room was empty which was strange since I know how strict Lucky is about bedtimes and Lulu should have been downstairs reading a magazine or watching TV—that's all I could think about when I couldn't find them, that something was wrong." He cleared his dry throat. "I called their names quietly at first just in case Cameron was asleep. When I received no answer, that's when I started to yell. I pushed open Cameron's bedroom door..."

"What did you see?" Laura prompted.

"I saw Lulu and a guy all dressed in black. I only know it was a guy because he spoke to us." Cruz clarified.

"What did he say?" Laura wanted to know.

"It doesn't matter." Cruz amended.

"Cruz, this is my daughter we're talking about." Laura pleaded. "Just tell me what he said."

"He asked which of us he should shoot." Cruz told her and didn't miss the shocked gasp that left her tightly pressed lips. "And he knew that I was having a baby and that Lulu is a college student which makes me think it's not a stranger."

"Agent Mahoney told Lucky there was some blood left on the window when the kidnapper broke the glass." Laura confirmed.

"Has anyone told Alexis or Robin about it?" When Laura shook her head, he muttered an expletive. "That's something they should know. He screwed up and that's going to be the quickest way to find out who's doing this."

"If the FBI and the cops have any leads, I know Mac will tell them." Laura said soothingly.

"I'm so sorry Laura." It was Cruz's turn to not meet her eyes.

"For what?" Laura asked incredulously.

"For letting him take Lulu." Cruz replied.

"Cruz, you didn't let anybody do anything." Laura insisted. "My God, you got shot trying to stop it from happening. You could be dead—"

"I still should have gotten her downstairs—" Cruz went on.

"Cruz, darling, please stop." Laura begged him, resting her hands over his.

"She wasn't hurt. The worst he did was knock her out so that he could get her out of the house without a fight. If I could have gotten up..."

"If you had gotten up, there's no guarantee you would have gotten to meet your daughter." Laura finished for him. "You did everything you could. You protected both of my babies and I don't know how to thank you." There were tears in her eyes when she said it.

"I was returning the favor for all the years you've been so good to me." Cruz tried to smile but it faltered. "You know she's strong and smart. She'll be home soon."

Laura smiled through her tears. "That is something I've never doubted."

Elizabeth was thankful for many things at this moment, namely Dillon, Lucas, and Dr. Lansing. Dillon and Lucas had offered to watch Cameron for a while when her family decided to descend on the neurology floor in one fell swoop. And it was a good thing Dr. Lansing wasn't available to see her right away, Elizabeth mused because after this family meeting she was going to need to be checked out again. Even though it had taken all three of them an unfathomable amount of time to show up at General Hospital, her parents and sister were currently acting as if they were the only three who could possibly understand what was going on. Yes they were all doctors, but it didn't mean she couldn't' help with the decisions or voice her thoughts on the manner.

Sighing she tried to look out the window as Dr. Holzman explained once again the outcomes of all the tests they had run on her grandmother. The paralysis on the right side the doctor had hoped was only a temporary reaction to the stroke had remained. While she was responding well to the medications, there were still concerns about motor skill damage and verbal skills. Months of therapy was going to be needed. Since her grandmother had suffered one stroke, the doctor had tried to explain gently, she was at an increase risk for a second stroke. In short, between the therapy needs and the medical risks, Dr. Holzman didn't feel her grandmother should live alone at the time being.

"The solution is obvious," Jeff Webber proclaimed, looking toward his wife, son and eldest daughter. It hadn't missed Elizabeth's notice her father had barely looked at her since he arrived. Apparently Jeff was trying the "ignore the pregnant, unmarried daughter" approach, she mused wryly. "Mother can't live on her own at the present time."

"Of course it's obvious. Dr. Holzman told us that much." Elizabeth muttered under her breath.

"I guess the next step is to find the best assisted care facility that can handle her needs." Elaine suggested, running her fingers through her shoulder length ash blonde hair.

"Assisted care facility?" Elizabeth sputtered out incredulously. "You want to put Grams in a nursing home? Are you serious?" She flashed her eyes wildly between her parents and felt her heart sink as she realized yes they were serious.

"It's the only choice." Her mother said in the calm voice that had always irritated Elizabeth when she was a teenager.

"Grams doesn't want to be in a nursing home." Elizabeth argued looking toward Steven to help back her up.

"Are you going to take care of her then because we're talking constant, around-the-clock care?" Steven wasn't trying to pick a fight with his sister, but expected it was inevitable with her sudden trigger temper.

"There has to be another way." She argued stubbornly. "The only answer can't be a nursing home. Grams would hate it."

"I know." Steven agreed. "But I don't know what to do. I've waited my entire life for the opportunity in Paris."

"And you're not giving it up. It's too important for your career." Jeff said sternly. "Your mother and I can't pack up and leave our practice in London."

"And my research can't be done anywhere else but Alaska." Sarah said calmly. "So there is no other option."

"I'll move back in with her. I'll take care of her." Elizabeth said stubbornly, crossing her arms above her stomach. "I did it before and I'll do it again."

Sarah rolled her eyes and flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder, snorting at her younger sister's declaration. "You obviously can't even take care of yourself Lizzie. Why would we trust you to take care of Grams?"

"Jeez Sarah, you could double for the Devil and I don't think anyone would know the difference." Steven grumbled winning a warning look from his parents that he rolled his eyes in response to.

"What? It's true. Just look at her." Sarah huffed.

"I'm going to knock you into next week." Elizabeth grumbled as she lifted herself out of the chair and started to lunge for her sister. Steven anticipated her move and grabbed her arms, struggling to hold her back while she tried to break free from his grasp. Sarah moved back further into her chair, frightened by the angry look in her little sister's eyes. Just as Elizabeth was about to break free of Steven's grip and succeed in clobbering her sister, Lucky chose that moment to come around the corner and into the waiting room.

"What the hell?" Lucky asked stunned, moving to keep his pregnant girlfriend from engaging in the blood shed she so clearly wanted to commit.

"Lucky," Steven grunted. "A little help please?"

Moving in front of the pair, Lucky placed his hands on Elizabeth's shoulders, blocking her view of Sarah. As Steven lost his grip, she fell directly into his arms. Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he could feel her begin to shake and her breathing become more uneven. "What's the matter? What's going on?" he whispered into her hair. "Talk to me."

"My sister is a bitch." She stated defiantly, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"I am not!" Sarah declared angrily.

Steven rolled his eyes. "Oh shut up Sarah. You were."

"I know all three of you know better than to behave in such a manner." Elaine began to lecture, her long fingers shaking as she pointed in the direction of her children, a disappointed look etched into her face.

"You also taught us to do the right thing by our family and obviously you don't expect us to follow that either." Elizabeth defended hotly.

Shooting Steven a confused look, Lucky questioned the only member of the Webber family that was at least capable of civil conversation with him on some level. "I'm confused."

"It's a family matter young man. None of your concern." Jeff Webber interrupted his son in an icy calm voice.

"Excuse me, but Elizabeth is my family. So I guess that would make it my concern." Lucky narrowed his eyes in Jeff Webber's direction. It probably wasn't his wisest decision to start a fight with someone who could potentially be another Tony Grimes, but it was just too easy with this guy.

"The doctor said that Grams can't live on her own for a while and we're trying to decide what to do. My parents, Sarah, and I believe that a nursing home would be best for now because none of us can provide her with what she needs. Elizabeth disagrees." Steven explained grimly.

Elizabeth looked up into Lucky's green eyes, her own eyes wet with tears. "She'd hate it. I know she'd hate it."

Ignoring the dirty looks her sister and parents threw at him, Lucky kissed the top of her forehead. "What exactly did the doctor say?"

"She needs therapy and monitoring since she's at risk for a second stroke. Living alone isn't good for her, but a nursing home can't be the only option." Elizabeth explained her voice starting to shake.

"But he never said she had to go into a nursing home?" He questioned carefully.

"No. Not specifically, but what other options are there?" Steven allowed.

Lucky bit his lower lip. An idea was beginning to form in his head and while it was a bit crazy, it didn't sound like technically it was impossible. Audrey couldn't live alone and he didn't miss the look in Elizabeth's eye. She wasn't going to let her grandmother be sent to a nursing home if there was any other option. Hell, he mused, she probably already offered to move back in with Audrey to prevent that very scenario from happening. And the more people around him right now, the better chance he had at keeping the memories at bay. "What about our home?" he offered slowly.

"What?" The entire Webber family exclaimed at once.

Elizabeth took a step back from him, stunned at his offered. "What are you saying?" she asked carefully.

"If Dr. Holzman would sign off on it, Audrey could move in with us. I remember my grandmother talking about home health nurses when she was a doctor here. They could come and take care of the medical stuff. Therapy can be outpatient. We know that from Cam's accident."

"But where would she sleep?" Elizabeth wondered. "We already started working on the nursery and Cam's room..." Her voice trailed off as she realized the state Cameron's room must be in at this moment after being a crime scene. They would have to do some serious work in that room before Cameron would feel safe in it again.

"The office downstairs." Lucky offered. "It wouldn't take that much work and I can move my stuff to the basement."

"Baby." Elizabeth sighed. "You don't have to do this."

"Considering the fact I'm pretty sure your idea is for you to move in with her then yes I do." He countered. "It's much easier to talk you out of crazy ideas if you are nearby." He teased.

"As long as there is a reason." She smiled rolling her eyes. "Are you sure about this?"

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't."

"Then I guess we'll talk to Dr. Holzman." Elizabeth leaned up to kiss him briefly. Turning to face her family, she squared her shoulders. "Unless someone else has a better idea?"

Steven's uncomfortable shuffle from one foot to the other proved he didn't. Their parents were silent as was Sarah the Bitch.

"Then I guess we're going to talk to Dr. Holzman."


	200. The Time It Takes To Fall

Steven threw his empty suitcase onto the spare bedroom's mattress and began methodically packing it to the rim with the clothes he had brought. After the layer of clothes, he added a layer of books on research and strokes, books he had spent the trip up studying. He was pretty sure he had gained more medical knowledge during the half day trip than his sister or either of his parents. Glancing up at the clock, he knew he was going to miss his flight if he didn't hurry up. It seemed like he had just gotten here, but his plane ticket swore a week had gone by.

He wished he had spent his time doing something other than making trips back and forth to the hospital, but his grandmother had needed him. She still needs you, a biting voice reminded him. She needs you to stop being such a selfish little bastard, it went on even when he shook his head to try and knock it loose. His pregnant sister shouldn't be the one taking care of their ailing grandmother. Neither should she be left with a bunch of strangers in a nursing home facility. What other option was there?

And then there was the matter of Lucky Spencer. Who did that guy think he was, volunteering like a nice guy to help his girlfriend's grandmother when the rest of her family had better things to do? It was almost admirable and Steven didn't want to admit the guy capable of such a thing. The more he listened to Lucky's logic, the deeper into his mind he was able to explore, Steven Webber became a little afraid: afraid he might start liking Lucky. What was next? Him agreeing that their decision to not get married and raise the baby together was a good idea? Steven looked at his watch this time and cursed brutally.

"Do you talk to your mother with that mouth?" Georgie teased from the doorway. She was in a pair of black leggings and a thin pink sweater, her hair pulled back in a bunch of pins. Her bangs flew defiantly in front of her eyes and she adorably swatted them back.

He smirked in spite of himself. "Georgie girl, what are you doing here?" He put his hands on his hips in mock annoyance.

Georgie thought for a second and then said, "Learning some new words apparently."

"Apparently." Steven agreed with a bob of his head.

"I thought I'd see you off." Georgie explained her expression suddenly very glum.

"It's not like you won't see me once you get back." Steven reasoned closing the space between them and lightly lifting her chin.

"There's no telling how long this could go on and my family needs me here." Georgie told him.

"Yes and you need them." Steven pressed his forehead to hers.

"Where's the first place you're going when you get back?" Georgie wondered tilting her head.

"Bed." Steven answered honestly and they both blushed.

"And after you no longer need your beauty sleep?" Georgie prompted.

"Maybe I'll hit a bookstore." Steven replied trying to bite back a smile at the expression she gave him.

"You know, there's a lot in Paris to see besides the inside of a bookstore." Georgie insisted almost quoting one of their previous conversations.

"Well maybe I'll just try something crazy." Steven considered.

"Oh no you don't." Georgie shook her head poking him in the sides until they were both laughing so hard there were tears in their eyes.

"Would you be jealous?" Steven raised an eyebrow at her.

"Yes I would." Georgie admitted.

"Nothing to worry about. You're stuck with me." Steven assured her as he pulled her into a hug.

"I know." Georgie nodded against his gray pullover.

"I'll call the airline." Steven offered already digging into the back pocket of his slacks to retrieve his cell phone.

"No." Georgie countered. "No, we're getting you there on time."

"But I could just stay here with you for a little while. I'm sure there are plenty of flights out." Steven reasoned.

"And how long before we get caught by your sister?" Georgie challenged smoothly.

"I hate it when you're right." Steven whispered into her hair.

"I'm always right." Georgie replied arrogantly. Standing back so she could look up at him, she continued, "The sooner you figure that out, the easier it'll be for you."

"I don't want easy." Steven argued.

"Well then this is probably the best thing for you." Georgie pointed to him and then back at herself.

Steven released her and went back to the bed to get his suitcases. "Okay, I'm ready." He said with more confidence than he felt.

"Almost." Georgie took a few steps toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn't want him to go but neither did she want him to be stuck here. The last week had been hectic to say the least but it wasn't like they had gotten anytime to spend together or that they would if he stayed longer. Nothing would change. One kiss, she told herself. Just one kiss and then she could do anything.

Steven cupped her face in his hands and gingerly touched his lips to hers, involuntarily leaning into her at the delicious contact. He was going to keep the kiss simple, he decided. He wasn't going to deepen it. But his body wasn't paying any attention to this flawless logic and that should have explained why his tongue was suddenly in her mouth. She sighed in contentment and he pulled back suddenly, his eyes wide as he stared at her moist mouth. "You're going to kill me." He declared gruffly.

"Ha!" Georgie responded. "Come on." She took the lighter of the two suitcases and dragged him toward the cab she had waiting.

Even though it was his house, it still felt strange to be inside. Nothing looked any different, Lucas and Dillon had seen to that. In an effort to do anything to help, they and Lance had taken it upon themselves to straighten up everything the FBI and the police overturned, repaint Cameron's room, and help with moving the furniture out of the office to convert it into a bedroom for Audrey. Moving Audrey had been relatively smooth and her therapy schedule would be easy enough to work out. No it wasn't anything to do with the house physically that was causing Lucky to still feel uneasy.

He'd never admit it, but the fear he had felt that night when he raced through the street was still there. Same as it was with Cameron. Last night had been their first night back in the house and Cameron had refused to sleep in his own room, preferring instead to sleep in-between him and Elizabeth. Some part of him had argued Cameron had to face this and sleep in his own room at some point, but right now he wanted everyone important to him close so he knew they were still here and safe.

He sat down on the couch and listened carefully for the noises he associated with home. Cameron was playing with his trains in the basement. Elizabeth was sitting in Audrey's room reading to her. The picture of normalcy if someone didn't know anything about the past week. Leaning his head back on the back of the couch, he closed his eyes, trying to keep the memories that had been threatening to overtake him at bay. He had hoped moving Audrey in would have kept the memories from coming back, but it wasn't working. They kept ambushing him whenever he had a silent moment.

He couldn't loose it. Not now not ever. This wasn't about him; it was about Lulu. He had to stay strong to find his sister. When she was home, he would have no reason to think about that night anymore. It would be over and done with, never to be thought of again.

The pounding on the front door shook him from his reverie. Sighing he lifted himself up off the couch, almost half hoping it was a reporter or someone else he didn't want to see. Picking a fight would be an excellent way to outrun his memories. Lucky held back a sigh that threatened to escape his lips when he recognized Tony and Lisa standing on his front step. Not exactly the fight he was hoping for, he mused silently.

"Tony. Lisa. Have a good trip?" He would try for pleasant.

Tony stood there fuming, swatting the newspaper back and forth in his hand. Cameron's name hadn't been mentioned, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what has really happened that night. As if he didn't trust himself to speak, he turned towards his wife, gesturing for her to start the conversation. Sighing Lisa looked into Lucky's eyes. "Why didn't you call us Lucky?" She demanded. "Why didn't we know?"

Lucky winced at the tone in Lisa's voice. He was used to the disapproving voice from Tony, not Lisa. "I was going to." He promised.

"When?" Tony managed in an icy voice as he pushed his way into the living room. "When whoever tried to kidnap my grandson actually succeeded?"

"I didn't mean to not call." Lucky swore. He had meant to do it. But between Audrey's stroke, Lulu's kidnapping and Maria's birth, time had slipped away from him. The only reason he knew a week had passed was because the date on the newspaper said so. "There was a lot going on that night."

"A lot going on." Tony grumbled. "A lot going on. I have to read about my grandson almost being kidnapped in the paper because he had a lot going on. You kept his name out but I'm not stupid Lucky. He was a target!"

"We saw about Lulu being missing," Lisa tried to explain. "So I'm sure you were tied up with the police over that..."

"It doesn't excuse him cutting us out of Cameron's life again." Tony interrupted loudly. "We should have been called."

"I've never cut you out of Cameron's life." Lucky protested hotly. My life would be easier if I had, he added silently. Tony and Lisa had a standing invitation where Cameron was concerned and Tony knew it.

"The only reason you let us see Cameron is because of your guilt. Your guilt for taking our daughter from us." Tony condemned Lucky harshly.

"It was an accident, no more, no less. I had nothing to do with that." Lucky ran his hands through his hair and moved further into the living room. "Cameron is fine by the way in case you cared to know."

"Well thank you for sharing that information with us. We feel so honored you take us into consideration, Mr. Hot Shot." Tony sneered.

"This is fear talking." Lisa explained, resting her hand on her husband's shoulder.

"Lisa you don't have to sugar coat it. Tony's waited for years to prove his theory that I am terrible father—and now he has his chance. That's gloating not fear."

"Don't tell me what to feel Spencer!" Tony screamed at him. "You got your child back. We didn't. And now you're so surprised that we aren't reacting calmly and rationally? What if the kidnapper tries again? Are you going to be there to save our grandson next time, or are you counting on your friend to be there? Or how about your sister?" The old man wasn't fast enough to dodge Lucky's fist. Lisa ran to her husband, her eyes cold when they reached Lucky's.

"Lucky, he's an old man!" Lisa shrieked at him. "Does it give you pleasure to hurt him?"

"Old my ass." Tony grumbled, leaning on his wife so he could stand up.

"What is going on out here?" Elizabeth's voice carried from the behind the trio. She had been quite comfortable reading with her grandmother when it sounded as if World War III was going to break out in her living room. Even though she realized it would probably end sooner if Tony didn't see her, it sounded as if all three lost their sense and forgot Cameron was still in this house and didn't need to see his father and grandfather fighting again. That little boy had been through enough in the past week.

"He started it," Lucky mumbled under his breath.

"He started it? I expect better answers from my students and they're three." Elizabeth reacted incredulously.

As the young couple continued to argue in front of them, forgetting their presence entirely, both Lisa and Tony felt their eyes grow wide as they took in the changes to Elizabeth's figure in the months since they had seen her. It was impossible to miss the protruding stomach, and it didn't take a genius to figure out the reason for it. The ghostly memory of Jess, swollen with Cameron, danced before both their eyes, causing tears to blind Lisa's eyes. Blinking she turned away while her husband continued to stare in disbelief.

Trying to focus on anything else than the realization that Cameron was about to be a part of a whole new family, she found herself being drawn toward the couch. Lucky's style had always been simple, if stereotypical bachelor. No decorations that had no obvious use. Now as Lisa took in her surroundings, she noticed a throw pillow on the couch, a blanket draped across the back of the couch, colorful baskets in the area where Cameron usually kept his toys, picture frames other than the plain black frames Lucky favored. Not only was Elizabeth pregnant, it appeared she had moved in as well.

Shakily, Lisa found her voice. "Oh my God."

"Did this fall into the category of things you were going to tell us too?" Tony asked, barely keeping his voice level.

Wincing Elizabeth turned around. How it had slipped her mind Tony and Lisa weren't aware of her pregnancy was beyond her, but she had totally forgotten. She had been relieved when they had to miss Cameron's birthday party since she hadn't wanted the day to go badly for Cameron, but with everything else going on, somehow she had missed the fact they hadn't exactly told Tony and Lisa anything about the baby, much less the new living arrangements. This was going to make her family's reactions look downright pleasant, she thought with a shudder. "I suppose surprise wouldn't be appropriate right now would it?"

"I don't know." Tony mused. "It seems today is the day I learn all sorts of surprises."

"I was going to tell you at Cameron's birthday, but then you weren't able to come." Lucky tried to explain. The truth was, even though he knew he should have told Tony and Lisa about the baby, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. One more set of people to blame him for Elizabeth being an unwed mother. Of course this set would have actual history to back them up on the argument.

"How far along?" Lisa managed in a strangled voice. "And how long have you been living here?"

"Six months in a few weeks. And a little over a month." Elizabeth answered honestly, rubbing her stomach as the baby chose that moment to move. A little drama and this kid decided to try for some attention, had to be a Spencer trait, she mused.

Tony staggered at the admission and felt the need to sit down. Six months along. In three months, his grandson would have a little brother or sister. And he or she would be living with him here, in this house. Sinking into the couch, he shook his head. Clearly Lucky had learned from Jess. Now he would live with the woman before he stole her child away from her. "I hope you don't actually expect anything more than this." He said in Elizabeth's direction.

"What?" Elizabeth was thrown by Tony's voice. She had been concentrating on the hurt, pain, and confusion radiating in Lisa's eyes. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize the other woman was remembering her own lost daughter right now and more than likely reliving the last few months of her too short life. Tony's gruff proclamation startled her and forced Elizabeth to look directly at the other man for the first time ever.

"I'm sure right now it seems fine, but has he promised you anything? Any sort of future for you or your child? He promised things to me regarding Cameron as well. Promised me he would be able to live a normal life. Now he's almost been exposed to the press. He promised he would keep him safe. Cameron's been in hospitalized and now almost kidnapped in under a year. He's big on promises but take it from me. He doesn't follow through. Do you know how we met Lucky? He and Jess stumbled in through her bedroom window, both of them intoxicated. They were making enough noise to wake up the neighborhood, but it was enough to just startle us." Tony squeezed his forehead between all five of his fingers.

At Elizabeth's all-knowing expression, Tony went on. He knew it was hurt that made him do so, but that wasn't going to stop him. It was about time this young woman was disenchanted before she lost her child how his daughter had lost hers and how he had lost his daughter. "The next time we saw them together was when they announced that Jess was pregnant, they weren't getting married, and they planned on raising my grandson while living their dreams. Do you know what it is to be naïve, Elizabeth? My daughter and this man here were very naïve. They weren't comfortable enough with each other to get married, but they were smart enough to raise a child? Has he promised you cohabitation? A future? An agreement? A marriage?"

"She already lives here Tony." Lisa finally spoke. "Just look around."

"So she does." Tony mumbled.

"I understand your concerns, Mr. Grimes," Elizabeth took a step toward him. "But I'm not going into this blind."

"Jess said the same thing. A year later we were burying her."

"I had nothing to do with the accident." Lucky forced himself to take a deep breath. He had already lost it once today where Tony was concerned and he was determined to not do it again.

"So you've said." Tony snapped. "Did Lucky tell you he didn't cry when we told him she was dead? He didn't cry at the funeral. He's never cried. You know why?" He gave her a minute to consider the correct response. "All he wanted was Cameron."

"Everyone grieves in their own way." Elizabeth countered.

"What do you know about grief?" Lisa cried out. "How many children have you buried?"

"I would never say I understand your grief. I hope to God I never can say that. But the way you grieve for your daughter is going to be different than the way he would grieve for the mother of his child." Elizabeth argued.

"Lizzie! Lizzie!" Cameron came barreling through the basement door, barely even noticing the presence of his grandparents in the same room. He hurtled himself at her legs, causing Elizabeth to reach out and grab Lucky's arm for balance. Wrapping his arms around her calve tightly, he looked up at her. "I heard the noise again."

"Cams I told you that was just the heater. There's nothing to be afraid of." Sinking down as best she could without falling over, she rubbed his curly head and placed one finger under his chin. "Do we need to investigate again?"

Cameron nodded seriously and pulled at her hand, determined to go investigate right now. Turning around he caught sight of Tony and Lisa for the first time. "Hi Grandpa! Hi Grandma!"

"Hi Cameron!" Tony crouched down and goaded his grandson forward. At the feel of his little arms wrapping around his neck, Tony choked back a sob. "Grandma and I have missed you so much."

"I miss you too." Cameron pulled back and looked Tony in the eye. "I will be right back. Lizzie and I have to go investigate right now."

"Cam we can investigate later." Elizabeth protested.

"Cameron. Can you come and see me please?" Lisa managed to muster, holding out her arms to her grandson.

Cameron made his way over and walked into her outstretched arms. "Yes Grandma?"

Lisa hugged him and kissed the top of his curly head. "Nothing darling. I just needed a hug."

"I give good hugs."

"That's right you do!" Lisa agreed, stepping back from him. "No one gives hugs like you my little prince."

"Can I go play with Grams?"

"Grams?" Tony and Lisa asked in unison.

"Lizzie's grandma. Her name Grams." Cameron explained matter-of-factly. "Please Daddy?"

"Go ahead. She's up." Elizabeth answered. "Just remember, no jumping."

"I 'member Lizzie." Cameron called as he ran down the back hallway toward Audrey's room. "No jumping."

As soon as Cameron was out of sight, Tony spoke up. "We would like to take Cameron home with us...just until this blows over."

"Not happening." Lucky stated automatically.

"Be reasonable." Lisa pleaded. "He would be safe."

"You don't know that for sure any more than we do." Elizabeth argued.

"We have partial custody of our grandson and you can't legally stop us from taking him." Tony pointed out.

"I have primary custody and you can't without my agreement."

"Do we need to take you back to court, because if the alternative is waiting for Cameron to be snatched out of his window...?" Tony growled.

"Call your lawyer. You aren't taking my son away from me."

"You'll get a notice in the mail. Hopefully we can all come to an agreement before then. That little boy in there needs all of us." Lisa guided her husband to the door.

"What he needs is his father. Something you keep forgetting." Lucky shot back.

"We'll be in touch." Tony promised closing the door behind them.


	201. Stop And Stare

Robin glared hard at Patrick but it was nothing he hadn't seen before. One would think he had suggested she do something vile the way she was acting. It was the only solution he had for her constant insomnia and nausea. He didn't want to think that her condition had worsened, but the nagging possibility would not leave him alone. It haunted him when he was awake, when he was asleep—or resting for five minutes at a time—when he was talking, when he was listening, when it was quiet, when it was loud, and when it was hopeless.

"I don't need a doctor. I'll be fine once I have Morgan in my arms." She spat at him as he led her through the doors to General Hospital.

"I'd just feel better if we knew what was going on with you medically." Patrick didn't add that it would be nice to get some answers since he had no idea what she was thinking anymore, what she was feeling. He had no control over the situation and no clues to help him out.

"I don't want to be here." Robin whispered, leaning into him. The room was starting to spin and she knew if she didn't sit down she would be sick. Again. It was the only constant she had. Crackers were nothing to look forward to. She had given up eating altogether during this awful week.

"Hey, it's alright. I've got you." Patrick assured her. "Do we need to stop for a minute?"

"Please don't make me do this, Patrick." Robin begged against the collar of his gray button-down.

He sifted his fingers through her hair and held her close, fighting back the urge to run away. "I need to know that you're okay. I'm sorry."

Robin lifted her head slowly and met his tormented stare. "Fine."

Patrick recognized the nurse who he had met the night of Robin's coma, the night of his exposure: Nurse Lee. He had volunteered before they left the apartment to go in with her, but Robin had promised she could handle a simple exam. She led Robin into the exam room and the door shut solidly behind them leaving Patrick feeling cold all over.

Ten minutes passed and there was still no answer. He had considered knocking, but that probably wouldn't be the best solution. He thought about calling someone, anyone, just to find some sort of distraction, but there was so much going on he couldn't think of who to call, not without feeling badly for interrupting their pain. Something wasn't right and he had given up naïve notions years ago that things would turn out how they should. Too many times bad things happened to good people. Too many times evil won.

Finally the door opened and Robin walked into his arms. He held her to him and rocked her, his mouth set in a tight line even though he had no way of knowing what the diagnosis would be. She had come out of the room looking the same as when she had come in. She wasn't distressed. She wasn't pale. She was expressionless. He pushed down his panic and rubbed his hands up and down her back.

"If you'll just give me a minute, I'd like to page the doctor." Nurse Lee informed him.

"Page what doctor?" Patrick asked. "Did you find out what was wrong?" Robin still hadn't spoken and that didn't sit well with him. When she went quiet, it usually meant she was preparing herself for the worst.

"Excuse me." Nurse Lee shoved past him.

"Robin, honey, what's going on?" Patrick insisted tilting her chin up and her head back. All he found in her cinnamon eyes was the same confusion he was currently feeling.

"I don't know." Robin answered. "We did the exam and then she stopped answering my questions."

Shit, Patrick thought. That meant bad. The conversation he had had with Alexis months ago jumped to the front of his brain and he groaned. Would his worst fears now be confirmed? Was he going to be forced to watch life slip away from her? Shaking his head, he shoved the dangerous thoughts out of his mind.

"If I admit I'm scared, will you keep it under wraps?" Robin whimpered.

It was as if she had read this mind. If she had the slightest inclination of just how terrified he was…He decided then and there not to tell her. "Who would believe that?" Patrick soothed her.

Twenty minutes later—twenty minutes of pacing, of praying, of hoping, of dreading—Patrick and Robin were finally brought to an office not far from the exam room. The name on the door didn't register in their minds at the time, but it should have. Robin couldn't feel anything except Patrick's hand intertwined with hers. She could hear her heart galloping against vulnerable ribs. She wasn't taking in enough oxygen. Patrick's body was reacting the exact same way and they didn't even know what this was all about. It took another five minutes for the doctor to even arrive.

Patrick's eyes narrowed in subtle recognition while Robin's widened in alarm. Dr. Ric Lansing pulled up a chair for himself and sat down behind his desk. "I assume Nurse Lee told you."

"No." They responded in unison.

"I apologize. She is still new here." Ric sighed. What good were nurses when they left the doctors to deliver the bad news? He was going to talk to Nurse Johnson and see about getting Kelly Lee fired. The last thing Robin needed right this second was stress. He knew there was little she could do to avoid it. Her son and cousin had been stolen within less than a day of each other and there had been not a single peep from the kidnappers in a week. And he was about to make it worse.

"You're scaring me." Robin whispered.

"There's no easy way to tell you this." Ric began desolately.

Patrick was about ready to climb out of his skin…or at least out of his chair so he could strangle this guy! Why was he drawing out the news, whatever it was? Obviously it was bad because neither Dr. Lansing nor Nurse Lee felt capable of delivering it easily. Fucking hospital policy!

"What did you find?" Robin inquired after another moment.

"You're pregnant." Ric blurted out. He had hoped for some kind of composure in the way he expressed the news, but the results were just too horrid for him to rely on practiced reactions.

"Pr—pregnant?" Robin choked out. "Is this some kind of joke?" He had broken her heart once before when he told her that her body was incapable of bringing a baby into this world and now he thought it was okay to change the diagnosis? She was going to kill him, she decided silently. She was going to stab him in the eye with a pencil. The nightmares that kept her up at night had only intensified since Morgan was taken. Pregnant? No. It was all a lie. He was lying to her. He knew how much she wanted a baby, how much she wanted Patrick's baby.

"Eight weeks along." Ric confirmed solemnly. Nothing in all of his training had prepared him for this moment. He wanted to hold his head in his hands and force them to get out. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts as much as he didn't want to be left to them.

Robin dropped her gaze to her hands her head shaking violently from side to side. She couldn't handle this again! She couldn't let herself dream for what would never be happening for her. They were wrong! They had to be wrong! Helplessly she lifted her eyes to the doctor's to see if maybe he was kidding. She figured she was an easy enough target right now. His eyes conveyed what she had prayed they wouldn't.

"Do you make it a goal to hurt me?" Robin viciously demanded slamming her hands against the arms of her chair. The pain barely registered. She could blame the shock or she could chalk this up to another result of her insomnia.

Ric didn't say anything. He was almost afraid to speak at all. Her rage was palpable and he couldn't pretend the boyfriend's silence didn't leave him feeling unnerved.

Robin bit blatantly into her bottom lip as the gravity of the situation hit her at full force. If she was pregnant, it meant she had exposed Patrick once again. He would have to be checked out for a second time; they would spend the next six months of her pregnancy waiting for his test results. This just went to prove that she couldn't keep his safe. She couldn't keep anyone safe. She didn't know if she could handle this.

Licking his bottom lip uneasily, Patrick spoke, "Since when is a baby a bad thing?" He couldn't ignore the ominous stare the doctor kept sending their way or the way Robin had shrunk into herself.

"You think this is a good idea?" Robin inquired skeptically.

Patrick stroked her knuckles with his thumb. "We're talking about a baby here."

"Robin, Patrick." Ric interrupted them. "There's something else."

"What?" Robin wondered. Whatever he was going to tell her must have explained the hollowness in his tone.

"This pregnancy…" Ric looked away.

"No, you look at us!" Patrick shouted. "You look us in the eye!" That old fear was creeping up his back and settling in-between his shoulder blades. What wasn't Dr. Lansing telling them? What was wrong?

"I know why you've been nauseous and unable to sleep." Ric began.

"Pregnancy symptoms." Robin declared with a pointed stare. She dared him to defy her logic. He who had told her that she could never conceive. He who had left her questioning her worth as a woman. He who couldn't hold her gaze for more than a few seconds at a time.

"No." Ric shook his head.

"Then what?" Patrick growled.

"Patrick, calm down." Robin pleaded. The doctor looked positively startled with what he was trying to say and she couldn't take any more of these long pauses.

"Your body is treating this baby like a disease." Ric informed them.

"A disease?" Robin sobered.

"Fighting it off until it can't survive." Ric went on.

"Thank you. We know what the body does to fight off diseases." Patrick grumbled angrily. A disease? Jesus. He had never heard anything like this. He had known the HIV would bring with it a lot of risks, but he hadn't thought a second more about it after Robin admitted to him that she couldn't bear children. He knew she had thought about it since then, before then, before they were even serious. She had most likely never thought she would be denied the opportunity to give life. He could have stopped this, Patrick realized. He could have warned her about Emily. He could have kept her out of that car. He could have waited for the ambulance. He could have left the towels where they were and let the detectives look for fibers that could have connected them to his brother before he was ever able to carry out his plan. He could blame the doctor all he wanted. At the end of the day, everything bad that had happened to Robin over the last eight months was his fault.

"Then do you also know this pregnancy can't continue?" Ric challenged.

Patrick felt his breath rush out of him.

"What do you mean?" Robin interrupted.

"Robin," Ric directed his response to her. "When you were in that car accident you were told you that pregnancy was no longer an option." He reminded her.

"Miracles happen." Robin countered.

"Not in this case." Ric announced.

"You said it was impossible!" Patrick yelled. "You told her that she couldn't conceive—"

"I told her she couldn't be a mother." Ric argued. "And that stands true."

Her face crumbled in pain. "But I am. I am a mother!"

"Your body isn't strong enough to carry this baby to term." Ric explained. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're sorry? You can keep your apologies and you can save the pitying stares for someone else!" Robin cried out.

Patrick wanted so badly to comfort her, but she shoved his hand away from her shoulder in anguish. It was a struggle but he found his voice, "What would you suggest we do?"

"Terminate the pregnancy as soon as possible." Ric advised.

"Terminate? But this baby is alive!" Robin shrieked. "It's alive!"

"It won't survive."

"There must be something that can be done to sustain the pregnancy."

"I wouldn't suggest it."

"I didn't ask for your suggestions, I'm asking for an alternative."

"If we don't terminate, the pregnancy will kill you." Ric confessed.

"Kill her?"

"I don't care." Robin spoke up, startling them.

"What do you mean, you don't care?" Patrick asked her.

"Patrick, this baby is you and me. We can't just pretend we never created it!"

"Sweetheart, you're not listening to the doctor. One or both of you will die." Patrick stressed each word, but nothing seemed to seep in.

"There have to be drugs or something. I've read about plenty of pregnancies like mine and they were still able to deliver and survive." Robin insisted.

"Your system is doubly compromised. The chances aren't in your favor."

"I don't care. I'm not…I can't…this is my baby." Robin whispered.

"This is a time bomb." Ric corrected sharply. "Even if we gave you drugs for it, it would either break down the cocktail you're currently on or wipe out your immune system completely. This wouldn't be like other pregnancies. You would be in excruciating pain all the time. You're both so weak; a simple disagreement would lead you to miscarry. I know you're going through a lot right now. There are no guarantees. I'm not saying it can't be done, only that it would be the worst experience of your life. It could very well be for nothing. Medically, there are no positive cases. Termination is the safest option."

"I don't agree."

"You don't have to agree, but I am right."

"I don't think you are."

"What kind of drugs?" Patrick wanted to know.

"We'd have to trick her immune system. Again, no guarantees. The insomnia may worsen—"

"She hasn't slept in seven days!" Patrick exploded.

"There's little I can do about that if she continues with the pregnancy."

Patrick turned to her. "Robin, listen to me."

"No. I don't want to hear it! No! I'm not terminating this pregnancy! You act like they just flip a switch and it's over." Robin accused, trembling.

"I know it would be awful, but there's no other choice."

"Yes there is! So it's never been done? I don't care about odds. I don't care about statistics. Eight years ago medicine told me that I wouldn't last six months."

"I don't want to hear this." Patrick snapped.

"Patrick, please understand—"

"Understand what? That you're okay with wanting to die? That you're willing to sacrifice life for a baby that may or may not even survive? You're not being rational, Robin. You're not being smart! I can't—no I won't sit back and let it happen again. My decision almost got you killed! If he says that you can't carry this baby to term, then it can't be done."

"What decision?" Robin demanded adamantly.

"My decision to be with you. My decision to not tell you about how dangerous Emily is. Take your pick."

"You're not making any sense." Robin claimed.

Patrick rubbed his hand down his face in agony. "I was talking to Emily the day Morgan was taken. She all but admitted to cutting the brake lines in your car. I caused her wrath on you, me! And I won't let you pay for my mistakes, not again."

"This is not a mistake!" Robin forced between her teeth. "Why don't you want this baby?"

"I want you." Patrick clarified. "I can't lose you—"

Robin held his face between her hands. "You won't! You can't lose me. Look at me. Look at me! This is our baby. I can do this. I know it. I'm strong. I can do anything as long as you're beside me."

"Robin, I…" Patrick faltered.

"You are with me, aren't you Patrick?" Robin implored.

"I can't breathe." Patrick stood abruptly and ran for the door.

* * *

He had to move, had to get away from the office, away from that horrible scene. If Dr. Meadows had seen that, she would have been ashamed of him, Ric mused. There had to have been a better way, something more compassionate. He paced, trying to outrun the constant loop his words were insisting on playing in his head. A disease? He had actually compared a baby to a disease?

Running his hands through his hair, he hit the street, not knowing exactly where he was going and not caring either. If Maxie was still in the hospital, he could have gone to see her, let her charms distract him the way they had in the past. But Maxie had been discharged, sent back to her family. Being near her wasn't an option right now, much as he may want or even need it.

Seeing Maxie was a bad idea anyways, he realized as he made his way past the other pedestrians. She'd see through him, push him until he broke and that wouldn't take much. Especially since Maxie was Robin's cousin. Even the most oblique reference to Robin and the nightmare would start again. The shock, the excitement, the pain, the anger, every emotion that had flashed through her eyes; much of it directed at him. He deserved it, Ric realized. First he had taken away her hope months ago, watched as she tried to be supportive of her friend as she began to experience something she most likely never would, and then seconds after he confirmed a miracle had occurred, he had told she had to terminate it. End it and move on.

It was the right advice. Medically the facts were on his side. If it had just been the damage she had obtained after the car accident, he could find a way to sustain a healthy, safe pregnancy for both Robin and the baby. It wouldn't be fun, Robin most likely would end up hating him, but it could be done. Ric could admit as much if it was just her HIV status. She had been right she wasn't the first HIV positive woman that became pregnant and she wouldn't be the last. But the combination of the two? The interventions he knew for one would hinder interventions for the other. In his heart of hearts, Ric knew if he were to run into Robin right here, right now, in the middle of this busy street, he'd tell her the same thing. She should terminate the pregnancy. It didn't mean he had to like it.

Finding himself outside the entrance to the local park, Ric realized what he needed was just to get lost. He could wander here aimlessly for hours and no one would be the wiser. The weather was too cold for any children to be out so there would be no reminders of the crushing blow he had just delivered. Yes, wandering the park was just what the doctor ordered, he joked to himself.

Deciding on coffee to help keep him warm, Ric made his way toward the small outdoor stand. Ordering his regular black coffee, he almost lost control of his cup when he was jostled from behind. Steadying it just before he threw it right back in the face of the college kid that had just handed the steaming Styrofoam cup to him, Ric turned around, a quick retort on his tongue. "Watch it pal."

The term "hot coffee" was especially significant this day, Kate thought to herself as the scorching liquid stained her favorite buttercup handbag. It had been a present to herself last Christmas—the first holiday she had spent alone in almost seven years—and now it was ruined! She was going to give this guy a piece of her mind, she decided. Just as soon as she knew his name and face, she would ruin his life! Stepping back to get a good look at him, she craned her neck and scowled. "Ric, I—look what you've done!" It was just easier to focus on the ruined gift because then she could ignore other feelings going on inside her, feelings that had been far from dormant these long, miserable months, feelings that were irrational and unwelcome.

His mouth gaped open. Kate? It had been Kate who bumped into him? He hadn't seen her since the day he had left New York and now he runs into her here of all places? "Kate? What...I mean...how...what are you doing here?"

"That's none of your business!" Kate retorted angrily.

"You show up in my town and it's none of my business? Katie..." he deliberately used the nickname, knowing it irritated her. "I don't think so. Business or pleasure?"

"Would it bother you if I said personal? Would you get jealous Richard?" Kate wanted to know.

"Katie, you never travel for personal reasons. It's always related to work." It was what had attracted him to her at first, the ambition, the drive to make it on her own that was so similar to his own nature. Suddenly he realized the very obvious reason why his reporter ex-wife would be standing in front of him right now. "The kidnappings. You're here doing a story about the kidnappings."

"What if I am? What's it to you?" Kate challenged folding her arms across her chest.

Nothing." He protested as a matter of habit. It still wasn't quite clear to him how Maxie had kept his name out of her statement but she had. Not that the little he had witnessed would be able to help out anymore than Maxie's recollection. "There are good people involved here and they won't react well to your usual efforts."

"What does that mean? Are you saying I can't be professional?" Kate snapped.

"Not at all. I just know you Kate. I don't want to see anyone get hurt, including you."

"Who is it you think I'm going to hurt? Maybe you know more than you're telling." Kate watched him with what he referred to her as her "reporter" eyes.

"How would I be involved? I'm a doctor. What is it you tell me? I'm really married to my job?"

"Nothing you haven't said to me time and time again. It's why we get along, Richard. You and I are the same." Kate told him.

"Which is why we haven't seen each other in how long?"

"You look terrible. This place isn't agreeing with you at all, is it?" Kate hated that she could tell, but she'd have to be blind not to.

"It's not the place. It's the day."

"Do you want to talk about it? I've got a little time." Kate offered.

"You leave your tape recorder in the hotel room?"

"That's not fair!" Kate narrowed her eyes at him. "This isn't about the story."

"I know. I know." Ric sighed and ran his hand through his hair again. Kate was offering to be a friend, something he wanted for them and here he was messing it up. "I'm sorry. Just a rotten day."

"Tell me about it." She goaded him.

"I had to crush a young woman's dreams today. Not a situation I'm normally in and one I don't want to be in again."

"Facts are facts though. You didn't tell her what you did to hurt her. You just told her the truth. If she can't accept that, she shouldn't have come to you in the first place." Kate declared arrogantly.

"I know what I told her was the right decision. I just can't help think there was something else I could have looked at."

Kate started to reach for his hand but stopped herself in time. He didn't want her comfort and she knew what would happen if she offered it to him. They were talking without lawyers and that was an accomplishment in itself. Still, she couldn't ignore the defeat she found in his eyes. He looked absolutely broken. He looked in worse shape than her new bag. "We do the best we can. People get hurt along the way, but it's not our fault."

Ric nodded at the truth in her words. It was the one thing he could always count on from Kate, the straight unvarnished truth. Whether it was good news or bad, Kate told it like it was. It made her good at her job and helped her climb as fast as she had. "It doesn't help me feel any better though."

"Well, buck up." Kate teased smacking him on the shoulder. "The Colonel wouldn't approve of this kind of behavior from his only son."

"Not helping."

Kate checked her watch. "I have to go. I'm sure we'll see each other around. I'm staying at the Metro Court if you need to talk. Room 204."

"I'll keep that in mind." He watched her take a few steps away before he called out to her. "Kate?"

"What?"

"Thanks."

"Habit."


	202. Numbness For Sound

"This was the perfect idea. I had to get out of the house." Elizabeth declared as she and Robin made her way through the park, crunching on the still frozen ground.

"I agree." Robin said just because she didn't know what else she could say. This was the last place she wanted to be. She couldn't glance at a single speck of this park without thinking of Morgan. "Maybe we can bring the kids up here and let them skate." She suggested, nodding toward the now-frozen pond hidden beneath a maze of trees.

"The image of Cameron on ice skates terrifies me for some reason." Elizabeth laughed quietly. She didn't want to mention that just Cameron and Lance on the pond would be an unbearable reminder of who else would be missing. Morgan probably would be barreling right along with his cousins and creating elaborate games for the three of them to play.

"Just something to think about I guess," Robin sighed taking a tattered leaf from a tree as they walked past it. Between them, they were wearing about six layers of clothing but Robin couldn't even begin to feel the cold. If not for the snow around them, if not for the winter wonderland surrounding them, she wouldn't have believed it was winter.

Even though it had Robin's idea to meet up and walk around the park, Elizabeth couldn't help but notice the silence her friend was retreating behind. Sure Robin was going through the motions but something was bothering her right now; it was all in the other woman's brown eyes. She could push Robin to tell her right now but more than likely Robin would tell her before they left the park. Elizabeth would be patient for now, but if Robin didn't start talking in the next few minutes, she would invoke the concerned best friend card. "Yeah. We'll have to do that."

"What?" Robin was ashamed to admit she hadn't been paying any attention. Elizabeth was wrong. This was a terrible idea. She didn't want to be out and about; she wanted to be home. As long as her mind was on this track, she might as well make a list of all the things she wished were different. She wished Morgan was at home safely in his bed. She wished she and Patrick were on speaking terms, but he had run off to think. Where he had gone she still didn't know. His phone was turned off. His car was gone from the parking lot in front of their building so she knew he wasn't hiding out in the apartment. Jake's was all but dead. He could have run off to Manhattan, she thought, but that was just too bleak to even consider. She wished she could find joy in this pregnancy and convince the rest of the world that her baby was a miracle, not a...not a disease...not a means to an end. She wished she could express joy for her friend's pregnancy without feeling incredibly jealous.

Elizabeth stopped in her tracks and placed a hand on Robin's arm. The time to wait for Robin to come to her was done. "Honey. What's going on?"

Robin wanted to tell her so much. Opening her mouth, she hesitated. The words were just too hard. Tears sprung to her eyes and she felt them freeze on her cheeks. "I can't talk about it."

"You obviously want to. Just tell me."

Should she tell her? The last thing Elizabeth needed was more stress. The last thing she needed was to break apart again. What Dr. Lansing and Patrick had seen was just the tip of the iceberg. When she broke, and she knew she would, it would go on and on and on and she would be all alone just like always. Some things weren't meant to change. Unconsciously, she touched her fingertips to her stomach.

Catching the subtle movement, an idea flickered across Elizabeth's mind. Was her friend...she could barely finish the thought. Spying a bench nearby, she nudged Robin with her shoulder. "Come on, we're going to sit down and you're telling me everything."

Robin didn't argue knowing it would have been futile. When her friend got an idea in her mind hell or high water couldn't change her course. Closing her eyes, she thought about how she should start this, wondered if she even could. Elizabeth's reaction would crush her because it would mimic the one she, herself, had had. And then she would have to remind herself why it wasn't happy news, why her pregnancy unlike Bobbie's, unlike Elizabeth's, was nothing to be celebrated.

Brushing the remaining snow off the bench, Elizabeth maneuvered herself down on the bench. "Now. We're here in this big empty park. We can talk with no interruptions. So talk."

Taking in a chilly breath, Robin said the first part very fast, "I'm pregnant but it's a terrible thing because Dr. Lansing tells me that the birth, if not the pregnancy itself, will kill me. No question. If he gives me drugs to keep my body from...to sustain the pregnancy, they'll interfere with my HIV cocktail and then my condition could worsen."

"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Slow down." Elizabeth held up her hand in protest as Robin's rapid fire speech zipped past her. Bits and pieces had taken root in her ear and were echoing in her brain. Pregnant. Kill. Worsen. "You're pregnant?" she whispered.

"Eight weeks along. Dr. Lansing told Patrick and me this afternoon." Robin explained.

"Oh my God. Oh my God." Elizabeth breathed out smiling broadly. Robin was pregnant. This was incredible. Unwillingly the rest of what Robin had pushed out began to penetrate her consciousness, "...it's a terrible thing because Dr. Lansing tells me that the birth, if not the pregnancy itself, will kill me. No question. If he gives me drugs to keep my body from...to sustain the pregnancy, they'll interfere with my HIV cocktail and then my condition could worsen." Elizabeth felt her smile fall and tears start to build in her eyes. "Oh sweetie." She managed.

"I don't know...they both want me to terminate, but I can't. I can't do it, Liz. This is my baby." Robin whispered.

The only words Elizabeth could think to form felt hollow and trite. There was no way mere words could offer Robin the sympathy and support she so clearly and desperately needed. So she operated on impulse and she pulled Robin to her hugging her close.

Robin pushed her away. "Please. Please, I just can't." She got slowly to her feet and walked over to the swings.

Elizabeth followed her. "Sweetie I'm on your side in this. You've got to know that."

"What side is that?" Robin wondered lowering herself into a swing once she had brushed away the snow.

"I'm not going to lie to you and tell you the possibility of you dying doesn't scare me. It does. But unless I'm mistaken you've already made up your mind what you want to do."

"Why is this happening?" Robin demanded. "What did I do?"

"Nothing. This isn't a punishment Robin."

"It must be!" Robin screamed. "It must be something I've done. All I want is for Morgan to be home and this baby to be safe. Patrick's not even here. He said he couldn't breathe and ran...he ran away. He doesn't think I realize the risks. My whole life is about risks. I've never played it safe. I've hidden out, but I've never played it safe. Being with Patrick was about the biggest risk I always thought, but God I might have infected him this time." There was no relief in letting it all out because Elizabeth didn't know. She didn't understand, she couldn't relate.

Elizabeth stood directly in front of her friend, taking a deep breath to try to gather strength. "Robin you didn't cause any of this. There is nothing wrong with wanting to have both Morgan and this baby. You didn't ask to be diagnosed and I know you are safe every time you are with Patrick. He runs when he gets scared but he always comes back to you. Morgan will come home and, if you want this baby, then I will help you find a doctor that says you can have this baby. His ego aside, Dr. Lansing is not the only doctor in the entire world. We'll get a second opinion."

"What if we find one and I still die? Am I selfish to leave Patrick with a baby?" Robin wanted to know. It was the question she had asked herself since Patrick stumbled out of the office. "And Morgan without a mother?"

She didn't want to think about Robin dying. It hurt too much which was why she had always shied away from actually dealing with the reality of Robin's HIV status. Well, get used to it Lizzie, she told herself, your best friend needs you right now. "I think they would be thrilled to still have a part of you with them."

Robin cupped her right hand over her mouth to force back the sudden sobs. Mindlessly, she pushed her shoes to the ground and launched the swing into a slow motion. Back and forth. Morgan's principal calling. Back and forth. A woman with Morgan. Back and forth. A little girl in his class seeing them together. Back and forth. Emily telling Patrick that she had cut the brake lines in Robin's car. Suddenly, she drove her shoes into the ground and halted all motion. "Elizabeth." She breathed her eyes wide. "I know who took Morgan."

Startled by the sudden subject change, Elizabeth could do no more than shake her head. "What? Who? Does your uncle know?"

"Emily Quartermaine. She was the one stalking Patrick. When he was visiting Maxie the day Morgan was taken, he mentioned running into her. She admitted to causing my accident." Robin informed her.

"And you think she took Morgan to get to Patrick?"

"No, to get to me. I stole Patrick from her. Do you think she's trying to teach me a lesson?"

"What lesson? To not take something that wasn't hers to begin with?"

"That doesn't explain why Kristina and Cameron were targeted though. I've got to get to the police station. My uncle has to know about this. In all the confusion, I wasn't able to tell him about the brakes."

"Maybe we should call Patrick too." Elizabeth offered.

Robin shook her head. "He's not answering. When he shows back up, we'll tell him."

It seemed too simple for Emily to be the one behind the kidnappings. For one thing, both Maxie and Cruz reported seeing a guy. Why would she have grabbed Kristina first or gone after Cameron at all? Why take Lulu? But Elizabeth recognized Robin's need to feel in control and do something good right now. If there was nothing to it, Mac would be able to clear it in no time she was sure. "Alright. Lead the way."

Cruz could only stare at his tiny daughter while she continued to fight for her life. She was tiny enough to cover half his palm and the nurses insisted that it was best for his daughter if she stayed in the incubator at least until she gained a lot more weight. He had calmly pointed that he understood that she had been early, very early, and he wouldn't be doing anything to hinder her health. "I've thought about breaking you out of here," He whispered conversationally.

"And you said it was my side of the family who was the bad influence." Bobbie's laugh carried from behind his shoulder.

"I stand by that." Cruz declared. Turning back to Majandra, he went on, "We'd be halfway to Canada before they even caught on." He put on the gloves and carefully lifted her into his hands, marveling at how light she was.

"Already a Daddy's girl I see."

"It's incredible to see her, hold her...I would die for her."

"Hopefully you will never have to make good on that feeling." Bobbie remarked lightly. It was still far too close to the shooting for her to make jokes right now. She was going to concentrate on this, the sight of her husband holding their tiny new daughter.

Cruz glanced at her over his left shoulder. "Like I could ever leave my girls."

Resting her head on his shoulder, she pressed a brief kiss on his cheek. "We're going to hold you to that."

Cruz made a goofy face at Majandra when she opened her eyes and yawned at him. He could see past the tubes, past the incubator, but only in this moment. As soon as he laid her back down, the situation would hit him again and he would realize how close he had come to losing his baby girl. "What are you doing, mi hija? Do you see Mommy and Daddy watching you?"

"Of course she does. Cause you're brilliant." Bobbie cooed.

"Your mommy and grandmother have been working on your room. They figured you needed a rock star room and I think you'll like it. That said, I think you should sleep with us the first...eighteen years or so. Give or take." Cruz reasoned.

"You'll get tired of that before the first year." Bobbie predicted.

"Tell Mommy she doesn't know what she's talking about. Can you tell her?" Cruz prompted with a sigh.

"We girls stick together Daddy. Little Majandra there is on my side." She marveled at how well the nickname suited their daughter. Lance had struggled with saying her full name, accidentally shortening it to Majandra. From the second he heard it Cruz loved it and took to calling her only by the nickname at all times.

"I still can't believe..." Cruz brushed his thumb across their baby's dark head of hair. "I can't believe she's ours."

"I think she looks exactly like you."

"I don't know. She's got your eyes." Cruz pointed out.

"Well she certainly has your charm. The nurses swear half the boy babies here love her."

"What?" Cruz sucked in a breath. Setting her down, he glanced around the small nursery. "Little bastards."

"Easy Daddy." Bobbie laughed. "These little guys are the least of your worries."

"She realizes she's not dating until she's twenty-five, right?" Cruz asked nervously.

"Not yet. But she'll probably be ready well before that."

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Cruz accused struggling to breathe.

"Oh sweetheart. This is only the beginning."

"Do you think Elizabeth will home school her?"

"I think she might be a little busy with Cameron and her own baby."

"So what? She owes me a favor."

Bobbie patted him on his shoulder. "Be sure to pitch it to her just like that."

"Your mommy is crazy. I'm not sharing you with some little boy with only one thing on his mind." Cruz promised Majandra. "Right now it's formula. Pretty soon it's drugs and dirty magazines."

"You're hopeless. Absolutely hopeless." Bobbie leaned toward her daughter's head. "Stick with me kid or you'll be picked on by more people than your Uncle Luke."

"Oh, yeah, I was meaning to talk to you about that." Cruz began with a smirk. "I don't want to find my infant on a motorcycle."

Bobbie snorted. "No argument on that one."

Emily Quartermaine glanced suspiciously at her ruby red nails. She had paid far too much for a job that looked like a child could have done it. If she hadn't been in such a hurry, if she hadn't had to cover Logan's ass again, she would have been able to go to her normal manicurist and receive star treatment. She was growing tired of this muck up job. It was almost over at least. Soon she would have what she wanted and all of this would have been for something. Until then, she was going to have to deal with Courtney the Hypocrite and Logan the Moron. It was a risk to be out because she didn't want anyone catching on, but it was an even bigger risk to trust to let her nails go untreated.

Logan was becoming a far greater risk than he had ever been. He was always taking stupid chances, going on his emotions of all things. The man couldn't have possibly been born with instincts, not if his current behavior was anything to go by. He had left DNA at the scene which would, sooner or later, come back to bite them in the ass. The good thing about getting him in was that no one would be able to connect the two of them. He would go down for the kidnappings, but he would never tell what he knew. Even if he did, she'd have the kids moved far away.

Something yanked her backwards by her hair and her body slammed into a nearby bench catching her in the stomach. She cried out and landed on her hands. Rolling over, she brought her knees to her chest, ready to attack, and stopped only at the sight of Robin Scorpio standing over her. "You stupid little bitch!" Emily screamed. Her nails were ruined and she was bleeding through her white winter coat.

"I'm going to give you five seconds to answer my question. And then we're not going to talk anymore." Robin informed her.

"Robin!" Elizabeth couldn't keep the panic out of her voice. They had been on their way to see Mac when Robin had spotted the other woman coming out of the nail salon and taken off in a run. She had tried to stop her but she was too late. "Robin, you have to calm down."

"Where is my son?" Robin demanded in a tormented whisper.

"Did you lose him? What the hell kind of mother are you?" Emily taunted with a smile.

Robin closed the space between them and drove the toe of her heel into Emily's stomach. "Where is my son?" Robin all but yelled.

"Robin, if you keep this up, you're going to be arrested." Elizabeth begged her. "You don't need the extra stress right now."

"Why would I know where Morgan is? You stole him away from his mother. You probably paid someone to get rid of her. You've always been obsessed with Carly." Emily declared.

"Elizabeth, give me my gun." Robin ordered. There was no gun. She and Elizabeth both knew there wasn't a gun. But Emily didn't.

"Robin, arrested is bad. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Gun?" Emily shrieked. "You're a witness!" She pointed at Elizabeth.

"I'm her friend first." Elizabeth pointed out. "I have no clue who you are."

"I'm going to give you one chance to go into the police station and turn yourself in." Robin threatened.

"Or what?" Emily baited getting to her feet.

"Do you really want her to answer that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Just tell me where the kids are." Robin insisted.

"I don't know." Emily assured her.

"Then you won't mind standing in a line-up since, in all of your glory, you picked up an eye witness." Robin informed her.

"I wish I could, but I have a busy life. Those of us who aren't jumping from one brother's bed to the other..." Emily smiled broadly when Robin lunged at her.

"Robin!" Elizabeth screamed out. "Please…please stop!"

Robin nodded and pointed her finger at Emily. "Turn yourself in. Prison is nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you."

"Robin!" Mac called running toward them. Emily made herself scarce. "What are you doing?"

"Confronting the kidnapper." Robin explained.

"Robin you don't know that for sure." Elizabeth pointed out.

"I know." Robin promised. "I don't need proof, but I'll get it."

"How by beating it out of her?"

"If that's what it takes." Robin decided.

"I want you to let Stacy take you home and get some rest." Mac nodded toward the aforementioned officer.

"I don't want to go home." Robin protested.

"Robin, you need to go home. You have to rest." Elizabeth stressed, hoping Robin would realize what she was hinting at without her having to say it.

"Alright." Robin gave in. She remembered what Dr. Lansing had said about how one little argument could cause her to miscarry.

The drive to the apartment was quicker than Robin had thought it would be but no less irritating. "Stacy" tried to get her to talk, asked her what she thought of the current weather conditions, talked about how she wished Anna had won the election because she would have done a better job. By the time they reached the parking lot, Robin was grasping for the door handle. "I don't need you to come up with me." Robin assured her. "Just tell my uncle you did." Dismissing her chaperone, Robin proceeded to the elevator and pressed the button with the palm of her hand.

The numbers were a blur as the car climbed and Robin realized she was crying. It was bound to happen, she figured. With all she had been through today, all that had been said, all that hadn't been said, all the hopes, dreams, and otherwise goodwill that was squandered away by a single word: disease. Disease. She placed her hands under her eyes and blinked her tears away.

Darnell appeared to be waiting for her when she climbed off of the elevator. "You startled me." She lied, trying to come up with an excuse for the panic in her expression.

"I'm sorry, Miss Scorpio. That wasn't what I meant to do. This package came for you though and I wanted to deliver it to you personally. I didn't trust my co-workers to get it to you on time."

"On time?" Robin repeated.

"I'm under strict orders to give this to you no later than five minutes ago. If you'll sign…" Darnell thrust the clipboard toward her. She scribbled her name and took the square box from him. It was wrapped in brown parchment paper. "Have a good night."

"You too Darnell." Robin waited for him to disappear from sight before tearing open the parcel. There were only four pieces of tape holding the parchment paper to the box. She easily slid her fingers through it. She dug out her apartment key and let herself into the apartment, thrusting the wrapping to her right. She lifted the white lid off what appeared to be a jewelry box and pressed her back to the door to shut it.

She pushed the cotton away and wrapped her fingers lightly around the small gold locket. Air rushed out of her lungs and she dropped the box, leaving only the piece of jewelry in her palm. Patrick's present to her for her birthday. With her thumb, she depressed the clip and the halves flew apart. Morgan's face smiled at her through a dime-sized smear of fresh blood.

"Mo—oh—or—gan!" Robin screamed slowly hitting her knees. "MORGAN!" The chain slipped from her fingers but she never heard it hit the ground. Who did the blood belong to? It had to be from the kidnappers. This was how they were going to torment her then? Alexis had received a phone call and she was getting a locket covered in blood?

Robin crawled to the couch, but she didn't have enough strength to pull herself up. She brought her fist to her mouth and held it against her lips, willing the emotions back. This was just the sort of thing that could cost her this baby. It was to no avail. The locket lay on its side so that she could clearly see her son's picture. Bringing her knees to her chest, she rocked back and forth. She lowered her head between her knees to try and catch her breath.

Kristina's abduction had surprised them, targeting where they hadn't expected any kidnapper to be stupid enough to strike. The abduction had made them all wary, but not smart. If they had been smart, they wouldn't have allowed their kids to be out of their sight. If she had been smart, she would have been at home with her son instead of at the hospital trying to keep Alexis from falling apart. It had been obligation that brought her there but her own obsessive need to control everything that kept her there.

She should have been home to tuck Morgan in. She should have kissed his forehead. She should have read to him. She should have hugged him and told him that she loved him. She should have had breakfast with him the next morning and told him that she was taking him out of school until his sister was found. If nothing else, she should have warned him about the kidnappers and encouraged him to not go off alone.

It was easy enough to get her son away from the supervision of his teacher by pulling the fire alarm. Uncle Mac had dusted it for prints, but the kidnapper had worn gloves. Hopefully the DNA from Cameron's window led them to at least one of the people involved, but she found herself discouraged. How was she supposed to put any faith in the system when they had failed her and her family over and over again? She wanted to scream until she was hoarse, but what good would that do? It'd be as pointless as wishing her son would come home safe. If she wanted him back, she was going to have to do something herself.

Emily was the bait. Robin knew she was involved if for no other reason than her arrogance when she approached her outside the police station. It made sense that she could have hired any number of goons to do the job for her, but Robin didn't think so. Professionals didn't make mistakes. They were thorough. It was what made them good at their jobs. She wouldn't leave a paper trail between herself and some hired gun. However she was doing it, she wasn't using money as the motivation. That meant personal. "'I want you to know loss.'" Robin said to the empty apartment. "'I want you to know loss.'" She repeated. "Loss. Loss. Loss. I want you to know loss."


	203. Here Comes The Flood

"If I promise my head won't spin all the way around, will you go find some loser friend to hang out with?" Maxie begged Georgie. She had her back propped up on two pillows and a third pillow under her ankles. She looked like a nightmare but she didn't care enough to put on the adequate amount of makeup. She had been stuck in this same spot for days now.

"And miss all this fun? fNever." Georgie returned to painting her nails a pink shade that Lindsay would have made fun of her for choosing. Ever since Maxie came home, she had been a grump but today she was worse than usual. Sighing she brought her fingers up toward her mouth, blowing on them lightly to speed up the drying.

"I'm so tired of being in this bed!" Maxie slammed her fists into the mattress.

"You heard the doctors and you heard Dad. You only got to come home if you stayed in bed and followed orders."

The doctors, Maxie thought morosely. A lot of good those had done her so far. It had been only silence since the day that bitch of a reporter had come to visit her. She had gotten through the exchange with the idea that she would get to tell Ric all about it. But had he come to see her once? No! And she knew he wouldn't visit her here. "But I'm fine now. Look, no tubes, no needles. Why must I stay in this bed? "

"You got hit by a car Maxie. Can't you let us worry about you for a little bit?" Georgie tried not to roll her eyes at her sister's annoyance. She would rather be anywhere, doing anything besides listening to her sister complain about not being able to move. However being annoyed with Maxie was an effective way to keep her mind off of Steven. Had he landed in Paris yet?

"I'm fine. We should be focusing on the kids." What more do you want, a voice asked her. She identified the car. The DNA was mere hours from being released. They would know soon. Maybe she wouldn't have to tell the rest of her family about Ric being here.

"When we get them home, we will. But until then you get to be the center of attention."

Maxie recognized the ploy. The quickest way to her heart, or at least the organ that most resembled it, was to start with her ego. She figured this was why she and Ric got along, that and she couldn't stop fantasizing about him in that baseball uniform. "I wish this channel didn't insist on showing garbage. Whatever happened to quality Daytime television?"

"It died when they hired that moron to run the network." Georgie sighed. At least in Paris the show was three years behind so she could still fool herself into thinking it was still worth watching. Steven had teased her mercilessly for days when he caught her watching it one afternoon. Biting her lip, she snuck a glance at her watch, trying to work out the time difference. It would be early evening. Did he go straight home? Did he sleep on the plane? Was he asleep in his bed right now? Why did she have to think about him in bed right now?

"Are you blushing?"

"What? No. You're crazy." Georgie turned her face away quickly.

"You are! Aww, who are you thinking about?"

There was no way she could tell Maxie about Steven. Not that her sister would freak out over the age difference but use it as leverage to get her way? In heartbeat. Glancing at the TV screen, she saw the face of one of the show's actors flash on. "Him. He's cute."

"It's the doctor's uniform. It's deceiving." Maxie assured her. "Did you meet someone in Paris?"

"When would I have time to meet someone? I'm there to study." Georgie protested.

"That's true. There's never been a guy that came between you and your books." Maxie recalled.

"There you go." Spying an opportunity to get the focus off of her, she motioned toward her sister. "What about you? Meet anyone since I've been gone?"

"In a fashion committee? Right." Maxie rolled her eyes.

"Like I think that's the only thing you've been keeping busy with? Robin told me you've been scarce and I know it's not for work."

"This is my future you're talking about. When I'm not in a meeting, I'm coming up with new designs." Maxie replied smoothly.

Georgie looked at her sister skeptically. There was something in the answer that made her think her sister was evading her questions. She brightened when a long ago news item flittered across her memory. "Hey Dad told me you were designing one of Lucy's dresses! How's that going?"

"It's a disaster." Maxie admitted. She couldn't concentrate on it. Her fingers shook every time she picked up her sketch pencil.

"I thought you were working with someone? Aren't they helping?"

"No." Maxie grumbled. "They are not helping at all. Would it kill...this person to call and work out a meeting with me? My God, this is the most important thing I've ever worked on and he can't take it seriously!"

"He? I thought you said there was no men on your committee?"

Shit. Fuck. Shit. "I didn't say that."

"Yes you did. I asked if you met anyone and you laughed and asked if you would meet any guys on the fashion committee."

"Well, he's obviously gay." Maxie deduced.

Her sister had a point, but still something just wasn't sitting right with Georgie. "True, but if he doesn't want to help, he's not a very good gay guy."

"Then he shouldn't have signed up for the committee." Maxie pointed out.

"Good..." Georgie felt her words leave her throat as her cell phone buzzed, signaling an incoming text message. Flipping her phone open she smiled when she saw the simple message on the screen. I'm back. I'm fine. Miss you.

"There's that blush again. What's it say? What's it say?" Maxie insisted.

"Nothing. It's my roommates. You'd like them. Lindsay reminds me of you a lot."

"So she has wonderful fashion sense, cute hair, and a killer body?" Maxie assumed with a smirk.

"And a modest attitude to boot."

"Alright, go away. I have a lot of work to do. Hand me that pad and pencil, will you?"

"Sure." Georgie handed her sister the items and slipped out of Maxie's eye sight to return the text message. She couldn't help but wonder where exactly he had been when he had texted her. Still on the plane? In the airport? The subway? His room? She cut her thoughts off before it veered into more dangerous territory. Good. Miss you too.

This wasn't working, Lulu thought morosely. If she had a lock-picking set, this would be a lot easier. What she would give for a tension wrench right now. All she had was a bobby pin, a paper clip, and aching fingers. She had been at this a lot longer than she cared to admit. Sure, Lucky could do it with his eyes closed but her knowledge had come second-hand: through a book. She had practiced for several hours a day when she should have been playing piano for whichever recital was coming up, but she had thought perhaps she'd mastered it that last time. Sticky golden strands stuck to her forehead and cheeks as she willed her hands to stop shaking.

The strain on her neck and shoulders was beginning to make itself known; every few seconds, pain would shoot up her spine and she would have to sit back and take a few breaths. She glanced at her watch. It was already eleven; that left her one hour before they delivered lunch. They might not have been the best hosts, but they were strict when it came to the meal schedules. They had been smart enough to separate her and the kids. Did that mean she wouldn't find her way to them sooner or later? They had underestimated her and that hurt a little. Logan might not know her, but he knew what her last name was. There was no giving up; stubbornness was in the blood. Better that they not know what she was capable of, she figured. What a shock it would be—to the four of them as well as to her friends and family she assumed—when she busted them out of here. Her father had said that guests stunk after three days and she wasn't taking any chances. She didn't want to know what their plans were. She simply wanted to get the kids and herself out of here before they could be carried out.

Hearing the satisfying click of the lock depressing, Lulu allowed herself a half-second smile and cautiously pulled the door toward her. Poking her head into the hallway, she found what she had expected to: nothing. The cabin was deathly quiet as it always was when they weren't being served food. Lulu had been able to hear Morgan scream at one of them when they offered to read him a bedtime story so she knew he couldn't be that far away. If she accomplished nothing else right now, she wanted to know where they were. She wanted to be able to calculate exactly how many steps there were between her room and theirs. The most important thing was that she didn't get caught. If they figured out what she was doing, they would move the kids and she'd never find them. They were altogether in the same house; she knew because she had heard Kristina crying in the dead of night.

Lulu walked for a few minutes. She had no destination in mind because there were about five bedrooms covering the hall and any number of them could contain one of the kidnappers. Fucking Logan, she thought grimly. After what he had done to Robin, she knew she shouldn't have been surprised. She wasn't supposed to know about that, but she had heard Lucky on the phone to Patrick the morning after. Patrick had been calling to give him an update. It was kind of insensitive, Lulu mused, but it wasn't like either of them had spilled to the rest of the family. She wished she could depend on even one of her family members the way her brother and cousin relied on each other.

Snap out of it, Lulu! You have two little kids depending on you. Get it together! Feeling her second wind approaching, Lulu bent down and looked through the lock hole of each door, one by one. It wasn't the most technical thing, but her mom always said the best secrets were exposed this way. It was amazing she wasn't jumping out of planes or diffusing bombs with the stories Lucky and her parents told. Once she showed up, it mostly dwindled away, but they told her about a shootout involving the notorious Corinthos-Morgan tag team and some of their enemies. The only reason she had listened to the story from start to finish was because her house just happened to be one of the settings for the retaliation. She still couldn't picture her mother of all people standing at the top of the stairs with a shotgun. Three doors and there wasn't a single moving object.

The fourth door revealed a tiny brunette sitting in a circle of hand-me-down Barbie dolls. She tucked her caramel hair behind her ears and spoke to the dolls in the same way Alexis talked to the PCPD officers. "Why don't I have that report on my desk? Do we have him in custody? The last thing we need is that whacko running around the streets with a gun." Kristina reiterated through the plastic lips of the lone Ken doll. The police station was composed of multicolored Lego's and washcloths.

Lulu lightly tapped on the door with her knuckles. "Kristina, come to the door." She whispered.

"Lulu?" Kristina looked up.

"Yes, shh, come to door." Lulu ordered again.

"Lulu, how did you get out of your room? They locked mine." Kristina complained matter-of-factly.

"I'm smart." Lulu answered arrogantly. "Now, listen, I can't stay for very long, but I wanted to check on you—"

"Can't stay? But I want to go home, Lulu!" Kristina snapped.

"Shh, I know. Kristina, I know. You will. We're all going home. Listen..." Lulu squeezed her eyes shut at the sound of Kristina sobbing. "Listen, I have to find Morgan. I need to know where both of your rooms are so I can bust you out when I get the opportunity. Do you know where they took him?"

"I think they took him downstairs."

"Ok. I'll have to try to get to him later. Don't tell anyone I was here."

"Of course I can. I'm no rat." Kristina promised. "Come back soon okay?"

"I promise." Lulu replied. "I have to go now. I love you. If you remember nothing else, remember that."

"Love you too Leslie Lu." Kristina sounded like she was going to start crying again.

Flipping her hair behind her ear with a practiced precision, Emily connected her cell phone to her newest electronic toy. While Nikolas hadn't been good for much, at least he had the good sense to give a girl useful presents, she giggled to herself. As the lights blinked on, she waited the few moments for the machine to indicate it was ready before she dialed.

That stupid bitch Robin, she grumbled as she caught sight once again of her broken nail. She hadn't planned on sending the locket just yet, it was supposed to be a little fuck you after she got rid of the other two, but the other woman's ridiculous attempt at being intimidating had pushed up the timetable a bit. Let her be all big and bad with that, she mused with an evil gleam in her eyes.

Making sure to turn on the signal scrambler, she pressed the now familiar numbers. As much as Lulu and Kristina said otherwise, she, Emily Quartermaine, was not stupid. She had learned from the best and she was going to do him proud. There was no way she was going to let something as elemental as a phone trace ruin her plans and connect her to Logan the Moron and Courtney the Spineless. Waiting patiently, she smiled when the call was finally connected.

"Miss Davis." She announced calmly before Alexis could get a word out. "So nice of you to answer your phone."

"Are you ready to tell me what you want or is it back to mind games?" Alexis challenged in a steady voice.

"Tsk tsk. You are in no position to make demands."

"I want to talk to my daughter. I don't believe you really have her." Alexis stated.

Bored already, Emily examined her nails again. "If you look outside your office door, Miss Davis, you will see a package." If Logan hadn't screwed up yet again, he should have left it just minutes ago. "All the proof you need will be inside."

Alexis had no choice but to set the phone down and hurry to the door. Yanking it open, she noticed a small square box wrapped in brown parchment paper. She closed the door and returned to the phone. Putting it to her ear, she asked, "What is it?"

"Now where's the fun in that?" Emily taunted.

Alexis tore apart the paper and flipped open the box, her heart in her throat. She had to laugh at her hysteria when she picked out the box's contents. "A Teddy Bear?"

"Take the bear to your fiancé and you will find your daughter's hair and DNA all over it. I do hope she doesn't lose any sleep tonight without it."

"You son of a bitch! Why are you doing this?" Alexis shrieked helplessly.

"You took something unjustly. You deserved to be punished."

"No, actually that would be you." Alexis corrected harshly.

"I call it leveling the playing field." Emily laughed. "Now if you want your precious little brat back, you'll pay attention."

"I'm listening."

"Three things. First, fifty thousand dollars. No funny business with dye bags or trackers. Anything funny and I don't release her."

"Fifty thousand dollars? I don't have that kind of money!" Alexis countered.

"You'll find it." Emily responded calmly and continued, "Two, you will prepare your resignation from the DA's office."

Alexis would have had to do the second one even if it weren't a stipulation. The doctor had told her she could come back to work only long enough to get things ready for the next DA. After every "I" was dotted and ever "T" was crossed, she would undergo major Chemo. "That is a very strange request." Alexis said aloud.

"You disgraced your office. I'm doing a civic service. Three. You will release the following people you imprisoned for unjust reasons. Jermaine Heridia. Stan Johnson. Benito Goodman. Jason Morgan."

"WHAT? Jermaine Heridia shot and killed twelve people in cold blood. Jason Morgan is a pedophile—" Alexis pointed out. Who did this guy think he was, making such obscure demands? Benito Goodman had been shipping cocaine through baby formula powder. Stan Johnson had hacked into City Hall and stolen over two point five million dollars from its employees.

"It's called justice. You have forty-eight hours to complete everything. Once I am convinced all the men have been freed, I will let you know where to deliver the money. When I have my money, you will get your little brat back."

"What about Morgan? And Lulu?" Alexis urged. There was no point in whining about how impossible those releases would be in the time given, because she would move Heaven and Earth to get Kristina back.

Alexis stared at the phone, the buzzing in her ear the loudest sound of all. How was she going to explain to Robin and the Spencers that nothing had been said about their children? They would insist that she hadn't tried hard enough. There wasn't time to worry about their reactions; she had to comply with the orders because she was too scared to do otherwise. She pressed her intercom speaker and paged her secretary, Lainey Winters. She handed over the Teddy Bear with explicit instructions to send it to the lab and put a rush on it. Her next call was to Mac.


	204. Sky Is Falling

**Do not be deceived by the title. **

Patrick slid the key into the lock of their apartment door listening in vain for any sounds of life inside. It had been a terrible thing to leave Robin at the hospital. If she wasn't here, he would go out and find her. He really hoped she was here though; he didn't know if he could take another step. After the doctor's diagnosis, he had gone on one of Robin's famous aimless walks and wound up at Jake's of all place. Brenda poured him a shot and he told her about the baby. She had offered up and ear and he had fanned out some money for the drinks. The best part about telling Brenda instead of consulting one of his or Robin's family members was that she had absolutely nothing to lose or gain from the information. They weren't friends. Brenda hadn't given him advice, but then he hadn't actually wanted any. His entire reason for going to her had more to do with the fact that nothing he could say would hurt her and the same wouldn't have rung true for Robin.

He could still see Robin's pained expression clearly in his mind, the one she had worn when she had asked him if he was behind her decision to not terminate the pregnancy. How could he be? What was he supposed to have said? He couldn't tell her that he thought it was a great idea or even a rational one, because it was neither. She was willing to give up her life to give him a baby that he had never said he wanted and he felt absolutely indignant.

After about two shots, he had started to recall the nightmares she had had and the night she had finally told him what they entailed. Her decision had little or nothing to do with what he wanted and that had called for another shot. Enraged, he accepted a wager on a game of pool with a man that looked like his face had been run over by a truck and ended up getting his ass kicked. The second game wasn't nearly as productive and Brenda had called a cab for him.

He had the cab driver take him to Kelly's and he found the spare key to Lulu's apartment. The eerie silence upon entering the tiny dwelling had stopped his breath. She should have been here giving him a hard time for interrupting her life and still a little sore about the way he and the guys had treated her dear Barnaby. She should have threatened to call Aunt Laura and tell her about the condition he had shown up in. He could already hear the sanctimonious speech she would deliver him. Unlike the rest of his family, she didn't think before she spoke. Once she was certain her words had sunk into his subconscious, she would offer to clean him up and not spill a word to anyone else.

Cleaned up and feeling a little less than refreshed, Patrick slipped out the back, certain no one had spotted him, and headed home. He knew better than to leave Robin alone with her thoughts for too long. She had probably cleared out his side of the closet. His camera equipment was most likely smashed. If that happened to be the case, he would have understood completely.

Understanding: something he hadn't been able to find since her car accident. What kind of God would condemn her, and not just once but over and over again? Hadn't she suffered enough? Why grant her the gift of a child and then tell her in the same breath that one or both of them wouldn't survive the pregnancy? Where was the justice in that? He had pretty much gotten his just desserts for all the shit he had pulled in his twenty-six years of life, but what had Robin done? She had loved completely and without reserve to what it would end up costing her. It wasn't fair! Uncle Luke's voice piped into the back of his mind, "Who said life was supposed to be fair?"

Stepping across the threshold, Patrick's voice jumped into his throat at the sight of Robin sprawled across the living room floor. He couldn't tell if she was breathing. Her back was to him. Her hair was hiding her face. When he had thought she was pregnant two months ago, he had expected certain risks that her condition carried along with it. When Dr. Lansing gave them the best and worst news in the time it took to blink, he had wondered why he had spent as much time at church as he had if God wasn't going to protect the only woman he had ever loved.

Shutting the door behind him, he closed the distance between them and with his hand pressed to the floor beneath her he rolled her carefully onto his arm. "Robin?" This close, he could hear her breathing, see the rise and fall of her chest even if it was shallow. "What are you doing on the floor?" He asked when he noticed her eyes flutter open in confusion.

"I fell asleep." Robin watched him warily. He couldn't entirely blame her for not trusting him. She had needed him and he had let her down. He was here now, but only time would tell if that even mattered at this point.

"This isn't good. You should have gone upstairs or at least gotten on the couch." Patrick shook his head in obvious distress. Robin wanted to find hope in his reaction to finding her this way, but that would have been foolish. She knew exactly where he stood on the issue. The issue. She had to think of it that way. Thinking about it as a baby would cripple her.

"I'm fine, Patrick." Robin bit back. "Nothing broken. I managed without you." Her words cut him to the quick and he wanted to look away, but then she would have been justified in hating him.

He ignored her response and slid his hands under her arms to help her to her feet. Leaning into him was such a natural inclination she didn't even realize was doing until after he had her enveloped her in his embrace. "I'm surprised you came back...and there's still light outside. Look at that. Wonders never cease."

"Stop it." Patrick barked at her.

"Am I getting to you?" Robin attempted a smile, but it faltered on her wobbly lips.

"Sit down." Patrick didn't wait for her response, simply took her hand and dragged her over to the couch.

"What?" Robin demanded after a long pause. A pregnant pause some would call it. She tried to smile again, but it died faster than the first had.

He figured he could have apologized, but that would have been a great disservice to her, because it would have been hollow. There was no excuse for what he had done. It was unforgivable and yet he still found himself hoping she would forgive him. "I went to Jake's."

Robin nodded her head, her eyes glistening with tears and her lips pressed solidly together. "Dr. Lansing tells us we're having a baby and you go hide out in a bar."

"I wasn't hiding!" Patrick argued.

"Right. Right, you were drinking. You were trying to make sure everyone saw your secret pain." Robin scoffed at him.

"I was trying to sort everything out before I came to talk to you." Patrick clarified.

"What were doing talking to anyone else when you should have been here talking to me?" Robin didn't care if she was being unfair. The sight of him running out on her had left her feeling cold all over. If he thought he could just walk through that door and expect to be forgiven, he had another thing coming. She didn't want to consider how all of this affected him, because he hadn't given her that luxury.

"What are we going to do?" They could play the blame game all night long, but it wouldn't get them anywhere.

"We? We're not going to do anything." Robin assured him.

"Robin, this isn't just about you. This is about us." Patrick emphasized the last word.

"This stopped being about us the second you walked out that door. Don't come in here acting all upset because I made a decision without you." Robin threatened.

"You made the decision without considering any of the risks. Be mad at me if you want to, but I still get to worry about you. You're not thinking about the facts." Patrick condemned.

"I am aware of the facts, Patrick. After you left, Dr. Lansing attempted to schedule me for an appointment to terminate this pregnancy." Robin informed him.

"Son of a bitch." Patrick gritted through his teeth.

"Are you going to pretend you don't agree with him?" Robin dared him to even try it.

"He does have science on his side." Patrick answered carefully.

"I thought I had you on my side, but I was wrong, wasn't I? Wasn't I, Patrick?" Robin screamed at him.

"What side would that be, Robin? I'll never be okay with you accepting death. It'll never be fine for you to give up—"

"Give up? Is that really what you think I'm doing?"

"I think you're punishing yourself for what happened to Morgan."

"This isn't about Morgan!"

"The hell it isn't! From the second he told us you were pregnant, you've been willing to give up your life for a baby that your body is trying its best to—"

"Please, stop." Robin begged him.

The quiet plea broke Patrick's heart. "I'm not trying to hurt you."

"You obviously weren't worried about how it would affect me for you to walk out on one of the best and worst days of my life!"

"It would have been worse if I had stayed. Everything was jumbled in my mind. I would have ended up hurting you far worse."

"I don't see how that's possible."

"Help me understand please. I am trying to understand what you think is so bad about your life that you have to basically commit suicide for a baby that isn't any bigger than a pea."

"Why can't you try trusting that maybe I am strong enough to do this?" Robin snapped.

"I know you're strong. I've seen it. I see it everyday. This is different. This isn't about beating the odds. This isn't about breaking a record. If you go through with this, if I accept it...Robin, I refuse to give you up!"

"Patrick, I'm not..." Robin let her words trail off. She wanted him to look at her, but he was doing his very best to avoid eye contact. She tried to reach out and touch him, but he shrugged off her hand.

"How do you know?" Patrick demanded brokenly. "How can you say that you know for sure?"

"I don't know anything for sure, Patrick. I could walk outside and get hit by a bus. Death isn't a prediction. I'm trying to hold onto what little time I've been given—"

"Stop it!" Patrick yelled. "I don't want to hear—"

"It's always been a possibility. You knew that when you told me you loved me. Even if I weren't pregnant, you would still need to face this—"

"I can't." Patrick whispered. "I won't."

"Whether or not you accept my decision, death is not something that can be hindered." Robin insisted.

"You think I don't know that?" Patrick slammed his hands against the glass of the coffee table, only stubbornness keeping it from cracking beneath his fingertips. "I'm not ever going to be able to just accept that I could lose you—"

"Will lose me." Robin corrected him. "You will lose me. It'll be sooner than either of us wants, but it is a guarantee."

Patrick shot to his feet and found them to be shaky and unpredictable. He grasped for the side of the couch and worked his way around to back of it, unable to meet Robin's eyes for fear of the conviction he would find there. He wanted to tell her so many things in that moment—that he loved her, that they would figure this out, that he was sorry for leaving her and never would again—but he held his tongue. He was terrified that she had finally found a reason to give up on him just as his father had. What was he supposed to say? How could he make her face the ugliness of the situation if he couldn't even admit that she would be taken before her time?

"I'm sorry." Robin's voice startled him. It came from directly behind him. He watched her tiny arms wrap around his stomach and placed his hands over them, feeling worse than a coward. He should have been comforting her, but he was out of his element here. No matter what was decided, it would hurt her.

Maybe she had become too jaded to believe that she would be okay. Science said that she should have died six months after being diagnosed. Time and medical marvels had been made since then, but the odds of there being a cure in their lifetime was very unlikely. Still, she understood how hard it must have been for Patrick to accept, because he had only loved her for a little while. She had had eight years to come to terms with it and Patrick, being the man he was, wanted to fix everything that was broken. She wanted to tell him that he had done so much good where she was concerned, where his family and friends were concerned, but he probably wouldn't have believed her.

"It was unfair of me." Robin told herself that as long as she held him tightly, he wouldn't be able to fade away from her. "I thought you understood."

"Understanding your condition is fatal is one thing," Patrick managed in a fragile tone. No amount of research would ever convince him that she was doomed to die at a very young age. She had beat the odds for eight years and his own fear drove him to believe that she could do anything just as long as he never gave up on her. What she was asking of him was impossible.

"You can't will me not to die." Robin assured him.

"Yes I can. I have. You've always come back to me."

"Then what is so difficult about believing that this will be no different?"

"The risk isn't worth the cost."

"This baby is a part of me. It's a part of you too." Robin's arms slackened; she tried to pull her hands out of his grasp, but he held strong. "Please don't ask me to give up on it."

"Then don't ask me to give up on you." Patrick countered brusquely. "This baby's worth is not lost on me, okay? I've watched you struggle with what Dr. Lansing told you the first time around. I can't think of anyone who deserves a baby more than you, Robin."

Robin could hear the confliction in his voice, but could find no comfort in it. This was all she had ever wanted to share with him—her heart, her life, her baby—but who said he actually wanted any of it? It would take nothing short of a miracle to convince him that this was a good thing. "All I know," she began, "Is that from the moment he told us about this baby, I've known that it would be selfish of me to deny it life."

"You're the least selfish person I know." Patrick squeezed his eyes shut. "I am the selfish one and I'm not going to apologize for it. I'm not going to apologize for wanting you with me always."

"Don't you see? I will be. No matter what happens, I'll always be with you." It was Patrick's turn to pull away from her and she let him. He turned his back to her again and she watched him stab his fingers through his unkempt hair. She couldn't force him to agree with her; he would have to come to a solution on his own.

"My mother said the same thing." Patrick's words were barely audible.

"This is different." Robin swore.

"How?" Patrick spun around to face her with fury in his eyes. "How is this any different? I couldn't save her, but I'll be damned if I say the same thing about you."

"This is out of our hands now." Robin whispered.

"No. Unlike my mother, we have a choice." Patrick watched his words bring tears to her eyes.

"What choice do I have?"

"The choice to live. You have the choice to live for Morgan, for yourself…for me."

"How can I tell Morgan that I thought my life was more important than that of his little brother or sister?"

"Simple. You don't tell him."

"I wish you would try to see where I'm coming from."

"I never will." Patrick bit out. "I will never see what you're doing as the ultimate sacrifice." That said, he took her hands and pulled her close enough to hold her. She fought his arms when they wound around her, but he wouldn't be deterred. His hand on her neck, he enveloped her in his embrace. "All I want is you."

Robin shook so violently in his arms she almost couldn't get the words out. "I love you Patrick, but please don't ask me to choose."

"That's exactly what I'm asking you to do. Be a mother to Morgan and let him find comfort in the fact that he's enough for you."

Robin kicked out her feet in resistance, but even the blows she delivered to his shins didn't wound him enough to want to let her go. "No one loves him more than I do."

"You have a funny way of showing it. The doctor tells you that a baby is a very unrealistic idea, so you start actually letting yourself love your son without fear. Do you know how much that little boy needs you? Do you even care?"

"Choosing to have this baby doesn't mean I love Morgan any less."

"And choosing to die? How does Morgan factor into that decision?"

For a long time, nothing was said. What could either of them say to soothe the other anyway? Life was at the center of the argument, life and what it meant for each of them. Did it make Patrick selfish for wanting Robin to accept the life she had now without wanting more? Was it irrational for Robin to put it all on the line with the very real possibility of having nothing to show for it in the end? The problem with both questions was that there was no right answer. If Robin terminated the pregnancy, she would always feel like something was missing from her life. If Patrick saw the pregnancy as a positive thing, he was admitting that it was okay to lose Robin and the very child she carried.

"I'm not oblivious to how my decision affects our lives, I promise you I'm not. All I know is that I love you, and I can't snuff out the life we've created." Patrick could hear the tears in her voice, feel them soaking into his white pullover.

"You should get some sleep," Patrick answered flatly. "Come on. It's not good for you or the baby to be under this kind of stress."

Robin walked out of his arms and headed up the stairs never looking back. She could feel his eyes on her and wanted so badly to put an end to this argument and give into what he wanted her to do. The only thing stopping her was that she wouldn't have been able to live with herself if she went through with the abortion. She would do what Elizabeth had suggested and hear a second opinion. She owed that to Patrick and to Morgan and to herself. Patrick's hand on her back at least proved she wasn't in this alone.


	205. Four Minutes To Save The World

Alexis nodded in verification even though the person on the other end of the line couldn't hear her. "Yes. Full pardons for all four inmates." There was a time when this would really hurt her feelings; after all, she had spent the better part of her career putting these monsters away. What choice did she have? She wanted Kristina back; Robin and the Spencers would have their own part in the negotiations when it came time for their children to be released as well. Luke had been outraged when she told them what the kidnappers were demanding and their lack of mention of Lulu and Morgan. Alexis' heart had gone out to Laura, because she understood the terror; there might have been a ten-year difference in their daughters' ages, but that didn't make the situation any easier to deal with.

The first twenty-four hours, Alexis had wondered if her daughter was being tortured. All the worst-case scenarios had flashed through her mind and she had had to make herself aware of the very real possibility that she could do nothing about it. Depending on the angle of the masterminds, a ransom might never be made. They might have been playing on a fantasy by grabbing a child, a young woman, etc. Sometimes fear was the motivator as in this case; oftentimes, the children were never recovered. "Call me when it's done. You have two hours." Alexis ordered as she watched Mac let himself into her office. He had a manila folder in his hands and she knew it must contain the DNA test results from both Kristina's bear and the blood on the locket Robin had given them just that morning.

Mac watched Alexis set the phone down carefully, but he was no fool to the terror she was constantly facing, had been facing these past two weeks. The folder was heavy in his hand and the grim line of his lips must have clued her in on what he had found. When the lab had offered to take the results to Alexis themselves, Mac intervened. He wanted her to see this before he had to go to Robin and tell her. It was possible that the blood on the locket had been caused by a million different things; he could have scraped his knee. In coming to this conclusion, he knew his niece wouldn't be able to. She would assume her son was dead or badly injured. From what Elizabeth had told him, the stress was having drastic effects on her body and he hated that he would have to deliver more bad news.

"Tell me." Alexis demanded rising up out of her chair. She met him halfway and he took the final few steps to her. With each foot fall, he could hear his breath growing more and more labored. His legs wanted to give out, the commissioner in him silenced by the terror he was feeling as a father and an uncle and a godfather.

"Positive match on both the bear and the locket. Either could be caused by a scrape or simply biting their bottom lips too hard as we've seen both kids doing." Mac informed her.

"Positive." Before now, Alexis had been able to believe that maybe the kidnappers were bluffing. When Kristina's Teddy Bear showed up two days earlier, she had watched her confidence slowly slipping away. The results were having an unraveling affect on her, but it wouldn't have been fair to lean on Mac. He was suffering just as she was. Not only was he worried about the kids in an official capacity; all three of them belonged to his family. She had been selfish in denying him the comfort he so badly needed, but there was no time for regrets. She had to stay sharp and get this over with. Four criminals were about to get their lives back; all she wanted in return was her daughter's life.

"All it proves is that they have the kids, nothing else." Mac insisted, touching her shoulder only to have her shrug his hand off.

"Tell me I'm doing the right thing." When she had taken this position, she had promised to uphold the law in every way and not be corrupted by the influence of the mob or accept bribes for giving lighter sentences. In her term, she had a one hundred percent success rate. It might have taken her a long time to get them put away, but once she reached her goal, she was able to throw away the key. Most of them had appealed, but none of the verdicts had been overturned. "The idea of these guys being back on the streets...I'm a disgrace to this office."

Mac lifted her chin with his thumb and forefinger. "You are doing the only thing you can, the only option you've been left with. We'll put them back in, every single last one of them, but right now we have to get Kristina back."

"Is it right to put my daughter's life over the lives of the children in this town?" Alexis wanted to know.

"That's not what you're doing." Mac countered.

"Isn't it? Mac, what if someone else gets hurt because of my decisions?"

"What decision? Alexis, you have no other option."

"I just feel like, maybe if I were a better investigator, we would have had her back by now." Alexis admitted begrudgingly.

Mac wrapped her in his arms and kissed the top of her head. "It's almost over Lexie. It's almost over."

Something was different, every bit of Spencer sense she had ever been blessed with was screaming at Lulu something was different about today. The routine hadn't varied any. The breakfast was still delivered at the same predictable time. She could only hope Kristina and Morgan's weren't slid through the door and aimed right at the wall as hers was, but then again they probably hadn't tried to kick Logan the one and only time he attempted to bring her food, Lulu thought proudly.

Pressing her ear against the door, she tried to discern by the noises which of the four dimwits was downstairs. Logan had the same tendency to stomp through this hellhole of a prison as he did anywhere else he walked. Emily constantly talked, sometimes in way too much detail that Lulu prayed Morgan and Kristina didn't understand. When they got out of there, she was totally suing the Quartermaines for mental anguish. The silence led her to think the most likely guard was Courtney. The blonde was far too concerned with winning Morgan over to bother with her or Kristina.

The routine said Courtney would be the only one watching them right now. It was rare there was ever more than one of them in the house at the same time. Probably to keep suspicion down, she thought grimly. Fat chance of that, the first thing she was doing was going right to the cops and blowing this little pop stand to kingdom come. Well maybe the second thing after a real shower. She started to move the tumbler of the lock, hoping it wouldn't take her as long to move it this time as it had in her previous attempts. She may be able to beat up Courtney but she still had to get Kristina and Morgan out before Logan and Emily came back from where ever it was they were.

Mac watched Alexis rest on the lone couch in her office. She had only agreed to do so under his insistence, but she made sure to talk to him to keep from falling asleep. He obliged her every question and they had talked about the most inane things during the last hour and a half. The time was pressing on them and he knew she felt it too. "Two stories, black dog, white picket fence." He answered.

"Sixth floor, goldfish, old newspapers with play dates on the cover." Alexis informed him. "I did tell you my mother was an actress?"

"Yes." Mac recalled. "You said something about empty alcohol bottles earlier."

"Her live-in boyfriend, Milo's. He was also the director of all of the plays she got cast in." Alexis clarified quietly.

"Dinner at six o' clock, one television in the living room, lights out after I Love Lucy."

"Bad reviews, bedtime stories, and neon lights from the bar across the street."

"And now?" Mac wanted to know.

"Now...popcorn in bed, bedtime stories, and slow lovemaking." Alexis smiled.

"We'll see."

The phone atop her desk demanded immediate attention. She hopped up from the couch and slid across the floor, grabbing the phone and pressing it to her ear. "Is it done?"

Mac felt his heart climb into his throat as he waited for the caller to give Alexis the confirmation, and then for her to give it to him. Everything that phone call entailed would determine a little girl's life and the freedom of four hardened criminals.

"Let me know when they've been released." Alexis placed the phone on the cradle and gripped the edge of the desk. "All we can do now is wait."

Laura had only been to this room twice since Lulu had moved into it. She had trusted her daughter with most of the decorating which explained the Boys Like Girls music poster, the Crash movie poster, and the Hang In There Kitty poster hanging on each wall in the bedroom. The furniture was sparse, but comfortable. The room had certain amenities that would tempt anyone who happened across it to want to stay a little longer, even drifters. Laura had worried at first, worried that her husband would never forgive her daughter that her daughter would end up resenting her. Barely two weeks after moving out of their family home and into this tiny room at Kelly's Lulu was suddenly an independent woman instead of the impressionable little girl Laura had always thought she would be. Sure, she still came over for dinner when money was tight, but she was living on her own now and Laura knew she would have to learn to accept it.

Though there was a bed provided, Laura noticed that the couch was littered with a cream sheet, a blue and white comforter, and a pillow. The last night she had spent here must have been a long one. Laura was extremely proud of Lulu for the way she poured herself into her studies and balanced the rest of her life. She was kind of relieved that Bradley hadn't worked out, because she didn't want her daughter to ever question her worth.

Laura took a seat on the couch and pressed the pillow to her face, inhaling her daughter's scent. It was faint, but it still remained. She hugged it tightly, wishing she had Lulu in her arms. Alexis was supposed to get Kristina back tonight. Why hadn't the kidnappers said anything in relation to Lulu or Morgan? Were they even still alive? The questions had plagued Laura every night since they were taken. Were they hurt? Did Lulu ever cry out for her when she was scared or alone or was she so much like her father that she hadn't shown a bit of fear in the face of evil?

Luke was downstairs talking to Mike. He understood that she had needed some time to process everything. For the past week, she had been able to distract herself with baby Maria Alexandra or Majandra as Lance had dubbed her, but Bobbie and Cruz were closing ranks around their only daughter. She doubted they even noticed it. It was clear that they needed to be with her and she needed to face that her daughter and nephew weren't just gone, but had been intentionally taken. Alexis had received the ransom for Kristina. What could the kidnappers possibly want from her and Luke or Lucky? Would she be able to pay? What other option did she have?

"Angel? Why are you crying?" Luke's voice surprised her. She slowly lifted her eyes to meet him, finding him in the doorway.

"I didn't realize I was." Laura replied.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Luke offered, sitting on the floor in front of the couch.

"No. I don't even want to think about it. Why haven't they contacted us, Luke?" She demanded.

"They're trying to scare us. They don't realize how strong we are."

"I'm not." Laura argued miserably.

"You're not what?"

"Strong. I'm not strong."

"I didn't know it was Opposite day." Luke teased humorlessly.

"I wasn't born with the Spencer strength." She pointed out.

"We're strong because you make us that way." Luke told her.

"I don't want to be strong. I want Lulu back. I want Morgan back. There's been no demand. What if…God, Luke, what if…?"

"Don't go scaring yourself with the 'what ifs.' It won't do any good."

"I have to do something!" Laura shrieked. "Since when do we trust the police to get it right? I thought that was against the laws of being a Spencer."

"We ask for help when we need it and the police just happen to be family." Luke pointed out.

"Can't we go out and look for them?" Laura pleaded.

"We don't even know where to start. Besides, if we're being watched, I don't want to spook the kidnappers."

"You don't think they'd hurt the kids, do you?"

"God, I hope not." Luke's words brought Laura off of the couch and into his arms, her entire body shaking and her cries lost in his blue pinstriped suit.

There wasn't any real reason for him to be in here. The paint, a color Elizabeth insisted on calling "Spring Meadow" but for the life of him he could only see as green, had gone up weeks ago. When Lulu had been here, he had barely seen the walls for the clothes and books she had kept piled on the floor constantly and now, with the collection of animals looking back at him, it seemed as if his sister had never been there at all.

It had only taken a few short months, but that was all it took to erase all the evidence of her brief stay in his house. Was it really that short of a time between him wishing she would just move back home and now? Had he ever really been annoyed at her music, her disregard for a curfew, and the way she seemed to delight in getting Cameron to break the rules? What wouldn't Lucky give to have her back right now, just so he could yell at her for scaring him to death?

Slightly rocking in the chair his mother had insisted on giving them, he hoped she wasn't doing something stupid. Lulu hated rules and if there was one thing Lucky was sure of was, much like Faison, whoever had Lulu and the kids were dependent on rules to keep everyone in line. If Lulu talked back, smarted off or worse, tried to escape, he didn't want to think what could happen to her. His own shoulder still ached every now and again from the first escape attempt he tried. Some time after his return he claimed a basketball injury, but he could still feel the crushing pain when Faison had shoved him back into that steel door.

Just be smart Lulu, he prayed to a God he wasn't a hundred percent sure he believed in anymore. It only got worse if you try something stupid, he remembered. The threats got worse. The beatings got worse. If she just stayed quiet and didn't try to be a hero, if she could just trust that they were going to find her, do whatever they had to do to get her home, then it wouldn't be so bad for her. She could come home and be able to do what he so clearly couldn't, put it all behind her. If she would just stay smart.

Lucky closed his eyes against the voice that told him he knew exactly what Lulu was doing. She wasn't sitting still. More than likely she was planning on trying to get everyone out. She wasn't going to trust the system any more than he did right now. He couldn't let himself think about what would happen to her if she was caught. For him it had been beatings, but how much worse could it be for his sister? She talked a good game but she wasn't nearly as tough as she made herself out to be. Faison had broken him with very little effort. Who knew what Lulu's captors would do to break her?

Walking quietly into the nursery, Elizabeth hoped she wouldn't startle Lucky. He had been silent since Luke had brokenly explained the call Alexis got earlier. The news cameras were starting to air coverage of the release of the prisoners, hours before it was scheduled, and Lucky had left the room almost as soon as it began.

It wasn't just the silence—that she could handle and understand. It wasn't as if she was a bundle of conversation the past few days either. She had sworn to Robin she wouldn't tell anyone about her friend's pregnancy before she was ready so all she had done the past few days was sit and worry. Only Cameron seemed oblivious to the tension and had managed to continue on as if nothing was going on. To be young and not fully understanding everything, she wished fleetingly.

No the silence, Elizabeth decided, she could handle. It was the distance she was beginning to become concerned about. Lucky just wasn't there fully in any way but physically. He had moments when she could really feel that he was with her and Cameron, but the longer Lulu was gone the farther apart those times came. She had tried to convince herself it was just the way he handled crisis, but she couldn't believe it. She had been there during Cameron's coma and she never felt as cut off from him as she did right now. He had built a wall up over some issue and he wasn't giving her any clue as to how to break it.

Normally when she entered a room, Lucky demonstrated some sixth sense as to her presence. She didn't have to say anything, but he would look up and smile or wink. Give her some indication that he knew she was there. Now he just sat there in the rocking chair, staring at the wall. "Lucky?" She tried softly, hoping to break into his thought pattern. No response. Clearing her voice, she tried again, this time a little louder. "Lucky?"

Her voice brought him back to reality, back to his own home and away from the hell Faison had kept him in. Shaking his head, Lucky blinked in confusion as he saw her standing directly in front of him, confusion etched all over her face. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"It's almost time."

Everything was happening so fast, Georgie didn't know how to predict what was going to happen next. Mac had told her about the ransom demand and she was still baffled by the details of it. Didn't the kidnappers realize what they were doing? None of the prisoners had ever been functioning members of society. They had never contributed to anything but the body count of Port Charles' citizens. She understood that not all of them were murderers, but none of them would be considered innocent in any way. Alexis had rounded up enough evidence to put them all away for a very long time and now it was all going to be for nothing.

Georgie hadn't been able to ignore the confliction she saw in her father's eyes. He and Alexis had tag-teamed the criminals of this town and brought them to justice. They shouldn't be punished for their efforts; no one should have to pay for doing the right thing. There had been plenty of cases where their lives were put on the line, but her father had never backed down from the fight. He would not be intimidated by gutless criminals and they would never run the town again.

The releases alone left Georgie feeling very afraid. These guys hadn't gone away for tax evasion; some were murderers, thieves, and among them was a child predator. The only thing any of them had in common was that Alexis had put them away; they shared no other similarities. When Kristina had been the only one taken, it was easy enough to focus on Alexis, but when Morgan was stolen as well, it had been a fair conclusion to assume that it was mob-related. The attempt on Cameron had been completely out of left field and they still had no idea what the tiniest Spencer even had to do with the other kidnappings. She had heard Mac and Alexis arguing about it over and over again; those nights, she had felt as helpless as a child and depended on Maxie to distract her. When Maxie wasn't around—damn her for healing—Georgie wished, in the quiet moments, to still be in Paris where Steven would soothe her fears.

The walk from her car to Kelly's entrance wasn't extensive, but the effort was a tad laboring on her part. Her tan thick-soled shoes slapped mercilessly against the slippery concrete as she crossed the courtyard and let herself into the restaurant. Shoving defiant strands of golden hair behind her ears, she was greeted by Mike who had just begun to close up shop. Maxie had asked her if she would stop by and pick up her check since she didn't trust the roads and Georgie had nothing better to do. Begrudgingly, Georgie agreed and maneuvered her pea-green mini Cooper down a somewhat unforgivable road.

"Hey Mike, how's business?"

The graying restaurant keeper mimicked the smile Georgie offered him and wiped his hands on the front of his apron unconsciously. He hadn't been aware she was even in town, but then he never left the diner so it wasn't that much of a surprise. Besides, with the disappearance of her sister and cousin, it was only a matter of time before she returned home from her school trip. It was just how Georgie was. He could remember her and Maxie following Robin around as tiny little girls and how they would make this diner a daily hang-out. He could still remember what they ordered: peach sherbet, strawberry shake, and a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

He had thought when his son relocated to Port Charles with his bright and shiny new family, he would have the same kind of memories with his grandchildren, but it just hadn't happened that way. Michael had warmed up to him almost instantly, but Morgan was far too wary of the old man's intentions to do more than call him grandpa and accept sugary treats from him. Carly hadn't made her dislike of him a secret. He would often be a threat thrust at the children when they misbehaved, a surprise realization for Mike.

"As good as it can be with all of this commotion." Mike motioned toward the television hanging above the jukebox.

"How much longer until it's done?" Georgie wanted to know, letting the door slam behind her.

"Twenty minutes. This reporter won't shut up about it. She's not bad to look at it, but she leaves a lot to be desired in the information she presents." Mike reasoned.

"Are you kidding? That's Kate Howard! I've been following her career for the past four years." Georgie defended.

"To each his own." Mike gave in. "What are you doing in these parts?" He asked with a fake Southern twang.

"Maxie asked if I would pick up her check." Georgie explained, leaning her back against the bar, caught up in the news report.

"How do you like France?"

"I love it." Georgie tried to express how much she was enjoying the trip, but something about the last two weeks had worn her down. Steven would say she was losing her spark.

"It's good to see you. I wish the circumstances were different." Mike admitted.

"Have you talked to Robin at all?"

"I didn't think it was my place."

"Mike, you're still Morgan's grandfather. You don't have to feel left out at all."

"Robin hasn't excluded me or anything. It's just hard to see my grandsons after everything that happened to their parents."

"I can understand that. Does this mean we'll be seeing you at holidays now?" Georgie smirked.

"I can understand that. Does this mean we'll be seeing you at holidays now?" Georgie smirked.

"Is that an invitation?"

"An open invitation."

"I might take you up on that. How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay. I'm missing the kids and it's weird not to get calls from Lulu about this new dress or that, but it's harder for my dad and Alexis."

"Well that's understandable. I missed a lot of Sonny's childhood because of my own selfish reasons, but I never stopped worrying about him. Courtney too. They're both adults now and there seems to be nothing I can do for them anymore."

"I know how lucky I am to have my dad." Georgie assured him, her eyes widening at the sudden weather change. The rain from this morning had made the roads slick; the fog had made driving difficult; the snow would make it impossible. "Would you mind if I stayed here until the weather's clear?"

"Why would I mind? I just happen to have some peach sherbet in the back." Mike smiled.


	206. Dead Skin

Maxie would have to be blind, deaf, and completely unaware to not detect the tension filling the apartment. She was ashamed to admit that she had never been over to visit since her cousin had moved, but there were a million and one excuses she could give to explain herself. They didn't hesitate when she called and asked to come over. The tension here was almost welcomed compared to the house she had just left. Neither Mac nor Alexis was actually there, but the bitterness and fear and self-blame bled through the walls.

Robin stared blankly at the television as if she didn't care what the outcome was...even if Maxie and Patrick knew better. There was something missing in her eyes, but Maxie couldn't place it. Something was dead. She had noticed this after the attack a few months back, but at least then there had been an obvious cause. Whatever was going on now was not something that the couple felt like sharing.

Patrick gripped and released the remote in an almost rhythmic fashion. He had been the one to let Maxie in; he was the only one to really acknowledge that she had stopped by. His shoulders and neck were stiff and he made no attempt to touch Robin in any way. This left the young blonde disconcerted, because they hadn't acted this cold toward one another in almost a year.

Maxie had broached the cause of their sudden standoffishness, but they had each turned her down—Patrick with his handling of the remote and pacing of the living room and Robin with diverting eye contact and the folding of her hands. Something was wrong and the fact that she couldn't put her finger on it left Maxie feeling useless and uncomfortable. It was hard to believe being here was better than being at home.

Maxie had half-expected to see the nasty little reporter who had been stalking her since Kristina was snatched on the screen, but they were on the wrong channel. Little favors, she thought to herself. She would have to tell Ric about her. If nothing else, he might be able to distract her. Sensing that he was in hot water, he had contacted her several days in a row, his reasons varying. She hated that she looked forward the phone calls as much as she hated the downtime in-between his calls. If Robin or Patrick noticed her incessant glancing at the screen, they didn't comment.

The clock ticked purposefully, letting them know that the time was fast approaching. In just a few short minutes, she would have her little sister back. In just a few short minutes, some of the worst criminals this town had ever seen would be handed free pardons from the State. In just a few short minutes, everything was about to change.

Her cell phone chimed and she clicked on the tiny white envelope. The message spread subtly across the screen: I need to see you. It wasn't signed, but then it didn't have to be. Maxie quickly and easily excused herself from the apartment. She was a little worried when they didn't even glance up from the television.

Bouncing from one foot to another, Emily glanced once again at her watch. Any second now, it would all be worth it. Her brother would be free and the entire country would see him walk out of Holscomb Prison not only a free man, but with the full pardon of the governor. She nearly shook in her excitement. The day Jason had been sentenced by that judge Alexis had so clearly bribed she had vowed to get him out of this. Sonny had failed him. Carly was dead. The rest of his so-called friends had abandoned him but she wouldn't.

If it hadn't have been for Alexis Davis's ridiculous obsession with destroying everything connected to Sonny Corinthos it wouldn't have taken her so long. But because that bitch couldn't bear to see Sonny happy with someone else, she felt the need to destroy all things Corinthos, even if she completely fabricated the evidence. Just like she did with Jason. Jason loved children. He wasn't capable of doing those things she accused him of. Even now, Emily couldn't force herself to even think the words Alexis had thrown around in court. Alexis Davis had tainted her brother's good name with her neurotic obsessions. At the age of fifteen, sitting there as the judge sentenced her brother to life in prison for a crime he did not commit, Emily learned what it really was to hate someone. All thanks to Alexis Davis.

She had foolishly pinned her hopes on the justice system and Sonny. But those bimbo lawyerettes Sonny had always insisted on hiring proved once again they were not appreciated for their legal skills. Alexis and Mac Scorpio had been able to defeat their every argument. Then by some stupidity of his own design, Sonny had been arrested and met the same fate. Overnight the entire focus of the lawyerettes switched from getting Jason out to saving Sonny's bacon, a job they did about as well as the first one.

Seeing Alexis and Mac be heralded in the press as heroes, being honored for their "good work" made her physically ill. They were thieves who destroyed her family in one fell swoop. Her mother and father only were concerned with outward appearances, only paying attention when she screwed up. Her grandfather looked at her and saw her stock, her position on the board, the power her name carried the more famous she became and the better caliber of men she dated. Without Jason, there was no one who saw her as just Emily.

At first she had been content to merely publicly humiliate them. Take away the only thing people cared to remember about them. Use her friends and lovers to swing the type of influence and power they would never know. Defeat them with the only thing she had, her family's money. It hadn't been hard to convince people to help, especially the men. She had discovered early on a man would promise her anything if sex was only hinted at. The ones who took longer to convince weren't worth her time. Patrick had been the exception. Falling in love with him hadn't been part of the plan. Of course if he had just realized he loved her back, it would have been so much easier. But no matter. Once Jason was home, she could concentrate fully on Patrick.

After all it wasn't as if Robin would be able to give him the attention he deserved. Not with her being distracted by Morgan. And that was why Patrick needed someone just like her who could put him first. She would just have to remind him of that. Playing house was fun for a few months, even she had lived with Nik for a few weeks there, but that was wall it was. Brief fun.

Robin having custody of Morgan had been a stroke of good fortune. She could eliminate her competition and make Alexis and Mac pay for their destruction. Destroying one family would have been too easy, but for them to be the destruction of two? It was poetic justice.

It would have gone perfectly to plan if Logan hadn't tried to work out his own family issues on her time. No matter. She scanned the crowd, trying to spot him in his disguise. Not trusting Alexis to follow her instructions to the letter, she had Logan posted in a guard uniform down in the yard. The first sign of a double cross, Logan had his instructions. Run for Jason and get her brother out. Seeing him stand in the spot she had told him to, directly to the left of the press core, she breathed a small sigh of relief and concentrated on the door.

She was close enough to see the slight movement of the door opening, but even if she wasn't the flurry of camera flashes and the rush of the press would have tipped her off. Opening fully, two uniformed guards stood before the crowd, singularly unimpressed by the attention and impressive in their size and bulk. Obviously the prison officials had chosen their biggest guards for this duty, in an attempt to keep the press under control. They moved out the door slowly, allowing for two more guards to squeeze past before the first of the four prisoners stepped one foot outside the door.

Jermaine Heridia appeared first, a cruel smile gracing his olive tone skin. Emily smirked as she realized they must be releasing the men in order of her demands. Wonders never did cease, she mused; Alexis may have actually listened for once. Flashing gang signs and the tattoos with his victims names that covered his arm towards the camera, he blew a kiss at Kate Howard as he passed her by, clearly delighting in her uncomfortable squirm. She had chosen Heridia for one reason and one reason only, to prove there were men far worse than her brother in jail. While the public panicked over the whereabouts of a serial killer, she could quietly return to Canada with her brother and take care of the children.

Two more guards exited before Stan Johnson entered her eye sight, blinking in the glare of the flashbulbs. With his slim build and dreadlocked hair, there was nothing intimidating in Stan's physical appearance. But his skill with the computer made him lethal. His talents would come in handy for tracking the money Alexis still had to pay her. He would be able to trace and confuse any tracker the former DA tried to put on the transfer.

Benito Goodman was a risk because of his past involvement with Sonny and Jason. He was the only proof the PCPD had that Corinthos-Morgan Imports had smuggled in drugs from Cuba and surrounding islands. He was the only one who had ever hinted that he might be willing to testify against the mobsters for a lesser sentence. His importance to Alexis and her vendetta against Sonny alone made him valuable to Emily. With a full pardon, he would have no reason to cooperate with law enforcement. Besides, if all hell broke loose, he was a big guy and would provide a lot of cover for the more important people such as herself and her brother.

Emily felt her heart speed up as Jason finally took his first steps to freedom. His hair looked terrible and clearly their first stop was going to be a barber, Emily reasoned but other than that, he still looked wonderful to her. His face remained as calm as ever, a welcome sign to her his years behind bars had not changed him at all. His blue eyes scanned the crowd, most likely assessing for threats before he would take the few steps that separated them and allow himself to be happy. That was her brother, always thinking of others before himself, she thought proudly.

He met her eyes across the shabby pavement and his eyes registered a few moments of alarm. He must not have been expecting her. It was amazing how much time she had devoted to obsessing over him, what he might be doing, what he might be having for dinner, if he would ever complete that book he had promised the press upon entering Holscomb Prison. The two years she had spent away from him had not been wasted, though. She had managed to put her shaky life back together and she had him to thank for it; it was amazing how effective a drive hate could be.

It was unnerving that he still hadn't been blamed for all of his crimes, one in particular: the one that involved her six-year-old son. The cops had never put together enough evidence to make the case, but she had gathered all the knowledge she needed over the last couple of years. She wouldn't take it to the police, because they had made the mistake of encouraging her to move on with her life.

She made certain to convey the message she wanted with her eyes; her lips moved in a slow motion so that he wouldn't be confused. A thin, emotionless smile lit her coconut cream features, but didn't quite reach the dead walnut brown of her eyes. She enjoyed seeing the fear that filled his soulless blue eyes, remembering not too long ago when they had been filled with a steady arrogance. He had told her over and over again that he had nothing to do with what happened to Vincent; she could still hear his unwavering denial when she stopped by the shooting range after work. She had a license for the gun she carried, the one that felt as familiar as a loving hand in her right palm. The first few nights after Vincent's brutal murder she hadn't been able to sleep and Jason had comforted her with lies about how he would find the person responsible and make them pay. To think that she could have prevented it all if she had just kept him away from her only child.

Samantha McCall pulled the gun from her purse in a practiced motion to eliminate anyone else from seeing what she was doing. They were sardine-packed around the prison so it wasn't like they would figure it for a weapon. The silver .357 Magnum was amazingly weightless in her hand; she would have one chance and one chance only. The guards didn't deter her; could anything at this point? God Himself could reach down from Heaven and she wouldn't rethink what she knew she had to do. I failed Vincent before, but I won't do it again. Startled glances in her direction proved that she had said the words aloud. Her eyes wide, she forced the weapon into the back of her gray-blue jeans and covered it with her shirt, smiling at the worried crowd. "I'm trying out for a part on a soap opera."

He must have signaled his sister over, because suddenly the young woman was standing in Samantha's line-of-sight and she had a momentary lapse of judgment. The Quartermaine heiress had picked the wrong place to stand however; Samantha could aim at her shoulder and the bullet would go straight through Jason's heart. Retrieving the gun, she lifted it and fired two shots into the intended targets. One blink later, Emily was on the ground and Jason appeared unaffected. The guards responded as she had assumed they would and pulled out their own weapons, shouting at each other and asking the crowd where the shot had come from. Samantha dropped to her knees and weaved in-between the crowd thinking to herself, I still have two bullets left.

Logan's orders were to protect Jason, but he felt something mirroring empathy when he watched the damage the bullet had done to Emily's right shoulder. Jason was bent over her with the intention of holding up her head, but he must not have realized he was still wearing handcuffs because he had no problem strangling his sister. He was suddenly running toward them and didn't know why. Something shot out and caught his right ankle sending him prematurely to the ground so that his face slammed into the concrete.

"JASON!" Emily squealed as she tried to roll onto her back. Their combined hands were pressed solidly to her shoulder and she noticed that the bullet hadn't hit her in the shoulder at all, but in the side of the neck. Struggling to breathe as she choked on her own sticky blood, she looked up at her brother, her idol, and couldn't think of a single thing to say to him. This didn't stop her from trying to speak.

"Get these off of me!" Jason ordered, snatching the handcuff keys and freeing his hands. Cradling her head in his callused hands, he felt tears push to the front of his eyes. "Emily, just hold on. Somebody call an ambulance!"

A shot rang through the air and his body was thrown backwards into the chained linked fence. Having had the breath knocked out of him, he saw Emily at his feet, her eyes glazed over. He knew she wasn't dead because the harsh choking filled his ears. He put his hands over his ears and rocked back and forth. The gestured gave Samantha another shot at his heart. This time she didn't miss. His hands were slow to find the wound and he wasn't that surprised when no one rushed to help either of them. He wished longingly for his lockbox, the one he had kept at the top of his closet.

A stranger appeared to be standing in his shadow; he was quickly losing his grasp on perception. "Help Emily." Jason mouthed desperately, blood seeping through his fingers.

"Do I look like a miracle worker to you?" Logan challenged sardonically. "I can't bring people back from the dead."

"She's not dead! She's not! Don't talk about Carly that way!" Jason threatened through chattering teeth. "She's my only friend."

Kate Howard ran a quick hand through her perfect hair and waited until the camera was facing her. With a practiced air of sympathy, she announced to her viewers the most groundbreaking news this town had ever seen, "Jason Morgan is dead."

Officer Janet DiMero shook her head at the scene unfolding in front of her on the Port Charles Police Department's small TV kept on the reception desk. The Commissioner was not going to be happy about this one. It had been no secret the pardons had been a part of the ransom demand. Now with Morgan and his sister dead, at least two of the other men severely wounded and chaos all around who knew if the perps would contact again.

With a world-weary sigh, she closed her blue eyes and flipped off the set. She might as well get ready now, she reasoned. As soon as the bullets stopped flying in the prison yard the press was heading for one place, the PCPD and her desk. It was going to be up to her to divert the reporters to correct press room and practice the many different ways to say "No comment." Momentarily pausing to secure her blonde hair in the bun she wore during working hours, Janet began to put away the various reports that she had strewn across the desk.

The cool breeze was the only indication she had the door had been opened. Whoever entered the building had made no noise, which was eliminated most of the members of the press and the squad. No dramatic cry for help accompanied the entrance, so Janet didn't bother to look up right away. It obviously wasn't an emergency. The people in this town had a weakness for the dramatic.

A discrete cough caused her to look up for the first time. As the three figures became clear in her sight, Janet DiMero gasped and dropped every piece of paper she held in her hand. A disheveled Lulu Spencer stood before her, holding Morgan Corinthos Scorpio with one hand and Kristina Davis with the other. Lulu offered up a smile to the other woman.

"Hi. I think you are looking for us."


	207. When You Say Love

How had they gotten to the police station in one piece? And how had they not been found out yet? Luke counted both as the good fortune mumbo-jumbo Laura was always mumbling about. The call had come in twenty minutes ago and they had gotten across town without passing a single car; it made sense all of the noise around Holscomb Prison tonight. Neither of them had been watching when the notorious Jason Morgan and his youngest sister Emily were killed by a cop with a lucky shot when a shootout started in the prison yard. Luke hated to give the cops credit for anything, it disturbed his view of the world, but, he had to give this one points. Now that Morgan was dead, he bet all the danger involving him would dissipate just as quickly. He was, of course, going on instinct since there hadn't been a direct link to Jason Morgan and the kidnapping; he just thought it was rather convenient that Emily should make herself front and center on the same night her brother's release was demanded.

Laura had wanted to drive, but he had been smart enough not to let her. Officer DiMero had assured them that the kids were fine as far as she could see, but that she was having them checked out at General just in case. They had promised to meet her in the waiting room. He couldn't contain his excitement—or was it shock? It could have been a mixture, he supposed. He hadn't been able to ignore the memories all of this had brought back for him, for Laura, and for Lucky. He didn't have to talk to his son to know when something affected him; the boy wore his heart on his sleeve.

His wife was totally silent in the seat next to him and, for once, he wished she would start jabbering about this or that so he wouldn't feel inclined to grip the steering wheel. He reached for the dial on the radio, but it was all talk this time of night and none of their voices were welcome. He wasn't used to stillness surrounding his wife and it left him incredibly squirmy in his seat. If it weren't a pitch black and moderate temperate night he could have commented on the weather. She reached for his hand and he almost lost control of the car. In just a few short miles they would have the kids back and then it was back to worrying about the ordinary things, like when Lucky and Elizabeth would settle down and get married. He was betting on right after the baby was born, but he had been wrong before…just once, but it counted.

"How did she say the children seemed to her?" Laura asked for the millionth time since they listened to the call on speakerphone.

"She said that they were fine, no bumps or bruises." Luke repeated patiently.

"What if it's internal?" Laura wanted to know.

"Then I'm sure the doctor will tell us when we get there." Luke promised with a ghost of a smile.

"I'm just worried you know. No, scared. I'm not sure what I am." Laura admitted sheepishly.

"We're getting them back Angel." Luke reiterated. "Pretty soon it's back to family dinners and my motorcycle."

"What about your motorcycle? You haven't ridden it in months. You're worse than the kids with a new toy." Laura teased him.

Luke parked in the only remaining spot near the Emergency Room doors and they rushed inside. A million and one decisions rushed past his eyes like where would Lulu be living now?—because he somehow doubted Laura would let her out of their sight—would the family dinners be a mandatory thing now and be held five days a week?—they had a few holidays to make up for he supposed—were they going the right direction?—the officer had spoken too fast—and how had this experience changed the children? He could still remember the nightmares Lucky had had once they got him back and he wouldn't have been too surprised to know that his son still had them sometimes. Luke worried about how Elizabeth would handle them, because they were brought on by little things that no one but Lucky seemed to pick up and there were times when his son had been violent. Cameron had calmed his son dramatically and he was thankful for that.

In case anyone didn't know who they were looking for Laura dashing across the hallway toward their only daughter cleared up any and all confusion. If they hadn't known her name, Laura made certain to cry it out and throw her arms around Lulu's middle. His wife was not a large woman by any means, but her hugs were more like human death traps and he was a little worried when he couldn't even see his daughter anymore.

"Can't breathe." Lulu protested weakly as she lightly slapped Laura's shoulders.

"I'm sorry." Laura backed away from Lulu, but not so far that she couldn't push her bangs behind her ears and stare at her for a long while.

"It's okay Mom. Really. I missed you." Lulu must have caught her mother's tears, because in a moment's time Luke was dealing with two sobbing women.

"Are you okay?" Luke asked conversationally.

"Not a scratch on me." Lulu held out her arms for closer inspection. She had reacted the same way after falling off of her bike and slamming into a tree. She had been three at the time. Spencers didn't wait for age appropriate things. She had a full vocabulary by her second birthday. She had all A's in school and only her procrastination kept her from receiving a full scholarship to anywhere in the country. Selfishly, he was glad.

"They didn't hurt you?" Laura asked warily.

"Mom? Dad?" Lucky's voice came down the hallway as he rushed toward them. "Lulu?"

"Lucky!" Like a moth to a flame, his little Goldilocks leapt into her brother's arms.

"Lu." Lucky closed his eyes, trying to keep the tears back as he squeezed her tight. When his mother had called a few minutes ago, he hadn't fully believed it was over and Lulu was home. Now seeing her, it felt real. Maybe now he could put it all behind him. "I told you no scaring me to death." He whispered in a strangled voice

"I'm sorry." Lulu hiccupped. "Is Cameron okay?"

"He's fine. He's perfect." Lucky pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "Thanks to you Little Sister."

"And Cruz?" Lulu could still so very clearly see him crumpled on the ground.

"Fine. Aunt Bobbie is giving him nine kinds of hell for scaring her and missing Majandra's birth."

"Birth?" Lulu parroted. "But she's not due for..." She started to do some mental counting.

"Two months? Tell that to Majandra. Apparently she's a bit of a drama queen. Wonder who she gets that from?" Lucky teased gently.

"Clearly Aunt Bobbie." Lulu smiled. It felt good to smile with her brother and have him mirror the expression without a bit of hesitation. She had worried after Cameron's accident that her brother would never forgive him. Of course, accident or not, she still would have lunged for the gun.

"Lulu!" Morgan and Kristina screamed in unison, their voices following the sound of the elevator doors separating. There didn't seem to be anyone in the elevator with them.

"Children!" An out of breath brunette nurse called after them, holding onto the fire door. She must have climbed four flights of stairs after them.

"What? What? What's going on?" Lulu asked skeptically when they rushed her. It took her a minute to fully catch her breath.

"We got scared." Kristina explained with tears in her eyes.

"Why'd you get scared?" Lulu wondered, bending down so that they were all eye level with one another. "I told you I wouldn't leave you guys longer than I had to."

"But we got our stickers and they said you left." Morgan nodded hastily.

"No. No." Lulu hugged them to her and closed her eyes.

"Like either one of your mothers would let us leave you guys here." Lucky spoke quietly. "We're under strict orders to bring you to them."

"Where are they?" Kristina wanted to know, noticing Lucky for the first time.

"Well your mom is finishing up the mess people made at the prison." Lucky said to the little girl. "She and Mac are almost done. And your mom Morgan, your mom is making everything you love to eat at your house. And Patrick swears he's not helping."

"We'll know if we smell smoke." Luke muttered good-naturedly.

"Should we get you home to them then?" Laura suggested. The nurse smiled.

Both kids nodded enthusiastically. Morgan tugged on Laura's pearl-white sweater, "Can Lulu come too?"

"Try and stop me." Lulu smiled.

Alexis walked from one side of the too-small living room to the other, oftentimes tripping over a forgotten toy or the couch. Mac had attempted to get her to sit down, but it was a lost cause. She wouldn't be able to sit still, or at all, until the Spencers came through that door with Kristina. It had taken a lot longer than he had wanted to devote to "cleaning up the mess" at the prison. Only one of the requested prisoners had survived the shootout and he would be sure to inform Epiphany Johnson if she didn't encounter him at the hospital first, but right now he had only one thing on his mind and that was getting Kristina back. He hadn't been ignorant to the anger she had felt toward him; he vowed to do better. He had made a lot of promises lately and as soon as she was home he would start making them realities.

Due to the details of the ransom as well as her own failing health, Alexis had resigned as District Attorney, leaving the position open for someone else. Even though she had complained about having to do it because she had suspicions about the little twit under her getting the job, Mac was silently relieved that she had stepped down. He would rather have her here at home where he could take care of her, where they could take care of the kids together. He hadn't said any of this aloud because he didn't want to hurt her pride.

Alexis suddenly pushed back the dreary maroon drapes and placed her palms on the foggy window. "They're here!" She announced, making a dash for the door. Mac pulled her back slightly, holding her to him. "Let me go, I want to see my daughter!" She countered, trying to break free of his protective hold.

"It's below freezing and they'll come to the door. Please Alexis." Mac pleaded.

"No." Alexis pushed away from him, taking the slippery porch a little too fast. She caught herself and screamed for Kristina. Her daughter emerged from the backseat suddenly and slid around Lucky's arms as he released the lap belt around her tiny waist. "Kristina, baby." Alexis dropped to her knees in the middle of the driveway; Kristina launched herself into her mother's arms.

"Mommy." Kristina sobbed into the purple wool of Alexis' sleeve. "I was good, Mommy. I was good."

"Oh, baby, I know you were." Alexis sniffed back her tears and ran a shaking hand through Kristina's soft hair. "I missed you so much." She was only now beginning to register the moisture seeping through her sweatpants. Apparently Mac noticed too because he was there helping her to her feet as she cradled Kristina in the same way she had when the child was a newborn.

Mac got them inside and then turned to Lucky. He could clearly see Morgan in the backseat even though his nephew hadn't moved or looked in his direction. "How is Lulu? And your parents?"

"They're good. Lulu's…well Lulu." Lucky laughed. "I think right now Mom is forcing her to move back home."

"I think I might have the same talk with my girls." Mac considered with a smile. "Thank you." He was a little ashamed that Lucky should see him cry, but he didn't think there was anything he could do about it.

"No problem." Lucky made his way back to the driver's side. "I better get Morgan back before Robin calls another seventeen times."

"I should get in there." Mac nodded toward the house. "Thank your sister for us."

"I will."

Patrick had given up trying to get Robin to relax; he was keeping a safe distance from kitchen. Robin had come up with the idea two seconds after Luke called and told them about Lulu literally walking into the PCPD with both children, not a scratch on them. She had told him if she didn't have the right treat in the house, she would go out and find it; nothing was too good for Morgan. He had nodded mutely and watched in wonder as she flew from cabinet to cabinet. He had made the mistake of offering to help and she had given him a look he recognized all too well as the rays of death.

Robin's right hand had started to go numb somewhere between the fifth and sixth batch of blueberry muffins. Morgan was too much like her to want too many sugary treats, so she had provided him with a variety of foods and drinks. She had gotten at least halfway through her big cookbook and tried all of the unfamiliar recipes, delighted when they turned out just right. Patrick didn't think she could do it, so she had told him to take his negative energy to the living room where it wouldn't influence her cooking. She wasn't blind to the fact that she was overcompensating. Once Morgan was home, she was taking him out of school and spending the week just holding him in her arms.

Instead of the knock Patrick was expecting, Lucky turned the knob and let himself and Morgan into the apartment. He knew Robin was aware of the change because the metal spatula slapped hard against the tile floor. She was a blur as she ran past him, losing her apron on the way, and sweeping Morgan into her arms. At first, she wasn't even talking. Her words were nothing more than mumbles and desperate cries, but eventually flowed into some murmured phrases. Morgan didn't say anything; he didn't even move. He was limp in her arms. Patrick moved closer to see if maybe he was missing something. His cousin's features were expressionless and there was very little life in his eyes.

Patrick and Lucky acknowledged the other's presence, but their focus was on the mother and son crouched in the doorway. When Robin went to stand up, Morgan suddenly clung to her as if some part of his brain recognized her as his mother and he felt safe enough to do so. His dark eyes closed and tears slipped beneath his thick lashes.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you?" Robin wanted to know, leaning her head back so she could see Morgan's face.

"I'm okay." Morgan assured her.

"Doctor said he'd be fine. No scratches. No bumps. No bruises." Lucky chimed in quickly.

"I know I'm probably being crazy, but let me hold you for a little while longer, okay?" Robin pleaded, burying her face in Morgan's shoulder.

"It's okay." Morgan whispered.

Patrick was trapped in his spot, uncertain of what he should say or do. He hadn't forgotten his last exchange with his cousin and told himself that he was going to have to try and do better where Morgan was concerned. Lucky must have noticed his discomfort, because he motioned him into the hallway.

"What are you thinking?" Lucky asked bluntly.

"That I'm in the way." Patrick answered honestly.

"Physically Morgan is fine. But he will need you. He'll need both of you."

"I don't know how to be there for him. Things are so weird between us on a normal day. I don't want him to think that I'm going to take Robin away from him." Patrick hadn't realized just how overwhelmed he was until this moment. Suddenly, it was all crashing down on top of him and he had no idea how to do anything but close his eyes and wait for the inevitable.

"Show him you aren't. Let him cling to Robin right now. Don't freak out when he freaks out. Even if you can't, don't let him see you might not be able to handle it. Don't let either of them see it."

Patrick ran a shaky hand down his face and peeked through his fingertips before letting his arm fall to his side. This wasn't about whether or not he wanted to do it; he had no choice in the matter. From this point on—from the moment he had found out he was going to be a father—he had known that Robin and Morgan were his family. He might have known before, but logically he had waited for a moment such as this one to accept his responsibilities. Of course, he couldn't call them that out loud because they lost their drive, their purpose, and most of all their importance if he did. Saying so to Robin would hurt her, because he knew she often wondered if her parents would still be together if it hadn't been for her. "All I remember about my father is how much he didn't want me. To make Morgan feel that too...to know that he's felt that way about me…"

Lucky raised an eyebrow at Patrick's response. It was rare for his cousin to admit any insecurity, rarer still to talk about his father. Something was clearly rattling him, something larger than the kidnapping. If he was a betting man, he would have put money on Patrick being more at ease once Morgan was returned, not more tense than he was. "The difference is you are aware of how that feels. Your dad wasn't. Make the effort."

"Thanks." Patrick hated how bland his response sounded, but what else could he say. He had uncovered a buried vulnerability, but experience told him not to expose it for too long. "I better get in there."

"You call if you need anything. Robin too."

"We will. Drive safe." Patrick said before going inside.


	208. Sex And Candy

Stealing away to the corner of Mac's den, Georgie pulled her cell phone out from the back pocket of her jeans. The rest of the family was still gathered in the living room, watching Kristina, who fell sound asleep on the couch, the adrenaline that got her through the day finally leaving her tiny body. Wiping away the tears that had stolen down her face, Georgie smiled at the realization her family was together again. Everyone was where they were supposed to be tonight and nothing was going to change that.

She pressed the familiar numbers in, half hoping she wasn't going to disturb him and half hoping he was still awake wondering about her. Listening to the rings on the other end, she promised herself she wouldn't call back if she got the voicemail. She would just leave a message and wait for him to call her. She would not under any circumstances leave him message after message after message.

Steven stumbled over a basket of laundry in his pursuit to pick up the phone before he missed the call. Out of breath, he lifted the receiver and took a moment to glance at the Caller ID. "I was just thinking about you."

"Really? I hope it wasn't about how much better off you are without me." She tried to keep her voice light, but Georgie couldn't lie to herself. It was a thought that had plagued her since he left. Would he come to his senses and she become his something crazy he had done in Paris?

Steven couldn't hide his surprise. "Why would you think that?"

Georgie shrugged, forgetting that he couldn't see her. "It's just sometimes I feel all I've brought you since we've met is one family drama after another."

Steven found his voice instantly. "Georgie. I owe your family a lot. If that means they require your attention sometimes, it's a small price to pay if I get to be with you at the end of the day."

"How'd you get so wonderful?"

"I watched a lot of Gone with the Wind."

Georgie laughed. "Well Rhett I have some news. Kristina, Morgan, and Lulu are home!"

"That's wonderful news! Are they alright?" Steven wanted to know.

"The doctors said not a scratch on them. They all needed fluids, but apparently they all convinced themselves there was something in the water they were given and refused to drink anything."

"I can't even begin to imagine what they've been through, but at least they're home now. And safe." Steven added for good measure.

"Yeah. It's great. I don't even mind sleeping in Robin's old room."

Steven laughed. "At least it's just temporary...right?" It was a sensitive situation and he didn't want to pressure her to return to Paris; he just hoped she still wanted to.

"I have no doubt. Give them another week and I'm sure my dad and Alexis will be throwing me back on the plane. Might take less time if I keep trying to make Maxie follow doctor's orders. She'd put me on the plane tonight if she could."

"I doubt that. Your family loves you. How could they not?"

Blushing at his compliment, she was grateful they were on the phone and he couldn't see her turn bright red. "I know they love me. Which is why I know once Kristina is settled in they will start the chant of it's time I went back to finish. At least Alexis, Robin, and Maxie will. Dad might be a little reluctant."

"Your dad...is he a big guy?" Steven asked with an intended pinch to his voice.

"Yup and he carries a big gun." Georgie couldn't help but tease him.

"Good to know." Steven remarked. "How are you doing?"

"Much better now that everyone's home." She paused to make sure she was still alone in the room. No sense in having anyone overhear what she was about to say next. "There is one thing that's not going so well though."

"What's that?" Steven whispered.

Dropping her voice to a whisper that matched his own, she smiled at his concern. "I miss you, that's what."

"Yeah? Well we'll just have to do something about that when you come back, won't we?"

"Is that so?"

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't keep you satisfied at all times?" Steven challenged. When she didn't respond right away, a blush crept into Steven's cheeks without his permission. "Are you still there?"

Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Georgie let out the breath she had been holding. "Yeah. I'm still here. Sorry. I guess I spaced there for a minute." Or longer, wondering if he did plan on keeping her satisfied in every way.

Amused that he could knock her off-balance, Steven said, "Spaced out huh? Were you having naughty thoughts about me?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She retorted in her best teasing tone. "Maybe it's you who has to confess to naughty thoughts here."

"I've never pretended otherwise." Steven pointed out shamelessly.

"So you're counting down the seconds until I'm back in Paris then? Planning out everything you want to do with me when I get back?" She left her words deliberately vague, letting him do with them what he would.

"I have some definitive ideas." Steven admitted wryly. "Nothing we're discussing over the phone."

"Then I guess I'll just have to wait until I get back there to discuss this like mature adults?"

"I'll let you get some sleep." He couldn't help remembering what it had been like to have her in his arms and in his bed all night long. There would be some changes next time around, he thought to himself.

"That's my line buddy. It's later over there than it is here."

"Either we get off the phone now or I'm not held accountable for what I say in regards to what I want to do with you." Steven threatened lightly.

"You wouldn't. You're too nice a guy." She said firmly. "But I do have to go."

"Alright. Fine. Abandon me." Steven teased.

"Never. I miss you."

"Not for too much longer. Goodnight Georgie girl."

"Goodnight Steven."

Ric's house was a lot bigger than Maxie had thought it would be. The front and garage doors were a rich brown color and the house was butter yellow with a perfect white finish. A sidewalk cut the driveway in half revealing a row of townhouses ranging in color and design, each complimented by nicely trimmed front lawns. It had taken her a long time to sneak over without anyone realizing she was gone; she wondered if he was still expecting her or if he had given up and gone to bed. Of course she wouldn't have blamed him if he had. During their talks, he had told her he was usually up at five every other morning, on-call on Thursdays, and filled up the remaining days with consults.

Lifting her hand to knock, she was surprised to find the door open without having to turn the handle. For some reason, this put her ill at ease. He could have been on his way out and forgotten to lock the door; in a neighborhood like this, it was very unlikely he'd be robbed. Since the garage door was down, she had no way of knowing if he was even home. He had stopped answering his phone after his hasty text message, so she hadn't been able to tell him how late she would be. Leaving Robin's had required no effort, but the call from her dad that Kristina was home had stopped her in her tracks. Granted, by the time she made it over there, her little sister was sound asleep, but she had watched her for what felt like an eternity but according to her phone had only been an hour.

She didn't feel right walking into the house unannounced so she rounded the corner of the house and looked to see if the gate was unlatched. It never occurred to her that she could have called his name, because the eerie feeling was clouding her judgment. Something was going on and she wasn't sure she wanted to know what it was. She grabbed a piece of the fence and hoisted herself over since the door was on the opposite side of the yard and the light she was dealing with was not the best. The next obstacle was the patio door which, of course, was latched shut. A creaking sound alerted her that she might not be alone in the backyard and she started to wish she was in the front yard where there would at least be a few witnesses. Her eyes searched for the owner of the sound and instantly her eyes picked up on the swinging gate door. She spun around and collided with Ric, her scream catching in her throat.

"Jesus, what are you doing out here?" Ric demanded, pushing her into the house. She had been so frightened, she hadn't heard the patio doors spring open.

"Me? What are you doing skulking around a dark house scaring me?" Maxie shot back, taking a step out of his arms when she noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

"I wasn't skulking." Ric argued pointedly. "And it's my house."

"So? You think that makes it okay? God, I think I lost ten years off my life. Are you happy?" Maxie ranted, pacing.

"I wasn't trying to scare you. I thought you were a burglar." Ric admitted with a smirk.

"Yeah." Maxie snorted. "Because all burglars—" Her indignant sentence was cut short by his lips pressing roughly against hers. Her arms twined around his neck of their own volition and she leaned into him.

Ric gathered Maxie closer and backed her into the living room where they at least had a couch at their disposal. Her mouth trembled beneath his and he groaned, reaching out to find the cushions and lowering her onto them.

Maxie's fingers danced down Ric's naked spine and she sighed when he parted her lips with his tongue. What had she been mad about? She hadn't been mad, she had been scared. His weight pushed her deeper into the cushions and their combined body heat left their skin permeated.

Catching the string on the back of Maxie's white lacy top, Ric used his thumb and forefinger to unravel it, lifting up on his elbows to pull it apart and tug it off of her. Satisfied for the moment, he sunk back into her, feeling her heart hammering against her ribs.

Maxie arched into Ric's hand when his fingers got to work on the front latch of her brassiere and just when she thought she would explode into an array of sensation, he reached over her head and picked something up, discarding it before she could see what it was. "Ric?" Her voice sounded small in her ears and she started to get that nagging feeling again. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing." Ric shook his head and buried his face against her neck, catching the soft skin between his teeth.

"You would tell me…" Maxie let her voice trail off.

"Tell you what?" Ric wondered. Talking was the kiss of death for them; why couldn't she just be quiet?

"What was it?" Maxie attempted to sit up, but he kept her in place by putting his free hand over her stomach.

"What was what?" Ric grumbled.

"Whatever it is you just had." Maxie clarified impatiently.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Why are you talking at all?" Ric whined. She probably wouldn't have even seen it if he hadn't made a grab for it. Stupid, he chided himself. Cold shower for him. Or rather another cold shower.

"Let me up." Maxie insisted, pushing on his shoulders.

"I like you where you are." Ric argued stubbornly.

"I'm sure you do. If you'll just tell me what you had…" Maxie reasoned.

Ric recognized the trick. He could tell her, but she most certainly wouldn't let him near her after that. He had blown it for the night. Time to pack it up and send her home. Damn it all to hell! "You're crazy, do you know that?" Ric caught her bottom lip between his teeth and lightly stroked away the sting with his tongue. It was a last ditch effort. She had like a two-second attention span so as long as he kept this up, she should forget what she had seen…

"Stop it, Ric." Maxie turned her face away from him and his reaction was to stand up and walk out of the living room altogether. Something told her whatever had been on the top of the couch was now discarded and out of sight. She sat up and frowned at the back of his head.

Ric wanted to say so much, but he couldn't put his irritation into words. It was just easier to put distance between them. Leaning into the corner, he reached listlessly for his forgotten cup of coffee. He could tell by just touching the mug that the dark liquid had gone cold.

"Are you seriously pouting?" Maxie couldn't hide her surprise, nor did she want to. She pulled on her shirt and halfheartedly fastened it.

"You should probably go home." Ric suggested when he heard her footsteps gaining on him.

Maxie forced an angry breath through her nostrils. "Oh, I see. Thank you for clearing it up for me." She rushed past him almost calmly, but the sound of the door slamming shut broke through the subterfuge.

Ric walked over to the back of the couch and retrieved Kate's cream jacket she had forgotten. If Maxie had shown up a few minutes earlier, a few seconds even, she would have come face-to-face with his soon-to-be-ex-wife.

_**Muhahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Love Kristin**_


	209. Pocket Full Of Sunshine

Lulu blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the police station having just come in from an exceptionally bright morning. Mac had called and asked if she would come in to give a statement since the kids refused to talk about it. He didn't think it was any easier on her, but he needed more than what he had to take the case to the new acting D.A., Billy Korals. Alexis was still spitting teeth about the town's decision to push him into her old position, but there wasn't anything to be done about it. She had taken Kristina with her when they remembered about her first round of Chemo starting today.

"Can't we just do this later?" Lulu questioned. She knew she had to talk to Mac and the new DA eventually but did it have to be her first full day home? Couldn't she at least go see Cameron and her new cousin first?

"If it were up to me, we would hold off, but I don't want these guys to get away with what they did. If we're going to catch them, we have to do this now." Mac explained solemnly. "We can talk in my office."

"Does he have to be there?" She asked pointing toward the new DA. It was possible he was competent, Lulu reasoned, but then again there hadn't been a good DA before Alexis. She highly doubted this guy could fill her shoes. He was far too twitchy.

"I'm afraid so." Mac muttered under his breath. "Come on Junior. I'm not going to hold your hand. If you can't handle your position..." He let the threat hang in the air as he took in the man's wrinkled gray-blue suit. His hair had enough gel to start a fire and his eyes were shifty when Mac spof to him, when anyone spoke to him.

"I am perfectly capable. This town wouldn't have elected me otherwise." Billy Korals assured them.

"This town didn't elect you." Lulu muttered under her breath.

"Let's get this over with." Mac ordered. "I'm sure you're anxious to make lunch with your mom." He figured he could be nice to this guy, but why should he? At least when the last D.A. got out of line, he could soothe her temper and get her to come around to his side...almost always. He had no tolerance for this guy and had no intention of training him even though he assumed that would be part of his job now.

"I have some photos for you to look at, Miss Spencer." Billy informed her, spreading them across Mac's immaculate desk.

"She doesn't need to see pictures." Mac cut him off.

"Commissioner, I don't tell you how to do your job. I would expect the same courtesy from you." Billy snapped.

"Look, Mac is right. I don't need any pictures to identify who kidnapped Kristina, Morgan, and me. I couldn't forget them even though I want to." Lulu cut in.

"We already know one of them was Logan." Mac chimed in, reaching for her shoulder and lightly squeezing it. "The DNA match came in right after the attempt on Cameron."

"No good bastard. I'm glad he never claims us as family."

Billy flipped open another folder he was carrying. "Oh yes, Logan Drake. What do we know about him?" He asked, clearly missing the exchange.

"A little research is required for your—oh never mind." Mac grumbled.

"Can we just move on? Please?" Lulu begged. Talking about Logan was the quickest way to make her loose her temper.

"Yes." Mac said before the idiot in Alexis' place could argue. "You said there were four total." He remembered the initial report she had given to his officer the night before.

"Yeah. I only saw Logan at first. Then we got to the house."

"Did he lose his mask or did you recognize his voice?" Billy wanted to know.

"What difference does that make?" Mac snapped. "What happened next, Lulu?"

"I was unconscious when they brought me in. They kept Kristina, Morgan and I together for a little bit and then they put us in separate rooms. Logan tried to keep quiet but it was too late. I already knew it was him."

Turning to look Mac in the eye, Lulu continued, "She's the one who grabbed Morgan. It's why he left. He thought it was ok with Aunt Courtney."

"My God..." Mac breathed. "She's Robin's best friend."

"Not anymore."

Lulu muttered darkly and continued with her account. "Courtney kept talking to someone on the phone. I never could figure out who it was. Maybe Morgan did. She seemed to stay around him the most."

"Did she say why she took him?" Mac asked carefully.

"Unlike the movies, there wasn't a lot of monologue going on there. Conversation wasn't a strong point of our hosts."

"Run me through a normal day..." Billy encouraged her.

"There was a routine. We'd be woken up early, there wasn't a clock, but the sun was just getting up. We could see the light through the windows which they had boarded up and nailed shut. One of them was always there. They would slide us food, shut the door, and lock it again. Same at lunch and dinner. Maybe they would talk to us, most often they didn't. Courtney was always on the phone. Logan just sulked around. Emily, well that depended on the day."

"Emily?" Mac and Billy asked in unison.

"Emily Quartermaine." Lulu nodded. "My guess? She was the brains behind all this. Courtney and Logan sure seemed to follow what she said."

"It makes sense." Mac finally said. "She was the one who tampered with Robin's brakes. It makes since that she would go after Morgan. Kristina and Cameron though...that's what I don't understand."

"I don't think Cameron was a part of the original plan. Emily and Courtney sure seemed surprised when he came back with me. I heard both of them yell at him about it a couple of times. I think that was some sort of twisted family payback." Lulu offered. "But other than that, I'm not sure. Emily was a nut and didn't make sense ninety percent of the time."

"That's a pretty fair assessment." Billy muttered, staring at her file.

"That still leaves us Courtney, Logan, and the mystery caller." Billy deduced.

"Security cameras outside Holscomb place Logan with Emily up until the point she and Jason Morgan were murdered. After that, I don't know." Mac told them.

"He's gone?" Lulu shrieked. "You don't know where he is?"

"He's like a mole in the ground." Mac explained. "His picture has been all over the news as well as Courtney's. Neither has been spotted yet."

"You don't get it. If there is one trait Logan got from the Spencers it's the ability to disappear. From the day he and Robin split to Cameron's accident, we never saw him. We didn't know where he was. Lucas couldn't get a trail on him for more than two days at a time and even then it was always cold. If you haven't found him now, you're going to." Lulu explained in a rush. "I know Courtney will be spotted sooner or later. Or turn herself in. She was too scared about everything. But you aren't going to find Logan."

"Lulu, have a little faith." Mac placed his hands over hers.

"Is it possible the fourth guy is supplying the money?" Billy pondered aloud.

"Well I didn't exactly ask for bank records." Lulu snarled.

"Where are you going with this?" Mac wondered, ignoring Lulu's outburst.

"Miss Spencer, I'm assuming since you found your way home, you could lead us to where you were kept captive." Billy continued.

"What difference does that make?" Mac growled. "She said the fourth guy was only available by phone. The lab could dust for prints and would still only come up with three out of four, Lulu, and the children."

"The reason I ask is because we could see who bought the cabin. My money's on the faceless guy. We could track him and maybe he'd lead us to the other two."

"I hate to point out the obvious, but Emily wasn't exactly living in the poorhouse." Lulu pointed out, running her hand through her hair. "The money could have come from her

"She would be so obvious though? Granted, I never met her, but this file doesn't portray a stupid woman. Crazy, unbalanced, a little naïve, but not stupid."

"If she was sane enough to plan this out, there's a chance she was letting the other guy pay the bill. I'm just saying it's a string to follow." Mac held up his hands in surrender.

"Whatever. But if you're right then its also possible the fourth person didn't use their real name." Lulu argued. "We were in Canada. It's not like we were close to home."

"Unless they got cocky." Billy made one last attempt, his voice rather weak.

"Did they say anything, Lulu? Anything that could lead us to that fourth person?" Mac pressed.

"Nothing specific. And Courtney was the only one I really heard talking to whoever it was. Maybe Emily but she talked to so many people it was hard to keep track. And it wasn't like they were using names. They knew I was listening."

"Thank you for coming in, Lulu." Mac showed her to the door.

"Just find them Mac. Please?" Lulu begged.

Catching the hesitation in her eyes, he hugged her to him and whispered, "I'll find him. And when I do, he's only going to be identifiable through dental records."

Cruz watched his little baby fist her hand and bring it to her mouth, recognizing it as her foolproof system of testing the world around her. Everything went in the mouth. The book promised this would happen for a while and, as a guy, he couldn't knock her system. Grinning, he tickled the bottom of her little foot, watching her little toes point outward when he would have expected them to scrunch since it was a major tickle spot for him and the rest of the world. She was clearly one of a kind.

He carefully slipped her pink hat over her dark mess of hair. It had taken her a little while to even notice that it was there, but once she had, she decided she would rather hold it in her little hands. He thought back to the plastic "training" baby doll his friends had loaned him and thought about how little help it had been. When Majandra started crying, there was no magic key to make her stop. Bobbie swore she had different types of cries and each had a different rating on the importance scale such as her hungry cry and her overall whining cry. Cruz, though, couldn't tell and that meant he picked her up every time she made a sound. He was just thankful they had moved her out of the NICU section, because he was able to touch her without gloves and that made bonding a little easier

It had been hell convincing Bobbie to go home and rest when they couldn't bring their daughter home too. It had been even worse convincing himself to do so, because he understood her reasons for not wanting to. The idea was to protect the baby while it was growing in the belly, give birth, and take it home. By showing up two months early, she had changed up the rules and left her parents in a hall of mirrors. "Not to worry, Princess." Cruz cooed to her. "We made special arrangements with the nurses. It's lucky you come from such good genes."

Sliding his left arm under her tiny body, Cruz held her close to his chest so she could hear his heartbeat against her right ear. He rocked her carefully, humming a song his mother had sung to him when he was a little boy unable to sleep because of nightmares. His own experience had inspired the idea for Cameron's Monster Spray. He had been sad to see his mother, aunt, and grandmother leave, but he had noticed how calm Bobbie was because of their departure and knew there were still some bridges left to mend. It would take some time.

"Who's got you?" Bobbie asked as she came into the room. There were special visiting hours for seeing the babies and she and Cruz just kind of camped out in the waiting room in the long stretches of time in-between. He must have woken up before her. "Has Daddy got you?"

"We're dancing Mommy." Cruz explained with a nod of his head. "Tell her. Tell her." He coaxed when Majandra yawned and lifted her fists into the air.

"I see that. Hello Pretty Girl." Bobbie stepped close enough so her Majandra could touch her face. "It's good to know you sleep late. Yeah. Yeah." It was too soon for her daughter to smile, but she could feel that she wanted to anyway.

"She feels warm." Cruz noted turning her in his arm so he could look into her bright blue eyes.

"You feelin' okay? Huh? Tell me about it." Bobbie watched him tense slightly and knew the change in temperature worried her husband. Taking Majandra from him, she pressed her lips to her forehead and realized he was right. "Oh, it's okay. It's okay." She promised when her baby started to cry.

"Should I get a doctor?" Cruz wondered peeking over Bobbie's shoulder.

"You're worrying over nothing. She's just a little warm." Bobbie assured him lightly. She made silly faces at Majandra until her face contorted in discomfort. "What's the matter, my little peach?"

"I'm getting a doctor." Cruz decided stepping past them.

"Cruz don't—" Bobbie tried, but he was already out the door. "You've got Daddy wrapped around your little finger. Yeah. Yes you do." Moving the baby to her shoulder, she lovingly rubbed her back and tried to mimic Cruz's dance, but Majandra was having none of it. She started to wail.

"Well what do we have here?" Dr. Michael Gill walked confidently into the nursery with an anxious Cruz following closely behind him. "I hear this little lady isn't feeling well." he explained as he reached for the little girl from her mother's arms

"She's just warm." Bobbie repeated stubbornly, hesitantly handing over her baby.

"It's better to be safe than sorry." Cruz reasoned.

"You're going to make her neurotic." Bobbie growled.

"With our early arrivals we like to take every precaution." Dr. Gill said calmly. "It won't hurt her any to take her temperature just to make sure there is nothing going on." He shot a wink in Bobbie's directions. "You know what nervous wrecks first time fathers are."

"Yes. I do." Bobbie agreed sneaking a sideways glance at Cruz.

"Well?" Cruz prompted impatiently.

"Honey, relax." Bobbie said almost distractedly.

"It will just take a minute more." Dr. Gill advised them both. "Just waiting for the beep."

Majandra wiggled in his arms, impatient to be put down and only willpower kept the nervous parents from snatching her up and running out of the hospital with her.

"There we go little one." Dr. Gill drew the thermometer up to his eyes and handed her back to her anxious parents. "Let's see what we have here..."

Catching the eye of a nearby nurse, Dr. Gill motioned with his head for her to come closer to the group. "Well it does look like this little princess does indeed have a temperature."

"What happens now?" Cruz inquired breathlessly.

Ignoring the question, Dr. Gill instead started to question them. "Has she been cranky lately?"

"Just since I picked her up this morning." Bobbie answered.

"Has she been irritated when being held?"

"Yes." They responded in unison.

Nodding, Dr. Gill took a breath. "And how early was she?"

"Two months." Cruz didn't like the doctor's tone.

"We won't know anything until we run a few tests…" Dr. Gill started.

"Tests?" Bobbie wailed. "What kind of tests?"

"As I said, I don't want to commit to anything just yet, but it does sound as if your daughter may have picked up meningitis. We won't be sure unless we do a spinal tap."

"How could she be sick? She lives in a hospital!" Cruz snapped forcing a breath through his teeth. Bobbie put her hands on his shoulders and softly stroked them in a familiar motion.

"Hard to say for sure, but with her being so early, she's easily susceptible to anything." Dr. Gill said in a comforting tone.

"What can we do for her now?" Bobbie wanted to know.

"Right now you let us figure out what's wrong. We'll figure out the rest after that."


	210. Waiting For The World To Change

Pausing just outside the doors of the station, Lulu closed her eyes and tried to calm her heart rate. She wasn't about to admit it to anyone, but the fact that Logan was still out there scared her to death. Her cousin was anything but predictable; the attack on Robin and trying to kidnap Cameron proved that. He needed to be locked up, where she could be sure he wouldn't hurt another member of her family again. She wanted to trust Mac's words and have the faith he urged her to have. But faith hadn't helped her brother much when Faison had him and faith had nothing to do with her own release. That was all Spencer instincts.

Tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, she made her way toward the parking lot. It had taken hours of her begging plus her father's own version of logic to convince her mother to let her do this alone today. Only the solemn promise to not be late for their lunch date had gotten her out the door. If she missed this one, Lulu was reasonably sure she wouldn't be allowed out of her parents' house for the next twenty to thirty years.

"Miss Spencer? Miss Spencer!" Kate Howard called coming toward her. She had managed to ditch her cameraman for the moment and that gave her a sneaky approach.

"Yes?" The other woman was vaguely familiar to her, but for the life of her Lulu couldn't place her. "Can I help you?"

"I was wondering if you might be willing to tell me what happened." Kate pried carefully. She had managed to ditch her camera man for the moment and that gave her a sneaky approach.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Kate Howard with WSBX News." Kate explained cutting off Lulu from a direct route to the parking lot.

"Look I don't really want to go over this again. I just want to move on with my life." Lulu tried to step around the reporter.

"If it's not me, it'll be someone else, and I'm not in the business of skewing the truth. I understand you're the heroine of this particular story." Kate praised her.

"I didn't do anything anyone else wouldn't have done." Lulu protested, although flattered all the same.

"I know plenty who would have waited for some man to save you. You'll give hope to other women out there in all sorts of situations." Kate insisted.

Lulu snorted. "Waiting for the men of this town to save you gets you in more trouble than what you needed rescuing for."

"I wouldn't know. I'm from The City." Kate mused. "Would you be willing to talk to me?"

Lulu chewed her bottom lip. "I'm supposed to meet my mother soon. If I don't show up on time, she'll freak."

"I would love to meet your family." Kate smiled.

"Not a good idea. My brother and father aren't real big on reporters." By some stroke of luck, between Lucky and Ned the fact that Cameron had been the actual target had been swept under the rug. There was no way she was going to blow that work by bringing home a reporter to the family.

"Don't tell them I'm a reporter." Kate suggested.

"Surprisingly they have this thing about being lied to." Lulu shrugged. "I know you are just doing your job and all, but I can't tell you anything more than what the police did."

"I doubt that. Please. I haven't had the best luck with witnesses. You'd really be helping me out." Kate begged.

She could feel herself caving. "Does it have to be today? I really don't want to hash out what happened again and again today."

Kate handed her a business card. "You can reach me at this number any time. I'm staying at the Metro Court. Just ask for me at the front desk."

"I'm not promising anything. I'll just think about it." Lulu cautioned tucking the card in the back pocket of her jeans.

"I won't take up too much of your time, I promise." Kate had been doing this long enough to appeal to even the most hardened of individuals. This kid was easy as cake.

It had been a struggle to convince herself to go to work today, but eventually practicality had won out. She had been taking quite a bit of time off lately, with good reason Elizabeth allowed, but if she didn't put in some appearances in her classroom she was going to be in danger of running out of sick time—it could very well start cutting into her maternity leave. Not to mention it would become impossible to convince Cameron that he needed to go to school even though Aunt Lulu was home if she didn't go to work on the same day.

Although right now, it probably would have been better if she had in fact stayed home. She might physically be in the classroom, but her mind was nowhere near it. As she absentmindedly patted one of her students on the head, Elizabeth found herself reliving the scene from this morning over and over again. The one that kept yelling at her something was very wrong.

Last night had been wonderful. Lulu and the kids had come home and they were fine. Judging by the look on his face when he finally made it home, Lucky and his sister had finally buried the hatchet over Cameron's accident. Some of the tension she had seen taken residence in Lucky's shoulders appeared to disappear. He had been smiling, joking, and laughing with her and Cameron. It felt as if they could start to look forward and maybe her constant declarations of Tony and Lisa possibly reconsidering could actually happen.

Then came the morning light and she awoke alone in their bed. Assuming that once again she had overslept, she hadn't thought too much of it until she realized Cameron wasn't up yet. It was their routine, the first one up started the process of getting Cameron up and ready for school. Padding down the stairs, she had stopped when she saw Lucky laying on the couch, sound asleep, a blanket barely covering him. A pillow she recognized from their room was under his head, indicating to her at least, this was deliberate. Lucky had chose to sleep on the couch rather than with her.

When had he come downstairs? Why? The questions echoed in her head on a continuous loop as she had neared him, reaching out a hand to try to wake him. When he had jerked at the light touch, she had drawn her back, stung. His face, smiling and laughing the night before, was contorted in a mask of torment. And just as quickly as it came upon him, it disappeared as he started to wake up.

His vague explanation for why he had chosen to sleep downstairs had been cut short by Cameron's arrival downstairs and the routine to get him ready for school. She had tried to steal a few minutes alone with him, tried to ask him what was going on, but he had evaded her every maneuver, barely kissing her on the cheek as they went out the door.

Glancing out her classroom windows, Elizabeth bit her lip to keep the tears back for what felt like the twentieth time that hour. She couldn't ignore it any longer or excuse it. Something was seriously wrong with Lucky and he wasn't telling her anything about it. He'd probably blame the stress on the custody fight or the fact the kidnappers were still at large, but it felt like there was something else, something bigger at play here. She just couldn't figure out what it was.

Patrick probably knew. But he had his hands full with Morgan and the new baby. She wasn't even positive she could be near Patrick right now without breaking her promise to Robin and letting the other man know she knew everything about the complications they were facing right now. Cruz was still recovering from his own injuries and bonding with his new daughter. Nothing in the world would make her want to interrupt that for them. His parents had just gotten Lulu back. There was no reason to worry them about something going on with Lucky when she couldn't even put her finger on what was bothering him. No it was looking more and more as if she was going to have to either push him to tell her or wait for him to come to her.

Patrick woke up the same way he had woken up for the past two weeks: dangling over the edge of the mattress with sheets twined around his legs and pillows conveniently placed where he would have to fall in order to get off of the bed. He could blame the bad dreams or the utter discontentment he had felt lately, but he knew this daily ritual had more to do with the fact that he had spent every night since Morgan had been brought home in bed alone. Robin simply refused to leave Morgan's side. When she wasn't curled up next to him, she had him at the park, or a museum, or the zoo. He didn't mind the time she was spending with her son; she had missed him terribly. What ate away at him was that nothing Robin decided to do ever included him. He would, more often than not, go to sleep alone and wake up alone; sometimes Robin was nice enough to leave a note explaining where she had gone, but most mornings he would find her car missing from the parking lot.

She didn't seem to need him anymore, or at least that was what she was trying to make the rest of the world believe. When they had first started seeing each other, he had teased her about her obsession with being the world's greatest mom, but now was completely different: now she didn't know how to stop. She must have been crowding Morgan, but of course his cousin would never say a word. He needed Robin as much as she needed him, but that had been true from the very beginning. It was almost as if Morgan was trying to prove how "fine" he was with all that had happened and Robin was feeding his motivations with some of her own to prove to Patrick that she was more than capable of handling everything on her own. He was beginning to wonder why he came home at all.

He was spending so much time alone lately, he had actually forgotten what it was like to make plans and have to meet deadlines. All of his clients were on hold at the moment; he couldn't give them the attention they needed and it was beneath him to force the work he put into his job. He had called it a family crisis, which this most assuredly was. His family was in crisis whether or not they wanted to admit it, and he wasn't just thinking about Robin and Morgan and the baby: he was thinking about the ramifications of the kidnappings on Lulu, on Cameron, on Kristina, Maxie, and especially Lucky. His cousin would never come out and say that his dreams had worsened, but what other reason was there for him to avoid Patrick's phone calls?

Patrick bet Elizabeth was worried and he couldn't entirely blame her; he understood more than she would ever know. If he had a solution, he would offer it to her. But he didn't. He didn't know what the next logical step was. Lucky would spit teeth before he would ever admit that he might need to talk to someone professionally; he would think it made him less of a human, of a man, to need it. Patrick knew this to be true because that's what had kept him away from the therapists after his mother's death, a time when he could have used someone to talk to.

There was no way for him to measure the level of stress Robin was under because she always had a smile on her face. He didn't know if she was getting enough sleep because he never saw her when she was awake. She would come in after he was already dead to the world and be gone before he knew what was happening. He told himself that today was going to be very different. He was going to get up, stumble downstairs, and catch her...making breakfast or helping Morgan put his coat on, something, anything that would keep her in the apartment long enough for him to spot her. Kicking the sheets away, he decided to do just that. The sound of cartoons stopped him in his tracks and he made his way to Morgan's room, knocking lightly.

"Come in." Morgan permitted.

"Hey." Patrick greeted, smirking. If Morgan was here, that meant Robin was close by. "What are you watching?"

"Animaniacs." Morgan clarified, nodding toward the television. "Do you want to watch too?"

"Sure. I love Whacko." Patrick admitted pushing Morgan's stuffed bear to the floor and taking the spot it had been forced to vacate.

"Really? Me too." Morgan smiled. "They had cartoons when you were a little boy?"

"Of course they had cartoons when I was a little boy! They even had TV and it was in color." Patrick answered wryly.

Morgan didn't know what to say to that, so he just stared at the television. A few minutes passed and he glanced over at Patrick. Quietly he said, "Robin's not here."

"That's too bad. She's missing a great episode here." Patrick responded evenly.

"You mean you want to still watch it with me?" Morgan asked his voice incredulous.

"Well, sure." Patrick said. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. Oh look! They're going to drop an anvil on his head!" Morgan pointed happily.

"I used to wonder what would happen if everyone carried around an anvil." Patrick mused. "You know, would they make them smaller or would it be a compacted instrument like the Jetsons' car folding into a suitcase?"

"I would go after that stupid roadrunner." Morgan declared. "Wylie never gets a break."

"That's the truth! I mean, why doesn't he ever keep his receipt? Or get a roadrunner from the butcher?" Patrick wanted to know.

"It's because that roadrunner made him mad once and he's been trying to get him back ever since." Morgan explained.

"Is that it?" Patrick murmured.

"Yep!" Morgan chanted.

"Did Robin say where she was going?" Patrick asked absentmindedly.

"To see Daddy." Morgan responded.


	211. Words Left Unspoken

Ric had been dreading this particular meeting, but with all that was going on in the aftermath of the kidnapping, he was beginning to doubt his wife would ever go back to New York. She was the first on the scene and that gave her an advantage over the other television stations. She had been able to interview the witnesses first; anyone after her would be inconveniencing them. He used to admire what she did; now it was really starting to interfere with his life. Why had she come here? Wasn't there enough crime in The City? This was his home now, not hers. It had taken a very long time for him to find something that was just his, but he had found it and he wasn't willing to share. He was going to set things straight right now! She was clearly confused; she wouldn't be once he left.

"Kate, I know you're in there. Open the door." Ric ordered pounding on her hotel room door.

"Just a second. Let me get some clothes on." Kate called back.

Ric cringed inwardly. Why was she doing this to him? Had she gotten wind that he was actually happy? "Open the door Katie." He tried again.

"Patience Richard."

"I'll be patient when I'm dead. What the hell are you still doing in Port Charles?"

Kate opened the door and leaned her lean frame against the door. "It's called my job. Something you used to be familiar with."

"You have a job waiting for you in New York. Shouldn't you be hurrying back?"

"My producers think this story has more legs. They think I need to concentrate on some human interest pieces or something." Kate dismissed the explanation with a wave of her manicured hand. "There is way more going on than the little local police want the public to know." She moved further into the hotel room functioning as her temporary home and waved him to enter. "You may as well come in and make yourself comfortable."

"Since when do you do what people tell you to do?" Ric followed her in and shut the door.

"Since I actually agree with them." Kate shrugged. "I don't know what it is about this story but I want to see this one through."

"That's new. You usually hate being around people long enough to get to know them. Weren't you the one who said that taints the story?"

"People change Ric. I've changed a lot since you've been gone."

"I'd like to believe that, Katie, but you have to understand why I can't."

"No. I really don't." Leaning back on the couch, Kate crossed her arms and resisted the temptation to call him by his full name when he used her childhood nickname. "Why don't you explain it to me?"

"This is my town and you have no business being here, let alone visiting." Ric answered.

"Your town? You want me out of your town?" Kate arched her eyebrow and tried to keep the laughter out of her voice. "Did we suddenly become part of the mob and I was not aware of it?"

"I mean it. You're staying for reasons that have nothing to do with your job." Ric accused sharply.

"And what reasons could those possibly be?"

"That's what I'm here to find out." Ric folded his arms in front of his chest. "And I'm not leaving until you tell me."

"I came here to do a job and I intended to make sure it's done right. End of story. It's what I do. You know this Ric."

"You're lying, Katie. You're here to make me miserable."

"Richard why would I do that? I've always said I want what is best for you." Kate stood up and made her way to the small desk where she kept the water pitcher and poured herself a glass. "Drink?"

"What's best for me? I'm sorry, have you forgotten the last time we saw each other before you came to town? Or rather how I found you?" Ric sneered. She might have the rest of the world fooled, but he knew she only played to win, bending the rules to her liking. She found weaknesses and strummed her victims like a harp.

Kate looked at him coolly over the rim of her glass. "I know you aren't claiming innocence here Richard. Need I remind you about your nurse?"

"And here I thought nothing could get to you." Ric scoffed.

"Well I guess for once in his life, the great Ric Lansing was wrong." She managed quietly.

"I don't need you here, screwing up what I've accomplished." Ric told her.

"That is the last thing on my mind. Believe it or not Ric I do want us to be friends." Kate smiled softly. "I've been paying attention to your career. You've done very well for yourself out here. I'm thrilled for you."

"We can't be friends." Ric countered staring down at his hands. "It's too hard."

"But we don't have to be enemies." She countered, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "And we can work up to friends."

"No. We can't." Ric pushed himself to his feet.

"Ric. I'm not leaving until I'm satisfied the story's done. Port Charles isn't that big of a town. Do you really want to leave it like this?"

"I'm sure you'll put a nice spin on it for our old friends when you go back to New York. You're good at that." Ric headed for the door.

Kate followed him to the door and pulled at his arm, preventing him from fully walking down the hallway. "I hate this. We used to be better than this Ric."

"We used to be a lot of things Katie." Ric whispered solemnly.

"It wasn't always bad. We had some good times you and me."

Ric had the strangest urge to bend down and kiss her. It was inappropriate and he would never be able to come back from it he knew. She obviously wanted to patch things up, but he couldn't forget what had ended them so abruptly and he wasn't in the business of forgiving. "Let me know when you're heading back."

"Only if you promise that it doesn't include a firing squad or a slamming door in my face."

"I promise." Ric touched his lips to her forehead and then left her there, never looking back.

"Am I early?" Lulu asked stepping off the elevator.

"No. No. Just is time." Kate plastered on her best professional smile and tried to keep her eyes on her interview subject, not her husband's retreating back. There would be time enough to break down over that Kate, she told herself sharply. Now is time to do your job. "Why don't you come in Miss Spencer?"

"Thank you for coming. We'll see you next week." Elizabeth called out after the speech therapist as she headed to her car. It was starting to feel almost routine: the constant parade of therapists in and out of the house to work with her grandmother. Grams still had a long way to go, but all the therapists swore she was making wonderful progress. It was the older woman's independent stubborn nature, Elizabeth knew. There was no way her grandmother wanted to have other people care for her the rest of her life.

Closing the door she made her way through the living room, listening for the sounds of Cameron playing in the basement. Glancing at her watch, she tried to hold back her sigh as she realized once again, it was nearing six and there was no sign or word from Lucky about when he was coming home. Ever since Lulu and the kids returned home, he had buried himself in work, running late to every appointment, even the pre-natal ones. He claimed it was just a busy time at L&B but Elizabeth had her doubts. Lucky was hiding from her; she could feel it in her bones.

The knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. A puzzled look passed over her features as she tried to work out who it could be. There were no other therapies scheduled. The press knew better than to try to ask Lucky for an interview about the kidnappings. Robin had been off playing Super Mom and ignoring everyone for weeks now. "Coming." She called out as she made her way slowly to the door.

Opening the door, all she could see at first was the bags. The front porch was covered in bags from local department stores. Looking up, she caught Luke's blue eyes with her own. "What in the world?"

"Laura." Luke sighed, picking up as many of the bags as he could manage. He'd leave the rest for his son to get. It would be good exercise for the boy. "She's convinced you need all this right now."

"She does realize I'm not due for a few months right?" Elizabeth stood aside to make room for Luke to enter.

"I learned a long time ago not to argue with my wife." Luke dropped the first load with a ceremonial thump and fell back onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. "Where's the father-to-be? He can help with this."

Elizabeth held back a sigh at Luke's innocent question. That was the question of the minute, wasn't it? Where was Lucky? Was he really at work or was he off hiding somewhere from whatever it was that was bothering him? Was he holed up in Jake's? Wandering in the park? Being one of the unimaginative masses in this town that escaped to the docks when they wanted to be alone? "If I knew that, I'd make him help you."

"He left you alone?" Luke did a glance around the room, half expecting to find his son hiding behind a chair, trying to avoid work. "I thought that was outlawed."

"Well supposedly he has to work late, but there's no new release he's super invested in right now, so..." Elizabeth shrugged. "I'm not one hundred percent sure right now." She tried not to let the concern creep into her voice but she realized it was probably too late.

Luke pushed the boxes into the house with his feet and let himself into the house. Damn these kids for picking him to be the one to mend their broken hearts. With a gargled sigh, he led Elizabeth to the couch. "You want to talk about it?" His eyes surely expressed how much he didn't want to, but Laura would never let him live it down if he abandoned his pregnant, probably soon-to-be-daughter-in-law in her time of need.

Managing a small smile, Elizabeth lowered herself onto the couch. "That's sweet but I'm sure I'm just reading way too much into everything. Hormones and all. Lucky's been under a lot of stress lately and I'm sure he's just recovering." Fleeting she wondered who she was trying to convince more, herself or Luke.

"Why don't you tell me what he's been doing and we'll go from there?"

"That's just it. I'm not sure what he's been doing. Except not sleeping, but other than that I have no idea." She started with a sigh. "When I ask him what's going on all I get is the work excuse but I don't know maybe that's true but it just doesn't feel like it is."

"He's probably just a little spooked. It's only been two weeks since we got the kids back." Luke assumed.

"Yeah I know. It just, it just feels like it's been going on longer than that. Maybe even back when Kristina was grabbed."

Luke's eyes fell to his hands. Shit. Did his son ever keep his girlfriend informed? He only knew about the Daphne girl and the miscommunication about Jess from his wife. How she knew...who knew? "It probably just brought back bad memories or something. You know men. We don't like to express ourselves."

Bad memories? Elizabeth furrowed her brows trying to remember anything Lucky had told her that might possibly trigger bad memories for him. The closest she could come was Jess's car accident and Maxie getting hit by a car. But why wouldn't he share that with her? She knew about Jess. "Bad memories about what?" she asked.

"When Lucky was fourteen he was kidnapped by an enemy of mine." Luke said quietly.

She couldn't breathe. Staring at Luke, Elizabeth looked for any hint this was one of those inappropriate jokes Lucky had warned her about, the kind his father liked to play on non-family members. It would be a sick joke, but he still delighted in calling his own sister Mrs. Robinson. Seeing nothing but a mixture of concern, sadness, and guilt on the man's face, she began to realize this wasn't a joke. Blinking rapidly, she tried to come up with what might possibly construe as an intelligent response but instead settled for stunned. "Oh my God."

"It doesn't surprise me that he didn't tell you. He's been trying to get over it since it happened. I guess he just didn't." Luke mused.

"Apparently. What happened to the kidnapper? Did Lucky ever talk to someone about it?"

"His name was Faison and he fell from a two-story window in the struggle. Lucky's never been convinced that he was actually dead even though I burned the body to...well there was ash involved. He talked to Kevin Collins about it and we thought he was over it."

"I guess he's better at hiding it than you suspected." Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip. What should be her next move? Confront him about something he obviously didn't want to talk about? Or let him keep on avoiding it but obviously struggling to keep everything together? Did she try to support him without letting on that she knew? Did she risk alienating him by letting on that she did know?

"I know that look. Leave it alone." Luke cautioned.

"What look?"

"The good intentions look." Luke clarified.

"Would it be so awful to let him know I understood? Or let him talk about it?"

"He doesn't want to talk about it. If you push him now, he'll retract into himself. Do you want that?"

"No." She admitted with a sigh. "But he's already pulled away from me."

"The best thing you can do is let him come to you. He doesn't want to be anyone's charity case."

"But what if he doesn't?" Before she could stop herself, the question slipped out. It was far too telling of her self doubt and fears. That was the last thing she wanted to reveal to anyone, let alone someone that intimidated her as much as Luke Spencer did. Even though he had been nothing but nice to her since she had first met him, he was still a virtual stranger to her.

"Please don't cry okay?" Luke begged, patting her shoulder carefully. "If you can't get him to come to you, you're going to have to trick him somehow. Maybe play that game where you tell the other person to blurt out what they're thinking?"

Nodding quickly, she bit her lip to keep from crying. If there was one thing she had figured out about Luke it was he was clueless as Patrick was when it came to dealing with crying women. "Maybe."

"Trust me. Laura does it to my a—butt all the time."

Robin walked down the droll white walls with only one thought in her mind: What had happened could never happen again. Morgan and the rest of the children needed to be protected. Wasn't that why she was here, to force Sonny back into his children's lives so that she could sleep at night, or at all? She was still interviewing gynecologists and so far none of them were willing to help her or give her a different prognosis than Ric Lansing had. She hadn't told Patrick because she didn't want to reinforce his idea that they should get rid of their baby. Reaching out to steady herself, she closed her eyes and prayed for the right words. Showing up here made her feel like a failure. She shouldn't have to come to him at all. When he had signed over custody, he had trusted her to take care of his sons, so how was she supposed to tell him that she had failed? AJ was terrified to bring Michael back to Port Charles.

Robin stopped at the end of the corridor and handed over her wallet to the guy behind the bulletproof glass. He slid a pen and clipboard through the space provided and waited for her to sign in. "Thank you." She barely acknowledged that she said anything; she didn't notice that a guard was escorting her until they got to Sonny's cell.

Pacing back and forth, she drummed her fingers against the glass. She had never felt like more a failure than she did right now. How was she going to face him? He would instantly know that he had made a mistake. He would know instantly that he had made a mistake, if he didn't know already. Would he try to take Morgan away from her? God knows Courtney had gone to extraordinary lengths to obtain him. A sharp pain had her grasping for the seat provided and falling down into it. Her hands slid down to her belly and she pressed her palms softly into the soft skin, hoping that it was just nerves. There was of course no way to know until she got checked out. She would do so once this God awful meeting was over. One hand slid into her hair and she massaged her scalp. All she had to do was relax.

"Excuse me?" Robin nodded toward the guard. "What's taking so long, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I don't know. In case you didn't notice, I wasn't the one to go get him. I'm sure he'll be here in a minute." The guard snapped at her.

"I'm just trying to make small talk." He defended himself.

"Well who the hell asked you to?" Robin shouted, squeezing her eyes shut as another pain assaulted her.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Let's just get this over with." Robin panted.

The rest of the trip was done in silence. Above them, the lights had started to flicker. As they rounded the final corner, Robin braced herself. She had been expecting hoots and hollers from the cellmates around her, but they had been forced into an awed silence. "Oh Jesus." She heard the guard choke out.

"What?" He was standing in front of her so that she didn't have a clear view of Sonny's cell.

"Miss, let's get you back to the main office—" The guard suggested.

"The hell I will!" Robin retorted pushing his shoulders even though he refused to budge.

"Look, I have to take care of this and I can't waste time worrying about you—" He motioned his hands expressively in case she might be a little slow. His movements allowed her to see what he was trying to hide from her.

"Oh—my God. My God. Sonny! Sonny, no!" Robin lunged forward, kicking out her feet until the guard released her. "SONNY!" His face was an inhuman shade of blue and wrapped around his neck was a short, thick white sheet.

"Miss Scorpio, come on." A second guard had joined them in the midst of all of the confusion. "We'll get this taken care of."

"Taken care of?" Robin shrieked. "He's a person! You can't just shove him into a corner and say he's taken care of. You fucking coward! You callous son of a bitch!"

It took both of them, but the men managed to get the frightened, pregnant woman out of the dark hallway and into a brighter, fresher area. She had gone purple at the scent of Sonny's decaying body. He must have been dead about twelve hours.

"Would you like us to call someone?" The second, unfamiliar guard offered as he crouched down in front of her. They weren't sure how they had gotten her into a chair, but at least she was sitting.

Robin met his eyes, tears in her eyes, "I think I need to go to the hospital and I can't drive myself. Please. I'm pregnant."


	212. Be My Love

She had been almost right, Georgie mused as she watched the floors climb higher in the elevator. It had taken a little more than a week before her family had started pressuring her to return to Paris. Alexis had been subtle, hinting around about the importance of finishing what she started and the value of a good education. Maxie had been far blunter. She had outright asked when she was leaving every single time they had seen each other for the past five days.

Her dad's reaction had been exactly what she expected. Mac had grumbled, tried to cut off Maxie or Alexis whenever they brought it up; she wasn't entirely convinced he didn't move her passport out of her purse and into his office for the sole purpose of trying to keep her from her flight, but in the end he had taken her to the airport and hugged before sending her down the maze of security check points and customs. Kristina had whimpered but bravely insisted she was fine and reminded Georgie she had been promised a present from Paris that she hadn't received yet.

It was Robin's reaction, or rather her non-reaction, that was throwing Georgie for a loop. She had expected Robin and Morgan to be wrapped up in each other for a little while but Robin had almost completely cut off contact with the entire family. If she hadn't gone by her cousin's apartment the other day to say goodbye, Georgie would swear Robin wouldn't have a clue she was back across the ocean. It was probably nothing and Robin would be back to her old self in no time, she had tried to reassure herself. Mac wouldn't allow her to cut out the family forever. It was just a reaction to keep Morgan safe after what just happened. With a little time, she reasoned, it would all be back to normal.

As the ancient elevator shuddered to a stop, Georgie shook herself from thoughts of home. There was little she could do right now other than turn right around and buy a return ticket to the States, something she was sure no one would really appreciate. Pulling her bags behind her as she made her way down the hall, she reminded herself almost her entire family had wanted her to go on this trip in the first place. Going back home now would be just one more thing that Logan, Courtney, and Emily had succeeded in taking from them and she would be damned if they took anymore.

Of course the fact that she was making her way down the hall to Steven's room had very little to do with that stance, she told herself with a smirk. Who was she kidding? It had everything to do with her mood right now. Whether it made her selfish or just human, right now her entire being was changing focus from the drama she had just escaped to one Steven Webber.

She had missed him more than she had thought she would, an impressive feat since Georgie had assumed she would miss him. Georgie had taken to blushing when she caught snippets of the song "Georgie Girl" on the radio or on the TV. She was never an oldies type girl so her sudden devotion to the song had been rather tricky to explain to her family. Thankfully Kristina's return had been a welcome diversion from them picking too closely into her newfound interest in sixties music. Pausing outside his door, she quickly ran a hand through her hair to make sure she didn't look a total mess from the flight. Knocking quickly she shifted from one foot to other, hoping he was home and she wasn't going to follow plan B, go back to her dorm and make her way over after Ronnie and Lindsay fell asleep.

The shoot had run late and that had caused him to be late picking Georgie up from the airport. Of course, she hadn't been there, so he had headed over to her hotel, but her roommates denied her ever getting there. This was the only place he could think she would come. If she wasn't here, he supposed he could try every bookstore in Paris. God, he felt like an asshole.

Rounding the corner, he almost smacked right into her. She was beautifully disheveled lost in a circle of her three suitcases. He stared down into her eyes and she blushed, but he had no idea why. Picking a leaf out of her hair, he stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand. "Hi."

By all rights Georgie realized she should be furious with him. He had promised to pick her up at the airport but hadn't shown, causing her to waste money on a cab, for the simple reason the subways continued to freak her out here. But all it took was one look at the guilt etched clearly across his face for any ill will to disappear. "Hey." She smiled softly and couldn't help but tease him. "This sure doesn't look like the baggage claim."

Steven's face fell. "I'm so sorry. By the time the shoot was over, you were already gone." He wouldn't blame her if she never forgave him. It wasn't like she was familiar with the subway systems, even though she would never admit it aloud. "Forgive me?"

She pursed her lips into a fake pout, as if she was really thinking about not forgiving him. The big goof, she thought. If she was really mad at him, she wouldn't have come here first. She would have gone to her own room, rounded up her roommates, and cornered him with them right behind her. "I don't know." Georgie drawled. "You might have to make it up to me."

Steven couldn't help himself: he smirked. Not trusting himself to speak, he nodded and unlocked the door to his room so that they wouldn't be forced to have the rest of the conversation in the hallway. His neighbors might always be yelling in French, but he knew they understood English.

Matching his smirk with one of her own, she watched as he held the door open for her. "And just what makes you think I am going in there with you?"

Steven turned quickly and it was his turn to blush. "I wasn't insinuating...I just thought you'd want to be out of the hallway." He insisted quietly.

He was adorable when he blushed, but she still felt bad about teasing him. Georgie reached out for his hand and linked their fingers. "Help me with my suitcases?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure." Steven reached behind her and managed to get a hold of two while she got the lighter of the three. He closed the door behind him and watched her walk around the room as if she had never been in it before.

"You've cleaned up the place." She remarked. The clothes were put away, or at least shoved under the bed she reasoned. The laptop sat next to a pile of neatly stacked papers. The bed was made. She tried not to look at the bed too long; turning quickly she met his eyes. "All for me?"

"I figured it was better than running up your cell phone bill. I told myself I'd clean every time I thought about you..." Steven explained.

"Wish I would have thought of that. Of course I don't think my family would have let me come back if I had."

"Cleaning or thinking about me?"

"Cleaning. Thinking about you was a given."

Crossing the room, Steven wrapped her in his arms and hugged her to him, just holding her for a few moments. He had missed her more than he had thought he would; there was no way to recreate her scent when she was gone, the same went for the way she felt in his arms.

"I missed this so much." She murmured into his arms.

"I missed you too." Steven agreed rubbing his hands up and down her arms in a soothing rhythm. "I was sure they were going to keep you longer and I'd have to fly back and snatch you up."

"Nope. I was such a mope they almost shoved me on the plane." When he didn't respond right away, Georgie lifted her head off his chest and caught his gaze with her own. She could look into his blue eyes for hours and never get bored she decided. "What are you thinking about?"

Steven figured he had two options: he could tell her or he could show her. It had been far too long since he had kissed her and he was going to have to do something about that right now. Ducking his head quickly, he pressed a soft kiss to her full lips.

Pulling back slightly, she smiled at him. "Now that was more than what I had in mind to welcome me back."

"Oh just give me a minute." Steven promised kissing her again, this time deepening it until she moaned against his mouth.

"Steven," she whimpered.

He let his hands roam up and down her back until he managed to push away the corner of her pink shirt and ease it up. The kiss grew more and more frenzied as the seconds ticked by; he knew he'd never tire of her peppermint taste.

A shudder eased its way through her as she felt his fingers caress her bare back. His touch was feather-light, but she could feel every movement he made. Reveling in the sensation, she pulled his face down to pull his lower lip toward her.

Flexing his hands on impulse, he bunched his fingers in her shirt and continued to drag it up, his thumbs brushing boldly against the hem of her white bra. Her arms swooped around his neck and he walked them backwards until they reached the bed at which point they fell into a tangle of arms and legs.

He told himself he would back off just as soon as she told him to. Granted, he currently had a pretty good hold of her mouth and arms as he let the kiss intensify a few degrees and pulled the shirt over her head. Having had her eyes closed, Georgie suddenly looked up at him, practically reading his thoughts. He placed his hands on top of the mattress on either side of her head and allowed them both to take a few gulps of air. "God, you're pretty."

She could feel the blush working its way up her neck and into her face. "Thank you," she murmured looking away quickly and focusing on the buttons of his green button-down shirt. Putting her fingers to work on the buttons, she glanced back up at him. Leaning up to kiss him quickly, she fell back down and continued her task.

Steven's fingers ran over hers and he worked at the buttons she had yet to get to, helping her pull it off of him. Sliding his hands over her waist, he hoisted her deeper into the mattress so that they wouldn't tumble off. As her fingers swept over his bare chest, he fought to keep his eyes open and on hers. Her touches were at once quick and lingering and that was about the time he noticed some discomfort in his gray slacks.

If he didn't stop touching her, he was going to drive her crazy. If he did stop, he had a death wish. It was as simple as that. Georgie threaded her fingers through his curly hair and pulled him down towards her once again.

The fastener on her bra gave with a simple slide of his fingers; he carefully pulled the small cups from her breasts and pressed his open mouth to one puckered nipple. She turned her wrists and the result was her nails digging into the skin at his neck but it didn't hurt and he could tell it wasn't voluntary. He circled the wet, ruby-red nipple with his tongue and started to suck her gently.

Her nails left his neck and strolled down his back until they found his belt and reached between their bodies to unfasten the hook. He sat up slowly, his mouth releasing her vulnerable nipple with a pop, as she pulled the belt away and peeled down his pants leaving him clad in his boxers. He thought about asking her if she was sure, but he was half terrified she would change her mind. Already in a sitting position, Georgie slipped her hands beneath the edge of her skirt and tugged it down, letting it fall to her feet and kicking it free.

She could read the questions clearly in his eyes. Pulling him close for a quick kiss, she rested her forehead against his, her fingers moving all over his shoulders and chest. "I'm sure Steven." She whispered. "I'm sure."

"Thank God." Steven breathed grasping blindly at the nightstand drawer to search for a condom. Georgie kissed him and he devoted himself to returning some of the pleasure she was giving him while still searching frantically for the condom.

She could feel herself being pushed further into the mattress and sighed as he lowered his lips to kiss her collarbone and made his way down her chest once more. "Just so you know, this does qualify as making it up to me for ditching me today."

"I'm so glad. I can't stand to have you mad at me." Steven assured her.

"Believe me. Mad is the furthest thing from my mind right now."

Smiling his victory at having located a condom, Steven started to remove his boxers but Georgie swatted his hands away and took over the task. While he had been in a hurry, she was content with taking her time. He breathed through his nose when he felt the boxers slide over his hips and her hands roam over his lower body without a hint of modesty. "Georgie." He whispered urgently.

"What?" She managed in her best innocent voice.

"Stop teasing." Steven begged raggedly.

She didn't stop the movements of her hands, wanting to learn every inch of him. "Don't wanna." She managed to breathe out between pants.

"Oh yeah?" Steven lifted an inquisitive eyebrow at her.

"Yeah."

Steven grabbed her wrists and flung them over her head, their mouths meeting on a gargled groan. He noticed that she was still partially dressed and swept his hands up the inside of her thighs to yank her panties down and off. She lifted her hips off of the mattress and he was able to pull them free. He barely resisted the temptation to surge into her, even though his body trembled in his haste to suppress it. Rolling the condom on, he kneed her thighs apart and settled between them, his breath hissing through his teeth as the tip of his shaft slid into her.

Georgie's breath caught on a scream; he refused to thrust until her body adjusted to his size and firmness. She was shaking so hard in his arms he started talking to her. His words were little more than mumbles, but the effort seemed to relax her a little. He slipped a little deeper and she lost a moan in his mouth. Each time he stopped, he would let the sensations build and build, only moving when his name trembled off her lips.

Of all the women he had been with, this feeling coursing through him was new and unfamiliar. He didn't want to have sex with Georgie; he wanted to make love to her. She was everything he had always wanted; he had never realized until now that something was actually missing from his life. Saying so would seem so trite right now, but he told himself he would say it, whatever it was, when the time was right.

"Steven." It was only two syllables, but she had managed to make it sound as if his name had fifteen. The last thing she had planned on finding in Paris was a guy, much less this man. Had it only been a few short months since she had first seen him in Italy and now they were here? "Please." She begged him. "Please."

"Only for you." Steven promised, reveling in how ready she was for him. Surging into her, he brought her to climax and found his own halfway there. She was still shivering when he came down from his own high. Words would have been too much, so he dropped his cheek to her chest and fell asleep.


	213. Saving Me

**The long-awaited for chapter is finally here! I figure a few of you are a little mad about Monday not being the end of your agony, but wasn't it worth it? Anyway, without further adieu...**

Patrick relaxed his hands on the steering wheel in his attempt to keep Morgan from being any more agitated than he already was. The call had come in an hour after Animaniacs was over and thank God he had had his cell phone on the dresser across the hall. He didn't want to think what would have happened if he had missed the call. What bothered him most was that the call hadn't come from Robin, but from the prison and then from the hospital. The world started to blur around him and he knew it was only determination and practice that he got them to the hospital in one piece.

His first thought upon entering the hospital holding Morgan's hand was that they wouldn't let him see her. Would this be a repeat of her coma? He had no idea what was going on, if she was awake or unconscious, if the baby was still alive—nothing. All he knew was that she wasn't dead…or at least that she hadn't been when he had talked to the nurse. Morgan was silent next to him and he didn't seem unperturbed by the fact that Patrick was practically dragging him toward the elevator.

"What room?" Patrick whispered to himself. He wondered if Morgan knew just how terrified he was at the moment. He and Robin hadn't discussed any of this in detail, but he knew he was supposed to keep Morgan calm and feeling protected. When the call had come in that Robin had collapsed, he doubted he had responded in a calm manner. He had written it down. Turning over his hand, he stared hard at the inside of his palm and read of the number. "Okay, in here." He led Morgan out of the elevator once it came to a complete stop and they scurried to Room 102.

"Is Robin okay?" Morgan tugged impatiently at the sleeve of Patrick's white shirt.

Not knowing how to respond, Patrick pushed open the door and let out a staggering breath of Robin sitting in the bed dressed in a hospital gown, a conflicted expression on her face. She was awake. It was all he could think about as he watched her from across the room. Morgan must not have shared the shock because he dashed across the room and leapt toward Robin. She stalled him with her hand and then hugged him. "Hey baby." She murmured into his dark hair.

"What's going on? Why are you at the hospital?" Instead of answering him right away, Robin locked eyes with Patrick. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but there was no guarantee he would listen to her. She didn't want to keep fighting with him. Was there a way around it? Once she found out exactly what was wrong, they would go from there.

"That's what the doctor's going to tell us." Robin assured him. "What did you guys do this morning?

"We watched cartoons." Morgan explained.

"You did?" Robin exclaimed with a clap of her hands. "Which ones?"

Patrick didn't get a chance to hear the rest of the conversation; he slipped out of the room and held his head in his hands. He didn't know how he was supposed to approach Robin. He didn't know if she would want to hear what he had to say. She was still pretty angry about what he had said in regards to life and the baby in general.

Dr. Joanne Walker tapped lightly on his right shoulder and he noticed that his eyes had been closed. She pushed her wispy black hair behind her ears and watched him curiously for a minute, trying to determine exactly who he was. "I'm Dr. Walker. I'm assuming you're the father." There was something almost condemning about the way she said it, but that could have just as easily been his own imagination. There was no foreboding, dark tone nor were her emerald green eyes full of something besides consideration.

Patrick nodded. "Yes. Patrick Drake. She's inside." He told her as if she didn't already know.

"Thank you for telling me Mr. Drake. Shall we go in?" Dr. Walker moved to do just that.

Patrick caught her wrist. "Before we do, could you please tell me what happened so I can pace myself? I don't want to scare either of them with my reaction. Please?"

"I guess it'd be alright. Robin has what's known as Toxemia. It's high blood pressure in pregnant women. I was kind of surprised to see it happen to a woman in such an early stage, but it's not that uncommon." Dr. Walker explained.

"Could it have been prevented?" Patrick asked gingerly.

"No. There are no known preventative methods at this time. However, it's fairly easy to treat." Dr. Walker promised, heading into the room without providing him without any more information. "Hello Robin, I'm Dr. Walker. You can call me Joanne."

"Hello Joanne. It's nice to meet you. I do wish it had been under different circumstances." Robin said with a forced smile.

"How are you feeling today?" Dr. Walker prodded sincerely.

"I've been better." Robin answered rather cautiously. Patrick could tell she didn't quite trust this new doctor yet. Who could blame her after what Dr. Lansing had pulled?

Dr. Walker glanced down at Morgan. "I bet all of this is pretty scary, huh?" She smiled when he nodded in agreement and reached past Robin's head to press a button. "Nurse Johnson, can you come in here please?"

Patrick and Robin shared a disconcerted look as they waited for Nurse Epiphany Johnson to enter the room. It was only a few minutes before she graced them with her presence. Today, she was in a pink, yellow, and white floral decorated scrubs top and a pair of navy blue lounge pants. "Yes Doctor?"

"I was wondering if you could take—" She broke off.

"Morgan." Robin and Patrick said in unison.

"Right, yes. Morgan. If you could take Morgan to get a candy bar while I talk to his mommy and daddy." Dr. Walker requested.

"Sure I can…if that's okay with you?" Nurse Johnson met Robin's eyes.

"That would be great! Doesn't that sound great Morgan?" Robin asked happily.

"I don't know…" Morgan responded nervously.

"Let us talk to the doctor and then we can go home." Patrick offered.

"Okay." Morgan gave in. "All of us?"

They all stared at Dr. Walker. "I don't see why not. Go and get your candy." She waited for the nurse and little boy to leave the room before she said, "As I was telling your husband—"

"We're not married." Robin interrupted.

"Okay. As I was telling Patrick, you have contracted what is known as Toxemia. It's a high blood pressure in pregnant women. Now, it's easy enough to treat, but it does require effort on everybody's part. I was reading over your chart, and I assume you both know the risks of letting this pregnancy continue." She raised a speculative brow.

"Yes." They replied in unison.

"Fabulous. Okay, bed rest would be the best for now. No stress. I mean it. If you even feel a little antsy, it's important you leave that situation and rest."

"Bed rest? That's the cure?" Patrick's tone must have sounded incredulous because she immediately answered him.

"If done right. Relaxation and bed rest are about all we can do. The last thing we want is premature labor. At this stage, there's no way your child could survive." Dr. Walker warned them.

"We understand." Robin murmured.

"Are you going to be her obstetrician for the rest of the pregnancy? I only ask because we've had some trouble with—"

"Yes, Dr. Lansing. I was told. However, my calendar is free. Would you like to know your due date?" She asked brightly.

"Sure." Robin agreed.

"September 17th." Dr. Walker noted after a short glance at Robin's chart.

This was real, Patrick thought to himself. This was no longer guesswork. They had a due date. They had a doctor. Two months of the pregnancy were already gone, almost three. This doctor felt confident enough to help them through the entire term…which meant it could be done. He expelled a breath through his teeth, frayed. All he had been able to hear the last two weeks was what Dr. Lansing had told them and what it would end up costing Robin or him or both of them in the end.

Don't get ahead of yourself, he mused. The problems were still there; they hadn't changed. The only difference was that the doctor was willing to take their case. Even as he reminded himself of this, a weight lifted from his shoulders. She must think it could be done. Bed rest and no stress would be the two things he provided for Robin from now until the end of the pregnancy if she so required.

"I'll leave you both to talk. Here's my card. I'll need to see you four weeks from today. The Toxemia should be cleared up by then, but let's just pace ourselves, okay?" Dr. Walker encouraged lightly.

"Thank you." Patrick commended her.

"You don't know what this baby means to me." Robin assured her.

"Us." Patrick corrected her, but neither of them seemed to acknowledge he had spoken.

"There are still going to be tough times and everything Dr. Lansing told you was true. I'm not going to distort the facts or sugarcoat them, because that wouldn't be fair to either of you or your son." 

"Our son?" Patrick breathed.

"Morgan." Dr. Walker explained. "I don't see any reason why you can't sign yourself out. As long as you understand the regime, I have rounds to make."

"Thank you again, Dr. Walker." Robin called out to the doctor right before she disappeared from the room. Turning to Patrick, she patted on a small spot next to her and he moved closer to oblige her. She put her hands on either side of his face once she could reach him and said, very softly, "I need to know right now if you can handle this."

"You can't get rid of me that easily." Patrick whispered back, kissing her forehead.

"I'm serious. I can do this…I really can. What I can't handle is you jumping ship at the last sec—" Robin was about to go on until she felt Patrick's hand on her belly. He wasn't looking at her anymore but at the baby.

"I love you." Patrick reiterated. "And I'm not going anywhere."

Sitting in her wheelchair, Audrey looked around the now familiar living room with a sense of calm. It still stung her that she was so dependent on other people to complete even the simplest of tasks. She was a grown woman and lived on her own for years since she had lost her beloved Steve. It was humiliating to give up her home, her freedom and her mobility all for the faulty actions of a few blood vessels.

From her nursing training, she realized she was one of the lucky ones. She had gotten to the hospital in time, been diagnosed early, and been given the proper medication. And she wasn't sitting alone in a nursing home or a rehabilitation facility either thanks to Elizabeth and Lucky. She was at home, well her home for now and she was attending her therapies daily. The therapists had been pleased with her progress so far. Audrey couldn't form the words yet to tell them she had two motivations to get better as soon as possible. One—she had a great grandchild coming soon and she had to be ready to spoil the little one and two—as much as she dearly loved the young couple for taking her into their home, she realized once the baby came there would be a priority of space. Audrey wasn't about to make them choose between helping her more and tending to their growing family.

Watching Elizabeth and Cameron play on the floor, she could feel a smile form, well a half smile if she was going to be technical about it. The two of them laughing over the pictures of the Guess Who game was probably one of the sweetest sounds she had heard in awhile. Cameron was an adorable little boy and Audrey enjoyed his insistence on trying to read her every book he had on Bob the Builder, because it was "important you know bout him."

Cameron sighed and looked once again towards the door. "Where's Daddy Lizzie?" he asked, putting down his game board, temporarily forgetting about trying to keep Elizabeth from seeing which person he had chosen for her to guess.

If there was one thing that had always remained constant about her youngest grandchild, it was the fact Elizabeth could not lie well. Once you got to know her, it was fairly easy to spot. She would pause, look all around, at anyone or anything other than the person she was speaking to and then settle for something that sounded just slightly possible. It was that exact pattern Audrey was witnessing this exact minute as Elizabeth paused before answering Cameron's innocent question. "He's at work Cam. He'll be home soon."

Why had she lied, Audrey couldn't help but wonder. And what was she lying about? Lucky had been telling them every morning for the past few weeks he'd be tied up with work. Had something change between this morning and now? And what had put that look of sadness in Elizabeth's eyes: the very look she had thought had left when Elizabeth first met Lucky?

"Lizzie, I need to get Wolfie." Cameron stood up and scooted towards the stairs quickly. It hadn't escaped anyone's notice that since Logan had tried to take that sweet little boy, he had become even more attached to the stuffed dog, refusing to be without his friend once the day turned to night.

Watching him climb the stairs and step out of sight, Audrey took a breath and tried to force the words through her lips. "Liz...Liza...Lizabeth...what...going...on?"

Startled, Elizabeth dropped the pillow she had been hugging to her middle. "Nothing. Nothing is going on Grams."

"Don't...lie...tell...the...truth."

"Grams I wouldn't lie..." Catching sight of her grandmother's disapproving look, Elizabeth gave up all pretense of even trying to lie to her. It was why she always refused any invitations to play poker. She would loose every single time. With a sigh, she moved closer to where her grandmother sat. "Did you know about Lucky's kidnapping?"

It was a hard thing to forget, Audrey recalled. The entire town had been convinced of his death and had mourned him. She could still recall the devastation written on the faces of Luke and Laura in the church. Lulu had been too young to fully understand what was going on and Patrick had still been too in shock over his mother's death to process anything else. When Lucky showed up alive in the hospital, it was a moment the local residents tended to remember where they were when they heard the news. If you didn't know what someone was referring to when they mentioned Lucky Spencer and turning up at General Hospital, you were clearly not from Port Charles. "Yes."

"Well I just found out from Luke today." Elizabeth paused to push a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I don't know what to do Grams. Luke said not to push him to talk but he's not going to come to me with this. I know he won't. And I keep feeling him drifting away from me and Cameron. I know he's hurting but I don't' know how to help him."

Raising her one good hand, Audrey patted her granddaughter's face, noticing the tear-filled eyes. Not for the first time, she wished she had never had the stroke, wanting badly to wrap her granddaughter in her arms and just hold her. "Love...him." She advised.

"Gram you know I love him. He knows I love him but I don't think that's..."

Managing to shake her head, she cut off the rest of Elizabeth's protests. Following her advice wasn't going to be easy, but it was all Audrey knew what to do. "Love...him." She said again. "It's...the...only...thing."


	214. Speak For Myself

"Boss man, I can do this. You should be spending time with the High Queen." Axe gestured over the stack of papers Cruz currently held and into the nursery where Majandra and Bobbie sat. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course Axe, of course." Cruz nodded numbly. It had only been a few hours since his daughter had been diagnosed with meningitis and, even though they promised it would probably only last three days, he couldn't sit still. He had called Axe over to bring him some busy work; he needed to focus on something other than the situation at hand. Sure, Majandra was fine. She was being carefully monitored and kept away from the other babies until she was over this.

"Axe hush." Becca put a hand out to swat at her boyfriend's arm. "Can't you see he's worried? Don't harass him." She turned her sympathetic eyes to Cruz. "Is there anything you need us to do?"

"Distract me please." Cruz replied feelingly.

"Distraction is my middle name." Axe declared confidently.

"I thought that was Alfred." Becca mused.

Cruz lifted an eyebrow in amusement. "Is that what the initial stands for on your application?" He teased.

"It's a lie. A dirty, dirty lie."

"I appreciate you coming all the way down here. I would have brought her to see you sooner than this, but you understand why I couldn't." Cruz explained apologetically.

"Don't worry. We get it and the office party for her was easily rearranged." Becca reassured him.

"All but the band. Now we'll be stuck with the boy band cover band." Axe grumbled under his breath.

"Maybe you should talk to Lucky about that." Cruz quirked.

"Good point. Sweetness, remind me to call Music Man on that one."

"Yeah. I'll get right on that." Becca responded with a roll of her eyes. "Helping you I'm sure is right up there on his priority list."

Oblivious to his girlfriend's sarcasm, Axe grinned at her as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Exactly. You read my mind."

Becca shook her head at Axe's cluelessness. She had realized a long time ago if she wanted to date Axe, certain things were just part and parcel with it. Nicknames and utter obliviousness were part of the deal. "Really don't worry about it. Just concentrate on getting Majandra home and we'll celebrate later. Boy band cover band and all."

"What would I do without you guys?" Cruz asked rhetorically.

"Well for one thing your magazine would go up in flames." Becca joked.

"How is the magazine?" Cruz inquired cautiously.

"Only two are MIA. That's good." Axe offered helpfully.

Cruz nodded for them to follow him, putting a few feet between them and the nursery. "I wanted to talk to you guys about something..."

"What?" Becca asked anxiously.

"I was actually thinking about throwing a party once we can take my daughter home and I was wondering...well you're both welcome to come." Cruz wasn't sure why he felt shy all of the sudden. It wasn't like they had just met. He assumed it had to do with the time they had spent apart and the fact that he was still adjusting in his new role as Majandra's father.

"Party?" Axe's face lit up. "Boss Man you know I'm down for a party."

"What he means," Becca cut in with a roll of her eyes. "Is that we would love to come. And if you need any help planning it, just let me know."

"I'll bring the music." Axe promised

"I'll bring the baby." Bobbie chimed in, sneaking up behind them.

"Haven't you learned that bed hopping isn't fashionable these days?" Lulu greeted Maxie as her archenemy walked through the door a few minutes before her shift was to start.

"I figured since you were so good at it, it couldn't be that hard to start." Maxie retorted, reaching behind the counter for an apron. "How is Bradley?" She added just to get a rise out of Lulu.

"He told me you turned him gay. It must run in your family." Lulu mused with a smile.

Maxie's eyes glistened with newfound hatred. "Get out of here you little tramp." She whispered to keep the customers from hearing her.

"I will just as soon as I tell you what I found out." Lulu promised with a laugh.

"Why would I care to learn more than you already knew? I can already read and write thanks." Maxie ground through her teeth.

"Well we didn't all go to slut school like you. Tell me, do you get a discount if you screw an older, married man?"

"I don't have time for this. I have to start my shift." Maxie wasn't about to discuss Ric Lansing with anyone, least of all this little twit.

"So it's true? You're screwing him?" Lulu clapped her hands together in delight. "Then you're really going to want to hear what I have to say."

"What I really want is for you to get out of my face and out of my way. I have a job to do. Don't you have some other person in town you can bug?" Maxie snapped.

"I saw him coming out of her hotel room..." Lulu whispered in her left ear.

"Mike, what's the special today?" Maxie shouted across the restaurant.

"I couldn't hear what they were saying, but if I hadn't shown up I'm sure they would have gone back inside for another round. Apparently you can't keep the men of this town satisfied. Not like that's a secret." Lulu rolled her eyes.

Maxie hadn't realized she had picked up the tray until she heard it swooshed through the air and slammed into Lulu Spencer's face. "Say something else." She challenged, dropping the tray and folding her arms.

"Maybe they're getting back together. Wouldn't that be so sweet?" Lulu asked tilting her head carefully.

Maxie blinked. She had imagined it.

"Leave me alone, Lulu." Maxie warned her as she moved around the corner. There was no reason to lose her job because of this know-nothing bitch.

"I just thought I would give you a head's up. How embarrassing...no awkward would it be for him to be with you and then go right back to her?" Lulu giggled. She glanced down at her watch. "Gosh, I have to go. Have a good day." She added the last part when she recognized who had just walked in. "Without trust, there is no relationship." She said to him before sauntering out of the diner.

Ric blinked in confusion as the blonde girl walked past him. Shaking his head, he turned to see Maxie walking over towards one of the empty tables to clear it. Moving towards her, he maneuvered himself directly behind her. "Whatever it is you are selling today, I'm buying."

"Piss off. I'm working." Maxie filled out a fake order on her sheet and studied it for several seconds.

Looking around the nearly empty diner, Ric fixed a quizzical look on his face. "Yeah you seem slammed."

"I am!" Maxie whispered harshly. "Now go away."

Lowering his voice, he leaned close to whisper in her right ear. "Look I think we need to talk." This had to be the cold shoulder from their last meeting. Not that he didn't deserve it.

"I don't want to talk to you." Maxie declared, turning her back on him.

"Then I can talk and you can listen." It generally worked better for them anyways if only one of them actually talked.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Maxie wanted to know but she still feigned disinterest.

"Since you're determined to make me search for you, I figured this would be the logical starting point."

"Make you? We haven't even talked since..." Maxie didn't feel like going through it all again.

"You've been avoiding my calls." Ric pointed out. He really didn't want to go over all the mistakes he made that night, starting with letting Kate in, but he had been re-living them in full color ever since Maxie walked out his door.

"Did you call? Hmm, I must have been here working or taking care of my little sister. How dare I live my life without considering how you are? What was I thinking?" Maxie shrieked at him.

"I've been trying to apologize..."

"Well maybe I don't want to hear it." Maxie reasoned.

"Blondie." Ric reached out and touched her arm. She tried to jerk away, but he used his own momentum to steer them both out of the dining room and prying ears and towards the back hallway leading to the boarding rooms and the manager's office.

"Let go of me! I'll scream!" Maxie threatened.

"You won't." Ric stated confidently.

"I might." Maxie argued, folding her arms. "Well? What did you want to talk about?"

Letting out a breath, Ric ran a hand through his hair. He was rusty at apologizing to a woman and wasn't hundred percent sure how to go about doing this the "correct" way. Screw it, he thought, he'd just have to wing it and do this his way. "I shouldn't have let you leave the other night."

"Let me leave? You were shoving me out the door." Maxie corrected him.

"You overreact."

"No, I don't think so. And anyway, why should you feel the need to apologize to me? It's not like we're dating or anything." She pointed out blandly.

"We aren't?" Ric asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice. "Where was I when we made this decision?"

"We didn't make this decision, I did. It's called self-preservation."

"It's called being scared." Ric corrected bluntly, leaning over her, using his arms to block her from bolting down the hallway.

"Maybe, but at least I won't get hurt in the end this time."

"You'd have to let me in for me to hurt you." Ric pointed out.

"Why would I want to do that, Ric? Isn't your ex-wife in town? Can't you just turn to her?" Maxie shot back.

He blinked in surprise. "Kate? What does Kate have to do with this?"

"Lulu told me she saw the two of you coming out of her hotel room. Granted, I've known that girl to make up stories before and if you tell me it's a lie then—"

"We were discussing the divorce." Ric explained. "We had to clear the air about a few things and the only place I know to corner her is at her hotel room."

"I thought you had lawyers for that." Maxie reminded him.

"We do. Haven't you ever heard of a civil divorce? It's the new fad."

"I'm just repeating what you told me."

"Our lawyers aren't exactly here in Port Charles with us. They are in New York. And I'm choosing to look at being in the same room with Kate on non-hostile terms as a learning experience." It would help his case with Maxie exactly none to admit he didn't hate Kate, despite the circumstances that brought about their destruction.

"Fine. Whatever. I don't care. I have to get back to work." Maxie informed him.

"No you don't." Ric reached out and easily pulled her back closer to him by her waist when she made a move to leave. "I haven't heard anyone yelling for you."

Maxie met his eyes. "I just don't think this is going to work."

"Why?"

"I don't want to be in the way. I don't want to be the other woman."

"You aren't the other woman. Kate and I are over. I told you that."

"And yet you're having private consultations in her hotel room? Yeah, okay Ric." Maxie replied dryly.

"You want to meet her? Ask her yourself?" he challenged.

"Why are you so mad?"

"Because you are being ridiculous. You're acting like you caught me in a lie. When have I ever lied to you Blondie? When?"

Maxie shut her eyes, wished she could block out his voice as easily. "You haven't."

Tracing her arms with his fingers, he risked leaning closer to her. "So why are you acting this way?"

"What way?" Maxie didn't care if she was being childish. She was still trying not to evoke the vision Lulu had provided her with.

"Like a jealous girlfriend." Ric pointed out, daring to steal a kiss from the corner of her mouth before she could protest.

"I'm out of practice." Maxie admitted, sliding her fingers through his hair as he stared at her lips.

"Practice makes perfect." He dropped his head and captured her mouth with his own, teasing her lower lip with his tongue.


	215. Tender Blindspot

Having made his way across his cousin's lawn, Patrick pulled the sample paper menu out of the back pocket of his forest green trousers and rapped lightly on the door. He had left Robin sleeping in their bed with the promise of bringing back blueberry muffins and tea from Kelly's. "Anybody home?"

Going to open the door, Elizabeth rubbed the front of her shoe along the back of her black pants. "Patrick? Lucky's not here but he should be here soon."

"I was looking for you actually." Patrick explained rather nervously.

"Me?" Elizabeth looked around in confusion. Patrick had never willingly sought her out in all the time she had known him, unless there was an apology of some sort involved. "Did we have another fight and I missed it?"

Patrick grinned. "No. I'm here to deliver this to you and I'm not supposed to leave until you pick one for every category." He handed over the menu and walked in.

Looking at the lists of food, Elizabeth felt her eyes grow wide. When it was just Robin planning her baby shower, her friend had promised a small low key affair. This looked more in line with a wedding than a baby shower. "I shouldn't have allowed Dillon to help."

Patrick considered this for a minute. "Probably not, but it is what it is. Do you want something from the kitchen?" He asked, already on his way there.

"No thanks." Elizabeth lowered herself into the chair, trying her best not to mess up the only nice shirt she had that still fit her. Glancing at her watch, she figured she had a few minutes before she absolutely had to leave. Surely she could sit here a bit and fill this out quickly. If she made any mistakes, like requesting pickles and ice cream for a main course, Robin would tell her in seconds later on tonight.

Patrick returned to the living room with a bottle of water and took the chair across from the couch. "When are you planning on having this party anyway?"

"Last I was informed it was April 26th."

"What do you do there? If I were pregnant, I'd want my food brought to me." Patrick mused quietly.

"I don't know. Dillon just says something cryptic or an obscure Hollywood reference and walks away." Elizabeth shrugged. "And Robin hasn't been much better about details either."

"She's got a lot going on." Patrick answered vaguely.

"Oh I know." Elizabeth said quickly before she revealed too much. "That's kinda how I allowed Dillon to get involved. Take off some of the stress." That and the guilty pains she had every time she thought of Robin not being able to celebrate the same thing without fear of losing everything.

Patrick met her eyes, wondering just how much she knew. He had told Brenda; it wasn't so farfetched that Robin would tell Elizabeth. From what he had learned of Elizabeth Webber, she seemed almost too calm about Robin being out of commission. Of course, it was just as likely that she understood what with Morgan being back that Robin would want to change a few things including spending more time with her son. "At least it'll be fun, right?" He tried to sound encouraging.

"So Dillon keeps swearing on the bodies of various celebrities."

"There you go." Patrick nodded. "How's the list coming?"

"Slowly. And I'd rush it, but you know Robin. She'd be down here herself, cursing us both for not doing it right the first time. Which is not something she needs to be doing or I need to see."

Patrick mentally agreed with her. If Robin hadn't spilled, he knew it wasn't his place to do so. "Yes she would. I meant to see how Lucky's doing."

"Oh well, you know Lucky." Elizabeth said with forced cheerfulness. She still hadn't talked with Lucky yet about what Luke had told her. And today they had a meeting with Dara Jensen about the custody suit Tony and Lisa had filed regarding Cameron. Lucky was barely hanging on and was still hiding out on her. She wanted to trust Luke and her grandmother's words about being patient and letting him come to her, but she was beginning to believe he never would.

"Yeah?" He prodded carefully. "You don't sound all that convinced."

"You know it's just been busy lately, with the kids and everything. He's been putting in a lot of long hours at work." Elizabeth concentrated harder on the list, trying to differentiate one word from another through the tears that were building behind her eyes. "Shrimp or lobster? Dillon is out of his mind."

"I say lobster. At least Lucky's got you to lean on though." Patrick reminded her.

"Yeah. At least he has that." She whispered softly.

"Are you alright?" Patrick figured he could ignore her tears, but it would be an inevitable. If there was a crying woman within a twenty-mile radius, he was going to have to witness it.

"I'm fine thanks." Elizabeth wiped furiously at her eyes. "Hormones. You know, fun thing you get to look forward to."

"What?" Patrick wasn't sure if he had heard her right.

Too late she realized her mistake. Waving her hands, Elizabeth tried to correct herself. "I mean in the future, you know if you and Robin decide to have kids. In the future."

"Elizabeth..."

Holding her head in hands, Elizabeth concentrated on the floor. "Robin is going to kill me." She murmured.

"Why is Robin going to kill you?"

"Patrick..." Elizabeth sighed. "I know."

"You know?" Patrick repeated.

"I know. About the baby. What Dr. Lansing suggested. I know."

Patrick gulped slightly. "Does Lucky—?"

"No." Elizabeth said vehemently. "I swear I didn't tell him."

"Please don't." Patrick whispered.

"No problem. He has enough going on right now. I don't want to add anything else to the mix."

"Has he been sleeping?" Patrick knew he sounded anxious, but his cousin had never taken him up on the offer to talk about his own kidnapping experience.

"Not that I know of. Has Robin?"

"Not until last night." Patrick admitted. "We had a little scare, but she and the baby are fine. We met her new doctor."

"So she found one? Good. Good." Elizabeth blew out a breath. "I was starting to get worried the only one she would find would be overseas."

"I don't want to get anybody in trouble, but I have to tell you something."

"You're making me nervous."

"Lucky was kidnapped when we were kids. He showed up at General a few days later." Patrick explained.

Elizabeth smiled sadly. "You're a bit late with that. Luke told me."

Patrick snapped his fingers. "Damn. I love being the first to tell the big secrets." He replied sarcastically.

"We can start again and I can act surprised if it will make you feel better." Elizabeth offered. "But since we are telling secrets here, there's something I should probably tell you too."

"Now I'm a little worried."

"I'm still hoping it will blow over, but it's not looking good right now." Elizabeth blew out a breath and met Patrick's gaze. "Tony and Lisa are suing for custody of Cameron."

"They're what?" Patrick asked indignantly. "On what grounds?"

"The kidnappings. And with everything that was going on that night, he forgot to call them. They found out in the paper." She gestured to her stomach. "Seeing me like this, didn't help."

Patrick blew out a grinding breath. "If they had their way, Lucky would have mourned Jess until the day he died and never moved on, never had a family with anyone else. This has nothing to do with Cameron's safety; it's always about their 'special loss' that no one but them can understand."

"Care to say that in court? We're meeting Dara in about an hour. She wants to talk a witness list today."

"I'll do whatever I can. My schedule is free at the moment. I'm out of commission for a little while to make sure that Robin stays off her feet and rests."

"Good. She needs that." Elizabeth cast a quizzical eye on Patrick. "Am I assuming you've come around to Robin's wish to keep the baby? Because if you are just doing this to try to convince her..."

"I told you we talked last night. The doctor said the pregnancy was possible and Robin's heart is set on it." Patrick answered.

"I'm glad. Just...just make sure you are sure Patrick. For yourself and not because Robin is so determined to do this. I was the first one to suggest finding someone other than Dr. Lansing but if he was right..." Elizabeth let her voice trail off, not wanting to voice both of their fears. "If he was, this will affect you more than anyone. Just—be sure, Patrick. Please."

"I am." Patrick nodded with a ghost of a smile. "It's too soon to be excited, but I am."

"Good because we are about to have another person in common." Elizabeth smiled, quoting his words from right after Christmas.

"Speaking of, I know you're keeping the sex of the baby from the rest of the family..." Patrick drawled.

"Nice try, but you aren't getting any hints."

"Why not?" Patrick whined. "I helped paint the nursery."

"Under protest."

"And I'll be enlisting his help when we decide on a color." Patrick pointed out.

"True. But I'm not explaining to Laura why I wouldn't tell her but I told you."

"You're still afraid of Laura?" Patrick chuckled.

"Why don't you tell her about your baby and why you and Robin aren't married if you're so brave then?"

Patrick sobered. "I don't want to get her hopes up if the pregnancy doesn't take."

"I shouldn't have said that last one. I took the joke too far."

"It's okay." Patrick nodded. "Really. I guess I'm just a little sensitive about it."

"The Great Patrick Drake is sensitive? Who would have guessed?" Elizabeth teased gently.

"No one. Least of all me." Patrick took a breath. "What are we going to do about Lucky?"

"I don't know. Luke and my grandmother both said to let him come to me and talk, but I don't think that's going to happen."

Patrick snorted. "You're right. It won't."

"The only way I could see him doing any talking is if he was convinced it would help someone else somehow."

"You mean like if he talked to Robin." At her surprised expression, he clarified, "He won't talk to you and he won't talk to me. If he thinks he's helping Robin, she could get him to open up. She did when Cameron got hurt."

"You're right. And Robin's not exactly being very talkative herself lately..."

"I never thought I'd miss her random musings." Patrick sighed.

"But if she thinks she can help Lucky, she might just start yakking his ear off."

"I'm not seeing a downside." Patrick smirked.

"Me either." Elizabeth matched his smirk with one of his own. "I think we might need to work together more often."

"Can it be on something other than babies or birthday presents?"

"Not macho enough for you? I can't really fake an interest in race cars."

"There must be something in the middle. Lucky told me you like art."

"I do."

"Well, I have an eye for it. I am a photographer. Don't tell Robin but a couple times a year I buy Italian artifacts off eBay."

"Can I give you some advice?"

"Sure."

"Keep them out of reach of Morgan and the baby."

"I rented a warehouse where I keep them."

"You may be as smart as you always claim to be there Drake."

"Damn straight."


	216. You've Got A Friend

**_We inspired a Kic fic? That's awesome! Can't wait to read it! I thought you might enjoy a non-cliffhanger Friday update._**

Robin swirled a tiny paintbrush in-between her middle and index finger, wishing she could be working in the craft room. She had ordered a plain two-story dollhouse offline around Christmastime and it just happened to come in yesterday. Patrick had managed to get it upstairs and set it on the back table before she realized what was going on and started bugging him to let her up so she could get started on it. As a little girl, she had always wanted to refurnish dollhouses, but something had always gotten in the way. Until they brought her to Uncle Mac, she and her parents had moved every two years to avoid any of her father's growing lists of enemies. She had never gotten to be in one place long enough to even make friends.

She didn't know how she was going to survive the next four weeks on bed rest. Not being able to do simple tasks that made her day more enjoyable was going to drive her crazy. Patrick was going to drive her crazy if he didn't stop hovering over her. Morgan constantly wanted to know what was wrong with her, but she didn't have the strength or the motivation to do so. He had been through enough; she didn't want to promise him a baby brother or sister when everything was still in the air. So far, Elizabeth had managed to keep her mouth shut and no one else knew about the baby, but there was no guarantee that it was going to stay that way. She could feel it pressing, the questions growing, and the uncertainty building. What was she going to do with her life? She couldn't possibly keep the bakery with no one to work it. Lucas and Dillon wanted to take Lance away for Spring Break and then she would have no support.

The bakery had been her first success and she knew it wasn't going to be easy to give it up. She would have to meet with her lawyer soon and then her real estate agent, but there was no way she could do any of that while she was on bed rest. She couldn't do shit while she was on bed rest besides watch crappy Lifetime movies and corny, over-the-top, redundant soap operas. She wasn't allowed to be on her feet for more than ten minutes at a time and even that had been a compromise she and Patrick had come to. She couldn't cook but she could read all of her cookbooks; she couldn't even make Morgan a grilled cheese sandwich because apparently that was just too much for her to accomplish. Maybe she would take up sewing. She didn't think she was one of those moms who sat in a rocking chair and knitted booties or pajamas. What was she going to do for the next month?

"Hello? Anyone home?" Knocking lightly on the open door, Lucky ventured further into the apartment, spotting Robin easily enough on the couch. He knew Patrick wasn't home; he had planned his visit around that, so why was Robin laying there with the door wide open? Between her and Patrick, he was guessing there would be more security than Fort Knox around the apartment and Morgan at all times.

Not that he was anyone to talk about less extreme measures to protect Cameron. Even though the meeting with Dara had been positive and the lawyer seemed confident he would be able to retain primary custody of his son, he couldn't shake the feeling Tony and Lisa would pull some long forgotten transgression out of thin air and the judge would see him as a terrible parent, losing Cameron forever. Although both Dara and Elizabeth had tried to gloss over that point, Lucky realized the stakes. If he lost this case, there was no way Tony or Lisa would allow him near Cameron ever again.

If he was honest with himself, his own behavior lately could do that for him. Elizabeth was willing to testify, but if she was asked if he was attentive and present for her pregnancy right this second, she would have to say no. When Lulu and the kids returned home, he had thought the nightmares and flashbacks would stop. They hadn't. It was getting harder and harder to hide them from Elizabeth and Cameron, so he had taken to staying at the office as late as possible. This was hurting his son and making Elizabeth suspicious. But he wasn't going to burden them with this. Elizabeth especially had enough going on right now.

Robin glanced up. "Lucky? Jesus, you scared me." To further prove her point, her hand rose to her chest and she reminded herself to breathe normally.

"I knocked." Lucky defended himself. "If you didn't have your door wide open Shortstack, no one would be able to walk in and surprise you." He pointed out, scooting her feet over so he could sit down.

"That's true. I must have forgotten to close it when I came in. I have a lot on my mind." Robin explained staring down at the paintbrush she had forgotten she was holding. "I haven't seen you for a while."

"Work." It was a lie, but his father always preached if you were going to lie it was easier to tell the same one to everyone. Much easier on the memory.

"I'm not judging you. I haven't exactly made myself...I've been kind of hiding out as well." Robin pointed out blandly.

"No." Lucky drawled, feigning shock. "You don't say." Damn it if Elizabeth hadn't been right. Robin looked paler than normal and as if she hadn't slept in a month. If he wasn't so caught up in his own stuff he would have noticed this.

"Would you like some tea?" Robin was thankful she hadn't been an avid coffee drinker...or rather that she hadn't been addicted to it so the idea of having to leave it alone for seven more months wasn't a big sacrifice. Maybe it was her mother who had gotten her hooked on tea and scones or maybe it was her English background. Maybe she just needed something to prove that she wasn't actually from here would never quite fit in and she was okay with it.

"Don't make anything on my account."

"It's fine. I need to get up anyway." Robin waved off his concern and headed for the kitchen.

Noticing the doll house for the first time, Lucky moved closer to inspect it. "Robin, you do realize Morgan is a boy right? I don't think he's going to want to play with a doll house." He called out into the kitchen.

"It's mine." Robin explained. "I always wanted one. Sugar?"

"Plain is fine." He raised one eyebrow at her as she returned to the couch. "Always wanted one? I've known you since you were five. You have not always wanted one. You were always one of the guys."

"Yeah? Well, some things change."

"Not everything." Lucky took a cautious sip of the hot beverage. Maybe the tea would keep the jitters away, unlike his usual coffee. "For example, I'm still here to solve all your problems." He teased her.

"What problems would those be?"

"Try me."

"I'm afraid to have Morgan gone for more than an hour at a time. He's over at Uncle Mac's right now. I've been calling every fifteen minutes just in case...just in case something happens and they can't get to the phone right away."

"I'm at ten minutes with Cameron." Lucky admitted. "And if one more person says it will just take time..."

"That's a lie." Robin snapped handing over his tea and reaching for her own. "It doesn't get easier. It could be a month; it could be a year; or even ten years. I'm never going to feel safe leaving him anywhere."

"I'm reconsidering the idea of having him home schooled."

"I don't think I want Morgan to go back to school. They're obviously incompetent. The last time I...the last time..."

"I know." Lucky put down his cup and grabbed Robin's hand. "Too bad we had to have social kids who like people. This would be so much easier if they hated everyone."

"Maybe." Robin whispered. "Patrick said you weren't sleeping. Is that true?"

"Patrick has a big mouth." Lucky sighed as he leaned back into the pillows. "And he's worried over nothing. It's work. I told him the same thing."

"Is it?" Robin ventured lightly as she took a sip of her tea.

"Would I lie?"

"I would hope not to me." Robin didn't care if she was being a hypocrite or not. Something was wrong with Lucky. Telling him anything about her and Patrick's baby wouldn't solve anything, but if she could get Lucky to speak up...

"You play dirty." Lucky closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. Lying to Robin was harder than he had assumed it would be. This wasn't supposed to be about him. He had come here specifically to help her, but she kept dancing around the edge of the issue. Turning this into his turn on in the Pathetic Spotlight wasn't in the cards, but if it would get Robin to start talking, he was game. "Tony and Lisa are suing for custody." Not the whole truth but certainly closer than he had told in awhile.

"Why?" Robin placed the cup on the side table knowing that if she set it anywhere near the dollhouse, it would spill.

"Besides the fact Tony hates me? Let's see: the accident, the kidnapping attempt, and although I'm not one hundred percent on this one, I think Elizabeth moving in and being pregnant played a role too."

"You had no say in any of those things. I'll admit you had a little something to do with the last one, but the others...no completely out of your hands." Robin smiled for him.

He rolled his eyes at her "little something" comment. "Unfortunately there's no talking with them about that this time. And the fact I forgot to call them after Logan did...well what he did, doesn't help."

"I don't think you should tell them about what Faison did to you." Robin responded almost out of place. "No use giving them ammunition."

Lucky did a double take at her casual mention of Faison's name. Then he narrowed his eyes. "Yeah because you know how much I love sharing about that."

"Is that why you're not sleeping?"

"Maybe. I don't know." He shrugged. "Probably isn't helping."

"Do you need me to testify?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't want you to do anything too stressful right now."

"I want to be able to help you." Robin insisted.

"And I appreciate that, but Shortstack you are approximately two seconds away from a meltdown. You are avoiding Patrick. You're avoiding Elizabeth. The last thing we need is them to start talking to each other because they are bored."

"That would be quite a sight, wouldn't it?"

"It might be the real reason I can't sleep."

Patting his right shoulder softly, Robin forced him to look into her eyes. "I know about nightmares Lucky." She whispered.

He caught the sadness in her eyes when she whispered. "You're worrying about more than Morgan aren't you?"

"This isn't about me." Robin scooted to the other side of the couch and took another drink of her tea.

"Robin. This is me. I haven't run from anything you've told me since you were five. And that includes dating Jason Morgan."

Robin let out a long sigh. "What was I thinking?"

"Obviously you've confused me with some friend who gives up easily."

"You mean like Courtney?" Robin snorted.

"Not specifically, but hey we can go with her."

"How could she do that, Lucky?" Robin turned her face away when she noticed the fresh tears on her cheeks.

Moving to wipe the tears he noticed falling, Lucky pulled her close to him for a hug. "If I could answer that I would."

"I trusted her with my life. She was always there. I told her all of my secrets. We used to braid each other's hair." Robin recalled.

"It seems way too simple to say some people change but there it is. And it's not always for the better."

"She stole my son, Lucky. She stole him and wouldn't let him come home."

"And she'll pay for that Robin. I have no doubt your uncle won't rest until she comes to justice. One way or another she'll pay."

"She could do it again."

"Lulu's pretty confident she was following Emily's orders. I know that doesn't make it any easier, but I don't think she would try it again alone."

"Did she have anything to do with my breaks?" Robin almost shrieked. "Is she the one I should blame for...?"

"Blame for what?"

"Lucky, I—" Robin broke off.

"Robin? What's going on?"

"I can't." Robin whimpered.

"Hey. You know I would never pressure you. But you can tell me anything. You know that."

Robin ducked her head. "I'm pregnant." Her voice was barely above a murmur.

"What?" Lucky leaned closer so he could hear her better. Surely she wouldn't have kept this quiet. "I thought you said you were pregnant."

"I am." Robin glanced up. "I am pregnant. Ten weeks along. I—we didn't tell anyone because..."

"You remember Mom's reaction to our news and freaked out?" Lucky guessed, smiling at her reveal. And Cruz said he had competition issues.

"I may not be able to carry it to term." It was never going to get easier to say, was it?

"What? I mean...are you sure about that?" Lucky sunk back, stunned. One these days maybe he would figure out the whole planned pregnancy concept, but he had loved his children the second he adjusted to the idea they were coming. He couldn't imagine being told there was a possibility they wouldn't survive.

"That would explain why the first doctor wanted me to have an abortion." Robin replied dryly.

"The first doctor? So you found another one?"

"Yes." Robin nodded. "Dr. Walker. She's very nice."

"So this is why you've been avoiding everyone right? And why Dillon suddenly has taken over baby shower planning?"

"Patrick made me go to the hospital after a week of not being able to sleep. Dr. Lansing confirmed it. After we got Morgan home, I figured it would be best to talk to Sonny...you know about protection? Anyway, he killed himself in his cell the night before, but no one noticed until we found him. I collapsed and the new doctor told me that I'm on bed rest for the next four weeks. I have what's called Toxemia. It's a high blood pressure in pregnancy."

At one point in time maybe he would have felt sorrow for another senseless death, but the truth was Sonny Corinthos courted death for years before it caught up with him. Letting out a sigh, he met Robin's cinnamon colored eyes straight on. "And you're refusing to ask for help because?"

"What do you mean? What could any of you possibly do?"

"Talk with you. Sit with you. I'm pretty sure I'm more interesting than that soap of yours."

"I could probably audition for it for all the trouble I've caused so many people." Robin mused.

"You aren't trouble."

"Oh, man." Robin groaned. "You have no idea."

"Shortstack if you were real trouble I would have nothing to do with you. I have high standards you know."

"Look at what I've done to the people I care about if you don't believe me. Morgan would have been safe and never taken from his school. Patrick wouldn't be forced to come to terms with not only my untimely death but also that he has to be a father."

"You know I think someone told me once that some things were totally out of my hands. You had a little something to do with the last one, but the rest you had no control over."

Robin startled herself with a laugh. "How are we going to get you back to sleeping?"

"How are we going to get you through this pregnancy?" He countered easily.

"One day at a time I think."

"You know I don't even think I liked that when it was TV show."

"At least soaps used to have depth. What do they have now? Little kids getting shot in the head."

"Not that we would admit to knowing about that."

"On that note..." Robin got to her feet and snuck over to the movie shelf. "Want to watch Jack & Jill?"

Lucky groaned. "I knew promising you to be there no matter what would bite me in the ass."


	217. Does Your Mother Know?

"They're gonna know." Georgie mumbled to herself as she stood in the hallway a few feet from her room. "They're going to take one look at your dopey smile and know." She could be frowning and they wouldn't believe her insistence that she and Steven weren't serious, especially since she had only been to their room to pick up or drop off textbooks during the last week. Otherwise, she was at Steven's. They had agreed that she shouldn't come to the set because, as he put it, she was far too distracting. She would sneak out in the morning to go to class and meet him at his room for dinner. It was picture perfect until she ran out of clothes. There was a good chance they weren't even here. Georgie pushed open the door and stuck her head in to investigate. "Hello?"

Lindsay grabbed her hand and pulled her in before Georgie had a chance to protest. "Oh my God, our roommate does exist."

Ronnie threw the closest thing she could grab at Lindsay's head, which ended up being a sock. "We knew she existed. Remember the disappearing stacks of clothes?"

As usual, Georgie just let them talk themselves in circles.

"That could have been the ghost." Lindsay countered quickly, pushing Georgie down on the bed. "You know the one we named after her."

"Hi guys." Georgie blushed.

"Hi guys." Ronnie mimicked. "We see for the first time since she had to leave for home and all she can say is hi guys?"

"I bet Steven got more than a 'hi guys' out of her." Lindsay nodded.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Georgie asked trying to sound put off.

"Oh you do not get to try that innocent stuff with me. The day before you left you spent all night with him and we haven't seen you since you came back. And we know you two were supposed to meet up that night since Mr. Wonderful came here looking for you." Lindsay clucked, shaking her finger in Georgie's direction.

"Really Georgie. We aren't total airheads." Ronnie reminded her. "We do have some brains you know."

"We just got kind of carried away. And this week has been so wonderful. I should have checked in." Georgie admitted.

"Well it would have been easier on misdirecting your family if you had." Lindsay pointed out. "There are so many times one person should be in the library."

"Who called?" Georgie whispered.

"Your sister once and your dad a couple of times." Ronnie offered. "It wasn't anything major. I think they were just checking on you. You should probably call them soon."

"Yeah." Georgie nodded. "So, did I miss anything?"

"Not as much as we have apparently. Why was your week so wonderful chica?" Lindsay pried. "Did you really think I of all people was going to let that one slide?"

She thought about telling them how the simple act of having dinner with a guy was a comfort after seven years of solidarity, but that would have made her way too vulnerable. "It's kind of a blur. Don't give me that look. What I guess I mean is, I think I'm in love." Georgie explained. It was a risk telling them especially when she hadn't told Steven yet, but she felt like she would burst if she didn't tell someone.

"Color me shocked on that one." Lindsay joked. "Girl we knew that before you left."

"Linds don't make fun." Ronnie chided her. "That's great Georgie. Does he feel the same way?"

"Oh...I don't know." Georgie choked out.

"Has he been as scarce as you've been this past week?"

"No."

"Well of course not, Ronnie he has to work." Lindsay explained. "What she meant was has he been changing his routine since you've been around? Not hanging around skanky starlets for example."

"I haven't been to his work, but I don't think so." Georgie screwed up her face.

"Good. Skanky starlets are always the worst. Now when you are together, do you get the feeling he would rather be somewhere else or do you think there is nowhere else he'd rather be?" Lindsay asked.

"Who are you Dr. Phil?" Ronnie wondered.

"Hush. I just want to make sure Georgie is in love with a guy who deserves it."

"You're getting ahead of yourselves." Georgie assured them. "I'm sure if he does love me he'll tell me."

"He's a guy Georgie. They take longer about these things."

"It's just a nice feeling. Even if he doesn't, which I'm not saying that."

"Of course, it's a nice feeling either way." Ronnie agreed, sticking her tongue out in Lindsay's direction.

"The fact that he's a hot older guy is just an added bonus." Lindsay added.

"I just came to get some clothes." Georgie suddenly remembered. "I don't want to be late for dinner."

"Ohhh she needs clothes. Not wanting to be late for dinner. Sounds serious." Lindsay laughed.

"Shut up." Georgie ordered smiling. She crossed the room and stuffed a few outfits into an overnight bag.

"She's breaking out the bags. I guess we won't see her again for another week at least."

"Sure you will." Georgie promised. "Let's plan on getting together this weekend. Okay?"

"Do you want us to tell your family that you've moved to the library then?" Ronnie wondered.

"No. I'll call them right now. I appreciate you covering for me."

"No problem. You know us. Sucker for true love and all." Lindsay teased. "However you do realize this will cost you."

Georgie folded her arms. "What do you want?" She asked cautiously.

"You're buying dinner when we do get together. Not that I think for one second it will be this weekend."

"How about Friday night? Anywhere you two want?"

Lindsay turned to Ronnie, in feigned shock. "She's offering us Friday night. Date night."

"Steven must be working late." Ronnie reasoned

"That isn't fair." Georgie pointed her finger at them.

"We're just having some fun with you." Lindsay reassured her, hugging her close. "It's good to see you happy you know."

"It's good to see you guys period." Georgie laughed. "We'll talk details in class tomorrow."

Bobbie stood in the doorway of her baby daughter's new room just watching her. This was her first day out of the NICU nursery and Bobbie could admit, at least to herself, that she was adjusting as well as Majandra was. From here, she could hear the light, wordless melody of the moon and stars mobile. Resting her cheek against the door, she whispered, "It'll be a short meeting." It was a promise she hoped to back up when she got back. Jax and Brenda had finally come to agreement on location and date. There was no way she was giving them another minute to change their mind. Of course, that meant leaving her baby alone with her father. It wasn't that she didn't trust him to take care of her; it was just the first time he would be alone with her without a nurse or doctor assisting him.

It didn't help that Robin was taking a long break from this account and her business in general, but Bobbie could understand how terrifying it was to have your child taken so abruptly. I can handle this, Bobbie told herself. Work was no longer a danger to her, the pregnancy part was over. She could get this done in an hour at most and be back before lunchtime.

"Are you sure this is okay?" She asked Cruz timidly. "I could do this a different day."

"We'll be fine." Cruz assured her. If was honest he was still not one hundred percent sure they should have brought her home so soon but the doctors swore Majandra was ready. And he wasn't fully sure he wouldn't drop her and break her like the little porcelain doll she looked like. But this account was important to his wife, and he swore he wouldn't' hold her back from something important to her.

"It's only twenty minutes away. You have my cell phone number of course. If you need me, call." She couldn't do it. She couldn't leave her baby.

"You don't have to worry about a thing. I have everything the Princess is going to need."

"You know, Laura's actually closer. Call her first and then call me. Okay?" She patted his cheek.

"You're worrying too much. We can handle this."

"I know. I know you can." Bobbie bobbed her head. "It's just...leaving her is never going to be easy for me."

"And you keep telling me I have to learn to let go eventually." He teased her gently drawing her into his arms with ease.

"They grow up so fast though and I don't want to miss anything. What if we get her a babysitter and she calls her Mommy first?"

"Not going to happen. No one's going to pass my screening test anyways."

Bobbie laughed as he had meant for her to. "I love you Cruz Rodriguez."

"I love you too Barbara Jean Rodriguez. Now go. One of us should be working right now."

"Oh, she'll put you to work. When she wakes up...I left a schedule on the refrigerator."

He mocked saluted her. "Aye, aye Captain. I will follow it religiously."

Bobbie hurried over to the crib and kissed her daughter's pudgy cheek. "I love you. Momma will be back soon." She met her husband's eyes feeling very out of sorts. "I can't do it. I'm canceling."

"No you aren't. This wedding is going to make your career. You know that. You've told me that a zillion times already. You are not doing all the work to let someone else take the credit." Cruz shook his head stubbornly. "Besides what would our daughter think of you setting such an example?"

Bobbie frowned. "Okay. I just...just a second." She returned to the crib, having made it a whole two feet past it, and nuzzled Majandra's cheek. "Okay, I can do this." She quietly marched out of the room and down the stairs.

Walking into his daughter's room, Cruz paused by her crib watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest. "I can do this." He whispered. "I can do this."

"Hello?" Axe's voice carried through the living room. "Boss man? You home?"

Cruz blew out a sigh as Majandra rolled over in her bassinet and started to wail once again. "Axe! Shh!"

"I'm sorry. Sorry." Axe ran to close the door he had accidentally left wide open, cringing when he closed it with more force than was strictly necessary. "I didn't know the Little Queen was sleeping."

"She's not now." Cruz grumbled. "I don't understand it. I fed her. I changed her. I laid her down. Yet she just now fell asleep and then you go and wake her up."

"Did you burp her?"

Cruz lifted an incredulous eyebrow at this. "I'm supposed to burp her?"

Shaking his head at his boss's cluelessness, Axe held out his hand. "Give her here."

"I don't know..." Cruz replied. "Bobbie said not to let anyone else hold her."

"Do you want her to stop crying dude?"

"Here. Take her." Cruz carefully shoved his daughter into his employee's waiting arms. "Hold her head and all that jazz."

"Dude please. I am the Baby Master." Snuggling Majandra against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder, he gently began patting her on her back. "Come on Little Queen. Make me look good."

"Since when do you know anything about babies?"

"Four younger brothers and sisters." Axe answered matter-of-factly. Majandra decided to let out a loud burst of noise. "There you go."

"Maybe I'm not cut out for this. I should call Bobbie." Cruz reached for his cell phone.

"Nah." Axe drawled out rubbing Majandra's back. "You're learning dude."

"Let me see her. I want to show you something." Cruz goaded him.

Passing the little girl back to her father, Axe gave his full attention to Cruz. "Hit me."

As soon as his little girl was set in his arms, she started to cry again turning her face into his right arm. "She hates me."

"No. She smells fear."

"She's a baby, Axe."

"Babies are like dogs man. You have to train them to do what you want and they can smell fear. You have to go in confident or they will own you."

"Did you just call my baby a dog?"

"No. But you have to approach her like you know what you are doing. What is it you always tell the interns? Fake it till you make it? Well learn to fake it."

Cruz smirked. "Take her for a second. I've got to get her bottle from the kitchen."

"Not a problem. She likes me better anyway."

Cruz decided not to comment on that last statement. "Oh shi—! Ouch!" He yelled.

"What? What?" Axe ran into the kitchen as fast as he could with Majandra resting her head on his shoulder. The little girl was far more interested in trying to fit her entire fist into her mouth than in whatever drama her father had just gotten himself into.

Boiling milk covered the floor, the bottle had smashed a window, and Cruz had an angry red welt on his forehead. "Don't. Please just don't."

"Don't what? Laugh? Tell Becca? Or tell your wife?"

"Any of that. Just don't." Cruz saw the sudden sparkle in his daughter's eyes. "I think she likes it when I mess up."

"Of course she does. Don't all kids love it when their parents screw up?"

"If you like that," he cooed to Majandra, "you're going to love the next couple of years."


	218. Just Talking About Tonight

**_There was a time, long, long ago, when we thought that M stood for mature and that we deemed it appropriate to cover all bases of our story. It wasn't until the creation of Mic that we learned how very wrong we were. M not longer stands for mature. M stands for Mic._**

Ric couldn't remember being this tired when he had first become a doctor, but he had a lot on his mind; his illustrious wife had yet to leave town and that was not making his life any easier. She was covering her tracks and doing a damn good job of it. She was the first with the story since she had somehow found out about it before anyone else and managed to round up a few collaborating witnesses. It was possible that Maxie had given a statement to her, but it was just as likely that she hadn't. He had learned long ago that talking about his wife with the woman of the moment was never a good idea and he didn't want to give Maxie any more excuses to keep her distance from him.

Since their run-in at Kelly's, Ric couldn't stop wondering what it was Maxie wanted from him. She didn't like the idea of anyone knowing they were together which really didn't bother him because the last thing he wanted was more drama in the divorce proceedings. He had been a faithful husband for all it had mattered. She was the one who had betrayed him and, yes, perhaps his method of handling it had been rather childish but he was over it.

And then there was the matter of Maxie's cousin. The only conflict the young woman brought him now was that he knew something about her that he could never tell Maxie and he had a feeling it would come back and bite him in the ass sooner or later. He had heard rumors of Dr. Joanne Walker taking over the case and he was glad for it. He vaguely remembered Joanne from the first hospital he had worked at, Boston General. She had been second in their class only losing the first slot because of him. While he was thankful Robin had managed to find a doctor who was telling her the opposite of what he had recommended, he stuck by what he had said. His arrogance aside, maybe Joanne had discovered some novel approach to treating Robin's condition and therefore could offer her hope when he could not.

What issues he didn't bring to the table Maxie more than made up for. She had obviously been hurt many times in her short twenty-two years of life thus conditioning her to believe that every man from that point on had only one agenda in mind. He could argue until he was blue in the face, but there was a good chance she had memorized a similar speech and would block him out. This was why he didn't mind waiting around for her, not forever but for a little longer than he usually would. God knows he had been bitter and suspicious after his marriage disintegrated and he didn't consider himself a hypocrite.

It was as clear now as it had been from their first meeting that she wanted him just as badly as he wanted her. He supposed most guys would be turned off by her constant insistence that what they had was nothing, less than nothing, and that she couldn't handle anything more than casual if for no other reason than there was nothing definitive in her explanation. One false move and she would pin his ass to the wall. All he knew was that she was a lot of fun to be around when she let herself relax and even though there were about fourteen years between them he couldn't find fault in wanting her.

"It's about time." Maxie teased from his sofa. She smiled when his reaction was to lean heavily against the door. "I know we agreed you would wear your uniform too, but I found mine and couldn't resist." She gestured toward the blue and yellow cheerleading outfit she had come over in.

"How did you get in my house?" Ric asked closing the door behind him and locking it for good measure.

Maxie feigned innocence. "I found the spare?"

"I don't keep a spare." Ric argued.

Gnawing on her bottom lip, Maxie glanced up at him. "Okay so I kind of broke in but—"

"Kind of broke in?" Ric parroted back to her. "How exactly does one do that?"

"I jimmied the lock. It's not a big deal." Maxie assured him with a nod.

"What are you doing here?" Ric walked over to the side table nearest the door and poured himself a drink.

"Seducing you Dr. Lansing." Maxie explained with a devilish smile. "Interested?"

Ric gripped the dark blue tumbler and slowly placed it back on the table. "Is that a trick question?"

"We're in agreement about that at least. Do you like my uniform?" Maxie whispered closing the space between them. His hands moved to her hips and he swept her closer with a smooth maneuver.

Dipping his head he whispered against her ear, "Oh yes I do. Thank you for remembering." He blew out a breath when he felt her shiver beneath his fingertips, catching the tip of her ear between his teeth.

Maxie slid her hand under the knot of his tie and carefully unfastened it. His pulse quickened beneath her fingertips and she felt giddy at his reaction. The top two buttons of his purple and white cotton t-shirt were no match for her motivated fingers and soon she came in contact with bare skin. Tilting her head back, she giggled when his mouth settled on hers.

Her laugh was at once melodic and excited; he sipped hungrily at her mouth wanting more. He used his hold on her waist to steer her backwards and didn't stop walking until he had her pinned against the wall. Her legs twined around his hips and his body lurched forward on impulse.

She could feel his hands slipping under the skirt of her uniform and closed her eyes. His palms slid down her bottom and settled between her legs, his thumb boldly stroking her through her pink silk panties. If he hadn't been holding her in place, she knew she would be a puddle on the floor. She was breathing way too fast; her lungs bellowed in response. Her movements were uncoordinated as she yanked at the ends of his shirt and tried to pull it over his head. The half-buttoned shirt thwarted her and she ended up breaking the kiss rather abruptly. Ric laughed and tore the garment away, walking her into the opposite wall and kissing her again, his hand feeling quite nice against her bare bottom.

"Upstairs." She managed weakly knowing he would have to carry her there because her shaky legs would never support such an endeavor.

"In a minute," came his muffled reply as he reached for the zipper on the back of her uniform. Balancing her, he tugged it off and over her head so fast she barely registered what he had done. The kiss he gave her was rough and impatient, but he had enough consideration for her to rest his hands between her vulnerable back and the harsh wall behind her. She shivered again, this time from the chill at her back and the warm body at her front.

"I left the condom in my purse." Maxie told him.

"We'll come back for it." Ric promised kissing his way down her neck.

Maxie grabbed his head, locking eyes with him for a moment. "Kiss me." When he leaned in to oblige her, she put her fingers to his lips. "Not there." His gaze sharpened and he set her on her feet before pressing his lips to one full breast. Her head lolled back and she realized that it had been far too long since she had let a man kiss her, touch her, give her pleasure…far, far too long. He traced her nipple with his tongue and then closed his lips over it leaving her to grasp helplessly at his shoulders. The stubble on his chin was shabbier than she could ever remember it being and she started to ask him why he had neglected it. She could already feel the whiskey burns they were leaving on her skin, but even that couldn't make her push him away.

Ric watched her tug his belt free along with the top button of his fly and shove it down to his ankles. He hadn't realized how starved he had been for her, but he had no intention of stopping her. His breath rushed through his teeth when she clamped her fingers over his hardening shaft through his briefs. His eyes shut and he rested his forehead against hers as she explored him unabashedly.

"You don't want to go upstairs that's fine, but I don't think we should waste this one." Maxie declared brazenly. As he shook and shuddered against the pressure of her hand, she could feel her own body's responses and knew neither of them would last a lot longer if they didn't hurry this up.

Ric managed to keep his face passive for about a second before he burst out laughing. She would never stop surprising him. He had never met a woman quite like her and he doubted he would again. When she was right, she was right. Either they had sex standing up or they were going to have to find an alternative spot because even breathing was becoming a hassle. She shimmied out of her panties and kicked them away while he stepped out of his pants and underwear. He held his hand out to her and they barely made it upstairs. He was thankful he had stocked up on condoms the night before because there was no way he could stop now, not even with the daunting possibility of an unplanned pregnancy.

Maxie hurried ahead of him and turned back the sheets and comforter. The action seemed almost foreign to her. He wondered if she was as nervous as he was. Her back facing him, he closed the space between them and slid his hands over her breasts. A cry escaped her and he nudged her toward the bed. She crawled over to the other side of the mattress and lay down on her stomach. Having taken a moment to put on the condom, Ric hadn't been aware of the particular position she felt most comfortable with, at least for their first time. "Ric, come on. You want me don't you?"

Ric inched toward her and leaned back on his haunches. "Are you sure about this? I'd kind of like to see your face." He admitted quietly.

"Please. I want to feel you hard and hot for me. You make me feel so good." Maxie countered stubbornly.

He decided fighting with her wouldn't do a lot of good. Hadn't he just been thinking how much he loved her surprising him? Inching toward her, he pressed his hands to the mattress on either side of her waist and barely entered her, the position awkward for both of them.

Maxie purred as he reached in front of her and slipped his fingers up inside of her. The direct stimulation was only an added bonus because she had been more than ready for him downstairs. He worked his fingers and shaft in a frustratingly slow motion and she almost lost her balance a few times. He gripped her hips advancing on her and she let out a cry out struggling to grant him access while her body recoiled at the sharpness of his thrusts.

Ric's lips tumbled down the back of her neck grazing the tops of her shoulders as his hands crept up to cover her breasts. He took a few minutes to reshape them and find out just how she wanted to be touched having only whimpers and sighs to go on. When his mouth found her ear, he muttered, "If you turn over I'll make you come with my tongue."

Maxie obliged him and squeezed her eyes shut as his mouth dropped between her legs. His tongue glided across her clitoris ever briefly as he caressed the rest of her shuddering flesh. His fingers bit into the back of her thighs and he snaked his tongue inside of her. "Ric, God…Ric. Oh God…Ric—oh! Oh!" Maxie wailed shoving her fingers through his thick mess of dark hair.

"Relax Blondie." Ric muttered as he replaced his mouth with his fingers and brought her to an earth-shattering climax. Pushing her legs apart, he settled between them bringing him to the hilt in one sharp, satisfying thrust. He could feel her hands moving up his back and he buried his face in her hair, his body on the brink of collapse. She pushed him onto his back and rode him until he let out a hoarse cry.

"Jesus." She whispered. His hand wrapped around the back of her neck and she let him pull her into a sloppy kiss.

"Christ." He managed. "Maxie?" She was already asleep. "Sweet dreams Blondie."


	219. Have A Little Faith In Me

He needed to go in. Flexing his fingers on the steering wheel of his Jeep, Lucky sat, staring at the garage wall. Once again he had stayed too late at the office, and now he was returning way later than he ever intended to. It wouldn't have worried him, except the lights on the first floor had been off when he pulled in the drive. A bad sign. If he had any sort of luck, it was just a power outage. One that only affected his house but just a power outage. Gritting his teeth as he finally started out of the car and into the house, he admitted it most likely wasn't a power outage. And there was a very good chance the lights were out because the house was empty.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized the mere concept of a seven month pregnant woman moving herself and her invalid grandmother out of a house plus dropping off a four year old with a babysitter was just a shade of outright idiocy. But he couldn't bring himself to dismiss the idea outright. It wasn't like he had been the greatest boyfriend in the world lately. If it wasn't a bad idea for her to fly right now, Lucky wasn't completely sure he wouldn't have to be chasing Elizabeth down across the country again. Despite his promise to Robin to take it one day at a time, he still hadn't even thought about talking about this with Elizabeth.

Making his way into the darkened living room, he called out softly into the still air, not wanting to hear his own voice echoing back at him. "Hello? Anyone there?" Flipping on the lights, he could release a breath he didn't realize he was holding when he noticed the only shoes Elizabeth currently claimed to be able to wear outside of slippers resting on the floor next to the couch. If she had left the house for good, no way would she have left those behind.

The relief was quickly replaced when he notice what else she left on the couch. The pillow he normally stole from their bed, the sheet and the blanket he used to cover himself when he tossed and turned downstairs instead of sleeping next to her. He had thought he had hid the evidence of his trips to the couch better, sneaking upstairs before her alarm went off, pretending to be sleeping when she got up. Now he realized she probably hadn't been fooled one bit.

Glancing up the stairs, he could see the light from the hallway glowing softly. If she was still home, she was most likely upstairs. Making his way up the stairs, he began mentally preparing his excuses and rationalizations. This wasn't her fight, it was his. They were his demons to wrestle with. It was ancient history.

Checking to make sure Cameron's door was closed, he paused just long enough outside their door, to draw in a breath. Walking in timidly, he saw her sitting in the overstuffed chair he had kept in the corner. She turned her head quickly but he still managed to notice her wipe away a tear at the corner of her eye. "Hi. I'm home."

"Before ten. Congratulations." She was trying for calm but the slight waiver in her voice gave her away. Lifting herself up, she made her way towards the laundry basket placed on the edge of the bed. Angrily she swatted at the tears that insisted on escaping her eyes.

"Elizabeth..." He started but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Please just don't Lucky. Don't tell me some story ok? I don't have the energy to pretend anymore." Her shoulders sagged in defeat. "I just can't do it anymore." She whispered brokenly.

"Baby." He reached for her and couldn't help but feel his heart break a little when she shrugged out of his grasp. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Sniffling, she crossed her arms and moved to the other side of the room, putting the bed between them. "For what Lucky? Coming home late again? Pretending to sleep up here when you haven't been sleeping for weeks? For shutting me out for weeks now? I just want to be clear on what we are talking about here."

"I didn't think you noticed." It was probably the most obvious statement he could make right now but there it was. He had honestly thought she had too much going on to fully realize everything. He had been banking on it actually.

"Not noticed?" Elizabeth sputtered the hurt creeping into her voice. "Lucky I love you. I live here. How could I not notice you're hurting?"

Sighing Lucky sat down on the edge of the bed, lowering his head into his hands. It was all a mess and it was his fault. He should be stronger than this by now. It was eleven years ago. Eleven. He had lived a lifetime since then. He was a father now. This shouldn't affect him. And now Elizabeth was standing there with tears in her eyes and it was his fault. "I'm sorry." He whispered again.

Her heart broke, seeing him sitting there do broken. She hadn't meant to force this issue out tonight. Honestly she had thought he wasn't going to show up until well after she had gone to bed, just like he had all week. Hurting him further wasn't what she wanted. She wanted him to talk to her, let her help him with his pain, not add to it. Easing closer to him, she stroked the back of his head.

"Lucky?" Keeping her voice barely above a whisper, she continued to rub his back. "I know." Seeing the confusion in his eyes as he raised his head, she hurried to explain. "Your dad and Patrick told me."

"They...they what?" The next time he saw them, he was going to super glue both of their big mouths shut. Neither one of them could speak up about any issue they were having but they both felt as if they could just broadcast his crap all over town?

"Don't be mad at them. They knew I was concerned. They also told me not to force you to talk about it and you would be back to your old self in no time. But you're not. So I'm doing exactly what they told me not. I'm telling you I know and I want to talk about it with you."

He should have told her first. One of these days he was going to commission a study to see exactly why he seemed incapable of telling Elizabeth anything until the last worst second. "I don't want to worry you." He admitted holding her hand lightly in his.

"Sweetie I'm more worried when you shut me out like you're doing." Resting her chin on his shoulder, she leaned down and lightly kissed his shoulder blade. "I promise I'm stronger than this whale-like appearance makes me look."

"You're beautiful."

"You're stalling."

"It's nothing. It should be nothing at any rate."

"It's something. I'm no psychiatrist but I'm pretty sure what you are going through right now is normal considering..."

"Considering what?"

"Considering your son was almost kidnapped and your sister was. Considering you know exactly what Kristina, Morgan, and Lulu went through on some level. It hit too close to home."

"It shouldn't have happened to them." He muttered quietly.

"It shouldn't have happened to you. It shouldn't happen to anyone."

"I should have done what Lulu did. I should have fought harder." He whispered. It had been haunting him since Logan took his sister. She had fought Logan and he had just let Faison's men take him. If he had fought, could he have avoided it all?

"Baby, you didn't know it was going to happen. You had no control over it. Nothing. There was nothing you could do about it. From what your dad told me, so little of it actually had to do with you."

"I know. It was about getting even with dad. It was about control of the Haunted Star. And it was related to the mob, since dad was working with them at the time." Lucky repeated the reasons in a remote voice, reciting them from years of self talk and reassurances from his mother.

"You don't believe that do you?" she questioned. He didn't even need to answer; she could see it clearly in his eyes. "You don't. Baby you need to talk to someone about this."

"I thought you wanted me to talk to you."

"No I mean a professional someone smart ass."

"Already been done. As you can see it was spectacularly successful."

"Well if you were as talkative with him as you have been with me these past few weeks, no wonder." Elizabeth stated pointedly.

"I'm doing fine handling this on my own. This is just a minor setback."

"You're not handling this. You're pulling away from us. All of us. Me. Cameron." At that exact second, the child Elizabeth was beginning to become convinced was a natural actor choose to demand some attention and kicked hard. Grabbing his hand, she placed it on her stomach. "This little one who needs attention. We need you and we need you healthy."

"I thought you said using the baby like this was low and manipulative."

"It is. But if it will work to get you to talk to someone, I'm all for it." Elizabeth smiled. "Did it?"

He couldn't deny the hopeful look in her eyes. It might help none, but it wouldn't hurt to at least try it if it meant she kept that look in her eyes. "I'll consider it."

"Good. That's all I want." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. "I'm not going to break if you want to talk to me about this. I promise I won't run screaming into the night."

"I know." Lucky pulled her close to him and revealed in just holding her without worrying about scarring her for the first time in weeks. He had given her plenty of reasons to run in the past few months and she was still there. It hadn't hit him how much he had come to rely on just her being there until he had thought she left. He had thought after Cameron's accident it might kill him if she left but now he knew it was true. There was no way he was going to let her go.

Maybe, he mused as Elizabeth rested her head against his shoulder, just maybe his mother would get that wedding after all.


	220. Let's Spend The Day In Bed

"Maxie?" Mike greeted her as she stepped over the threshold into the quiet atmosphere of the diner. "What are you doing here? Your shift doesn't start for another…" He glanced down at his watch. "Three hours."

Maxie wiped her hand over her somewhat frazzled short hair and gave him a smile. "Would you mind if I just started now? I could really use the money." Maxie explained eagerly. The last thing she wanted was for Ric to find her at home. There was a good chance he would come looking for her here, but she continued to hope that he wouldn't put in that kind of effort. She wanted to be left alone.

"No problem. It's your morning." Mike chuckled. "Would you mind starting a fresh pot of coffee? I've got a customer on hold." He gestured toward the phone.

"That's fine. Coffee I can do." Maxie smiled brightly though it never reached her eyes. She went into the back of the aging kitchen in search of fresh filters and coffee grounds. It was a new addition, the bell Mike had set on the counter, and it was one Maxie could have done without. Customers had always been rude, hell people were rude, but why give them an open invitation to act that way? She could hear it, the damn bell, clinging noisily from its place on the bar and she had to ground out all of the words that instantly sprung to mind. Pushing open the door irritably, she looked around for the person she was destined to maim and kill.

"I don't think that smile's genuine." Ric teased from his side of the counter.

Maxie wanted to crawl under the counter and never come out. Well of course he would show up here; she had already known that. She was never going to have a normal shift again, was she? "What are you doing here?" Her voice was neutral as she moved about the tiny space and started the mundane task of making coffee.

"Do you really have to ask that?" Ric's tone was subtly irritated and she half expected him to plant his hands on his hips. Last night had been wonderfully strange and while a part of her wanted to do it again, she knew better than to trust that there would be a next time.

"I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye this morning. I had to get to work early—" Maxie babbled tearing her eyes from his.

"That's a lie Maxie. We both know it's a lie so don't waste my time okay?" His frustration might have been restrained, but she could feel his anger building.

"It's not a lie. I really did have to work." Maxie insisted though her tone said the opposite. "Do you want some coffee?" She asked offhandedly. "You look terrible."

Ric balked at her. "Do you have any idea what it was like to wake up and have you gone?"

"I'm sure it wasn't something you're used to." Maxie muttered under her breath. "However, the fact remains: I had to work."

"Stop it!" Ric slammed his left palm against the counter.

Maxie jumped. "Don't come in here and throw a temper tantrum. I'm in no mood for it."

"If anyone gets to be irritable this morning, it's going to be me. Got that?" Ric growled at her.

"By all means. Just do it somewhere else. I don't want to get fired." Maxie snorted in reply.

Ric slid a hand through his hair and held it between his fingers as if trying to reel in his temper. She noticed his inner struggle and almost felt bad for causing it. Almost. He had to understand that this was casual. Why did he have such a hard time accepting that? "I don't know how to win with you." He admitted reaching over the counter and finding a cup to keep his hands occupied with. Maxie obliged him with some coffee but it was all she was willing to do.

"You already won." Maxie pointed out brashly.

Ric snatched her palm in his free hand and held her in place. She started to squirm when he didn't say anything, tried to pull away, but of course he was having none of that. "What happened last night?"

It was Maxie's turn to look incredulous. "Excuse me?"

"Before you came over. What happened?"

"Nothing." Maxie shook her head.

"Something happened. Something drove you over to my house and made you want in so badly you picked the lock."

"A car drove me and picking locks isn't difficult." Maxie countered flippantly.

"Did you get in a fight with someone?"

"I told you nothing happened. Can we drop it?"

"No. We can't. Tell me."

"Why does it matter? You got me for the night which is more than any guy's gotten in a while." She pulled her wrist out of his grasp and turned off the coffee pot.

"This isn't about your issues Darling. This is about last night. Something was different."

"I didn't run away. That's the only difference." Maxie whispered.

"No. That's not it at all. Why are you dodging my questions?"

"Because I don't want to answer them."

"Tough." Ric snapped. "I want to know."

Maxie let out an aggravated breath. "Kristina's been having nightmares." She explained. "And when I tried to comfort her, she said she wanted Lulu. She only wanted Lulu. Even Alexis couldn't calm her down. I had to get out of there and your place seemed the most logical place to go. I needed a distraction." 

"Maxie…" Ric said quietly.

"Are you happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear? I'm not as cold-hearted as I wish I was. It hurt…it hurt for her not to need me."

"She still needs you. She's just scared—" Ric claimed.

"What would you know about it?" Maxie challenged folding her arms across her chest.

"A lot actually. She's been through something terrible and it's going to take time for her to adjust—"

Maxie put up her hand to cut him off. "Thank you Dr. Lansing. I've got it all figured out. I don't need your analysis, okay?"

"So last night was just…?" Ric began.

"Just an escape from an uncomfortable situation." Maxie finished for him.

"I don't believe you." Ric muttered after a long pause.

"Then don't. I have to get back to work." Maxie turned her back on him hoping, praying, that he would take the hint and leave. She didn't want to be this vulnerable around anyone, least of all him.

"Maxie, don't run." His voice came from directly behind her and she knew he had climbed behind the counter with her. She told herself not to face him because she wouldn't be able to tell him no if she did. As long as she could rely on some kind of physical barrier to separate them she could keep him away emotionally. His hands moved to her wrists and she felt his body press into her back.

"Why are you doing this?" Maxie whispered in torment. "What more do you want?"

"More than you want to give me." Ric concluded sweeping his hands up and down her arms in an unnerving rhythm.

"Don't." Maxie whispered but his mouth was already on the back of her neck.

"I know what you want Maxie. Let me give it to you." He said into her ear.

Maxie trembled in response barely able to push away from him. "I can't do that." She told herself she would fine as long as she kept some definite distance between them.

"I think you want to." Ric pointed out.

She brought her left fist to her lips and held them there for several seconds just thinking. Even if he was right that didn't mean she was going to give into his every whim. Especially not when she was at work. "I didn't…I didn't realize how hard it would be to leave you alone this morning." She admitted with a gulp.

"Why did you?" Ric wondered.

"I didn't want you to wake up and find out that you had made a mistake." Maxie clarified.

"Why would I think that? God, I know I wasn't alone in how I felt last night." Ric's eyes shot to his shoes.

"What did you feel?"

Mike returned to the counter and gave Ric a funny look. "Why don't you take this to my office, okay? No reason to cause a spectacle." He suggested with a nod.

"Ric was just leaving." Maxie nodded.

"No I wasn't. Thanks Mike." Ric latched onto her wrist and dragged her to the back hallway.

"There was nothing I could say stashed in an office with you that I couldn't out there." Maxie assured him when she noticed him close the door.

"Good. I'm counting on you not talking anyway." Ric chuckled pulling her to him and ducking his head before she could dodge his kiss. With each passing second the kiss intensified until she was standing on her tiptoes to deepen it. The force of her body colliding with his pushed him into the door and he gingerly lifted her off out of her shoes.

Maxie grumbled against his mouth indignantly and his hand slipped under her white cotton blouse. Caressing her breasts thoroughly, his fingers pushing the cups aside impatiently, he was able to calm her in a matter of seconds. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" Ric asked innocently, placing a few biting kisses across her jaw.

"How do you make me want you this much?" Maxie tried to explain.

"I told you: I know what you want." Ric left her to make what she would of his comment as he carried her over to Mike's desk and deposited her on top of it.

Maxie dug in his back pocket for a condom knowing instinctively that he had stuck one back there and smiled when she found it. Dropping it onto the desk beside her, she yanked efficiently at his belt and thumbed the top button of his jeans. Ric pushed everything off of the desk and then devoted himself to the simple task of yanking her black leggings down leaving them to pool at her ankles. She rolled the condom onto his hardening shaft and lay back against the desk in invitation. His mouth descended on hers and he took his time kissing her, teasing her tongue with his, and exploring her mouth: all of the things he hadn't been able to do the night before. His body screamed for him to drive into her and find his own release. His hands touched and teased and cupped every luscious part of her trembling body and he told himself he would just have to be satisfied for the moment because he wasn't rushing them through this.

"What's wrong?" Maxie wanted to know.

"Nothing. I just want to look at you." Ric told her.

Her eyes widened as they landed on his and he smiled in return kissing her full lips and stroking her hips carefully. This was what he had wanted last night, this. She hadn't been the first woman he had been with since he broke things off with Kate, but he wanted to make this special for her. She must have felt so cheap last night. Why else would she have run this morning? He had had every intention of waking her up with a kiss and making love to her properly.

Her legs shifted and her thighs parted in sweet temptation; only then did he step forward and slide into her. His body jerked and her breath caught. He drew back and thrust again his teeth gritting together at how perfectly their bodies fit. Her back lifted off of the desk as she tried to wrap her legs around his waist only her leggings holding her back. Kicking them away, she moaned when his hips jerked and he drove deeper. Her voice caught on a cry when his fingers slid between their bodies to stroke her searing flesh.

"I like that." She whispered.

"What else do you do like?" came his hoarse reply.

"Harder." She begged him. "Please. Harder."

"Shh." Ric hushed her.

Maxie laughed even though she wasn't sure why. Maybe it was the soft arrogance in his voice. Maybe it was the wonderful feel of his hands gliding across her body. She didn't close her eyes for fear that she would wake up and find that this would all be a dream. His eyes sharpened and she knew he was reaching his own sexual release. Wanting to help him, she latched her legs tightly around his waist and held his shaft with her inner muscles only to let go a few seconds later. He watched her with glazed eyes and his hands moved to her waist pulling her to him again and again.

Each touch brought her closer and closer to climax as he let out a gargled cry. She held his face between her hands trying to keep her body as close to his as possible. He pulled out of her completely—she held her breath—and then he thrust into her sharply. Unlike the previous night, her body welcomed the intrusion and started to shake in ecstasy. She wasn't sure which of them came first, but the world quickly started to float away and she held him to her so she wouldn't lose him.

"If you're not busy right now, maybe you want to come over?" Ric offered kissing her chin.

"I think I can manage that." Maxie nodded.

"That's good because I don't have to work for another three hours and I plan on spending that time in bed with you." Ric explained taking her hand and helping her off of the desk.

_"Three hours_?" Maxie yelped.


	221. Cast Me Away

It had been over a month since she had gotten daughter back and Alexis couldn't have been happier. Yes, she had to give up her position, but now she was able to spend real time with her little girl and the sparkle was back in Kristina's pretty brown eyes. Hide and Seek had become their favorite pastime because it wasn't too strenuous for Alexis and it gave Kristina a chance to really learn her way around their new home. More often than not she would hide in the cabinets or under the table and Alexis would take her time looking for her as if she had no idea. It was far from perfect but it was pretty damn close.

Last night had been a cold reminder of how perfect their life wasn't. Kristina woke up in a cold sweat and started to scream. She hadn't been competent enough to explain the nightmare that had plagued her dream or allowed any of them to help her back to sleep. Her journey to dreamland had been long and she hadn't gone without a fight. She finally dozed about four a.m. Alexis blinked rapidly to ease the sleep away from her eyes and stepped out of her clothes. All she needed was a nice shower to forget about everything that had gone on last night.

She stared at herself in the mirror and noticed that the stress she usually associated with her face was missing. She was feeling more relaxed with each day despite the obvious setbacks such as Kristina's night terrors and her frequent trips to the hospital. She had undergone many treatments and Dr. Bernstein was hopeful while still cautious. Mac had pointed out that they should focus on the positive so that's exactly what she had tried to do. Flipping on the shower, she tested the water and then climbed inside and closed the glass door.

Alexis would never forget Mac's reaction to her suggesting they start going to church because, as he had put it, it had come so unexpectedly and without preamble. She had explained that she had made God a promise and He had come through for her. Spending a few hours a week in worship was a small price to pay for what He had given her and she wasn't going to squander that gift by any means. She had been an avid churchgoer for three weeks now.

She was glad Georgie had returned to Paris because it was obviously doing wonders for her soon-to-be-stepdaughter. Her eyes carried a permanent smile in them and she wasn't nearly as quiet as she had been when she had left them last year. Alexis understood Georgie's obligation to support her family, but it had been time for her to go back and she hadn't fought that hard. Alexis wondered what his name was since there must have been a guy waiting for her. She had only been in love one other time herself but it was easy enough to recognize the signs.

Though he had suggested otherwise, Alexis had gone behind Mac's back and checked the status of the case she had worked on before being hospitalized. As she had expected—despite the evidence she presented—the suspect, Trey Willis, had been found not guilty and released without even a slap on the wrist. She had been outraged to find this out, but there was nothing she could do about it. There was no guarantee that she could have affected the outcome but she would always wonder. Mary Stringle's killer would never be brought to justice; he would never pay for what he had done to her. It was a damn shame.

Alexis lifted the lid to her body wash and lathered some on thinking about how quickly life could change. The clock next to the bed had informed her it was well after eleven a.m. As D.A. she would have been up at five and in the office by six. Sleeping in was not something she would ever be accustomed to, but it sure was nice to not wake up tired. Just the routine of washing was relaxing and the wonderful fragrance of the soap was almost intoxicating. It was too bad Mac was still sleeping. She wouldn't have minded some company. Laughing at herself, she rinsed off and reached for the shampoo/conditioner bottle.

Spring Break was coming up and Mac was already pushing her to plan their destination since—how had he put it?—they were going to go somewhere for a full week and just have fun. She had thought Maxie might have some idea since the girl was all about planning, but she had told Alexis she would probably have to work right through it. Something was going on with her too, something she was no more inclined to express aloud than Georgie had. Maxie was so excited about the opportunity to design Lucy Coe's dress she hadn't stopped talking about it. When they sat down to dinner, she would stress over pages and pages of ideas, none of them seeming quite right to her.

There would always be that fear in the back of her mind that taunted Alexis about exactly how safe Kristina was when they went out in public. If she turned around for a second, would someone snatch her away again? Granted, she had been taken from her own bed—a fact that had kept Alexis sleeping next to her for the first week—but the fear still lingered. She hadn't told Mac about this because she really wanted to be past it and talking about it would solve exactly nothing. Still, when they took a trip to the hospital or even to the grocery store, Alexis never stopped watching the people around them.

She wondered if Robin did it too. The young woman had been a wreck from her own chaotic childhood so it was very likely that Morgan was still under house arrest. Mac had noted his niece's absence but Alexis had assured him it was perfectly natural and she would come around when she felt safe. It was no secret that Logan and Courtney and the secret fourth person were still at large and she bet that kept a pretty large rift between uncle and niece though she had never been so callous to say so aloud.

At least she wasn't confined to a bed anymore, Alexis thought with a smile. She could wash herself, she could play with her daughter, and she could wear regular clothes. She was no longer knocking on Heaven's door. She could live her life and laugh and smile. She could enjoy it for the first time since the doctor had confirmed that after one stupid night with the worst kind of man had sprung a child.

Massaging her scalp carefully, her mouth twitched when she noticed that something was very wrong. Alexis pulled her hands away from her head and noticed that they were filled with hair, her hair. She had heard for years from her stylist that it was normal for people to lose their hair in tiny increments; losing a few strands was normal because it happened to every human being everyday no matter what age. However, this wasn't one of those times. Her hair wasn't falling out in strands but in clumps. Transferring the mess of hair to one hand, she reached up to her scalp and felt how little hair remained. Screaming, she dropped the hair and started to cry.

An effect of her Chemo was hair loss—that much she remembered from her first appointment when she had battled cancer the first time. Of course she was the only one who knew about that because it had happened before she moved here. The first time this had happened she hadn't lost any hair. Weakness was all she had ever experienced. Did this mean her condition was worsening? Was the doctor's hope fake? Was he afraid to tell her that she was indeed dying?

The bathroom door flung open and she spotted Mac in the doorway, a gun in his hands. He made his way quickly to her and pulled the shower door toward him, his eyes widening when he saw the amount of hair clogging the drain. Their eyes met and he was barely able to catch her before she collapsed into a fit of sobs. He helped her out of the tub and wrapped her in a towel hugging her to him.

"Mac." She whimpered.

"It's okay baby. I've got you. It's okay." Mac promised rocking her on the cool tile floor.

"No it's not." She shook her head. "I'm dying."

Mac shoved his thumb under her chin and forced her to look at him. "Don't you ever, ever say anything like that, do you hear me?" His voice broke halfway through the demand. "Not ever Lexie." She sunk deeper into his arms and he gathered her close praying he was right.

"We're going for a week, not two months." Lucas pointed out to Dillon as he watched his husband place yet another set of shorts into his suitcase. Their plane left at what Dillon had affectionately dubbed "O'dark thirty a.m." and they were trying to finish the last of their packing. Dillon seemed to want to take the entire summer contents of their closet on the plane with him.

"Be prepared. That's what the Boy Scouts say." Dillon retorted, throwing yet another t-shirt into the bag.

"Be quiet. You were never a Boy Scout."

"No but the guy I dated before you was. Eagle Scout if I remember right."

Rolling his eyes, Lucas willed himself not to respond to Dillon's obvious attempt to push his jealousy button. They were taking off for the beach, just them and Lance, leaving the stress and worry of the last month behind them for the time being.

His sister was home. His nephew was home. His cousins were home. Kristina was home. Lance was staying out of trouble in school so far. He had felt guilty his family had a stretch of relatively good luck when everyone else they knew seemed to find the worst case scenario every time. Guilt had led him to bury himself in both the bakery and the PI firm, keeping busy and keeping away from anyone who was suffering right now. He had been, to quote Dillon, "one unfathomable sourpuss, rivaling Edward" since Kristina had been grabbed. Now that the danger seemed to be behind them for the time being, he was going to relax and concentrate on nothing but his family.

"A gallon of sunscreen?" he questioned Dillon, raising his eyebrow in confusion. "A gallon?"

"Do you think that's enough?" Dillon wondered.

"For an army."

"You know I burn."

"Love of my life, I say this with all affection, but you are crazier than your grandfather."

Dillon's jaw dropped. "Did you just compare me to Edward?"

"You've packed everything in your closet twice. You're taking more sunscreen than is necessary for those families with 18 children we see on TV. You're taking most of your video equipment because a disposable camera is 'just not good enough.' Face it. You're Edward."

"I don't want to miss a moment of our son's first trip to the beach. Is that a crime?" Dillon asked rather dramatically.

"No." He couldn't blame Dillon for his enthusiasm when he felt the same way. It was way past time for them to go on a family vacation.

"I love you, but we both know if I didn't plan, you wouldn't be able to relax."

"Are you trying to say I'm high strung?"

"I don't have to say it. You just did."

Lucas tossed Dillon's bottle of hair gel at his head, narrowly missing hitting Dillon smack in the eye by a mere inch. "Oops."

"I'm under attack!" Dillon yelped leaping toward his husband and holding him against the bed frame.

"Is it time to go?" Lance asked from the doorway.

"Not yet." Lucas responded shoving Dillon off him. "You all packed?"

"I've got my goggles!" Lance announced happily.

"And your clothes?" Lucas questioned.

"Daddy Dillon packed them."

Lucas shook his head and made his way across the room towards his son. "Then we better make sure you can carry it. Daddy Dillon probably put everything you own in there."

"Only the things he needs!" Dillon shouted after him. He couldn't wait to see Lance's reaction to the Caribbean.

"This means ninety percent of his closet I'm sure."

Steven wasn't sure what he had done wrong, but it must have been something terrible for Georgie to avoid him the way she had been. They hadn't talked in days and, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't come up with any reason for her to be mad at him. Their relationship had gone to the next level and he often wondered how he had survived so long without this woman in his life. She was funny and beautiful and strange. He couldn't figure out what had happened between last week and this week, but it had kept her holed up in her room with only her textbooks for company. What really scared him though was that not even her roommates were talking to him and that meant they knew and had decided that he was at fault.

So here he was, in front of her building with his hands shoved in his pockets to try and conserve some warmth in this dismal climate. He wasn't going to let another moment go by without knowing what was wrong and how he was supposed to fix it. Women created drama out of thin air; it was part of their makeup. If he had done something wrong, she would be the first to tell him. This was just one of those times he had to seek her out and that too made him nervous. An aging bellman let him into the hotel and he asked the man not to announce him. Climbing two flights of stairs, he found himself in front of her door. He lifted his fist to knock, but his hand froze midair. What was he supposed to say?

"Georgie?" He croaked. "Honey, are you here?" Leaning on the door, he was surprised when it yielded beneath his strength. Georgie was sitting on the bed in a pair of pink and brown pajamas. She had her knees to her chest and a pillow under her chin.

"Go away Steven." Georgie scrambled up from the bed and hurried towards the window. "I don't want to see you right now."

Steven put his hands on his hips. "I don't care if you want to see me or not. I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on."

"Nothing is going on." She hoped. She prayed. Nothing had to be what was going on. It had to be nothing, just like Ronnie and Lindsay told her repeatedly this morning. And the night before. And all week. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

"Liar." Steven pointed at her. "Tell me." He goaded reaching out to touch her left shoulder.

"No." She stuck her chin out stubbornly.

"I know something's wrong. For one thing, you don't act this way." Steven declared calmly.

She moved to get away from his touch. It was too tempting to just fall into his arms and tell him everything right now, right this second, but that sort of thinking was what led her to this very moment Georgie reminded herself. "You don't know that for sure. I might."

"Whatever it is..." Steven began. "You can tell me."

"I can't." She cursed the quiver even she couldn't rationalize away. He had to leave. If he just took the five steps it would take to get outside her door, then she could deal with all of this. But first he had to leave. "Steven, just go."

Steven grabbed her shoulders and turned her to look at him. "No. I'm not going anywhere. Do you understand?"

Georgie looked at the floor. She couldn't look in his blue eyes and do this. "Steven..."

"You're shaking." Steven realized not sounding pleased about his observation. "Are you afraid of me?"

"No." She shook her head furiously. "No I could never be afraid of you."

"Let's sit down and then you can tell me. Would that be alright?" Steven offered cautiously.

Putting her hand up to her face, Georgie closed her eyes and felt herself nod. The fact he had never taken his hands off her shoulders had been her breaking point. She couldn't ignore the warmth that flooded through her from the second he touched her. "I don't know if I can."

"Yes you can." Steven led her toward her bed and pulled her into his lap so that the back of her head rested against his chest. "You can tell me anything." He added stroking her hair gingerly.

"Not this." She shook her head.

"Okay. Maybe I can guess." He tried to joke. "Um, you got less than an A on your last English paper? Our favorite coffee shop ran out of hot chocolate? You didn't find that book you were looking for?"

"I think I'm pregnant."

Steven blinked. "That wasn't on my list."

Georgie laughed sadly. "Join the club on that one."

"Pregnant?" He repeated. "Like with a baby?"

"No with a pause." Georgie swatted at his shoulder. "Yes a baby."

Steven's brain refused to move at more than a snail's pace. He wasn't sure if he was even breathing anymore. His chest tightened. "I'm kind of out of my norm here." He said as way of explanation. "Just give me another minute."

Georgie checked her watch. "I think you have about nine actually."

"Pardon?"

Gesturing nervously towards the small bathroom she had been staring at when he barged in, she offered a nervous smile. "I just took the test. In nine minutes, we'll know for sure."

Steven squinted at the half-open bathroom door as if he had never seen one before. His future was about to be determined by a plastic stick. It was enough to make a guy crazy. "Why do you think...?" He cleared his throat. "Why do you think you're pregnant?"

She rolled her eyes and bit her lip to keep from smiling. His outright cluelessness had a strange effect of calming her racing nerves. "The usual way Steven. I'm late."

"There's a usual way?" He asked with a thready laugh.

"You want me to ask your sister how she knew?"

Steven gulped and shook his head, words failing him. He placed his hands over Georgie's and lightly brushed his thumbs across her knuckles. He didn't want to think about how his sister must have felt or how fast her mind must have run when she realized she was pregnant...or even the eight minutes preceding it because he was doing his best to not fly back across the ocean and strangle her boyfriend. "This is different." He insisted almost desperately.

"Of course it is." Georgie tried not to laugh. "Talk to me. Please."

"Um...well. The weather's...um...it's still...God, I don't know what to do with this." Steven admitted, ashamed. He had never thought this would happen to him. He had never realized what a complete hypocrite he had become. All the times he had come down on Lucky for the way he had handled this very situation and he was acting no better? It wasn't fair!

"You think I do?" Georgie asked incredulously. "God I came here to study. Not meet you and then this...this isn't the plan."

"Okay." Steven forced out. "Okay, we can handle this."

"How? How do we handle this? We haven't told anyone we are dating."

"We don't know if you're pregnant. We still have five more minutes." Steven pointed out feeling about two inches tall.

"What if I am?" Georgie whimpered into his shoulder. "What then?"

Fine, Steven thought to himself. He was scared—terrified—but he couldn't stand watching Georgie fall apart. A baby could mean the end of her dreams and he couldn't stand for that to happen! And his dreams? He was still adjusting to being Uncle Steven. How was he supposed to handle a pint-sized person calling him "Dad"? It simply wasn't rational. The very idea that Georgie could be pregnant...he pushed it out of his mind for the time being. Until that stick read otherwise, he was making the decision that she wasn't. "Then we deal with it then."

She could feel her mind spinning with every passing second. How on Earth was Steven managing to stay so sure they could handle this? Just the other day, she had managed to dye an entire load of laundry pink by forgetting a red sock with her load of whites. And now in five minutes, she would know if she was going to be responsible for a baby? A whole new little person? She still hadn't figured out the subway system in Paris yet! "How do you know?"

"I have to believe." Steven explained. "I have to believe we have some kind of control over the results. We're not going to let ourselves panic."

"I passed panic about four days ago." Georgie admitted.

"How could you keep this from me?" Steven muttered.

"I was scared. I didn't want to keep it from you, but I freaked out." Georgie looked down at the floor. "And then I was scared of what you would think. Or do."

"Locking yourself in your room every time you get scared isn't what a relationship is about." Steven told her. "And you should have trusted me with this a lot sooner."

"I know. I'm sorry."

He heard her voice crack and almost apologized for coming down on her so hard, only his pride stopping him. This wasn't one of her family dramas that only involved her. This was about both of them and the cold hard fact of the matter was that if he hadn't stopped by..."You wouldn't have told me."

"I would have. After the initial freak out, I wanted to be sure. No sense in both of us freaking out if it's nothing."

Steven rubbed his temple and blew out a breath. "Let's just say, hypothetically, that you are pregnant." He paused. "And, hypothetically, that you keep the baby. Would you return to The States and not give a second thought to me?"

"No." Georgie sat straight up and said emphatically, "I would have told you. What about you? Would you send me back and just forget to tell me when the shoot wrapped up?"

Steven looked away. He didn't know what he would do. His life wasn't designed for a child and neither was hers. Throwing a baby into the middle would be the worst thing they could do to each other. "I guess that'd depend on if you still wanted to be with me."

"Who else would put up with me?" Georgie joked. "I won't force you into anything."

"If you are..." His voice drifted away while he tried to work up the courage to finish his thought. "If we are pregnant, do you want to keep the baby?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I haven't adjusted to the whole taking a pregnancy test just yet."

"If you are—"

"Can we please just find out if I am first before we make any decisions?" Georgie asked hopefully.

Her desperation to wait and see mirrored his to get it all out in the open and decide the next course of action. "Yes." He patted her hand. "Two minutes." Turning his head to the side, he kissed her lips softly. It was a comfort kiss and, hell, if they were going to be stuck waiting, it was the best idea he could come up with, especially if she didn't really want to talk about it.

They fell into silence, each staring at their hands as they laced and unlaced their fingers together. Steven pretended to not sneak glances at her stomach, wonder and fear in his eyes, just as Georgie pretended not to catch him doing that just that or sneaking glances at the clock on the wall. Still, the buzz of the egg timer she had hastily set up caused them both to jump.

Steven watched her climb off of the bed, out of his arms, and walk purposefully toward the bathroom. Instead of sneaking a peek for herself, she carried it back to the bed with her and they stared at it together. "I don't understand."

Georgie looked up into his eyes, tears welling in her own. "One line is negative and two is positive." She explained slowly. "Two lines."

"But that second line is blurry. Are we sure it's two lines and not one? Where's the box?" Steven scrambled off the bed in search of the instructions.

"Trash can." Georgie told him hollowly. Her entire attention was riveted to the two lines staring from her hand. Two lines, two lines, two lines, her brain kept repeating. Pregnant, pregnant, pregnant. Baby, baby, baby.

"'The test line is usually slightly weaker in intensity in comparison to the control line.'" Steven read off of the back of the box, his eyes shifting to Georgie's. "'The pattern of increasing intensity of the test line is a much better predictor of pregnancy rather than any individual reading. Positive test results should always be confirmed with your physician." The box slid from his fingertips and bounced off the carpet. "That's under possible pregnancy which means there's still a chance this is just a scare." He spoke to his hands unable to lock eyes with her a second time.

"I can't go through another test Steven. I can't. I'll just not know."

"We have to know." Steven argued.

"Will you go with me?"

Steven dropped down in front of her. "Of course I will. Every step of the way. And after we know."

"Promise?"

Steven didn't give himself a second to consider what he was about to say; he let it fall from his lips without regard. "Marry me."

"What?" Georgie could feel her eyes widen at his words. "You just said what?"

"Marry me." He repeated a little louder.

"Steven...you don't know what you're asking me."

"I do know." Steven countered. "I'm asking you to marry me."

"You don't have to do this. You said it yourself. This could still be a scare." She argued.

"I don't care." Steven informed her. "I don't care if you are or not. I want to marry you."

"Why?" Georgie felt as if she had been plunged right from one surreal situation into another. Ten minutes ago she was wondering if she could possibly be pregnant and now she was receiving a marriage proposal? "Why do you want to marry me?"

"Because I love you and I think it's the right thing to do." Steven winced at his answer. She would either not believe him or not deem it appropriate enough to make her want to accept.

"You...you love me?" Georgie felt her world stop as those three little words penetrated her being. He loved her? She had been with Dillon for almost a year before he had said the same thing and looked what happened there. "You love me?"

"I love you." Steven confirmed his answer for her. "I've loved you since the first time I saw you reading that God-awful book."

"That book is wonderful." She argued.

"Oh honey, you're so deluded. But I love you despite your bad taste."

"I just...I...I..." She felt a million things at once. She felt like flying or jumping on a couch. He loved her? This man loved her? He wanted to marry her? Even when Dillon had proposed, she hadn't felt he really wanted to marry her. That had just been about the baby...Georgie's eyes flew to meet Steven's. "Is this just about the baby? Because if it is..."

"It's not! I swear it's not." Steven insisted with tears in his eyes.

She couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. When she had woken up this morning, Georgie had realized she was going to be faced with the possibility of one life changing decision but two? It was all too much. "I...I need time. To think. It's all too much right now."

"That's fair. I did kind of spring this on you. I'm sorry for that. I've been waiting for a sign...as corny as that sounds. I just needed to know if I was making the right decision. I think we might be meant to be." Steven told her.

"Your terrible taste in movies is showing."

"Whatever. I could have been quoting your books." Steven chuckled.

"That would require you to admit you've read them."

He bit the inside of his jaw. "Alright you got me. Ready to go?"

"We're going to do this now?"

"You'd rather put it off?"

"No. No. You're right. Let's go."


	222. I'll Take Care Of You

It was the first warm day in over four months and Robin supposed that was why they had planned to have Morgan's party for this very day. Since his actually birthday fell on a school day, having the party the weekend before seemed the best any of them could do. Lucas and Dillon had apologized for not having Lance there, but she understood their need to take their son out of Port Charles for awhile. Even though Lance hadn't been targeted, his parents were way too cautious to wait for danger to strike.

Robin smiled down at her stomach. This was also the first morning she had woken up somewhere other than the bathroom. Her baby was as happy as she was to finally be off bed rest. She had thought for sure she would kill Patrick for making her stay in one spot, but she realized early on that he was just trying to take care of her. Obviously it had worked if the baby and the body weren't at war with each other. Just let me make it through the party, she said to herself. She would never forgive herself if she ruined her son's birthday.

She had talked Patrick into not only letting her decorate Morgan's cake but carry it to the table set in the middle of the park too. It was a two-layer yellow cake with chocolate frosting and his name spelled out in red and blue icing. The wind was slightly chilly but nothing to keep her inside. Still, they had to weigh the paper plates down with heavy objects to keep them from flying away. They had already lost a package of napkins.

Laura had taken it upon herself to decorate the remaining table, the one they had set aside for the gifts, with streamers and tape and balloons. Cruz stood near her looking like he might run out of oxygen if he had to blow up anymore balloons. Bobbie was crouched down next to the table where she had Majandra propped up in her car seat. Robin giggled when she noticed Bobbie making funny faces at her daughter. Cameron, Morgan, and Kristina were playing tag around the playground; Uncle Mac and Alexis had yet to take their eyes off them. Luke and Lucky were hooking up the stereo for what Elizabeth had promised were kid-friendly tunes.

Out of all of them, Elizabeth definitely stood out. She was absolutely magnificent in her soft-as-silk dandelion-white dress. The sleeves were all fluff and lace. She wore what she had referred to as her "only remaining comfortable pair" of black flats. Pregnancy certainly agreed with her. When they thought Robin wasn't looking, Elizabeth and Lucky would sneak glances at each other.

Patrick returned from the car with another load of presents and Mike Corbin. The old man had reappeared after the children were returned, literally within a few days, and Robin couldn't have been happier. Morgan needed a lot of people in his life, and besides Michael Mike was the only link he had to his father. Robin blinked away a few tears at the realization that Sonny was gone. His death had hit her far worse than she had thought it would, far worse than any death since Stone's. It had been so random, so sudden, and she still wasn't convinced he hadn't been murdered. Alexis didn't exactly share her view and, really, even if she had, she was no longer acting D.A.

"Hey. Hey. No crying at birthday parties." Elizabeth shook her finger in Robin's direction as she approached her friend. "I think that's a law or something."

"Sorry." Robin sniffed brushing her knuckles under her eyes to collect each tear. "You're right." She busied herself with rearranging the cake to make sure that it was even with the edge of the table.

"I'm always right. When will you all learn to recognize?" Elizabeth laughed as she sat down on the bench. Walking just a few feet was getting tiring right now and she still had two months to go. At this rate she was going to take over her grandmother's wheelchair in a few days. Noticing her friend's fussing with the cake, she reached out to grab Robin's hand. "Stop. Everything is fine."

"I know. I'm just keeping my hands busy. I wish I could go play with the kids." Robin admitted quietly.

"Still haven't told anyone yet?"

"How can I?"

"I know sweetie. Well I don't know but I can guess. That being said I will say you can't put this off forever. You are going to go through with this and your family needs to know."

"I keep worrying they'll look at me and figure it out. It's not like we want to keep this from them."

"Robin, babe. I love you, but if you don't say something eventually, they will be able to look at you and figure it out." Elizabeth gestured to her own protruding stomach. "I hear b-a-b-i-e-s have this annoying way of growing."

"The doctor asked us if we wanted to know the sex during my last appointment, but I want to be surprised."

"And Patrick agreed to this?"

"After four solid weeks of bed rest he wasn't brave enough to argue." Robin giggled.

"Four solid weeks of bed rest and I wouldn't be brave enough to argue with you."

Robin shook her head, forcing herself to leave the rest of this conversation for a time when they weren't surrounded by unsuspecting family members. "I can't believe he's turning seven. What's next? Him wanting to drive? Sneaking out bedroom windows to meet with a girl? Oh my God, how am I going to survive his teenage years?"

"Number one: No lessons from Patrick. Number two: I've become a big fan of the nail the window shut method."

"Maybe I'll take up gardening and put some nice cacti under his window." Robin mused.

"Oh that is twisted and devious. I knew I liked you for a reason."

"It's hard to imagine the kids getting that old, isn't it? Cameron already looks just like Lucky so you know we're going to be beating girls off him well before middle school."

"Boys still have cooties until middle school. There's a window until at least fifth grade."

"That's some relief I guess. Morgan's never been the big brother so I'm kind of worried about what he'll convince this little one to do."

"If the way he and Lance treat Cameron is anything to go by, overall he'll be fine but I would make sure your medical coverage is up-to-date at all times."

"I'm telling you, she said Daddy." Cruz insisted as he and his friends crowded around his daughter's car seat.

"And I'm saying it's gas." Lucky stuck to his guns as he reached down and tickled Majandra's chin.

"Thank God she got the Spencer traits." Patrick teased.

"Amen to that." Lucky chimed in.

"And just what is that supposed to mean? I happen to be one handsome man." Cruz defended lifting his chin in importance.

"I'm sure Aunt Bobbie tells you that everyday, but she's a better liar than either of us." Patrick explained.

"She's way better than you that's for sure." Lucky pointed out.

"What's that motor mouth?" Patrick retorted with a grin.

"I'm just saying we suspected him of hiding something for months. Aunt Bobbie?"

"Don't listen to them," Cruz leaned down to speak to his daughter. "The sooner you learn they are crazy the better off you'll be."

"Have you warned her about Uncle Luke yet?" Patrick wanted to know.

"Yeah. If you are going to start with crazy, start with the stop." Lucky pointed out.

Majandra stuffed her little hands into her mouth and slobbered all over her fingers in response. "She doesn't seem that worried." Bobbie noticed glancing over her husband's shoulder.

"She's young. Give her time." Lucky shrugged.

Patrick lifted his nose into the air and his friends could swear his ears twitched. "I think it might be time for cake." He murmured stepping toward the table in a dream-like state.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Robin asked from behind him.

Patrick turned slowly to face her. "Nowhere." He lied, sneaking glances at the cake.

"Patrick Drake, you take one more step toward that table and you won't get any cake." Robin warned planting her hands on her hips.

He frowned. "I was just going to..." His voice trailed off.

"You were just going to blow up some more balloons?" Robin finished for him.

"Yes. I was just going to take care of the balloons." Patrick nodded closing the space between them.

"You're not going to butter me up." Robin assured him.

"I think you underestimate me." Patrick slowly slid his arms around her waist pulling her back into his chest.

"That's because she's smart." Lucky chimed in, patting Patrick on his shoulder on his way to the swings to check on the kids.

"Hey!" Patrick snapped indignantly.

"Do you ever get used to having them out in the open after they've been targeted?" Alexis nudged Laura with her shoulder.

"Never." Laura responded honestly. "But unfortunately children have a way of forcing acceptance on you."

"I almost called Robin to tell her we wouldn't be coming." Alexis whispered.

"Let me guess. Kristina insisted?"

"Not only that, but she was on the phone with Morgan. I couldn't tell both of them no."

"I remember. The first party Lucky wanted to go to after we got him back..." Laura shuddered at the memory. "I was all set to tell him no and then he did puppy dog eyes on me."

"Even if it hadn't been for my health, I think I still would have taken a vacation from work. We spent more time together now, but I know if I hadn't brought her here today I would have been sheltering her for no reason." Wisely, neither of them mentioned that at least two of the kidnappers were still free and clear to do whatever they wanted to do.

"It's a normal reaction. I'm still trying not to call every three seconds to make sure Lulu really is doing nothing more than sitting at Lucky's house, helping Audrey Hardy."

"I was surprised to hear that Maxie wasn't able to come. She hasn't left Kristina's side since she's been back home. Of course, you can't control work sometimes." Alexis reasoned.

"If only we could control everything."

"Mac thinks I'm being irrational. He doesn't understand. He's not a mother."

Laura nodded in understanding. "Luke accuses me of sheltering the children when I tell them to put their seatbelts on."

"I don't know how to get over it. I let her go to school, but I sit in the parking lot and watch her to make sure...just to make sure."

"I did the same thing when we got Lucky back. If PCU wasn't so huge, I would do the same thing for Lulu."

"Presents! Presents! Presents!" Morgan chanted on his way over to the adults. "Presents! Presents! Presents!"

"Well at least someone sounds back to normal." Laura laughed.

"I wonder who snuck him some sugar." Alexis smirked.

"Lucky or Cruz. Whichever one was trying to get back at Patrick about something."

"It's hard enough to keep up with my stepdaughter's drama. I can't be focusing on those boys." Alexis rolled her eyes.

"The sad thing is two of them are fathers. They should know better."


	223. Look Around Your World Pretty Baby

**Yes we are updating early...but the freaky timing of tonight's chapter..well its just too freaky to make us wait.**

**Note...WE DID NOT PLAN THIS! We swear!**

She's not home stalker, Ric told himself sternly as he made his way down the street that led to the Scorpio-Jones-Davis home for the second time in his life. At her last appointment, Elizabeth Webber had mentioned the party Robin was throwing for her son in the park. Since hearing that news, he had spent far too many hours wondering if Maxie was going to be at the party today. He had figured she would, but also hoped she wasn't.

He parked carefully on the street far enough away from the house so that if anyone was home they would not see his car. His plan was simple enough. Get into the house through the back door, the one Maxie claimed was always unlocked, find his way up to her bedroom, leave his surprise on her pillow, and leave before anyone could possibly discover him there. Maxie Jones was not the only person who was capable of planning surprises, he thought.

Satisfied, seeing no cars when he reached the edge of the driveway, Ric made his way toward the backyard deciding against sticking close to the fence line. There was being careful and there was making himself conspicuous, Ric reasoned. Entering the backyard, he paused long enough to check for a dog. Maxie had never mentioned having such a pet, but he wouldn't put it past her to "forget" to mention that little detail. Spying the door, he made his way to it. He paused when he noticed the back of a familiar mane of blonde hair sitting at the kitchen table. Well, well, he mused. He was trying to surprise her and here she was surprising him once again. Silently, he opened the door and made his way in.

Maxie lightly added definition to her sketch as the clock ticked noisily behind her. She was running out of time to get this dress finished and Ric was not helping matters any. When they were together, working on this assignment was the last thing he wanted to talk about, let alone waste any energy on. She wasn't stupid; she had known from the beginning that he had signed up for the committee to be near her. At first it had been annoying. Then cute. Now it was making her near hysterical. They were in a time crunch and it was clear that she was going to have to finish this on her own.

Entranced in her work, her hand jerked across the page when she felt warm lips touch the back of her neck. Making a sound that mimicked a startled cat, she stared down at the design in horror. "Ric! Look what you made me do!"

"You'll fix it. You're a genius remember?" He ran the petals of the lily he carried across the nape of her neck.

"Stop. I'm working." Maxie grumbled, erasing the accidental horizontal line she had made across the page.

"And I'm your partner on this project." Ric reasoned as he sat down next to her. "So that means I get to stay and help."

"Sneaky." Maxie shook her finger at him.

"All part of my charm." He pulled the flower from behind his back and presented it to her with a flourish of his hands. "For you."

Maxie blushed as she accepted his gift. "That's very sweet of you."

He winked at her. She was cute when she blushed, but he knew her well enough to know not to point it out to her. "Why aren't you at the birthday party?"

"I told the family I had to work." Maxie nodded in case he argued the point.

"And you paid Mike off to lie to them did you?"

"Shit." Maxie groaned covering her face.

"See this is why you need me around Blondie. To think of details like this." He shook his head in amusement. "So how is the work coming anyways?"

"I can't decide on a design. This is the third one I've done. They all look like crap to me." She pushed the sketchbook toward him.

Ric flipped through the book and studied each sketch individually. The outlines were rough, but he could see the direction she was trying to go. The gowns were anything but simple, yet still managed to be elegant. "Darling, I think we have two different definitions of crap since I see no crap here."

"You're clearly biased." Maxie decided and closed the sketchbook.

"No you are over thinking." He reached out and touched the tip of her nose with his finger. "As always."

"How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't. I was trying to surprise you."

Maxie grinned. "And I surprised you first."

Ric matched her grin with one of his own. "The day is still young. I could surprise you yet."

"Is that right?" Maxie shook her head and forced herself to walk into the kitchen, biting the inside of her cheek when he followed closely behind. "What did you have in mind?" She had known better than to ask the second question because from the very first day this man had made his intentions quite clear.

He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "If I told you, then it would ruin the surprise." He whispered into her ear, pausing to nibble lightly at the lobe.

"Ah—I...um..." Maxie fumbled with words.

"Speechless Blondie?" He lowered his head to nip at her neck. "Never thought I would see the day." He teased.

"This isn't smart." Maxie whimpered.

"We're all alone in this big house, probably for hours." Ric reasoned, never stopping his assault on her neck. "I call this genius."

"It's the 'probably' part that worries me." Maxie told him.

"Over thinking again Blondie." He chided her with a laugh, slipping his hands underneath her red blouse. Turning her to face him, he leaned closer to her, stopping a breath away from her full lips. "What have I told you about that?"

"Um..." Maxie pretended to consider her answer.

"Do I have to show you what you miss when you over think things?"

Maxie nodded in feigned sadness. "I think you're going to have to show me."

"Hey." Steven held Georgie's hands in his tightly. "We're in this together." It had taken a short bus ride to get to the nearest clinic and Georgie hadn't stopped moving since they had signed her in.

She smiled at him, thankful for his insistence on coming. The idea of finding out from a doctor in a strange country if she was pregnant or not was terrifying but at least now she knew Steven didn't show any signs of running from her. After all, a person didn't propose if they were thinking of taking the next flight back to L.A. did they?

Try as she might, she hadn't been able to keep his question from echoing in her brain. Had she ever fully realized the power two words had to both terrify and thrill a person? Marry me. Steven wanted to marry her? Steven with his job and life in LA, his established career in a field notorious for being difficult to break into, really wanted to marry little old her, a student from a small town in upstate New York who dreamed of being a writer but had no real plan on how to become one?

Was he serious? Was it really just because he thought it was the right thing to do? Did he really love her? As much as she loved him? Did it even register with him she hadn't said the same words back? Did it really matter? If she really wasn't pregnant would he take it back? The questions overwhelmed her once again so she began to pace. "Where's the doctor? The nurse said it would just be a few minutes."

"It's only been thirty seconds. Relax honey." Steven tried to soothe her with a light hand on the small of her back when she walked past him.

"I can't. I can't. I know I said I didn't want to know but now that we're here..." With a sigh she fell back into a chair next to him and dropped her face in her hands. "Now I just want to know, one way or another."

"I know." Despite his soft tone, Steven's mind was racing. He had thought waiting nine minutes was going to kill him even though he could have still made the argument that home tests were sometimes wrong. There was no argument when it came to medical facts. What was he going to do if the doctor confirmed that Georgie was pregnant? What in the world had made him think they were ready to get married? They hadn't even known each other six months. Somewhere his sister was laughing her ass off.

Georgie chewed her lower lip. "I've been thinking." She started hesitantly. "About if I am pregnant."

"Yeah?" Steven treaded carefully.

"I want to keep the baby."

Steven swallowed the incredulous question he was about to ask and tried to understand her position. He hadn't thought she would be so quick to make a decision one way or the other. "You want to keep the baby." He repeated.

"Yes." She took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears back. "See when I was in high school, I fell in love with this guy and we ended up dating. One thing led to another and the next thing I know I'm sitting in a doctor's office not all that different than this one finding out I'm pregnant."

Steven's eyes jumped to hers. "How old were you?"

"Fifteen."

Steven rubbed his temples in deep concentration. So she had already been through this once? And so young? Had the asshole even stuck around? Wait. "What happened?"

"I lost the baby. A little boy. And it pretty much destroyed Dillon and me as a couple." Georgie paused to wipe away the tears that had strayed from her eyes. "Well to be fair, we wouldn't have made it anyways since he figured out he was gay. Losing the baby just upped the time table I guess."

"Georgie, I'm sorry. I didn't have any idea."

"How could you?" She asked. "It's not exactly something you wear on a t-shirt. But the thing is I don't think I could handle being pregnant again and always wondering what if and how things might be different. It almost killed me once. I couldn't do it again."

"I'd never ask you to."

"Really?"

"I care about you too much to hurt you like that."

She grabbed his hand and quickly kissed his knuckles before dropping her head to his shoulder. "Thank you." She whispered.

"Miss Jones?" A fair blonde nurse called out from the doorway. "We're ready for you."

"Now or never." Georgie muttered as she stood up.

"I'll be right here." Steven promised. "Unless you want me to go with you."

"No. I can do this." Georgie kissed him quickly. "No matter what you'll be here right?"

"Right here." Steven pulled her to him and kissed her again, letting out a shuddering breath when they broke apart.

"Alright. I'm going now." She turned and made her way to the door.

"I love you." Steven whispered right before she disappeared from sight.

"No. No. Of course I would tell you if I had heard from Georgie." Robin said into the cell phone as she tried not to roll her eyes at her uncle's hysteria. She wasn't even sure what had brought it on or why he hadn't mentioned it at the party.

"Something is going on." Mac insisted and sounded like he might be biting his nails. Robin could hear the ruffle of paper bags and the sliding of soles across the tile kitchen floor and figured they must have stopped by the store and just walked in the door. As far as she could tell, the party had worn out her guys. Morgan had fallen asleep playing Super Smash Bros. and Patrick was sprawled across the couch, watching her with one eye open.

"What makes you think that? Just because Georgie hasn't been answering her phone means exactly one thing: her battery's low." Robin suggested already feeling like she was going to be stuck in the middle of this until her cousin came home.

"That's the best you can come up with, huh?" Mac sounded deflated.

"Well there's always the off chance that she's hanging around a biker gang and—"

"Let me hide in my delusions, please." Mac cut her off with a groan.

Robin pushed the pile of mail into a stack and then fanned it out again, wondering if she had missed something. Unlike her perfect system before cohabitation, now the mail went everywhere but the specified table and it was damn near impossible to keep it sorted. It was amazing they hadn't missed a bill and had something cut off.

"Are you still there?" Mac's voice came to her and she realized she must have stopped talking for a minute or two.

"Yes. I'm just checking the mail." Robin answered distractedly. "I'm sure Georgie's fine. She's only got a few more weeks until she comes home. Eight right? Eight weeks?"

"Yes, eight weeks. I've been keeping track of it on my calendar." Mac explained.

"Uncle Mac," Robin patronized him, "She's having a good time. I'm sure she'll call the second she has a chance." She glanced down at her watch. "Uncle Mac…"

"What?" He sounded startled.

"Uncle Mac it's after ten in Paris. She's probably in bed."

"I forgot about the time difference." Mac admitted quietly.

"There you go." Robin picked up an unfamiliar envelope and thumbed it open.

"Am I interrupting something? You keep going quiet." Mac pointed out.

"It's—I got a letter from my dad…I think." Sneaky man her father, he never left a return address out of fear that it would be compromised. She had thought about pointing out that it wasn't the eighties and no one was after him, but what fun would that have been?

"I'll leave you to it. I love you."

"I love you too."

"A letter from your dad?" Patrick spoke up, both eyes closed now.

"Yes." Robin couldn't keep the anticipation out of her voice. "I haven't heard from him since Christmas. He waits until I miss him so much I can't stand it and then I get a letter like this." She moved toward the couch and inadvertently made Patrick sit up to make room for her.

"Well, what's it say?" Patrick goaded.

"Just a second. Just a second. He writes in French." Robin informed him.

"In French? I thought he was Australian." Patrick recalled.

"It's a code thing." Robin murmured vaguely.

_Hello Luv, _

_I hope this letter finds you with your feet up and a cold glass of iced tea in your hand since your mother keeps trying to convince me that that boyfriend of yours serves some purpose. I'm still not sure what that is, but you seem happy so I'll trust that you know what you're doing. No, I've not been checking up on you; I have it on good authority that that sap of a boyfriend has told you he loves you. Does this mean we'll be getting a wedding soon? I'd hate to think of any other reason why the two of you would have moved in together. Mac tells me you two believe yourselves to be the real thing and, if that is the case, I say congratulations. On the off chance you're reading this after successfully broken up with that sleazy boyfriend of yours, I say have one on me princess._

_Now don't get hysterical. I'm teasing. I have to believe my brother and grandson wouldn't let that boy weasel his way into your heart without offering you his as well. Your mother is still trying to get into politics no matter how many different ways I try to explain to her that she is too smart to be anywhere near them. She's currently campaigning as mayor of Florida, her only competition being the current mayor. I suppose no one told her that elections aren't for a few more months. It's been very lonely here without even your mother to talk to and I'm sure you're still sore at me for bailing on you at Christmas. It simply couldn't be helped, but of course I'm always thinking about you._

_Perhaps this would be the time to tell you why I am writing you, for this particular letter serves two purposes, only one being my delayed correspondence with my lovely daughter. After several meetings and phone calls with my handlers, we're in agreement that it would be best for all parties involved if I disappear from active duty for at least the next few months. I know life must be especially hectic for you right now, but I was wondering if you might consider coming to stay with me in Paris. You remember the flat your mother and I had there when you were a child? That is where I'll be staying and it'd sure make the time here less lonely if you and my grandson came to visit. I don't want you to feel obligated since I do realize you have a life and friends and a growing business to take care of. Still, I am getting older and you never know when I might just keel over. This could explain why I'm on temporary suspension._

_If you'll think about this rationally I am right. You see, Morgan will be just getting out of school by the time I'm inviting you to come. How long has it been since you've seen the City of Love my dear? I'll never quite understand why you've let yourself get attached to such a boring town, but this is your chance to visit with your dad and rediscover your roots. Morgan deserves that chance as well. I heard about his father. I wish I could have been there for you. I know you were friends. I understand your old boyfriend was murdered as well. Do you see? Do you see why you need to get out of there? Escape the dead and dying of that old town and come to Paris._

_There is a small chance you're thinking this over, an even smaller one that you're considering turning down the offer. I ask you to think long and hard about it. Vacations like this do not come around very often and I worry that we'll never be as close as we were when you were a child. We have this chance now and I know you'll make the right decision. Attached is a pair of plane tickets for yourself and Morgan. If you decide not to meet me here will you do me a favor and cash in your tickets for something that will be in memory of me? It's never too early to start looking at tombstones, is it?_

_Signed,_

_Your Father_


	224. If You Leave

Pausing to lean against the hall before she exited the office hallway, Georgie blew out a breath. It was over. The test was over in a few minutes and now she knew. Now when she left the office, she could make plans and more forward with her life. Forward with a life that included knowing Steven loved her.

The knowledge had caused her stomach to knot up in all the good ways. He had repeated his declaration several times since they sat on her bed and stared at a plastic stick. In the elevator when she began to panic. On the bus ride over. Outside the clinic before she walked in and the last whispered one before she came back here. She had been too stunned and confused by everything to even think about responding, but she had almost said it back the last time.

Opening the door, she smiled when she saw him sitting in the exact same chair she had left him in, the one that would allow him to see her the second she walked through the door. Steven stood up, running a hand through his messy curls as she neared him. "Hi." She smiled at him.

"Hi." Steven replied in a shaky voice. What did the smile mean? What did he want the smile to mean?

"Let's go outside." Georgie suddenly felt claustrophobic and needed to be out. She pulled on his hand and began to move to the door. "Please?"

"Yeah. Okay, sure." Steven nodded letting her lead the way.

Hitting the streets of Paris, Georgie took in a deep breath of air, the first in a week. Turning to look at him, she noticed the confused, concerned look on his face. She really should tell him before the poor boy gave himself an ulcer, Georgie giggled. "False alarm. I'm not pregnant."

Steven knew he should say something, but he couldn't stop staring at her as if she might be from another planet. This was what he had wanted to hear, wasn't it? He didn't want to be the joke at Christmas for getting a woman he had barely known three months pregnant, did he? Still, he wasn't sure how he should react. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Georgie with his response. Talking seemed as foreign to him as this entire ordeal so he stayed silent for another minute. "You're not?" He made sure to not let his voice fall or lift incredulously.

"No. The doctor said something about stress. Or just being an overreacting American. I wasn't paying too much attention after he said the test was negative." Georgie shrugged. Seeing him keeping his face expressionless, she regarded him curiously. "This is what we wanted to hear right?"

"Are you kidding?" Steven tried to shake off his excessive nerves. "Of course this is what I wanted to hear." There was no baby, no rational reason save his declaration to get married. She hadn't even said it back yet and there was a chance she might never say it. How was he supposed to convince her family of their sudden elopement if he wasn't even sure she wanted to marry him, if she even loved him? There were too many questions. He found himself sitting on a nearby bench.

Sitting next to him, Georgie rested her head on his shoulder. "I mean sure, I think we would have been ok if the test had been positive. But this just wasn't the right time."

"You're right. I completely agree. We barely know each other and babies tend to complicate things."

"Exactly. No matter how much two people love each other. I mean allegedly my parents did and look what happened to them."

"Maybe we could get some dinner? I don't know about you, but I'm starving." Steven declared.

"Dinner would be ok. But what about something crazier?"

"Crazy? Like Chinese Food in Paris?"

"Crazier."

"Sneaking into Disneyland?"

"Saying I love you?"

Steven's eyes found hers immediately. "It wasn't on my list, but I think that sums up crazy." He replied eagerly.

"Very." She nodded, trying for serious but knowing the ear-to-ear grin was blowing that effect completely. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Georgie pulled herself closer to him. "Nothing crazier than falling in love."

"Is that what we're doing?" Steven inquired cautiously as their gazes locked and held.

"I don't know about you, but I think I already fell." Georgie whispered.

"Don't worry Georgie girl. I'll catch you." Steven promised nuzzling her nose with his.

"I'm counting on that." She kissed him quickly. "I love you."

"I love you too. Does this mean you think I'm right?" Steven wanted to know tapping her chin.

"Depends on what you are talking about. You are definitely not right about your taste in movies."

"About getting married." Steven clarified.

Georgie blinked several times. He still wanted to marry her? "You're serious?"

"I wouldn't have asked otherwise." Steven reminded her.

"I thought it was just because you thought I was pregnant."

"Part of it was. That's not why I asked you though."

"Why'd you ask me?"

"Because I love you. I don't want to think that we only get this for eight more weeks."

"So this is your solution to long-distance relationships?"

"No. Not exactly."

Georgie took a step back and released herself from his embrace. He still wanted to marry her, even with no baby. It was crazy. They had met on New Year's Eve and he was proposing in March? Who did that? Crazy people who ended up on daytime talk shows, that was who. They had just said "I love you" to each other and he wanted to get married? She had tried hard to ignore the fact she was scheduled to go home in exactly eight weeks, and if she was honest with herself, she had wished she could freeze time to stall the inevitable departure. But this had never crossed her mind.

But maybe the craziest thing of the whole situation was she was seriously considering accepting. Her dad had always told her she would know when the time and the guy were right. She could vaguely remember him reassuring that love at first sight did exist during some crush on one guy or another. Was she ready to be married? Looking into his blue eyes, she could hear another question being formed. Did she want to stay with him for forever? Or did she want him to be no more than a memento of an impetuous affair in the City of Lights?

"This...even talking about this...we sound nuts. You know that right?"

"I know. I know. I don't care." Steven admitted after a long pause.

"So we're just supposed to what? Go home in eight weeks and tell our family and friends, by the way, we didn't mention we were dating, but surprise we got married?"

"Can you think of a better way to break the news to them?" Steven joked.

"Aren't you assuming there's news to tell them?"

"Are you saying there's not?"

"Unless you're planning on breaking up with me, there will be some news of some sort. I don't want to go back and pretend we're strangers or passing acquaintances."

"No I don't want that either."

Georgie stepped closer to him and linked her hands with his own. Closing her eyes, she blew out a breath. "Ask me again."

Sam McCall jerked off of the mattress as if she had been beaten with a hot poker. She pushed the sheets away and crawled to the end of the bed, not stopping until her bare feet touched the cool wooden floor. Without the assistance of a light switch, she fumbled toward the door, through the living room, and into the kitchen where she had a fresh glass and a half empty bottle of Brandy waiting for her.

As her fingers curled around the cool glass, she noted how steady her grip was on the bottle. How many nights had she woken up just like this? How many times had she heard him calling her name? Two years, she thought morosely. She didn't even cringe anymore at the effect the scorching liquid had on the sensitive lining of her throat. Two years of dreams that would have terrorized Rob Zombie. Two years of waking up without an alarm to get Vincent ready for school, pack his lunch. It had taken a long time, but her son's murderer was finally brought to justice. Funny thing about justice is that it was different for everybody.

She hadn't planned on staying in Port Charles or even New York for that matter. She couldn't go home though because the memories were even stronger in the house she had shared with her son. Who knew why Jason Morgan had even targeted her. She had always thought she wasn't meant to find love. It laughed at her now, asked the question, "What good did I ever do you?" He had known exactly how to get to her, what to say, how to approach her son, and a million other tactics to weed his way into their lives. Vincent's father had been a good man, God rest his soul, but they hadn't ever been good together as a couple.

No, she didn't want to think about Ryan. It would only lead her to think about how he had died, or rather how he had been murdered. Jason Morgan had something to do with that too—still nothing she could prove. What was she even doing here? He was dead, the case was closed…or at least she thought it had been.


	225. More Than Us

Smiling at the young couple in front of her, Dara Jensen closed the file on her desk with a definitive air. "With the list of character witness you've supplied me and a timeline of the events for both the accident and the attempted kidnapping; I think we have a reasonable chance of you maintaining custody."

"Reasonable chance?" Lucky leaned back in the chair, kicking one foot up on his opposite leg. "Dara would it kill you to actually be optimistic for once?"

"It's against my training as a lawyer." Dara deadpanned.

Leaning over to smack at his arm, Elizabeth smiled for the first time since they entered the office. "So would that mean I was right? And that someone might have been freaking out a tad too much?"

"It means you were right in that you have the stronger case." Dara cautioned, leaning back in her mahogany leather chair. "I haven't heard from Diane Miller just yet, but I would imagine her main argument will center on the kidnappings. With Logan being your cousin and still missing, it could be a convincing tactic. However I think we have more than enough evidence to counter-act any claims of Logan being a close family member."

"Logan knows better than to show his face here." Lucky muttered darkly. "At least he should."

"I still think it would be better if I didn't come to the trial." Elizabeth offered. "If I'm not there then I can't be a target for them."

"True. But if you aren't there, then they have a stronger case for a pattern of irresponsibility. We have the stronger case if you are there."

"Is there anything else we should be doing Dara?" Lucky interjected. He and Elizabeth had gone around and around on her coming to the trial. The last thing he wanted was for Dara to do a lawyer double talk and convince Elizabeth she should stay home. The faster he got the subject changed the better as far as he was concerned.

"Not as far as I can see. Cameron appears to be happy, sticking to a routine and is being well cared for. All positive. The only thing I can think of is don't make any drastic changes. No moving. No changing schools. Nothing major. It might signal the judge you have something to hide. Keep everything as is for now."

"As is. Right." Lucky felt his heart sink a little. The idea of proposing had been running in the back of his mind ever since Elizabeth confronted him about his nightmares. He was still having them, but they seemed to be getting better. But he didn't want to propose and have to keep it secret. If Elizabeth accepted he would want to tell everyone.

Dara smiled. "Obviously there is an exception for birth. If the baby decides to come before we go to court, don't' hold back on my account."

"Thanks for your permission." Elizabeth smiled drolly.

"That's all for now. Go home. If anything changes I'll call you." Dara waved her hands shooing them out of her office. "Go. Be nauseatingly happy elsewhere."

"You can't be considering this!" Patrick went on incredulously.

"Keep your voice down. Morgan's asleep." Robin cautioned with a slow wave of her hand. "And anyway you're putting too much into this."

"Too mu—too much?" Patrick raged. "We're talking about you going overseas for three months!"

"Two months. I can't be on a plane after the second trimester." Robin corrected him.

"Oh, well thank you for clearing that up. Robin, you can't just hop on a plane and cross the ocean on a whim!"

"It's not a whim. I don't leave for five weeks."

"So you're actually going to go? Just like that?"

"What would you have me do? Stay here? Pretend that I'm just getting fat? I'm sure that'll go over real well with your family." Robin rolled her eyes.

"Don't bring them into this. They're not the reason you're running away."

"I am not running away." Robin ground through her teeth.

"Really? You're not? Because that's what it looks like to me."

"Then maybe you need to blink a little slower."

"I guess I don't understand why you're suddenly so ready to leave."

"This is my dad, Patrick. I never get to see him. And he was right about Morgan. He needs some semblance of protection."

"Is he the one that doesn't feel safe or is that you?" Patrick asked facing her at last.

"That's ridiculous! What would I have to be—?"

"How about the fact that my obsessed brother and your ex-best friend have fallen under the radar? You can't tell me you're okay with that."

"I wouldn't pretend to be okay with it."

"Isn't that what you've been doing? You're focusing on everyone but yourself."

"What would you have me do? Fall apart? And, if I do, what exactly is that going to solve? Is it going to make our lives better? No."

"So this is about you paying me back for not agreeing with everything you say?"

"No. God." Robin groaned holding her head in her hands. "You are so frustrating sometimes!"

"I'm frustrating? You're using this as an answer to a question. If anyone's being frustrating or unreasonable, it's you babe."

Robin planted her hands on her hips. "This really has nothing to do with you. I'm not asking you to come. In fact, I'm telling you not to."

"Nothing—" Patrick broke off. "Nothing to do with me. Last time I checked, that's my baby."

"Oh yeah? So you're offering to carry this baby for the next seven months? Is that it? Is that what you're saying? Because, if not—" Robin growled at him.

"Do not threaten me. I may not be carrying that baby, but it's just as much mine as it is yours. I don't like the idea of you running around Paris in your condition."

"My condition?" Robin shrieked.

"Yes, you're pregnant. I know it's hard for you to accept, but you have to slow down a bit."

"I didn't realize you were a doctor." Robin snapped.

"As far as you're concerned, I am." Patrick shot back. "Now are you going to start listening to logic?"

"Is that what's spewing out of your mouth?"

Patrick managed to turn Robin around without touching her and led her to the couch. "I can understand wanting to see your dad—"

"How would you? You don't even talk to yours." Robin countered and then broke his gaze. "I'm sorry. That was—"

Patrick stared at her, dumbstruck. "I can't believe you just said that to me."

"It was uncalled for. I'm so sorry." Robin apologized.

"Forget it. It's fine. As you already pointed out, this has nothing to do with me."

"Patrick..." Robin leaned toward him but he remained just out of reach.

"How does this work, Robin?" Patrick wanted to know. "You disappear with Morgan and our baby and decide not to come back?" The pain in his voice was unmistakable. It was as harsh as an unexpected slap in the face.

Robin felt tears spring to her eyes. "Why would you think that?"

"What am I supposed to think?"

"That I love you. That I live here. That I'll always come back to you." Robin counted off each point on her hand.

"From what I understand, your decision has nothing to do with me." Patrick reminded her.

"Come off it. I didn't mean that." Robin assured him.

"This isn't getting us anywhere." Patrick announced sliding off of the couch and standing up. "You're not going to listen to me. You're going to do whatever the hell you want because that's how it always goes. No matter that it could be dangerous—"

"I don't feel safe here. I haven't felt safe since the night Logan climbed through my window."

Patrick's eyes crinkled in anguish. This was supposed to convince him that she would be coming back? "What difference is two months going to make?"

"I don't know." Robin whispered. "But I wouldn't feel this strongly about it if I didn't feel like it was something I needed to do."

"That's your argument?"

"I don't want to fight with you."

"You'd rather I not have an opinion? Oh, that's right. You're telling me not to come. What am I supposed to do while you're gone? Pretend once he gets you down there, he's not going to try and convince you to stay gone?"

"Why would he do that?"

"Are you kidding? Robin, you are not this naïve."

"First, you use the baby, then accuse me of abandoning you. Now you think my father is plotting to destroy us? I didn't realize you were this insecure."

Bending down in front of her, Patrick placed his hands on top of her knees. "Whether or not you want to admit this, we are a family. You, Morgan, and this baby are what matter to me. I get to have some say in where you go and with whom. I also get to question your motives when you're acting insane."

"Then what are you worried about?"

"I haven't stopped worrying about you since the car accident and I probably never will. What's so wrong with staying here where we can deal with this together?"

"We can't deal with a ghost, Patrick." Robin argued drearily. "And until Logan's caught, that's exactly what he is."

"We can if you would try. Why won't you try?"

"I'm not going to sit here and wait for him to come after us again." Robin vowed.

"And you think running off to Paris is going to make you safer?"

"In a matter of speaking, yes."

"Because your father can protect you and I can't. That's what you're saying." Patrick deduced coldly.

"I never said that!"

"You didn't have to. You have every reason not to trust me to protect you."

"Let's not go through it again." Robin begged him.

"We obviously need to if it scares you this much."

"Why haven't they caught him yet?" She murmured brokenly.

"I don't know baby."

Stiffening her shoulders, she said, "He wouldn't expect me to leave."

"I don't get why you don't want me to come with you."

Robin couldn't look at him. "I'm not going to make you put your life on hold—"

"You are my life. Do you understand that?" Robin nodded mutely. "But I can't make you stay."

"Patrick..." Robin began, watching him put even more space between them.

"I'm behind you...whatever it is you decide." His back was to her, but she could tell that he was shaking in his skin.

"Don't do that. Please. Please Patrick."

"This is what you want isn't it?"

"I want you to tell me I'm doing the right thing."

"I can't. I'm not going to lie to you and I'm not going to put on a smile for you."

"Then what am I supposed to do, huh? You have some foolproof plan, do you?" Robin shrieked.

Patrick glanced at the door and slowly made his way toward it, ignoring the dangerous stare his girlfriend was giving him. "I don't know when I'll be back." With that, he opened and closed the door behind him leaving Robin in tears.


	226. In Love But Not At Peace

"Hey! Watch what you are doing!" Dillon protested indigently, glaring up at his husband from his seated position. "Move."

Lucas raised an eyebrow at what his husband was holding, in the shower no less. He gripped the shower curtain as he contemplated how to express his confusion. "Are you doing work in the shower?" He motioned toward the laptop in Dillon's hands.

"I was." Dillon closed the laptop with a defeated sigh "Until someone blocked the only good wireless signal we have."

"What do you think you're doing? We're on vacation for goodness sake!"

"I know we are on vacation but the plans are at a critical stage now. I can't just abandon them."

"Oh yeah?" Lucas snatched up the laptop, walked into their room, and lightly tossed the machine onto the bed.

"Yes." Dillon raised himself out of the shower and walked towards the bed. "One wrong move and this party will be a disaster."

"You promised you wouldn't work." Lucas groaned. "I guess that was just something you tell your spouse."

"It's not exactly working. I'm just helping."

"It counts!"

"What do you want me to do? I can't exactly walk away from this."

"Then why did you agree to come?"

"Because I wanted to spend time with you and Lance." Dillon sighed and sat down on the bed, running his fingers through his hair, making it messier than usual. "I'm sorry. I'm getting a little Glen Close in Fatal Attraction aren't I?"

"Just a bit. The point of this vacation was to take a vacation. You don't see me handing out my P.I. cards to the people we pass on the beach, do you?"

"No." Dillon admitted. "But I did see you get a little too involved in that search for the lost boy on the beach."

"We're talking about a missing child. You're worried about some stupid party." Lucas pointed out.

"I just want it to be perfect. After everything that's been going on...we need some fun."

"We're having fun!" Lucas insisted shrilly. "Aren't we?"

"Of course!"

"So that's why you're having secret rendezvous in the shower with your laptop?" Lucas did not sound convinced.

"No. The celebrity homage artist I was trying to book was only available to chat right now."

"On one condition." Lucas smiled despite himself. Maybe he should be mad, but he understood how hard it was to leave work at home.

"What's that?"

"You pick our plans for the afternoon. You're totally in charge of everything."

"Really?" Dillon jumped up and grabbed Lucas by the arms. "Anything I want?"

"Yes. Anything you want." Lucas nodded. His husband was just a big kid sometimes.

"Score!" Dillon turned to run out of the room, threatening to leave Lucas in the dust. "Come on Lance. Daddy Lucas finally said yes to bungee jumping!"

"What? What?" Lucas howled in surprise.

"You said anything."

"Can I just go and watch?" Lucas whispered.

"Oh no baby. You and I are jumping together."

"Can I at least make up a will?"

"I've got you now." Maxie whispered to the sketchbook in front of her. She was basically hiding, but in plain sight. She didn't have to work today, but it was too busy at home, so she had taken refuge at a table in front of Kelly's. Ric had proven to be a very worthwhile distraction; one that, until she finished this, she was going to have to avoid. She had tried to explain it to him and that had pretty much explained why her hair would never look the same again, no matter what she tried.

Luckily—and it was total luck—she had managed to get him out of her house a few minutes before Mac, Alexis, and Kristina pulled into the driveway. She had cleaned up the mess they had made of the kitchen and disappeared off to her room to collect the rest of her drawing tools.

"Well if it isn't the elusive Miss Jones." Kate practically purred as she lowered herself into the chair on the other side of the table. Given the size of Port Charles, she had figured the younger woman would not have that many placed to hide. Apparently she had been wrong. Maxie Jones had been more than scarce, she had been a ghost. Kate had practically done a double take when she saw her sitting calmly in Kelly's. It was a gift from the journalistic gods themselves.

"Go away." Maxie didn't have to look up to decipher who the voice belonged to. She had been able to avoid this exactly confrontation for a long time and she was in no mood to rehash it. "I don't have time to give you a story that you'll just end up twisting around. I didn't realize Lulu volunteered at General Hospital. I must have missed her every time I've had a friend or family member sent there over the last year."

"It's easy to not remember faces when you are busy playing caretaker." Kate dismissed easily. "Now who does a girl have to kill to get some service around here?"

"Management reserves the right to refuse service to anyone. Consider me your management representative."

Kate shook her head in amusement. Maxie was not the first reluctant waitress she had come across in her career but she had the potential to be the most amusing. "Working on your sketches for the Nurse's Ball, are you?" she inquired innocently, fingering the edge of the sketch book. "Quite a coup for an unknown designer."

"I'm just doing what I've been assigned to do." Maxie brushed off her inquisition.

"It would be just amazing what a little pre-event publicity would do to your career. Think of it. All of America would be rooting for the plucky survivor to achiever her life long dream. The public would eat it up."

"I guess." Maxie shot her down again. "Was there something you wanted, because you're making it very hard to concentrate? I don't know if you've been informed, but I have a deadline coming up."

"Oh I'm well aware of your deadline. I'm aware of lots of information about you Maxie Jones."

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Maxie's eyes were as cold as her tone when she met Kate's stare.

"It means I have been doing my homework on you Mariah Maximiliana."

Maxie shook her head slightly and returned her attention to her sketch. "Like that's classified information." She grumbled.

"Unlike the man that was very concerned about you on the scene of your accident?"

Maxie's eyes shot to Kate's. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really?" Kate arched her eyebrow elegantly. "The paramedics I talked to seemed to know everything about it."

"I wasn't conscious, so I honestly can't help you. Probably some concerned neighbor." Maxie countered.

"No, they didn't seem to think so. In fact they were pretty sure he worked at the hospital. And he seemed to be very attached to you." Kate leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Ringing any bells for you now?"

"Nope. I had a stalker a few years ago. Maybe he saw a golden opportunity." Maxie suggested.

"How very fortunate for him."

Strolling up to the diner, Ric caught only snippets of the ongoing conversation. He recognized the back of Kate's head but her position in the chair obstructed him from viewing her interviewee. From what he could tell, this wasn't a voluntary Q&A. By Kate's tone, he deduced that it was closer to an interrogation. Who was she harassing now? She had no right to come here and bully the good people of Port Charles. He must have underestimated how desperate she was to tie up the loose ends. "Kate, would you give it a rest?"

"Richard, I'm just doing my job."

"Your job suddenly involves threats? I don't think so." Ric shook his head at her tactics.

"Who said anything about threatening? Maxie was I threatening you?"

Maxie stared hard at her sketchbook having recognized his voice from the instant he had gotten onto Kate. She didn't like the way she called him Richard, but it was more than that. Something else was making her uncomfortable. When Ric had mentioned his wife, she had never put together that she might be the reporter who was just itching to get a story from her. Until he had called her by name just now, she hadn't actually remembered the reporter's name. This couldn't be happening. Knowing her eyes would give her away, she shook her head.

"See? Maxie doesn't think I'm threatening her." Kate motioned to her reluctant witness with a wave of her hand. "Really Ric you know me better than that."

Maybe it was because lying to his wife had become almost second nature—maybe that's why it was easy to not acknowledge Maxie in the slightest way. He knew Kate would jump all over the story and he didn't want to put Maxie through it. "She's just being nice. I could hear you from almost a block away."

"And you came just to rescue an innocent maiden in distress? I knew you were chivalrous Ric, but I had no ideas what length you would carry it to." Kate reached out and took hold of his hand. "Since there is nothing of a threatening nature going on here, would you care to join us?"

"You can have the table." Maxie struggled to say. "I'm leaving." If she could get out of here without meeting Ric's eyes she would be fine. Her face was probably the color of a tomato due to the simple intimacy Ric and Kate seemed to share in holding hands.

"What am I thinking? You were here first. No we'll find another table. Won't we Ric?" Kate stood up, placing her hand delicately on Ric's shoulder.

"I don't know what you'll be doing, but I think I've lost my appetite." Ric argued taking a step back so that she was no longer touching him. He could feel the waves of jealousy radiating from Maxie and hated that there wasn't anything he could do about it. He couldn't defend her without admitting that he knew her.

"Please don't go on my account." Maxie replied drolly.

"You don't have to go." Ric assured her. "I'm sorry she bothered you."

"I don't need you to protect me. I'm a big girl." Maxie grumbled unapologetically.

"I'm sorry do you two know each other?" Kate asked slowly, turning her head between the two. She could tell Ric was tense, but for what reason she didn't know. In fact, he seemed to become tense the second she had acknowledged Maxie.

"How could we? I don't volunteer at the hospital and he doesn't work here." Maxie pointed out. "Excuse me." She shoved past Kate.

Ric made sure to keep his expression relaxed, but Maxie's assurance made him nervous. Kate hadn't mentioned that he was a doctor, but Maxie had.

Watching Maxie stalk into the diner, Kate turned back to Ric with a relaxed smile on her face. "Looks like it's just you and me. Just like the old times."

"I have patients. Excuse me Miss Howard." Ric turned his back to her and retreated to his car.

"I'll see you soon." Kate called after him. "You can bet on it."

"Ask me again."

At her demand, Steven realized his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth. He couldn't have told her hello for all the trouble he was having just breathing.

"Steven? Hello?" Georgie opened her eyes and stared nervously into his blue orbs. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He stammered.

"Then why aren't you saying anything?"

"I wasn't expecting..." His voice trailed off.

"Well I wasn't exactly expecting your question the first time around either." Georgie pointed out. "This makes us even."

"Would you..." Steven tried again. "Um, would—no will you...God, why is this so hard a second time?"

"Maybe it's because this time there will be an answer?"

"There will?" Steven asked quietly.

"Just ask Steven."

"Will you marry me Georgie Jones?" Steven repeated breathlessly.

This was going to go down as the craziest, best decision she had ever made. Taking a deep breath, Georgie squinted for a brief second before looking into his anxious blue eyes. "Yes." She whispered. "Yes."

"Yes?" Steven forced out, unintentionally clutching her hand.

"Yes." She leaned forward and pulled him closer to her. "I'll marry you."

Steven caught her lips with his and framed her face in his hands. His kisses were quick and frenzied; he couldn't remember ever being this happy before. "I love you." He managed, pausing only long enough to meet her eyes.

"I love you too." She managed between his kisses, returning them with equal frenzy.

Steven suddenly broke the kiss and stood up. "We've got so much to do."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one thing," he leaned down and kissed her for good measure. "I've got to get you a ring."

"There's that of course." She smiled.

"And then we've got to figure out where we're having the ceremony or if we're having a ceremony. I don't have a preference really. Do you?"

"No. No. I don't think so."

"We've got to have witnesses at least so I'm thinking Lindsay and Veronica. Unless you want to wait until we go to Port Charles." Steven rattled off nervously.

"No. If we wait, there will be a whole town full of people trying to talk us out of this."

"We agree on that." Steven nodded and crouched down in front of her, keeping his hands on either side of the bench. "Tell me about your dream wedding."

"Well first off I never wanted to walk down the aisle to the Wedding March." Georgie began.

Steven blew out a sigh of relief. "Thank God. It's so overused."

Georgie chewed on her bottom lip. "I've kinda always wanted an outdoor wedding."

"What kind of setting are we talking about here?"

"A park. Trees all around. Maybe a fountain if we can find one."

"This is Paris. I'm sure they have a few." Steven grinned. "What about flowers for the walkway? Do you have a favorite?"

"It's going to sound lame."

"We make lame fashionable. Tell me." Steven pressed on.

"Daisies. I love daisies."

"What's lame about daisies? I was afraid you were going to say 'Red roses.'"

"Ugh. God no." Georgie looked up to the sky to collect her racing thoughts. "I'm thinking simple. Nothing too fancy."

"Parachute dress and glass slippers?"

"Maybe for the silver anniversary. No just something nice and tasteful. Something my sister would call boring and basic."

"I think it's time to call those crazy friends of yours since I'm not willing to tempt fate over a little thing like seeing you in your wedding dress." Planting a kiss to her neck, he added, "Though I will enjoy taking you out of it."

"For the record I hope I enjoy that too." Georgie blushed. "How much time are you thinking?"

Steven laughed when Georgie smacked him for what must have been a seductive expression. "That depends. Do I have to wait until we're married to have sex with you again?"

"Yes Horny Boy." They just got through a pregnancy scare and he was already thinking about getting her into bed.

"I've been corrupted." He assured her leaning over to steal another kiss.

"Ditto." She breathed tracing his face with her hand. "So answer the question. How long? I give Linds and Ronnie a shopping mission and a time limit and they will come through."

"How's tomorrow morning sound?"

"Sounds perfect."


	227. From The Heart

Alexis folded her arms across her chest and glared at her fiancé.  He had wanted her off of her feet, so she was.  He hadn't wanted her doing anything but rest, so she had tried that.  He had insisted they call the doctor now that she had gone out into their sea of friends and family and shown them how "fine" was.  Dr. Bernstein was about five minutes away.  She couldn't understand why he was sitting beside their bed tapping the toes of his tennis shoes against the floor.  He looked about ready to jump out of his skin.  It wasn't his concern that bothered her, only in the way he chose to execute it.  There was a good chance the cancer hadn't progressed because hair loss was a common occurrence when it came to Chemo; they just wanted to be sure.  This was one thing they could agree on: they needed to figure out the next step.

"Are you sure he was just coming from the hospital?" Mac asked, vexed.  He rubbed his palms up and down the course material of his jeans in an effort to relax.  Even a short-lived relief would be welcome at this point, but his nerves were having none of it.  His imagination hadn't stopped since he had found Alexis in their bathroom with a handful of her hair clogging the drain.  It was not an image that would be leaving him anytime soon.

"It's mid-afternoon.  He might have hit some traffic..." Alexis tried to appease him, but it was to no avail.  She couldn't soothe his fears when they matched hers beat for beat.

"Shit."  Mac's right arm struck out and hit one of the bedside lamps sending it crashing to the ground.

"Hey!"  Alexis snapped at him.  "There'll be none of that."

"This waiting..." Mac defended himself.

"I know.  It's not any easier for me, but I don't want to frighten my daughter."

"How long are we going to be able to lie to her?" Mac wanted to know, sounding both irritated and exhausted with the effort it took to deceive a little girl he loved so much.

"We haven't lied to her."  Alexis shook her head fervently.  "She is too young to understand all that's going on."

"Why didn't you tell me you've already been through this once?" Mac cut her off halfway through her explanation in indignant annoyance.

Alexis' head jerked up and her eyes were wide when they locked on his.  "How did you...?"

"You should have told me.  You should have told the doctor."  Mac griped.

"What difference does that make?  I can't believe you checked up on me!"  Alexis had never known him to abuse his position like this.

"Someone had to when you're lying to even me!"  Mac shot back with equal passion.

"I've never lied to you!"

"You're lying now!  You're avoiding and it's the same god damn thing!"

"So you've never lied to protect someone you love?  Is that right?" Alexis cocked a wary eyebrow at him.

"I don't need you to protect me!"  Mac retorted angrily.

Alexis wanted to respond incredulously, but she saw the instant flash of hurt in his eyes and couldn't do it.  "You love me too much sometimes..."

"There is no such thing."  Mac cut her off.

"Mac, I'm sick.  I get that...I'm not trying to avoid anything."  Alexis struggled to keep her voice even.

"Then why not tell me that this was a relapse?"

"It wasn't important!  What happened before is not affecting what's happening now!"

"You don't know that.  Your immune system is already vulnerable.  How could you not tell us?  What if the drugs the doctor's been giving you are useless because he didn't have the facts?" As he asked this, Mac had been making his way closer and closer to the bed so that their faces were mere inches apart.

Alexis bowed her head slightly and averted his eyes.  "I didn't want to think that I might not be so lucky this time."

"You mean you didn't want to appear vulnerable."  Mac correctly bluntly.

"That too.  Ever since the kidnappings, I've felt like I haven't been in control of anything.  My collapsing didn't scare me near as much as knowing that a bunch of whackos had my baby.  And then, when I was forced to retire from a position that I've dreamed about having my entire life...I don't know how to slow down.  I don't know how to be patient."  Blinking back tears, she added, "I'm not this person."

Mac sat back on his haunches, awestruck.  He had never heard Alexis admit to having any sort of vulnerability and never to this extent.  If he closed his eyes, he could picture her as a little girl, trying to make her father love her only to find out that she wasn't a good enough reason for him to stay, trying to follow her mother even as she, herself, was being manipulated into doing things that a child never should have had to do.  He could so easily see her reverting back to the frightened girl she had been and it broke his heart.  He hated having to break her, but she wouldn't open up to him any other way.

Dr. Bernstein arrived then and any further explanations were put on hold.  Mac hurried downstairs to let him in, thanked him for coming, and led him up the stairs.  Mac hoped he appeared calm because he really needed to prove to Alexis that he was strong enough to take care of her.  When she made comments like her feeling the need to protect him he was further justified in trying just a little harder because obviously she didn't have any faith in him at all.

"Miss Davis, we must stop meeting like this."  Dr. Bernstein joked upon entering the bedroom.

"Well, what are you gonna do?" Alexis replied with a forced giggle.

"I hope you don't think we're being paranoid in calling you.  We know you're a busy man, this being a Sunday after all."  Mac rambled uncomfortably.

"It's no problem."  Dr. Bernstein responded affirmatively.

"Did my test results come back yet?" Alexis wondered, wanting to get down to business.

"Yes."

"Is the hair loss just a reaction to the Chemo?" Mac asked tentatively.

"In most cases, yes..." Dr. Bernstein frowned.

"But not in mine?" Alexis yelped.  She shook her head and tried to rein in her fear.

"Your test results came back positive for bone metastasis."

"What does that mean?" Mac prodded.

Dr. Bernstein pushed his thin framed silver glasses onto the bridge of his nose and took the seat Mac had abandoned.  "When we did the surgery, I was certain we had cleared out the cancer and, even if I happened to miss something, the Chemo would take care of it.  Bone metastasis is what we call the spreading of the cancer to the bones.  I don't want you to mistake this for bone cancer, because they are very different.  Your bones may get weak and unable to function as well as you would like."

"Why didn't you find this before?" Mac demanded, noticing that Alexis had gone completely silent.

"As a doctor, I rely on tests.  This didn't show up until Alexis' last appointment."  He turned to face Alexis.  "I'm going to need you to return to the hospital for a biopsy—"

"No."  Alexis interjected.  "I go back to that place and you'll never let me come home."

"If we don't go, it could worsen."  Dr. Bernstein warned.

"I just got my daughter back and it's been hard enough taking her to doctor's appointments with me.  She's still psychologically traumatized from what happened to her and I will not put her through a repeat of my last extended hospital stay."

"What kinds of treatments are we talking about?"

"Other than the biopsy, nothing.  We'll need to run an MRI and a CT scan before I can give any definitive results."

"Definitive results?" Alexis scoffed.  "What would you know about that?"  Mac reached for her hand but she pulled it back.  "This is not a science experiment gentlemen.  This is my life!  This is the only one I get."  She met Mac's eyes that instant.  "I've got you with your perfect childhood, perfect parents, astonishing children…you…you want me to be a part of that, but I really don't think you've thought it through all the way.  How can you look at me and see something that I can't see?"

"Because I love you Alexis.  I've always been able to see the person you are inside and out."

"And you," she wheeled on Dr. Bernstein, "You and your diagnoses that change every five minutes!  Stop giving me time I don't have and stop trying to steal it away in the same breath!"

"If this isn't treated right away…?" Mac tried to bring the subject back around to one rational point.

"Personally, I've never seen a positive result."

"What about miracles Doctor?  Do you discount those as well?"

"I don't believe in letting the deceitfulness of miracles rob my patients of their lives."

Alexis turned slowly toward Mac.  "I'll go and have the tests run and the treatments done if…"

"If what?" Mac pressed.

"If you don't tell our children."

*****

"You're really doing this?" Lindsay shook her head in disbelief.  "Did nothing we say penetrate your thick skull last night?  You are crazy!"

"I know."  Georgie assured her friend.  "This is the last thing I thought I would be doing on my college trip, but it feels right—"

"We went over this last night.  You're letting lust do the talking here!" Lindsay placed her hands on her hips defiantly.  "I get that thinking you were pregnant was scary and all but Georgie you are not pregnant.  If it's really right you can wait until you both know each other's middle names."

"Or birthdays." Ronnie pointed out from her position behind Lindsay. 

"Lars."  Georgie replied confidently.  "And September seventeenth."

"Damn it I thought we had her there."  Ronnie muttered under her breath.

Georgie held out a hand.  "Listen, I know this is sudden, but you've got to trust me."

Lindsay turned to face Ronnie, her head tilted in a quizzical slant.  "Haven't all disastrous plans started with those words?"

"I'm pretty sure Napoleon said that before Waterloo."

"And Nixon before Watergate."

"This is my wedding day and my two best friends can't find a way to be happy for me?" Tears collected at the corner of each of Georgie's amber brown eyes.  She had expected tension from her family, but this was so out of left field.  Hadn't these two pushed her toward Steven even before she recognized the feelings she had for him?

"Honey."  Ronnie walked over and engulfed Georgie in a hug.  "Honey we want you to be happy but this is just so not you.  You're the planner.  This is something we would expect from your sister."

"So I can't be spontaneous?  There's a rule book when it comes to love?"

"Spontaneous yes."  Lindsay sighed dramatically.  "Although why you chose now to listen to us about loosening up is beyond me."

"I love Steven."  Georgie stated simply.  "And he wants to marry me.  We're going to have enough people tell us we made a mistake, but I know we can do it if you two are behind me."

"Oh and she twists that lovey-dovey knife like an expert."  Ronnie exclaimed laughing. 

"Do I have to warn Steven what a little manipulator you are?" Lindsay wondered.  "I mean if you two loons are determined to do this, the man should know."

Georgie considered arguing the charge, but figured they were right.  Hopefully she had the same influence on her family once she returned home as a Webber.  "I don't have a dress.  And I don't have any shoes."  She sunk down on the bed.

"And the real reason she needs us suddenly rears its head."  Ronnie laughed heading towards the closet.  "Alright, if you had worn us down earlier we could have done some serious shopping but this calls for some serious intervention."

"Is there enough time?" Georgie wondered through a sea of tears.

"What time did Prince Charming set?"

"Eleven a.m."

Lindsay looked down at her watch.  "Well it's nine.  We have two hours."

"Let's go ladies.  We'll strategize on the way."  Ronnie declared.  "Grab your purse Georgie.  Linds, grab the make up and hair gook.  We'll style on the way."


	228. Light In Your Eyes

**Credit for the song goes to Jewel**

Steven should have been pleased with all of the arrangements that had been made in such a short amount of time. He hadn't just found any old fountain: He had found one directly behind the Eiffel Tower and spread daisies up and down an aisle that ran from just beyond the two-foot tall fountain and extended into a bountiful archway of cedar trees that would provide an opportunity for his bride to see him before he could fully see her. A table was pushed to the side of the fountain and decorated in a lacey tablecloth and a three tier white wedding cake with an average looking groom and bride sitting atop smiling. It had been with the help of the film crew and director amazingly enough that he had managed to pull this off at all.

Instead of stuck in the back of his mind where it belonged, the notion that Georgie could very easily start thinking clearly and leave him standing at the aisle made him feel cold all over. He had survived his last love breaking his heart, but he knew he wouldn't recover this time. Neither of them had called their family to tell them the news and he knew it broke Georgie's heart to not be able to share her happiness with them. He felt as if he was cheating her out of what should be the happiest day of her life and he was not okay with that.

It wasn't as though he thought asking her to describe her perfect wedding would be a challenge for her; he could picture her as a child practicing with her stuffed animals and perhaps her older sister or friends from the neighborhood. She might have had more fake ceremonies than tea parties; it was clear to her what she wanted before she made such a massive commitment to the man she loved. He smiled in spite of his despair because he would never grow tired of knowing that she loved him, that she wanted him, and that this was really it!

Ronnie had called him fifteen minutes ago to let him know that they had taken care of Georgie and everything was going to be perfect. He had received a dissimilar message from Lindsey saying that they were having trouble locating the perfect dress and Georgie's hair refused to cooperate. Knowing that he would never fully understand women and their need for crisis, he had thanked them for their help and hung up. He wrung his hands nervously as he watched the minister he had woken up last night to perform a wedding in less than twelve hours stride up the aisle with a Bible under his left arm.

"I appreciate you coming on such short notice." Steven thanked him without preamble and reached out to shake his hand.

"How could I turn down such a willful young man? She must be quite a lady." Reverend Thomas Dahl watched Steven's face light up.

"Yes. There's not a single woman that compares to Georgie." Steven assured him.

"I wish you all the happiness in the world. I understand you've written your own vows?"

Steven nodded. "Yes as a present for my bride."

"So she doesn't have a clue?" Reverend Dahl smiled mischievously.

"Nope. I wanted to do something special for her since she's so far away from her home and family." Steven clarified.

"I'm sure she'll love it." Reverend Dahl watched Steven pick a daisy from the ground in front of him and stick it into the pocket of his black jacket.

Smiling at the groom, the Reverend reached out and patted Steven's arm. "Well I did come down here for a reason. I'm told it is time."

"Yes." Steven agreed and left his post for a few moments to flip the switch on the stereo. After a long discussion, Georgie had left the song choice to him. Even though they were outside, Jewel's voice seemed to echo off the air.

Love be still, love be sweet

Don't you dare change a thing

I want to photograph you with my mind

To feel how I feel now all the time

Lindsey appeared first from the clearing between the trees. Her rainbow-colored sleeveless shift dress was pleated all around, a thin ribbon denoting her waist. Her hair was pulled up, messily falling out of the bun in a way that was truly Lindsay. She smiled at both of the men standing near the fountain as she made her way up, shifting the small bouquet of wildflowers and daisies in her hands. Drawing closer, she took a half a step closer to Steven than was strictly necessary. When she was certain he could hear her, she looked directly in his eyes and whispered, "I'm happy for you guys, but hurt her, and I'll hunt you down."

Steven grinned and nodded in quiet agreement. It was good to know Georgie's friends loved her. "Thank you. I would never hurt Georgie." He whispered back.

"Better not."

"Scout's honor."

Say that you'll stay forever this way

Forever and forever

That we'll never have to change

Don't move, don't breathe

Don't change, don't leave

And promise me

Say you'll stay

Oh, we'll stay

This way

Ronnie started down the aisle, more tranquil than her louder friend. The vibrant green of the shift dress was simple until the lace hemline. Keeping herself straight down the aisle, she smiled at Steven and mouthed out the words "Good luck" before taking her place next to Lindsey.

The CD started to skip, the noise unpleasant enough to distract the wedding party from the fact that the bride hadn't emerged yet. Steven took a step to his left and readjusted it.

I get afraid

I don't think ahead

Let's just stay this way in bed

Feels so good inside your arms

Home is everywhere that you are

Georgie took a step back and tried to take a deep breath. Butterflies had started to take up residence in her stomach ever since she spotted the area Steven had told her friends to bring her to. His cinematic eye had more than paid off, she had thought. This spot surpassed all her childhood imaginings of her wedding. And her groom, standing there in his black suit, with his white shirt slightly unbuttoned, no tie, and a daisy sticking out of his breast pocket was enough to make her want to pinch herself just to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

This is it Georgie, she told herself. Just take a few short steps and you'll be his forever. You love him and the only way you're going to feel calm is to go out there and touch him. So what exactly are you waiting for? Taking one more breath, she gripped the small bouquet Lindsay had arranged for her hurriedly on the walk through the park and stepped out of the safety of the trees and towards her Steven.

Steven wondered if his eyes were round and wide as he watched the woman he loved fidget with her conscience, her morals, and her heart. The silver dress was decorated in dark gray leaves with the top half emphasized by an almost wrinkled style and the bottom long and flowing. Her golden hair was pinned to her head in a swirly bun and her eyes were so sharp they picked up every detail. He wondered if she liked it or if she had wished for more on her wedding day. This was it, he told himself. After today, he was no longer a bachelor, not a handsome feat as it might be. They would have to figure out how their lives were going to intertwine, where they were going to live, and how they were going to handle the last year of Georgie's schooling. There was no point in making her move across the country when she was so close to finishing.

She wasn't walking down the aisle, she was gliding. In that moment, he knew he had made the right decision in asking her, knew he probably would have asked the exact same way even if it hadn't been for the pregnancy scare. He wanted to stay up late with her watching movies and reading books, debating over which ones were awful and which ones were noteworthy and he wanted to fall asleep with her nestled in his arms. He wanted to glance across the bed and see her warm, smooth skin peeking out from underneath the covers, knowing she wore nothing underneath because she wasn't one who preferred pajamas as he had recently found out. Not the best thoughts to be having with his present company, Steven mused to himself.

She was sure she couldn't smile any brighter or wider as she made her way down the daisy-covered path. How had he managed to do this in such a short period of time, she marveled. It was almost as if he had snuck a peek inside her dreams and recreated them. Meeting his blue eyes, she could feel tears starting to well up in her own. The butterflies from seconds earlier started to dissipate and calm began to radiate through Georgie's entire body. This was right. Her entire life had been about leading up to this exact moment and she just now figured it out.

Floating to her spot, her place next to him, she took his hand in her own and mouthed out three small words. I love you.

Steven let out a breath he hadn't meant to hold as she joined him at the altar. If she was nervous, it didn't show in her expression or in the way she held herself. Their hands bound together, he traced his thumb over her knuckles and brought her hand to his lips. I love you more. Lindsey was already brushed back tears while Ronnie was leaning closer as if she expected their heads to explode. Steven closed his eyes for a brief second when he heard the Reverend clear his throat and begin.

"Dear friends, we are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of two wonderful people who came together in life and love. I had a chance to speak with Steven a few minutes ago and he assured me that there wasn't anyone else like his Georgie." He paused to watch the young couple's reaction. "It is my understanding that the groom has prepared a set of original vows for his bride."

Blinking in shock, Georgie couldn't help but let the only coherent thought fly from her lips. "You did what?"

"I kind of sprung this on you," Steven said by way of explanation. "So I thought I'd try to make it up to you." He pulled a crinkled piece of paper from his right breast pocket.

Clearing his throat, Steven moved his other hand up to Georgie's wrist and closed his fingers carefully around it, pulling her slightly closer. "When I was a little boy, I thought love was a superficial and financial expression for the outside world. With only my parents as examples, I saw how cold and awful two people could be toward each other and I thought, for a long time, that that's how love was supposed to be. I've never wanted to trust my heart to anyone, because that's an easy way to get it broken."

"And yet, you had it from that first day. Before you even spoke to me, I knew I wanted to know you." Steven remembered how he had fumbled desperately for the translation book in hopes of speaking with her. "I just had to get you to talk to me. I was terrified when you actually did."

Steven took a shaky breath and reached up to catch a tear falling from his bride's eye. He cradled her face and continued his heart in his eyes, "Not even your terrible taste in books could dissuade me and that's saying a lot." His light and teasing voice was a major contradiction to the tears in his eyes.

Georgie managed to stick her tongue out him.

It was his wedding too, after all, so Steven didn't feel obligated to pay attention to certain traditions. When he got his mind set on something, there was no stopping him. He leaned forward and captured her lips in a possessive kiss. "Where was I?" He asked jokingly, stroking her cheek. He focused on the sheet of paper even as the words started to blur.

"My fabulous taste in everything."

"Oh yes," Steven snapped his fingers together. "When you smiled at me, I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to wake up to that smile." He blushed slightly. "And that was way before you kissed me. It's hard to understand how I could function, let alone breathe, without you right beside me. I don't know what kind of husband I'll make so you should expect a lot of trial and error with that one, okay?" Steven forced between quivering lips.

"Okay." She managed to whisper.

"You're worth it though. You're everything. I'm going to work every single day for the next sixty years to make sure that you never doubt how important you are. I want to go to sleep with you every night and I want to wake up with you every morning, but it's more than that." Frustrated that his hand had started to shake, he stuffed the paper into his pocket and proceeded without it. "I want to have babies with you." He laughed to himself, "And I'm afraid that falls on you my love. I'm not going to promise that I won't mess up, because we've always been honest with each other, and I don't want that to ever change. I don't want you to feel like you can't come to me. I love you, now and forever."

Georgie took in a shaky breath and squeezed Steven's hand. "I tried to think of something really profound to say to you all last night. And I couldn't. All I kept thinking about was when I was about fourteen and I checked out this book of love letters from great men in history. I remember wondering if anyone would love me that much and just how wonderful that must feel. And then I met you, in front of the Romeo and Juliet fountain. And I fell so hard that first second I saw you, the first time I heard you completely butcher Italian." She smiled at the memory of trying to figure out just what the heck he was asking in his horrific Italian accent. "I don't know when exactly I fell in love with you, but I know the moment I realized it: When you held me after I found out about Alexis' diagnosis. I might have denied it to everyone." Georgie acknowledged, hearing the muffled laughter of Ronnie and Lindsay behind her. "But I knew it then."

"Being with you, I think I finally understand what all those love letters I read were about. And last night, the only words I could think of to tell you just how much I love you, how much I will always love you, is the thoughts in those letters. Or one person really, Beethoven." Georgie paused and closed her eyes, willing the long memorized words to come back to her. Unlocking them from her memory, she opened her eyes and met his with a smile.

"I can only live wholly with you or not at all. No one else can ever possess my heart, never, never. Be calm–love me—only by a calm consideration can we achieve our purpose to live together. Oh continue to love me—never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved. Ever mine. Ever thine. Ever ours."

As the young couple brushed away each other's tears, Reverend Dahl glanced down at his Bible even though he knew it by heart. "Do you have the rings?" He asked them and Lindsey nodded, handing him two simple gold rings. "Steven, do you—"

"Oh crap." Steven muttered, fishing into the back pocket of his dress pants.

"What?" Georgie managed to get out. "What?"

"Just a second Reverend, just a second." Steven pleaded, finally finding what he was looking for and fishing it out. "Your engagement ring."

"Steven. I'm already at the altar." Georgie laughed. "I kinda said yes."

"You're not getting married without an engagement ring." Steven argued, showing it to her. It was a silver ring with a three-karat diamond in the center and three smaller diamonds on each side. "There. Perfect." He exclaimed as he slid it onto her finger. "Okay, we're good to go."

"Are you certain? No hot air balloons or skywriting?" The Reverend teased.

"There wasn't enough time." Steven snapped his fingers again, this time in defeat.

"There is always when you go back home." Lindsay whispered to Ronnie's giggles.

"Steven, place this ring on Georgie's left hand and repeat after me. I, Steven,"

"I, Steven."

"Take this woman to be my lawfully wedded wife."

"Take this woman to be my lawfully wedded wife."

"I promise to honor and keep her."

"I promise to honor and keep her."

"For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live."

"For richer or poorer in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live."

"Georgie, take Steven's hand and repeat after me. I, Georgie."

"I, Georgie."

"Do take this man to be my lawfully wedded husband."

Georgie's hands shook as she pushed the ring onto Steven's hand. "Do take this man to be my lawfully wedded husband."

"I promise to honor and keep him."

"I promise to honor and keep him."

"For richer or poor, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live."

"For richer or poor, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live."

Reverend Dahl smiled and addressed Lindsey and Ronnie since there were no other guests attending this unusual ceremony. "It is my great honor to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Steven Webber."


	229. Fix Me Now

_**We wanted to thank Candie for inspiring this scene.**_

He was dangerously close to waiting too long to approach her. It was one thing to give Maxie a day to cool off; it was quite another entirely to wait almost a week before trying to contact her. Ric realized it was more than likely a huge mistake on his part, but one he was more than prepared to defend if she forced him to. And he knew she would force him to.

Making his way carefully up to the front door, he checked again to make sure there was no one else about. During his rounds at the hospital he had spotted the Commissioner in the cafeteria with Kristina. A few discrete questions of some of the chattier student nurses had confirmed his suspicion that Alexis was indeed in for treatments. Ric had stopped in Kelly's, allegedly to get a cup of coffee, but primarily to see if she was working today. When he didn't see her familiar blonde hair, he had come here. Straight to the lion's den as it were. Raising his hand to knock on the door, he leaned his body against the heavy oak frame. It was best to approach this as casually as possible, he decided.

Balancing a basket of laundry on her left hip, Maxie stumbled over to the door and opened it wide, her expression morphing from confused to downright furious. "Are you lost Doctor?"

"Not at all." Ric tried to sidestep her and make his way into the house.

"I don't think so buddy. Back away. I don't allow strangers in my house." Maxie dropped the basket and hurried to close the door.

"Then I guess you just want your entire neighborhood to hear us talking?" he questioned, quirking one eyebrow upwards. "Although I've never known you to remain quiet, I guess there is a first time for everything."

Maxie strained to see around his tall frame. "I think I see your wife coming with a big camera. You better go."

"Kate is my wife only on a technicality of law. I told you that."

"Maybe you're working with her. I wouldn't put it past her to sink that low. Should I check for a hidden camera?" She ran her eyes lazily over his body.

Catching the way she was scanning his body, he leaned closer to her. "Would you like to frisk me to make sure?"

Maxie cursed the blush she felt creeping into her cheeks. "No thanks. Did you need something or can I go back to what I was doing?" It was impossible to not be slightly scorched by Ric's smoldering gaze. Maxie cleared her throat. "Look, maybe it's best we're not seen together...at least until your wife goes back to New York...or the divorce is final."

"Why?" Ric asked genuinely confused. "We've been separated for a long time now. Kate knows I've been seeing other women. I know she's seen other men. I'm not seeing a problem here."

The truth of the matter was that Maxie hadn't expected learning Kate's identity would affect her the way it had. She was jealous and it was a new feeling. There might some animosity now, but she doubted that would be the case if, say, Kate never returned to New York. Could she really handle being in the same town with that woman and be with Ric? It was impossible. She wasn't her mother. "Well you wouldn't." Maxie stalled. "Does it not register in your mind what linking our names would do?"

"Besides announcing my fabulous taste in women?"

"Let me spell this out for you. While I was supposed to be babysitting my stepsister, I was downstairs fooling around with you. Alexis already blames me for what happened. Finding out that I really did cause her daughter to be stolen...that I was actively ignoring Kristina—"

"Kristina was supposed to be asleep. You don't honestly think anyone expected you to sit by her bedside all night making sure she was breathing do you?" Ric took advantage of her distraction to finally step inside the door, kicking it shut with his foot. "Blondie it's not your fault." He began rubbing his hands up and down his arms. "I swear it's not your fault."

"You're right." Maxie nodded without argument. "It's yours."

"Mine?"

"If you hadn't distracted me, I might have been able to get to her before any of this could be put into motion. I'm not saying it's not my fault too, but it's not just my fault." Maxie pushed away from him and crossed the living room.

"So now it's my fault for you not being psychic? Look I'm not going to take the blame for something neither of us could have seen coming. And you shouldn't either."

"It's not just that Ric. It's so many other things. For all my sins, I've never been involved with a married man, not even one who was only technically married. If my dad found out about this..." She let her voice trail off.

"He'd what?" Ric teased taking another step closer to her. "Arrest me for dating his legal daughter?"

"You can't take anything seriously, can you?" Maxie charged, spinning around to face him.

"I take _plenty_ of things seriously." He assured her. "I can handle your father's disapproval. I've had years of practice with my own."

"Things are just too complicated right now. Your wife makes me uncomfortable." Maxie admitted. It was no use going into all the reasons why.

"Kate is only here for one reason and one reason only: She's got a serious itch for a story. Eventually it will pass and she'll leave. No other reason." There was no reason to bring up his original suspicion that he was behind Kate's extended stay in town. For one thing, Maxie would never let him live down the pure ego it took to think it. For another, he had this feeling it would lead to another fight.

"You keep saying that." Maxie drawled, retreating back a foot for every foot he covered.

"Because it's the truth. I have never lied to you Maxie. You know that."

"I don't want to get screwed over."

"I wouldn't do that to you." He took a risk and grabbed her hand with his own, lacing each individual finger together. Ric brought their combined hands up to his mouth and kissed her knuckle. "What I had with Kate is the past. You are the present."

Maxie could almost hear a pick chipping away at her resistance and tried desperately to buffer his attempts to pull her closer. He was saying all the right things; she hadn't realized how much she wanted to hear these words. For as long as she could remember, she was at the top of the conquest list for the men in this town. She stopped just short of asking him what he was still doing with her. "I didn't say you could come in."

"I didn't ask you if I could." He replied.

"I think you should go home." Maxie gulped.

"I disagree." He succeeded in pulling her closer to him.

"I didn't say you could touch me either." Maxie choked out.

"Are you objecting?"

"Why do you always have to do this?" Maxie pleaded.

"Do what?"

"I say something you don't like, so you distract me with a touch or a kiss and think that's all it takes to win an argument with me." Maxie explained.

"It's the most time effective method. Talking isn't exactly our strong point." Ric pointed out.

"And that's just the trouble."

"If we attempt to talk, you might have to admit there is something going on here."

"Like what?" Maxie got one hand free and planted it high on her hip.

"Like we might actually be dating."

"Sex doesn't mean dating." Maxie countered.

"Then why are you so threatened about Kate? Why are you so concerned with what your father would think if we are nothing?"

"I'm not threatened by anyone!"

"Really? Then why were you giving me the brush-off speech when I showed up?"

"I already told you: I don't want to make your life harder."

"So we're back to this being my fault? Blondie, just admit it. You were jealous."

"I was...surprised."

"Jealous."

"I wasn't jealous!"

"Green suits you." Ric teased.

"This is not...you're so..." Maxie struggled to find the most appropriate adjective.

"Right?"

"Frustrating."

"I think you mean irresistible." Once again he surprised her and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to him.

"I think I mean full of yourself."

"Just admit it, Blondie. You like me."

"Nope. I can't stand you."

He ran his hand down her sides, circling her small waist with his hands. "I beg to differ."

Her eyes closed without her approval and she forced a breath through her nose in frustration. Frustrated at him for having this effect on her. Frustrated at herself for not being stronger. He allowed her one more breath and then kissed her, the pressure he applied tempting her to stand on tiptoe to deepen it.

"You always kiss people you can't stand like that?" he teased as he pulled away just far enough to whisper to her before lowering his mouth to her neck.

It was almost embarrassing the effect he had on her. All at once she wanted to push him away, pull him closer, make him leave, beg him to stay, and tumble into bed with him. "Especially the ones I can't stand."

He ran his hands up and down her sides pausing his assault of her neck to chuckle at her answer. Raising his head, he caught her ear between his teeth before releasing it quickly. "I wonder what you do for the ones you like." He whispered before kissing the spot directly behind her ear.

"I don't think you could handle it." Maxie quipped.

"I'd love to try." He slipped his hands underneath the thin t-shirt she wore, squeezing her skin beneath his fingers.

"Did you hear that?" Maxie's head jerked up and her hands flew over Ric's wrists.

"Hear what?"

"A car." Maxie explained. "I think they might be back."

"It could be just a neighbor." Ric pointed out.

"It could be my dad." Maxie argued sidestepping him.

"I take it you think I should leave."

Maxie pushed back the drapes and blew out a breath of relief. The neighbors across the street were moving. "False alarm."

Reaching out and grabbing her by the waist easily, Ric yanked her to him. "The best news I've had all day." He declared before dropping his mouth to her neck.

As his hands folded across her waist, she leaned into him and smiled. "I'm flattered Dr. Lansing. All for me?"

"Always Blondie. Always." Lifting her up with ease, he backed her against the entryway wall.

His fingers jerked at the top button of her jeans and she leaned down to kiss his arrogant mouth, her hands roaming up and down his back in her attempt to melt their bodies together. He pushed the edge of her top further up her body, crouching to kiss his way up her skin. Separating from her just long enough to remove her shirt completely, he resumed his task of learning the taste of every inch of her skin.

She didn't know what it was with this man and button-downs but she was not going to complain. The buttons gave slowly and she brushed a hand over his chest and abdomen making him tremble with pleasure. This close, she could feel his heart slamming against his ribs and let out a shaky breath as she moved her hand to cover it. He came in for a kiss that had her arms up above her head and left no space between them.

"You'll be the death of me," he managed when he released her lips just long enough for air before pulling her lower lip between his teeth.

"I can't breathe." Maxie whispered with a half smile pushing him back slightly. She must have pushed too hard or been thinking of something other than air being a necessity because she had him braced against the opposite wall that second.

"Who needs to breathe?"

"Hmm." Maxie purred.

Laughing, he steadied her against his hips and started to make his way towards the steps. "Let's move somewhere more comfortable."

"I like you right here." Maxie shook her head, clasping his head in her hands and kissing him again.

"Blondie." He dipped his fingers into the open waistband of her jeans, tracing just slightly below her peach colored panties. "Let's go to your room."

"Come on. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I think we explored that in the kitchen."

"What about the couch? We never finished what we started there." Maxie reminded him.

"Blondie. I'm planning on continuing this until we're both exhausted. Unless you are certain we'll be alone for hours and I do mean hours, I suggest a place a little more private."

"You're right." Maxie responded throwing her arms around his neck. "I think you should take me home with you."

"I won't last the drive. We've not touched one inch of the upstairs." He kissed her again, hard. "Let's explore that, shall we?"

"I can't." Maxie shook her head.

"Why not? You have another man chained to your bedpost?"

"I just can't." Maxie's eyes darted to their forgotten clothing.

"What do you mean you can't? What's so different about downstairs and upstairs?"

"Why does it matter? You want me, don't you?" Maxie challenged sliding her hand over his thickening shaft and squeezing him tightly through his pants.

"You're not playing fair." He growled, reaching up to knead at her breasts through the fabric of her bra.

"I never have." Maxie responded hoarsely.

"Neither have I." He winked before unsnapping and removing her bra in one quick motion.

Feeling her eyes roll to the back of her head, Maxie let herself focus on the sensations. He traced the tips of each breast and took his time paying them special attention. His shaft jumped in her hand so she figured it was her pleasure, as well as his, to stroke him from top to bottom.

Pushing them both off the wall, Ric removed her hand from him only so he could walk. He secured her legs around him, making sure to keep his mouth near her neck. He took two steps forward and succeeded in stepping onto the first step, determined to kiss and stroke her body all the way up the stairs to her room.

"What are you doing? I told you I don't want to go upstairs." Maxie reminded him.

"Give me one good reason why."

"It's too personal."

"Blondie, what we are about to do is considered too personal by some cultures. Just tell me."

"I did." Maxie grumbled.

"What are you talking about?" Ric asked, releasing his hold on her so she could slide down his body and onto her own feet.

"Nothing. Forget I said anything." Maxie tried to step out of his arms.

"No. I want an explanation." Ric held her firmly in his arms, not allowing her to wiggle away.

"Fine. You want to know? When this is over..." She pointed to him and then herself, "and I have no doubt it'll be over before I'm...I need to be able to make a clean break. For now, my room is Ric-free and that'll make the inevitable easier. It's the one place that's just mine." With every word, Maxie found herself more and more upset. "It's okay." She assured him after a long silence. "You don't have to say anything."

"What's there to say?" he said hollowly as he sunk down on the step. "It seems you've decided everything." He was banned from her bedroom because it would make it easier when they ended? And she was still convinced they would end soon, by the tone of her answer. After all this time, she still thought he was just in this for the sex? If it was just sex for him, didn't she realize he would have left her alone after the first time they were interrupted?

"I'm sorry." Maxie deadpanned.

"Now don't you start lying Blondie."

Maxie watched him with unshed tears in her eyes. "I can't handle more than this. That's as simple as I can make it. I thought you understood."

She had a point. It was all she had told him repeatedly, all she wanted was casual. And in the beginning that had suited him just fine. Somewhere, somehow, he had changed his mind, but apparently she hadn't changed hers. Once again Ric, he told himself ruefully, you were on the wrong page where a woman was concerned. You'd think you would have learned your lesson after Kate. He stood up and retrieved his shirt from where Maxie had shoved it off of his body. "I think it's time I left."

Maxie couldn't think of an appropriate response, not that he seemed in any mood to wait for one. Congratulations, she scolded herself. You lost him way ahead of schedule. She wanted to cry, but it would feel cheap. She wanted to tell him it was all a lie and trust him enough to have him come upstairs with her. What she couldn't handle though was going to bed and being ambushed by his scent. She watched him do what she had always predicted he would: She watched him walk out on her.


	230. Read It and Weep

**Read It and Weep**

"Bobbie, she'll be fine." Elizabeth bounced Majandra easily up to her shoulder. The little girl immediately grabbed at Elizabeth's ponytail, determined to munch on the brown hair. "It's only a couple of hours. Both your numbers are on speed dial. Everything will be fine."

"I know. I trust you. It's just...she's so little." Bobbie turned back to Cruz. "Maybe we shouldn't go to dinner. We can order takeout."

"No." Cruz shook his head. "You need this. We need this."

"Please." Lucky begged from his spot on the couch. "Please do not talk about what the two of you need."

"Shut up." Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him, but the smile on her face betrayed her annoyance.

"I'm just saying..."

"No one asked you." Elizabeth cut him off swiftly. Turning her attention back to the couple in front of her, she said, "Go. Have fun. Don't call nine million times."

"But it's free to call." Bobbie argued, holding up her matching phone.

"Yes it is. But I've talked with Dillon. I know one call leads to a hundred. The point of having a babysitter is to have fun."

"But...but..." Bobbie stammered.

"But nothing. She's right." Cruz placed his hand on his wife's back. "Thanks again you guys. We'll see you later."

"Bye!" Elizabeth waved and closed the door.

Whirling around as quickly as she could while balancing an infant on her shoulder, Elizabeth practically marched her way towards the couch. "I thought one of your New Year's Resolutions was to be mature about them."

"Don't you know New Year's resolutions are for quitters?"

She wanted to smack the smirk off his face, at the same time she wanted to laugh at the pout he had affected. Damn pregnancy hormones, made it impossible to keep a single emotion for longer than a few seconds. "Here." Elizabeth gently detangled Majandra's little fist from her hair before holding her out for Lucky. "Hold her a second will you?"

Taking his newest cousin carefully, Lucky managed to give his best quizzical look in her direction. "Any particular reason why?"

"It's either you hold her or you move the entire contents of her room at home that they brought with them while I hold her and direct the whole affair."

He shuddered just a little. If there was one thing Lucky knew about Elizabeth, it was this. She was more than a little obsessive about putting everything in its proper place. His shoulder was probably going to be permanently sore from the number of times he had to rearrange the furniture in the nursery so far, at last count fifteen times. "I'll hold her."

"Good man."

*****

"All she does is lay there." Cameron sat back and folded his arms across his chest. "Babies are boring." He declared.

Elizabeth and Lucky both ducked their heads behind their hands to keep from laughing too loudly. Cameron had been excited for Majandra to come and visit for a little bit, until he had been told she wouldn't be able to play trains with him.

"Are all babies boring?" Cameron wondered.

"It's a phase." Lucky nodded. "And it's a girl thing."

"Hey!" Elizabeth smacked Lucky in the ribs. "Watch it mister."

"All she's doing is sleeping." Cameron complained, oblivious to the comments of the grown ups. "Doesn't she play?"

"She's too small to play." Elizabeth explained gently. "Give her a few months and she'll be more than ready to play."

"A few months?" Cameron's voice rose in alarm. "That's like _forever_."

"It's not forever. And she'll be bigger the next time you'll see her." Lucky pointed out. "Before you know it, Majandra will be chasing you around the yard."

For four, Cameron could give a skeptical look on rival with any his father had ever given. "I don't play with girls."

"Champ, you play with Kristina."

"She's not a girl. She's Kristina."

"Well of course she's not." Elizabeth agreed, trying not to laugh at the same time digging her nails into Lucky's leg to keep him from laughing out loud. "Kristina's totally not a girl."

"I'm sure Mac will sleep much easier knowing that information." Lucky muttered under his breath.

"Behave." Elizabeth whispered.

"I am."

Cameron stood up and rearranged his pajama bottoms, which were covered in footballs. "I'm getting my trucks." he declared as he made his way towards the stairs towards his room.

Watching till Cameron was safely out of eyeshot, Lucky doubled over with laughter. "Kristina's not a girl. I've got to remember to share that one."

"Would you stop? You realize in two months we'll have to deal with 'babies are boring' on a full time basis, right?"

"Calm down. If he gets too bored we can ship him off to Robin's or Lucas's. Play dates are the answer."

"You're not taking this seriously."

Lucky laughed and traced the tip of her nose. "You're adorable when you're worried."

Elizabeth leaned back on the couch and crossed her arms in a huff. "And you're patronizing me."

"Little bit. Did it work?"

Damn it she really couldn't stay mad at him when he was sitting there giving her puppy dog eyes. "I haven't decided yet."

Majandra, deciding that not enough attention was being paid to her, picked that exact second to let out a piercing cry. Balling her little fists into the air and kicking her legs in perfect time, almost immediately her face began to resemble the color of her mother's hair. Lucky moved towards her on the floor, picking her up easily, bouncing her against his chest. "Shh. Shh. It's ok." He cooed softly.

Elizabeth bit her lip to keep her smile back at the image in front of her. "Ok. Now I'm not ticked at you."

*****

"Three whole hours. I'm impressed." Lucky teased as he opened the door for his aunt and best friend to come in. "Did you lose the phone?"

"No." Cruz chuckled. "I hid it in the trunk on the way into the restaurant."

"Very smart Grasshopper. You are learning."

"Did you have fun?" Bobbie asked her baby daughter as she carried her into the living room. Neither guy had seen her even move toward the stairs.

"Damn that was fast." Lucky muttered.

"She was fine Bobbie." Elizabeth smiled as she played with Majandra's tiny fist. "A little angel."

"I see you had to use the spare pajamas." Bobbie cooed at the baby. "Did you lose your lunch baby girl?"

"No. Cameron wanted to see if she would swim."

"He didn't?" Cruz laughed.

"After we had to convince him she wasn't a football." Lucky nodded.

"She's not?" Cruz feigned confusion, winning a smack from his wife.

"And you two wonder why Cameron is confused by this whole baby concept." Elizabeth shook her head.

"So anyways, did you have a good time?" Lucky asked as they all moved further into the living room.

"We did. I haven't been to a jazz club since I moved to Port Charles." Bobbie recalled leaning into Cruz as her daughter started to doze.

"That new one Axe found?"

"Yeah. It turns out he's a man of many talents. At least that's what Becca tells me." Bobbie murmured with a grin.

"I don't need to hear this." Cruz grumbled, covering his ears.

"Too much information. Way too much information." Lucky shuddered.

"Oh get your minds out of the gutter." Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Boys."

Elizabeth leaned over to the coffee table and picked up the paper. Between oversleeping this morning, work, doctor's appointment, and babysitting, she hadn't had a chance to even glance at the paper today. While the guys started to talk hockey and Bobbie busied herself with fussing with her daughter, Elizabeth idly flipped the Leisure section over.

Blinking in confusion, she pulled the paper closer to her as two familiar faces registered in her brain. Surely she wasn't reading this. This would not be how she would find out about something this major happening. No way. No way. Waving her hand, she tried to get Lucky's attention. "Lucky. Lucky."

"You are crazy. They so do not have a shot at the title."

"LUCKY!" She screamed, hoping against hope she wouldn't wake both Cameron and Majandra.

Running over with Cruz, Lucky felt his heart leap out of his chest. "What? What is it? The baby? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. It's that." Elizabeth pointed to the paper as if it held the secret of life. "Look. Look."

Picking up the paper, Lucky looked the direction she was pointing and nearly dropped the paper. "What the hell?"

"What? What's going on?" Cruz asked, concern lacing his voice.

Lucky cleared his voice, and began to read from the paper.

"Patrick Drake and Robin Scorpio announced their engagement this afternoon. Patrick Noah Drake is the son of the infamous Noah Drake, a surgeon with a reputation for brilliance. Robin Cecilia Scorpio is the daughter of ex-Presidential candidate Anna Scorpio and Robert Scorpio..." Lucky would have read further, but the words started to blur.

"Why wouldn't they tell us? Why wouldn't they tell us?" Elizabeth wondered.

"This is not a funny joke." Bobbie shook her finger at her nephew.

"Patrick? Engaged? Right, okay." Cruz rolled his eyes.

"It's not a joke." Lucky handed the paper over to Cruz. "Even Patrick wouldn't go to this extreme for a joke."

"Why wouldn't she tell me?" Elizabeth sobbed. "I can keep a secret."

"I think there is only one solution." Lucky nodded. "We corner them."

"Maybe it's a misprint. It could be a misprint." Cruz kept muttering.

"If it was a misprint we would have heard Patrick yelling from here." Lucky pointed out.

"But he can't be getting married." Bobbie sucked in a breath and her eyes started to fill with tears.

"Well I'm getting answers." Elizabeth stood up and made her way towards the door. "Who's coming with me?"


	231. Kiss Me Goodbye

**We're trying something new. We hope you like it. At the end of each chapter, we'll show you something from the upcoming update.**

The door handle twisted slowly so as not to wake the sleeping beauty in the bed. In his hand he held her favorite treat: Reese's Pieces. She wouldn't be expecting him to be back so soon and that much was clear when he saw that she had dozed off since he had last been here. The news wasn't good, but hopefully this little present would lift her spirits a bit.

He reached over and rubbed her left shoulder until he noticed her start to stir. She tried to push him hand away, her eyes squeezed shut in defiance. Her lips moved in silent, incomprehensible speech patterns and he took the opportunity to place the candy on her tongue. She closed her mouth on a sigh. "You remembered."

"You expected me to forget? Do you remember what we did the last time I brought you candy?" Mac asked smugly.

Alexis laughed, turning over and opening her haunted brown eyes. "You know it's past visiting hours."

"You know I don't care." Mac responded and dropped some more candies into her waiting palm.

"Did you get Kristina tucked in?" Alexis wanted to know. She popped a few candies and sucked on them while she pondered the night's events.

"I did. She missed you, but I explained it to her." Mac assured her.

"You understand why we can't tell her, don't you?" The fight that had ended in her agreeing to come to the hospital was still fresh in her mind.

"Kristina, yes, but not the rest of the family. The girls deserve to know."

"If we could just—"

"Wait?" Mac finished for her. "Is that what you were going to say? Wait for what? What more do the doctors have to tell us before—"

"Before I accept that I'm going to die? Is that what you were going to say? "

"Of course not." Mac snapped. "Why would I think that?"

"I don't know what you think anymore Mac!"

"How do you not know?"

"You never talk to me. I don't read minds."

"I don't know what to say to you! You're so touchy lately!" Mac pointed out.

"Oh? Well I guess I'm not feeling so hot what with being handed a death sentence and all!" Alexis screamed her hand flying to her mouth as her eyes strained to look at anything but her fiancé.

Mac backed up as if he had been slapped. It had been easy to ignore for a while, but she was right. She wasn't getting better, only worse. "I am not going to give up you. Do you hear me? If you need to throw yourself a pity party, go ahead, but I have the right to invite the people who care about you. Alright?" He was so angry he thought he might punch something. He looked around, desperate to do just that, and settled on kicking the legs off of the cart and sending the tray flying into the opposite wall.

"Look, I'm not expecting you to fix any of this, okay?" Alexis began.

"We can't let this cancer win!" Mac stressed each word.

"Do you hear yourself? Cancer! You act like I've got a common cold!" Alexis turned her face away from him and fisted her hand in front of her mouth.

"I'm not oblivious to the fact that the condition is worsening; I swear I'm not. You don't get to ask me to stop trying to find a way to help you. Dr. Bernstein—"

"Dr. Bernstein is as lost as we are. There is no magical cure." Alexis informed him. "In case you weren't told."

"You're going to be fine." Mac growled.

"I'm terminal, Mac! Do you get what that means? Do you?"

"I won't let you give up." He whispered sitting down in a nearby chair.

"Maybe we should start making arrangements of some kind..." Her voice began to shake. "Just preliminary arrangements—"

"The only arrangements we're going to be making are the ones for our wedding. You got that?" Mac snarled at her.

"Mac, you can't still—"

"I can and I will."

"There might not be a wedding."

"Are you thinking we should elope?" Mac tried to joke.

"Stop it! Listen to me!" Alexis begged grabbing his wrists.

"No! You're not making rational sense!" Mac countered and jumped to his feet pulling his hands free and cradling her face. "I'm marrying you."

Alexis blinked back tears. He was saying all the right things, but at the worst possible time! "Honey, I'm not still expecting you to marry me."

Mac did a double take. "What does that mean?"

"Just what it sounds like. The doctors...they don't think it will take very long for my body to completely wear itself out." Alexis choked out.

"I was right there." Mac reminded her. "I heard the words they used and you're not even close to paraphrasing right now."

"That's because you were hearing what you wanted to hear. You weren't hearing the truth. I'm dying—"

"Stop saying that! God, why do you have to say that?" Mac whimpered.

"I'm not trying to hurt you, baby, but it's what's happening. I'm trying to help you accept it."

"Yeah well don't do me any favors."

"Please don't be like that."

"Like what? When I proposed to you, I promised forever."

"I know." Alexis nodded fervently. "And I know, at the time, you meant it."

"I still mean it!" Mac cried.

"We have to make arrangements." Alexis repeated stubbornly.

"Make your own arrangements. I'm not going to prepare myself for something that's not going to happen." Mac barked at her.

"Death is a natural part of life. If it wasn't right now, it'd still happen." Alexis assured him.

"I want my fifty years." Mac took a step back and turned his back to her while he tried to collect himself.

"I want them too." Alexis managed not even bothering to stop the tears from falling down her cheeks.

"You're mine." Mac reiterated spinning around. "Mine. And I say when you get to go."

"Mac...please..." Alexis pleaded.

"Arrangements." Mac spat. "Do you hear yourself? I'm not arranging your death. I'm not allowing it."

"I would never ask you to take care of Kristina—" Alexis told him.

"I love that little girl more than life itself!"

"I know you do. If you'd let me finish, I was going to say that I wouldn't ask you to without talking to you about it. I'm not Anna Scorpio."

"Why are you talking like this?" Mac wondered, shaking. "Are we not enough for you? Are we not enough of a reason for you to fight to live?"

"Don't ever think that! You're my family and I love you. I love you." Alexis countered sharply.

"If you really loved us, you would fight." Mac pointed out.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Alexis shot back.

"Giving up."

"I'm not giving up."

"And somehow it's making things easier on you." Mac went on as if she hadn't spoken.

"This isn't easy! This will never be easy!" Alexis corrected him.

"But you do it so well." Mac replied caustically.

"I don't want to die." Alexis choked out. "I don't want to leave you."

"Then don't!" Mac insisted. "Don't leave us." He grasped for her hand.

**_Previews:_** AJ shuffled slowly past Grandma Lila's garden in hopes of not being seen. Even though it was unlikely anyone would see him, it would cause far too many problems if he had to explain why Michael wasn't with him and what had brought him back to the "dangerous place" that hadn't protected his son's brother, sister, or cousin from being stolen.


	232. Family Matters

AJ shuffled slowly past Grandma Lila's garden in hopes of not being seen. Even though it was unlikely anyone would see him, it would cause far too many problems if he had to explain why Michael wasn't with him and what had brought him back to the "dangerous place" that hadn't protected his son's brother, sister, or cousin from being stolen. He had paid quite a few reporters to tell the story the exact way he wanted it and, due to his upbringing he assumed, he used money to solve all of his problems. This might have been why he was running low on cash. He couldn't exactly take out the kind of money this operation required without someone getting suspicious. Even millionaires had to account for what they had spent their money on and his uses for it were slightly illegal and most definitely frowned upon.

He hadn't wanted to risk putting in a call to his parents in case someone was spying the property. After what had happened to his baby sister, AJ was not above taking a few extra precautions if it kept him alive. His parents were such an obvious source of unlimited cash but, since he couldn't legally touch his son's inheritance, he had no choice. He knocked quietly against the patio door that led to the lit up living room and waited.

In the days that had passed since Monica had lost both Emily and Jason on the same day, she had become an expert at deciphering knocks. There was the harsh, staccato drum of that reporter looking for a story. The regretful clang of Commissioner Scorpio who had come to tell her exactly what activities had led to her daughter's death. The empty silence of so-called friends and colleagues who stayed away rather than be associated with the Quartermaines at this time. Moving toward the patio door, Monica briefly considered the short list of people who would dare to attempt to use the patio door. It limited the number of potential visitors to family and more specifically family afraid of Alice making a scene.

Opening the door, Monica peered out into the deepening twilight, trying to recognize the figure she saw there. "Who's there? I have a gun and I know how to use it," she warned when the figure began to approach her.

"It's...AJ." He croaked out slightly alarmed at the idea of his mother holding any sort of weapon.

"AJ!" Monica exclaimed pulling him closer to her and out of the open air. "What are you doing here?"

AJ leaned into his mother's embrace and smiled. Mom, he thought to himself. Even with all he had done, she still loved him. There was a good chance she didn't know, especially since he had begged Dad not to tell her out of fear for what she might think or do. Still, he told himself she did know and she wasn't disappointed in him. How long had he dreamed of being her favorite again? With Jason and Emily gone, he was all they had left. "I had to see you." He whispered.

"Sweetheart." Monica practically purred. "Are you ok? Is Michael ok?" A million questions flew through her mind. AJ had been clear for years he was through with Port Charles, preferring to have his parents visit him at his home instead of coming to see them. The kidnappings had only strengthened his belief Port Charles was a place he should run from and never look back. If had come back here, something must be wrong.

"He's fine. I promise. He wanted to come, but he still has a few weeks of school left." AJ explained. "As for me, I was hoping to see you and Dad. Is he around by any chance?" He hated that he had to get right to the point.

"He should be by now." Monica checked her gold watch that hung off her wrist. Walking to the doors, she pressed the button on the household intercom. "Alan, could you come to the living room for a minute?"

"I'm consulting with a patient over the phone. Is this critically important?" Alan groaned.

"Yes. Come down or I'll throw you out of my house."

AJ snickered. It was an old joke that started well before his birth. His father had bought the house for his mother so she felt obliged to threaten to kick him out of it on occasions such as this. "If he's busy, I can just come back." It was a lie. He wouldn't be leaving. He didn't care who he might be inconveniencing. It cost a lot of money to house two on-the-run criminals.

"Hush. He'll come down if he knows what's good for him. Now sit. I want to know exactly what brought you out in the middle of the night. Are you in some kind of trouble?"

AJ ducked his head. "I'm afraid I am." He spoke to his hands. "I assume you heard about Courtney being a part of the kidnapping spree."

Of course she had heard. It had been the gossip of the entire town. Her heart had broken for AJ. Once again he had fallen for girl who seemed to love money and power more than she cared about him. "You must have been devastated."

When AJ lifted his eyes to meet hers, there were tears in them. "I really thought she wanted me, Mom. I wanted to make a life for the two of us and Michael, but she...she was obsessed with having Morgan. It didn't matter to her that he had been willed to Robin. She couldn't see past her own jealousy."

"Oh sweetheart." Monica reached out and hugged him close to her. "You poor boy."

"I...I had all of her things moved out and I asked for the ring back." AJ muttered. "What hurts most of all is that she used Michael. He's never going to be able to trust anyone ever again."

"Michael is strong. He will survive, just like his father."

"He returned to boarding school and I get so lonely when that happens. I thought I'd come and see you and Dad."

"Well I'm glad you did." Monica patted his knee, just as she had when he was a small boy, getting hurt by falling out of trees and chasing the neighbors down by the boat house. She turned slightly when she heard the familiar footsteps that announced her husband's arrival. "It's about time." She remarked dryly as he opened the door. "Not that I said it was important or anything."

"AJ!" Alan exclaimed making a beeline toward his son and pulling him into a hug. "I got worried when we didn't hear from you."

If there was one thing his father was good at, it was putting his foot in his mouth. AJ quickly diffused the situation, "It's been difficult to stay in touch, but I couldn't stay away once I heard about Emily...and Jason." His voice rose slightly as he tacked on his brother's name. Inside, he was smiling.

"We understand." Monica rose to assure AJ.

"The only thing that matters is you're here now. How's Michael?" Alan wanted to know.

"He's still just as brilliant as ever." AJ smiled. "Still trying to live up to the family name."

"What did you come to see us about?" Alan pressed on knowing his son wouldn't return for the pure joy of seeing his parents.

"Is it a crime to want to visit?" AJ inquired, hurt.

"Only when it's the first time since you got Michael back." Monica pointed out.

"I had to let him go back to school. They were threatening to make him repeat the term if I kept him out a day longer." AJ countered with a huff. "Obviously it was a mistake coming here." He stood up to leave.

"No, no. Don't leave." Monica reached, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Please tell us why you came."

"I wanted to attend the funerals. I assume they're happening soon?"

"We already had them." Alan spoke up.

"Excuse me?" AJ asked, taken aback.

"It's been weeks. What were we supposed to do, keep them on ice until you decided to show up and pay your respects?" Alan was way past incredulous; he was outraged.

"It was very small. We didn't want the press interfering. That would have killed your grandmother on top of everything else."

"You have my number. Both of you." He took a staggering breath. "Even with them gone, I'm not a part of this family, am I?"

"Of course you're a part of the family. You're our son." Alan stressed each word.

"No. Jason was your son. I'm just your stand-in." AJ bit back unhappily.

"You are our son." Monica said firmly.

"Is that why I had to hear about my baby brother and sister's deaths on the news?" AJ stood up, reaching for his head. Even after everything, he was still only second-best.

"The same way we did you mean?" Monica asked him.

AJ glanced back at his mother, angry but not wanting to hurt her anymore than he already had. _If you knew what kind of monster I was_, he thought to himself_. Let's see if you still loved me then._ "It was a mistake coming here." He would get the money some other way. This was just too much. After all he had done and nothing had changed!

"No it wasn't." Monica shook her head stubbornly, trying to will AJ to stay in the house just by looking at him. "This is your home."

"This hasn't been my home since the day Jason was born. Even in his death, he's the better son. He killed people for a living and molested little boys, but he's the best son you've ever had or will ever have. I don't know why I'm surprised." AJ shook his head in awe and disgust.

"You're not being fair. We've never favored Jason over you." Alan argued. "And, even if we did, he's dead and your rivalry with him has to end."

"We can't change the past AJ. No matter how badly we may want to at times." Monica added.

"We agree on that at least." AJ told them. "I wish Jason had died long before now." With that, he ran out of the living room.

*****

"Where's Lulu tonight?" Luke asked his wife as he deciphered the number of words his remaining letters would form. So far, he had Zerf, Ferz, Ef, Ez, and Fez. She might let Fez slide since she had gotten hooked on That 70's Show around Christmastime.

"She had a date with a nice boy from school." Laura informed him with a smile.

"And Lucky?" Luke wondered if she would notice him change out his letters.

"At home with Liz and Cameron." Laura answered vaguely. Her husband was awfully antsy about the quiet that had hit their house the day Lulu had moved out. "Pot." She announced as she placed her pieces on the board.

Luke grinned, wondering if she had read his mind about That 70's Show. "What about Patrick?"

"What about him? He's with Robin and Morgan." Laura pointed out.

"I'm telling you, something isn't right." Luke declared with a sigh. "You'll see I'm right."

"On that day, I'll take off my aluminum foiled hat and greet the aliens." Laura teased him.

Luke had a mild temptation to snap the game board shut and run upstairs to sulk, but it was short-lived. "Cruz hasn't been to dinner since he knocked up Barbara Jean. I guess that means they've killed him."

Laura smacked him in the back of the head. "Luke Spencer—" She was interrupted by the ringing of the home phone. "You're getting off lucky this time."

Luke's eyes widened and a lazy grin splayed across his face. "Isn't it always that way for us?"

Laura was appalled so she didn't immediately recognize her sister-in-law's voice.

"Laura?" Bobbie balanced the phone between her ear and shoulder as she adjusted Majandra onto her shoulder. Casting one eye up the stairs to make sure the events of the night hadn't disturbed Cameron Bobbie turned her attention back to the phone. "Laura?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm here." Laura managed to force out. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." She was still shaking, but her breathing was beginning to return to normal, and she could stand without an incessant ringing in her ear. It was a step back to fine at any rate. "How are you doing with everything?"

"Well, Luke's not half the Scrabble player you are, but we're surviving." Laura wiggled her eyebrows at her husband.

Scrabble? Life changing news like Patrick getting married and Laura of all people was reacting by playing Scrabble? Something wasn't adding up. "I must admit you are doing much better with this than I am."

"Well, they're growing up Bobbie. Whether or not we want to accept it, they are adults now." Laura assured her.

"I know that. I just thought we would be told in some way other than reading it in the newspaper."

"Where else do we hear news? I thought you would have insider information considering what your husband does for a living."

"No. Apparently he, Lucky, and Elizabeth were all in the dark. They're out looking for those two right now."

Laura's eyes crinkled in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"I think Elizabeth about gave Lucky heart attack. I thought she was going into labor by the way she yelled."

"Elizabeth? She went into labor?"

"No but I'm pretty sure we got the preview tonight, minus the labor pains."

"Bobbie, I have to admit, I don't know what on earth you're talking about."

"But I thought you saw the paper? What were you talking about?"

"What did you see?"

"Laura..." Bobbie hemmed, not wanting to tell Laura the news over the phone. She should be told by Patrick and Robin in person.

"Is it one of the children? Are they hurt? Is that why you won't tell me?" Her voice began to quiver to the point of Luke getting out of his chair and walking over the couch in morbid curiosity.

"No, everyone is fine. It's just…Laura. I don't know how to tell you this."

"Then you had better figure out a way." Laura assured her.

"I'm assuming you didn't see the announcement in the paper today then?"

"No."

Bobbie took a deep breath and closed her eyes, holding her daughter a little closer t her. "Then you didn't see the announcement of Robin and Patrick's engagement."

Luke began to laugh, having put the call on speakerphone. "What are you talking about Barbara Jean?"

"Look at the Leisure section. It's all there in black and white. Complete with a picture."

"The boy's just practicing his April Fool's joke." Luke insisted.

"Cruz and Lucky don't think so. And Elizabeth insists Robin would have told her if this was a joke."

"Maybe Robin didn't know. Patrick could have added her to the picture later. I hear he's a photographer." Luke rolled his eyes.

"If he did it as a joke without Robin's knowledge, don't you think we would have heard about her moving out or kicking him out by now?" Bobbie argued.

Luke didn't have an answer so he looked over at his wife. She had the phone gripped tightly between her hands. "It's got to be a mistake." He told her. "There's no way they would decide something like this without telling the rest of us."

"This isn't funny." Laura said after a long pause. "It's not fair."

"Angel—"

"It's not!" Laura cut him off.

"I think that is the popular sentiment at the moment." Bobbie added.

"How could he get engaged without telling me? I could keep a secret." Laura wanted to throw the phone against the wall, but Bobbie would have misinterpreted the dial tone.

"That is the question on everyone's mind right now."

"Thank you for telling us, Bobbie. I have to go now." Laura threw the phone to her husband and ran upstairs.

"God damn it! You made her cry!"

"I didn't' mean to. I thought she had seen it already!"

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this and, once I do, this family's going to start taking me a lot more seriously." Luke told his sister.

**Previews:** "Are you trying to send me into early labor?"


	233. All The Things She Said

**You've all been so patient and we appreciate it!**

Dillon was due for Robin's studio the second they stepped off the plane; it was understood that Lucas would take Lance home and get him ready for school. Even though they had been gone, Lucas let out a sigh of relief upon entering his home. Lance had been insistent that he wanted to drag the bags from the cab so he had given him the lightest of the bags: Dillon's makeup bag. "Happy to be home?"

"I guess. Do I have to go to school tomorrow?" Lance whined. "Can't I stay home tomorrow?"

"Of course you can't stay home." The look he gave his son was one he would bestow upon a creature with two heads. "School is important."

"Uncle Luke says schools destroy creativity."

"Uncle Luke is an old man. He's clearly lost his marbles." Lucas clarified. "Since when do you want to skip school? I thought you'd want to see your friends and Kristina and Morgan."

Lance shrugged his shoulders. "My back hurts. I think I might be sick."

"Your...back?" Lucas had expected a headache or a tummy ache. He didn't know what to do for a backache. Since when did children have back aches? It was a discomfort he associated with aging men and women.

Lance nodded seriously. "I don't think I'll be able to walk tomorrow."

"Is that right?" Lucas cut his son a look. "I don't think the teachers are going to want to carry you."

"No. I better stay home then."

"I'm not convinced. You're going."

"But Daddy..."

Lucas hated when Lance used that tone with him. It was the quickest way to get him to side with his son. He had to stay strong. Dillon couldn't always be the one disciplining their son. "I'm sorry Lance, but school is not an option in this house. Why don't you go upstairs and unpack your bag?"

Sighing as dramatically as he could, Lance stuck out his bottom lip. "Fine."

Lucas let out a staggering breath. "Relax. Calm down. Of course he's mad about having to go, but he'll get over it. You held your ground. You were a grown-up." So why did he feel so bad about it?

*****

"So, the menu is set. You've sent out the invitations. I booked the beyond great entertainment. Location is all set." Dillon checked off each item off the list he had spent a majority of the plane ride back concocting. "Are we missing something? I feel like we are missing something?"

"Nothing I can put my finger on." Robin answered. This was just the distraction she needed. Lord knows, this meeting would probably be cut short. She had thought the idea absolutely crazy, but Patrick had a way of making it sound like the best solution for everyone involved.

"There's just something...I don't know what it is but it just doesn't feel very Port Charlesy to me you know? Isn't there a law somewhere that something truly awesome has to happen at every single party?" Dillon suddenly snapped his fingers. "I know! Think we can talk Lucky into proposing in front of the entire party? It would completely put it over the top."

Robin turned her attention to her copy of the list. Dillon was nothing if not prepared. He had had four drawn up and, wouldn't you know it, two had been destroyed on the plane by a jerk and his cup of coffee. "Tell me more about Lucas beating up that guy on the plane. Did he really give him a black eye?"

"Oh not only did he give him one, but almost gave him two." Dillon settled back to tell the story, not at all missing Robin's sidestepping of his brilliant idea. No matter, he would just discuss this with Lucky himself before the party. "Let me tell you how it started."

"Please do." Robin leaned forward eagerly with her hands on her knees.

But whatever explanation Dillon was about to give was cut short by Elizabeth pushing open the unlocked door to the studio. "Are you trying to send me into early labor?" she demanded as the two looked over at her. Robin and Dillon exchanged looks. "I mean I understand the whole concept of waiting for the right time to share news, but an announcement in the paper is not the way to do it. Just an F.Y.I."

"Liz..." Robin faltered.

"I just don't get it. Why let everyone find out that way?" Elizabeth continued as she sat down on the chair. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I might be a bit jetlagged here, but what are we talking about?" Dillon finally asked. Not that he wasn't enjoying the drama, but it always worked better if he knew what the drama was about. Otherwise he was just watching that soap.

Elizabeth gestured towards Robin. "Apparently she and Patrick are engaged. And they figured the best way to let everyone know was to run an announcement in the paper."

"What?" Dillon turned towards Robin, his eyes wide. "Excuse me? You who nixed my every dramatic idea for this shower are hiding a secret engagement?"

Robin struggled with an explanation. "I didn't have anything to do with that."

"Oh that makes it better." Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Liz, please...hear me out." Robin begged her.

"I want to. I really do." Elizabeth sighed. "It just…it just hurt to find out through the paper and not from you."

"It all happened so fast. I didn't even say yes until he showed me the announcement." Robin informed her friends.

"Ok that makes less sense than Emergency Room winning the Emmy this year." Elizabeth shook her head, seeing Dillon nod in agreement. "Start talking missy."

"Okay, you know how guys are always trying to get creative when it comes to proposals? Well, we've been fighting a lot lately, as you well know, and have been trying to come to terms with—things."

"Things?" Dillon ears perked up on that word. "Am I missing out on things?"

"Not now Dillon." Elizabeth dismissed his question. "That is the B story. We're on A right now."

"I was a little offended by his assumption that I would say yes and then he started to go through the reasons why we should get married. You know how stubborn he is when he gets his mind set on something. Anyway, I knew it would end up hurting the family...something he hadn't meant to do of course. He was just trying to be creative or romantic or something. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. There simply wasn't time. Patrick left just as Dillon got here. The rest is history." Robin closed her eyes and clamped her teeth down on her bottom lip, waiting for her friend to explode.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and tried to process the information Robin had just sped by them. "So his solution to stopping your arguments is to propose? And the announcement was the proposal? Did I hear that right?"

"Something like that." Robin nodded. "Pretty crazy, huh? And yet, to him, it was a perfectly rational way to do it."

"Oh I think we left rational at the off ramp." Dillon declared.

Robin tried to get Elizabeth to look at her. "Please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad. I'm just trying to figure this all out. It just doesn't make any sense."

Robin fidgeted slightly and said, "He called us a family."

Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. " That's like puppy dog eyes hard to resist."

"John Cusack with a boom box hard." Dillon agreed.

"I couldn't tell him no. I love him."

"But is it what you want Robin?" Elizabeth asked. "Or was it just because you didn't want to hurt him?"

"I want to marry Patrick. I want to come home to him and I want Morgan to have the kind of security I didn't as a child. So, yes." Of course Elizabeth knew the other reason, but they couldn't exactly tell Dillon, now could they?

If Dillon hadn't been sitting right next to her, it was on the tip of Elizabeth's tongue to press Robin to make sure the baby wasn't the real reason for her saying yes. In fact the next time she saw Patrick, if Lucky and Cruz didn't kill him first, she was going to ask him if that was the motivating factor as well. "So when he had this plan, did the fact his family might see this and not react well cross his mind at all?"

"Family? Oh sweet Lord, who else knows?" Dillon questioned. "Who will call demanding answers from Lucas?"

"Lucky, Cruz, and Bobbie." Elizabeth admitted. "They were all there when I saw the announcement and freaked out. Unless I miss my guess, Laura and Luke probably know by now too. I'm sure Bobbie called them."

"Ah shit." Robin groaned.

"Yeah consider me the warm-up act."

"I told him. Damn it, I told him he shouldn't have had the ad run." Robin hid her face behind her hands. "Him and his, 'they'd react the same way no matter how we told them.'" She watched Elizabeth through her fingers. "This is all your fault."

"My fault? Oh this I got to hear."

"After Cameron's announcement at the Christmas party, the family has been wary of surprises. Oh, this is a disaster." For all the fuss she was making, she had predicted this reaction.

"Alright in the first place, the blame for that falls on Lucky. Let's be clear. Cameron inherited that inability to keep quiet. Secondly, this is his solution to that issue? That doesn't help."

"Thirdly, his actions have just guaranteed you Laura is taking over your wedding plans." Dillon pointed out.

"I suppose I should have them all line up and take pot shots at me while Mr. Wonderful is off doing whatever it is he does."

"Oh don't worry about that. Lucky and Cruz are out looking for him right now. And I'm positive everyone will place the blame exactly where it belongs. On Patrick." Elizabeth assured her.

*****

Raising his hand to knock, Lucky wondered briefly how this visit would turn out. In all the years he had known Robin, the last time he had felt this nervous was when he had asked her to step back after Jess's death. It's just Robin, he told himself sternly. Nothing's changed.

Except it had. She was no longer just Robin. She was Patrick's fiancé, a fact in bizarro world if he had ever heard one. Robin was no longer just his friend, but the woman his cousin was going to marry. He knew it didn't make too much sense since she had previously married Logan, but Logan was so successful at keeping the rest of the family away, that marriage had felt more like Robin bringing someone to the family, instead of the other way around.

Knocking lightly, he shook himself. Patrick told you this was what he wanted, he reminded himself, and if Robin is happy you will get over this hang up and be happy for them. Robin deserves the best and although you will never tell it to him, you know Patrick is the best for her.

Robin lightly stroked her best friend's hair as the young woman lay in her lap. "Come in." She said quietly.

Opening the door quietly, Lucky stuck his head in. "Hey. I got your message."

"She's all tuckered out." Robin nodded toward Elizabeth.

Laughing, Lucky walked further into the studio. "What? You spike her drink with something to get her to stop?"

Robin gave him a look and then reached behind her to set the phone on the cradle. After Elizabeth's confrontation, she had received a call from every Spencer that lived in Port Charles.

"Phone been driving you crazy?"

"I finally turned it to silent. It's nothing I don't deserve."

"I won't say deserve. But I will say there was a way better way about going about telling everyone."

"I assume you've talked to Patrick."

"I have." Lucky confirmed. "And I'm aware this was his boneheaded idea. But come on. Couldn't you have hinted for something more normal?"

"Hinted? You think I had something to do with this?"

"Are you or are you not the one who told me that, and I quote, a woman has a way of throwing out hints when she really wants something end quote?"

"I didn't suggest we get married right now." Robin told him.

"But it put an idea in Patrick's head. And we all know where that leads."

"This wasn't the way I wanted to tell everyone. Laura's sworn not to speak to me. She wrote down everything she wanted to tell me and made Luke tell me over the phone." Robin sniffled.

"Ouch. That is definitely a new weapon in the Laura Spencer Guilt Arsenal." Lucky reached over to pat her head. "However I am sure in the next few weeks she'll be all set to show what wedding plans she's already thought of." He paused as a thought struck him. "You haven't set a date yet have you?"

"No. Not yet. Before the baby's born I'm assuming."

"That will help bring Mom around at least. I speak from experience."

"I guess you do know what you're talking about." Robin responded after a while.

Lucky closed his eyes and shook his head. "I shouldn't have brought that up. I forgot you hadn't told anyone about the baby."

"It's fine. Really. By the time I get back—well it'll be pretty obvious."

"Get back? Back from where?"

"Paris. My father invited Morgan and me to come and see him. His letter came in the mail after Morgan's party." Robin clarified.

"Wait. You and Patrick just got engaged and you're leaving the country?" Lucky puzzled. "I thought your dad knew you were dating Patrick."

"He does. He'll probably try to talk me out of it." Robin tried to laugh. "Anyway, by the time I get back, maybe the family won't still be mad."

"They're not mad. They're surprised."

"What about you?" Robin's eyebrows lifted. "You don't have an opinion about all of this?"

"I'm still forming it."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm pretty sure I'm still in shock mode. I don't think I ever remotely considered Patrick getting married. And you...well you're Robin."

"We've broken the pact you know." Robin smiled.

"I know. Did we come up with a punishment for that?"

"Let's see...I think you wanted us to cut out our tongues. We were such sick little kids. Of course, then we were terrified of growing up."

"Who isn't? Growing up kinda sucks."

"I know. When did we outgrow blaming our parents for the decisions we make?"

"College?"

"I really am happy." Robin assured him.

"I hope so because if you aren't....look cousin or no cousin, you deserve to be happy. I just don't want you doing something because you're afraid of hurting Patrick's feelings. Beating him with that newspaper if you didn't want to accept would have been completely understandable."

"When I told you I didn't want to get married right now...I didn't mean I didn't want to marry Patrick."

"That's not what I meant. I meant if he pressured you into accepting, I'll beat him up for you."

"He didn't. He was totally rational." Robin lightly patted Elizabeth's right shoulder.

"That scares me. Rational and Patrick should never be in the same sentence."

"What?" Elizabeth's sleep filled drawl caused them both to look down at her. "I feel asleep didn't I?"

"Yes you did." Robin nodded. "But I called Lucky."

"Hey Sleeping Beauty. You ready to go home now?"

"Depends." Elizabeth sat up on the couch and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "What are the odds you'll let me live this one down?"

"With me it's pretty good, but I can't guarantee Shortstack over there." Lucky teased. "But then again, she's so awesome at surprising us; she might just let it go."

"No problem." Robin assured her. "Get home and get some real sleep."

"Are we ok?" Elizabeth asked her eyes serious. "Cause if we aren't, I'm not leaving."

"And that would mean Cameron and I would have to move in and well you can imagine how thrilled Patrick will be about that."

"Well, the spare room isn't a spare room anymore so I guess I have to be okay with it. Really, with the way we let you find out, it's a wonder either of you are still talking to me."

"So now it's we? I thought it was a Patrick move." Lucky asked, clearly confused as he helped Elizabeth stand up from the couch.

"Now it's we." Robin explained.

"As long as it's in the sense of 'we are happy', I guess we can still talk to you." Lucky teased.

"Cool deal." Robin smiled leading them to the door. She watched them leave and slowly made her way to the couch. She was shaking. She wanted desperately to start this day over, or maybe even the last few months. She had no idea when exactly things had gotten so insane and there wasn't a way to erase all the bad without sacrificing a lot of the good. Her friends were far more understanding than the rest of the Spencers. Even Lulu had had something to say on the subject, but after a while, all of the cruelty had started to sound the same. It was almost as if the world had turned over on its axis and she couldn't stand up anymore.

The door opened and she thought for a fleeting second that it was a firing squad. Realizing that Patrick had finally made it back home, she allowed herself to cry. He closed the space between them, not bothering with the door, and pulled her close.

"Hey, it's okay." Patrick rocked her carefully in his arms.

"No it's not." Robin whimpered in protest. "None of this is okay. I hate lying to them."

"It's just for a little while longer." Patrick promised.

**Previews: **

"Say we're married. Say it again."

"We're married." She smiled as she punctuated her words with a kiss. "We're married."


	234. Mad About You

Pausing from writing out her list, Georgie held up her hand so the light would catch the diamond that now had a permanent home on her left hand. It had been a week and it still didn't feel real to her. She was married. The man lying next to her in the bed was her husband. Sighing happily she pulled her knees up closer to her chest, dragging the sheet with them.

The past week had been almost dreamlike. Although she was fairly certain she had went to class, Steven had insisted he was not going to be the reason why she failed her first class ever, Georgie prayed nothing from the past week would actually end up on her upcoming finals. She would never be able to remember it. But now it was time she started to come back to the real world and start facing some realities.

"Alright," she said, clicking her pen against her teeth. "I think I got everything from the room but if I left anything important Ronnie and Linds will stop by with it."

"Sounds good to me." Steven paused in his crossword puzzle pursuit to smile at his wife.

"Linds and Ronnie worked out some story to tell the dorm monitor about why I'm never there any more. So that takes care of that."

"My wife's being sneaky?" Steven teased.

"Would you prefer your father-in-law find out about you from a dorm monitor or his daughter?"

He sobered at the thought. "I was just trying to get a rise out of you."

Smiling at him, Georgie leaned over and kissed his lips. "Silly boy. Didn't you learn how to play nice with others?" she teased him.

"I think some might say I'm perfect at it." He sat up and cradled her face, their kiss falling into a comfortable rhythm.

Letting her list drop to the side of the bed, Georgie wrapped her arms around his neck. "Do you have to work today?"

"I think they'd like it if I showed up." Steven sighed.

"I don't have classes today. I could come with you." Georgie offered.

Steven grinned. "We both know I won't get any work done if you're in the general vicinity."

"And I suppose I should pay attention to the other items on my list." Georgie sighed. "Spoilsport."

"It's why they pay me the big bucks." He chuckled kissing the tip of her nose. "I'm reliable."

"It's certainly why I married you."

"I thought you married me for my talents as a masseuse." Steven pouted.

"That was the second reason."

"Who are you fooling?" He turned his head to the side. "It's the first reason."

"That's just what I let you believe." Georgie teased as she reached for her now remembered list. "I guess if you are all determined to be responsible and earn money, I could spend my time equally productive."

"We've never talked about where we go after the semester's over." Steven pointed out casually.

"I assumed first stop was Port Charles. Your sister will be due around then and we do kinda have to tell my dad about us. It probably will go better in person than across a continent."

"What would you think about moving back there?" Steven wanted to know.

"Moving to Port Charles?" Georgie dropped her list for the second time that morning. "What are you talking about?"

"Well you do have another year of school left." Steven reminded her.

"I know that. But your job is in L.A. I can finish my degree anywhere."

"And what if your credits don't transfer over? You've worked so hard to get to this point. Besides, I know you're homesick." Steven assured her.

"I am a little bit." Georgie wasn't going to deny it. She did miss her dad, Maxie, Alexis, and Kristina. But that didn't mean moving back home was the best solution here. "But you have to work."

"I can work anywhere."

"You have a home there. Friends. Your life is in L.A."

Steven grabbed her hands and tugged her forward so that their faces were only a few inches apart. "My life is with you. I'm not going to drag you across the country and drop you into an unfamiliar place."

"And I would follow you anywhere. You know that."

"But you don't need to."

"Baby." Georgie ran her fingers through his curls before resting her fingers at the nape of his neck. "This isn't about what is good for just me. It's about what is best for us."

"This is what's best for us." Steven gripped her hands in his. "It gives you a chance to see your family and finish your schooling. It gives me a chance to get to know your family and let them get to know me."

"What about your family? Do they not figure into this plan of yours?"

"Um, honey, my family's there too. I'll get to see my new little niece or nephew and, God help me, get to know Lucky."

Georgie giggled. "He's not a bad guy. You'll probably end up being all BFFs with him before long."

"Spare me. I haven't needed therapy yet."

"Honey you married into my family. I think it's a requirement."

"Hmm, say it again." Steven murmured into her hair.

"What, requirement?"

"Say we're married. Say it again."

"We're married." She smiled as she punctuated her words with a kiss. "We're married."

"Again." He slipped his thumb under the strap of her lavender nightgown.

"We're married." She sighed, running her hands up his shoulders and behind his head.

Through some stroke of irony, he managed to glance over at the clock. "I'm late." He groaned kissing her forehead and reaching for his jacket.

"Don't think we're finished discussing this." Georgie warned her voice light.

"Yes, Dear."

*****

The incessant spring rain pounded against the windshield of his silver BMW. Adjusting the wipers yet again so he could see, Ric wondered why the hell he was even going on this fool's errand in the first place. It was his first real day off in weeks. No on call rotation, no appointments, no phone consults with his lawyers. An honest to God free day and he was spending it driving for a dress fitting of all things? He needed to have his head examined pronto.

When the call came in, his first instinct was to refuse. He wasn't a dress designer and his "contributions" to the dress project so far could only generously be classified as minimal. The dress was Maxie's baby, from conception to birth, and his only reason for even being near it had been to be near her. Now, proximity to Maxie was most likely the worst thing he could do for his health and his sanity. Her words and the realization she still didn't see him as anything other than a temporary plaything still rankled him as much as it had the day he walked out of her home. But Ric would be lying to himself if he didn't admit he was tempted to see her, see if she was as happy with her decision as he knew she would tell him she was if he asked her.

Did she think of him as often as he thought of her? Would she admit it if she did? Ric shook his head and tried to concentrate on the slippery, curvy road in front of him. If he wasn't careful he was going to end up in a ditch and then where would he be? The Coe-Collins lived out in a secluded part of town, part to get away from Kevin's more potentially troublesome clients and part, town rumor had it, to give room for Lucy's duck Sigmund to roam.

Along the side of the road, Ric spotted a yellow Mini Cooper in the exact predicament he would find himself in if he didn't stop thinking about a certain blonde. The taillights and still moving wiper blades indicated the car hadn't been there all that long. Carefully pulling off the shoulder, trying his best to avoid a section of mud, Ric killed his engine and pulled out the large black umbrella he had shoved under his seat. Opening his door, he made a mad dash for the other car, knocking on the window. "Are you ok? Do you need any help?"

Maxie's head shot up at the familiar voice and she met his eyes with wide, blurry blue ones. "Ric?" She sniffled. "What are you doing here?" So this was what praying got her, huh? She got help but from the very last person she wanted it from. She couldn't forget their last exchange no matter how much she wanted to.

Ric reared back on his feet, nearly falling in the process. "Blondie?" The nickname slipped before he could stop himself. "Are you ok?"

"I'm stuck." Maxie was trying her best not to cry, but the day was really starting to wear her down.

"That much I gathered." Ric remarked wryly. "You're not hurt are you?"

"No." Maxie assured him, reaching for the handle on the door to pull herself out of the car. Distracted, she didn't realize that directly outside her door waited two feet of slippery mud, and managed to step right into it. That's it, she thought to herself. That's it. The tears flowed freely now and she didn't even care that he saw it.

"Come on." Ric held out his hand to her, noticing her tears but realizing she didn't want him to comment on them right now. "Let's go."

"M-my pants." She gestured toward her new white khakis and had to clamp her teeth down on her lip to keep from losing it.

Shaking his head, Ric tried to hide the smile but couldn't. Holding the umbrella out to her, he felt the rain start to pelt his hair. "Hold this will you?"

"Okay." Maxie couldn't meet his eyes; she just couldn't. He was probably laughing at her.

"Good that will make this easier." Before she could question him or protest, he angled his arms around the back of her knees and shoulders, scooping her up out of the mud and against his chest. "There. That's better." He remarked as he started towards his own car. "Make sure to share the umbrella Blondie."

"S-sorry." Maxie gulped ignoring the urge to bury her face in his gray t-shirt.

Making his way towards the passenger side of his car, he set her down gently, tearing his fingers off her far too soon for his liking. "Door's open," he pointed out to her before making a dash for the other side of the car.

"Wait! Why did you stop?" Maxie asked leaning across the seat.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you stop when you saw the car? You didn't know it was mine." Maxie explained.

"I have a hero complex." He tossed out flippantly.

"Is that right?" Maxie realized a second after responding that she needed to take a step back before she fell into the same old trap.

"Especially when it comes to a beautiful woman."

"Well, it's lucky for me you stopped then."

"Sure is. Who knows when someone else would come along to visit Lucy?" He asked as he turned over the engine and started to make a careful return to the paved road.

"Right." Maxie slumped back into her seat. "I'd show you the final design but who knows what would happen to it on a day like this?" She went on, closing her eyes.

"Your day couldn't have been all that bad. You're about to show off your creative genius remember? Isn't today the day you've been waiting for?"

"That's probably why I'm all up in the air today."

"Explain please." Seeing her about to protest, Ric held up one hand. "We still have a way to go before we get to the Coe-Collins home and we either talk about this or ride in silence."

"They've never called." Maxie whispered eyes still closed.

"Who?"

"I've been sending my résumé and my designs to every designer in the country and they've never called me back. This is a big deal." Maxie went on when he didn't say anything. "I know it's not for you. I don't even know why you're still committed to this."

"I gave my word. I don't back out once I commit to something."

"Oh. I see." Maxie stared out the window at the dreary afternoon. "We don't have to talk anymore."

"Why not?"

"Do you want to say something to me?"

"I don't know. Don't you already know everything I'm going to say and do?"

"That's not fair." Maxie cut her eyes to him.

"Neither is what you said to me." Ric pointed out.

"You act like I've been lying to you all along." Maxie retorted.

"You haven't." Ric allowed. "But you also haven't let yourself consider that maybe things have changed between us."

"What things?"

"Damn it Maxie." Ric swore and pulled the car off to the side of the road. "Do you really think this is all still just about sex to me?"

"That's all you've let me think it is. Did I misinterpret the many dates we've had?"

"What dates? You refuse to be seen with me in public." He countered easily enough.

"You know why." Maxie insisted stubbornly.

"Because of my marriage that is almost over? You've got to do better than that."

"This has nothing to do with your marriage."

"Then what is it?" Ric pressed her. If she was so determined to walk away from him he wanted to know why.

"I don't want to give you a chance to hurt me!" Maxie shrieked, placing her hands over her mouth in shock.

Ric sat back into his seat, stunned. That was her reason? In all his wonderings, this particular line of thought hadn't crossed his mind. "You think I'll hurt you?"

"I don't know." Maxie whispered. "I want to believe you won't."

"But clearly you don't. Why? Am I doing something, saying something?"

"You're doing everything right."

"So why don't you trust whatever this is?" Ric leaned forward and tentatively grabbed her hand with his own. "Look I'm not going to sit here and promise you forever. I've been down that road and it burned me. I'm just trying to understand."

"Why are you getting divorced?"

Ric closed his eyes and blew out a heavy breath. "I suspected she was seeing someone else. And later I found out I was right." He didn't particularly want to rehash the moment he had come home and seen his wife in their bed with another man.

Maxie didn't say she was sorry or that she understood because, one, she didn't want him to think she pitied him, and two, she didn't understand. She didn't understand how someone could do that to Ric. Worried she might start crying again, she said, "His name was Bruce. He worked away at my defenses for about two months so I finally gave in and slept with him. When I woke up, he was gone of course, but he had left me a little present." She took a breath. "He posted a video of us on the Internet."

Ric sucked in a breath as if she had punched him. Well that explained more than a lot, he mused. The little shit probably pursued her hard and had it planned all along. It was clear from the stares he had seen other men give her around town that Maxie Jones was the girl to be wanted in this town. Of course the video more than likely played a part in that as well. His fist clenched as he wished he knew what this Bruce looked like so he could pound him into the ground. "And since then it's only been sex for you?"

"No." Maxie shook her head. At his confused stare, she continued, "I haven't been with anyone since him until you."

"How long?"

"It doesn't matter."

"The hell it doesn't. Tell me. How long was it between us?"

"Two years."

He ran a hand through his dark hair as the admission washed over him. Two years. She hadn't trusted anyone near her for two years. And she had trusted him, at least on some level. She wouldn't have risked sleeping with him if she hadn't. He had a growing suspicion that even though she was loudly proclaiming she wanted nothing but a casual no-strings relationship, she was terrified of what she did want. Words seemed insufficient, and she most likely wouldn't believe any proclamations about this being different if he tried to offer them. "Wow."

"You said things have changed between us? Care to elaborate on that?" She had to get the attention off of her.

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" He chuckled softly to himself. "If we were just casual as you claimed, in the first place you would have never needed to question me like you did in my office. It would have been sex first, questions later."

"That was just common sense." Maxie told him.

"Secondly, we wouldn't continue to seek each other out. Even before we crossed that line, when we needed a distraction we sought each other out. You wouldn't be jealous of my ex-wife being in town doing a story."

"I'm not jealous."

He reached out and tucked a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear. "Keep trying to tell yourself that. And if it really was just casual, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"I suppose that's partially true." Maxie leaned into his hand.

"I bet you even missed me while I was gone." He teased, running his other hand up and down her arm.

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Really?" Ric leaned closer to her. "Why don't I believe you?"

"We're going to be late." Maxie told him, sitting back in her seat.

Ric smiled. She was still fighting him, which he expected. It wouldn't be her if she didn't. Hell it wouldn't be fun if she didn't. Winking at her, he shifted the car into drive. "Can't be late for your date with destiny."

**Previews:** "Guys...come on. Let's not fight. We've got waffles." Maxie reminded them.


	235. Hands Clean

When Uncle Mac had invited her over for breakfast, Robin had seized up the opportunity. She needed to tell him about the engagement before he found out from anyone else. He had been so busy lately, as he always was, that he hadn't seen the news article. Maxie wasn't exactly up with current events so she wasn't able to spill the news either. This wouldn't be the perfect way to tell him, but it was better than him finding out on his own.

Despite the fact that she hadn't lived in his house since she was a teenager, Robin still found herself pushing her Cap 'N Crunch around in her bowl with her spoon. "I'm fine. I like cereal. Come sit down. You don't have to do all of that."

"Do you want me to finish the waffles?" Maxie offered standing up quickly. She wasn't completely comfortable with anyone knowing that she was seeing Ric, that they were dating--that was going to take some getting used to--unless it was on her terms. He had thrown out some ideas of how they should spend the coming weeks, some date ideas, but other than making her feel guilty for keeping her family from getting to know him, she could only pretend nothing was wrong.

"It's just waffles ladies. I think this old Papa Bear can handle it." Mac rolled his eyes as he flipped over the waffle iron. "I'm to understand that you both have the morning off, right, because I don't want our time to be cut short by work?"

"Right." They said in unison.

"How are those designs coming along?" Satisfied with the amount of waffles he had made, Mac carried them to the table and placed them on the tiny plates provided, the ones he had set in front of his girls even when they had protested. Some things never changed.

"Good." Maxie smiled. "W—I showed them to Lucy Coe yesterday and she went crazy over them. Started talking about my designs taking me elsewhere."

"What's there to see?" Mac wanted to know. "What's wrong with this town? There's certain stability to it. Even you can't ignore that."

"Um, excuse me..." Robin made a time-out sign with her hands. "Aren't you the one who agreed to let Georgie go overseas?"

"Don't remind me. You know, that girl never answers her phone. She's probably dead and no one's told me." Mac went on dramatically.

"She's not dead. There'd be a message in the sky and a chorus of angels. Do you see either one?" Maxie teased pointing her fork at him.

"She does have a point." Robin agreed. "I saw that you didn't get your paper this morning."

"It's all a bunch of hogwash anyway." Mac informed her. "Why would I want to see that little twit on the front page?" Knowing who he was referring to, Maxie beamed.

"It's not all bad." Robin insisted gently.

"The news is just a way of repeating events and rephrasing how you say it. Besides, they have an uncanny ability of making my department look incompetent." Mac grumbled sipping his coffee.

"Your department is far from incompetent." Robin assured him wisely.

"I know. I just get so sick of their b.s. The way they attacked Alexis during the kidnappings...it's too much to swallow." His voice had gone impossibly quiet.

"It's nothing to do with her abilities as D.A. It's that she's a woman." Maxie informed them.

"Well I got sick of hearing about it, so I've quit reading the paper altogether." Mac replied biting into a piece of waffle.

"Patrick and I can only stand the funnies." Robin threw in purposely knowing the only way to get her uncle to pick up on something was to leave him breadcrumbs.

Mac bristled at the mention of that man and snorted. "I'd rather not know what the two of you do in your spare time. I'd like to keep some sense of sanity."

"What is it you think we do?" Robin demanded and Maxie choked on a Froot Loop.

"As I just said, I don't want to discuss it." Mac argued.

"Wait just a minute here. You were fine with him at Christmas." Robin reminded him.

"I tolerated him at Christmas. No situation we've ever been in together has inspired confidence in that immature, one-track minded man."

"We love each other. That's not going to change." Robin assured him.

"Fine. Love him. I've had to mend your mistakes before." Mac muttered.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Robin leaned forward.

"Oh shit." Maxie said into her cup before taking a big gulp of orange juice.

"Are you saying that I'm not capable of making adult decisions about my life?"

"I'm saying you make them fool-heartedly." Mac clarified.

Robin glanced down at her half-empty cereal bowl. "I see. So if I told you I was getting married, what would your reaction be?" She lifted her eyes just in time to see him awestruck reaction.

"Did you happen to hear about those rabid ducks?" Maxie squeaked out.

"Getting married?" Mac's eyes almost fell out of his head.

"Yes. Some people call it getting engaged." Robin explained wryly.

"Logan wasn't enough of an example?" Mac asked sharply.

Robin slammed her hands against the solid table. "I am SO tired of everyone comparing them! They're nothing alike! Nothing!"

"Well you wouldn't know it from this end." Mac shot back irritably.

"Just because you've cut yourself off from the man I'm dating, the man I'm going to marry doesn't mean you're justified in your reaction right now." Robin snapped.

"That's the thing about reactions, Robin: They're the only honest thing left in the world."

"Could I design your dress?" Maxie cut in.

Mac stood up so fast, his chair crashed to the floor. "I don't have time for this."

"Make time for it!" Robin countered following his motion and stomping her foot in defiance.

"Guys...come on. Let's not fight. We've got waffles." Maxie reminded them.

Robin moved to stand in front of her uncle. "I am engaged. I'd really appreciate it if you could pretend to be happy for me."

"You want to talk about appreciation? How about sending that punk over here and asking for my permission before springing an engagement on me?" Mac suggested coldly.

"Are you and Alexis going to do a full-blown ceremony or are you going to be boring and do it the courthouse way?" Maxie interrupted again.

Standing this close to him, Robin couldn't discount the tears she saw suddenly appear in her uncle's eyes. "Uncle Mac?"

"I have to get to work." Mac started toward the door, but Robin latched her hand around his wrist.

"What's going on?" Robin pressed.

"I'm not supposed to say anything yet." Mac told them.

"You mean we know before anyone else?" Maxie grinned.

"Alexis is terminal. The cancer has spread." Mac said it all very fast so that maybe, just maybe, his brain wouldn't register the truth in his statement.

"Terminal?" Robin echoed sadly.

"Spread?" Maxie choked out.

"She wanted to sit down with all of you tomorrow night and we were going to tell you then." Mac whispered.

"Apparently she's had this same cancer before, but didn't think the doctors should know. It wasn't as severe last time." Mac wasn't sure what compelled him to explain. He didn't want to admit that any of it was true.

"Are the treatments helping at all?" Robin inquired.

"She's started to lose her hair." Mac clarified as his fingers fisted.

"But you're getting married." Maxie couldn't ignore the tears in her father's eyes or pretend that she wasn't close to tears herself.

"Yes we are." Mac nodded.

"But you're in love." She went on.

"Yes. That hasn't changed."

"This isn't right." Maxie declared carrying her dishes to the sink and dropping them loudly.

"I agree baby." Mac told her.

"She's not giving up, right?" Maxie asked shrilly.

"No. She's not giving up."

"Good because she's going to make it through this. She will. She will." Maxie repeated the two-word mantra quietly to herself.

"What are the doctors saying?" Robin held his hands tightly in hers.

"To give the treatments time to work." Mac met Maxie's eyes. "They're not letting her come home."

"I'm so sorry Uncle Mac." Robin blinked rapidly to keep his image from blurring in front of him. "And to pick today to drop all of my stuff on you."

"You definitely had a new approach to announcing an engagement."

"Alexis shouldn't be sick. Kate the bitch should be terminal." Maxie grumbled her shoulders tensing.

"A new hire at the diner?" Robin assumed.

"Yes." Maxie nodded her back still facing them.

"Maxie, do you have something you want me to know? Do me a favor and aim for the back of my head, will you?"

"You're being dramatic." Maxie pointed out.

"You're seeing someone!" Robin accused pointing. Mac settled back into his chair.

"Do you happen to know who your cousin is seeing?" Mac caught Robin's stare.

"I have a pretty good idea, but it's not my secret to expose. Maxie?" Robin goaded.

"You know nothing." Maxie concluded.

"So there is someone?" Mac asked.

"Do you remember right after Kristina was taken and I had to go the hospital? What you don't know is that someone was there to take me in." Maxie wanted to crawl under the table and announce that she was never coming out again. She was depending on them not remembering details.

"Would you please stop speaking in code? Answer the question before it's time to haul me off to the retirement home, will you?" Mac sighed impatiently.

"I met him through volunteering for the Nurse's Ball. He was there that first day." She could go on about how they were in the committee together, but she had a sneaky suspicion that her dad would figure out Ric's initial intentions.

"Who is he?" Robin asked curiously.

"Dr. Ric Lansing." Maxie gulped.

**Previews **- "Am I helping with what I think I'm helping with?"

"Yes." He grinned. "You still want to help?"


	236. The River Is Wild

Keeping a careful eye on Daphne as she posed for pictures following her gold record presentation ceremony, Lucky wondered when this was going to end. It wasn't that he wasn't thrilled by Daphne's success—although of course, he had known it would happen. It was more the fact that he had a limited amount of time to complete his shopping expedition and he was going to need Daphne's help. If he was going to get this done, get Daphne back to the hotel before the limo picked her up for her flight, and get back to Port Charles before dinner, they more than likely should have left ten minutes ago.

It had been a calculated risk to ask Daphne for her help, but she was his only safe option. He had been toying with the idea of asking Robin along but with her just getting off bed rest it didn't seem like that smart of an idea. Plus, Lucky wouldn't put it past her to let what they were shopping for slip to Elizabeth before he was ready. His sister was out. Asking her was as good as asking his mother or Aunt Bobbie to come along. Brenda may have come along as a lark, but she didn't know Elizabeth and she had her own wedding drama to deal with. He kept Daphne so busy she barely had time to answer her email with more than a quick "I'm fine," much less would she have time to spill a major secret. No Daphne was his best choice.

"Sugar? Earth to Sugar." Daphne stood in front him, giggling and waving her hands in front of his face. "You with me?"

Shaking his head, Lucky forced himself to focus on the people around him. The photographers were starting to leave; the few remaining reporters were being occupied by Ned and Lois. "Sorry Darling. You know I never mean to leave you."

"Oh sweet talker. Tell it to someone who might believe it." Daphne smacked at his arm, laughing and causing her chocolate curls to bounce. "You know like your girlfriend? Where is Precious today? I was all hoping to see her before the shower."

"She wanted to come, but she thinks she's been taking too much time off lately. She wants to take as long of a maternity leave as possible." Lucky explained. "But actually it's a good thing she's not here. I need your help with something. For her."

"Ohhh. A surprise? I love getting involved in surprises!" Daphne started to jump up and down. "Count me it!"

Her enthusiasm was infectious and attracting attention. Lois was looking at both of them with a questioning look in her eye. He knew that look. That look said clearly "There is something going on and I'm going to find out what it is." If Lois even got the slightest whiff of what he was thinking, it was all over. His mother would know before the taxi would pull away from the L&B office. "Come on. I'll tell you on the way."

As they made their way out towards the lobby, Daphne allowed him to pull her along by her thin wrist. "Sugar this will go much faster if you let go of my hand. I can keep up with you then." she pointed out after a few minutes.

"Sorry." Lucky stopped on the sidewalk to open the door to car he had waiting. Ushering Daphne inside, he quickly followed and nodded to driver. "Tiffany's please. Fifth Avenue."

Her brown eyes opened wide, Daphne turned to look him straight on. "Am I helping with what I think I'm helping with?"

"Yes." He grinned. "You still want to help?"

"Still want to help? Sugar I never pegged you for crazy! Of course I'll help. Starting right now." She leaned forward, tapped the driver on the shoulder. "Honey bun, forget Fifth Avenue. We're going elsewhere. Head towards Lexington Avenue. I'll let you know more when we get closer."

"Excuse me? I asked you along to help, not take over."

"This is helping. Tiffany's is lovely sugar." Daphne drawled, leaning back into the seat. "But it is tabloid bait. You and I go in. You come out with a little blue box. Sugar no one is too stupid to connect those dots. Either the story will come out that you bought me a ring, and you'll have to deal with my Sugar. Or the fact you bought a ring will be whispered about and ruin what I'm guessing you want to be a surprise. No. What you need is something smaller, more intimate. Less publicity friendly. Just trust me Sugar. I won't steer you wrong."

*****

The manila envelope taunted her from the small desk she had dropped it on seconds after the messenger had delivered it to her room. Curious as always she had opened it just the smallest of opens before abandoning it on the desk. All Kate had needed to see was the seal to know what that envelope held. The end of her life as Ric's wife. The final papers. All that was required was for her to sign on the dotted line and her marriage would be over.

Even though it was barely noon, Kate twirled a glass of the hotel's finest red wine between her fingers. If there was ever an occasion for drinking before noon, she figured, getting your final divorce papers was it. Even if she had known this day was coming, had even talked to her lawyer just the other day and knew most of the details had finally been ironed out between the lawyers, Kate realized she was not prepared for this to hit her as hard as it did.

The feelings of guilt for her own actions overwhelmed her. Sorrow coursed through her veins as quickly as she drank her wine to chase them away. And most maddening of all, the love she could feel for Ric, even after all the hurt words, the broken promises and broken trust. Damn him for still getting to her this way. He had been clear for months now he wanted nothing to do with her. Why couldn't she feel the same?

Sinking into the small couch, she pulled her cell phone from the table behind her. Setting her glass down on the table, she dialed the familiar numbers without even looking to make sure they were correct. There was only one person she needed to talk to right now, strange as it would seem to anyone else. Kate smiled slightly when she heard the familiar voice roll through the phone.

Charlotte Eleanor Lansing checked the number and said a silent prayer she wouldn't have to bail her friend out of jail today. Her little brother had warned her ahead of time that this day was coming, the end of his marriage, the end of her good friend's life, and part of her wanted to believe that maybe he still cared about Kate. "Hi Blossom."

"Hi Peanut." The use of the old sorority nicknames usually caused Kate to smile at the happy memories. Now they wanted to make her cry for those same days.

"How many glasses of wine have you had?" Charlotte lightly prodded.

"Just one." Kate paused. "And a half," she added reluctantly.

"You haven't called him, have you?"

"No. I've been good. Doesn't mean I don't want to."

"Don't. He's changed his number and no amount of whining from you is going to get me to give it up. I doubt Daddy even realizes." Charlotte surmised playing with the rim of her own half-full wine glass.

"Well the Colonel would never realize it. He still hasn't acknowledged the fact we're separated has he?"

"No. He hasn't." Charlotte admitted calmly. "But then, the old man has always been a little senile. At least when Mom was alive, she could distract us."

"That is true. She was a saint." Kate smiled warmly remembering the dark haired beauty that had always had a kind smile and hug for anyone who had walked through the door. "You don't sound surprised that I called."

Charlotte knew if she told Kate the truth, her friend would start hoping that Ric might consider reconciliation. After the conversation she had had with her brother, she knew that it had been over for a long time, maybe even before they started having affairs. It wasn't easy being in the middle, but that had been the case since college. Before that, she had lived with her and Ric's Aunt Ursula at boarding school. "I knew it must be happening soon. You forget I've been married and divorced four times, Blossom."

"Ever my voice of experience. Does it always feel like this?"

Charlotte couldn't help but laugh. "I've never been in love with any of my husbands." She figured she was lucky. None of those marriages had sprung any children.

"Then what help are you?" Kate tried to laugh but it caught in her throat. Why had she called Charlotte? Yes she was her friend, but above all she was Ric's sister. "Maybe this wasn't my greatest idea." She admitted slowly.

"No honey. This is no time to doubt yourself. This is the time to find a younger guy and get sexed up all weekend chained to a bedpost." Charlotte explained brazenly.

"How can you doubt yourself when this wasn't your idea in the first place?"

"Aren't there any available men in that scraggly little town?" Charlotte goaded her.

"I haven't actually been around much to find out." Kate admitted.

"Well hell Kate." Charlotte teased. "Get out of your hotel room and go get drunk with one of them."

"I'm here on business."

"I know." There was no use in pointing out the other reason she was in Port Charles. "But don't get so comfortable that you don't come back home. I need to go shopping. Marshall's been naughty lately and he promised me jewelry."

"I just need to wrap a few loose ends here."

"Promise me you'll get out of your hotel room tonight." Charlotte insisted.

"I'm afraid I'll end up someplace you won't approve of."

"Denny's?" Charlotte asked, shocked.

"Worse. Target."

Charlotte rubbed her head. "Oh. Oh God. All that red. Isn't there a bar in that hotel you're staying at?"

"I think so." Kate paused to consider the layout of the lobby she normally just breezed through. "Yes. And it looks like you would approve of the crowd."

"Then what's the problem? They say the best conversation you ever had will be with a stranger."

"The problem is I don't want a stranger."

Charlotte took a long drink and considered what would be the best advice to give. "I'm worried about you."

"It sounds so stupid." Kate paused to wipe a stubborn tear that fell out of the corner of her eye. "I know I screwed up, big time. I know I hurt him. But I don't think I ever really thought he would end things. I just, I don't know. I guess I just thought we could work this out."

Charlotte sighed. "I've never lied to you and I've never sugarcoated anything. It's how we've gotten along for twenty years. Ric has moved on." Tears slid down her cheeks as she let the admission slip past her lips.

Her heart broke a little at the admission. In the back of her mind, she knew it was a possibility but it was one she hadn't wanted to face. Since freshman year it had been Ric and Kate against the world. There wasn't a secret about her that he didn't know. And now after all those secrets, laughs, tears, good times and bad, he was ready to leave them in the dust. Didn't she get a vote in this? Oh that was right, she realized. Her vote was cancelled when she made the decision to cheat on him, even though she regretted it with every fiber of her being.

"He's met someone hasn't he?" she asked. It wasn't that she wanted to torture herself with the knowledge, but she knew Ric. She wasn't naïve enough to believe he hadn't been dating. He was beautiful, smart, funny, and supremely sinuous. Ric was a lethal combination to a woman. Even the small time hicks in this town would have to recognize a supreme catch such as Ric Lansing.

"Yes." Charlotte knew better than to go into details. "I want you to repeat after me." Taking another drink, she continued, "I will throw out any and all sharp objects that the hotel happens to have. I will empty out every pill bottle I own or the hotel offers. I will not be stupid and ruin my life over something as crazy as my first marriage."

"I will throw out any and all sharp objects that the hotel happens to have away. I will empty out every pill bottle I own or the hotel offers. I will not be stupid and ruin my life over something as crazy as my first marriage." Kate repeated diligently. "And I will call Charlotte for sanity if I become tempted to do something crazy such as shop in a discount retail shop or drink a domestic beer."

"Good girl."

"Promise me it gets easier."

"We'll never run out of hot men." Charlotte answered instead.

"You're married. For now anyways."

"I stand by what I said."

"You are the bestest Peanut. Even if I don't deserve it."

"You deserve everything Blossom. Don't get any sleep and get very drunk."

"First round will be in your honor."

*****

Robin sat in the middle of the bed with her knees to her chest and a nail polish applicator brush in her right hand. She smiled down at the shade, wondering how many times she would get to do this over the next six months before her stomach got in the way. Maybe she could talk Patrick into doing it for her. He seemed to enjoy this particular shade, went crazy over it actually, and she reminded herself to pick up some more on her next shopping trip. French Pink. It was far more dramatic than any of the paler pinks and more feminine than Hot Pink.

She had only one toe remaining, her big toe on her right foot, when Patrick came into their bedroom and handed her the phone. Through this entire situation—why was everything always a situation where they were concerned?—they had at least started talking again, even if not always verbally. She knew what he wanted as soon as she met his solemn stare. What she wanted most of all was for this pregnancy to last and for her and Patrick to be able to enjoy it. Maybe that was why she had taken up her father's offer. Maybe it was why she was lying to everyone she and Patrick cared about.

"She needs to know Robin." Patrick emphasized just in case she didn't know what he wanted her to do. For all the pressure that had been put on her, he had gotten very little resistance from either side of their families. Uncle Mac wasn't speaking to her. Laura refused to answer the phone. Bobbie and Cruz hadn't even come by or called to see if they had been replaced by strangers; they simply did not care one way or the other. She knew Patrick had been cornered by both Lucky and Cruz at some point because he had come in looking absolutely distraught and gone to sleep without saying a word to her.

"I know." Robin nodded. "Just let me finish."

"Robin—" Patrick tried.

"You're bringing unnecessary stress into our home." Robin pointed out as she returned to her task.

"I'm not trying to." Patrick sat next to her and patted her ankle.

"I know that too." Robin told him. "I'll tell her. I just don't think I can do it tonight."

"So it's better for her to hear about it from someone else? That worked out so well with my family?" He was positively indignant and she wanted to slap him.

"This wasn't my idea." Robin stressed every word. "So please stop acting like it's something I forced you to do. Okay?"

"I'm sorry."

"Yes. You are. Leave me alone." Robin ordered.

"I'm not one of your employees and I'm not one of your good friends." Patrick reminded her.

"I'm so glad you told me because it's so obvious that pregnancy has made me incompetent and forgetful." Robin snapped unhappily.

"Your words." Patrick shot back. "I understand that you're going through a lot right now—"

Robin lifted the brush from her half finished toe and set it in the bottle to keep it from spilling onto the new sheets. "If you understood even half of what I'm going through, if you had to live with it everyday—I take it back because you couldn't handle that."

"I've handled everything so far, haven't I? And I'm still here." Patrick countered with an eye roll.

"Out of obligation." The words were out of her mouth before she could consider them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" When she didn't answer him, he gave in, "Fine. Don't tell her. Let her find out from someone else." He stood up, turning to leave.

"Oh you're suddenly an expert on how to tell people news? Weren't you the one who said the article in the paper would be the best way to break the news of the engagement—can I even call it that?" She realized.

"Of course you can call it that. That's what it was." Patrick assured her.

"No. It was an answer to a question." Robin correctly him swiftly.

"Then why did you agree? If you're so repulsed by the idea—" Patrick swore.

"I'm not repulsed by the idea!" Robin insisted.

"You have a strange way of showing it." Patrick said with a tired sigh.

"This isn't how I imagined us getting engaged." Robin whispered. "It wasn't supposed to be this hard, and it sure as hell wasn't supposed to hurt the people we love."

"Laura will get over it." Patrick promised with a nod.

"I'm talking about Mac!" Robin screamed at him. "He won't even look at me!"

"We can't call it off now." Patrick gritted through his teeth.

"Oh, trust me. I realize that." Robin agreed. "The damage is done."

"What's better, huh? Logan coming after you again? Is that what you want?" Patrick leaned down so that there were only a few breaths of space between their faces.

"Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?" Robin asked, eyes flaming.

Patrick took a step back, stunned. "No it's not a threat." He said very slowly, very quietly.

"I know you're trying to keep us safe." Robin made a grab for his hand and was surprised when he didn't fight her touch. "But maybe we jumped into this prematurely."

"Tell me how to fix it then Robin. Tell me and I'll do it." Patrick returned to the bed and sat beside her. "I'm honestly out of ideas."

Robin ducked her head. "The idea of us getting married shouldn't be something we're doing to prove to the rest of the world that I'm under your constant protection and out of Logan's line of sight. It should be because we love each other."

"But we do love each other." Patrick pointed out.

"Yes we do, but that's not why we're telling everyone we're engaged." Robin lifted her eyes to his. "But not to worry, I'll keep up the lie until he's caught."

Patrick nudged the phone toward her with his right thigh. "Call her." He kissed her forehead and hastily left the room.

Robin picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number clicking her tongue in discontent. "Hey sweetie!"

"Robin!" Georgie smiled as she put down her English textbook. She was sitting outside a small cafe not far from where Steven was supposed to be working today. Currently the plan was for her to meet him here and go to dinner. However that was all dependent on the director following the shooting schedule for once. "How are you doing?"

"How are all brides-to-be?" Robin inquired.

"What?" Georgie straightened up immediately in her seat. Had Robin somehow discovered what she had really done while studying abroad? Did Linds and Ronnie break their word and let Robin in on their little secret? "All what?"

Robin smiled having been dependent on Georgie's confusion to tell her what was going on. "Patrick and I are engaged." How could she be so happy and so distraught at the same time?

"You and Patrick? You're engaged?" Georgie practically sputtered. She had been so worried her own secret had been compromised the actual news took her a few seconds to process.

"Of course we haven't set a date yet." Robin informed her wiping away tears.

"I hope not. I don't want to miss your wedding." Unlike how I let you miss mine, she thought.

"I'll make sure you're here for it. Don't worry." Robin wondered if there would be an actual ceremony. Would Logan really be at large that long? She, in no way, wanted to get married under false pretenses and there was no truth in their reasoning for getting engaged, save their love for each other.

"Good. So tell me everything. How did Patrick propose? Down on one knee?" Nibbling on her nail, she felt a stabbing pang of guilt. Here Robin had called her to tell her about her engagement and she hadn't even mentioned the fact she had dated someone here, let alone married him three months after meeting him. She could be trading proposal stories right now with her cousin. Oh he forgot the words? Well Steven thought I was pregnant.

"He printed an engagement in the newspaper and showed it to me actually, the arrogant ass." Robin explained.

"Sounds like Patrick." Georgie joked. "Were you able to tell Dad before he saw it and had a stroke?"

"I told him this morning." Robin took a minute before she went on, "He's not speaking to me actually."

"Ouch. But Dad never reacts to us growing up well. He'll come around eventually. Right?" She tried to keep her own nerves from creeping into her voice. On most things her dad had a bark that was way worse than his bite. But on something like this? If he couldn't handle Robin being engaged, how was he gong to deal with her being married?

"How are things with you?" Robin wanted to know.

"Good. Good." She spit out the words in a hurry. If Robin pressed her, the temptation to tell would be too strong. "You know. Broadening my horizons, life changing experiences, all that stuff."

"You are coming home, aren't you?" This was hard enough to deal with. Robin couldn't imagine doing so without her baby cousin along for the moral support. Elizabeth was great, but her hormones and Robin's were bound to clash eventually.

"Yeah six weeks." Six weeks until she destroyed her image as the dependable, goody- goody, stick in the mud for good. Maxie, she mused, might actually think her cool enough to hang around now.

"What are you going to do first? Visit a drive-thru? Order a pizza?" Robin kept her voice light but hopeful.

Figure out where my husband is staying so I can sneak out and meet him. "I was thinking going to Kelly's. Knowing Maxie she'll probably schedule herself to work when I come back and it will be the only chance I have to see her."

"Actually she's been missing a lot of work lately." Robin smirked.

"For legitimate reasons or Maxie reasons?"

"Well, actually, she finally admitted to seeing a doctor at General." A doctor who told me that I wasn't strong enough to be a mother. A man who's about, oh, fourteen years older than Maxie. But she totally didn't mind beyond those two reasons.

"A doctor? Like a real doctor or one of those interns that like to pretend to be doctors?"

"Bobbie's gynecologist." Robin clarified.

"Wha...I....excuse me?"

"Apparently our girl has a thing for older men. She won't tell me where she met him or let any of us spend time with him. I can't entirely blame her."

"No. Me either." And who knew that she and her sister would share of all things a love of older men?

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"I'm guessing you met Steven Webber."

Georgie laughed to herself. "Yeah we've met a few times." She smirked.

"He's sweet right? I thought so the first time Elizabeth introduced us. That's one of the reasons I gave him that book for you." Robin admitted.

"He's the sweetest."

"Listen, another call is coming in, so we've got to cut this short."

"Alright." Spotting Steven making his way across the street, Georgie realized she had to go as well. There would be no way she would be able to concentrate fully on Robin with him nearby. She might do something like tell Robin the full truth before she had figured out a way to tell her father. "We'll talk soon ok? And Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Congratulations."

Robin cupped her hand over her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut. "Thanks. Bye." She hung up the phone and collapsed onto the mattress in a fit of trembles.

**Previews**: It didn't seem real. Not even seeing the "For Sale" sign in the window made it feel like reality.


	237. Your Winter

It didn't seem real. Not even seeing the "For Sale" sign in the window made it feel like reality. The bakery was everything to Robin. There wasn't a corner that didn't have her stamp on it and now it was just going to gone? Where was the entire population of Port Charles supposed to go to discover the delights of Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake? What if they needed a muffin basket bigger than a small third world country?

Elizabeth shook her head as she tried to gaze into the darkened shop. She had assumed the limited operating schedule had been due to Robin's bed rest and Lucas' obligations to his P.I. firm. Never had she entertained the notion that Robin was considering selling her business, not until Patrick had called her this morning. Apparently her suddenly closed-mouthed best friend had snuck out to start packing up and cleaning out the space for the realtor to show and Patrick thought she might need support. Why he didn't think he was appropriate for support right now he hadn't shared and Elizabeth hadn't pressed for details.

Up until this exact second, she had thought this was Patrick's belated April's Fools Joke. If she hadn't been involved somewhat in every detail of her own baby shower planning, she would have suspected this was a clever set up for a surprise party. But it looked as if it was nothing more than the truth. Robin was selling her business. Elizabeth raised her hand to knock on the doors, determined to find out why.

Robin wiped her tears onto the sleeve of her lightweight gray t-shirt knowing her face was covered in dust and other particles the little bakery had collected in her absence. She leaned on the top of the broomstick so that it was tucked under her chin and thought back to less than a year ago when she had thought owning this building would be something she could do for the rest of her life. Bobbie's offer of blending their businesses had been the beacon in the unpredictable storm and was probably the only reason she had even been able to stay afloat. She and Patrick had talked about it, or rather she had talked at him, and they decided that maybe it would be best if she got out while she was ahead. It was too much stress anyway and once the baby got here she wouldn't have time to take care of it.

She could remember showing Morgan the bakery for the first time, the first day they opened. Though he hadn't been speaking then, she had seen the wonder and absolute awe in his expression. She felt the exact same way standing in the doorway with him that morning. The tears collected and she sniffed them back in frustration. She wasn't giving up: She was sacrificing one love for another. Robin had spoken with a lady who wanted to take over the building and turn it into a dress shop and now it was just a matter of paperwork. She figured she should take the For Sale sign down.

Robin dropped the broom and moved to the center of the bakery so that she was still hidden from the outside world by the counter and sat cross-legged on the floor. She could cry a little more, but it was done. This wasn't hers anymore. There would be no more decorating cakes; she had contacted all of her regular customers and referred them to a shop just outside of town, about two miles from Sweet Indulgence, and then she had burned all of their numbers. What was she going to do? Stay at home with both kids and lose something that had made her so happy for so long? Surely there were still things she could do. This wasn't something she could blame on Patrick because, with her constant absences, she would have had to sell this place before long, baby or not, pending marriage or not, stress or not, and even Logan or not.

Finally lifting her body off of the dusty floor, she spotted Elizabeth tapping impatiently on the front door. "I'm sorry." She ran over and unlocked the door quickly.

"For what? Making a pregnant woman stand outside and look pathetic?" Elizabeth questioned smiling sweetly.

"I didn't know anyone was here." Robin admitted sheepishly. She retrieved the broom and started sweeping once more, just around the edge of the wall and under the tables.

"I guess that could happen when you are off trying to do things in secret." Elizabeth observed as she walked further into the shop. Most of the pictures and knick knacks were off the walls and lined up on the tables and countertops. "Looks like you could use some help."

"I won't turn you away. I didn't realize this place had so much junk." Robin mused with a smile.

"It's not junk." Elizabeth defended as she picked up a canister to examine it. "Not if you love it. It's only junk if you hate it."

Robin glimpsed fleetingly toward one of the boxes and noticed the little bear chef with his spatula and wide smile. This was too hard. She was going to burn all of this because the memories would never leave her alone, never. Biting into her bottom lip viciously, she turned her back to the box and continued sweeping.

Catching the lip biting out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth made her way towards Robin. Putting one hand on Robin's shoulder and using the other to remove the broom, she kept her voice gentle. "Hey. Talk to me."

"How long has it been since we've had a good girl talk?" Robin's voice broke.

"Far too long." Elizabeth nodded. "Sit. We're about to fix that."

Robin pulled over two chairs for them, remembering a time when she had dreamed of bright red booths. "I didn't think it would hurt so much." She whispered as she watched Elizabeth sit across from her.

"Then why are you doing it? You love this bakery."

"I can't take care of it." Robin told her friend. "There isn't time and I have no energy."

"So I'm guessing this decision is related to the wedding and the baby then?"

Robin nodded. "And I'm going to have even less time and energy once the baby comes. It's not fair to my customers or my kids to keep it."

"So you're going to force yourself to do something else, even if you hate it? Robin I love you and I totally understand somewhat about where you are coming from here. But girlfriend it's not fair to your kids if you are unhappy because you gave up your dream."

"I'll find something else." Robin assured her.

"I'm not saying you won't. I'm asking, what if you hate that something else?"

When Robin met Elizabeth's eyes, she felt the tears stinging. "I don't want to be away from my kids because of work. I had that childhood...we both did. They have to know that they come first."

"Believe me I get that." Elizabeth reached out to grab one of Robin's hands. Long ago she had lost count of the number of times she had sat up waiting for either parent to return home and pay any attention to her. "And I'm not saying it's the wrong motive. But there is also nothing wrong with your kids knowing they come first and that you like what you do. I also know what it's like when your parent resents you for something or other. Believe me a child picks up on it if a parent is unhappy."

"I have a potential buyer. Her name is Claire Tanner. She wants to turn it into a dress shop." Robin replied, not missing her friend's point but needing to feel secure in her decision.

"Is she offering what you want?"

"About ten thousand over my asking price." Robin clarified quietly.

Elizabeth whistled low in her throat. "Obviously she must already be successful for someone I've never heard of."

"I thought the same thing." Robin agreed tracing her finger across the table to make a line of dust in her wake.

"Well since you are packing up or at least trying to, I gather that means you are seriously considering accepting her offer. I guess the next question is what to do with the extra money I know you didn't plan on having."

"Well, you know, with gas prices..." Robin laughed. "No, I was thinking of decorating the nursery when I get back from the trip with my dad." Elizabeth's face fell and she realized that she hadn't mentioned this. "He wants Morgan and I to come and stay with him for about eight weeks. I told him we wouldn't be going anywhere until Junior makes his or her appearance." Robin promised, nodding toward Elizabeth's stomach.

"Nice try. I'm still not telling you if it's a boy or a girl." Elizabeth folded her arms and shook her head. "Two questions. Where is your dad and why am I just now hearing about this?"

The truth was Robin had forgotten exactly who she had told which story of the moment to and lines had gotten crossed. "I forgot and Paris."

"As in Texas or France?"

"France." Robin tried not to look at Elizabeth knowing this was going to end badly.

"France?" Elizabeth sat back down on the stool. "You are leaving to go spend time in Paris? That's it you are so off the godparent list."

"WHAT?" Robin's eyes widened. "That's not fair! It's only a couple of months!"

"The crucial months. All the books say so."

Robin pouted. "But I'll be here afterwards."

"Yeah after I screw it up. Or make the child even more neurotic than I am, which as you know, will take quite the talent and skill."

"And you think I'll be able to help in the neurotic department?" Robin lifted an eyebrow.

"Ok maybe I'm hoping the two of us will balance out and resemble a rational person."

"You've got Lucky to help—"

"And do we want him thinking he's an expert in anything?"

"No, but of course you don't tell him. It'll be a learning experience. At least he has a little know-how. I'll be lucky, no pun intended, if Patrick can put on a diaper."

"Maybe you can do a training course with Majandra. Think Bobbie will let her out of her sight for that long?"

"No, but there's always hope. I mean, she did let Cruz baby-sit." Robin pointed out.

"And called him a million times. If Cruz hadn't hidden her phone the other night, I think I would have thrown ours out the window."

"I think maybe Patrick and I got engaged to insure I would be coming back." Robin said quietly.

"Insurance for you or him?"

"For him I guess. We had a big fight over my father's invitation."

"I was curious how he reacted to this decision. Why isn't he coming with you?"

"I told him not to." Robin said looking down.

"_You_ told him not to? Look I'm well aware the whole introducing to the parents thing would go a lot better without the whole pregnancy clogging the issue but shouldn't your dad at least meet the man you'll be marrying before the wedding day?"

"I know. I'm terrible." Robin nodded. "We haven't really talked since he agreed to support me on the whole pregnancy thing. Every time I try to talk to him, it just starts a big fight."

"You're not terrible. You're a little confused." Elizabeth corrected. "We're allowed to be. As for the fighting, maybe you two should just have the big fight and force yourselves to do the talking thing."

"Can't I wait until I come back home?" Robin gave her the famous puppy-dog expression.

"Nope. A very wise person once told me constantly the longer I would wait to have a conversation the harder it would be. I think she said something about it coming up at the worst possible time? Now I hate to tell her she was right..."

"Just once can't I put it off?"

"Do you ever let me?"

"No, but it's always funny to see when you're going to spill the news."

"And this is called turnabout is fair play. No. You are not off the hook. You need to talk with him. Especially if you are abandoning him and me for two whole months."

"I'm not abandoning him! He'll probably like it better." Robin assumed.

"He'll like it better? Must I remind you of Grump Fest that we were all subjected to the last time you two separated or whatever you call it? How on Earth would he like it better if his fiancé is on the other side of the world from him?"

"Have you forgotten his life before we were dating?" Robin wanted to know. "This will probably be a nice vacation for him."

"Are you sure you aren't going to Egypt? Cause you are talking a lot of denial."

"This is his last chance to be a rowdy, no-rules-no-fear, one-night-stand kind of guy." Robin pointed out.

"Which he hasn't been since about the minute he fell for you. Face it Robin. You totally destroyed his reputation."

"But I don't want to make him something he doesn't want to be. When we found out I was pregnant, I'll never forget the look on his face. It was like he was seeing his life flash before his eyes."

"I'm not an expert by any means on this subject, but I'm pretty sure that is a universal male reaction." Elizabeth pointed out. "Lucky hid it pretty quick but I did see the same look flash on his face."

"It's different!" Robin insisted. "He already has Cameron. It wasn't that big a change for him. This is Patrick's first time in love, first time in a relationship, first time engaged—and now he's expected to be a father to a little baby?"

"Sweets I hate to sound like a clichéd soap character but there was going to be a first time for everything. He wouldn't be your Patrick if he had already experienced all that."

Robin gave her friend a wobbly smile. "My Patrick. I kind of like that."

**Previews: **

"Actually you look like you could use a diversion."

"Do I now?" He tilted his head to one side, tracing his fingers up her arm.


	238. A Long Goodbye

Thank you Knocked Up for those two wonderful lines at the end.

He was supposed to be transcribing his notes into the charts. He was supposed to be getting ready to see his next patient. Ric realized he should be doing any number of professional activities but he couldn't. He was distracted and he knew it. It wasn't even for fun reasons this time, like figuring out which date idea he could convince Maxie was a good one. Opening the desk drawer, telling himself it was to check his appointment calendar, he sighed as his fingers willingly ignored his brain's commands and pulled the sheets of paper out one more time.

Flipping to the last page, his signature stared back at him. There it was. One pen stroke from Kate and his marriage was officially over. He had expected to feel regret, remorse, or even sadness today, but instead he felt relief. The mourning of his marriage took place a long time ago; he had already grieved and started to move on. However, it was still startling to see it almost completed, so cold, so final, and so impersonal.

All that was missing was Kate's flowing penmanship, the one he knew she had perfected for autographs, not the chicken scratch she used for taking notes in the field. The idea had floated through his mind to call her, make sure she had received the papers, even given to his irrational instinct to make sure she was doing ok and not listening to any of his sister's advice. But he had managed to talk himself out of it every single time.

"This is really it, isn't it?" He mused to the phantom vision of Kate that formed in his mind. "Somehow it seems there should be more than just this."

Maxie tilted her head in confusion, having to read over his shoulder to understand why he was talking to himself. "I never figured you for a crazy person." She teased as she twirled his chair around and sat in his lap.

Flipping the papers over so she couldn't see them, Ric blinked in confusion as his hands automatically found her waist. "Where did you come from?"

"There are many theories." Maxie laughed making a reach for the stack of papers.

Without missing a beat, he stilled her wrist. "I thought being seen in public was a bad thing," Glancing over his shoulder, he continued teasing her, "You left the door open an eighth of an inch and there's daylight out. We might be seen together or something equally awful."

"I told my family so there's really no threat." Maxie explained placing a kiss above the top of his ear and pushing some of the short hairs she found there out of the way.

"You told them? I thought that was going to lead to your father charging after me with a gun, firing away." Ric smiled as he pushed her hair behind her ear.

"I didn't actually mean to tell them. It just kind of came out. I was trying to prevent a mob war from starting between my uncle and cousin. She came over to tell us she was engaged."

"So now I'm still a diversionary tactic?" he teased her.

Maxie kneaded at the back of his neck with her fingers. "Actually you look like you could use a diversion."

"Do I now?" He tilted his head to one side, tracing his fingers up her arm.

"Do you wanna tell me about it?" Maxie offered sincerely.

"Careful. Someone might think we are dating."

"Nah." Maxie shook her head. "I just want to make sure all of your attention is focused on me." The last few words were whispered into his right ear.

"Like you'd allow it any other way." He pulled her closer to him, placing a kiss on her lips.

"Good point." Maxie leaned into his lips and then pulled back abruptly with a frown.

"What?"

"I have to go back to work soon." She nodded toward the paper bag she had set beside the desk. "I brought you some lunch."

Ric quirked one eyebrow up in amusement. "You brought me lunch?" he repeated with a laugh.

Maxie watched him uncertainly. "Is that okay?"

"It's different. Ok but different."

"I just wanted to do something nice." Maxie pushed herself out of his lap and onto her feet.

"Come here." He stood up and pulled her closer to him. "I like you being nice to me," he whispered into her hair.

"Too bad." Maxie made a halfhearted attempt to dislodge his arms from around her. "It won't happen again."

"Wanna bet?"

"That depends." Maxie asked her voice suddenly low. "What are you offering?"

Shooting her a wink, he whispered, "What do you want?"

"Tell me what you were doing before I walked in." Maxie replied with a knowing look.

"Thinking about you."

"And you put it on paper?" Maxie inquired in a mocking tone. "Why don't I believe that?"

"What about if I told you it affects you?" He reached behind him and grabbed the papers, placing them in her hands.

Maxie stared at the letterhead and her eyes slid slowly down the first sheet. "Divorce papers?"

Ric nodded. "Everything's official except for Kate's signature."

Maxie didn't have a sly remark so she decided not to say anything.

"Nothing to say Blondie?" Ric reached out and played with the ends of her hair. "Never thought I would see the day you would be speechless."

"Any regrets?" Maxie wanted to know setting the papers back on the desk.

"No." He answered quickly. "I still care about Kate, but this is right. For both of us."

"Then we definitely have to celebrate." Maxie decided. "What do you want to do?"

"Would this be you asking me out on a date?"

Maxie bit back a smile. "Gosh, a date. I don't know if we're ready for _that_ yet."

"It is a huge step." Ric nodded, trying to keep his own smile back. Catching sight of his watch, he reluctantly stepped away from her. "I have a patient waiting."

"But you didn't answer my question." Maxie reminded him blocking the door.

"What question is that?"

"Do you want to go out tonight and celebrate? And, if you do, what do you want to do?"

He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, brushing her hair behind her ear. "As long as you're there, I think I'll enjoy anything."

"Call and let me know. I get off—I'm off around seven." Maxie caught herself before she prevented them both from returning to work.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Okay," Maxie squeaked as she headed out the door. "Bye."

"See you later Maxie."

*****

"It can't be as bad as you're making it sound." Alexis assured her fiancé resting her hand over his. He hadn't stopped pacing since he'd entered the room and he was starting to make her dizzy. Still, he was a nice distraction from the fact that Kristina had been cast in the school play and Dr. Bernstein swore she wouldn't be able to go and watch her.

"It's worse than bad. We're talking about that guy being a part of our family." Mac stressed with a dramatic wave of his hands.

"Is this really such a shock to you honey?" Alexis couldn't hide her incredulity. Getting involved with Robin meant taking on her disease and her son. Patrick was half committed from the moment he'd come to those realizations.

"Do you suppose I could have him arrested?" Mac mused aloud.

"On what charge?" Alexis lifted both eyebrows at him.

"I can make one up. What about stalking?" Mac threw out there.

"Stalking Mac really?" Alexis didn't sound pleased. "You just have to accept—"

"I don't have to 'accept' anything." Mac interrupted rudely. "He didn't come to me and ask if he could marry Robin. At least that would have shown him to have a tad bit of respect for her family."

Alexis figured out she could remind him that Logan hadn't asked his permission other, but there was no reason to shoot Patrick in the foot. "From what you're telling me, it seems very sporadic and unplanned. Maybe there wasn't time—"

"But there was time to put it in the paper?" Mac raged.

"That was part of the engagement. That doesn't count." Alexis countered.

"It counts." Mac grumbled. "What kind of life is he expecting to give my niece and nephew? He's a flake."

"He loves your niece." Alexis pointed out.

"So?" Mac didn't sound interested.

"So you're saying if my father was still alive, you would have tracked him down and gotten his blessing before asking me?" Alexis gave him a look.

"Honey, your dad was a nut job and it's different." Mac informed her as nicely as possible.

"You have to consider Patrick's point of view." Alexis insisted.

"I don't have to consider anything where that man is concerned. Oh did I say man? I meant little boy. He's a horny adolescent who is just looking to solidify—"

"Stop. I don't want to hear this." Alexis put her hands over her ears.

Mac's face screwed up in disgust. "Lexie, you're going to send me straight to Kevin Collins if you put thoughts like that in my head."

"Whether or not you approve, Robin has made her decision."

"She's being a fool."

"She's in love."

"She's just without options."

"What? What are you talking about? Out of options?"

"It's not easy when you've got kids." Mac clarified.

"You made a very sexy single mom honey." Alexis taunted him.

Mac smiled in spite of his current mood. "You always know just what to say don't you?"

"I've dealt with irrational males all my life." Alexis explained reaching for his hand.

"I'm not being irrational." Mac huffed.

"Right. You're being protective. A little too protective in my opinion. She's an adult now Malcolm."

"Not to me." He whispered. "To me she'll still be a spunky little teenage girl with big brown eyes and an even bigger heart."

"And she's gotten hurt before." Alexis recalled. "You can't put her in a bubble no matter how much you might want to."

"Have I kissed you today?" Mac asked with a crooked smile.

"Nope." Alexis beamed.

*****

"I don't see a ring." Bobbie announced without preamble as Robin crossed the lawn. It was difficult to tell if she was confused by the missing piece of jewelry or if she was merely challenging Robin to offer up some kind of explanation.

Stopping at the bottom step of the porch, Robin said, "It's being fitted."

"Hasn't my nephew bought you jewelry before? Shouldn't he know your ring size?" Bobbie pressed.

"He bought me a locket. It's different." Robin explained.

"I see." Bobbie commented. "Did you pick out the ring together?"

"No." Robin shook her head. "I've only seen a picture of it."

"That's poor planning on Patrick's part. He plans everything." Bobbie recalled.

"He can be spontaneous." Robin defended.

"That's true." Bobbie agreed. "But not on matters of the heart."

"Maybe it was a mistake coming here." Robin was beginning to wonder why she had even bothered. Of course Bobbie deserved to know about the shop, but she could have gotten out of that with a phone call.

"Wait." Bobbie held up her hand. "I'm not trying to be the bad guy. I'm just trying to understand."

"I think Laura said something similar to Lucky and Elizabeth when she found out about the baby." Robin said dryly.

"We're friends right?"

"I thought we were. Now I'm not so sure."

"I don't have to support every decision you make."

"So you don't support Patrick marrying me?" A look of hurt flashed across Robin's face.

"I didn't say that! I'm just not so sure about the timing. You just got Morgan back."

"So what? We're trying to give him a stable home. Why is that suddenly a crime?"

"It's not." Bobbie took a breath and tried again. "I don't want you to get invested in something that—"

"Might end in divorce?" Robin finished for her.

"I wasn't going to say that."

"I'm selling the bakery to a woman interested in turning the building into a dress shop. I just thought you should know."

"But you love the bakery."

"I don't have time to take care of it."

"No?"

"No. Just leave it at that. I contacted all of my clients. I've finished all of the remaining cakes and had them delivered." Robin met Bobbie's eyes finally. "Is there anything else you need me to do?"

"I need you to tell me the truth." Bobbie replied brazenly.

"You know," Robin pointed at Bobbie. "When Patrick told me about you and Cruz dating and having a baby, I was supportive. I jumped to your defense immediately. I didn't question your reasons for being together and I thought Majandra was a perfect testament of your love for each other." Angry at the tears building, she went on, "You think just because you don't yell that you're not mean. This is mean."

"Robin, I—"

"Don't worry Mrs. Rodriguez." Robin cut her off coldly. "I won't bother you again."

_**Previews**: "If I told you, then what is the point of the surprise?" he asked in his best serious tone. Seeing the pout she was wearing, he couldn't help himself. He laughed. "Come on. Get in the car."_


	239. Fascinating New Thing

"Dating you is going to be like this a lot, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?

"I say 'let's celebrate' and your reaction is to invite me over to your house." Maxie explained moping.

"What's wrong with my house?" Ric wondered looking around, trying to keep the smile off his face. "I remember you begging to come here at least once before."

"That is such a guy thing to say. So what's the plan? Roast marshmallows in the front yard?" She couldn't help but sound bored. For his reputation, Ric was turning out to be very straight-laced.

"I thought we covered this before." Ric shook his head. "Surprises are a good thing."

"Surprises?" Maxie grabbed his wrist so he would stop long enough to look at her. "What kind of surprises?"

"If I told you, then what is the point of the surprise?" he asked in his best serious tone. Seeing the pout she was wearing, he couldn't help himself. He laughed. "Come on. Get in the car."

"Forget it."

"If you want to stay here and ruin the date fine. But just know it will be entirely your fault."

"You said 'surprise.' You didn't say date." Maxie hurried to point out.

"That's part of the surprise." Ric explained with a chuckle.

Maxie eyed him suspiciously but got in the car anyway. "I have the right to take the car if this surprise sucks."

"When have my surprises ever sucked?" He questioned confidently as he turned the engine and began to back out of the driveway.

"What surprises?"

Making sure no cars were coming in his direction, Ric risked a long glance in her direction. "Have you forgotten about the first time I was allowed in your house?"

"I know I pretended to be surprised but that's just because I was trying to spare your feelings." Maxie assured him buckling up.

"Oh baby. I didn't realize you cared so much."

"I read somewhere that that happens to a lot of guys." Maxie teased him with a full smile.

"And I've read that what happened to you is very rare for women."

Maxie reached over and smacked him on the back of the head. "Focus on your driving. Ending up in a ditch is not on tonight's agenda."

*****

Planning a date for Maxie had been problematic from the start. First, there was even getting her to agree to go on an actual date with him. And then her continued reluctance to have him meet her family. Not that Ric was entirely eager to have that meeting. The Commissioner carried a gun and could probably shoot him in cold blood and make it look like an accident. Once he finally got the date, it had to be the right kind of date. It couldn't be too tame or too ordinary. Not for Maxie. She demanded effort and attention. And he aimed to satisfy those demands tonight. And any others she may have.

Coming here tonight was a calculated risk. It would provide them with enough privacy for any of the reasons they might need it. But it also carried the risk of being perceived as a little conventional. He shrugged as he continued leading her to what was quite possibly his second favorite spot in the entire town. With one of his hands on hers and the other on a wicker basket, Ric smiled over his shoulder at her. "Almost there."

"Where are you taking me?" All Maxie saw around her was darkness. She was glad she had worn flats instead of heels because one wrong step and she would fall on her face.

"You'll see. It's just over here."

Maxie had pretended not to see the basket in his hand because he seemed insistent on surprising her and she liked that idea. "Aren't we a little old for Hide and Seek?"

"That depends. Do you want to seek something?" He winked outrageously and pulled her just a little closer to him than was strictly necessary.

"I thought this was supposed to be a surprise." Maxie whispered tucking her arms around his waist.

"This is only the beginning." He stopped walking long enough to drop the basket on the ground before he leaned down to kiss her.

"Lead the way." Maxie smiled at his lingering taste on her lips.

"Just turn around. Because we are here."

"Ric." Maxie's jaw dropped as she took in the exquisite view laid out in front of her. He had spread a blue and green checkered blanket over the highest point of the hill and lined each side of the blanket with unlit tea candles. Port Charles was nothing more a shadow under the cover of a twinkling sky.

"You approve?" He made his way over the blanket, lighting the candles with the lighter he had shoved in his jeans pocket.

"You kidding?" She managed as she watched the candles light up the deep crevices of his face when he leaned over them.

"Then come over here and join me."

Maxie took his advice and sat on the farthest end of the blanket. "When did you have time to do this?"

Ric scooted closer to her and reached around to grab the basket. "I had some time after my last patient." He pulled out a bottle of wine and two glasses from the basket. Opening the bottle with ease, he offered her a glass. "Wine?"

"Please."

Carefully filling her glass so he wouldn't splash any on her, he then turned his attention to his own glass. Raising the glass towards her, he smiled. "A toast?"

"To discovery." Maxie decided.

"To discovery." Ric repeated as they clinked the goblets together. After taking a sip, he began to rummage through the basket again. "I hope you are hungry."

"You cooked?" Maxie pulled two plates and forks from the basket.

"I'm a man of many talents."

"So you've told me." Maxie rolled her eyes. "What have we got here?" She made a grab for the main course dish.

"Chicken Milanese." Ric explained smoothly. "It's a specialty of mine and it's messy. Which I know you like."

"A specialty huh? So you cook a lot?" Maxie split the main course between the two plates leaving plenty in the container in case she had to create a diversion and throw her half over the hill.

"I dabble. A man can't live by take out alone."

"You finally did it." Maxie congratulated him.

"Did what?"

"You truly surprised me. This was a good idea." Maxie told him.

"Good." He drawled before leaning over and pulling her lips toward his own. "Because this is exactly the perfect way to celebrate."

Maxie blamed the crickets, the first warm night of spring, and the familiar feel of his lips pressing into hers. She dropped her fork and looped her arms around his neck; her fingers pushed into his shoulders. The night was already shaping up to be a pretty good one. She couldn't believe he had put this kind of thought into setting up a real first date for them. Truth was he had been surprising her all along.

Circling his own arms around her waist, he pulled her closer to him so she was almost sitting in his lap. Pausing just long enough to breath, he rested his head on hers. "Food's getting cold." He whispered.

"So? We'll just heat it up when we got back to your house. Problem solved." Maxie reasoned adjusting her body so that her right thigh brushed against Ric's left one.

"I love the way you think Blondie." His hands began to roam her body as he once again crushed his lips against hers.

**Previews: **

"I'm in a fine mood." Robin told them.

"Robin, babe. I'm pregnant not blind. I saw the "wide load" sign Dillon hid behind his back when I walked in and I know you're not in the best mood."

"I made no such sign!" Dillon protested. "And if I had it was totally at Lucas' suggestion."


	240. Double The Fun

**_Final guess! _****_Boy? _****_Girl? _****_Name? _****_What do you think?_**

All will be revealed!!! Leave it to Dillon to go all out for a baby shower. Having it at someone's house had been far too pedestrian for him; he wanted the big concert hall rented at the Metro Court. Twenty or so balloons had managed to fill up about an eighth of the giant room and they had had to get a little creative. Streamers fell from the entrance and the stage where they kept trying to get Elizabeth up on stage to do karaoke. She was currently done up in a silk blue dress and pink and blue rattles tied loosely around her waist with yellow and green ribbon.

Dillon had hired a coordinator for the first hour and then fired the poor girl after that, insisting that she had no vision and was not welcome to stay. He had said that Lance had wanted to come, but he wasn't feeling up to it. As far as Bobbie knew, Dillon was the only male attending. The boys had made some excuse about important business that had to be taken care of it. She suspected The Haunted Star was going to be hopping this afternoon. Majandra gazed up at her with her trademark blue eyes. She wore a smile the size of Texas having figured out how to do so a few days ago.

Why couldn't Cruz have just been her husband today and come with her? Majandra was a nice distraction but she was a beautiful child and that meant that people kept holding her and carrying her off. She had spotted Robin enter the room a few minutes after her and apparently she had noticed her too because she had walked straight over to Dillon and Elizabeth. It was clear Robin was here for her friend. As far as her feelings toward the rest of the Spencers...well it didn't look pretty.

Bobbie had tried approaching for the last hour but every time she took even a single step in the right direction Robin would pick that moment to disappear to the bathroom. She had shown up in a little red number that Bobbie knew Laura had given her last Christmas. It had been damn near impossible to find the right size because she was such a little woman, but it seemed like she had grown into it. Best not to point that out, she mused silently.

She was starting to wish she had snuck in some liquor. Sure Elizabeth couldn't have any but she could. It only took a few drinks to loosen her lips. Cruz said that's what made her so fun to take out. Surely she could get a little tipsy and then the uneasiness would leave her. I must be a Spencer if I'm solving my problems with alcohol, she thought desolately. Even her phone was at home on the charger so there would be no important phone calls or even a few games of Tetris. This was going to be a hell of a party if she didn't cross the room and join the party. Elizabeth was surrounded by friends, co-workers, and Audrey. Bobbie was thankful that she was feeling a bit better. She had to depend on a walker, but Bobbie knew once she didn't need it anymore, once she could talk herself and her granddaughter out of its use, she would be back to running marathons.

"Are you the mother-in-law?" An unfamiliar voice wanted to know tapping on Bobbie's shoulder.

"No." Bobbie met the woman's face and saw that she was a few years younger than Elizabeth. She must have been a friend from the Chuck E. Cheese's job because she didn't look old enough to be a teacher. Of course, in all honesty, neither did Elizabeth. "I'm the aunt."

"I'm Sherry Lockhart." The young woman pushed her black bangs hastily behind her ears and thrust her hand forward in invitation. "Elizabeth and I used to go to high school together."

Bobbie couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why Sherry Lockhart wanted to talk to her. "Bobbie Rodriguez."

"Is that short for something?"

"Nothing I'll respond to." Bobbie smiled.

"Whose aunt?" Sherry wanted to know. She must have forgotten to clarify a second ago.

"Lucky's." Bobbie explained patiently.

"I couldn't believe Lizzie called me and said that was marrying a guy with the name Lucky. I mean, I'm sure it's short for something to..." Sherry rambled on.

Bobbie could have pointed out that her nephew wasn't getting married to Elizabeth, but it seemed like she'd be telling something Elizabeth obviously didn't want her schoolmate to know. "Elizabeth is good for my nephew."

"I heard he already has a kid. Is that right?"

"How close are you and Elizabeth?" Bobbie challenged.

"Oh we haven't talked in a while. I was surprised I even got an invitation. It must be because I just invited her to my fabulous wedding in the Bahamas last year." Sherry showed off a bright zillion-karat ring.

"Hmm." Bobbie turned her back to Sherry.

"If you don't play nice with Laura and Bobbie, I'm telling Lucky you ruined the entire party." Elizabeth threatened, shaking her hand in Robin's direction. She tried not to roll her eyes as once again any little movement she made set off the rattles Dillon had tied on her the second she walked into the room. He had declared it cute. She declared him insane.

"You will tell no such lie about my party." Dillon declared hotly, crossing his arms.

"Oh you're the one giving birth in a month? I'm sorry. I didn't know." Elizabeth responded before sticking out her tongue.

"Calm down children." Robin stepped in-between them. "This is supposed to be a fun party."

"Says the one who's glaring at half the guests." Elizabeth quipped.

"They started it." Robin argued stubbornly.

"I'm not saying they didn't." Elizabeth said calmly.

"Can't you just pretend?" Dillon wondered. "I mean picture them with different heads or something? Anything to put you in a better mood."

"I'm in a fine mood." Robin told them.

"Robin, babe. I'm pregnant not blind. I saw the "wide load" sign Dillon hid behind his back when I walked in and I know you're not in the best mood."

"I made no such sign!" Dillon protested. "And if I had it was totally at Lucas' suggestion."

"Oh sure, sell out Lucas who isn't here. I see how you roll." Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"Maybe we should move onto games." Robin suggested. "There's the toilet paper estimation—"

"I object to that one." Elizabeth did a little twist for emphasis. "One thing around the belly at a time."

"What about Baby Bingo?"

"How much humiliation of me does that involve?"

"Every single time someone says 'baby' during the game, you get a pin. Other than that, it's just a matter of I draw a word and you see if it's on the board. The winner gives their gift to you." Robin explained.

"Oh well I don't object to getting presents."

"I didn't think you would." Robin muttered good-naturedly. "Gather around everyone! We're going to play a game!" She had requested a microphone but Dillon hadn't let her have one.

"Dillon, who's the chick talking to Bobbie?" Elizabeth whispered.

"Doesn't she work for the hotel?"

"She's awfully chatty for reception hostess."

"I thought you chased them all out?" Robin asked remembering Dillon's tantrum.

"Apparently I didn't get them all. Excuse me ladies. She will make herself useful or get out." Dillon rushed over to investigate the situation further.

"How are you doing? You okay?" Robin touched Elizabeth's shoulder.

"I'm fine. Kiddo here is a little active, but you know I'm convinced the kid's a ham."

"Let's get you a bingo card. I'll be right back." Robin made her way toward the box of goodies she and Dillon had put together. Other than a few awkward acquaintances, the party seemed to be going okay. She had watched her friend mingle with some old friends she had had in Boulder and it was obvious she thought it was a mistake to invite them. Robin was not ignorant to the missing presence of her family, save Audrey.

Bracing herself against the box's lid, Robin forced back the urge to throw up. She had spent half the party in the bathroom with her head hanging over a toilet. Oh the joys of pregnancy. Her body had finally started letting her sleep and she had been ready to have that talk with Patrick this morning, but he had taken Morgan over to Lucky's and left a note explaining that they would be back by dinnertime.

"Do you want something to drink?" Bobbie offered her a plastic glass of red punch. It looked like there was fruit floating in it and Robin's hand found her mouth instantly.

"Excuse me." She rushed past Bobbie.

"You sure chased her out of here fast." Dillon chuckled taking the glass from his mother-in-law.

"I was just trying to be nice." Bobbie promised. "Apparently she's still a little sore at me."

"Yeah I see that. What did you do?" Dillon asked without hesitation.

"I was a real jerk." Bobbie admitted. "But I don't think I was wrong."

"Bobbie. I love you, but in this case you are totally wrong."

"You can't believe all of this nonsense about them getting engaged."

"Oh like I'm one to judge people's relationships?" Dillon quirked his eyebrow up. "Or you Mrs. Rodriguez?"

"That's completely different." Bobbie countered.

"It is not. Lucas and I didn't tell anyone we were dating for three months. You and Cruz didn't tell anyone for seven and a half and, if you didn't find out about the little Princess here, you probably wouldn't have told and don't lie to me about that. Elizabeth didn't tell anyone she was pregnant for a month." Dillon ticked off, counting each offense with his fingers. "So Patrick did a dumb proposal. It was also cocky and arrogant, two things that are completely him. It's not Robin's fault it worked out like this."

"He shouldn't be getting married right now." Bobbie replied.

"Why not? Is there some magical time table I'm not aware of?"

"He should have made up with his father. His mother should have been able to meet Robin. Nothing about any of this is fair." Bobbie whispered in torment.

"His father is a jerk and I'm sure his mother approves." Dillon wrapped his arms around Bobbie's shoulder. "He was going to grow up someday Bobbie."

"But it's not time yet."

"It is. I think Patrick's made it clear to everyone in a three city area that he is ready for this."

"What if I'm not ready?"

"Robin!" Elizabeth yelled from the stage. "Laura!"

*****

"You are not coming near me again. Do you hear me?" Elizabeth managed to hiss out as the pain of the contraction washed over her in waves.

"Yes. I got that two hours ago." Lucky muttered under his breath. Her hand held his in a death grip as it had been for two hours now. At first she had been apologetic about nearly breaking his fingers. Now he was suspicious she was trying to break his fingers in place of something else.

"I heard that."

"Sorry." He leaned up and kissed her forehead. "You're doing great you know."

"What do you know? You're not a doctor."

"But I am." Ric laughed from the corner of the room where he was consulting with Nurse Lee. "And I know you don't want to hear this, but Lucky is right this time. You're doing wonderful."

"You can take your wonderful and shove it." Elizabeth declared.

It was dangerous to laugh at any of her remarks right now, but Lucky couldn't help it. Disguising it as best he could with a cough, he looked decidedly over his shoulder towards the wall, trying to focus on the calendar. April 25th. April 25th. He recited the date as a mantra. Feeling the urge to laugh leave, he looked down at her and smiled. "You're beautiful."

"You lie."

"Never. You're gorgeous. You've never been more gorgeous."

"Oh God. Here comes another one." Elizabeth squeezed her eyes tight and tried to remember the breathing. Focus on an object they had told them in class. Obviously the person who had created Lamaze had to be a man. The only thing she could focus on was the pain. "Why can't I have any drugs?"

"You're too close." Ric explained calmly, bringing his instrument tray towards the end of the bed. "I give them to you right now and we risk serious health complications."

"Too close? But it's too early. We're supposed to have another month." She swung her head wildly around toward Lucky. Even though she had recognized she was in labor, for some reason she had convinced herself it would stop soon. It was a false alarm. But Dr. Lansing was bringing instruments over. That meant it was a lot closer than she had realized. "It's too early. We're not ready. We're not ready."

"Shh." Lucky kissed the top of her head before looking into her eyes. "We'll be fine. We knew this was possible for awhile now. We can handle this. I promise. We are ready."

"Promise?"

"Swear it."

"I'm glad we had this pep talk." Ric declared as he sat down. "Because ready or not, it's time folks."

**Previews**:

"What's up little man?" Patrick wondered, scooping Cameron into his lap.

"How's the baby going to get here?" Cameron asked his face scrunched up in serious concentration. "How does he go from Lizzie's tummy to here? And how did he get in Lizzie's tummy in the first place?"


	241. In My Life

Robin had gotten the number from Elizabeth at Christmas and saved it in her phone the second time he had returned to Port Charles after Audrey's stroke. It was clear that he was going to be in their lives for a while now, at least as long as he was her best friend's brother. She had left the breathless anticipation of the waiting room and slipped out into the hall where the nursery was to have a minute or two to call and let Steven know that his sister had gone into early labor. Robin knew that he had wanted to be here for their arrival, but life happened and all they could do was struggle to accept it.

"Pick up." Robin demanded of the caller on the other end. "Pick up, pick up, pick up. Your sister is in labor—" She managed to say right as he answered the phone.

"Hello?" Steven managed to slur out as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. The shoot was entering its final weeks and as per usual, it was early mornings and late nights for him. "Hello?"

"Steven!" Robin accidentally exclaimed into the phone. "Elizabeth's in labor."

"What?" Steven sat straight up in bed, instantly awake. "Who is this? Are you sure?"

"Sorry. Robin. Yes I'm sure. I was there when her water broke. We're at General now." Robin explained quickly. She thought she heard Steven shuffling off of his bed; the sound of bed sheets was almost unmistakable. One day she would remember about the incredible time difference, but apparently not right now.

"What's going on?" Georgie murmured sleepily from her side of the bed. "Who is it?"

Covering the phone with one hand, he gestured for her to keep her voice down. "It's Robin. Apparently Elizabeth is in labor." Raising the phone, he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's too early isn't it? I thought she had another month."

"She's been extremely healthy throughout the entire pregnancy. Four weeks isn't going to make much of a difference." Robin assured him. Now she definitely knew someone was there. This was not the time for him to be having sex with some girl. His sister was in labor for cripes sake!

"Is he there?"

Georgie threw a pillow in his direction. "His name is Lucky." She whispered.

"If you're referring to my best guy friend and father of my new niece or nephew, then yes. He responds better to 'Lucky.'" Robin responded wryly.

"What can I do? I was supposed to be there to help, but I don't think I can get away..." He threw the pillow back at Georgie, sticking his tongue out at her.

"I think your sister would want you here." Robin informed him.

"I want to be there. I do. But the trip back for Grams kind of used up my good will." Not to mention the time he had taken to sneak off and marry Robin's cousin, but somehow he didn't think Robin would appreciate that logic right now.

"So you're saying it's too much of an inconvenience?"

"No I'm saying there is nowhere else in the world I would rather be, but economics are unfortunately more than likely going to prevent it."

"I'll be sure to tell her." Robin promised. "Let us know when we should expect you." She hung up, frustrated behind belief that she hadn't been allowed to go into the delivery room with Elizabeth.

*****

"I keep telling you," Cruz said without preamble as he leaned over Majandra's car seat. "Babies aren't ticklish this early." He had read, and continued to read, baby books about the growing months and years of a baby's life. For a mother of four, she was often flustered when he corrected her about something she was doing wrong.

"And I keep telling you, a mother knows these things." Bobbie defended herself.

"You see munchkin," Cruz turned his attention back to his daughter. "Mommy doesn't like to admit when she's wrong." To further prove his point, Majandra blew a few spit bubbles and reached for her mother's flowing red hair.

"Actually your father doesn't like to admit he doesn't know everything my love." Bobbie cooed at her daughter. "He completely doesn't realize what he's doing is calling you average, when clearly you are far beyond on that."

"I would never even insinuate such a thing." Cruz argued as he copied his daughter's movements and played with Bobbie's curls.

"Then you admit she is ticklish this early."

"No." Cruz shook his head. "I'll admit to only one thing and that is that she's trying to talk already." Majandra looked up, a little surprised. Her wide blue eyes focused on her parents' faces and she stuffed her fists into her mouth.

"Really? And just what is she trying to tell us?"

"Mommy needs to learn how to cook?" Cruz suggested as a way of getting his wife riled up.

"I thought it was Daddy needs to learn to change a diaper." Bobbie suggested just as casually as her husband had.

"Why would I need to know how to do that? It's clear this little one is going to be potty trained by six months."

Bobbie laughed, shaking her head and leaning over at her daughter. "Oh sweetheart. Isn't your daddy a funny, funny guy?"

Majandra giggled and kicked out her little feet in agreement.

*****

"Hey Patty?" Cameron had wandered away from the corner where Dillon was trying to entertain the restless children with a round of sing-alongs using TV theme songs. Tugging on Patrick's sleeve to get his attention, he spoke up again. "Patty?"

"What's up little man?" Patrick wondered, scooping Cameron into his lap.

"How's the baby going to get here?" Cameron asked his face scrunched up in serious concentration. "How does he go from Lizzie's tummy to here? And how did he get in Lizzie's tummy in the first place?"

Patrick's head jerked up in search of his lovely girlfriend, certain that this was not happening. "I...um...well Cam..." He had never lied to his cousin before and he wasn't going to start now. "When two people love each other, erm, they decide to have a baby, just like your mommy and daddy did. Your daddy and Elizabeth love each other so much that that love created a little baby."

"Daddy told me that. But how did they create the baby?"

Sweat beaded across his forehead and made his hands clammy. "Okay, so you know how I said their love is really strong? Well a Mommy and Daddy both wish and pray to God that they can be parents and then God says, 'Let me think about it.' He must have looked at how much your daddy and Elizabeth love you and decided to answer their prayers."

"But we don't go to church." Cameron continued puzzled.

"God isn't just at church, Cam. He's all around us. He's in the delivery room with Elizabeth and your daddy right now taking care of the baby."

"You mean He's a doctor?" Cameron assumed.

"No, Dr. Lansing is the only doctor. God is a spirit."

"You mean like a ghost? But that will scare the baby."

"Okay you know how your mommy and my mommy are in Heaven? It's like that. God's watching us too which is why we should be good and not ask questions that we'll learn about from books or fifth grade. Okay?" Patrick just about begged.

"I still don't get it."

"You know who would know?" Patrick asked in a whisper.

"Who?"

"Uncle Cruz."

Watching his little cousin hurry over to Cruz and Aunt Bobbie, Patrick quickly made his way toward the double doors and slipped into the hallway, spotting Robin. She was stopped in front of the nursery window giving one of the babies a little finger wave. His voice startled her as did the feel of his arms wrapping around her middle. "When it comes time to tell Morgan and this little one where babies come from, you're telling them." Patrick declared unwaveringly.

"Well they'll have to come to me anyway or you'd just confuse them." Robin nodded twirling in his arms so she could gaze up at him. "We both know I taught you everything you know about sex."

"Is that right?" Patrick tilted his head in mock surprise. "That's not how I seem to remember it."

"Selective memory." Robin nodded.

"What are you thinking about?" Patrick asked offhandedly.

"Everything and nothing. I'm doing a packing list in my head for the trip and I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to lie to my father." Robin explained somberly.

Patrick lifted her chin with his thumb. "Maybe it won't always be a lie."

*****

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Laura twisted around in her seat. Wringing her hands she glanced again at her watch to make sure she had read the time right. "It's taking too long. Something must have gone wrong."

"You're worried about nothing. Cowboy's probably made a bet with his friends about how much he can make you worry." Luke shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the table in front of him. "You'll see. Everything will be fine."

"It's been more than two hours Luke. We should have heard something by now." Laura started to stand up. "That's it. I'm going back there. Clearly I'm needed."

"Sit down." Luke restrained his wife with the touch of his hand on her arm. "If the kids wanted you back there, they would have asked for you."

"Clearly they don't know what they need."

"Unless you want the first thing your newest grandchild to hear is your son groaning about you showing up, I suggest you sit here."

"Laura, p...p…please sit down." Audrey's voice caught on the words, but managed to remain calm. "F...first deliveries normally take a while. And th...the…they may have tried to st...stop the labor first. I'm sure everyth...thing is fine."

She could make a break for the door before Luke or Audrey could stop her, Laura reasoned, but she had a suspicion Patrick and Robin were standing just outside the door for just that reason. And Cruz had been a track star in high school. He could probably outrun her if Bobbie told him to stop her. Sitting back down in her seat reluctantly, she looked over at Audrey. "When can we expect the rest of Elizabeth's family?" It hadn't escaped her notice the presence of family for Elizabeth was limited just to Audrey during the shower.

"R-robin said she was calling St-Steven. I'm sure he has to finish his work. I tried her p-parents and Sarah, but I don't expect them." Audrey shook her head. She had hoped the months leading up to right now would have lead to Jeff, Elaine, and Sarah acting like the mature adults she knew them to be, but it looked as if she was mistaken.

"Steven at least will have the good sense to feel bad about it." Laura declared crossing her arms. Yes she wasn't the poster child for a good reaction to the news, but at least she wasn't missing this moment right now. A part of her wanted to think missing the birth of their first grandchild would haunt Elizabeth's parents years down the road, but another part told her that was ridiculous, they wouldn't regret this at all. Laura was afraid the second thought was far more accurate than she wanted to admit publicly. "Oh I'm sorry Audrey. I didn't mean to say…"

Audrey cut her off with a wave of her hand. "It's f-fine. It's the truth."

"Still I shouldn't have said it." Laura apologized. Glancing again at the wall, she sighed. "It's still taking too long."

Out of the corner of his eye, Luke spied Robin and Patrick hurry into the room with Dr. Lansing behind them. He liked that doctor much better when he didn't have to watch him actually work, Luke decided. "Well Angel looks like we're about to find out what all the fuss was about." He drawled pointing to the doctor who was coming closer to their group.

Clapping his hands together, Ric felt the smile on his face grow wider. This by far was the most enjoyable part of his job. It had been hours of cursing, threats, and, mild arguments over which side the obvious stubbornness of the baby came from, but it was finally over and now he could let the rest of the family know the news. "I was requested to look for one Cameron Spencer." He announced.

"That's me!" Cameron declared as he ran up to tug on Ric's pants leg. "I'm right here!"

Kneeling down to meet the young boy's eye, he pointed towards the nurse that had followed him into the waiting room. "That lady over there is Nurse Kelly and she's going to take you down to see your dad ok?"

Nodding, Cameron ran off to disappear down the hall holding the hand of Nurse Kelly. Standing up he smiled at the rest of the assembled group. "Everything is fine. They just wanted to introduce Cameron to the babies first before the entire family came rushing down the halls." Ric continued on, oblivious to the shocked looks that appeared on the faces of the assembled crowd following his announcement. "We were thinking early labor might be possible, so we were prepared..."

"Excuse me?" Lulu's incredulous voice cut through from the back of the crowd. "Did you say babies?"

"Were you expecting puppies?" Ric challenged with a smirk.

"No. Just one baby. You didn't pull a baby switch move out there did you Doc?" Luke countered hoarsely.

"No. Just the twins." Ric blinked in confusion. "They did tell you they were expecting twins right? A boy and a girl?"

Cruz gestured to the rest of the assembled group. "No offense Dr. Lansing, but do these look like the faces of people in the know?"

Ric remembered the appointment in which he'd told this man and his wife that they were expecting a baby. "I just assumed."

"You assumed they were normal and would tell people." Lulu pointed out. "Not that they have serious issues with surprises and telling news."

"At any rate, mom and both babies are doing fine. The boy was first. His sister took a bit longer, but she's doing fine."

"When can we see them?" Laura asked anxiously.

"Give them a few more minutes with Cameron, and I'm sure they won't mind."

**Previews**:

She had been surprised to find out that this was Spencer's second time as a father. She estimated the boy's age at around three or four and damn if he didn't look exactly like his father!


	242. Raining on Sunday

**Raining on Sunday**

Robin knew Patrick was growing impatient of her insistence to watch their best friends from afar. One baby was in Elizabeth's arms while Lucky danced and rocked the other one to sleep. She couldn't believe these two, of all people, had managed to keep such a secret. She had underestimated them! "How do you feel?" She alerted her presence and walked across the room with Patrick on her heels.

"Like I just pulled two trucks in a monster truck rally." Elizabeth smiled.

Robin had to smile back. She leaned down and hugged Elizabeth while Patrick stood behind Lucky and glanced down at the pink bundle in his arms as if he had no idea what a baby looked like that. "How could you not tell me?"

"I was convinced Lucky would crack after two weeks." Elizabeth protested. "I didn't think we'd actually keep it a secret."

"Hey! I resent that." Lucky protested mildly.

"So it's Lucky's fault?" Patrick smirked.

"Always." Elizabeth smirked.

"Two babies at one time and a four-year-old? Girl, you're braver than I am." Robin admitted nudging Elizabeth's left shoulder.

"Again, Lucky's fault."

"I thought the picking on me was supposed to stop with the delivery." Lucky rolled his eyes as he adjusted his daughter to his shoulder.

"Sorry. I think it continues until they come home from the hospital at least." Elizabeth smiled over at Robin. "Want to hold him?" she offered.

"Of course. Let me see my nephew." Robin cooed to the tiny blonde as she collected him into her arms.

"Careful. Watch the head." Elizabeth cautioned

"I've held a few babies before." Robin rolled her eyes, but smiled just the same. Of course Elizabeth would be protective.

"That was more for Patrick. He's looking a little confused about how this whole thing works."

A perplexed look played across Robin's features. Sure enough, Lucky was entrusting his only daughter to his older cousin and Patrick couldn't have looked more terrified. He held the baby as if she might be a time bomb, but something told Robin not to help him. He would have to figure out how this worked and it'd be good for him to do so before the baby came. She stared down into the beautiful green eyes of the baby in her arms. From here, she could tell that the twins differed in hair color, but she'd have to get closer to notice any more than that.

"She's a baby, not a bomb." Lucky laughed as he rescued his daughter from Patrick's trembling hands. "It's ok Gracie. No one was going to let him drop you on your head."

"Gracie?" The older couple asked in unison.

"Lauren Grace actually. Lucky just started with Gracie, but I think I like it." Elizabeth explained with a smile.

"It fits her." Lucky offered as way of explanation.

"Gracie Spencer?" Patrick touched the baby's dark brown head. "How did you come up with it?"

"Lauren is a pretty close combination of Mom's name and Elizabeth's mother's name." Lucky explained. "And Grace is for Steven's favorite actress."

"Grace Kelly." Elizabeth added. "And I've always just liked the name. There aren't many Graces around and he swore she couldn't have another kid with her name in her class."

"And what about this handsome little guy?" Robin wanted to know while she made funny faces at the baby in her arms.

"Well Jacob for my grandfather." Elizabeth explained as she looked over at Lucky. "You want to take the middle name or you want me to save you the embarrassment?"

"Ha. Ha." Lucky managed. "Fine. It's Patrick. His name is Jacob Patrick."

"You named him after me?" Patrick didn't try to hide his surprise. Robin noticed that he was hovering over her and finally relinquished Jacob into his waiting arms. "Well he's obviously a lady-killer with those green eyes and my name to live up to."

"Jacob Cruz just sounded wrong." Lucky deadpanned.

"And in an effort to keep him from ever having your reputation, we're calling him Jake." Elizabeth threw in.

"You would try to make this all about you." Robin teased him, swallowing thickly at the vision of Patrick holding his namesake.

"It is about me. Hello, he has my name." Patrick reminded her glibly.

"As his middle name. That will only be used when he's in trouble." Lucky pointed out. "Wait a second....that actually does make it more appropriate than I thought."

"I'd smack you if I thought I could do so without dropping this little guy." Patrick assured his cousin.

"You couldn't do that if you _weren't_ holding him." Lucky scoffed.

"They just have to ruin a sweet moment don't they?" Elizabeth whispered to Robin.

"What amuses me is that you're still surprised." Robin sat on the edge of the bed.

"My brain is on a pain delay still." Elizabeth assured her.

"You did a great job." Robin told her. "I called your brother."

"Good. What'd he say?"

"He said he would be here as soon as he could and that you should convince Lucky to take off some time so you can sleep during these first few weeks."

"So he's pretending that I didn't already tell him that Lucky is doing just that? Did he actually use Lucky's name or just refer to him as he?"

"He is getting better. Apparently his girlfriend knew Lucky's name." Robin said.

"Girlfriend?" Elizabeth sputtered. "Excuse me?"

"Well at least I assumed she was a girlfriend. She was with him when I called and it's the middle of the night there."

"He is in trouble when he gets home." Elizabeth declared. "Serious trouble. Gives me grief about my love life but he finally meets someone and decides not to tell me? So wrong."

Treading softly, Patrick pointed out, "That doesn't necessarily mean she's his girlfriend."

Both Robin and Elizabeth turned and gave him steely looks. "What do you mean by that?" Elizabeth managed.

"I'd back out now if I were you." Lucky muttered to his cousin.

"Some...sometimes guys...stupid, stupid guys think it's best to be casual with women. There's a good chance that she's not as special as you're both making her. When does his production finish? Soon right? What sense would there be to engage in a serious relationship?"

"There wouldn't be." Elizabeth admitted. "But casual is not Steven's style. If she's there, then he's serious. Which is why I'm confused why he never mentioned her."

"He'll be home soon enough. And I'm sure you'll meet her." Lucky tried to assure her, sitting down on the opposite side of the bed as Robin, wrapping his arms around Elizabeth's shoulder and pulling her head to his shoulder. "I don't think he up and married her without telling you."

*****

Sherry Lockhart shoved her way past some frustrated nurses, her heels slamming piercingly against the maternity floor. This story was going to send her straight to the top of her field. No more take-out boxes littering her apartment: She was moving uptown. Though there had been no definite time table for Spencer's girlfriend to go into labor, how fortunate for her that she just happened to weasel her way into the baby shower? The aunt might have been suspicious, but she hadn't called Sherry out. A very loud, very blunt young man shoved her out the door, but not before she heard the girlfriend announce that her water had just broken.

Graham Nelson had been boasting for months about how sneaky he was sneaking the first real shot of Elizabeth Webber. He had been promoted three times since then based on that one stroke of luck! It didn't help that he was part of her team or that he had stolen the job she wanted. He was going to be shitting bricks when he found out that she had managed to get the first picture of Lucky Spencer newborn baby! She couldn't wait to tell him!

Of course, she hadn't gotten over to the nursery yet, but she was making her way slowly there. She didn't want anyone to recognize her and, after the chance she had taken showing her face at the shower, it was entirely likely that one member of the Spencer bunch might single her out. So she didn't have the picture? She had the delivery! After casually brushing past the mommy-to-be, she had planted a video bug on her sleeve. Though Sherry hadn't made it back to the van to check out the footage, her cameraman promised that it was some pretty compelling stuff.

She had been surprised to find out that this was Spencer's second time as a father. She estimated the boy's age at around three or four and damn if he didn't look exactly like his father! His son hadn't been mentioned in any previous press releases, but that was all about to change. Sometimes things really did work out. Suddenly all of the bragging and condescending remarks she had had aimed at her seemed worth it.

"Aren't they just the most perfect bundles of sugar you've ever seen in your life?' Daphne exclaimed to Taggert as she stood in front of the nursery window. She had been mildly perturbed to arrive at the shower fashionably late as promised only to find it completely abandoned. If it hadn't have been for the slightly angry party hostess, she would have missed seeing this glorious sight. No wonder Lucky was so confident he could keep that rock he bought a secret!

"They're cute." Taggert managed. He had an image to maintain and if he didn't watch his girlfriend would have him using words like "adorable" and "precious" as if they were acceptable to a man like him.

"Miss Vega!" Despite the pep talk she had just had with herself, Sherry couldn't pass up the opportunity to see one of her favorite artists in person. Eat your heart out Nelson, she smiled happily. "Is that really you?" Thanks to years of wearing too little makeup and never staying with the times as far as fashion was concerned, Sherry had an obvious advantage: She didn't look like a reporter.

Putting on her best "meet the public" smile, Daphne reluctantly turned her attention away from the two little darlings that were melting her heart at the minute. Offering out her hand, she subtly moved out in front of Taggert. "Guilty I'm afraid."

"I'm your biggest fan! I'm sure you hear it all the time, but I really am! Would you sign this?" Sherry pushed a blank notebook toward Daphne eagerly.

"Why of course sugar!" Daphne easily drawled. "What's your name?"

"Sherry." She practically squealed. What was next? Was she going to stumble on Elvis? While Daphne had her hands full, she edged closer to the nursery. "I didn't know you were expecting a baby." She said casually.

Taggert practically choked as Daphne just laughed. "Oh no. Not me. Just visiting a friend is all."

"I have to say, I was so disappointed when it came out that you and Lucky Spencer weren't an item." Sherry admitted on a long sigh.

"Oh sweetie. We could never be together like that." Daphne giggled as she patted Sherry's arm. "We're far too much alike."

"But you would tell me if you were expecting a baby, wouldn't you? I mean...I am your biggest fan." Sherry added lightly.

"Those days are many, many years away." Daphne assured her. "I have a career to be thinking of."

Taggert recovered enough to lean forward and touch Daphne's shoulder. "Baby, I know you hate to do this but if you want to make that visit, we're going to have to go now. Visiting hours are almost over and you have to be in LA in the morning." He didn't know where the urge to censor his conversation came from, but something about this fan girl was rubbing him the wrong way. There was nothing obvious, but there was just something screaming at him to get Daphne away from her and quickly.

Glancing down at her watch, Daphne whistled softly. "Shoot Sugar. You're right." Smiling apologetically at Sherry, she handed back the notebook. "I've got to run. Price of fame you know."

"Who did you say your friend was?"

"She didn't." Taggert said quickly. "She wants to keep her private life private. You understand." Lord this girl was nosy.

"Yes. I'm sorry." Tears sprung to Sherry's liquid blue eyes.

"Pay no attention to him. He's just a big meanie." Daphne assured her. "But I do have to go. I hope to see you at a show some time."

Sherry brightened. "Thank you so much for the autograph!"

"No problem!" Daphne called as Taggert led her by the arm down the hall.

Preview - . Her dark hair covered her flawless face and the shirt he recognized from yesterday had inched up in her sleep just enough to tease him with the barest hint of skin. Kneeling down, he rubbed her denim clad leg lightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.


	243. Bite My Tongue

Shrugging out of his holster, David Harper sighed as he entered the small one bedroom apartment he had called home for the past six months. It wasn't much, but it would do for now, he had reasoned. He had plans that didn't include paying rent on seven square feet with a view of the parking lot for the rest of his life.

His time on the squad was merely a means to an end. Unlike the other Dudley-Do-Rights and straight arrows that surrounded him daily, his reasons for joining up with the PCPD had little to do with fighting the good fight or working closely with the famous Commissioner Mac Scorpio. The PCPD merely provided him access to those he had scores to settle with.

Having grown up just off the hard living existence of Courtland Street, David had been no stranger the corruption that had lasted for years while the Frank Smith gang and the Corinthos racket ruled the streets. Instead of idolizing baseball players and James Bond, his only role models had been the drunks and drug pushers that littered his streets and the apartment complex he called home. The same bastards that beat his mother at night but hailed as heroes during the day, untouchable to all and escaping justice at every turn.

Checking to make sure the chamber was still full, David placed the gun back into his holster. With his service revolver, he now branded justice in this town. And he too could be considered a hero. He still glowed with pride when the autopsy revealed it was a bullet from his gun that had been the fatal shot for Jason Morgan in the prison yard. The fact it hadn't been him firing the gun was no matter. He had played a part in bringing justice that had been long delayed. For now that was enough.

Flipping on the lights, he blinked as he took in her form sprawled over the threadbare couch that sat in the living room. Her dark hair covered her flawless face and the shirt he recognized from yesterday had inched up in her sleep just enough to tease him with the barest hint of skin. Kneeling down, he rubbed her denim clad leg lightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Finding a woman as beautiful as this who shared his thirst for justice had been an unexpected gift, one he didn't intend on losing. "Wake up Gorgeous." He whispered into her hair. "Wake up."

At the ticklish feeling of her hair scattering across her forehead, Sam McCall lifted one eyelid and then the other, her lips forming a placid smile. Harper was the only one who ever called her "Gorgeous" and she could admit to herself that she was starting to like the nickname. She knew all his secrets, excluding his first name. She wouldn't have been surprised if Harper was itself an alias so she figured he would either tell her or not. It really didn't bother her. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's ok. I like waking you up." He smiled down at her. Catching sight of the paperwork that littered the coffee table, he grabbed at one of the stacks. "Research again?"

"What else? Killing Jason Morgan freed up a lot of my spare time." She joked wryly as she sat up and stretched causing the shirt to uncover her stomach. She let her arms drop thus forcing the garment to fall back into place. They were partners. Anything more would distract them from their main goals.

"I expected nothing less. How goes the mission?" He was careful to keep one hand pressed against her leg. Sam was determined to keep their relationship only on the partner level, while he wouldn't object to moving into a more intimate partnership. A large part of the desire to continue to work with her was the push-and-pull attraction they felt for each other.

"It's going. I kind of feel like I'm playing Ping-Pong for all the difference it's making." Sam got to her feet quickly and headed into the kitchen where she was planning on treating herself to a nuked cup of coffee.

"You'll find her Gorgeous." David sank back into the couch cushions she had just abandoned. "I have no doubt you'll find her."

"What about you?" Sam asked from the kitchen. They weren't supposed to discuss their common goal in public. The only reason he trusted such talk in this apartment was because the walls were sound-proof.

"If there's one thing you can count in this town, it's that the bad guys are in abundance. They might be better at hiding these days, but they aren't safe. I found four more of them tonight." The official reason for the stakeout had been a complete washout but spotting four of the pushers he remembered vividly from his childhood in the same neighborhood had more than made up for it. He smiled as Sam made her way back into the living room nursing her mug.

"Well since the Commissioner has his hands full at the moment, it won't hurt us to take out some of the bad seeds, now will it?" Sam reasoned matching his smile. "I can put on a fresh pot if you want some." She pointed to the mug in her hand.

"Nah." He shrugged and offered up a wink. "The only thing I want is a few hours in bed."

"I'll take the couch." Sam offered.

"That's not necessary you know." He pointed out.

Sam gave him a speculative look. "What? You want it?"

"Are you offering?"

"I was just going to take the bed if you wanted the couch." Sam clarified bluntly.

Chuckling softly, David was well aware she had purposely played dumb on the real intent of his question. "Go ahead Gorgeous. I'll be fine out here all alone."

"OK. Goodnight." Sam disappeared upstairs all too aware that she had dodged the bullet yet again.

"Night Gorgeous." He called up after. "Sweet dreams."

*****

Ric smiled as once again Maxie jumped back as the grease splashed out of the pan and onto her ivory skin. Not that he didn't appreciate her outfit, he did, but if she was going to insist on helping him cook breakfast, she had to realize there would be mess involved. "Blondie why don't you just sit at the table and let me serve you." He smirked at her.

"But I want to watch." Maxie whined adjusting the strap of her black bra so that it was tucked under Ric's "Kiss the Cook" apron.

"You can watch and not be burned by grease." Ric pointed out, shaking the pan a little so the eggs didn't stick to the sides.

"Where's the fun in that? This ensemble more than proves my importance in the kitchen."

"Oh yes. It screams five-star chef." Ric laughed. Maybe on the Playboy channel.

"Are you making fun of me?" Maxie stuck out her bottom lip in an unsatisfied pout. "Because I can change out of this if you think it's ridiculous."

Placing the skillet back onto the burner, Ric twisted around easily enough and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Don't you even think about it." He whispered as he dropped his lips to hers.

"We need pancakes." Maxie decided thwarting his attempt to kiss her. She moved about the kitchen as if she knew where everything was and selected each item she would need.

"Do you even know how to make them?" Ric teased, thoroughly enjoying the view she presented him with. It has been a welcome surprise to come back from Elizabeth Webber's early delivery to find Maxie waiting for him in nothing but her underwear and an apron.

Maxie threw him a dark look over her shoulder. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

"That I never pictured cooking as one of your many talents."

"Shows how much you know. My grandmother showed me how to whip up pancakes from scratch."

"Really? Please tell me she recommended this particular wardrobe choice as well."

Making a face at his suggestion, she turned her back to him once she had gotten a hold of a bowl.

"You know." Ric drawled as he snuck up behind her, resting his hands on her hips. "You don't _have_ to make me breakfast."

"But we have to keep up our strength." Maxie reminded him.

"I have plenty of strength." He assured her.

"But I thought you were hungry." Maxie pointed out breathing raggedly through her nose.

"I am. But not necessarily for food." Ric turned her gently in his arms so he could see her face. He tightened his hold on her hips to keep her from slipping away again.

"O-oh really?" Maxie tried to bite back her smile in time to face him. She almost succeeded.

Lowering his lips to nibble at her neck, Ric smirked pausing just before he made contact with her skin. "If you aren't sure, then it really has been too long for us."

"It has been a while." Maxie nodded turning her neck to the side to give him better access. "Ou-ouch!" She shrieked as the grease leapt from the pan and landed on her arm.

"Poor Blondie." Ric just barely managed to keep the laugh out of his voice. "Do you need some medical attention?" He purposely lowered his voice on the last two words of his question.

"It does burn." Maxie emphasized with a nod of her head.

Reaching over to turn off the stove, Ric pulled her arm up to examine it closely. Blowing on the slightly reddened area, he chased it with a light kiss. "Does that help?"

"A little. The pain is traveling up my arm." Maxie explained quietly.

"We can't have that." Ric placed kisses all the way up to her arm stopping at her shoulder. "Does it hurt anywhere else?"

"I think so. It's hard to tell. So many places..." She let her voice trail off.

"And we can't take chances with your health. After all you need your strength." Ric teased her as he moved his lips across her neck and towards her lips.

"What the fuck was that?" Maxie asked indignantly as some cruel person pounded on the front door. "Don't." She begged Ric when she noticed him start to retreat. "They'll go away."

"If I don't answer it now, they'll come back." He reasoned.

"Unless they're going to pick the lock, they won't know we're here." Maxie countered sliding her thumb and forefinger inside Ric's collar to stroke the back of his neck.

"Blondie..." He almost purred at her when the knocking was replaced by the ringing of the doorbell. "I have to answer it. They aren't leaving."

"They will. They really will." Maxie wasn't going to give up. This wasn't fair. They had already been interrupted with the early arrival of Elizabeth and Lucky's twins and now, NOW he was stopping them? Because someone was at the door, someone who was clearly lost?

The pout she was giving him should be illegal in this state Ric decided. He crashed his lips against hers, hoisting her up against him, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist. "If we can make it upstairs, we won't be able to hear the damn bell."

"Exactly." Maxie congratulated him for such quick thinking. The doorbell was replaced by a feminine shout, but it was impossible to decipher who it belonged to. "Oh for Christ's sake."

Somehow they had made it from the kitchen to the foot of the steps without him even knowing it. How the hell could one woman be so distracting? Placing her gently back on her feet, he rested his forehead against hers. "I'll get rid of them. You go upstairs and wait for me."

"Don't stand me up Dr. Lansing." Maxie warned him before hopping up the stairs.

"Never." He called after her, enjoying the view immensely. The insistent ringing of the doorbell forced him to rejoin the world that didn't revolve around Maxie Jones and her being in his bed right this very second. Taking an extra second to make sure he was at least somewhat presentable to answer the door, he finally threw open the door, fully prepared to quickly brush off whoever was standing there. Instead, his mouth dropped open and he couldn't help but stare.

"Katie?" The nickname slipped from his lips before he had a chance to stop himself.

"Good, you're here." Kate addressed him primly as she let herself into the house.

"What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk." Kate explained.

"What's there to talk about?" Ric asked as he closed the door behind her. "The papers came through. The ink should be dry now. We're officially over."

"You think a few pieces of paper can change the way I feel about you?" Kate asked incredulously.

"Katie." Ric lowered his voice and sat down, shaking his head. "I care about you. I always will. But we can't be together."

"How can we give up when we barely tried at all?" Kate demanded shrilly.

"There was nothing worth trying for Katie. We had both left each other a long time before I walked out."

"But I still love you. Can you honestly say you don't still love me?" Kate asked leaning over the arm of the couch so that their faces were mere inches from each other.

"Katie..." Ric shook his head. "That has nothing to do with this."

"I knew I wasn't too late." Kate smiled.

"That's not what I said. I already signed the papers Kate."

"But we can put that whole matter behind us and reconcile." Kate assured him.

"No." Ric shook his head. "We can't."

"Why not?" Kate stomped her foot. "Why aren't we worth fighting for?"

"Where was this fighting spirit while we were married?"

"I didn't think we would be getting divorced ever. I thought you would come around. I'm sorry. Okay? Is that what you want to hear? I was so stupid." Kate admitted tearfully.

"Katie..." He didn't want to be moved. He wanted to be stone faced at the sight of her tears. But he never could stand to see her cry. She so rarely did and the fact she was crying over this? It broke him a little, he could admit that much to her. "I know you're sorry. And you're not stupid."

"I kind of have to disagree." Maxie interrupted alerting them to her presence on the stairs. She had traded the tattered apron for a black and white polka dotted dress that hit her knees and swung out to form an elegant skirt.

Ric felt himself stiffen as her voice trailed over him. He stood up quickly and turned to face her. "Maxie!"

"So you know each other pretty well then?" Kate assumed in a dry tone.

"Probably a bit better than you knew the man you cheated on your husband with." Maxie added with a cold smile.

"How dare you?" Kate shrieked lunging for the stairs.

"Hold on!" Ric moved to grab Kate by the waist, effectively stopping her attack. He tried to ignore the dirty look both women gave him as he struggled to hold on to Kate. "I thought women were the fairer sex."

"Oh let her go, Ric." Maxie taunted the older woman with a calm, arrogant tone.

"This has nothing to do with you! How can you judge me? Sleeping with a married man isn't exactly a noble pursuit." Kate informed her.

"We're divorced Kate." Ric reminded her sharply. "The papers are signed remember?"

"Are you judging me? You? The woman who lost track of whose mattress her panties were stuck between?"

"Maxie." Ric cautioned her. "You really don't want to continue this." Kate only looked delicate. She didn't get to the top of her field by being afraid to fight. Her right jab was the reason she had gone through ten cameramen in ten months.

"I'm not afraid of her." Maxie assured him appalled that he would even insinuate such a thing. Her dad might have been a cop, but that didn't mean she hadn't had her fair share of bad boys or ended up in a situation that called for a nasty fight or two.

When he was a teenager the mere thought of two women starting a catfight in his vicinity would have been a dream come true. Now that he was a grown man, it was surprisingly not a situation he wanted to be in the middle of. "I think we all need to calm down here."

"Yes." Maxie agreed with a shake of her head. "Why don't you leave so we can get back to what we were doing before you came barging in?"

Kate backed up as if she had been physically slapped. It was all starting to fall into place: the man who had been seen in Maxie's presence after her sister's kidnapping, the woman her husband had moved on to, and then that awkward meeting between them at Kelly's. How could she not have realized it before? It was so obvious. Of course he would move onto a younger woman and why shouldn't he? It was a well-known fact that while she got older and started to depend more on makeup, he would just get better looking. "What makes you think...?" She met Maxie's eyes and a smile sprung to her lips. "What makes you think that you're more than a distraction from what Ric really wants? The only reason he's here with you is because he's desperate and you're willing."

Maxie could have said a number of things, but there was too much truth in Kate's words. This was why she felt out of sorts when this woman was around: She couldn't live up to the image. He might say over and over again that Kate wasn't what he wanted anymore, but it was clear in the way they fought that he was lying to himself, lying to her. And she had believed him. Stupid girl, she thought morosely. Stupid, stupid little girl. "I think it's time for you to leave now."

"Maxie's right." Ric kept his voice calm even though he wanted nothing more than to scream at Kate for her cruelty. "You need to go now."

"You know where to find me when you grow bored of your new toy." Kate reminded him and walked out.

**Previews**:

"He's not dead!" Morgan shook his head fervently.

"He is. He is dead." Robin stressed patiently.

"No! He said he would come and get me. He was supposed to come and get me!"


	244. This Is How A Heart breaks

Robin paced the short length of the upstairs hallway praying for strength. Until now, she had been able to keep him from finding out, but he deserved to know. Before last night, her old friend's body hadn't been released from the Coroner's Office yet. Waiting had been the right thing to do because the pain this was going to cause would be astronomical. She had promised herself that when she took over as his mother, she would spare him this kind of pain; she was supposed to have prevented this from happening a second time.

When she closed her eyes, she could see his stiff body hanging lifelessly from the makeshift noose. Though the guards had gotten her away quickly, the look in his eyes would haunt her forever. Even thinking about it made her cold and sick all over. Sure, she had known from the minute she met him that his lifeline would be short, but that didn't make any of this easier to handle. He had been kind to her at a time when she had felt like an outcast. She had thought for sure that once Stone was in the ground and she received no further correspondence from Sonny their friendship was gone as well. And then Alexis had called her in after Carly's heinous murder and informed her that Sonny wanted to give her custody of her sons. Even now, it was hard to wrap her head around.

For the second time in under a year she was going to send Morgan's life crashing down around him. Losing Carly had rendered him silent. What would Sonny's death do to him? He had been much closer to his father and had probably dreamt of the day when he would come and take him back home. In the back of her mind, she had worried he might do just that. Well the threat's over baby, Robin's inner voice promised. They'll never hand Morgan over to his kidnapper of an aunt and both of his parents are gone. Mike could never even petition a custody order because of his repeated abuse of alcohol. Tears stung the back of her eyelids and she fisted her hands. Why had she turned down Patrick's offer to tell Morgan? She didn't know if she could do this again.

From her spot beside his door, she could hear him playing happily with his new remote-controlled car. It had been a Christmas present but this was the first morning he had asked her to take it out of the box. She wanted so badly not to tell him a thing. He would never have to know what happened to his father. Why put him through such an ordeal when he probably believed his father would be put away for the rest of his life? It was common sense that one day Sonny would die. She didn't want to tell him that he had punched his ticket early.

Fess up you coward, Robin lashed out at herself. He deserves to know. How did you enjoy believing that your father was dead only to find out that he'd been safe and sound for years, hiding out only because he believed it best for you? It wasn't fair to do the same thing to Morgan. He deserved the truth. She wouldn't tell him the details. She didn't want to know herself. There were rumors that it had been an assassination, but none of the people spreading the vicious lies had seen the calm look in Sonny's eyes as she had.

Why hadn't she visited him at all? Sonny had never done well alone. After his first wife's death, she had found him with a cut on his hand the size of his entire palm and had to bandage him up. He was self-loathing and self-destructive. The only difference this time was that there hadn't been anyone around to help him; no one had gotten caught in the crossfire this time, only his son. Only his son would feel the pain and absence of his father. In the barest of terms, Morgan was an orphan. In reality, she knew she was his mother, felt it all the way down to her bones. Sonny's death only solidified the decision to leave Morgan in Robin's care.

"Morgan honey, come here for a second." Robin called out to him her voice surprising her. What was going on? She was nowhere near ready to face him. No, she couldn't do it. She wanted to run.

"I want to play with my car." Morgan told her even as he left his spot on the carpet and met her in the hallway. He didn't seem disturbed by the fact that she had one hand on the stairs.

"I know you do." Robin managed gesturing him forward with a wave of her hand. They would talk downstairs. She needed to sit down anyway.

"What's the matter?" Morgan wondered his dark eyes wide. They had lost the haunting aspect somewhere between the first time she had met him—the day she had delivered this same speech to him—and now.

"Honey, something terrible has happened." Robin said quickly.

"Animaniacs was cancelled?" Morgan looked distraught.

"Your Daddy died. There was nothing the doctors could do." Robin tried to grab his hands, but he pulled them further into his lap.

"You're wrong." Morgan accused angrily.

"No honey. I know." Robin countered with a gulp.

"NO! You're lying! You don't know anything!" Morgan screamed launching himself to his feet.

"The funeral's this afternoon." Robin could feel her heart breaking with each word.

"He's not dead!" Morgan shook his head fervently.

"He is. He is dead." Robin stressed patiently.

"No! He said he would come and get me. He was supposed to come and get me!"

Robin turned her face away from his view. There was a chance he had promised such a thing, but she didn't think so. Sonny never went back on his word. He knew he wouldn't be up for parole ever and there was no way he would tell Morgan such a blatant lie. Maybe Carly, but not Sonny. Morgan was just trying to hurt her. She wanted so badly to hold him, but he swatted her hands away.

"I understand if you need to blame someone." She whispered to him. "And it's not fair for me to spring this on you all of the sudden. It was poor planning and it's mean. I'm sorry."

"Just like every grown-up." He muttered in response.

"Like I said, the funeral is this afternoon, but if you don't want to go--"

"I don't want _you_ to go."

"Tough." Robin said on impulse. "I will be there. I loved your daddy too. He was my friend and I miss him."

"So what?"

"So you don't get to tell me not to go. I'm an adult and I'm going."

"You're mean! You're just like the rest of them!" Morgan shouted, racing for the stairs.

"Morgan!"

"Go away!"

"I will not go away!" Robin declared catching him before he got too far from her. He struggled against her hold, but she was in no mood to be shut out, not figuratively or literally.

Morgan met her eyes fearlessly. "I hate you."

*****

Mac had known this day was coming. Corinthos had shortened his life fifty years by taking over the mob so many years ago. Still, that fact did little to reassure the traumatized eight-year-old at his hip. Alexis had sworn it was her duty as Kristina's mother to attend the funeral and, despite doctor's orders, Mac had snuck her out long enough to do so. Of course, he had returned her as soon as the service was over filling her in on the regret he felt that the funeral hadn't lured Courtney out into the open. He had been counting on it. If he could get Courtney, he could get Logan. It didn't take a genius to know one would spill to save their own ass. If they wanted leniency, they never should have gone after his niece in the first place. Ever since the attack, Mac started to notice that the spark in Robin's eyes was dead, the one that told him that she still believed he could protect her. Over the last few months and a few misplaced conversations between himself and Patrick, he knew the younger man felt the same way.

Kristina stayed silent at his side. Her brilliant brown eyes were filled with tears as she realized her real daddy would never return to her. He had underestimated the devotion she had felt for Corinthos, had missed how desperate she was for his love. No matter how many times he told himself he was a better dad, he was starting to wonder if she would ever allow him to be one to her. She had fought him tooth and nail and that was when her biological father had still been breathing. What happened now?

When Robert and Felicia had dropped off their daughters to be looked after by Mac, they had, in many aspects, told their children that they no longer wanted them. Robin hadn't sat in the window praying for her parents to come home; Mac hadn't let her have any alone time for the first six months she stayed with him. He would drive her, or have one of his officers do so, to every ballet recital, violin lesson, and art class she had ever had. He had been the one to take her to her first cooking class at thirteen and stayed to make sure it was a legitimate class. Robin later admitted to having a crush on the much older teacher.

Felicia was a fickle woman. Seven years after dropping off Maxie and only Maxie, she left Georgie in Robin's care one day after school. Mac had come home to find all three girls in the kitchen making Pizza Rolls. Anna had later returned to claim Robin, believing Robert was dead, but Mac had let Robin make her own decision. At fifteen, she legally had the right anyway, but he didn't want to force her hand only to have her resent him for it later. Agreeing to a four-year trip with her mother, Robin had been whisked off to Milan and Sorrento to complete her high school career.

He had been treading water, he realized, waiting for Kristina to come to him on her own. He wanted her to know that she could, but she was a wary child at best. Her reasons were more than valid. She was such a guarded child, a trait she had picked up from both her parents no doubt, and sometimes he didn't know how to approach her. What was he supposed to say about a man he had loathed upon meeting?

"Mac?" Her voice startled him. "I'm very sad." Her statement caught him by equal surprise.

Mac bent down in front of her. "I know Princess."

"Why did he have to die?" Kristina wanted to know.

"It was his time." Mac said as graciously as possible.

"But he still had me and Morgan and Michael to take care of." Kristina argued. "How could he just leave us?"

"He knew you would be taken care of. You, Morgan, and Michael all have men in your lives who love you." Mac explained.

"I didn't get to say goodbye." Kristina sniffled.

"I know."

"Why?"

"Why?" Mac repeated.

"Why did he leave us in the first place?"

Mac took a breath. "Hasn't your mommy told you?" Obviously not.

"No." Kristina shook her head definitely.

"He was doing a lot of bad things."

"What kinds of things?"

"Just bad things." Mac amended. "And these things were illegal."

"Did he know that?"

"Yes."

"Why'd he do it then?"

"He thought he could get away with it." Mac told her.

"But that's stupid."

Mac forced to keep his expression passive. "And your mommy and I...well you know we couldn't let him do those things."

Tears in her eyes, Kristina asked, "Did you put him in jail?"

"Yes." Mac had never lied to one of his girls and he wasn't going to start now.

"Why?"

"Because that's my job."

"Why?"

"I promised to do it."

"Did you promise Mommy?"

"Yes."

"She didn't like my daddy." Kristina said as if it was news.

"She didn't like what your daddy did for a living." Mac countered.

"No, she didn't like him before that." Kristina challenged. "I heard her say he wouldn't get one finger on me."

"She was trying to protect you."

"From my daddy? He would never hurt me."

"He got Michael and Morgan's mommy shot." Mac informed her. "Your mommy wasn't going to sit around and let it happen to you or Morgan and neither was I."

"Did you like my daddy?" Kristina probed.

"I didn't understand him."

"What do you mean?"

"He had three wonderful children and all he cared about was keeping them in danger. I'll never understand his reasons for doing that."

"He was trying to protect us." Kristina defended.

"I know. He did try."

"It's not his fault we got kidnapped."

"No, that wasn't your daddy's fault."

"Are you sure he's dead?"

"Your dad? Yes."

"Do you know how he died?"

"Yes."

"Did somebody hurt him?"

"Why would you ask that?" Mac lifted an eyebrow at her question.

"Because I think somebody did."

"He did have a lot of enemies." Mac reminded her.

"No, I know who did it." Kristina assured him.

"Kristina—"

"I do! I know!" Kristina snapped.

"Who then? Tell me so I can arrest them." Mac goaded.

"Michael's daddy."

**Preview**:

"I am still in the room you know." Lucky pointed out. "You could wait to hit on her until I at least leave."

"Well it's your own damn fault for not putting a ring on her finger yet. I bet Lois wouldn't mind." Ned smiled cheekily.

"To know that you're hitting on other women? I'll call her right now."


	245. SOS

Ned Ashton never liked delivering bad news, let alone delivering it after such a blessed event. He had stayed hidden as long as he could without seeming rude and not a moment too soon. This morning's paper had been more than a little suspicious. Until his wife had told him, he hadn't known that they had twins, so how did one of the biggest newspapers in town have their first pictures? Lois was raving mad, having been on the phone all this morning and late into the afternoon. He had just left her actually. It was times like this when he wished he hadn't offered Lucky a job in the music industry. Why did the media always have to feed on good and spit out bad?

"Ned?" Lucky questioned when he finally noticed his boss standing in the doorway. The entire morning had been filled with more visits from family and friends than he even knew existed. Amazing how babies brought relatives out of the woodwork, he mused. It had slowed down since the funeral for Sonny Corinthos started. More than a few members of this town felt the need to actually see him be buried to reassure themselves he was really dead this time, unlike the previous five times his death had been reported. "Why are you standing there? Come on in!"

Elizabeth glanced up shyly from her lap where Jake and Gracie had been keeping her attention. Even though she had met Ned several times by now, he and Lois still intimidated her. "Hi Ned. Where's Lois?" She had assumed that much like Laura and Bobbie, Lois wouldn't be able to help herself and descend in full on honorary aunt mode.

"Sorry I didn't get here sooner." Ned apologized handing over two stuffed dogs, one pink and one blue.

"That's fine." Elizabeth couldn't help the sigh that escaped her when she saw the gifts. "Those are adorable."

"I guess they're still too little." Ned barely resisted the urge to scratch the back of his neck.

"Doesn't matter. It even works perfectly with their room theme." Elizabeth assured him.

"Want to see them?" Lucky asked proudly.

"That depends," Ned drawled. "Do they look like you or their mother?"

"Elizabeth and my mother."

"Jake has your eyes. Don't let him fool you."

Ned stepped deeper into the room and reached for Gracie first. Lucky helped him get a careful hold of Jacob. "My God, they're beautiful." He winked at Elizabeth. "Not that I believe you could have ugly children, Elizabeth."

"I am still in the room you know." Lucky pointed out. "You could wait to hit on her until I at least leave."

"Well it's your own damn fault for not putting a ring on her finger yet. I bet Lois wouldn't mind." Ned smiled cheekily.

"To know that you're hitting on other women? I'll call her right now."

"That's an empty threat." Ned shook his head. "Lois and I never saw ourselves having kids," He told them. "And now, well, it won't happen. Sometimes I wonder though."

"It looks like you're a natural." Elizabeth declared. "Gracie at least seems to like you."

"Gracie, huh? I like that." Ned whispered. "And Jake. They're going to be trouble. I hope you're ready." He kept his eyes locked on Elizabeth's.

"I'm already planning on limiting the extent of the 'lessons' I know Patrick and Cruz are just dying to impart." Elizabeth laughed.

"There is another reason I stopped by." Ned admitted sheepishly. There was no reason to stall any longer. They needed to know.

"No Ned, I won't work from home." Lucky joked. "Lois threatened me if I even thought about it."

Ned's smile fell. "Bad news."

"Define bad." Lucky sat down on the bed, closer to Elizabeth. There were only a handful of times he could remember seeing Ned worried. Right now, Ned looked worried.

Ned reached behind his back where he had stashed the newspaper and unfolded it. "The twins made the front page."

"What?" Lucky snatched the paper out of Ned's outstretched hands, tearing a small corner from the top in his hurry. Unfolding the paper, he could hear Elizabeth's startled gasp as the headline was revealed to them. "Lucky Spencer's Newest Hit Duo" in large bold letters on top of a picture of the twins, clearly in the nursery.

"Oh my God." Elizabeth managed to get out before covering her mouth with her hand. "How? How?"

"I don't know. It was leaked somehow." Ned divulged uneasily. "I didn't even know you had twins until I saw the headline."

"Shit." Lucky swore tossing the paper back on to the bed. Going over to Ned, he took hold of his children and nestled them both close to him. This wasn't what he wanted for them. It's was the exact reason why he had worked so to keep Cameron out of the public eye.

"There's more." Ned groaned.

"More?" Elizabeth managed weakly from the bed. Her eyes scanned over the article, trying figure out who could have leaked the information.

"Ned..." Lucky warned him as he moved closer to Elizabeth.

"Lucky, they know about Cameron. I don't know how, but they do." He decided not to tell them about what the newspaper was bragging about, because he, his wife, and the rest of the company were in the process of keeping that out of the tabloids and off the air. Something like this could ruin Lucky's image and embarrass Elizabeth to the point of isolation.

If he wasn't holding on to Gracie and Jake, he would have jumped up from his seated position and charged out of the room. How the hell had that happened? Who would have leaked that information? All his attempts to give Cameron a normal life was now shot straight to hell. Oh Tony and his lawyer were going to love this turn of events. "Does my mom know?" he asked quickly. Cameron had gone home with his parents last night. If his folks didn't know, they needed to and quickly.

"No." Ned shook his head. "I wanted to come to you first. Lucky, Elizabeth. I'm sorry about this. I don't know what happened, but we're going to fix it."

"How? How is this fixable?" Elizabeth wondered, her eyes filling with tears.

Because they don't have everything yet, Ned thought silently to himself. Because we're going to make sure this never happens again. "We're going to pay off the news station." They had plenty of money and, hell, if various presidents could get away with it, why couldn't they?

"Why the news station?" Elizabeth questioned. "It's a photograph. It's already out."

"We can limit the exposure." Ned insisted.

"And drive up the interest in the one that is already out there." Lucky pointed out. "I know how this game works Ned. That doesn't limit anything."

"I've been in it a little longer than you have, Lucky. Trust me. I didn't say we were going to stop there. A news station would be pretty useless without information and we're going to offer them something bigger than you."

"What? Michael Jackson?"

"Actually, Daphne's wedding." Ned clarified with a sigh.

"Her what?" Elizabeth and Lucky exclaimed together.

"She's the one who called us about the article. We're using her as a distraction."

"And Taggert's agreed to this?" Lucky asked incredulously. "Taggert? Tall guy? Bald? Walks around all pissed off?"

"It was Daphne's idea. We're taking the heat off of you long enough to snatch the media's attention with some other shiny object. She said she has a plan that even Taggert couldn't argue with."

"That's not a recipe for trouble." Elizabeth finally found her voice. That crazy, impulsive goofball of a girl. If this wedding went off, she was getting one huge present.

"This will not happen again." Ned assured them. "Not unless that stupid little station wants to be the reason I close L&B." He muttered darkly.

"Ned...this isn't your fault. Some fame hungry bastard out for a quick buck did this." Lucky pointed out. "I don't blame you."

"Maybe it is, maybe it's not. All I know is you and I and every employee under us has enough money to travel the globe a few hundred times. If L&B were to close, it would hurt the town more than any of us. Maybe then we could live our lives in something other than fear." Ned reasoned.

"Hey I knew what the game was and I chose to play it." Lucky pointed out. "I made myself a target."

"If I had told you the drawbacks first..."

"I wasn't stupid no matter what my cousin may insinuate at times."

"Assigning blame now isn't going to fix this." Elizabeth interrupted. "We need to deal with this now."

"I've always taken care of you." Ned told them, heading for the door. "This time is no different. Take care of those babies. I'll deal with the wolves."

*****

Even the whistle felt forced, but it calmed Patrick a bit as he strolled across his cousin's lawn to pick up Cameron. He was a little surprised that Lucky had called him first, but then, he was closer, wasn't he? The plan was to bring Cameron over to the apartment in case some nosy reporters like the one who had found out about their twins less than a day after their arrival came over and tried to follow-up. The last thing anybody wanted was for Cameron to be in the spotlight. It was understood that the twins would stay the same level of hidden as their older brother had, but that was all shot to hell now. He ran a hand through his hair and tried to stay calm. The last thing Cam would react well to would be a total and absolute freak-out on his part.

Elizabeth had phoned Aunt Laura right after him, so Patrick knew his little cousin was all ready to go with socks, shoes, a light jacket, and the backpack she had given him for starting "big boy" school. There was never anything in the backpack save a coloring book or a bunch of crayons, but the effect it had had on Cameron was apparent. He was absolutely overjoyed that soon he would be joining Lance and Morgan at school. Patrick knocked lightly on the door and waited patiently. When his aunt didn't answer right away, he got a little worried. Understanding her paranoia, he snuck around the back and used his spare key letting himself into the kitchen. Aunt Laura had one hand on her hip and the other holding the telephone. She wasn't talking to anyone; she was waiting for it to ring. Cameron was under the table looking a little scared.

"Patrick." Laura breathed out in relief.

"I got stuck in traffic for a second. I knew better than to take that route at this time of day." Patrick apologized carefully taking the phone from her.

"Yes. But you're here now. Cameron, say hi to Patrick." Laura coached him, trying to keep the anger and fear out of her voice. All Cameron knew right now was he was going to Patrick and Robin's to spend time with Morgan. She had to keep it together for her grandson's sake, no matter how badly she wanted to scream and pound on doors until she found the reporter that exposed her grandchildren to the world

"Hi Patrick." Cameron spoke unsteadily, his eyes darting back and forth between his grandmother and his cousin.

"What'cha doing under the table?" Patrick wanted to know setting the phone on the wall hook.

Cameron shrugged. "It's fun."

"You know what else is fun?" Patrick asked enthusiastically. "Coming over to my house and playing with Morgan!"

"Will Roby be there too?"

"Absolutely! She was cooking when I came over here to pick you up. She said something about remembering you like Scooby Do macaroni and cheese." Patrick told him.

Cameron nodded, making his way out from under the table, dragging his backpack behind him. "Where are Daddy and Lizzie?"

"They're still at the hospital Cameron." Laura started gently. "Remember they have to stay there with the twins."

Cameron nodded. "So can I go see them later?"

"Sure we can, but not today." Patrick explained. "Today it's just us boys...and Robin. We can go see them first thing in the morning. Would that be okay?"

Cameron tilted his head and thought about it for a second. "I guess."

"Did you get your jammies and toothbrush?"

"Gramma packed them."

"What about Wolfie?"

"He's upstairs. I'll be back." Cameron dashed for the room in a blur of legs and arms.

Patrick stepped toward his aunt and enveloped her in a hug. "Are you okay?" He whispered.

"I'm fine. It's Cameron I'm worried about. And the babies."

"Lucky and Ned are old pros at this. By this time tomorrow, they'll turn the entire exposure upside down. It'll work out. I promise." Patrick assured her.

"I hope you're right." Laura sighed.

"Is there anything you need us to do tonight? Have you had anything to eat?"

Smiling, she reached up to mess Patrick's hair. "Yes." She assured him. "You don't worry about me. Just keep the news away from Cameron. That's the most important thing."

"There are plenty of shiny objects at the apartment, don't worry." Patrick smirked cheekily.

"Got Wolfie!" Cameron announced as he raced back into the kitchen.

"Give Gramma a kiss and let's hit the road, Partner."

"Bye Gramma!" Cameron chimed cheerfully as Laura knelt down for him to kiss her cheek.

"Bye sweet boy." Laura responded, hugging him tightly to her. "You be good for Patrick and Robin."

"He can't be worse than me and they still haven't kicked me out." Patrick joked kissing Aunt Laura's cheek as well before snatching up Cameron and holding him, his stuffed dog, and the bag under his arms.

**Preview**: "My niece and nephew have been exploited! How can you act like that doesn't matter?"


	246. Lose Your Way

Sitting crouched over his laptop Dillon barely acknowledged the presence of the rest of his assembled family. Bobbie and Cruz's home had become the unofficial outpost for the troops. Meeting at the hospital was too risky. He had gathered from Cruz that Patrick and Robin had Cameron with them for the time being. Luke, Laura, and Lulu were all too busy trying to keep the reporters from finding too much information. Luke, Dillon suspected, was actually having fun with this, breaking out his every accent, even his horrid German one.

"Alright," Dillon announced to the group. "So far there is no one consistent story and I've yet to see that tape anywhere. There are more mentions of it than Britney's custody battle but not everyone is convinced it actually exists. That's good at least."

"That doesn't mean there isn't one." Bobbie pointed out. "We can't afford to discount its existence." She was willing to play whatever game her son-in-law wanted just as long as it would get her nephew and his new family out of the spotlight. It made her sick to think about what kind of tape could be floating out in Cyberspace.

"Believe me I'm not." Dillon assured her. "I have my email alerts set to send me any information that surfaces regarding Lucky immediately. Even on my cell." He smirked over at Lucas. "And you thought putting those settings on my computer were ridiculous."

"I forgot that we're not a normal family." Lucas grumbled under his breath. "How are Lucky and Elizabeth holding up?"

"I'd know more if I could get Lucky to answer his phone but he's turned it off." Cruz admitted. "And they've put a block on all incoming calls to the hospital. You don't have the password, you don't get put through."

"It's not fair." Bobbie declared glumly. "This should be the happiest day of their lives. They're a family. I don't understand why the media had to ruin this for them. They love Lucky. How could they do this to him?"

"It's because of that love. It's misguided." Cruz explained patting her knee and watching Majandra bounce in her little chair.

"Yeah apparently the media doesn't like to be lied to and Lucky was just caught in a whopper. It's like that with all first loves." Dillon decided.

"They have no right to feel betrayed. He's deserving of a good life. He's been through so much already." Bobbie complained impatiently. "I can't stand this waiting." To further illustrate her point, she stood up and started to roam the room, back and forth.

"Alright dude. Call me if you hear anything." Axe closed his cell phone as he wandered in through the kitchen. "Well whoever the Nosy One was, she's not someone anyone's heard of. No one else has heard of her."

"Oh great." It was Lucas' turn to be dramatic. "That means she's trying to make a name for herself."

"Yup Super Spy." Axe nodded. "I put out the word I want to meet up with her, hinted that I could get her some more inside dirt. I bet she'll bite. We'll find her Boss Man. Don't you worry."

"Just what I need: another crazy woman out to get me." Cruz joked winking at his lovely wife.

"Well maybe the two of you will just hit it off and you'll send postcards to your daughter." Bobbie's fuse was too short to take any of her husband's jokes.

"Bobbie..." Cruz tried.

"Alright corners everyone." Dillon declared. "We're all upset, but there's no need to go all Rocky here. We are trying to work together."

Coming down the stairs, Becca could feel the tension that radiated still through the room. She had come to support Axe and felt immediately out of place. She answered phones and few if any contacts that could help get to the bottom of this situation. Although she loved the gossip blogs as much as the next girl, she was a pure amateur when compared to Dillon. So she stuck with what she knew, volunteering to keep Lance occupied and out of the earshot of the conversation.

"Sorry to interrupt everyone." She spoke softly but the presence of another voice in the room made everyone jump just the same. "But Lance says he's not feeling well and wants to see one of his dads."

"I'll go." Lucas volunteered leaning over to kiss Dillon's forehead before disappearing upstairs.

"What's wrong with Lance? I thought he was over this cold of his." Bobbie asked concerned.

"I don't know." Dillon admitted. "He keeps saying something about his back hurting but it's just odd. At first we thought maybe he was just faking to get attention, but now I'm not so sure."

"Has he been to the hospital?" Bobbie wanted to know.

"No. Although maybe we should take him to see Dr. Jacobs."

"If you need to take him now, we can hold down the fort—"

"Don't be ridiculous." Dillon interrupted her.

"Bobbie, it's a back ache." Cruz reminded her gently as Becca came over to take Majandra into her own arms. "Dillon is probably right and it's nothing. Taking Lance to the hospital right now won't do anything but bring more attention to this family."

"I suppose that's true. But tomorrow? You'll take him tomorrow won't you?"

"Take who where?" Lucas wondered.

"Lance. To the doctor's." Dillon clarified.

"Mom, he's just a little bruised. Bungee jumping probably wasn't the best idea." Lucas cut his eyes to his husband's.

"BUNGEE JUMPING?" Bobbie shrieked.

"Lucas agreed to it." Dillon was quick to point out.

"Only because you got to me to agree before you told me what we were doing." Lucas argued.

"Um, guys?" Axe spoke up.

"What?" Cruz asked, thankful for the distraction.

Axe pointed to his cell phone even though only he could read the text message. "We got a bite."

*****

"I should have gone when Robin asked me to." Steven forced out a struggling breath. His niece and nephew were less than a day old and already there were pictures of them splashed across the Internet. He hadn't known until one of his co-workers brought it up. The guy had made a comment about being hurt that Steven hadn't mentioned being an uncle. Apparently Webber wasn't a famous last name, unlike Spencer.

"You didn't know this was going to happen." Georgie pointed out. "No one did."

"That's where you're wrong." Steven spun around to face her. "I knew this would happen the moment my sister told me she was pregnant."

"You did not. You thought she was going to be railroaded out of her child's life." Alright maybe it wasn't the best argument to make with Steven right now, but he was dangerously close to irrational at the moment.

"Why did she have to fall in love with a guy like that?" Steven asked aloud, not particularly searching for an answer.

"Like what?" Georgie challenged. "Someone successful? Someone who loves her?"

"They're going to chew my sister up and spit her out. Look what they've done to her already. And now her children too? He was supposed to keep this from happening." Steven pointed out.

"Number one your sister knew this was a possibility when she started dating him. Number two, if I know Lucky and I do, then I know he's doing everything he can do to stop this from continuing. If there is one thing I know about the Spencers, it's you don't mess with them. You don't get one, you get them all." Georgie reached out to place her hand on Steven's shoulder. "I understand you being upset, but believe me when I tell you this. Lucky is feeling exactly the same way you are right now. I'd place money on it."

"His sister's caught up in the media?" Steven folded his arms, not wanting to be comforted.

"Very funny." Georgie said dryly. "You just don't want to admit I'm right."

"When you say something that makes sense, then I'll think you're right. As of now, I don't agree." Steven told her.

"You're being stubborn. And you're acting about eight right now."

"I'm worried about my sister. Surely you can relate."

"I do relate. Believe me I do." Growing up as Maxie's sister had been an experience no one could ever fully understand, especially after the fallout with Bruce. But as worried as Maxie made her, Georgie also knew it was useless to try to protect Maxie from herself. Her sister maybe her own worst enemy, but she was also her best teacher. "But Elizabeth can take care of herself. She didn't walk into this blind."

"Love is blind." Steven countered with a weary sigh.

"Love conquers all."

"My niece and nephew have been exploited! How can you act like that doesn't matter?"

"I never said it didn't! I'm just saying this isn't all Lucky's fault, no matter how badly you want it to be." Georgie defended hotly.

"This isn't about placing blame." Steven corrected sharply. He felt helpless just sitting here. He wanted to be in Port Charles or he wanted Elizabeth in Paris. When their parents brought her home from the hospital, he had vowed to always protect her, but he hadn't kept his deal of the bargain.

"It sure sounds like it."

"I'm pissed off." Steven explained. "And no one asked you to come here and witness it, okay? You can run on back to your roommates if this is too much for you." He suggested harshly.

"Excuse me?" Georgie drew back as if he had hit her. "Run off? We're married, remember? There is no running off. I'm here and this is something we both have to deal with it. Those twins are my niece and nephew too you know?"

"You don't understand what this is doing to me. And you want to praise Lucky. It makes me sick." Steven pressed his fingers under his eyes in agitation.

"I'm just trying to make you see reason. Like it or not, Lucky is a part of your sister's life. And the twins' lives. Your insistence on blaming him for everything you don't like is going to do nothing but drive your sister away from you."

"Not agreeing with you doesn't mean I don't value your opinion." Steven backtracked.

"Could have fooled me." Georgie declared crossing her arms and moving towards the window. She leaned her forehead against the cool glass. The day had started out so well and it was rapidly going downhill.

"There's no rule book on protecting the people you love." Steven made his way slowly toward his wife. "And when you can't protect them, there's nothing worse than that. It completely demobilizes you."

"Agreed but it doesn't give you the right to cut me out of this."

"I'm not used to having someone around to confide in." Steven admitted sliding his hands under her arms and folding them around her tiny frame.

She wanted to resist him. Her brain screamed at her to stiffen her frame and walk away, but his touch always melted her. "No excuse," she managed.

"I know." Steven agreed moving her hair off of her shoulder so he could touch his mouth to the side of her neck.

A shiver worked its way through her body as his mouth made contact with the sensitive skin. "No fair trying to distract me." She protested weakly. "We need to discuss this rationally."

"Yes. You're right. We do." Steven whispered against her skin. He swept his right hand across her right shoulder and pushed the sleeve of her black and white blouse down her arm.

Turning around in his arms, she managed to cradle his face in her hands. "This doesn't count as talking." She whispered with a smile as she brought his lips closer to her own.

"You didn't say 'talk.'" Steven reminded her. "You said 'discuss' and that leaves a lot open for interpretation. Would you like me to show you how much I love you?"

"I thought love is blind?"

"That's pretty much how I feel when I touch you." Steven murmured. "Like a blind man striving to see." When she didn't respond right away, or at all, Steven couldn't help but smile. The expression was a nice contrast to the heat in his gaze. "Come to bed, Mrs. Webber."

"I don't know." Georgie pretended to be demure. "I might have to run off or something."

"I didn't mean it." Steven bargained and kissed the inside of her palms.

"I think I might need some convincing." She took another step toward him, trailing one hand down his chest while wrapping the other around his neck.

*****

Watching from the window, Ric made sure Kate actually threw her car into reverse and was driving down the street and around the corner before he even chanced looking at Maxie. He hadn't anticipated Kate's visit, a move he now realized was stupid. Kate had left him several messages at his office, which he had ignored out of self-preservation more than anything. He should have known Kate was going to do what Kate always did when ignored: she'd force a confrontation.

Turning around he let out the breath he had been holding ever since Kate called out her goodbye over her shoulder. "She's gone." He announced.

"Thanks so much for telling me. I'm obviously too stupid and too naïve to figure it out for myself." Maxie said. She was tired of standing so she half collapsed on the second-to-last step.

"Don't put words in my mouth." He told her. "That was Kate, not me."

"Who could tell the difference? It's not like you were busy arguing with her." Maxie informed him.

"No I was too busy keeping you out of jail for assault."

"No arrest would have ever been made." Maxie countered holding up her hands.

"And then Kate would have done a whole story about small town police corruption, starring you and your father." Ric pointed out. "Trust me on that much."

_"Trust you?"_ Maxie asked incredulously.

"Yes. I realize it's a concept we're still working on here, but I do know how Kate works. The best course of action was to keep you two apart and send Kate on her way." Ric knelt down to touch Maxie's cheek.

Maxie slapped his good intentioned hand away. "You told me your marriage was as good as over the moment we met. You said you didn't love her anymore. You stood there and let her say whatever she wanted about me."

He shook his hand from the force of her slap. "It has been over. A long time before I met you, but even more after that. I never said I still loved her. And you seemed to be handling yourself just fine. You didn't give me a chance to stop her with you baiting her."

"So this is my fault? I asked for a verbal assault?"

"I didn't say that."

"What _did_ you say?" Maxie challenged.

"I said you didn't need my help." Ric defended himself. "You never seem to need my help so pardon me for not picking up that I was supposed to rescue you."

"You're right." Maxie nodded. "You're always right. Does it ever get old?" Maxie inquired before stomping upstairs.

Hot on her heels, Ric followed her up the stairs. "Maxie, it doesn't work like that anymore."

"Like what? Did I talk out of turn?" Maxie refused to look at him.

"You can no longer write me off as if we don't matter." Ric reached out and turned her around, placing one finger under her chin to force her stubborn eyes to look at his. "The whole dating thing doesn't work if you run from everything."

"Do you want us to work?"

"Do you?"

"I stopped didn't I?"

"I came after you didn't I?" he retorted.

"Now."

"When haven't I?" He challenged her hotly. "When haven't I come after you?"

"Five minutes ago."

"Blondie." Ric dropped his voice to a whisper. "I did choose you. You're here. She's not."

"Do you think she was right?" Maxie wanted to know.

"Right about what?" Kate had thrown a lot of accusations around and honestly Maxie could be ready to kick hiss ass for any one of them. He was going to need some clarification.

"Am I some distraction for you until you forgive her and she comes screaming back?"

He didn't have to hesitate to answer her. Kate may still get under his skin from time to time, she might always affect him, but he wasn't waiting for her to return to him. Not anymore. "Not even close."

"I don't believe you. It's in your eyes, and I simply can't believe you." Maxie returned to her task of heading up the stairs and fetching her shoes.

He reached out and grabbed her arm. "What's in my eyes? The fact that I still care about Kate? I was married to her for years, Maxie. I'm not a heartless, brainless moron who issues death threats when a relationship ends. Yes I care about her, but under no circumstances does that mean I'm just killing time with you. I wouldn't risk this much on something that didn't mean anything to me."

"I want to be important to you."

"You are important to me."

"Is she going to continue to be a problem?"

"She'll try." Ric said honestly. "But she'll only be a problem if you let her be one."

"How can I not?"

"You're not going to like my answer." Ric warned her.

"Go ahead."

"You're going to have to trust me. And trust what is going on between us."

Maxie took a breath. "Maybe it was a bad idea to come over here."

"No." Ric shook his head stubbornly. "That is never a bad idea."

"I don't want a repeat of this morning." Maxie informed him.

"There won't be." He replied confidently.

"You can't possibly guarantee that."

"No. But if it does happen I can guarantee a different outcome."

"Do share."

He advanced on her slowly, pulling her ever so softly to him. "See now that I know you actually do need me for something, I know I need to save you. That I can do easily."

"What if I need saving from you?" Maxie asked tilting her head back to look at him.

"Well that would make two of us, because I think I might need saving from you too."

**Previews**:

Barely edging Lucas out of the small doorway into Lance's small bathroom, Dillon eased the light on, blinking as the harsh glare assaulted their eyes. "What is it? What happened?"

Lance caught his parents' wild stares and wailed, "It hurts!"


	247. Innocence

**I'm baaaaaaaaack! Hope Thanksgiving was awesome for you!**

"Spider-Man. Elvis. It's time for bed." Robin announced from the top of the stairs. Cameron and Morgan looked up from their circle of toys and let out a collective sigh. "They'll be plenty of time to play tomorrow." She promised them.

"Tomorrow's school." Morgan reminded her.

"Do we have to go to school Roby?" Cameron asked.

Cam's question caught her completely by surprise. She hadn't been considering the alternative, but maybe she should. From what Patrick had told her, it was a stroke of luck that he had gotten to Cameron before the reporters had. "Why wouldn't you? It's a school day." If she changed her mind in the morning, that'd be one thing. No matter what, Morgan was going to school. She had already spoken with his teachers about the last few weeks he would miss and they had been very kind and courteous about it, nothing like the situation Patrick had painted for her.

"But Patty promised I was going to see Daddy and Lizzie tomorrow."

Patrick bent the newspaper in half and sent Robin an apologetic smile before lounging back in the only piece of furniture he had gotten to keep: His leather Laz-E-Boy recliner. "Tomorrow afternoon. Visiting hours aren't until school gets out." Robin explained coyly.

"But I don't want to go to school." Morgan complained punching one of the purple couch pillows.

"Tough." Robin and Patrick said in unison.

Robin focused her attention on the four-year-old in her care. "Does your daddy have a special bedtime for you Cam?"

"No." Cameron shook his head.

"Okay. I have your toothbrush here. Why don't you boys go upstairs and brush your teeth and then we'll get into our jammies okay?" Robin suggested with a smile.

"Are you going to read us a story Roby?"

"Yes I am." Robin nodded. "But brushed teeth and jammies first."

"I'll race you Cam." Morgan goaded shooting up the stairs.

"I'll beat you!" Cameron called after him running just as fast.

"Hold it." Patrick yelled from his chair. "Slow down or you'll trip on the stairs." He missed his girlfriend's shocked expression and returned to his paper.

"Night Patty!" Cameron called as he ignored Patrick's warning altogether.

"Beat you! Beat you! Beat you!" Morgan chanted once his younger cousin reached the second landing. He was jumping up and down.

"No fair! You cheated!"

"Okay enough." Robin ordered pushing them lightly in the direction of the bathroom. "March."

"Thanks for getting us in trouble Cameron." Morgan muttered under his breath.

"You started it."

"I did not." Morgan argued.

"Did too."

"Cut it out." Patrick told them at the foot of the stairs, having left his chair long enough to pick up something from the kitchen.

"Are they fighting again?" Robin asked from Morgan's bedroom. She had snuck past them and retrieved their pajamas.

"Did they ever stop?" Patrick asked rhetorically.

"We do too." Cameron said crossing his arms exactly the way he had seen his father do a million times.

"If you boys can't get along, there'll be no bedtime story." Robin warned.

"Fine." Morgan grumbled shoving past her.

"Hey!"

"What?" Morgan challenged.

"Go to bed Morgan. Just take your bad mood to bed." Robin answered sternly.

"I was going anyway. Come on Cameron." Morgan took Cameron's hand.

"Night Roby!"

"Goodnight Cameron. I'll be back to check on you boys in a minute." Robin excused herself from the conversation and headed downstairs. Patrick crooked his finger at her and she walked into his waiting arms. "It's like he's finally taking after...nothing. Never mind."

"He's had a tough day. So have you. So have we all." Patrick reminded her. "Give him some time. He'll snap out of it."

"Do you think I should make Cameron go to school tomorrow?" Robin wanted to know.

"Yes." Patrick nodded. "If we start acting like there's something to hide, the press will never let up."

"And if they bombard him at school?" Robin countered.

"Then we'll handle it." Patrick attempted to diffuse her worry.

*****

"Morgan? Hey Morgan?" Cameron whispered from his spot securely snuggled into Morgan's Spiderman sleeping bag. "You awake Morgan?"

"Yeah. Are you?" Morgan whispered back.

"Yeah." Cameron twisted his head to the door, making sure that Robin or Patrick wouldn't bust in and interrupt anything. "Morgan? Grownups are acting weird."

"They really are. Do you know why?"

"No." Cameron shook his head. "They keep looking at me but I didn't do anything."

"Are you sure?" Morgan asked suspiciously. "Even little things make grownups mad."

"I know but I'm pretty sure I didn't."

"Were they weird yesterday?"

"No. I don't think so." Cameron shrugged his shoulders. "They were pretty caught up in the babies."

"Maybe they're sick of them. Babies cry a lot. That's what Michael said I did."

"They're pretty new to be sick of them."

"That's true." Morgan agreed. "Hmm. Maybe it's not the babies."

A door opened and closed and they each pretended to be asleep. Cameron broke the silence first.

"Morgan? Do you think it's 'cause there were two babies and not one?"

"You mean like they only have one bed and two babies? Maybe, but I don't see Lucky or Elizabeth giving one back."

"Me neither. But everyone sure seemed surprised there was two."

"Did you know?"

"No." Cameron shook his head. "But maybe since they have two now, there won't be anymore."

"Did they tell you about the babies before they came or did you figure it out first?"

"I guessed."

"But how did you know?"

"Gramma was talking about how she thought that was why Lizzie and Roby weren't coming to see her. And then Daddy and Lizzie said they had to talk to me about something big."

"Can we stay up for a little while? I'm scared." Morgan admitted hiding his face behind the flap of his sleeping bag.

"I bet we can stay up all night and Roby and Patty will never know."

"I hope so. I don't want to talk to them." Morgan nodded.

"Why not? I like talking to them."

"Because I want to go home."

"But this place is so much bigger than Roby's loft."

"I mean my real home." Morgan corrected his little cousin. "The one where my real Mommy and Daddy were. Where Michael was."

"But Michael was mean."

"Daddy wasn't though. He would come and pick me up from school sometimes and then we would play together without Mommy or Michael."

"Roby does that. And Patty does that too."

"It's not the same." Morgan told him.

"Why not?"

"It's like Elizabeth being your mommy. Do you want her to be?"

"I don't know." Cameron shrugged. "I've never had a Mommy before."

Morgan turned over. "I had one." He whispered and closed his eyes.

"What's it like?"

"It's great. Mommies take care of you when you get hurt. They make you chicken soup when you don't feel good. They take you places with them and yell at the other drivers on the road 'cause sometimes you're in a hurry and they're not going fast enough."

Cameron nodded. "Well Lizzie does that for me. Doesn't Roby do that for you?"

Morgan thought about it for a minute. "I guess she does."

"I don't know maybe having a mommy isn't so bad."

"Maybe."

*****

The streetlight shone abrasively into Lance's face and his hands reached up to hide his eyes. Usually, his daddies would pull the drapes together, but they hadn't been paying him any attention today. Yesterday Lucky and Elizabeth's babies had been born, but no one had offered to take him to the hospital to see them. It was just as well. He felt lousy. Rolling onto his right arm, he cringed and climbed out of bed.

He could never remember his house feeling dark and creepy to him because, after all, he had lived here as an itty, bitty baby. When he moved from the crib to a big boy bed, Daddy Dillon had bought him a Shrek nightlight, but he had given that up once he had started school. No way was he going to have a nightlight like Cameron, like a little baby.

Bedtime was hours ago, but something had woken him up, something other than the streetlight. Only in a pair of long Kermit trousers, he hurried to the bathroom and shut the door so no monsters could follow him in. Morgan had told him all about the monsters. He also told his cousin not to turn on any lights. The only way to beat a monster was to lure it out of the shadows and then scream for a grown-up.

Lance didn't want to scream for either of his daddies, because he simply wasn't going to look for any monsters to fight with. If he didn't bug them, they would leave him alone. He flipped up the lid on the toilet and slid his trousers down, finally realizing what had gotten him out of bed. Only babies peed in the bed and he was not a baby.

Lucas turned onto his side and collided with his husband's back. Blinking, he lifted his head off of the pillow and rested it in his palm. The house was silent. He told himself night after night that no one had come after his son and no one was going to during the kidnappings or immediately following them. Until tonight, he had been convinced that his son was completely safe. A scream tore through the air. He and Dillon tripped over blankets, pillows, and each other in their pursuit.

Barely edging Lucas out of the small doorway into Lance's small bathroom, Dillon eased the light on, blinking as the harsh glare assaulted their eyes. "What is it? What happened?"

Lance caught his parents' wild stares and wailed, "It hurts!" It was in that moment that both Dillon and Lucas glanced down and noticed the blood filling the commode.

**Previews**:

"Oh are you tired?" Sam sent him a look over her shoulder.

"No but you will be. The winner gets the bedroom for two weeks as well as the results of the loser's research. Sharing is always optional."


	248. Get To Me

"It's not like I'm going to screw up cards. How can you not trust me to cut the deck?" Sam feigned hurt as she stole the cards from the middle of the table. It was hot and muggy outside, not exactly the type of weather either of them wanted to go look for bad guys or birth mothers alike in.

"Because Gorgeous, I know you." Harper shot her a wink and grabbed the cards back out of her hands.

"You know what you want to know." Sam corrected trying to snatch them. "And anyway, if someone's going to cheat, it's going to be you."

He evaded her attempt easily enough, raising his hand above his head. "Now Gorgeous where's the love?" Harper teased easily, completing the shuffle with one hand. "Five card draw. Any wild?"

"Alright." Sam folded her arms across her chest. "Shock and awe me Detective."

Dealing the cards with a practice air, Harper smiled as he checked his cards. Two cards from a straight. This was do-able. "I deal. You start the bets Gorgeous."

"Oh you are so going down. You sure you want to do this?" Sam watched him over the rim of her cards.

"With you? Always." He offered out the deck. "Any discards?"

"And lose this hand? I'd sooner resurrect that mistake of a boyfriend. You?"

"Confidence. I appreciate that in a woman." Harper leaned back into the chair, pondering his options. "Dealer takes two." He finally decided. Seeing the needed two cards for his straight come up, he fought against smiling wider than he already was. The fun of poker, especially with a woman like Samantha McCall, was the mental aspect. The give and take. The calculation and risk. Just how big of a risk was Sam willing to take tonight? It was his goal to find out.

"I do believe the bet is in your hands." He said calmly.

Sam had played cards long enough to know that you never looked at them but one time and that was when they were dealt out. You had what you had and if you started switching cards too early in the game, it would prove you were holding a losing hand. "Let's start with ten. I know your new salary is pretty measly and sending you to the poor house is not what I have in mind tonight."

"I'll see your ten." Harper pushed the bill to meet hers in the middle of the table. "And I'll raise you another five."

"Somebody's feeling good." Sam set another bill on top of his so that they almost made a little green house.

"Someone wants to be feeling better." Seeing her not rise to his bait, as he expected, Harper leaned further back into the chair and kicked his feet onto the table. "How about we make the stakes more interesting?"

"What did you have in mind?" Sam asked mimicking his laid-back posture and throwing one leg over the other.

"Not that I won't thoroughly enjoy taking your money, cause I will, but I was thinking of something more beneficial. To us both."

"First of all, you aren't touching my money. Secondly, I don't think I want to hear this."

"I already told you Gorgeous. I want you willingly, not as part of a bet. No, no. What I was thinking is the loser does the winner's research for the next two weeks."

"You've got a deal." Sam held out her hand for him to shake.

"You're going down partner." Harper promised as he took hold of her hand.

"We'll see. If you're out of shiny objects, can we play the game?"

"I've always been playing sweetheart. You keep stalling."

"I'm not stalling." Sam argued. "I just have a lot on my mind I guess."

"The project? Or something else?"

"A little of both I guess." Sam answered cryptically. "One discard."

"Still confident." Harper passed the new card easily. "Any way I can help take your mind off your issues?"

"Just focus on your hand." Sam told him.

"Dealer stands." He raised one eyebrow suggestively in her direction. "I do believe it might be time you show me the goods."

Sam fanned out her cards in her hand and smiled. "It's not much of a sacrifice." She said to him as she laid out her hand of one Queen, a nine, a four, a King, and a Jack.

"Impressive." Harper laid out his own cards, his own straight with a King high. "Looks like we've tied."

"So much for your higher stakes. We're back where we started." Sam laughed and shook her head.

"There's always a tie breaker."

"I'm going to need some incentive." Sam told him as she slid out of her chair and got to her feet.

"Incentive." He watched her walk towards the small kitchen. "The bedroom."

"Oh are you tired?" Sam sent him a look over her shoulder.

"No but you will be. The winner gets the bedroom for two weeks as well as the results of the loser's research. Sharing is always optional."

Sam caught herself blushing and had to show him her back instead. She had walked right into that one with both feet. "Deal. First, we order. I'm starving."

"What are you in the mood for? I'm up for anything."

Sam thought about it. "Tacos. Do you think this town has tacos?"

"If not, then we need to blow this place pronto."

Sam threw Harper the phone. "I want a lot of hot sauce and no tomatoes. I like mine fresh and I picked some up today."

"Hot and fresh. Just like you. Got it."

"You know, there are places in the world where people still lose a body part for doing or saying bad things. I'd be more careful if I were you." Sam deadpanned.

"You wouldn't do that to me. You enjoy this too much."

"What I'd enjoy is a little professionalism. We have a bottom line. I don't want it to get blurred."

"I'm not suggesting we blur it. We want the same thing Samantha." He stood up and walked over to where she was standing, stopping just short of touching her. "Face it. We are two of a kind."

"Trust isn't something I give easily and so far you haven't given me any reason to withhold it from you." Sam assured him. "We can be friends, but if you're looking for something more..."

"I'm looking for what you're willing to give." Harper shook his head. "Do you think I could find another woman anywhere in the world like you? I'm not going to mess this up. You'd be impossible to replace."

"We're a dime a dozen." Sam argued taking a step back.

"You're wrong." He matched her step with one of his own forward.

She hated that she was retreating like the coward her father had always accused her of being. "Let's just say you win. You can have the bedroom."

"No way. I told you before. I only want to win if I earn it. The bedroom is yours."

"I don't mind the couch. I'm sure you'd be much more comfortable..." Her voice trailed off.

He cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Not doing it Princess. The bed is yours. When you are ready for me to be in it, then I will be. But not before."

*****

When the rest of the world crashed and burned around you, there was only one person a girl could turn to: her best friend. Elizabeth grabbed the phone that was set up next to her bed, and quickly dialed Robin's cell phone number, figuring it was least likely to have a bug placed on it. She shook her head as she recognized Lucky's paranoia in her thoughts. Not that this particular time didn't have merit.

She needed to get out of this hospital and get her children away from the constant threat of further exposure. Ned had suggested a cabin he and Lois had bought a few years back in the mountains, close to home but far enough away from the prying eyes. It would do until the media became fully enamored with Daphne's wedding. Now they just needed to get there.

"Come on Robin, pick up. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up."

"Hello?" Robin sandwiched her cell between her ear and shoulder while she cleaned out the oven.

"Robin? You're still standing?"

"Elizabeth? It's so good to hear your voice. I've been so worried about you, but there's a little device on your hospital phone that directs calls to oblivion."

"The joint decision of Lucky and Ned. Normally I'd make fun of them, but this time I might actually agree with them."

"Are you alright? I didn't even know anything was wrong until Patrick showed up with Cameron tucked under his arm." Robin explained.

"I'm fine. Pissed off and scared at the same time but I think I'm doing ok. How was Cameron? Do you think he knows anything is off?"

"I think all kids pick up on things, but he's been an angel." Robin assured her friend.

"An angel? Are you sure you have Cameron with you?"

"An angel compared to Morgan. How about that?" Robin tried.

"Much more believable." Elizabeth sighed. "God Robin, it wasn't supposed to be like this."

"I know it baby." Robin said quietly abandoning the task at hand. "But you've got Lucky, Ned, the entire Spencer clan, and me and we take care of our own."

"I know that and I love you all for it. It's just hard to sound excited right now when the hospital wants to discharge you and you can't exactly go home."

"You can't go home? Well, no, I guess you wouldn't be able to do that." Robin almost slapped herself for being so naïve. "Do you have an alternative?"

"Ned and Lois offered us this cabin they own. Lucky thinks it's near the one Patrick's parents had. Anyways we're planning on going there. At least until news of Daphne's wedding starts replacing the twins as the number one web search."

"You're giving Britney and Lindsey a run for their money." Robin tried to joke.

"I almost wish one of them would stop by. At least then we might stand a chance of getting out of here without being noticed."

"It's too bad we're not living in The Birdcage. They were great at distractions." Robin sighed.

"Too bad. I don't think we can convince Lucky to dress in drag to get out of here."

"I bet Dillon has a few costumes you could use..." Robin went on as if Elizabeth hadn't spoken at all.

"He probably does. He sent me the strangest text messages last night."

"Like what? This is Port Charles."

"Well first he claimed to have an exit plan all set for us and he'd tell us in the morning. Then he texted again saying Lance was downstairs and sorry the plan wouldn't exactly work out now."

"Lance?" Robin asked, surprised.

"I know." Elizabeth nodded, forgetting that her friend couldn't see her. "Lucky's downstairs now trying to find out what's going on."

"Did they get bored when they were on vacation? Is that why they thought it'd be fun to return to the hospital? You were right: We spend far too much time there. If I could work it out, I'd have this baby at home." Robin shook her head. "So it's up to us then to get you out of there."

"As always, we should never leave the importance stuff to the men. And for the record, if you try to have this baby at home I'm driving you to the hospital myself."

"I wouldn't rob you the joy of another hospital visit." Robin promised. "The press is going to be looking for you, Lucky, and two little babies. My suggestion is you each wear some sort of disguise—even if it's just sunglasses—and let one of us carry out the babies."

"That just seems too simple. Although you could make the argument I've been talking with Dillon too much for that one."

"I think I'll take that argument and raise you a voice of reason."

"Are we to the point of reason already?"

"Think about it. The reporters think they're so smart right this second. And you manage to get out without being noticed? No matter what, someone else has the twins."

"And how exactly am I supposed to get this disguise? I can't leave just yet and Lucky walking into a costume shop will draw suspicion."

"I'll come to you. Patrick can handle the boys for five minutes."

"Slight issue. Cameron. How do we get him to the cabin?"

Robin snapped her fingers as an idea came to her. "Remember when Patrick and I went out on our first date?"

"Which one?"

"First time around. With the jet. He told me a very good client had let him borrow it. The press doesn't know us and they only know Cameron by name, not his face. If you'll notice, there's no picture of him anywhere, not even on the Web. What if we dropped him off?"

"That could work. I'll talk it over with Lucky when he makes his way back up here."

"Okay. I'll talk to Patrick. I think the client's number is actually in his phone."

"Good and Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"You are back on the top of the godparent list."

"Damn straight. What are sisters for?" Robin laughed.

"You're way better than my actual sister at this point." Elizabeth replied with a chuckle.

"Love you. Let me know what Lucky says."

"I will. Love you too."

**Previews**:

"If we have to be fugitives, at least we'll be comfortable." She joked as she took hold of her son.

"I'm sorry Princess." Lucky sighed as he sat down next to her. "If I could fix this..."


	249. Shattered

Dr. Karen Wexler pushed a strand of caramel brown hair behind her ear as she walked in to check on one of her newest patients, Lance Anthony Jones. His parents had brought him in the morning before and they had run an ultrasound to determine exactly what was wrong with him. Blood in the urine and a back ache could have been anything. It was quite rare for this kind of disease to show up so suddenly at such a young age. Most people inherited it from their parents and then went years, decades, without a single noticeable symptom. Poor little Lance had gotten the bitter taste of what was to come.

He had been a little trooper when she had taken his blood pressure both times, once this morning and then again later in the afternoon, and it had been elevated in both instances, a symptom of PKD. She met the eyes of his worried parents and gave each of them a warm smile. "I won't ask you how you're doing, because that would be foolish and cruel." She told them. "I was able to run some tests and it confirmed what I had suspected. Lance has a rare condition know as Polycystic Kidney Disease. It's an inherited disease that sometimes goes unnoticed for years. For most people, it has no symptoms. Obviously, Lance is in the minority. We were able to detect three small cysts on his kidneys."

"Cysts?" Dillon questioned weakly.

"Yes. Is there a mother in the picture?" Dr. Wexler wanted to know.

"No." Dillon shook his head. "Not in years."

"We used a surrogate." Lucas explained.

"Is there a way you can test me and see if he got it from me?" Dillon asked.

"I was actually about to suggest that." Dr. Wexler nodded. "Now there are two ways we can treat this. Mind you, there is no definitive cure."

"Just tell us what the options are Doc." Dillon begged.

"There are ways to lessen the condition and that's what we want. As I said, most people don't even have symptoms. They have no pain. That's what we want for Lance."

"Is this fatal?" Lucas wondered.

"It can be, but there's no reason to assume it will be. As a doctor, I rely on facts. Our hands aren't tied. Now, I'm going to suggest some medication for your son to take: Tylenol or Aspirin. If the condition worsens, surgery may be required to remove the cysts." Dr. Wexler clarified.

"That's all we can do? Tylenol? It doesn't require anything more, I don't know, dramatic?" Not that Dillon wanted to condemn his son to life in a bubble, but for a rare disease the treatment seemed painfully ordinary to him.

Dr. Wexler watched him solemnly. "I'm afraid there's not much else we can do. This disease, while common...well there's just not a lot we know about it."

Dillon ran his hand through his hair, stunned almost into silence. "What...what do we tell our son?"

"Tell him that Dr. Karen told him to take his medicine and not spit it out. I did notice that his blood pressure was elevated, so I will give you some medication to regulate it. So far as I can tell, he doesn't have a urinary tract infection, but I'd like to see him in three weeks just to be safe. There's no need for concern at this point."

"Easier said than done." Dillon quipped.

"What do you mean, at this point?" Lucas asked warily.

"If his condition worsens, we may have to consider a kidney transplant..." Dr. Wexler began.

"Transplant?" Dillon shot up to his feet.

"We're not there yet. We'll have to do testing to see if either of you are candidates." Dr. Wexler told them.

"But it could come to that." Lucas assumed.

"If we all live our lives based on what could be, we'd never leave the house Mr. Jones." Dr. Wexler pointed out. "Now there's no reason to ask for trouble. Lance is a happy, healthy little boy."

"Except for the healthy part." Dillon muttered under his breath.

"For all intents and purposes, he is healthy. I know it seems unrealistic, but the Tylenol and the blood pressure medication will keep it from worsening." Dr. Wexler assured them.

"He's never even had a cold." Lucas murmured to himself.

"We should have brought him sooner. The first time he complained."

"You didn't know. You can't blame yourself. And, really, it wouldn't have made a difference." Dr. Wexler shook her head.

"Are you sure?" Dillon questioned. "You said yourself you don't know much about this disease."

"We aren't completely in the dark about it. I'll be able to tell you when it's time, if it happens, to start discussing a kidney transplant." Dr. Wexler reiterated.

"That's a big comfort. Thanks." It wasn't her fault, Dillon knew that. But he couldn't help it. He was helpless against this and he needed blame someone. Unfortunately for Dr. Wexler, she was the lucky recipient.

"I'm sorry." Dr. Wexler said quietly. "But I have your son's best interests at heart. There aren't going to be any surprises."

"Can we take him home?" Lucas asked faintly. He just wanted to go home, cry on Dillon's shoulder, and then figure out how to tell the rest of the family.

"Absolutely!" Dr. Wexler smiled. As she was talking, she wrote out a prescription for Lance's blood pressure medication. "I have included my personal number on the back of this. If you have any questions or you just need to talk, don't hesitate." She held out the paper until one of them finally took it.

"Thanks." Lucas said his voice void of emotions. Right now they needed to take Lance home; they could fall apart tonight but right now they needed to get home. "Come on Dillon. Let's get our boy."

*****

The cabin was a study in contradictions. From the outside a passerby would assume the large rustic cabin with the picture windows and the wrap around porch was a rustic, slightly traditional home that probably housed at least one person who dressed primarily in flannel and carried an axe. One step inside and that assumption was completely erased.

The large sunken living room was filled with comfortable well worn leather furniture and low black tables. Lois had somehow left a note apologizing for the "early bachelor decor" of the place, explaining the furniture was from Ned's first small cottage that he refused to get rid of. She had tried to make up for it over the years with what she termed a "subtle" New York influence. Several black and white photos of New York's skyline and landmarks (some Lucky had recognized as Patrick's early work during his "artsy" phase) lined the walls throughout the cabin. The kitchen gleamed with the latest in stainless steel appliances that Robin would probably kill for.

Although the outside indicated the cabin was large, even that was misleading. So far Elizabeth had found five bedrooms, a media room, what she suspected was a studio Ned probably swore he would never work in, three bathrooms and that was just on the first floor. Lucky had laughed that Lois may own a cabin in the mountains, but there was no way she would leave any of the comforts of the city behind.

Although everything had impressed her, the most impressive part to Elizabeth was somehow Lois had managed to get two cribs that closely resembled the two she and Lucky had picked out to place in the twin's room. Never again would she ever underestimate the power of the determined team of Lois Ashton and Laura Spencer. There was no way on Earth this was what she had imagined their homecoming from the hospital as, but the thoughtful gesture made it feel just a little bit better.

Reaching down into the soft green bedding, Elizabeth traced Gracie's sleeping face with her finger. When her finger touched the tiny cheek, Gracie immediately began mimic a sucking motion. She stirred the tiniest bit before settling right back down. Only two days old and already Elizabeth suspected her tiny blue-eyed daughter had not been the attention seeking ham of the twins. That had to be Jake.

"She's still sleeping?" Lucky whispered walking into the room, Jake comfortable nestled on his shoulder, his tiny fist stuffed comfortably in his mouth.

"Out like a light." The entire drive over here she had been awake and two seconds into entering the cabin, she was out like a light. Her brother on the other hand had slept most of the drive and woke up only when they arrived. Jake gurgled and shifted, as if demanding his presence be acknowledged.

"I just talked to Patrick." Lucky adjusted Jake again as they walked out of what he had sworn was just a temporary nursery. If it took him walking away from a job he loved, he was not going to hide out with his children forever. "Cameron should be here soon."

"Did he say if there were any problems?"

"Swears it went smoothly. Apparently Ms. Osencraft likes us better than we thought. Patrick mentioned something about restraining orders and zoning permits that kept anyone that didn't have a kid enrolled off the school grounds."

"Good." Elizabeth sank down on to one of the leather couches, curling her feet underneath her. She held up her hands for Lucky to give Jake over to her. "If we have to be fugitives, at least we'll be comfortable." She joked as she took hold of her son.

"I'm sorry Princess." Lucky sighed as he sat down next to her. "If I could fix this..."

"Hey you didn't cause this. And we're working on something to fix it. It's not the best situation, but we'll deal right?" She tried to keep the tears out of her voice but it was useless. Lucky heard them, just like she knew he would. He pulled them both close to him so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"It will be ok. I swear we'll get through this." He whispered into her hair. The vibration of the phone in his pocket caused him to release her from his arms. Sighing he checked the caller ID. "I have to take this. It's Dara."

"Yeah go ahead." Elizabeth smiled softly.

"Hey Dara." Lucky sighed into the phone.

"Lucky. I'm sorry I had to call you today. How you holding up kid?"

"Sunshine and roses."

"Alright stupid question." Even though he couldn't see her, Lucky could imagine the eye roll that had accompanied his response. "Listen Lucky I don't want to add any more on to your plate right now and I know you're under a ton of pressure but..."

"But you're my lawyer and you only call me when you have a good reason." Lucky finished for her, knowing the speech by heart.

"I heard from Diane Miller." The silence that followed her announcement caused Dara to hurry out the rest as if afraid he would hang up the phone and never answer her call again. "They've filed an injunction for emergency custody of Cameron, Lucky."

"What?" The alarm in his voice caused Elizabeth to stand up, holding Jake close to her.

"What happened? What happened?" She asked alarm.

"They can't do that. There is no reason for that." Lucky argued into the phone.

"I agree there's no reason." Dara tried to reassure him. "And there is a good chance the judge will dismiss this outright. Unfortunately with the media attention on you right now, the right judge may listen."

The door to the cabin opened and Cameron raced inside as fast as legs could carry him with Guinevere Ramirez close behind him. "Daddy!" He called out happily. "I'm here!"

*****

Lulu had found herself speechless exactly one other time in her life and it was when she had seen Bradley with another woman. This definitely topped that. Her brain almost hadn't registered who they were when the youngest of the threesome had shown up at Lucky's door demanding to be let in. Never one to do as she was told, Lulu had invited them, without opening the door, to wait on the lawn and she would see what she could do. Since then, she had been trying to reach her parents, knowing that Lucky would be nowhere to be found.

Sarah Webber's squealing accompanied every voice message she had received from her parents' home phone. She was a feisty little thing and a major irritant. Thank God Lucky had gone for the right sister or they might be in the news for a different reason, perhaps for Lulu running her over with her car. "I told you already: I'm not letting you in until I get an okay." She mouthed through the window. "And if you don't leave, I'm going to have my godfather hop over and arrest you for trespassing."

"We have rights!" Elaine Webber complained from her spot on the porch step.

"This is Port Charles, lady. Your rights aren't recognized here." Lulu assured her.

"You will let us in now or I will sue you!" Sarah threatened. "We are Elizabeth's family. She needs us to protect her."

"Are you out of your mind?" Lulu balked. "You're the reason she has so many goddamn issues."

"Young lady I don't know who you think you are..." Jeff Webber began, rising up to his full height. "But I am telling you right now you are messing with the wrong man. Now let us in immediately so I can make sure you haven't kidnapped my mother."

"I wouldn't hurt Audrey, though I'm not sure how she ended up with a jerk like you for a son. Karma runs backwards sometimes I guess." Lulu replied unperturbed.

"Lulu? Is that you?" Laura's voice hummed over the cell phone.

"Mom! Oh thank God." Lulu moved away from the locked front door. "Where is Lucky?"

"I don't know sweetheart. Ned's got him and Elizabeth in hiding until this all blows over."

"Elizabeth's family is here." Lulu explained.

"Well of course Audrey's there..." Laura sighed.

"I don't mean Audrey. I mean her son, wife, and daughter." Lulu clarified with an eye roll.

"Oh." Laura sounded thoughtful.

"Oh? What am I supposed to do? They won't leave." Lulu whined.

"Be creative. I'm sending your father over." Laura suggested.

"Creative?" Lulu repeated.

"Think like your father, Leslie Lu. Help is on the way." Laura assured her daughter before hanging up.

Audrey moved slowly out of the hallway and towards Lulu. "What is all the fuss about?"

"I'm trying to think like my dad and it's not working out so well."

"Are Jeff and Elaine still out there?" She managed. Her speech was improving daily.

"Uh huh."

"Th-that explains the pounding." She nodded towards the door. "I suggest music."

"What are you in the mood for? Lucky has ever song ever made." Lulu informed her new friend as she moved toward the entertainment center.

"Some-something loud and wi-with a beat."

Lulu picked out a CD she knew her brother would never openly admit to having and turned it to the track that she loved. Jennifer Lopez's voice bounced beautifully off the walls and the beat was just enough to drown out the Motley Crew behind the door.

Audrey nodded approvingly. "P-perfect."

*****

Luke kept his pace deliberately casual, even though he knew his wife and daughter would skin him alive if they saw him taking his time like this. Laura and Lulu wanted immediate action and this situation called for at least somewhat careful planning. It required a delicate touch. As much as they all wanted to run Three Horsemen of the Apocalypse off, technically he couldn't really ban them from his family's life until Elizabeth gave her approval. Not that he doubted that was far behind.

Two days late for the arrival of their own grandchildren. Now granted they didn't arrive in a predictable fashion, but they were Spencer children. A little excitement was to be expected. Jeff Webber should have been in town long enough to remember that fact at least. Luke started to whistle an aimless tune as he made his way onto Lucky's front lawn. He grinned when he finally placed the pounding dance rhythms he had heard the entire walk over as coming from his son's house. Looks like Lucky and Elizabeth were going to have to consider moving after all, he smiled. The neighborhood watch would not be amused. Luke should know after all.

"Howdy partners." He yelled out in greeting. "What brings you all to town?" It did not escape his notice that the music ended as soon as he was in eye shot of the front window. Sweat Pea and Audrey must have been playing lookout.

"Oh, it's you." Elaine Webber's voice dripped with disdain. "Have you come to let us in or must we be delayed even longer?"

"Let you in?" Luke feigned confusion. "You mean you haven't been invited in?"

Sarah had always heard that you got more flies with honey. "Mr. Spencer, is there any way you can convince your daughter to let us in? We've all had an awful trip."

"Of course my dear." He said sweetly. "You just need to know the password."

"The password?" Jeff Webber did not look amused.

"Yes. The password. You were told the password?" Luke feigned concern with a practice ease. After two days of running off journalists, this was easy.

"Of course we weren't told a password. Doctors have impeccable memories and we're not likely to forget something like that." Elaine Webber spoke up.

"Well if you don't know the password, you don't get in. It's the law."

"Whose law?" Jeff Webber wanted to know.

"Mine. God's. Same difference really."

You have some nerve." Elaine poked him in the chest with her perfectly manicured finger.

"Says the grandmother who hasn't seen her own grandchildren." Luke pointed out brushing her finger off of him as if it was no more than a fly.

"She should have been married before children were ever considered." Elaine replied briskly.

"And Johnny Lang should have never tried pop music. We live in disappointment darling."

"Where is Elizabeth?" Elaine demanded.

"Here. There. Everywhere."

"Sir, if I have to get rough with you, I will." Jeff assured him. "But I think we can handle this like rational adults. Our daughter chose to keep those babies without our conscious approval. It is my understanding she got herself pregnant just to spite us."

Sarah nodded in agreement. "She's always been a little too promiscuous."

"Your understanding? It is my understanding you're a pompous ass." Luke said hotly crossing his arms.

"Excuse me? This is none of your business. She's our daughter, not yours."

"Really? Could have fooled me."

Elaine took a deep breath. "If we leapt up every time Elizabeth said to, we'd never have a moment's peace. She's been a problem since day one, let me assure you."

"A problem? Or do you mean a real person instead of another Stepford daughter?"

"Lizzie was always the troublemaker. This is no different." Sarah interrupted. "She's managed to get herself knee-deep in trouble this time, and we're here to protect her reputation...that is if your son hasn't completely ruined it by now."

Luke would have advanced on the little blonde twit if she had been worth the effort. No wonder Audrey had been reluctant to contact these excuses for life forms when Elizabeth went into labor. They were making Helena Cassadine seem like a viable Mother of the Year candidate. "Protect her reputation? If she named her children after legumes, she would still have a better reputation than you three."

"I see we're going to have to consult the police on this matter. We had hoped to do so quietly but, really, what is one more demerit for Elizabeth?" Jeff Webber asked to no one in particular.

"The police already know you're in town." Luke smiled. "They are waiting to give your Welcome to Port Charles present."

"What does that mean? What is he talking about Daddy?" Sarah whined.

"Restraining orders. For all three of you." Luke smiled as he made his way onto the porch. "You come near Elizabeth, those babies or my son, and you'll get to know the inside of the Port Charles pokey real well. I'd think twice if I were you Jeff. You're too pretty to last long inside."

"How dare you threaten us?" Elaine ranted incredulously.

"It's all part of my charm." Luke assured them as he knocked on the door.

Jeff laid his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Now, let's not get too excited, okay? Your blood pressure is already too high I imagine." He pointed out, ignoring the man in front of him. "We'll be staying at the Metro Court Hotel. When our daughter returns, we'd like to see her."

"As long as it's from fifty feet away."

**Previews: **

"You still have that metal bat handy?" Lulu's voice startled her older cousin. She nodded toward Majandra. "She's a beauty."

"I gave up the bat years ago. I'm a much better driver." Lucas answered in a light tone.

"And I'm sure I don't have to remind you to use rubber gloves." Lulu nodded.

"You'll be there with me. I'll need someone to help me get the body in the trunk." Lucas reminded her.

"So that's all I'm good for? Getting rid of dead bodies?" She feigned hurt.


	250. Misery In The Happiness

The weather didn't call for storms or natural disasters so Bobbie knew they had picked the perfect day to bring her daughter out into the world to play with her cousins...or rather watch them and point and stuff her feet into her mouth because that's all she could do at this point. Cruz had taken care of the cake and inviting everyone. Axe had hired an unknown band to perform "Isn't She Lovely?" and Becca had taken care of refreshments and party favors. Bobbie felt like all she had to do was show up with the baby which, she recalled, was what they had agreed on.

Majandra was enjoying herself immensely as she sat in her bouncy chair that they had cautiously placed on the table so her mother could hand out cake without being too far away from her in case she should suddenly fall. Bobbie had thought she would get better with this baby, but she was wrong. She was still as cautious with Majandra as she had been with her son and other two daughters.

"She's not going to break Mommy." Cruz promised as he wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her left shoulder. He made faces at his daughter and she tried to mimic them making them both laugh in the process.

"Promise?"

"I swear." Cruz nodded. "Why don't you let someone watch her for a minute and we'll go dance?"

"Who would be good enough?"

"I've already talked Becca into it." Cruz told her. "Come on."

Seeing Becca advancing towards her daughter, Bobbie smiled at her husband. "Alright. Lead on."

"Really? You mean you're not going to make her fill out an emergency form?" Cruz teased pulling her toward the stage.

"You have all her personal information on file at the magazine." Bobbie pointed out.

He couldn't help it; he had to laugh. They assumed a comfortable dancing position and he dragged her just a bit closer since she had them at "just friends" distance. "I love you." He crooned with a grin.

"I love you too." She smiled back at him.

"I was talking to Lucky and he agreed that we should start looking at colleges for her."

Bobbie laughed and threw her head back. "Since he already has Cameron's acceptance to Harvard worked out?"

"Well it's never too early." Cruz kissed the tip of her nose.

"That's true." She sighed. "Speaking of Lucky..."

"Yes?"

"How's he doing with everything?" She questioned. "I mean really. He'll only tell me fine because I'm the aunt."

"Well, since you made me the aunt's husband, he won't confide in me either. I do know from Elizabeth that he does not like this new arrangement whatsoever, but Dara assured them that it has to be done." Cruz replied solemnly.

"It's terrible." Bobbie closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know how that man can possibly sleep at night."

"It's not on a mattress of money. I know that much. Diane Miller has really taken them for everything they have. At least that's what Will said."

"Will? Who's Will?"

"The private investigator I hired to trail the Grimes'. I had always planned on asking Lucas, but we weren't all that close when I hired Will and he's been distracted with Lance lately. And I didn't think he needed anything else on his plate." None of them had been expecting that call in the middle of the night that Lance had been diagnosed with a rare disease. It had been even more surprising to find out that he could only be treated with Tylenol and blood pressure medication. Lance was all of six years old!

Nodding her agreement, Bobbie tried not to think too hard of her grandson. Currently he and Cameron were engaged in a serious game of hide and seek from Morgan. Looking at him it was impossible to guess he was sick. "Is this Will good?"

Cruz nuzzled his wife's cheek with his nose. "Of course. And he's discreet. He's been following them since Christmas."

"You do think of everything don't you?"

"I have to be a little creative, you know. Ever since our daughter was born, my wife has been a little distant." He wasn't trying to pick a fight with her by any means, but they had to be honest with one another.

"I've been busy. Majandra's been sick..."

"And I've been working crazy hours. I understand." Cruz lowered his voice before he added, "I just miss my wife."

"I miss you too."

"We're going to have to do something about that."

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"Always." Cruz gave her a hundred-watt smile. "But as far as getting some alone time, I was thinking we could get one of your family members, I'm leaning toward Laura, to take Majandra for one night, maybe a Friday night, and I'll take care of the rest."

"You have a deal."

*****

Lucas watched his mother and stepfather dance and lovingly embrace and tried to think back to a time when it made him want to turn his face away, a time so different from now. Cruz truly made her happy and Maria was their love personified. He could admit to not going and spending the kind of time he should with his baby sister, but he supposed that would take time. It would take just a little time for him to be able to see her and not think of B.J.

When his mother had told him, or rather he had found out, about his sister's existence, he had become so withdrawn, from her, from the world that he hadn't wanted to see anyone, had even neglected spending time with his son. It had been nothing against this newest sister, but she was a living, breathing reminder that B.J. would never again smile at him, laugh at him. It didn't matter how many years passed; he would never "get over" what had happened to his sister. She would always be his little sister and he would always be her big brother.

It was his loyalty to her that was making it difficult to bond with Maria. He didn't want to feel like he was betraying one sister by loving the other one too. This love was different, he realized, because it was so new, so terrifying. To love her would mean letting B.J. go, even if only in the simplest of terms. He would have to stop blaming himself for her death.

As he moved toward the bouncy chair where his newest sister was watching her parents in awe, he noticed her tiny lips part into a beautiful smile. She looked up at him, her big blue eyes stopping him in his tracks, and reached for him. He was surprised by this because they had only met the one time and he had never even held her. Still, she persisted and he found himself bending down and picking her up before he even knew what he was doing. She fit comfortably in the crook of his arm and giggled as she got a hold of his other hand and tried to suck his finger into her mouth. From what he remembered of Lance as a baby, everything went in the mouth.

His eyes strayed to his son playing happily with his cousins and something tugged at his heart. Dr. Wexler had promised that they were still in the early stages of the disease and it could harmless. Dillon had passed it onto him unknowingly, a little something the Quartermaines hadn't admitted to carrying in their genes, and hadn't shown a single symptom in his twenty-four years of life. It wasn't exactly comforting that his son was already showing signs at six years old. He had spoken with everyone about it, but no one knew exactly what to say. They didn't know what they should do and he didn't know what he actually wanted from them. It was one of the calamities of having such a supportive family: Sometimes even they couldn't help. No amount of talking about it would change the fact that his and Dillon's son was sick and there was little or nothing they could do about it.

"You still have that metal bat handy?" Lulu's voice startled her older cousin. She nodded toward Majandra. "She's a beauty."

"I gave up the bat years ago. I'm a much better driver." Lucas answered in a light tone.

"And I'm sure I don't have to remind you to use rubber gloves." Lulu nodded.

"You'll be there with me. I'll need someone to help me get the body in the trunk." Lucas reminded her.

"So that's all I'm good for? Getting rid of dead bodies?" She feigned hurt.

"Your conscience would get to you. You'd totally run to Mac and tell him." Lucas accused gently.

"I would not." Lulu argued but it was half-hearted.

"Yes you would, but that's okay. I like to think you're unscathed." Lucas told her. "How have you been kid? I haven't seen you around a lot."

"You haven't looked. I haven't gone anywhere." Lulu assured him with a wry tone.

"I miss our capers." Lucas admitted.

"Who knew you'd turn them into a career?" Lulu teased.

"It was a joke, remember?" Lucas smiled touching his finger to Majandra's nose.

"I do. You said you wanted to be on the right side of the law so you'd be above suspicion when the bodies started piling up."

"How are you really?" Lucas asked seriously.

"I'm alright. I was only kidnapped for a little while. Kristina and Morgan endured the long-term abuse." Lulu said quietly.

"If I could have gotten to you..." Lucas' voice trailed off.

"Stop. You had a son to worry about. I understand." Lulu patted his arm.

"I should have figured it out before any of you were taken." Lucas countered stubbornly.

"Well it really doesn't do a lot to hold onto guilt when it's over and done with, now does it? There's nothing we can do to change it." Lulu pointed out.

Lucas sighed and turned his attention back to his sister, rather than admit Lulu had a point. "How's life back in the apartment?" He questioned, hoping she would let him get away with the subject change just once.

"It's fine. I had a few more locks put on. Call me paranoid." Lulu suggested with a wistful smile.

"I think your dad would say that was just being a Spencer."

"Yes he would." Lulu agreed. "At least I'll be better prepared if we get a Helena sighting."

*****

It was the one party Lucky wished could last forever. In a Spencer family first, there hadn't been a screaming match of any kind. No accidents. No fights. Cameron was happily playing elaborate games with Morgan and Lance. Gracie and Jake had been taken hostage by relatives and friends that hadn't seen them in the brief week they had spent at Ned's cottage. Although he had joked the entire day, he wasn't quite sure where exactly his children all where; in reality he had always known every movement all three of them made. Currently his mother was trying to convince everyone Jake looked just like him as a child and his father was trying to hide the fact his granddaughter already had him wrapped around his finger.

If he could just freeze time… It wouldn't solve any problems, but it would stall them effectively. Lance could stay as healthy as he currently was. Robin wouldn't be flying off to Paris with Morgan, leaving behind Patrick and a family that still didn't know about her pregnancy. And Cameron could stay home with him, instead of moving in with Tony and Lisa.

Dara had fought with everything she had, argued that it was a gross over-extension of the family court laws to grant an emergency custody order on something as trivial as an overly aggressive press situation, especially when the child in question had been taken out of the range of fire. Diane Miller had argued the flight to the cabin had constituted a major disruption in Cameron's daily routine, and somehow Dara's counter argument that moving Cameron to an entire new town represented the same disruption fell on deaf ears. The judge apparently had taken one look at the tabloids and sided with the Grimes. They would have primary custody of Cameron until the formal custody hearing could be heard.

Maybe it was a stupid idea to schedule the meeting with Tony and Lisa for right after this party. The original idea had been for Cameron to have fun right up until he had to leave. Now Lucky wasn't so sure. Had Cameron really understood what they had talked about? Had it gone in one ear and right out the other the second he had returned home and gone back to his routine of friends, family and school? Was his still excited state about being a big brother, keeping him from realizing, at least for now, he wouldn't be near Jake or Gracie right now? Glancing at his watch, Lucky saw the minute hand continue the march to the inevitable.

Cameron was still chasing his older cousins, oblivious to it all. Maybe it was a good thing. Would he rather Cameron be hysterical and clinging to him the entire time? His son's departure was going to be hard enough to handle. Did he want these last few moments for now (even though his heart was broken, he refused to believe this was it) to be happy ones or miserable? He'd be miserable either way it went, but if Cameron could be happy, then it was the right decision. There would be time enough for tears later.

"Hey," Elizabeth sat down and nudge him with her shoulder. He had been so wrapped up in his brooding he had missed her approach. Not that she didn't understand it completely. As long as it took for Cameron and her to adjust to each other, the fact the little boy wasn't going to be there tonight when they went home was too awful to consider. Cameron had complained for the past week that the house was too quiet since the twins came home. Now it would be a whole new brand of silence. "How are you holding up?" she whispered, although why she didn't know. Every family member present today knew what was happening.

"I'm seriously considering my dad's idea of living life on the run."

"It never gets said to him, but this would be the one time I'd consider one of your father's hair-brained schemes."

"We can still leave now. Tony and Lisa would never find us."

"We could. But then there's that whole pesky kidnapping charge they probably would file against us. And they'd be the "victims" when it becomes a Lifetime movie and get the better actors to play them. We'd be the rejects from a soap or something worse." Elizabeth tried to joke, knowing it wasn't appreciated now but it could possibly be later. She let out a sigh and rested her head on his shoulder, linking their fingers together. "It's not forever. He will come back home."

"You and Dara keep saying that but...." Lucky shook his head. "I've got to be realistic here. This could be it."

"No." Elizabeth said forcefully shaking her head. "You can't think that way. You can't give up. You are going to fight to get him back. We are going to fight and he'll come home. Where he belongs. There is nothing Tony and Lisa can say to make anyone think you are a bad father. Nothing."

"You both thought the same thing before the emergency hearing." He pointed out glumly. "That worked so well in our favor."

"That was one judge with a fear of being seen as the next Judge Ito. The press is a temporary issue and it had nothing to do with you being a great father. Cameron thinks you really are Batman or Spiderman. Anyone with eyes can see that. And I don't think there is a person here that wouldn't back you fighting this all the way to get him home."

Out of the corner of his eye, Lucky spotted Lisa making her way across the grass. He was surprised Tony wasn't charging out through the party, loudly announcing he was here to claim his grandson. Privately, he had been well prepared to punch the man one more time, and this time it wouldn't be an accident. "I don't think I'm ready for this."

"I'm not going to lie to him." Lucky dropped his voice to a whisper as Cameron started to race towards them, noticing Lisa's arrival.

"You're not. He is coming home." Elizabeth whispered fiercely.

"Daddy. Lizzie." Cameron ran up almost breathlessly and just about skidded into Lucky's legs. "Why Gramma here?"

"You're going to go stay with Gramma Lisa and Grandpa Tony for a little bit remember?" Lucky swallowed the tears that threatened to break his voice. He had to be strong right now. "Remember Champ, when we talked about you going over there for a long visit?"

Cameron nodded slowly. "But I wanna stay here. I don't wanna go."

"I know you don't." Elizabeth leaned over to rub Cameron's head. "But it's not forever. You'll be home."

"When? Cause I got lots to do here." Cameron asked seriously.

"Soon Champ. You'll be coming home soon." Lucky leaned down and kissed Cameron's forehead.

"So Cameron, you ready to go now?" Lisa walked slowly towards the trio, not missing the waves of hatred that emanated from Lucky and Elizabeth. She tried not to let it bother her. This wasn't personal. This was about what was best for Cameron, and what was best for him was to be away from the media circus the arrival of the twins had created. She had shook her head when she had found out that bit of news and Tony had just muttered darkly about Lucky now having three lives to destroy instead of just one. Forcing on her brightest smile, she focused on Cameron, the only good reason for any of this. "We've got your room all ready Little Prince. And Grandpa has lots of fun things planned for you to do."

"Can Jake and Gracie come too?"

"What?" Lisa shook her head and it just took a quick glance towards Lucky and Elizabeth to see they were just as thrown by the question as she was. "No the babies can't go sweet boy."

"But I'm the big brother. I have to help with them." Cameron explained apprehensively.

Struggling with the right response, Lisa knew she wasn't going to get any help from Lucky or Elizabeth with this one. It had been clear since the second the judge had handed down his decision that they blamed her and Tony for this outcome. If only they could just see this was all in Cameron's best interest. "That's very sweet of you Little Prince, but the twins need to stay here. They are too little to travel."

"Then I stay too." Cameron decided.

"No darling. You have to come with me now." Lisa offered out her hand. "Grandpa is waiting for us in the car. You don't want him waiting."

"Daddy?" Cameron questioned, turning his head towards his father. "Do I have to?"

Blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay, Lucky bit on his lower lip hard before he spoke. He could feel Elizabeth squeezing his fingers in support. "Yeah Champ, you have to. We talked about this remember?"

"Lizzie? I don't want to go."

Elizabeth leaned forward, smoothing down the curls in the back that had become tangled during the hours of running and playing. "We don't want you to go. But you have to for right now. Like how we had to go to the cabin for a little bit?" Seeing Cameron nod, she hurried to get the rest of the explanation out before she broke down in sobs. "This is just like that. You have to go with your grandma and grandpa right now and then you'll come home."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Lucky finally found his voice. Looking Lisa directly in the eye, he made a promise to his son. "You will be coming home."

Previews:

"Do you really think we could be friends?" Ric wanted to know.

"We were friends before." Kate pointed out. "I don't think we can back but I'd like to try to go forward."


	251. Smile Like You Mean It

Robin wanted to turn away from the scene in front of her, but that would mean turning her back on her best friends and that was not something she had ever felt comfortable doing. No, she would stand here and she would watch it all go down. She would remember every detail, point out every irregularity, so that later, when she was called to testify, she could tell the courts what a bitch Lisa Grimes was and how she had torn her grandson away from the only home and family he had ever known to get revenge on a devoted father. She would bring up Tony's paranoia over Lucky being involved in Jess' death and she would find a way to link the reporters to the Grimes' once and for all.

As Cameron begged to stay with his father and his "Lizzie," Robin unconsciously dropped her hands to her stomach, willing herself not to cry. She couldn't imagine anyone taking her baby, was still trying to understand how someone she had loved could take her little boy with the intention of possibly never bringing him back. Patrick pressed his hands over hers and she had to bite her bottom lip to fight back the trembling. She could go on and on about what was fair and how bad things happened to the most wonderful people, but would that take the smug look off of Lisa Grimes' face? No. It would solve nothing at all. She would give the woman ammunition and that wasn't about to happen. She would be there the day she was called to testify and nothing was keeping her from that witness stand.

"How can this be happening?" She whispered to Patrick even though she knew he was just as horrified as she was. They had both known this was happening today, but that didn't make it any easier to handle, to watch.

"It's just temporary." He answered in an almost desperate fashion.

"What if it's not?" Robin wanted to know. "What if those monsters get to keep him?"

"Keep your voice down." Patrick warned her.

"I will not keep my voice down." Robin growled at him.

"We will talk about this later." Patrick demanded.

"You don't get to tell me how to feel." Robin snapped trying to pull out of his grasp.

"I'm not trying to tell you how to feel: I'm begging you not to make this worse." Patrick insisted.

"Lucky is a good father." Robin said almost not hearing him. "He doesn't deserve this. I have to do something. We have to do something." She stressed each word.

"We are doing something." Patrick explained. "We are letting Cameron get out of the crossfire before we all break down."

"That's not enough. This is not enough." Robin shook her head.

"This is all we can do." Patrick told her. "This isn't just about your pain."

Robin released her hold on her bottom lip and let him see her entire body shudder. "You can be so cruel sometimes." She accused.

"Have you ever stopped pushing before I hurt you? Ever? No. You have to push and push until everybody sees your side...or says something to make you stop. That's my role in this relationship. That's all you've left me with." Patrick clarified angrily.

Robin sucked in a breath when she saw Elizabeth start to cry. "Alright." She said. "Alright."

"Look," Patrick held out his hands in surrender, palms facing up. "I don't want to fight with you. I don't want this to be the last conversation we have before you leave."

"Neither do I." Robin agreed, watching Lisa convince Cameron to go with her. Once they were out of sight, she spoke again. "I'm going to see if they need anything."

Patrick grabbed her wrist gently. "Give them a minute."

Robin met his eyes and found them light and somber. She couldn't stay mad at him any more than she could keep this ridiculous argument going. "I'm sorry. I just never thought this would be happening."

"Neither did I, but better for it to happen now so that the courts can see how wrong they were in their decision. After this, I have a pretty good feeling Lucky's going to cut them out of Cameron's life..."

"No." Robin countered. "No, he's better than that."

"Yes, he is. I'm jealous." Patrick's attempt at a joke might have failed, but at least he got Robin to smile a little. "I know this is hard. Imagine how it must be for them."

"You would never..." Robin treaded lightly. "You would never try and take this baby away from me." Maybe if she didn't phrase it like a question, she wouldn't notice the hurt in his eyes.

If he didn't know Robin Scorpio as well as he did, he might let her question fuel his trigger temper, but he had heard plenty of stories, and been around for a lot of them, to know that she was justified in her worry. He wasn't her father, but he knew of the custody situation between her parents and how it could have turned sour had their love not conquered their pride. "I would never, ever take our baby away from you."

*****

Pacing nervously in her hotel room, Kate took a deep calming breath. She had put this off far too long and it was time she faced the music. While she had been surprised to meet Ric's latest flame, there was still no reason for her to act the way she had. She had meant what she had repeatedly told Ric, she wanted them to be friends. There was still Charlotte to consider, plus the years of memories and friends. "Come on Kate. Bite the bullet and just call him at the office. You know he's there." Kate told herself sternly as she pressed in the number she had gained from the hospital's web page. "And you know he's there since he's not answering at home or his cell."

The ringing mocked her and she had to keep repeating her manta silently. "You can do this. Ric will understand. You can do this. Ric will understand." She had almost convinced herself it would all be ok, when Ric's curt voice cut through the line.

"Ric Lansing." Ric's tired voice greeted her.

"Ric?" The tremble in her voice betrayed her nerves when she wanted to appear confident. As always Ric had the uncanny ability to reduce her to the blushing college freshman she had been when they first met. "It's Kate."

Her timid opening reminded him of the last time they had seen each other and all of the headaches that spawned from it. He wasn't mad anymore, maybe never had been, but that didn't mean he had completely forgiven her for acting like a petulant child. "Hello."

"Hi." She whispered. He hadn't hung up immediately. It had to be a good sign right? "How have you been?"

"What can I do for you Kate?" Ric interjected rubbing his forehead in exhaustion. His last delivery had last eighteen hours and the two before that were a combined six. He hadn't been home yet, hadn't had a bite to eat, and he had been stupid enough to answer his office phone.

"I wanted...." Kate paused, trying to figure what exactly was the best way to say this. She didn't consider any decision a mistake, just a learning opportunity, so she rarely apologized. Judging by the way her stomach was doing flip flops right now she doubted she would do this again willingly. "I wanted to apologize."

"Why?" Ric was interested. She had never apologized before.

"Because...because I knew you had moved on. Charlotte had told me earlier. No matter how surprised I was, I shouldn't have said what I said. I know you better than that."

"It's over." Ric said. "There's no need to rehash it."

"No. I need you to know how truly sorry I am." Kate insisted. "There was no excuse for how I behaved or what I said. I keep telling you I want to be your friend; I need to act like one, don't I? While it probably would have been ok for a scorned ex-wife which I have no right to be, it definitely wasn't ok for a friend."

"Do you really think we could be friends?" Ric wanted to know.

"We were friends before." Kate pointed out. "I don't think we can go back, but I'd like to try to go forward."

"If we're going to be friends, there's something you should know." Ric cautioned her.

"What's that?"

Ric took a breath. "Maxie isn't going anywhere."

"I..." Whatever she was about to say was lost as her call waiting sounded in her ear. "Ric, I want to continue this conversation, but I have to get rid of this person first. Can you hold on for just a second?"

Ric nodded before he remembered she couldn't see him. "Yeah."

"Good. One second." Kate breathed out gratefully as she clicked over to her second line. "Kate Howard." She answered annoyed at the untimely interruption.

"Kate..." Charlotte breathed a sigh of relief when her friend answered. "Do you know where Ric is?"

"At his office. I'm actually on the other line with him." Confusion settled over her. Why would Charlotte call her looking for Ric? Hadn't her friend been consistent in telling her she should stay away from Ric and move on to better, richer men? "Why are you looking for him?"

"Daddy's had a heart attack." Charlotte explained in a shaky voice. "And I haven't been able to find my brother."

"Oh my god." Kate gasped out. The Colonel had a heart attack? He had always been the strongest man she had ever met. Almost a superhero. "When? Where? How are you?"

"Last night. He was fixing up the guest house...he fell off the ladder and the gardener found him an hour later. I'm not that great." Charlotte answered very quickly, willing herself not to cry.

"Oh sweetie." Kate murmured. "What do you need me to do?"

"Tell my brother for starters. Tell him to get his ass down here, because I can't handle this. Did you know our father put me as his power of attorney?"

"No I didn't. How dare he choose an actual attorney for that?"

"Are you making fun of me?" Charlotte asked through a sea of tears.

"No. Not at all." Kate assured her friend. "I was trying for a joke, but obviously it was a bad idea. I'll tell Ric and then I'm on the first plane down to you ok?"

"I don't want you to put your life on hold. We can handle this." Charlotte assured her.

"I'm not putting my life on hold. And you're my family too. I'm coming."

"Okay." Charlotte wasn't about to argue with her. "Don't tell my brother what a mess I am."

"Never." Kate swore. "I'll see you soon."

"Thanks Blossom. Call and let me know your itinerary."

"I will Peanut." Kate clicked off and said a quick prayer Ric was still on the line and hadn't been called off for another delivery. "Ric?"

"Yeah, I'm still here." Ric was frustrated that she could keep him on the line even when he had more pressing matters to handle, like sleeping.

"It was Charlotte."

"What did my lovely sister want?"

How could she do this? Why had Charlotte asked her of all people to do this? "She wanted me to tell you something. About your father."

Ric scoffed. "Is she finally seeing him clearly?"

"No...Ric, he had a heart attack. He's in the hospital."

"Is he alright?" Ric didn't want to admit to caring about the old bastard but, save Charlotte, the old colonel was the only family Ric had left.

"I don't know. Charlotte's pretty messed up. She needs you Ric. She needs you right now."

"Why didn't she call me herself? When did it happen?" Ric could have strangled his sister. Something about their family, and she went running to Kate?

"She said she tried to call you. You're not answering your phone and you're awful at returning messages. It happened last night."

"Last night." Ric echoed. "Okay, thank you Kate. I have to make arrangements."

"You're welcome. I'll see you soon."

"What's that?" Ric had his jacket in his hand.

"I told Charlotte I was coming. I'll see you soon."

"Okay." Ric hung up and said a silent prayer that one his father was okay and two Maxie wouldn't find out about Kate tagging along.

*****

Two cellophane cups of coffee in his hands, Steven was silent as he entered the tiny hotel room. Georgie was hunched over a suitcase, no doubt re-packing it for the umpteenth time. He had assured her over and over that he didn't have to take everything he owned with him, but she refused to listen to his logic. What if he needed this particular item and it was here? He couldn't exactly come all the way back for it, now could he? He supposed that was one of the ways that a man and woman differed: He could survive with a toothbrush and a clean pair of socks and underwear.

He could announce his presence, but it was much more fun to startle her and collect her in his arms. Her golden-brown hair was shoved into a little clip most of it spilling in front of her face. Several times, she pushed it back behind her ears in frustration. She might have mentioned something about not having to attend class, but he could hardly tell which way was up anymore to know for sure. Her outfit of cut-off jeans and a puffy white blouse with blue flowers backed up his suspicion since he had never known her to wear anything but blouses, dress pants, skirts, and the occasional pair of boot-cut jeans.

He closed the space between them and she spoke up, surprising _him_. "Don't even think about it."

"I don't know what you could mean." Steven muttered with a smirk.

"You're trying to distract me yet again." Georgie turned around to face him. "You need to go home."

Steven lifted an eyebrow at her. "Don't I live here?"

"For now. The shoot is over and your family needs you." She pointed towards his cell phone that he had left laying on the nightstand. "_They've_ called another four times since you left."

"I don't want to be in the way." Steven explained matter-of-factly.

"Chicken."

"I'm not a chicken." Steven touched Georgie's nose. "I just happen to know it's going to be the fight of the century when I get there. Is it wrong to put that off a little longer?"

"Only if you are a chicken."

"Why are you trying to get rid of me? You have some Frenchmen hidden under the bed?" Steven teased.

Biting her lower lip, Georgie turned her attention back to his suitcase, trying to keep him from noticing her twisting her engagement ring on her finger. "So did you book the ticket yet?" She asked, forcing lightness into her tone.

"This morning. I leave in about two hours. I have enough time to get there and get my bag checked. It's not that heavy. I might just carry it on." Steven considered.

"Yeah. That's good." She answered distractedly. "I'm sure it will be fine whatever you decide."

He didn't like the sadness her tone had taken on. "What's the matter pumpkin?"

"Nothing. I'm just going to miss you is all." She tried to smile, but knew it probably wouldn't fool him.

"You know," Steven winked at her, "I bet I could have you as my carry-on."

"Cute. Very cute."

"It's not forever. I promised Elizabeth I would get my parents to back off. She told me that Cameron's grandparents took him on a temporary basis because of the story in the paper. I've got to do damage control." Steven said.

"I know that. And you're being a good big brother. The best. I guess....I don't know what I am right now."

"What do you mean?"

Closing her eyes, Georgie ran her hand haphazardly over her disarrayed strands. "What are you planning on telling your family?"

"Well I thought I'd start off with, 'I'm Steven. Remember me?'"

"You know what I mean Steven." She said seriously, crossing her arms. "Does damage control include telling them about me? About us?"

"I thought you wanted to be there when we told them."

"I do. It's just...." She blew out about a sigh. "I have a confession to make."

"You're a spy aren't you?"

"No but I'm related to one. Robin's coming to Paris."

"When?"

"Later tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah. Apparently her dad is in town and he wants her and Morgan to visit."

"That's great! Now I don't have to worry about leaving you alone."

"Yeah. I know she'll be looking in on me. I just don't know how I'm going to lie to her."

"Who says you have to?"

Georgie shot him a puzzled look. "We agreed to be together when we drop the married bomb. You won't be here. So of course I'll be lying to her."

"I don't want you have to lie to your family. Besides, if you tell Robin, then it won't be as bad as you envision when we go home." Steven rationalized.

"Steven, I love you but you couldn't be more wrong."

"How's that?"

"You haven't met my dad so I'll try to explain it to you. He's not going to react well to me eloping with a guy he's never met. We both know that. But if he finds out that Robin knew and didn't tell him? I just made it worse for her and us. I can't tell her."

Steven held her face between his hands. "You should be able to share this with the people you love. Your dad can get over it."

"He's my father. He's not going to just get over it."

"So tell Robin not to tell. How else would he find out she knew?" Steven challenged.

"I know Robin. She'd jump to defend me and Dad would figure it out. It's some sick cop instinct he has that kicks in when one of us is lying." Georgie responded.

"It shouldn't be like this. I should have married you in Port Charles." Steven chided himself.

"No. Our wedding was perfect. If we waited, there would be an entire town of people lining up to tell us we are crazy."

"We're still going to have that same town of people telling us that. You're still going to get hurt." Steven pointed out.

"And you're not?" Georgie cried out incredulously. "You're going to get hurt worse than me."

"There's a subtle difference. At the end of the day, I don't care what my family thinks."

"And what about my family? Don't you care what they think of you?"

"Yes." Steven nodded. "But I care more about what you think of me."

"I love you. I want them to love you. Is that wrong?" She wiped at the tears that had started to gather in her eyes.

He could have made the argument if she hadn't started to cry. Damn it. "No, that's not wrong." Suddenly, he had to have her in his arms. He made his way quickly toward her and let her rest her head against his heart.

"I know telling them isn't going to be easy. And I know my dad will come around eventually." She wrapped her arms around him securely. "I just don't want to give him any more ammunition to hate you than he already has."

"He hates me already huh? Shouldn't he wait until he knows me?"

"So you were Lucky's biggest fan when you first heard about him then?"

Steven rolled his eyes. "Fine. Point taken."

Georgie tried to hide her laugh. She knew she had him on that one. Looking up into his blue eyes, she smiled. "This wasn't exactly the way I wanted to spend our last minutes together you know."

"Did I mention I have an hour before I have to be at the airport?"

"I've already packed for you. And a lot can be done in an hour."

**Previews: **

"I'll give you the signal." She promised sliding out of the car.

"Right. The signal." Harper swallowed thickly against the fear that suddenly welled up in his throat. 


	252. Perfume and Promises

Sam slouched down in the passenger seat and let her arms rest listlessly against the hem of her short blue jean skirt. She had purposely not shown this little ensemble to Harper, even though this had been his idea in the first place, until she hopped in the car. Accompanied by a stretchy white top with a blue star across the center of it and a pair of sin-red high heels, she worried she might pull off the part a little too well. The last time she had been this naked, to quote Janeane Garofalo, had been when she was coming out of a uterus.

She tried her best not to look in his direction. There was no telling what he might be thinking. No doubt, he was remembering the hot little offer he had made to her a few days before...or was that just her? Why couldn't she forget about that? Guys had come onto her for as long as she could remember. She had had no problem blowing them off. What was so different about this one? He hadn't been quiet about what he wanted and she had heard him, God had she ever. Enough Samantha, she scolded herself. You have a job to do. It wasn't like she could play it off like it didn't matter. She was absolutely tempted, but too smart for her own good. Giving into Harper could, quite possibly, destroy the life she had managed to put together in the short time since Vincent's death. She wasn't willing to give all of it up, all she had accomplished, to satisfy her curiosity.

"Is this guy coming or what? Are you sure you got the address right?" Sam stared hard at the chipping nail polish on her right hand.

"He's coming Gorgeous. Just relax." Harper continued to scan the area, just as his training had taught him. His body was held rigid in an alert state. He was on the hunt and right now all his energy was focused on that one aim. No matter how appealing the distraction sitting next to him was, he thought with a grin, remembering his first glimpse of the sorry excuse for fabric she had called clothing. "You're too anxious."

"Don't call me that." Sam gritted through her teeth. "This better work."

"It will work. Trust me. No man would be able to resist you looking like that."

Sam barely restrained the urge to punch him. It would probably blow their cover and then this hour they had spent waiting would have been for nothing. Still, he was pushing it. "There are a lot of gritty alleys in Port Charles. This could be the wrong one."

"Nope. This is his. He must be busy tonight destroying the lives of the children of Port Charles."

Sam inwardly flinched at the tone of his voice. He sounded so cold, so distant. Without her conscious approval, she touched his shoulder with her left hand, just a show of comfort. "We'll get him."

The feel of her hand on his shoulder shot through him like lightening, but Harper fought to not show any outward recognition of it. The second she suspected he liked the contact, she was going to remove her hand. "You know the plan right?"

"Sure do." The words were barely out of her mouth when a man entered the alley. One look in her partner's direction proved that their bad guy had finally showed up. "I'll give you the signal." She promised sliding out of the car.

"Right. The signal." Harper swallowed thickly against the fear that suddenly welled up in his throat. What the hell was he thinking sending her, of all people, out there to meet up with a common street thug? Sam wanted people to think she was hard as nails and twice as tough, but he knew better. Even though she didn't realize it, he had heard her cry out in her sleep for her lost son. And now she was walking out into a crime infested back alley wearing what he suspected to be the skimpiest outfit she owned, and he was just sitting in the car, waiting for her signal. No wonder she constantly ran from him. He was one Grade A moron for this plan.

"Just get out of the car and stop this. Call it off." He told himself. "You can still take her out of this. Protect her like she deserves." It all sounded good, but there was one catch. If he left the car before it was time, she would be in more danger than she was now. Then the creep would know she had backup. Sick as it was, she was protected best if he stayed right there.

As she crossed the parking lot, Sam forced herself to remember every detail about the man in front of her. He was a pimp, to be put in the simplest of terms, and took to murdering fifteen-year-old girls on the weekends. A hobby and all that. Harper had one gory photo after the other of his three victims and she had seen them all, memorized their faces. The skirt was far too improbable to hide a gun, but she had managed to bring a nine-inch switchblade. Just in case. Gerard Donnelly was two years older than she was and had been arrested on a number of charges fifty-two times, his victims either dying before his trial or suddenly remembering that they had seen a different man. She could feel Harper's eyes on her back and felt both safe and scared. If this went sour, she would have to kill Donnelly.

"Are you Donnelly?" Sam asked stopping just before their shoes touched.

"That depends. Who's asking?" She fought back the urge to shiver as he scanned her from top to bottom.

"Why, I'm asking." Sam pointed to herself and gave him her best smile. "You see, I just got in from the Big Apple." She wasn't sure where the New York dialogue had come from since she was from Los Angeles, but she attributed it to being scared. "And I don't have a lot of money."

"How much money do you have?" Donnelly inquired taking a step forward. He was testing her. She planted her feet.

"My mother told me a lady never tells all her secrets." Sam countered breezily.

"You don't look like no lady I've ever seen." Donnelly responded without hesitating.

"I was told you like your girls to look a certain way." Sam explained.

"My girls? I don't know what you could mean." Donnelly played dumb. It wasn't that far a leap, Sam thought to herself.

"I need money. I'm willing to do anything." Sam clarified with a brief nod of her head.

"I don't need a charity case. There's a shelter up the road." Donnelly informed her.

"But," Sam insisted, "...if I go there, they'll call my parents."

Donnelly gave her another once-over. "How old are you?"

"I'll be sixteen in a few weeks. I was thinking about getting my nose pierced." Sam told him.

"Well, you're a little old..."

"I am?"

"Yes, but I think you could pull off fourteen if you really tried. My clients, they like 'em young." Donnelly informed her.

"Like I said..." Sam lowered her voice and leaned toward him, forcing the bile down. "I'm willing to do whatever I can."

"Sounds good." Donnelly reached out and grabbed her arm to which she couldn't help but shudder at.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Harper's voice shot through the darkness and towards them both. "Let the lady go."

"Isn't that just like heroes?" Sam rolled her eyes. "Always showing up when you don't want them."

"Who is this guy? You know him?" Donnelly had to squint to even make out how much of the darkness Harper took up.

"Just call me Batman." Harper joked before raising the butt of his gun up to the level of his eye. "Let her go."

Three men stepped out of the shadows and cocked their weapons as well. "Gentlemen...is all this violence really necessary?" One hand free, she reached into her back pocket.

"What's the matter?" Harper drawled out slowly, keeping his gun carefully aimed at Donnelly's shoulder. "Man enough to grab a girl, but can't handle a man on your own?"

"Guy's got to have insurance." Donnelly pulled Sam to him and then slung her into the throng of guards.

Harper didn't think; he just reacted. His finger reared back on the trigger, firing a round directly into Donnelly's shoulder. As the perv started to fall, he turned towards the three goons who were too busy re-aiming their guns to get a shot off. "Run." He commanded Sam. "Get out of here."

"Like hell I will!" She argued, driving the blade into one of the guard's shoulders.

"Damn it woman." He swore as he fired shots towards one guard, then the other, managing to hit one in the hand and the other in the wrist. Seeing all three start to slump towards the ground, he reached out and grabbed her hand, hurrying towards the waiting car. "Could you just listen to me for once?"

"We're partners." She reminded him as they fled the scene with Donnelly in Harper's grip.

"It doesn't do us a bit of good if you end up hurt." Harper pointed out.

"We got the bad guy." Sam argued. "I'm fine."

"You shot me..." Donnelly moaned. "You son of a bitch."

"Shut up you big baby." Harper barely glanced back at him. "You're damn lucky all you got was shot."

"Who are you people? I'm an honest pimp."

"I told you. We're Batman. Now shut up."

"Do you not trust me?" Sam asked, turning her attention to Harper as they shoved Donnelly into the backseat.

"You I trust. Him? Not so much."

"Sure. Sure. Blame the pimp. He's an easy enough target."

"Then why didn't you wait for the signal?" Sam demanded, ignoring Donnelly.

"Because he wasn't going to let you go long enough for you to give it." Harper argued calmly.

"I was handling him just fine." Sam climbed into the car and slammed the door.

"I know you were." Harper assured her as he got into the driver's side and started up the car. "I just wasn't going to give him the chance to handle you."

"If you don't trust me to do my job, then we're not equal." Sam said over the engine.

"If you two would keep your marital problems to yourself and take me to a hospital, I'd appreciate it." Donnelly whined from the backseat.

*****

Mike unintentionally slammed the menu down on the counter startling Maxie. He reddened when he realized what he had done. "Sorry." He said with a small smile. "You have a phone call."

Maxie's eyebrows furrowed together. "I do?" A quick scan of the diner proved that they were filled to the rim with customers. "Can you take a message?"

"What am I, your secretary?" Mike teased her gently.

"Thanks Mike." Maxie said moving quickly around the bar toward the office. A hand shot out and caught her arm.

"It's about time you answered the phone." Ric teased as his eyes settled on her startled face. He dropped a quick kiss on her nose before smirking at her. "Hello Blondie."

Rearing back Maxie smacked him solidly in the chest. "What is wrong with you? You scared me to death!"

"I thought it wasn't in your DNA to be scared." He taunted as he pulled her close to him, completely ignoring the fake outrage she was trying to show him.

"What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?"

"I need a reason to see you?" He really didn't have the time to stand around and flirt with her. His flight was leaving in about two hours, but somehow he just couldn't seem to stop himself when it came to Maxie Jones.

"No, you don't need a reason, but I do have to get back eventually." Maxie reasoned.

"Well that's eventually." And eventually he would have to get on a plane to face his father and sister with his ex-wife. Eventually could wait. Ric nuzzled his nose into her neck.

"Ric..." Maxie whined leaning into him. "You have the worst timing." Even as she said it, she felt herself giving in.

He did, but she didn't need to know that right now. "No right now I have perfect timing." This would have to last him for who knew how long.

"Is that right?" Maxie touched her lips to his, maneuvering them toward a corner with a little more privacy.

"Of course I'm right." He wrapped his hands tighter around her waist and deepened the kiss. Considering how addicted he was to her, how exactly did he think he was going to survive this without her?

"Do you want to tell me what's really going on?" Maxie offered, sliding her hands under his gray t-shirt and tracing his chest with her fingers. He held her face in his hands stealing her breath and she felt a little disoriented.

"What makes you think something is going on?"

"Well, for starters, we've never gotten this hot and heavy in the hallway. Offices, yes. Kitchens definitely. Even living rooms. But nothing this open and public."

"Where's your sense of adventure?"

Maxie touched her finger to his nose. "That's my line."

Kissing the tip of her finger, Ric let out a sigh. Ever since she confronted him about distracting her with the physical, Maxie had been making an effort to keep that from being effective with him. "I have to go out of town for a while." He admitted.

"Out of town?" Maxie repeated. "All of the sudden?"

"My father had a heart attack last night."

"I'm sorry. Is he okay?"

"I don't know." He admitted. If Charlotte had offered that information, Kate hadn't shared it. He hadn't even thought to ask how his father had been doing. No wonder he and the Colonel hadn't ever gotten along. Maybe he really was as selfish as the old man had sometimes accused him of being. "My sister is pretty upset about it."

"You have a sister?"

"Charlotte. She's younger. You'll probably like her." Yes, he could clearly see Charlotte and Maxie not only getting along, but being fast friends. They were similar. Almost too similar.

"When are you leaving?" Maxie wanted to know.

"Two hours." He admitted.

"That soon?" Maxie asked quietly.

"It's the last flight out that gets me to Tucson tonight." Ric explained.

Maxie nodded because she didn't really know what she could do about it. His dad was sick, and of course he had to go there. "Then we'd better get you on that plane."

"Come to the airport with me."

"And do all that sappy goodbye stuff? No way." Maxie countered.

"Who said anything about sappy goodbyes?" Ric questioned. "I think I'm starting to like hallways. And I hear the airport has tons of hallways to explore."

"Gross. I've heard horror stories about airports." Maxie dissuaded him.

"Only from people who got caught."

"What am I going to do without you here?" Maxie wondered.

"Same thing I'm going to do there. Go crazy missing you." Ric countered easily.

"Will you call me?" Maxie asked latching her arms around his waist and hugging him to her.

"Every night." He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her unique scent.

"What will we talk about?" Maxie tilted her head back so she could look into his eyes.

He winked down at her. "Come the airport with me and we can come up with some discussion topics."

"Just give me one minute." Maxie promised giving him a quick kiss. She disappeared around the corner and literally ran into her boss. "Mike. How are you Mike?"

"What do you want Maxie?"

"I kind of have to leave—"

"Leave? Have you seen how many people we have working here?" He challenged.

"Lulu's upstairs." Maxie bargained. "She was complaining to me about needing a little money. Maybe she'll cover. I really have to go. I'll work double shifts every day for a week if you want."

"Fine." Mike allowed. "Go out the back."

"You're the best!" Maxie kissed him on the cheek noticing Ric leave his post and lift his eyebrows at her. "What?" She asked as she made her way toward him, her purse in her hand.

"That was impressive."

"I try." Maxie giggled.

Ric dropped his arm over her shoulder. "Now how do you plan on impressing me?"

Previews:

Smiling at her was going to be the best acting performance of his life. With a wave of his hand, he gestured towards the empty chair opposite him. "Take a seat. How's the business been treating you these days?"

"It's about to be treating me to a corner office." Sherry replied with a smile taking her seat. "You?"


	253. You Learn

"I'm so tired." Morgan complained as he and Robin took their seats. She had purposely put him by the window and it seemed the tray stationed there had slipped away from its fastener and flung open. Adjusting it, she buckled him into his seatbelt and took her seat.

"You can lie in my lap." Robin offered pushing the right arm of her seat up and requesting a pillow from the flight attendant.

"How long until we get there?" Morgan asked with bleary eyes. He must have stayed up last night without her realizing.

"It's going to be morning and night again and then we'll be there." Robin promised as she patted his back soothingly. She thanked the attendant and tucked the pillow under Morgan's head.

"What's Grandpa Robert like?" Morgan whispered in curiosity.

"He's funny." Robin said. "He's always got the best stories."

"Do you think he'll like me?" Morgan yawned.

"He already loves you." Robin assured him. "Get some sleep munchkin. We'll be there before you know it."

"Okay." Morgan gave in and closed his eyes.

Robin leaned back in her seat and gave a fleeting glance to the other passengers. She wondered if they were all going for pleasure or if business had called them away. Would she see them in eight weeks when she returned home? She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to force out the noise around her, but it wasn't in the cards for her. She was in her last comfortable outfit which meant she'd be shopping in Paris, not that much of a sacrifice. She didn't even have a bag. She had managed to fit her toiletries, pajamas, and meds in Morgan's bag under his socks. The only reason she had a carry-on was her purse and that was something she refused to let leave her side.

Morgan didn't even stir in her lap. Her legs quickly fell asleep and she had no choice but to endure it. It would be worse if Morgan woke up. He was moodier than Patrick when it came to little sleep. She rested her chin in her palm as the last moment they had spent together forced its way to the front of her brain. He had said that he could take them as far as the entrance because, if he went through the doors and over to baggage claim, he would have a damn good reason for them to stay. She knew her leaving wasn't easy on him. It wasn't any easier on her. The seat seemed too small and her clothes too tight. She was always five seconds away from having a public breakdown...or throwing up. She wanted to tell Morgan before they left, but they had run out of time. Her father would figure it out, the timing insisted that he would know, but hopefully she'd get to tell Morgan first, at least warn him.

Softly stroking Morgan's dark hair, Robin wondered how her son would react to the news. Would he feel like he was being replaced? Would he like the idea of being a big brother? Every time he did something that would remind her of herself or one of the Spencers, he would turn around and act like Carly or Sonny, so it was impossible to know how he would take this. Until this moment, she hadn't realized just how much she wanted it. During a time of secrets and disapproval, she needed desperately for her son to be excited about being a big brother.

And then there was the matter of her parents. Her mother would be unhappy about finding out after Robert, but she would eventually let that feeling pass and either accept that she was going to be a grandmother for the second time or go do something foolish to prove that she was far too unconventional to be of much use to her grandchildren. Robin doubted she would react with anything but joy. She could still remember calling her mother when she had found out she was being awarded guardianship of Morgan.

Her father had never truly met Patrick, so chances were he wouldn't be as accommodating, but she bet he would come around. He hadn't had contact with Morgan, not even once, but she blamed that on bad timing and the demands of his job. It wasn't like he had stayed away this long because he didn't love her or want to be a part of his grandson's life. She hadn't been lying about his fantastic stories. For now, Morgan might think they were exaggerations just as she had as a child. Though she had grown up, those stories would never be anything less than magical to her.

Was she naïve for expecting the Spencers to react a different way to her and Patrick's quickie engagement? The reasons for going through with it were still valid. Logan might come after his brother's girlfriend, but she highly doubted he was brave, or stupid, enough to come after her now. That was what the newspaper announcement had been about. Patrick had suggested they keep the knowledge of her departure limited to only a few people, because he wanted Logan to make a move, if he was going to, in Port Charles where he could be handled. He still wasn't happy about her leaving in the first place, but he had accepted it with quiet consent.

She had been over and over her decision to leave and this still seemed like the best idea. Leaving Patrick, her friends, and the rest of her family had been really hard, but it was only two months right? By the time she returned, surely they would get over their shock and be happy for her. She would give anything for them to share in some of her joy. Despite Patrick's reasons for asking her now, despite her reasons for accepting, she felt safe and loved when she remembered what he had said to her outside the nursery: Maybe one day it wouldn't be a lie.

*****

There were moments in Sherry Lockhart's life that she felt truly afraid, and this was not one of them. For all her glory, she knew she would have to keep going above and beyond to keep the cushy new job she acquired for herself. This was why she hadn't released the videotape to the world. That hadn't kept her from hinting at it to her boss and colleagues or making certain that all of the video feed had been sent to her home computer. Call her paranoid, but she hadn't even trusted her cameraman. In this business it was eat or be eaten and all too often she was the main course.

Well no more. She was meeting with one of the biggest names in the music scene, the man connected to it all. Glenn Williams. The name sounded so nice slipping off her tongue. He had promised her an inside peek at her icon's upcoming nuptials if she showed him the tape. It was a risk, no doubt, but one that she felt comfortable taking. His role in all of this might seem small to someone else, but she happened to know he worked for the best friend of Lucky Spencer who just happened to make it his business to promote Daphne Vega who was getting married to...okay so she didn't remember his name, but he wasn't really a part of this anyway.

It seemed almost too simple to meet such a man at a coffee shop where they would both be delivering equal pieces of media magic. He had told her that no one knew that he was meeting her and no one could know once the arrangement was made. She had no problem with that. She had never, never released one of her sources and she wasn't about to start now. Smoothing down the invisible wrinkles in her sunshine-yellow knee-length dress and stepped into the coffee shop.

He had worried about not being able to find her in the crowded college hangout. The number of girls who fit the description of "pale blonde hair and blue eyes" was immeasurable really. But when he spotted the enormous ring that somehow sat on her left hand, Axe knew he had found his fish.

It had been sheer luck Bobbie vaguely remembered the woman claiming to be a friend of Elizabeth's at the shower. Earth Mother had been the one to clue them all into the ring. Without that bit of information, the fish would have swum on by he feared. Catching her eye, Axe lifted his hand slightly in greeting, flashing the large yellow plastic watch he had told her he would wear.

"Sherry?" He questioned when she neared his table.

"Glenn?" She didn't mean to sound suspicious, but she didn't want to immediately trust some pretty face. He could easily have picked her out from her picture in the paper. She had asked not to be named publicly because she worried about lawsuits and silly little things like that. It had been a pure stroke of luck that she had been there to answer the phone when Glenn called her.

Smiling at her was going to be the best acting performance of his life. With a wave of his hand, he gestured towards the empty chair opposite him. "Take a seat. How's the business been treating you these days?"

"It's about to be treating me to a corner office." Sherry replied with a smile taking her seat. "You?"

"Can't complain much. Any problems getting away?"

"Well if my boss was suspicious about me leaving early, he didn't mention it to me. I made sure I wasn't followed." She assured him in a serious tone.

"Good. The last thing either of us needs right now is prying eyes." He adopted a grave tone, scanning the shop carefully. Let her assume it was for a stray tabloid reporter or a nosy college student. It would make the reveal so much better for him if she did believe that.

"What have you brought me? You never went into details about it." And that had Sherry especially worried. It was like he had known just how to get her to say yes.

"Shh." Axe threw in some exaggerated hand motions and made a great show of looking around. "We are talking highly sensitive material no one knows I have right now. Lower your voice."

"I'm sorry." Sherry apologized profusely yet quietly.

Leaning down, Axe pulled a manila envelope out of the messenger bag sitting at his feet. Pushing the thick envelope towards her, he leaned closer over the table towards her. "It's all in here. I know a pissed off employee of her wedding planner. Guest lists, dress sketches, the date." Seeing her starting to break the clasp, he put his hands over hers quickly. "Don't open it here." He admonished her.

"You expect me to hand over this tape when I can't even see what this is? You're crazy. You're wasting my time." Sherry got up to leave.

"Sit down." He urged her. "I figured you would say that so I have something else for you." Seeing her interest peeked, he pulled out a small photograph from the front pouch of the messenger bag. "Here. Daphne Vega in one of the rejected dresses."

"Oooh." Sherry couldn't help but squeal.

"Girls." Axe muttered.

She reached over to take the folder from him, but he pulled it back. "What are you doing? I thought you said I could see."

"You get something, I get something. That was the deal. I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart."

Sherry nodded and crouched down to retrieve her computer bag. "I have the volume turned all the way down for obvious reasons." She explained to him while she set the laptop on the table. "Take a look."

He really didn't want to look. After all if this worked, he would still have to socialize occasionally with Music Man and the Little Momma. Looking would make that awkward on a scale not invented yet. Still, he had to at least make sure it was what this Nosy One kept hinting it was. Glancing quickly to see familiar faces, he trained his eyes on the top of the laptop, giving the impression he was watching while he could look away to his heart's content. "How'd you manage to pull it off?"

"Hidden camera. I placed it on Elizabeth's shoulder as I brushed past her. She never even realized." Sherry giggled.

"Sneaky. Very sneaky."

"What are you going to do with it?" Sherry wanted to know. She had purposely not made copies out of fear that someone could find the tape and keep it for themselves or claim it was theirs all along.

Closing the laptop, Axe shot a wink at her. "You would never guess."

"You kept your end of the deal. Thank you so much for this." Sherry didn't point out that after she showed her boss these pictures, the Spencer story would be yesterday's news. How fortunate for her that she had been able to negotiate both events!

Popping the CD out of the computer, Axe placed it securely in the messenger bag. "Trust me you don't need to thank me." Throwing up his hand, he held up three fingers, for all intents and purposes looking as if he was signaling for the check.

"I have to get going. Dinner plans. You understand." With Graham Nelson of all people! He had been so impressed with what she had come up with he had asked her out that day. There was nothing this story hadn't done for her, but it was too big. She supposed that was why she had handed over the tape.

"No I don't think you do." Becca purred sweetly, placing her hand on Sherry's shoulder. Leaning over the other woman, she grabbed the manila envelope easily enough. "I think I'll be taking that."

"Hey!" Sherry yelled incredulously snapping to her feet. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Taking what doesn't belong to you." Becca defended, crossing her arms and holding tightly to the envelope.

"Glenn? What is going on here?" Sherry demanded noticing the wide smile on his face. Becca made it a point to sit in his lap.

"Let me enlighten you, Ms. Lockhart." Cruz ambled over to the group slowly. "It's called a trap. And let me be the first to congratulate you for falling into it so spectacularly."

*****

The police might have been a little more surprised at the turning in of a hardened criminal who was not on their immediate agenda if Harper hadn't been the one to deliver him. She had had to stay in the car out of fear that someone would link them. They worked best if she remained a ghost. She hadn't been kidding when she had said women like her were a dime a dozen. Even Donnelly wouldn't be able to describe her by tomorrow morning.

While Sam was pleased she was still alive and hadn't been abused in any way, she was furious with Harper. His reaction to the situation made her want to strangle him! So Donnelly had grabbed her arm? If she had thought him a real threat, she could have had him on the pavement flat on his back in seconds. Why couldn't he have waited for the signal? While the blow she had struck with her knife had only been to the shoulder, she didn't feel all that comfortable with having to stab someone. Ironic considering her past life with Jason Morgan.

She could hear his footsteps just beyond the door and planted her hands on her hips and her feet to the carpet in preparation for his arrival. He had told her he needed to take care of a few things so that "his" arrest wouldn't seem suspicious and she had stayed here, biding her time, livid beyond belief. Well he was here now, wasn't he? Picking up the heaviest thing she could find—an "antique" vase from the side table in the living room—she thrust it at the opening door.

"I'm ba...What the hell?" Harper was just barely able to duck before the vase struck the wall, bursting into a million pieces. Shaking his head as he drew up to his full height, he stared at Sam in disbelief. "What is your problem?"

"YOU ARE!" Sam clarified pulling off one of her red heels and throwing it at his head.

Grabbing the shoe in mid air, he tossed it behind his head, bouncing it off the door as he stepped further into the room. "Have you lost your mind? Do you want people to remember the fact we both live here?"

"The walls are soundproof." Sam pointed out advancing on him, having to limp when she realized she was only wearing one shoe. "So no one will hear me choking the life out of you."

"You wouldn't be able to go through with it."

"The mood I'm in, I wouldn't be so sure if I were you. How dare you?" She challenged angrily.

"How dare I what? Save your ass?"

"Who the hell asked you to? I was doing just fine on my own." Sam reminded him.

"Like hell you were. He never should have been able to get his hand on you."

"It was a mistake on his part, not mine. If I had jerked away, it would have blown my cover."

"No you would have been a normal, scared fifteen-year-old. Who you were pretending to be again?"

"What are you talking about?"

Harper took a step closer to her, his eyes flashing. "If a known pimp grabs the arm of a teenage girl, her first response is to flinch. It's instinct. Even for the toughest girl, she flinches. You didn't flinch."

"So what? He trusted me." Sam defended herself.

"He didn't trust you." Harper snorted in frustration. "He was looking at you as his next victim, the next body I got to pull out of a Dumpster, or his next girl walking the street."

"It would have been really nice to know that you didn't trust me before last night. Maybe then I wouldn't have wasted my time."

"Not trust you? How did you pull that conclusion out of your ass?"

"I didn't give you the damn signal."

"You weren't going to be given the chance."

"You don't know that! You got sloppy and two people got hurt."

"Oh you are not worried about the security force of a pimp."

Sam got in his face, having to stand on her tiptoes, "Why did you shoot Donnelly?"

"He threw you to those goons."

She shook her head. "I knew it. We're partners, but out for different agendas. You shouldn't have worried about me."

"That's where you're wrong. I worry about all my partners." Harper shook his head and reached out to grab both of her arms. "I'd worry about you if you were my regular partner on the force. And trust me Joel wouldn't fill out that outfit as well as you did."

"So it was a purely physical reaction then? Great." Sam muttered darkly.

"No it was pure instinct." He pulled her closer to him. "My first response is always going to be to protect you if things go wrong. And for reasons other than the ones you are currently thinking of. If you can't deal with the fact that keeping you safe is important to me, then maybe you should walk away right now." With every word he spoke, his face drew closer to hers.

"I just want us to be equal. Is that so wrong? Does attraction always have to skew the facts? Fact one: We could have died yesterday because you jumped the gun quite literally. Fact two—"

"Fact two." Harper interrupted her quickly. "You're the one did the most damage with that knife."

Sam withdrew as if he had slapped her. Suddenly, she wanted to be far away from him. "Let me go."

"No."

"No? You can't say something like that to me..."

"But you can blame me for everything under the sun and it's fine?" He countered incredulously. "If you want equality that includes the fun and the not so fun."

"I don't know if you noticed, but they had two guns and you only had one."

Harper smiled slowly. "So you were trying to save me?"

"I didn't say that. It'd be much easier to explain two dead bodies in an alley than a shot cop when I'm more or less a ghost in this town."

"Trust me, no one could ignore you. There is no way you're a ghost."

"Would you stay on topic?" Sam flicked him on the forehead.

"Where we were discussing your interest in protecting me?"

"I wasn't protecting you."

"That's not what you just said."

"Men! Let me go God damn it!" Sam squirmed.

"What's the problem with admitting you cared about what happened to me?"

"I don't want to care about what happens to anybody but me." Sam whispered. "It's less messy that way."

"I think you lie."

"You know what I think?"

"Do share."

"I think you're a pompous ass." She said, quickly leaning up to meld their mouths together. It was just a soft kiss, a question.

Pulling away from her reluctantly, Harper smiled. "And I think you like that."

"Shut up." Sam warned kissing him again.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he winked down at her. "I don't follow orders real well."

Previews: 

Biting her lip she tried to keep from looking at the corner of the room where his toys still took residence. She hadn't the heart to clean up a single one of them, so they still littered the floor, exactly the way they had when he had left for Majandra's party. Once thrown to the side in excitement, now they were sad reminders of Cameron's absence.


	254. Homecoming

It was barely midnight, but still the house had been dark for hours. Everyone had warned her, Elizabeth remembered, that having a baby would change her sleep schedule from regular to sporadic. She supposed if they had told their families about the twins, the advice would have been changed from "sporadic" to "nonexistent." Padding down the steps, she cradled Gracie in her arms, the small girl just starting to settle down after her recent feeding. By the time Gracie fell back asleep, Jake would start his own wail, starting the cycle over again.

Although it was probably far too early to call it a routine, Elizabeth already knew what would happen next. Gracie would just start to drift off, and Jake would start to whimper. While she made her way back up the stairs, Lucky would go to the nursery and get Jake out of his bed. They would meet in the hallway and switch children, Lucky taking care of diapering and Elizabeth taking care of the feeding. By the time Jake fell back asleep, they would get roughly two, maybe three hours of sleep before Gracie would wake up again.

Not that she was complaining. It was exhausting and sounded bizarre even to her ears, but Elizabeth would swear before any court she got to know her children better under the light of the moon than she had so far during the day. It was at night she had first noticed the tiny birthmark Gracie had on the bottom of her right foot. And that Jake seemed to have a fondness for falling asleep during Time-Life CD compilation commercials.

During the day there were too many reminders of all the chaos that still surrounded them. In the sunlight, it was impossible to miss the blinking red light of the answering machine, the tape rapidly becoming full with the constant messages from her parents and sister. The messages never changed. First it was pleading with her to deal with the unreasonable Spencers, and then veiled insults about her own judgment followed by outright blame for the press finding out about the twins so quickly. During the night, it was easier just to ignore the blinking red light altogether.

Her family shouldn't bother her so much. Ever since she followed Steven's example and rejected her parents' carefully scripted plan for her life, it had been a variation of the same speech. She was incapable of running her life properly and one day she would need them to save her from the destruction she had brought upon herself. Looking down at Gracie, snuggling securely in her arms, Elizabeth lowered her head to kiss the top of her daughter's head. "I promise I am not going to become my mother Gracie. I'm not going to do this to you or your brothers."

Brothers. The one word echoed back to her in the silence of the darkened living room. Biting her lip she tried to keep from looking at the corner of the room where his toys still took residence. She hadn't the heart to clean up a single one of them, so they still littered the floor, exactly the way they had when he had left for Majandra's party. Once thrown to the side in excitement, now they were sad reminders of Cameron's absence.

Not that it had been hard to forget. Once again, it was only in the absence of his constant chatter that she really began to appreciate how much of the background noise of her day Cameron took up. After his accident, it was a reminder of just how sick he was. Now it was just how much he was missed. No one to complain that babies were boring and ask when exactly he could expect his brother to be able to play trains with him. No one staring at the twins quizzically, as if he was trying to figure out how to use one of them in one of elaborate games that only he ever understood.

Even the nighttime feedings weren't immune to the memories. More times than not, the exact spots in the hallway she would meet up with Lucky were directly in front of Cameron's door. On more than one occasion she knew she had to stop herself from making a plea to keep quiet so they didn't wake Cameron. The first night Cameron spent at the Grimes Lucky had made such a comment. Elizabeth wasn't positive, but she was pretty sure there had been no more sleep for him after that.

Lucky kept insisting he was fine…well not fine but close enough to function at any rate. He filled his days with meetings with Dara, playing with the twins, and strategy sessions with Ned. Even Cruz's phone call that he had "come into possession" of everything that reporter had on the twins hadn't seemed to ease his concerns about the press one small bit. Elizabeth knew he was devastated by Cameron's absence, but he refused to talk about it with her in anything other than surface conversation. It was a situation she would normally talk over and enlist Robin's help in, but her best friend was on her way to Paris and no help to her here in Port Charles.

She hated Robin's trip to Paris with every fiber of her being. Yes, she understood Robin's reasons, but she didn't have to like them. In the dark, she could admit selfishly that Robert Scorpio be damned, Robin was needed more in Port Charles than in Paris. Hadn't he been only on the edge of his daughter's life for years now? Why the sudden interest in being a father? Didn't he realize other people needed Robin more than he did right now? The second she would think this, guilt would automatically show up. Robin needed her father. She needed her family now during her pregnancy (not that she had told anyone about that just yet) and she needed to feel normal. Elizabeth got that, she truly did, but right now she really wished for a marathon girl talk session with her best friend.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. Elizabeth glanced at the clock confused. The number of people it could be at this hour was incredibly small and she had seen enough movies and TV shows to know a knock on the door in the middle of the night was rarely accompanied by good news. Holding Gracie close to her, Elizabeth made her way to the door, opening it just a small crack at first then wider when she realized who was standing on her front porch. "Steven?" she whispered.

Steven rubbed his weary eyes and offered his little sister a smile. "Hi baby." He muttered quietly.

She felt her eyes water immediately. Dr. Lansing had said her hormones would settle themselves after the birth, but it looked like it wasn't happening tonight. "I have never been so glad to see you."

"Trust me. The feeling has never been more mutual." Steven assured her, stepping over the threshold to wrap her and the tiny baby nestled in her arms in a hug.

"When did you get in? Why didn't you tell me? I would have come and gotten you or sent Lucky at least." Elizabeth shut the door behind him when Steven finally released her and ushered him into the living room, heading towards the couch.

"I didn't want to inconvenience you. If you'll remember, there are enough years between us that allow me to remember you as a newborn. I figured you would be awake. Who is this?" He wanted to know.

"You are never an inconvenience. A pain maybe." She teased gently before holding Gracie towards her brother. "Steven, meet your niece. Lauren Grace, but she seems to like Gracie."

Steven carefully took the baby from his sister and held her up so that their eyes met. "Are you a Gracie?" He asked quietly.

"Yes. Don't go changing her name now Uncle Steven."

"I'm going to call her Squirt no matter what her name is." Steven nodded with a grin.

"And that would that make Jake's nickname…?"

"I'll have to meet him first. The last thing we want is to give the little tyke a name that doesn't suit him." Steven explained.

Elizabeth smiled softly. "In that case you'll be able to figure that out in about fifteen minutes when he wakes up."

"You mean I can't wake him up now? God, you're no fun at all." He stuck out his tongue at her.

"You wake him up now and I officially no longer include you on the list of family I like." Elizabeth stuck her tongue out right back at him and moved closer to him to hold onto Gracie's small hand with one finger.

"We'll break her, won't we Gracie?" Steven prompted his niece as he carried her across the living room. He glanced half-heartedly at the pictures in their frames on the mantle, wondering how he could miss a little boy that he had barely known. The house seemed too quiet, expectant almost, like it was waiting for him to return home. Elizabeth moved toward him and rested her head on his shoulder, having to stand on tiptoe to do even that.

"God it is so good to have you back home." Elizabeth sighed.

You're going to love it when I move here, Steven thought wryly. Of all of his family, he knew Elizabeth would, after a little bit of time, come to accept Georgie as her sister-in-law. He didn't see any reason to even tell the rest of his family, save Grams. They would only alienate her as they had tried to do to Lucky too many times. No, he was not comparing them. He wasn't. Using his free hand, he lightly stroked Elizabeth's hair as he had when she was a baby. "It's good to be here."

"You and Grams are officially the only Webbers to see her you know."

"I think Mom, Dad, and Sarah were all abducted by aliens and these are the pods left in their place." Steven reasoned.

"I hear that is very common in upstate New York."

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. Are you okay?"

"I've been better." Elizabeth answered honestly. "I knew Mom, Dad, and Sarah were going to be pains about this. And I figured you and Grams to be the only ones to really want to see the twins, but with the press and Cameron..." Elizabeth shook her head. "It just wasn't supposed to be like this Steven."

"I know. Sometimes life doesn't care about our plans."

"True enough. Speaking of plans, what are yours? Where are you staying? How long?"

"I thought I'd stay at the Metro Court. Other than diffusing the situation, I don't have any definite plans."

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. Mom and Dad are staying there and they will think that means you are siding with them. You can't stay at the Metro Court. If we had the space I would say stay here, but that's out." She paused long enough to tilt her head before the solution hit her. "I know. You can stay at Gram's house. You won't waste money and Grams would feel better knowing someone was there to keep an eye on the place."

"That's a great idea." Steven agreed with a nod. "Can I meet my nephew before you shove me out the door?" He taunted.

"Why not?" Lucky's voice, barely above a whisper, startled them both as it came down the steps. "Little man here woke up a bit early," he explained as he neared the siblings.

Looking over at Gracie, Elizabeth smiled. "They must have radar or something because she fell asleep early too." She reached for her son and nudged Steven to give Gracie to Lucky.

"Hi Steven." Lucky offered. "You just get in?"

"Just now." Steven responded.

"Good." Lucky tried to hold back the yawn as he adjusted Gracie on his shoulder. "I'm going to put the princess here to bed. I'll be much better at conversation in the morning."

"I'll be up soon." Elizabeth promised. "Steven is probably dead on his feet."

"Jet lag is nothing compared to newborn twins." Steven waved off her concern.

"Give us two more days and we'll have these two on a schedule." Lucky joked.

"You seem to be doing a great job. I don't hear any crying." Steven pointed out.

"Give Jake here about two more minutes without getting fed. He'll wake the entire neighborhood." Lucky promised

"Well say that's just to make sure you don't forget you have two babies instead of a set of twins." Steven replied, carefully taking his nephew from his sister. "Hello there Jake."

"Decided on a nickname yet?" Elizabeth teased.

"Not yet. It's going to take some definite consideration. I was expecting Gracie so I had more time." Steven held out Jake and smiled down at him. "At least they got the good genes. Remember Aunt Elsie's giant nose?"

Seeing Lucky's back going up the stairs, Elizabeth laughed. "Don't say that too loudly or Lucky will try to take credit for those good genes."

Noting the exhaustion in his sister's eyes, Steven leaned closer and kissed her cheek, handing over the baby in the process. "I think I'm going to head over to Gram's. Tell her I'll be by to see her in the morning, won't you?"

"I will. And Steven?"

"Yeah?" Steven asked, stopping halfway out the door.

"Welcome home big brother."

Previews: 

"I'm almost out of the plane. I should be there in about twenty minutes." He wanted to add in how thankful he was that she had come, but that was a slippery slope.

"I'll meet you in the lobby." Kate decided.


	255. The Memory Will Never Die

Ric shoved his hand through his hair as he waited impatiently for his plane to reach its destination. Kate had taken the flight before his which meant she was already there which just made him feel like a jerk. He should have gone immediately, but it had felt wrong to do so without telling anyone. He had a life in Port Charles. He couldn't just leave it to ruins when his father decided to remind him he was a stubborn jerk who had probably caused himself to have a heart attack to remind Ric that he would never quite reach his ideal son.

It was unfair to have these thoughts, but he figured as long as he didn't say them aloud, they couldn't hurt anyone. He could never mention such a thing to Charlotte. She was their father's favorite, had always been. She was the apple of her father's eyes, and really Ric couldn't blame the Colonel for choosing her over him. She took his advice when he gave it to her and she was married to a man that the Colonel had practically picked out for her. He wished he could get a hold of his sister, had spent the entire plane ride trying to get her to answer her cell, her house, or even her office phone, but it was to no avail. If he was a better brother, he would have the husband's number programmed in his phone. Gritting his teeth as the plane started to ascend he grabbed the right arm of his seat.

Only one person knew about his fear of flying and that was Kate. His thoughts flew to her without his permission. He couldn't forget the sheer panic in her tone when she had told him about the Colonel's heart attack. It was as the old saying went, "You could divorce a person, but it was a lot harder to divorce their family." She had always been kind to his father and kept up her friendship with Charlotte even when their marriage began to crumble. Her insistence to come along when she was no longer legally bound to him just went to prove that she still cared about what happened in their lives. It was his appreciation that had forced him to keep his mouth shut when he had given Maxie the details. He didn't think anything good would come from her knowing that Kate would be joining him in Tucson.

The wheels of the plane hit the pavement with an unsettling jerk and he closed his eyes, praying they wouldn't go skidding into the airport or another plane. He often entertained thoughts such as these when he traveled which was why he tended to drive. It didn't matter how many statistics compared the two modes of transportation, he still trusted his own abilities behind the wheel than that of a faceless captain. His phone buzzed to life as they came around toward the gate and the plane came to a slow stop.

"Ric Lansing." He said noncommittally into the phone.

"You're still breathing. The flight must have gone ok." Kate's voice, laced with laughter, hit his ear.

"Are you there? At the hospital? Is Charlotte with you?"

"I'm at the hospital. Charlotte is in the room with the Colonel right now." Kate confirmed. "Everything's going as well as it could be right now."

"Did the doctor say what caused the heart attack?" Ric asked, helping an old woman with stark-white hair pull down her twenty-pound handbag from the overhead compartment.

"Not for sure but it's probably a combination of his temper, his stubbornness, and bad diet."

"I told Charlotte his diet of greasy hamburgers would kill him." Ric groaned.

"And Charlotte told him the same thing. You know how well he listens when it comes to change."

Ric smiled in spite of himself. "You shouldn't encourage him to be so stubborn."

"In this case, his being stubborn is probably going to help him recover." Kate mentioned gently.

"Are they keeping him?"

"For now. Give him a few more days and I'm sure the staff will be ready to toss him out on his butt."

"I'm almost out of the plane. I should be there in about twenty minutes." He wanted to add in how thankful he was that she had come, but that was a slippery slope.

"I'll meet you in the lobby." Kate decided. "This place is only kindly described as a maze. I was looking for the Colonel and ended up on the pediatrics ward."

Nodding, forgetting she couldn't see him, Ric continued to make his way through the slow moving hoards of fellow travelers. "I'll be there soon."

"I'll be waiting. And Ric?"

"What?"

"You're welcome."

*****

All she needed was a minute or two to collect herself and then she would be able to return to the hospital and meet up with her brother and best friend. Doctor Wozniac had suggested she go home and rest, but she couldn't close her eyes without seeing her father's frail form swallowed up in a hospital gown. He was a fit man, Charlotte Lansing mused to herself, but no less nearing seventy years old. The hospital was the last place he wanted to be, he had told her so, but the hospital staff discouraged her from moving him. There was no one cause for his heart attack and, so far, all that they could recommend was bed rest. She wanted to take their suggestions and shove them up their asses for all the good it was doing her father tonight.

Kate had left her a message, or twenty, but she hadn't the nerve to check them yet. When her old friend had told her that Ric was flying out the second he realized what was going on, she had laughed, actually laughed. It had been three years since she had seen her brother and only a natural disaster could get him to Tucson, Arizona. Perhaps that was why she let the messages collect on her cell and home phones: No news was good news.

Her hair was pulled up tightly into a white towel; her face was hidden behind two layers of a green tea mask; and her nails were drying from their latest manicure. What had been the purpose of getting a spa set for Christmas if she wasn't going to use it? Her Yoga instructor had warned her about unnecessary stress and she had listened. It was his remedy for her once-hectic schedule that had probably saved her life. Now, if she could just get Daddy to see that, there was hope. Maybe she could show him how to limit stress and anxiety by simply copying her system and altering it for his needs. It was definitely worth trying.

She flipped off the muted television and flipped on the stereo. Alec had bought her a CD of soothing jungle sounds, most of which included bird calls and rivers running, and now seemed like the time to revel in it. Her green eyes closed and she told herself to let the music roll over her. She needed to be calm, to relax, and to realize that there was nothing more she could do tonight. She had an urge every five minutes to say to hell with everyone's advice she was spending the night in her father's hospital room. She didn't care about miniscule things like visiting hours or rest between visits. Daddy had been so weak during their conversation; she had almost burst into tears.

Enough of that thinking, she told herself. She was about to be in the presence of her two favorite people and had every intention of getting them to talk. Charlotte wasn't sure what their talk would lead to, and she forced herself not to care. It was their issue, their marriage, none of her business. If she was the one to get them back together, Kate would convince Ric to move back to Arizona. It was a win-win. They obviously still loved each other. Some tart in Port Charles of all places could not erase years of marriage.

The doorbell chimed and she moved closer to the front door. She glanced through the sheer living room curtains and smiled. "Come in, come in."

"Peanut!" Kate called as she crossed the threshold, her heels tapping on the marble surface. "How are you holding up?"

"Blossom!" Charlotte leaned into hug her friend before remembering about her nails and her mask. "Let me get cleaned up." She gave a nervous glance toward her brother.

"Char..." Ric began, his voice choking on her childhood nickname. It had been years since they had been in the same room without the Colonel ordering it. He barely remembered her current husband's name, much less what he looked liked. They shouldn't be like this.

"Just a second Ric." Charlotte called from the bathroom. It was just easier to not be in the same room with him until she had her bearings. "Make yourself at home." Once the mask was off and her face was replenished, she headed toward the kitchen. "I bet you're both exhausted. Would you like some tea?" She jumped a foot in the air when Ric caught her by the wrist.

"Slow down Char. Tell us what's going on." Ric commanded gently.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Just fine." Charlotte promised, ducking Kate's worried gaze, trying to get away from her brother.

"Peanut." Kate kept her voice gentle. "This is us. Just say it."

"The doctors don't know what caused the heart attack. They're keeping him for observation. He could barely stay awake when I talked to him." Charlotte said it all very fast, needing it out in the open for someone else to deal with.

"Are they running tests?" Ric could feel his medical training kicking in. Facts and tests he could deal with. That he could handle. "What's his doctor's name?"

"Dr. Wozniac. I don't know what kinds of tests...I couldn't make sense of them." Charlotte sighed, making herself a long glass of tea.

"I'll talk with him first thing." Ric nodded.

"Now what about you? Do you need anything? Food? Have you slept?" Kate pressed.

Charlotte smiled at her friend's concern. "Last time I checked, it was my job to take care of you. I haven't eaten dinner yet. I wanted to wait for you two to get here."

"Why don't you ladies go take a seat in the living room and I'll whip us up some dinner?" Ric suggested.

"Yes make yourself useful." Kate teased gently.

*****

"I haven't been here." Sam informed the headstone. "As if you don't know. I'm sorry Vincent." It was growing more and more difficult to visit. With each one, she felt herself being pushed back a hundred steps past progress. Still, this is the only place she felt close to her son. "You would be proud of me. I've finally got a purpose." She reached out to knock the crinkled leaves off the top of the headstone and traced the letters in his name with the tips of her fingers.

Tears clouded her vision and she hurried to brush them away. "Jason Morgan is dead. I don't feel good about it. I should...I thought I would. And maybe that makes me selfish." Pausing to take a breath, she admitted to herself the level of joy she had reached after putting a few bullets in that son of a bitch. She wasn't about to tell her six-year-old son about how good it felt to know that that man would never hurt another child again. No use to give him nightmares. She had plenty on her own.

A little research had led her to asking questions and that led her to the outside world once she realized that all of her questions could not be questioned by the computer alone. She began washing her hair and her clothes again, knowing that one would answer her questions if she looked like a bum. It had been astonishing to realize that she was still a woman, still beautiful, when all she had felt like over the last year and half was bruised, broken, and useless. She was a failure. She hadn't saved her son...but she could save others.

It would be several years before she made the mistake of trusting Jason Morgan, and a handful more before she happened upon one Detective Harper. Joe Ciento had made a short career of pushing drugs onto middle school and high school kids. It had been his eyes, she remembered, that called out to her. Those brown, almost black, eyes had screamed evil. It was actually kind of funny that Harper had called himself Batman when they had taken Donnelly in, because that's how she had addressed him when he snuck into Ciento's home—where she just happened to be snooping—and grabbed her from behind.

She hadn't trusted him in the beginning. He was a treasure-seeker, a man who made the best for his life out of the worst of someone else's. He had actually had the nerve to advise her to stop whining over what couldn't be changed. It had been his coldness toward her so early in their knowing each other that had convinced her he was the partner she needed, since she obviously needed one. Without him, there were too many obstacles. By the time she figured out who was being targeted, she would encounter a thin blue line. It just so happened that Harper was very good at impersonating a police officer. She had gone back several years to try and out him, but he had taken care of all of that. His identity was fool-proof.

That didn't give her the right to mess things up and kiss him. For God's sake, what was the matter with her? She always thought everything through…until last night. Last night, she had simply been a woman in need of a man, even if only for a few moments. She had let herself be completely vulnerable to a man who had no first name.

This wasn't the place to be thinking about some stupid kiss! She should be talking with Vincent, not worrying about something that never should have happened. "I trusted a man before when I shouldn't have." Sam whispered. "And it was you who paid for it. Who will pay this time?"

Previews: Waving her finger in warning under Lindsay's and Ronnie's faces, Georgie chewed her lower lip nervously. "Remember not a word about Steven. Nothing."

Offering up a mock salute Lindsay smiled a lop-sided grin. "We've never met him. He's a ghost. Vapor. Nothing."


	256. Bliss I Don't Wanna Know

Waving her finger in warning under Lindsay's and Ronnie's faces, Georgie chewed her lower lip nervously. "Remember not a word about Steven. Nothing."

Offering up a mock salute Lindsay smiled a lop-sided grin. "We've never met him. He's a ghost. Vapor. Nothing."

"Certainly we've never ever been witnesses at his wedding. Or help his bride get ready." Ronnie chimed in.

"Covered her ass with the dorm monitor." Lindsay ticked off on her finger.

"You guys." Georgie pleaded with them.

"Hold on. We've never had to call them to tell him his wife's family has been leaving mass messages for her here and maybe she should call him." Ronnie continued.

"Guys, come on. This is important." Georgie whined, barely resisting the urge to stomp her foot like a five-year-old. Robin was due to show up any minute now and she was gong to have to lie through her teeth for the first time in her life. This was going to take planning and if her best friends weren't going to cooperate then everything was going to go horribly wrong.

She clutched at her rings, securely clasped around her neck on a thin gold chain. Robin would spot them on her hand in a second, even if she twisted her engagement ring upside down. If Robin found out, it was a matter of days before her dad would. And then she would have the worst possible case scenario. Her dad, fully aware of her marriage and Steven, all alone in a strange town with no one to run interference between him and her father. Or her father's gun.

She hadn't even talked with him since he landed in Port Charles. A quick text message to let her know he was fine. She had been in class when he left her the voice mail about staying at his grandmother's house instead of the Metro Court, as was the original plan. Georgie had to admit she liked that much better. It would be easier to get to Audrey Hardy's house once she got home than sneak in and out of the Metro Court. It was taking all her strength right now to not grab for her cell phone and listen to his voice just once more before Robin knocked on her door. Then maybe she could do this.

"Relax Georgie." Ronnie laughed, walking over to hug her friend. "We aren't going to drop the bomb unless you tell us it's alright. Your secret life is safe with us."

"Hey, who are the two that constantly tell you to have more excitement in your life?" Lindsay joked as she leaned back on her slightly unkempt bed. "Like I'm going to do something to return you to your formerly boring existence."

"Thanks so much for your concern Linds." Georgie responded over Ronnie's back, sticking her tongue out.

"That's me. I'm a giver." Lindsay shrugged her shoulders.

The knock on their shared door cause Ronnie and Georgie to jump, while Lindsay rolled her eyes. "This is it." Georgie declared nervously as she made her way to the door. "Wish me luck."

"Luck." Lindsay and Ronnie called out softly as she opened the door.

"I told you. We're seeing him tomorrow." Robin assured him. Her father had called her before she boarded the plane out of Port Charles to tell her that Georgie had invited them out for dinner to make up for his absence. She knew it was only partially true because Georgie had invited her long before her father cancelled on her, but she had humored him and asked when they would be meeting up with them. He had told her that there would be a man at the airport waiting for her, Arturo Magnamara, who would take her to Georgie's first and then to his apartment. She hoped the part about him meeting them there in the morning was true. She couldn't remember the last extended visit they had had.

The door swung open and Robin looked up quickly to meet Georgie's tight expression. It couldn't be called a real smile, because that would require her eyes, her cheeks, and her teeth. The expression her cousin was giving her was barely more than a grimace. "Did you swallow something bad?"

"No. Lindsay just told a terrible joke." Georgie forced herself to relax and try to smile at her cousin. No matter how hard it was going to be to lie to her all night, it was good to see her again and under better circumstances than her trip home. Opening up her arms for her cousin, she tried to keep a light tone in her voice. "It really is so good to see you."

"You too." Robin nodded. "Morgan's a little wiped out." She gestured toward her son to explain his silence. He was halfway behind her once he realized Georgie wasn't alone.

"Hey Morgan." Georgie knelt down to meet his eyes. "I know my friends look crazy, but they are pretty nice."

"Well we do have all the best toys." Lindsay offered. "Anytime you want to play X Box Morgan, you are welcome here. You have to be a better player than Georgie."

"What? Like that's hard?" Robin inquired glibly as Morgan launched himself into Georgie's arms.

"Not really." Georgie admitted.

"I was only teasing you sweetie." Robin assured her. "Should we get going?"

"Yeah why not?" Georgie let Morgan go, smoothing her skirt over her thighs as she stood up. Pausing as she straightened her spine, she tilted her head to the left. Was Robin....Georgie shook her head and looked again. She had to be imagining things. No way would Robin just show up in Paris pregnant without telling her first. But as she looked again, there it was. Small but still a tell tale bulge. "Oh my God." She gasped, holding her hands over her mouth. "Robin."

"What?" It hurt Robin to have to feign confusion. There was no worry about how Morgan would react because she had managed to tell him on the plane ride. He had been quiet for a very long time and then said, "Is that why we have the spare room?"

"You're…you're…" Georgie faltered.

"She's what?" Morgan wanted to know.

Robin shuffled from one foot to the other. "I guess the secret's out."

"What secret?" Morgan prodded impatiently.

"You haven't told him?" Georgie asked.

"Oh like she's one to talk." Lindsay muttered loud enough for only Ronnie to hear.

"Of course I've told him." Robin ran her fingers through Morgan's hair. "He was one of the first ones to know. On that note, my parents don't know and neither do the Spencers."

"That explains why I didn't hear about Dad having a heart attack." Georgie reasoned. Suddenly another bit of news flashed through her brain. "Wait. Is this why Patrick proposed?"

"Yes and no. Let's go to dinner." Robin insisted in an almost desperate tone. She didn't want to go into the other reason, not in front of her son. He hadn't been plagued with anymore nightmares and she didn't want that to change. Logan might always be the Boogie Man, but he was learning to not believe in such horror stories anymore. She wished she could be so lucky.

"I'm going to be a big brother." Morgan said.

"I can see that." Georgie assured him. "I'm just a little surprised is all."

"Why? Robin's fat." Morgan stated matter-of-factly.

"The baby's due in September. That's why I'm fat." Robin defended herself.

"I just haven't seen her in a bit buddy. Lots of things can change in a few months." Georgie explained sweetly.

"Like what?" Morgan prodded. "What's changed?"

Lindsay and Ronnie barely disguised their laughing as a coughing fit. Seeing the three Scorpio-Jones turn their heads, Ronnie waved her hand. "Dust. Lots of dust."

"Maybe we should just go to dinner." Georgie offered, giving her roommates her best warning look.

"That is the best idea you've had all night." Robin agreed with a sigh.

"Can I get a toy?" Morgan inquired looking from one family member to the next.

"We'll see." Robin told him.

"That can be arranged." Georgie promised.

"Have fun!" Lindsay called out cheerfully. "Ronnie and I will just sit and wait for the phone to ring."

"Don't worry Georgie. We'll be sure to take down any messages about your study session." Ronnie teased, unable to resist the urge, even with the wild look in Georgie's eyes.

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Georgie forced past her lips. If she got out of here without Robin thinking she or they had a screw loose, it would be a miracle. "Now I think we have some celebrating to do."

*****

At what point did Mac Scorpio start being the one in the dark about everything going on around him? It was the question he had asked himself since Georgie told him she would be going to Paris on a scholarship for a semester and never seemed to end. Robin had left him a voicemail about her own plans to visit Robert and Georgie in Paris a few hours before she boarded the plane. Kristina kept insisting that her father's death wasn't accidental which concerned him, but not enough to clue her mother in about it. Maxie had taken on extra shifts at the diner, so she was never home. He missed their late-night talks over hot cocoa. Alexis had called him last night to tell him that she was checking herself out in the morning and would he please come and pick her up? He had argued the point until he was blue in the face, but the fact of the matter was that none of the treatments were working. Chemo left her in such a funk that she would go to sleep crying and wake up disoriented. It hadn't helped his case that she was in tears when she told him her plan to leave the hospital and come home.

Kristina couldn't be more ecstatic about her mother's return and had talked the adults in her company into letting her skip school today so that she could spend some real time with Alexis. They were upstairs now and Mac had no idea what they were doing. It was customary for Kristina had catch a quick nap after school, squander thirty minutes to catch up on her cartoons, and then play on the swing set in the backyard. She had hinted about a puppy, but that was one front Mac and Alexis were in agreement about. Until things settled down, a dog was out of the question.

When he tried to ask Maxie what was going on, when she had suddenly developed a love for morning and evening shifts, she would distract him with her concerns about Alexis and he would spend the rest of the day wondering how he could help his fiancé. She absolutely refused to talk to Dr. Bernstein so all of his calls came directly to Mac's cell phone. It wasn't easy convincing a medical professional that his sick patient knew what was best for her, to hell with modern medicine, but he had managed it for the time being. What Mac didn't want to admit was how terrified he was for Alexis' life. She could, without warning, collapse again and, if she refused to go to the hospital—hell, it wasn't even making a difference and everyone all knew it. Everyone that is, except Kristina. She was certain her mommy had gone to the doctor, gotten some medicine, and come home good as new.

He couldn't take it any longer! He had to know what they were doing upstairs, what they were doing without him! This was his home too and he couldn't have felt more than an intruder, especially once he made it up the stairs and peeked into his and Alexis' room where Kristina lay sleeping. The monstrous green and blue comforter seemed to swallow her up and he couldn't help but notice how tiny and innocent she was. Alexis was typing furiously at her computer, her reading glasses, much to her frustration, sliding down her nose.

"Cat got your tongue?" Alexis teased without glancing in his direction.

"Is there a reason you're working when you're supposed to be recuperating?" Mac asked sharply, his voice moderately low to keep from disturbing Kristina.

"I never said I was coming home on the condition of recuperating." Alexis countered defiantly, the pressure she kept on the keys intensifying.

"Silly me for believing you're actually worried about your health." Mac grumbled unhappily.

Alexis turned her chair to face him. "Something on your mind Malcolm?"

"Alexis, you're sick." Mac reiterated for the thousandth time.

"Thank you for telling me. I almost forgot." Alexis replied bitingly. "The hospital recommended a wheelchair since I'll be an invalid before long and completely unable to take care of myself."

"Is this your attempt at a joke? Because you suck at it." Mac told himself not to take the bait. She wanted to fight and he just wanted answers. How could she come home and not take a little time to relax?

"I've been stuck in a hospital bed for weeks." She pointed out.

"So you thought being stuck in front of a computer screen would be a nice change?"

"I was going to take a brisk walk, but Kristina fell asleep…"

"Why are you doing this?" Mac challenged angrily.

"What am I doing?" Alexis retorted with a wild wave of her hands.

"You don't have to prove to us how healthy you are. We know it's bullshit." Mac watched his words cause Alexis to flinch. He so seldom swore that it caught her unawares.

"So I should what? Fall back in bed and let you bring me every meal? Not a chance. I'd rather put a gun to my head than be that...useless." Alexis hadn't realized her hands were shaking until Mac settled his on top of them.

"Why is it a crime to let me take care of you?" Mac wanted to know, pulling her to her feet and keeping a good hold on her hands.

"I've been on my own my entire life." Alexis reminded him.

"You're not alone now." Mac insisted drawing her closer.

"But I am..." Alexis tugged her hands free and walked over to the bed. Bending down, she kissed Kristina's cheek. "This is my condition. You can't fight it for me. You don't get to decide whether or not I stay in the hospital or come home. You can't make this decision for me."

"And you can't make it without me." Mac argued.

"I've been thinking..." Alexis moved away from the bed.

"That's Alexis speak for we have to talk." Mac shook his head.

Ignoring him, she continued, "Maybe Kristina and I moved in prematurely—"

For several seconds, Mac couldn't speak. "What?"

"Getting engaged and moving in together...maybe we were being naïve..."

"Stop it Alexis." Mac cut her off. "Stop this nonsense."

"It's not nonsense."

"It is. You can't have second thoughts now, not after everything we've been through together." Mac closed the space between them and lifted her chin with his thumb. "I want to marry you and you want to marry me."

"Oh Mac—I can't." Alexis shoved him backwards and he let her go, feeling as if the planet was off axis.

"What do you mean you can't?" Mac didn't let her answer before he said, "We love each other."

"Yes. I do love you."

"Then what's the matter?"

"We have to be realistic."

"Your idea of what's real is different from mine."

"There's nothing I want more than to be your wife." Alexis told him.

"Then why are you creating drama out of thin air?"

"I'm not. What if I don't get better?"

"We're not going through this again." Mac waved her off.

"Maybe we need to. Nothing has changed."

"Everything has changed. You're home now. You're with your family." Mac grabbed her wrists gently and placed kisses on her knuckles.

"I want so much to have your unwavering optimism of our future together."

"But you can't see it happening." Mac finished for her.

"No, I can't."

Previews:

"Hi Liz. What's up?" He couldn't find enthusiasm. She was not the one he was missing. Still, her voice was a nice change to the deafening silence that surrounded him.

"It's a rare moment when I have both the twins asleep." She admitted, secretly glad he hadn't ignored the call as she had feared. Everyone had told her about the unwritten rule of not calling Patrick on Sunday and she had been worried about breaking it. "I wanted to ask you something."


	257. Pardon Me

For once the meteorologist had actually predicted the day correctly. It was a picture perfect spring day. Audrey sat contented on the swing her husband had hung on the front porch shortly after they had moved in as newlyweds. Barely any effort was needed to keep the swing in motion, which was good since currently her grandson was watching her like a hawk from his spot on the porch railing. Smiling sweetly in his direction, she patted the area next to her. "Sit down St...Steven."

"Of course. Sorry." He sputtered, uneasily taking the seat beside his grandmother. "So, how are you feeling?"

"I'm good. How are you doing?"

"Good, good. Can't complain." At least he hadn't lied to her yet. "Nothing to report here."

"You seem happy. Pa...Paris must agree with you."

"It does. It's good to be in Port Charles though." He added quickly.

"Yes. Home." Audrey nodded wisely as her eyes scanned the front of her beloved house, looking for any signs of damage since she had last been there. As much as she loved Elizabeth and Lucky for taking her in, as thrilled as both her new great grandchildren made her, the simple truth was it wasn't her home. It was theirs. She missed her home. "Ho...How long are you staying?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Sounds serious." Audrey lifted one eyebrow skyward as she turned her full attention to her grandson.

"Would you be opposed...what I mean is the movie finished production and I was thinking...would you mind me staying here for a little while?" Steven wasn't sure what had compelled him to make such a request, especially when he hadn't talked to Georgie about it. Maybe it was seeing his grandmother in the shape she was in and feeling terrible for not offering to take care of her long before now.

"Wh…what about work?" To say his request surprised her would be an understatement. Steven had always explained he had to continually keep working or he wouldn't be able to get paid. There were a select few people who did what he did and could afford to be choosey about their projects. As wonderful as Steven was, he wasn't at that level just yet.

"Well I was thinking about a vacation...and what a better place to pick than the one that has the majority of my family in it?"

"You…want to move so you can be fa...favorite uncle?" she teased him

"Well, let's face it, I've got some competition." Steven smirked.

"Not from your side of the fa…family."

"I'm going to take care of them. Until then, will you think about it? I worry about you all alone in this big house. By the way, I was worried when it was just you and Elizabeth before you start in on how you can take care of yourself."

"And be…before Lucky."

"I still worry about those around him." Steven admitted. "But I hate him less than I did. That's progress isn't it?"

"You...your sister would be proud." Audrey laughed. "I'll make a deal wi…with you."

"What kind of deal?"

"I...I'll let you stay here...if..."

Steven watched her warily. "I don't think I like that pause Grams."

"If I stay here too."

"Well that was my only condition. I have to say I am a little surprised. You seem to love it at Lucky and Elizabeth's."

"I do. And I lov…love them for taking me in. But th…they have enough on their pl…plates right now."

"I guess it's lucky for me my plate's empty."

"Well, no...now that you will be home…I can wo…work on that."

Steven leaned over and hugged her. "Did I mention I missed you?"

"No...not yet."

"My mistake! I have missed you so much."

"I mi...missed you too."

*****

"Damn it." Lucas pounded his fist against his desk, causing the cooling coffee in his cup to slosh out on the grain of the wood. Cursing under his breath, he moved quickly to wipe up the access liquid before it stained.

Running a tired hand over his features he stared once again in disbelief at the screen. It wasn't possible. Yes people disappeared from their lives every day; it was the bread and butter of his business. But they didn't just completely disappear from life. There was generally a credit card, a phone line, some thread he could grab and pull until the entire story unraveled. That was before he tried to find one Sage Alcazar.

It was almost cliché to say looking for her seemed like a good idea at the time. Correction, he told himself bitterly, it was the only idea at the time. He was beyond tired of just sitting, watching, waiting, and hoping Lance wouldn't get any sicker. Every single time his son winced in pain, another piece of his already fragile heart shattered again. No, waiting wasn't an option.

Dr. Wexler could talk all she wanted about how far off the mere idea of a transplant was for Lance. Lucas remembered all too well how Aunt Felicia, Mac, and Uncle Frisco had all been told the same thing about Maxie's heart. And how fast had that happened? One day they had been playing soccer in the backyard; the next he couldn't go back to see his cousin because kids under the age of fourteen weren't allowed on the ICU floor. Lance was fine now, the doctors all told him. They had told them the same thing about Maxie too.

He wasn't going to be caught unawares again. Yes both he and Dillon had huge families, all of whom he was certain would volunteer to be tested as quickly as possible if Lance needed a transplant. Maybe it was his skeptical nature, his pessimistic streak, but the worst-case scenario would never leave his mind. What if no one was a match? What if the best case for Lance's survival relied on Sage? How would they find her if they hadn't already started looking?

The last time he had seen Sage, she had been insisting she wanted no visitation with Lance. This was their baby, their dream, she had insisted, not hers. She was just happy to help. And then her uncle had wheeled her towards his gunmetal gray limousine and whisked her away to "recover." Sage hadn't so much as called since then, much less dropped a letter or sent an email. Lucas hadn't been able to find a single address listing for her, a phone number, an email address, a My Space page, a credit listing, nothing. It was if she had vanished or become a ghost.

He shook his head and refocused his energy. That was crazy talk. "No one just disappears," he said sternly to the still office air. "She is out there."

His fingers flew across the keyboard once more. "I just need to find the right thread to pull."

*****

It was too damn quiet. The apartment was too damn big. The bed was too damn lonely. Patrick told himself it was just eight weeks, nothing to worry about. As long as he thought of it in terms of weeks, he would be fine. Well he wasn't fine. Thirty-six hours after sending her and Morgan off, he was so far past fine and just a little closer to maniacal. What had Robin been thinking, leaving him alone with all this quiet space? Yes, there was a time when he loved his quiet little studio. There had been a time when he wouldn't answer the phone after his clients went home and use those hours to catch up on sleep or a sporting event. Now? Now he was an absolute wreck. They just had to get him used to a schedule, didn't they? Despite the fact that he had put off business for the time being, he had still woken up at seven-fifteen to take Morgan down the street to school. It wasn't far enough to have to drive so it was the only time they got to spend together without Robin hovering. He loved that woman, but he would be happy when she had the baby so the hormones would leave their ordered little life.

It didn't help that today was Sunday and Sundays were reserved for crossword puzzles and French toast. Morgan always slept in late so the hours in-between were reserved for only them. What was he supposed to do this morning? He could call her, but it seemed too soon. He didn't want to appear needy...even if that was how he currently felt. The clock was so loud against the overwhelming quiet he almost covered his ears to buffer it. Lucky and Cruz were too busy taking care of their own families to worry about how he spent his day. It was just as well because he didn't want to spend it with them anyway. There was a silent agreement between every Spencer but him and Lucky that they steered clear of his apartment and calling him, but he had no details on that matter.

He wasn't sure how to make sense of his family's sudden abandonment of him. Okay, so the announcement of the engagement was brash, but they should have gotten over that by now. They should be able to find a way to be happy for him and Robin. Wasn't this what they had all been hinting since the beginning or had he imagined that? They had supposedly wanted the same thing for Lucky and Elizabeth and look how they had reacted to the baby news. Of course, the situations were slightly different, very different. At least he told himself they were different.

Lucky and Elizabeth had kept the twins' existence a secret for a little while; he and Robin were halfway through the pregnancy and no one but Lucky, Elizabeth, and Morgan knew. Georgie and Robert probably knew by now because there was no way to hide it anymore. It was one of the reasons Robin had been so ready to leave Port Charles. Elizabeth had sworn to anyone who would listen, along with a few dozen who wouldn't, that getting married for the sake of the baby—he wondered exactly how soon she had known there were two of them—would have been a mistake. He had made the engagement public to keep his psychotic brother from intercepting his family yet again. Okay, so when it came right down to it, nothing was the same.

So why the quiet hostility against their decision to get married? He couldn't figure it out. They loved Robin probably more than they did him most days and yet, suddenly, this arrangement was too much for them? He couldn't forget the look on Robin's face the day the ad had gone out telling the world that they were getting married and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Apparently he had just missed a confused Lucky and a very angry Elizabeth. She had told him she didn't want to lie to the people they cared about. He hadn't wanted to either. He still didn't. Lies always had a way of catching up with him and exposing themselves so drastically. He didn't know how he was going to explain a suddenly pregnant Robin to his family…but then again, maybe he wouldn't have to. Surely the obvious presence of their child would answer all of their questions.

What hurt the most was being on the outside of his family. He hadn't felt this discarded since before he and Robin were together. He remembered quite well how it felt to be on the wrong side of the argument and had thought he was beyond that now. His family understood and loved him. He didn't have to continuously prove himself to them. So why was the news of his pending marriage such a blow to their pride? It made no sense. He had tried to piece it together over the last few weeks and nothing, nothing made it seem in character for his family. They would brood for awhile, but eventually come around. Even Cruz, and that hurt, had quietly sided with his wife.

The phone rang insistently next to him so he snatched it up. He didn't even get a chance to say hello before she started talking to him.

"Patrick?" Elizabeth rushed the words out, half afraid he was going to hang up on her.

"Hi Liz. What's up?" He couldn't find enthusiasm. She was not the one he was missing. Still, her voice was a nice change to the deafening silence that surrounded him.

"It's a rare moment when I have both the twins asleep." She admitted, secretly glad he hadn't ignored the call as she had feared. Everyone had told her about the unwritten rule of not calling Patrick on Sunday and she had been worried about breaking it. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Fire away." Patrick allowed, noticing a loose thread from the couch and playing with it.

"Do you want to come over for dinner?"

Forgetting the string, Patrick sat up. "Yeah. I can do that. I mean, if you have room."

"Of course we do." She rolled her eyes. The truth was, it was entirely too quiet in this house and it had struck her Patrick was probably experiencing the same sensation they were right now. "Besides you have to come over anyways."

"I do, huh?"

"Yes. You now have serious competition in the favorite uncle category."

"What do you mean? Who could outdo me?"

"My brother's back in town."

"He is huh? You're right. I have responsibilities." Patrick had never been so happy to accept a dinner invitation in his life.

"I thought you might see it my way. Come when you can."

"I'll come when dinner starts. What time?" Patrick countered.

"I'm thinking six, which will probably mean closer to six-thirty."

"I'll be there at five then." Patrick decided after a quick look to his watch.

"See you then. And Patrick?"

"What's that?"

"No buying out the toy store on the way over."

"You can't give me conditions. I have a title to uphold."

"Don't make it look like I moved into the toy store then?"

"How about a store in the mall? Those are pretty small..."

"Patrick...."

"I bet I can find NASCAR teething rings."

"Behave or Steven automatically gets the title."

"You can't do that."

"I hate to break this to you, but she who gives birth makes the rules."

"Oh God, don't tell Robin that."

"Who do you think told me?"

"I'll see you at four-thirty. And Liz?"

"Yeah?"

"I miss her too."

"I know. See you at four-thirty."

*****

Robert Scorpio climbed in through his bedroom window for the simple reason of it being right off the trail he had taken when approaching the building. The front door was equipped with a bottom lock and a padlock, neither of which he used all that often. He had left his only set of keys for his daughter and refused to have a second set made for security reasons. It was those reasons that had convinced his wife that canceling her book tour, yes now she was writing a damn book about women in politics, would be out of the question. He didn't much mind it. As much as he loved his wife, a vacation wouldn't be the worst thing.

If he hadn't known they had stayed the night, he would have immediately realized he wasn't alone based solely on the toy car placed directly under the window. If he weren't such an observant guy, he would have stepped right on it and gone skidding across the main room. Having expected to see his daughter in the main room, or even the spare, he was shocked to find her cuddled up on the couch under a thin cream colored Chenille blanket. Her hair was spread across a soft blue pillowcase and her face was flushed. She looked like an angel, his angel, his little Robin.

When he had sent the letter, he hadn't expected a response. After all, he had stood her up on two previous occasions and not seen or spoken with her in over a year. It would be perfectly understandable if she wanted nothing to do with him. Somehow she had looked past all that and cut out the crap so that the situation was cut and dry, black and white. She didn't believe in holding grudges, at least not forever, and that was probably his saving grace right there. He bent down and touched her bare right shoulder, watching her curl the blanket around her tighter, and backed up slightly when she started to roll over. Having been on her side, this particular view made quite an impression on him. Clearly outlined beneath the thin sheet was a blatant reminder of just how much he didn't know about his daughter, just how much he had missed out on hearing. Suddenly, he wondered if her mother knew, and then assumed she did. This wasn't the sort of thing mothers and daughters kept from one another.

"Hi." Robin's voice spooked him. He glanced down and saw that her eyes were still closed, but also that she was smiling.

All of the questions he had told himself he was going to demand answers to suddenly slipped away from him and he smiled in return. "I didn't mean to disturb you sweetheart." He assured her and moved back when she started to sit up.

"I'm fine. Did you just get in?" A quick glance to the window on her left proved it was still dark out.

"Quite literally." Robert chuckled. "I forgot I gave you the only keys to the front."

"Slipping in your old age?" Robin teased.

"Old? I'll have you know—" His voice broke off as the blanket fell away completely.

Robin grabbed for it, but Robert's hand still her. "I know. I saw before you woke up."

"This wasn't how I wanted to tell you." Robin assured him. "It just caught me by surprise."

Robert shook his head and then nodded in agreement. "That makes two of us."

"This isn't something to be taken lightly. I know that." Robin didn't understand why she was apologizing when he hadn't had a real response yet. The cloudy uncertainty in his eyes was not a welcome sight by any means.

"I don't see a ring." Robert pointed out rather bluntly.

"It's being fitted." Robin clarified.

"Luv…" It was his soft plea that broke her heart and brought tears to her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. That's a lie. We're not really engaged. We've told everyone we are, but it's a lie. We've been lying to everyone. Patrick's family hates me—"

"How can they hate you? Last time I checked, the Spencers adored you."

"Yeah well. A lot's changed since you've checked." Robin stated callously. "I'm sorry—"

"It's fine." Robert cut her off. "I deserved it."

"No. No you don't. I don't know what to say. I want this baby and I'm keeping it no matter what anyone thinks." Robin declared, sobbing.

"Robin. Did I say I wasn't happy for you?" Robert challenged lightly, pulling her into his arms. "My poor little girl. The world's been giving you a hard time, hasn't it?"

"No one understands." Robin told him. "They think I'm crazy for wanting to keep this baby. As if there's some other option."

"It just doesn't sound like the Spencers I know. Am I missing something?"

Robin ducked her head and spoke to his shoulder. "After the car accident, the doctor told me I couldn't conceive. When I found out that I was pregnant, I was told to terminate."

"So it's…unhealthy for you to carry the baby to term?" Robert asked cautiously.

"What am I supposed to do?" Robin inquired defensively, not really fighting with him, or at least not just him. "If the doctors had told Mom that it was too dangerous to have me, would you have rather—?"

"That isn't fair." Robert snapped. "The circumstances are completely different."

"No they aren't. I'm still a mother. This is still my child growing inside of me."

"It seems you've made your mind up then." Robert sighed grimly.

"What gave me away? The giant belly or the puffiness around my face?" Robin joked with a laugh.

"I'm never going to stop worrying about you or trying to protect you."

"Well I should hope not." Robin smiled. "Morgan's been asleep for hours. I think it's time he met his Grandpa Robert."

**Previews**:

"Still there is no need to rush." Elizabeth pouted crossing her arms in front of her. "You barely got back and already you and Grams are racing out of here like she was given an eviction notice."

"El...Elizabeth that's not true." Audrey protested. "It's t...time is all."


	258. Don't Leave Me On My Own

How many nights had she woken up just like this, covered in sweat, clothes clung to her? Was there ever going to be reprieve? Had she not suffered enough? Sam wasn't quite sure what made her question the continuing existence of the nightmares, but she was getting tired, no pun intended, of waking up with little breath and no sense of security. She pushed the blankets down and away from her stiff body and considered her options. She could reach under the bed and waste a bottle of Cognac. The clock next to the bed proved that she had plenty of hours to feel sorry for herself and curse the gods for the life they had left her with. Or, she thought dejectedly, she could go downstairs and do something really stupid.

She fell against the bed in a spread-eagle position just to think. The memory of his lips pressing into hers forced its way to the front of her brain and she didn't even pretend to be displeased. She was plenty of other things too like frustrated and scared and unsure of herself. It had been so long since she had felt attraction it caught her by surprise. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the sensations starting at her lips and traveling all the way down to her toes. He hadn't rushed the kisses, hadn't tried to impress her with how strong or skillful he was, and maybe that was why she was lost now. Had it been a knee-jerk reaction to kiss her back or was it something he had wanted to do?

No matter how old she got, she thought to herself, high school was never truly over. Of course high school for her had been a little different, what with a baby and all, but it still had its claws and sharp teeth. She had still graduated feeling less than adequate compared to the other big-breasted girls with their shiny nails and provocative clothing.

This was stupid. She shouldn't be thinking about this at all. That drink was looking more and more attractive by the second. She wondered how he would react if she climbed in beside him. There was no denying how much she wanted to. Sam leapt from the bed, telling herself she had a plan, and pulled open her top two drawers. For as long as she could remember it had been the same boring nightwear of long t-shirt and leggings, but she knew she owned other things. Digging through the mess of clothing, she pulled out a lavender gown with spaghetti straps and sequins. The outfit, as well as the ideas it provoked, made her feel giddy and she decided that just trying it on wouldn't hurt anyone.

The nightgown slid over her head and fell against her like butter. She stared at herself in the mirror and thought that the messy hair look would work for this particular night. The door to her bedroom opened and it took her getting down the stairs before she noticed she was moving at all. Harper lie on the couch in a long t-shirt and a pair of plaid boxers, soot colored blanket thrown haphazardly across his midsection. Her footsteps were silent against the carpeted living room and she stopped just before reaching the couch. If she let herself do this, there was no going back. She would be giving a lot up to satisfy her ravenous curiosity. The con category was quickly stacking up, but she ignored it and crossed the breath of space between them to drop an innocent kiss against his lips.

It was no longer than a minute, but the slight pleasure against his lips was enough to rouse Harper from his sleep. Casting one eye open, he was surprised to see Sam hovering directly above him. This put his dream of winning the Super Bowl to shame. Rising up on one elbow, he ran his hand through his sleep-tousled hair. "See something you like Gorgeous?"

"Uh huh." Sam answered noncommittally and kissed him again, this time lingering for a little longer than was polite.

Sitting up fully, he winked at her as his arms went to pull her closer to him. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he smiled slowly. "Came to your senses did you?" he drawled softly, stopping his lips just before they could touch hers.

"I came to something." Sam smiled, curling her hands around his neck. "Are you going to kiss me or talk me to death?" she teased.

Rhetorical questions never deserved an answer, Harper reasoned. The miniscule gap between them ended when he fused their lips together, kneading his fingers through the strands of her hair, tilting her head back just enough to allow him to deepen this kiss the slightest hint. With the length of time she had made him wait, this was something he wanted to relish in.

"You know what I'm thinking?" Sam asked quietly, tracing his lips with her tongue.

"Do share."

Instead of answering him, she brought her hands down his chest and caught the ends of his shirt giving him a quick kiss before easing it up.

"I like the way you think." He ran his hands down her arms and stopped at her waist. He squeezed her tender flesh through the nightgown, enjoying the feel of her quick intake of breath at his action. Dropping a kiss just below her ear, he leaned forward and whispered, "Any more thoughts you want to share?"

Sam gave him a sideways look. "I'll let you know." As his lips circled her neck, she swept her hands down his back, holding him closer and carefully placing her knees on either side of his waist.

"I thought this was against your rules. What changed your mind?" He murmured in-between kisses. Slipping his lips down to her collarbone, he delicately pushed one of the thin straps down the length of her arm.

"Since they are my rules, I think it's okay if I change them." Sam explained, sighing against his mouth.

Taking advantage of her answer, Harper captured her lips with his own, tracing her lower lip with his tongue. Feeling her lips part, he slipped his tongue into the cavern, exploring her taste of mint and chocolate. Tilting her back toward the couch, he swept the other strap of her gown down her arm before pressing her into the cushions.

Sam moaned at the sensation of his fingers teasing just below her breasts and lazily met the deliberate demands of his tongue. With the cushions at her back, she felt sweat pop up on her skin and returned to the task of taking his shirt out of the equation. Inch by precious inch, she tugged the barrier over his head and tossed it to the floor swiping her hands down his chest to learn every contour of his body.

Oxygen demanded he pull back from her. Silently cursing the need to breathe, he kept his hands busy, slowly and deliberately exploring her curves through the thin barrier of her nightgown. His fingers itched to pull it off of her body completely, but his brain commanded he keep the pace slow. This was something he wanted to remember and appreciate. "You are a living, breathing fantasy," he gasped, watching her squirm under the calculated motions of his hands before moving his lips to her neck.

Sam expected to see him wearing an arrogant expression, but it was just the opposite. His eyes were bright and glossy as if he was mesmerized by her and she couldn't help but gulp in fascination. Her lungs bellowed as she tried to take in enough oxygen between their frenzied kisses. She worried if she closed her eyes this would all be a dream. "God, so are you." She managed weakly.

"Look at me." He urged, pushing her chin toward him. Her brown eyes met his blue ones briefly before darting away quickly. "Samantha. Look at me."

"I...I am looking at you." Sam defended in a shaky voice.

"No. No you're not." Harper said slowly as he started to sit back on the couch. She hadn't really looked at him since she woke him up.

"I am." Sam pushed the straps of her nightgown back in place and glared at him. Why did he have to question this?

"Why did you come down here tonight?" He wondered. Something drove her to break every rule she had ever set for the both of them. Harper never denied he wanted to break every single one of them, but he wanted her to want it. And want it as badly as he did. If tonight was about something else....

"Why does that matter?" Sam reached for the blanket he had abandoned and wrapped it around her, feeling especially vulnerable.

"It does."

She had two options yet again. Either she could lie and keep her pride intact or she could tell the truth and have to deal with the pity in his eyes. "I had a nightmare."

Of course. Harper felt his shoulders sag at her admission. He should have realized it was another nightmare. This one must have been particularly awful for her to come and seek out his company or even admit it to him. He knew her code well. Admission led to weakness and weakness led to mistakes. Seeing her sitting there, the blanket being used as a shield against judgment, he felt himself sigh. He leaned back against the cushions, an arm outstretched towards her. "Come here."

"Why?" Sam asked quietly.

"Must you question everything? Just come here Samantha."

"I don't want your pity."

"This isn't about pity. Trust me. The last thing you make me feel is pity." Seeing her still hesitate, he decided to take matters in own hands. Reaching out, he pulled her to his chest. "There."

Comfort warmed her from the inside out when his arms closed around her and she didn't even try to fight the tears. He held her though them, rocking her, and she buried her face into his neck, hoping some of his strength would seep into her bones.

Kissing the top of her head, he gently angled them both so that they were lying face-to-face. Using his feet and a single hand, he managed to pull the blanket over them both. "You'll survive." He whispered into her hair. "You'll beat this."

*****

"I still don't understand why all this moving has to happen today." Elizabeth grumbled from her spot in the chair. Gracie sat contentedly in her bounce seat, trying to figure out what exactly she could use her hand for besides sticking it directly into her mouth. Her brother sat across from her on the couch. His stated reason for coming over was to help get things together for Grams return to her own home; however he had spent the last fifteen minutes playing with Jake.

"I'm sure Grams wants to be settled." Steven explained as he made funny faces at Jake.

"Still there is no need to rush." Elizabeth pouted crossing her arms in front of her. "You barely got back and already you and Grams are racing out of here like she was given an eviction notice."

"El...Elizabeth that's not true." Audrey protested. "It's t...time is all."

"You knew this was just going to be temporary." Lucky pointed out gently, more than a little afraid of setting off a wave of tears. "And the doctors agree its a good thing that Audrey feels up to being back home."

"Doctors." Elizabeth grumbled. "What do they know?"

"S...some...nothing." Audrey joked, smiling.

"We're doing this to hurt anyone." Steven assured Elizabeth, reaching out and tucking a piece of chestnut curl behind her left ear.

"I know." Elizabeth sighed, smacking his hand away. Here she was the mother of two and her brother was treating her the same way he had when she was six. "It's just...it will just be different is all." She chewed on her lip and kept one eye carefully on Lucky. No she hadn't mentioned Cameron's continued absence outright, but the elephant was still in the room. Grams' return home would be just one more reminder that there was someone missing. The continued parade of therapists, although lessened in the past few weeks, disguised, at least a little of, the decidedly lower activity level in the house.

He knew exactly what she was referring to and Lucky was doing his best to keep from breaking down yet again over it. Concentrating on Gracie's attempt to grab at his finger, he tried to block out the sound of Cameron's voice when he talked to him yesterday over the phone. Cameron's questions about when he was coming home and if his siblings still remembered him would be impossible to forget. Audrey's leaving would make it just that much harder to ignore, but Lucky was trying to stay positive, as his mother had begged him to do. Audrey's going home was a good thing. Cameron would be coming home as soon as Dara got the trial date set. "We'll survive." He managed to say calmly. "And I'm not going to stand in the way of progress."

Nodding her head in agreement, Audrey turned towards her grandson. It wouldnt' do anyone any good to continue down this line of conversation. There was nothing they could do right now until the trial. She had already told Ms. Jensen she would gladly testify on Lucky's behalf if necessary. "St...Steven, you really sh...shouldn't play favorites with the twins."

"I would never!" Steven countered, putting Jake in Lucky's arms before swooping down and picking up Gracie.

"Really Steven, you'll give her a complex. Make her feel second best and all that jazz." Elizabeth laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"Lucky, should we start loading stuff in the truck? Elizabeth said you borrowed your dad's, right?" Steven asked.

"What's the matter Steven? Can't take a joke?" Elizabeth teased.

"Nope. You've cut me to the core." Steven rolled his eyes and rocked Gracie carefully.

"Give her here." Elizabeth held out her hands for her daughter. "You'll probably actually move the boxes instead of making Lucky do all the work if I hold her."

Lucky arched his eyebrow and was about to make a joke, when the knock at the door startled them all. "I'll get it." He announced making his way to his feet. "With my luck, it's Dad wanting to know why I haven't covered his precious truck just in case a bird flies by."

The laughter in his voice died the second he opened the door. "Dara." Lucky managed, barely keeping the shock at seeing her standing on his front porch out of his voice. As long as he and Cameron had lived here, he could count on his hands the number of times Dara had come by. Why was she here, he couldn't help but wonder.

"Lucky." It took years of practice to keep her voice calm. The list Diane Miller had messengered over to her office had shaken her in a way that few things had in her law career. It wasn't impossible to counteract, but it was going to prove she was worth the hefty retainer Lucky paid her. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah. Sure. Sorry." Lucky stood to the side to usher Dara inside. "I don't think you ever met Elizabeth's grandmother Audrey. And this is her brother Steven. He just got back from Paris. And this is your official first meeting of Jake and Gracie I think, right?"

"Hey Lucky? Mind if I hold Jake?" Steven couldn't help but worry Lucky might drop the baby if he didn't take him away quick. The poor guy looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Yeah. Here." Lucky handed Jake over to Steven, keeping one eye carefully on Dara.

"Would you care for some tea?" Audrey offered Dara quietly.

"Thank you but no." Dara smiled, although it was clearly strained. "I'm sorry for interrupting and coming to your house like this, but I needed to talk to you right away." She shook her head at the motion Steven made to indicate she should take a seat. This wasn't going to be easy, but it was probably best if she stood. "I received the final list of witnesses the Grimes are calling today."

"That's good right?" Elizabeth offered, holding onto Lucky's hand tightly, trying to offer her support. "It's one step closer to getting the case heard and Cameron back home. right?"

"Ordinarily I would agree with you Elizabeth." Dara began.

"But…" Lucky interrupted. "There's a but coming isn't there?"

"Yes." Dara looked at her long time client and wished there was some other way to do this. Some way to keep it out of court and just return Cameron back home with no mud flinging or accusations. But that looked like it was shot to hell. "The Grimes have added three witness to their original list."

"Three?" Audrey questioned, her mind starting to realize what the lawyer was trying to tell them.

"Yes. Jeff Webber. Elaine Webber. Sarah Webber." Dara met Elizabeth's stunned eyes. "Your family is testifying for the Grimes. And from what I can tell, they volunteered to help."

**Previews**:

"I'll be back later. Don't scare off the nurses." Ric managed softly. "They are just doing their jobs."

"Well you've done yours. Go on back to Port Charles."

"I will when the time is right."


	259. Barely Breathing

"You are the most selfish, insensitive, manipulative, vindictive people I have ever met." Steven growled as soon as his mother answered the door. He pushed past her, his voice having startled his father and sister from their spots in the living area of the hotel room. He had left his sobbing sister in the hands of her overwhelmed boyfriend. Grams had wanted to come with him, but Steven hadn't allowed it. There were some words he intended on using that he didn't want his grandmother hearing.

"Hello to you to Steven." Elaine managed. "When did you get back to town?"

"Recently." Steven answered vaguely. "How could you do this to your own daughter?"

"Really son, you are blowing this completely out of proportion." Jeff stood up to approach Steven carefully. "We all know Elizabeth is prone to hysterics to get attention."

"You volunteered to help the people who are trying to take a little boy from his father? How do you sleep at night?" Steven wanted to know, barely hearing his father's booming voice.

"I take a Valium." Sarah spoke up with a grin.

"Sit down Steven and we'll discuss this in a calm rational manner." Elaine motioned towards the couch where her daughter and husband had been sitting until her eldest came pounding at the door. "I'm sure you will understand our reasons."

"I'd rather stand." Steven countered folding his arms across his chest.

"Do I get to act like a petulant child too?" Sarah asked rudely.

"Sarah." Jeff rebuked is daughter gently before turning his full attention to his only son, the one that was supposed to follow in his footsteps into medicine. "Steven, clearly you don't know all the facts in this case."

"Explain them to me then. What possible reason could you have to send your daughter to the guillotine?"

"It's the only way to save her from herself." Elaine explained patiently. "It was bad enough she got herself pregnant by that boy. Now the press situation occurred. Elizabeth will continue to drag our family's name into the mud unless we step in and stop her."

"I doubt you'll have to worry about that much longer. If you'd spent more than two seconds with Lucky, you'd probably know how much he wants to marry Elizabeth. So you won't be plagued by her good choices for much longer." If defending his sister including Spencer, he was okay with it. It's not like any of this would get back to his wife.

"Elizabeth and good choices should never be in the same sentence." Sarah rolled her eyes. "How can you be okay with this?"

"I've met my niece and nephew and I'll never think of them as anything but miracles."

"What will be a miracle is if those children make it through childhood unscathed." Elaine scoffed. "They will be shipped off to baby-sitters just like the older boy is."

"Unscathed childhood? I spent the first ten years of my life thinking the nanny was my mother and Elizabeth was always staying with one of our aunts." Steven reminded them.

"And clearly we have learned from our mistakes." Jeff pointed out calmly.

"Have you…have you been to meet your grandchildren?" Steven challenged angrily.

"We've tried. That awful Luke Spencer claims to have taken out a restraining order against us." Elaine responded briskly.

"Is that all it takes to get rid of the three of you? I wish I'd known that sooner." Steven turned for the door.

"Steven. We are doing this for the good of everyone." Jeff called out.

"Remind me not to tell any of my children about the wicked grandparents from the north." Steven replied shutting the door behind him.

*****

Colonel William Richard Lansing glared hard at the nurse as she took his blood pressure. She had an annoying habit of talking to him as if he were five years old when she did this, as well as when she had taken his blood. It would only hurt a pinch. It would only be a little bit of pressure and then he'd forget all about it. He had often pointed out that he was a retired Army Colonel who had fought in three wars on three different continents, killed thousands to preserve peace, and broken every bone in his body at least twice. Her response was always the same, always something about, well he was an old man now and he needed to take it easy. It was so tempting to reach over, snatch the instrument out of her hand, wrap it around her neck, and squeeze tightly.

"How does that feel?" She asked as she applied a "teeny bit of" stress with the blood pressure cuff. Her wavy red curls fell in front of her eyes and were just beyond his grasp.

"Say, how much longer do I have to be stuck here?" He had tried being nice, the Colonel thought to himself, but he was only human.

"Well..." The question seemed to silence her and for a moment he was able to joy a short period of no humming or baby talk.

"Well, what? I'm perfectly fine now." He barked impatiently, accidentally jerking his arm back so that she fell into his chest and he groaned in pain.

"You'll stay until the doctors say you can leave Colonel." Ric entered the room carefully. He had stayed away from his father's actual room for as long as he possibly could. It was much easier to send Charlotte in to deal with their father so he could deal with the doctors. Certainly the Colonel would prefer it that way. But Kate had insisted on taking Charlotte out for lunch and now it was up to him to keep his father from blatantly disregarding the doctor's orders.

"What do you care? I bet you'd rather I keeled over right here?" He growled as the nurse straightened herself.

"Oh, is this your son?" The nurse looked from one man to the other. "I can definitely see the resemblance."

"Thank you ma'am." The manners his father had drilled in him years ago, the very manners he tended to ignore when away from his father, came back full force. "I can take this from here. I'm a doctor."

"Richard takes after his mother." The Colonel argued with the nurse's perception, completely ignoring his son.

"A doctor? Well, then, I guess you're the one I should be getting onto. I know your father is stubborn, but it's up to you to make sure he eats right."

"Believe me ma'am, my sister and I will make sure of it." Ric assured her.

"Oh, are you staying in town for more than an hour? What a shock. I hope there's a good reason." The Colonel bellowed.

"I'll leave you boys to talk." The nurse scurried out of the room.

"I'm staying as long it takes you get you to listen to reason." Ric sat down stiffly in the chair next to the hospital bed.

"Why must everyone treat me like a child? I am perfectly capable—"

"With all due respect Sir, you're being perfectly capable of running your own life landed you here."

"What would you know about respect? When was the last time you came to see me? That wife of yours calls me more than you do." He watched his son rub his eyes in frustration. "And don't sell me that nonsense about divorce."

"We've been over this. It's not nonsense."

"You still act as man and wife when you're in the room together." Seeing the surprise in his son's eyes, he continued, "And you still talk that way too. I got a nice little earful when you thought I was asleep."

"Kate and I are friends. She came out here to support Charlotte." Ric defended. It was not the time or the place to enlighten his father on Maxie's presence in his life.

"Think about what this nonsense must be doing to your sister. You throw a temper tantrum and she almost loses her best friend. You never consider the consequences of your actions."

Ric could barely keep his eyes from rolling. "This isn't about me. Right now I'd rather talk about you and how well you are going to follow the doctor's orders."

"Didn't I tell you? I thought it'd be a good idea for him to just move in and bring his stupid nurse with him so she can put me in a bib and dress me." The Colonel gritted through his teeth.

"It's hospital policy Sir. They have to make sure you are responding to the treatment."

"I don't need you to explain doctors to me. I know how much of a pain in the ass they can be."

Ric let the slight at him slide by. There were more important matters right now than the years' long grudge match with his father. "You aren't getting out of here until you show them you are going to follow their recommendations."

"Which means what exactly?"

"I don't feel I have to answer that."

"Respectfully Sir, I think you better find an answer to that." Ric rose from the uncomfortable chair and stood to his full height. Crossing his arms, he fixed his father with the stern face he had perfected for use with his more troublesome patients over the years. "It's the only way you are going to get out of here."

"I'll find my own way Doctor. Thank you for stopping by, but I won't be dying today. So sorry to have wasted your time." The Colonel turned his back on his son and rested his head against the pillow.

There was possibly less than a foot of space between them, but it felt as if it stretched for miles as far as Ric was concerned. Where exactly was the point in his life where he and his father just dismissed each other out of hand, no thought necessary? True they had never been especially close when he was younger, but wasn't the ravages of childhood and adolescence supposed to give way and lead to understanding later in life? Wasn't that what the movies always promised? He had never told Maxie this, but the last thing he had ever understood was her insistence on wanting approval from her father. He had gotten approval so rarely it felt foreign to crave it. And now, as his father recovered from a massive heart attack, during a time where they should be reconnecting and rebuilding their own relationship, they were just as far apart as ever.

"I'll be back later. Don't scare off the nurses." Ric managed softly. "They are just doing their jobs."

"Well you've done yours. Go on back to Port Charles."

"I will when the time is right."

*****

Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, Bobbie raised her hand to knock on the heavy wooden door. It wasn't that she hadn't ever been to Patrick's new home, but this was the first time she had ever visited him like this. "You can do this Barbara Jean." She whispered to herself. "You need to do this."

"Bobbie?" Patrick asked, surprised, as he opened the door slowly.

"Patrick. Can I come in?"

"Did something happen?" Patrick couldn't ignore the panic in his aunt's eyes.

"No. Everything is fine as far as I know. I just wanted to talk to you."

"Huh. Okay. Fine. Come in." Patrick opened the door wider and quickly turned away from her.

"How are you doing?" She asked hesitantly as she stood in the entryway. It was the quietest she had ever heard the penthouse being.

"Honestly? I've been better."

"I'm sure." Bobbie reached out to touch Patrick's shoulder. "How are you holding up?"

"Not to be rude, but why are you here?" Patrick inquired, taking a step back.

"I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Your engagement."

"I've been engaged for weeks." And you weren't here, he silently added.

"I know. And that's part of the reason I'm here."

"Do you want something to drink?"

"No. I'm fine thank you." Bobbie took his offer of a drink as an invitation to step further into the living room, and made her way over to the couch. Perching on the cushions, she patted the one next to her. "Sit down Little Prince. We need to talk this thing out."

While he found her timing suspect, he decided to hear her out. He took his seat and met her eyes. "Okay. You start."

Blowing out a breath, Bobbie reached out to touch his hand. "I know no one in the family reacted to your news the way you wanted us to. And I'm sorry about that. You'll never realize how sorry I am about that."

"I didn't exactly take yours that well, so I can understand that."

"And I understood your reasons for that. So I would hope you could understand mine as well."

"I understand your immediate reaction." Patrick clarified glumly. "I didn't say I forgive you for your continued attitude toward the idea."

"Point taken. But can I try to explain?"

Patrick waved his hand for her to do just that. He was almost afraid of what would come out of his mouth if he spoke.

"Ever since your mother died and your father became, well your father, I had this idea of what your wedding would be like. Not that anyone ever thought you actually would get married one day, mind you." She teased gently. "But you were supposed to be talking to your father again. Logan was supposed to be your best man. It was not supposed to happen like this."

"So you're punishing me for my family's actions? That's fair."

"No, I'm trying to explain myself. A wedding should be a celebration of the entire family, not just a small portion of it." Bobbie paused and leveled a clear gaze at her nephew. "And it should also include the entire family knowing about a pregnancy before the bride walks down the aisle."

Patrick opened his mouth to speak several times before giving up completely. He could only stare at his aunt in confusion.

"I could understand wanting to approach the situation carefully after what happened when Laura found out about Elizabeth's pregnancy." Bobbie continued. "But I would have thought you would have let people know before Robin left for Paris at least. Seeing her walking out of the airport obviously pregnant is not the ideal way to break this sort of news, take it from me."

"We have our reasons." Patrick struggled to say.

"I'm sure you do. But, my boy, you announced your engagement in the paper before you even asked Robin to marry you. You think the reaction to that has been bad, you just wait till Robin returns and can't hide behind her small frame anymore."

"I'd like to believe that's how she'll return." Patrick murmured quietly.

"What was that?"

"I said I'd like to see her big and pregnant when she returns. It's all I want."

The sadness and worry in his voice was impossible to miss. Bobbie leaned closer to him and squeezed his hand tightly with her own. "Patrick? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Gulping, Patrick had to stare at their intertwined hands. "There are... problems with the pregnancy."

"Problems? What kind of problems?"

"We didn't hide this news from the family because we weren't sure how you would react." Patrick said slowly. "We just didn't want to get everyone's hopes up."

"Hopes up? Why would that get everyone's...?" Bobbie's voice trailed off as the reality settled in. They hadn't told anyone because ultimately there might be nothing to tell. "Oh sweetheart."

"We're halfway through." Patrick told her. "And she can't have any kind of stress. It's why she went to see her father in Paris."

"I'm sure Robert would love to know he's the low stress solution."

"Well she can't exactly hide it from him or Georgie so it takes a lot of pressure off. She wanted to tell all of you, but I advised against it."

"Why?"

"I didn't put the announcement in the paper as part of the engagement."

"Then why did you?"

"I wanted to make sure everyone knew about it. We discussed it before I put it there."

"But why wouldn't everyone know it if you just told us?" The more Patrick talked, the less sense he was starting to make.

"I'm not talking about you, or Laura, or even the Scorpios."

"Then who...?" Bobbie's eyes flew to meet Patrick's as the only logical answer settled in her mind. "Logan."

"Logan, Courtney, and anyone else who thinks that coming after Robin again is a good idea."

"Patrick...that is a very sweet idea, but you can't be with Robin all the time. Announcement in the paper or not."

"The hell I can't." Patrick countered. "Right now she's with her father. When she returns, she'll be with me. I doubt you've noticed, but I've taken time off from photography."

"I had noticed that. But at some point either you or Robin will either want to go back to work or have to go back. Children are expensive my boy and you are talking about not only this baby, but Morgan as well."

"Mac will catch them before it comes to that."

"Before it comes to what?"

"Having to go back to work."

"Oh I thought..." Bobbie shook her head. "Well that doesn't matter now. What matters is you need support. Who else knows?"

"The whole story? Just you. Elizabeth and Lucky know about the baby."

"I suspected they knew something when your cold war didn't extend to them."

"Amazing thing, loyalty." Patrick bit off, getting to his feet and rubbing his hand down his neck.

"Low blow, but I guess it is slightly deserved."

"It'll work out."

"That it will." Bobbie nodded in agreement. "Because now your family is in your corner."

"You can't tell anyone."

"But Patrick..."

"No." Patrick shook his head. "When Robin gets back, I'm going to propose for real and this will all be behind us. I will marry her before our baby comes and the family can make whatever decision they make."

**Previews**:

"Have you thought of any names?"

Robin could already see the wheels turning in her father's mind. "No. Nothing."

"If you find yourself struggling for one, I happen to know—"


	260. Question Mark

"Morgan, honey, take a breath." Robin coaxed her son as he put another spoonful of Cocoa Pebbles into his tiny mouth. He smiled at his accomplishment and slowly started to chew.

"Leave the boy alone." Robert reached across the table and ruffled Morgan's bed head hair. "He just likes his cereal."

"Why aren't you eating your cereal Papa Robert?" Robin teased with a mischievous smile.

His eyes slowly moved to his daughter's. "We're going to have to work on my new name. And I like my coffee."

"I would kill for coffee." Robin nodded, stirring her tea silently with a tiny spoon.

"No can do." Robert told her. "Any other pregnancy cravings?"

"That's not a pregnancy craving. It's a life craving." Robin laughed. "And no. Nothing unusual, much to Patrick's disappointment. I guess he thought he'd get to be the dad who goes out in the middle of the night for the anchovies and ice cream." By the end of her statement, she had wrinkled her face in disgust.

"Who cares about him?" Robert snorted in disgust.

"Now Dad." Robin warned sternly.

"You can't force me to like him."

"No, I can't." Robin agreed and then added, "But, wow, is it going to be hard to explain to your newest grandson why you don't like his father."

"That's low." Robert shook his head. "Grandson?"

"Did I forget to mention that?" Robin asked innocently.

"How long have you known?"

"Just since this morning. I got a call from my doctor and she confirmed it. She called Patrick too." Robin didn't go on to say how much it hurt to not share the experience with Patrick at the same time.

"Have you thought of any names?"

Robin could already see the wheels turning in her father's mind. "No. Nothing."

"If you find yourself struggling for one, I happen to know—"

"Morgan, do you want some more cereal?" She interrupted her father when she noticed

Morgan's bowl was empty.

"No. I'm done." Morgan answered.

"Then will you take your bowl the sink please? Thank you." She said as he carried the dish to the sink.

"Are we going to do anything fun?" Morgan probed once he returned, again halting the conversation of baby names.

Robert smiled. "I thought a trip to Disney Land would be fun."

"Disney Land?" Morgan's eyes lit up.

"Did you know there was one in Paris?" Robin was trying very hard to keep a straight face.

"No!" Morgan shook his head, opened his mouth to speak, and then hurried out of the dining room.

"Where are you going?" Robin asked.

"To get dressed." Morgan explained.

*****

Sitting in the relative darkness of Charlotte's guest room, Ric kicked off his shoes, taking satisfaction in the thump they made as they hit the oak floors. As always dealing with his father was nothing short of exhausting. If the Colonel wasn't trying to fire an intern for looking "too young," he was trying to get that same intern back when he disagreed with Dr. Wozniak's recommendations. Whoever said doctors made the worst patients had clearly never met one Colonel Lansing.

He needed to calm down before he went back there today. Charlotte and Kate were currently sitting with the old man, keeping him calmer than Ric had been able to. Charlotte had insisted he go back to her house to at least get some sleep since, as she so charmingly put it, he looked like he was on the losing end of a gang war on a mob adjacent dock. Shrugging out of his blue stripped shirt, he collapsed back on the bed, wondering what in the world he had been thinking by coming here. Clearly he was no help to anyone right now.

Fumbling in his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone, the need to talk to someone overwhelming. Alright, he admitted to himself, not someone. The need to talk to her was overwhelming. Right now she was the only person he wanted to even see and she was thousands of miles away; the phone would have to do. Punching in the familiar numbers, he waited, hoping she wasn't working and ignoring her calls. Voicemail might be the end of him today.

"Somebody better be dead." Maxie grumbled into the phone, having made it halfway up the stairs to her room. Mike had made her keep her promise about double shifts and she was starting to wonder when the man had become such a sadist.

"Well hello to you too Blondie," Ric couldn't help but chuckle at the exhaustion in her voice.

"Ric?" Maxie's voice lifted immediately as did her spirits. She hurried to her room, not wanting to deal with lurkers in the dark hallway.

"You have other guys calling you Blondie?"

"Just a handful or so. How's your dad?"

"Same as ever which means he'll probably be fine, but not before I tear my hair out."

"You sound grumpy Doctor." Maxie teased. "Anything I can do?"

"Distract me. What's been going on with you?"

"Work. Nonstop. My dad and Alexis aren't speaking to each other, but they won't tell me why."

"But what about the dress? Lucy has approved it finally right?"

"Oh, don't get me started on that woman. She loved my design, but has been calling me about adjustments and changes since you left."

"She's a flake." Ric stated dismissively, leaning back on the bed, kicking at the satin comforter he just knew his sister had special ordered for this room. "In the end it will all be worth it."

"Did I ever tell you just how annoying your optimism is when I want to be cynical?" Maxie grumbled, pushing her door closed and kicking off her shoes.

"But that is part of our charm."

"And here I thought it was the foreplay. Silly me."

"No the foreplay is part of the reason we keep coming back." Ric corrected her.

Maxie fell dramatically onto her bed and slowly reached for the phone, hoping she hadn't missed anything. She doubted it. Ric lived for her responses. "I miss seeing you."

"Same here." Ric managed. "Where are you by the way? Working?"

"I just got home. I'm in my room."

"You mean I'm finally allowed in your room?" Ric couldn't help but taunt her.

"Well if you gave a girl any kind of notice, you could have been in my room before you ran off and left me."

"But I'm here now. That has to count for something."

"You're here huh? What color shirt are you wearing?"

"I'm not actually."

Maxie paused for a second and then said, "That makes two of us."

Ric sat up a little straighter. That was not the answer he was expecting out of her and his mind raced a little just thinking about what else she was or wasn't wearing right now. "Really?" he drawled out, more calmly than he felt. "Did I interrupt something?"

"I just wanted to get out of these work clothes."

"I understand. You were hot and sweaty."

"Will you hold on just a second? I've got to hang up my skirt."

"Baby, talk like that and I'll wait for anything." Ric assured her.

"Somehow I doubt that." Maxie purred. She unbuttoned her blouse and tossed it onto the floor next to her skirt.

"Why would you doubt that?" Ric questioned. "When have I ever been able to leave you like that?"

"I didn't say you'd leave me Dr. Lansing." Maxie explained quietly. "I said I doubt you'd be able to wait."

"Well now that is the truth. It's probably for the best I'm on the other side of the country right now then right?"

"Oh? Didn't you just say you were in my room?"

"Clever girl. Distracting me with all your talk and made me forget that point. But of course now that I remember I am in your room..." He let his voice trail off suggestively, wanting to see how far she would push this new game of theirs.

"Now what?" Maxie challenged lightly.

"Do you want the real answer to that?"

"I'm not scared of the truth Ric." Maxie assured him. "If you want something from me, tell me."

"What I want right now is to be there with you, hearing you moan my name." Ric almost growled. "It's all I've been thinking about since you told me where you were."

"Great minds think alike. How do you suppose we accomplish that?"

"I have a few suggestions."

*****

He was thankful they had cut Logan Drake out of the equation. At least now their money was theirs and didn't need to be divided with that hoodlum. The gambling aside, the man was unstable and unpredictable. AJ had never thought he would go as far as he had to teach Robin a lesson or he never would have let that animal out of his cage. After all, he didn't hate Robin; he was simply annoyed by her. At first, she had been such an easy target. She was the one who had called him to tell him about acquiring the children and made it possible to get one of them all to himself. However, she was also the one who took the remaining child out of the country thus cramping his plans severely.

The staged fight between him and his parents had gone exactly the way his father had predicted, but that loan had been the last he would accept. From what Courtney had told him, Sonnybucks had left both boys a mighty nice inheritance that would take care of their colleges. The remaining expenses he could take of himself. He couldn't help but pace the room in frustration at the little tidbit his fiancé had brought him with his morning coffee. Not only was Robin a fit mother, she was about to solidify her relationship with Patrick Drake thus giving Morgan the kind of security the courts would approve of. He had thought, for sure, she would come running to him. After all, it wasn't like she was an experienced mother. She had no children of her own before Morgan and that was why AJ had left the boy in her care, to show everyone how awful she would be at it.

To his and Courtney's disappointment, she was a terrific parent and managed to get all of the support a single mother usually lacked from her family while he was struggling to keep Courtney from flying off the hinges half the time. He had all but cut off his immediate family and, while the idea of marrying Courtney and giving Morgan a better environment than he currently lived in, it was nothing more than an idea. They barely got along on a good day and this engagement business had put her in one of the sourest moods he had ever seen her in. How was he supposed to convince anyone that she would be a good mother when they found out what she had done to her own "nephew?"

AJ took some enjoyment in her momentary absence because it gave him time to think about the facts, facts that his darling fiancé knew nothing about. For starters, despite Emily, Courtney, and Jason's motivations for wanting Morgan, he had an even bigger agenda. How shocked would they have been to discover that they were no more related to Morgan than Robin was? It was times like this when he had to reflect and thank Carly for being such a slut. Though her perfect Sonny would never believe it, the only child he had been paternally linked to was Kristina.

It hadn't been easy to discover that little tidbit of information, but everyone could be bought, especially lowly lab technicians. Twenty bucks and he had been given the gift of a lifetime. Since then, he had been plotting to take both children from their mother. As fate would have it, Carly just happened to cross the wrong street on the wrong day and gotten herself killed. That left only Sonny to get rid of and that had been even easier than getting his hands on the paternity results.

The door opened and closed, with it his current thinking, and he smiled at Courtney. Her arms were full of shopping bags and he hurried to relieve her of them. "Put a new dent in the credit card?" He asked teasingly.

"Just a small one." Courtney smiled.

"Did you at least get me something?" AJ pretended to look in one of the larger pink bags.

"I think something in there would qualify as something for you. Although I'll more than likely be wearing it." Courtney slipped her arms around AJ's neck and moved in closer to him. It seemed trite and cliché to say the only way she felt close to her own fiancé was planning to seduce him, but there it was. Ever since she had stupidly agreed to Emily's insane plan, her life was nothing but a casualty list of clichés.

"I've been thinking about a custody hearing." AJ told her without preamble. "There's a good chance we could win it."

"Really? I always enjoy good news."

"You sound surprised." AJ couldn't help but notice.

"I thought with the announcement in the paper..." Courtney let her voice trail off. She was no stranger to how the custody decisions went down in a small town like Port Charles. The person who looked the most stable won. No muss no fuss.

"I don't think we have to worry about what the PCPD thinks they have on us." AJ said without considering her obsession over Patrick and Robin's upcoming nuptials.

"And just how did you come to this conclusion?"

"We may have to make one last trip to Port Charles to tie up a loose end. The only one who remembers seeing us is Lulu." AJ knew he was the brains of the operation when he was the only one who suggested they drug the children. Their memories had been robbed of any specifics, such as the four of them being responsible.

Courtney arched her eyebrow skyward. "I hope you aren't suggesting what I think you are suggesting. That plan didn't work out so well the first time. All Logan succeeded in doing is making Lulu more like her father than she already is."

"As long as she forgets before the trial, we're home free. They only have evidence on Logan and I'm not afflicted with the idea of leaving him holding the bag. If the PCPD tries to make a case about you or Emily, we can argue that they were desperate to make a case because of Kristina. None of them know about my connection and you didn't exactly keep your disgust of Logan a secret. The two of you working together? Think about how ridiculous they'll sound."

"True." Courtney moved to sit down on the couch. "There is always that. And making Robin sound crazy by trusting that story over the word of her oldest friend in the world?"

"Will be easy as pie." AJ finished for her.

Previews:

"God you smell good." He murmured against her hair. "What took you so long to get here?"

"I missed you so much. When I saw you in Kelly's, I thought about running in and jumping right into your arms." She admitted nuzzling her nose into his neck.


	261. Far Away

**_We'll see you back here on the 29th. Happy Holidays everyone! We are so thankful for all of you._**

"Excuse me Inspector?" Brenda knocked lightly, standing in the doorway with a knowing smile playing across her lips. "My friend's gone missing and I was wondering if you would help me track him down? He's tall, has this stylish dirty-blonde hair, and dreamy eyes."

"Ha-ha." Lucas barely glanced up from his computer screen. "You auditioning for Last Comic Standing?"

Brenda's eyes lit up. "You think I have chance?"

"You'll probably get cut after the first round."

"Am I being cast on a soap opera? You know how much they hate beautiful people."

"Sadly yes I do." Lucas leaned back and pushed himself away from the computer for the first time in hours. "What brings you to this part of town? I thought you said not enough beautiful people hung around here for you."

"I was in the neighborhood. Seems someone forgot to R.S.V.P. to my wedding and it's on..." Brenda paused to look at her naked wrist. "Right Saturday."

Wincing, he remembered the invitation that had been prominently displayed on the refrigerator ever since it arrived by messenger. "That is this Saturday isn't it?"

"No, last Saturday. What do you think?" Brenda gave him a long look.

"I'm sorry Bren." Lucas sighed.

"If I hadn't stopped by, would you have bothered to show up?" Brenda asked, hurt.

"Maybe. Dillon won't be able to resist a party and Lance has been looking forward to going for weeks."

"Your mother told me about Lance. I guess what I'm trying to figure out is why you didn't tell me yourself. You know I adore that little boy."

"I know. It's just...it's just..." Lucas looked up into his friend's eyes, his own watering. "I don't want it to be to true."

"Oh Lucas." Brenda ran for her friend and enveloped him in her arms, pushing his hair behind his ears. "Is it worse than I heard?"

"No." Lucas admitted. "But you know me. Ever the optimist."

"What can I do? Does he need a special doctor?"

"Dr. Wexler keeps saying no. It doesn't call for that. I just feel so helpless."

"I'm going to get tested and see if maybe I'm a candidate." Brenda told him kissing his forehead in the same fashion she would a little brother, if she had one.

"Bren...you hate needles."

"But I love you."

"And I love you."

"It's settled. Besides, I have a one o'clock appointment."

"Bren, you don't need to have a medical appointment before your wedding."

"There are hours between. I'll be fine. They give you cookies and water, don't you know?"

"Oh well anything for free cookies."

"It's not like I'm going to learn how to cook ever."

"Good point. We can't have you ruining your reputation."

"Of course not. So, are you still going to be my bridesmaid?"

"Try to stop me."

"No more secrets?"

"No. Not even when those jeans make you look fat."

"Do they?" Brenda glanced down in horror.

"Not these. But the next time we go shopping, you're getting the brutal truth."

"That's fair."

*****

"I know Kelly's chili is supposed to be famous, but you're the first person who's ever come from around the world just for a few bowls." Maxie teased as she passed along the take out bag over the counter.

"I heard it's the best. And you are?" Steven asked, sitting back in his hair. He needed a quiet place after all the drama over the last week. After the confrontation with his parents and sister, he hadn't the heart to return to Elizabeth and tell her what they had said.

"You mean my reputation doesn't precede me?" Maxie joked, clutching her hands in front of her chest. "Maxie Jones, stranger."

"It's nice to meet you." Steven replied, smiling. It was nice to put a name with a voice.

"This is the part where you tell me your name or I'm going to end up calling you Paris when you come back. This will set off media frenzy and a bunch of very disappointed paparazzi."

"Steven Webber. You might know my grandmother, Audrey Hardy, or Elizabeth, my sister." He answered kindly.

"How could I forget the Christmas scene? Now I know why you look familiar." Maxie snapped her fingers. "Your family seems to love the spotlight."

"From what I understand, so does yours."

Maxie quirked up one eyebrow confused. "How do you know my family? I know Robin and Elizabeth are close but still..."

"We have a friend in common. Georgie." Steven clarified, not letting onto how well of a friend Georgie was.

Maxie nodded, suddenly remembering her sister's rushed mentions of meeting Steven during her trip. "Looks like working double shifts have finally affected my brain. I forgot Georgie mentioned you."

"Really? What did she say?"

"Just that you two had met a few times." Curious about his interest in what exactly her little sister had to say about him, the question formed on her lips and was about to fly out when she noticed a customer signaling her from the floor. "I gotta go. I'm the only one on right now."

"No problem. Thanks for the chat." It wasn't exactly heartfelt, but at least he could get along with Georgie's sister.

"See you around Paris." Maxie called over her shoulder as she made her way over to impatient table.

Steven chuckled as he left some money on the table and headed out the door. How strange that the conversation made him feel better. He supposed it was because, even though it would have plenty later, it was free of angst or heartbreak or betrayal, making it very different from any conversation he had conducted or joined in on in almost two weeks.

A hand reached out and grabbed his wrist as he made his way through the iron gate and pulled him around the corner hidden from the view of the restaurant and the people walking on the street. Georgie giggled as his blue eyes finally met her own. "I leave you alone for a week and you're already flirting with my sister?"

It took Steven a second to collect himself. "I was trying to make a good impression so when we tell them she can remember our pleasant conversation."

"Oh sure, excuses, excuses."

"What are you doing here? You are here aren't you? I'm not still asleep, am I?" Steven asked, holding her close.

"Classes are done so I came home." Georgie responded simply, happy to finally feel his arms around her again. Whose brilliant idea had it been for them to come home at separate times? Oh, that's right, she reminded herself, hers. "If you're sleeping then so am I."

"God you smell good." He murmured against her hair. "What took you so long to get here?"

"I missed you so much. When I saw you in Kelly's, I thought about running in and jumping right into your arms." She admitted nuzzling her nose into his neck.

"Well that would save us an awkward conversation later on, wouldn't it?"

"And bring you that much closer to meeting my father."

"So you want to stall? I can do that." Steven nodded placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Not for forever. Just until I figure out how to tell him." Georgie promised. And figure out how I'm going to keep quiet about Robin's pregnancy, she thought to herself. Her cousin had made her promise at least a dozen times to not breathe a word of it until she and Morgan returned home. What rabbit hole had she fallen down in Paris when she became the Jones girl who had all the secrets?

"Where are you staying?" Steven wondered, tapping her chin with his finger.

"Dad and Alexis'."

Steven gave her a pained stare and shook his head. "Are you bored? Is that why you insist on drama?"

"You think me suddenly moving into Audrey Hardy's house without explanation would cause less of a scene? What movies are you watching?"

"Just the ones you recommended my dear." Steven threw back. "Besides, my grandmother isn't the commissioner or ex-District Attorney. If she found out, she'd keep it to herself."

Georgie bit her lower lip and glanced away quickly. She didn't want to have to sneak time to see her husband in dark alleyways or figuring out which window would be easiest to get in without anyone noticing. Sneaking around made this sound as if it belonged in high school, not in an adult relationship. "I can't hurt my dad. He's the only one that's always been in my corner. I can't lose him Steven. Not even for a second. I'll tell him, I just need to figure out how to tell him."

"It's not like I'm going to take out an ad. I love you and I can wait." Steven promised, nuzzling her nose with his.

"I love you so much and I promise I will make this up to you." Georgie promised pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

"Don't look so sad. This is going to work out how it's meant to. I just know it."

*****

Robin slipped off into the bedroom for a second to herself. She had been in Paris for over a week and it was time she stopped being selfish and checked on her friend. She had left Elizabeth at the worst possible time and she needed to know that she was okay. She didn't know how much help she could be from here, but she missed their lengthy talks about everything and nothing. With the exception of a few extra digits, she tapped in the number without much thought and was greeted by ringing, ringing, and more ringing. She told herself she would stay on the phone until someone answered.

"Hello?" Lucky grumbled quietly into the phone. If this was a telemarketer, they would pay dearly for interrupting the first time in over a week both the twins and Elizabeth were sleeping at the same time.

"Lucky." Robin couldn't contain her disappointment.

"Robin? Don't sound so excited to talk to me."

"I'm sorry." Robin insisted immediately. And women were the dramatic sex? Yeah, right. "I was hoping to talk to Elizabeth."

"Sorry to disappoint. She and the twins are sleeping. I can wake her up if you want." It was probably a bad idea in the short run, but Elizabeth would have his head if she found out Robin called and he hadn't woken her.

"Let her sleep." Robin said. "Did I wake you though?"

"No. You know I don't need sleep." Lucky shrugged off her concern. So what if he hadn't actually slept since Cameron left to stay with Tony and Lisa? It wasn't like anyone expected him to actually sleep with newborn twins in the house.

"I miss Cam too."

"Can't just let me pretend can you Scorpio?"

"I love you too much Spencer." She knew no one else would be brave enough to broach the subject and it was unhealthy for him to keep it all bottled up.

"I told you before; we need to keep that on the down low. Now that you and Patrick are all serious, it would be a quadrangle and that's so much worse than a triangle."

"We are? Are you sure?" Robin taunted.

"I know it seems impossible, but usually an engagement implies being serious about someone."

"And here I thought it was your cousin's magical way of doing the right thing." She didn't mean it, not really, but a part of her wondered all the same.

"How many times do I have to tell you conversations about Patrick's 'magical way' are way too much information for me? Are you trying to send me back to therapy?"

"And I have a dirty mind? Are you trying to one-up me?"

"You could never beat me."

"Are you alright friend? I know I kind of abandoned you..."

"For Paris. I'll never recover."

"You know why."

"I do." Lucky sighed. "Truth? I've been better."

"Can I help?"

"Know anyone who can put out a hit?"

"That's not funny." Robin wrinkled her nose. "I'm serious. I can come back."

"No. You are supposed to be avoiding stress right now and believe me when I say you'll be walking right into Stress City. I know you Shortstack. You'll come back guns a-blazing and ready to defend everyone, just like Christmas. Stay where you are."

"I want to testify. I want to help you get Cameron back."

"And I love you for it. But right now the last thing Elizabeth needs is to worry about you. Please stay where you are."

"Seven weeks and I'm coming home."

"I would expect nothing less. And if Dara is right, there will still be plenty of fun to be had at the courtroom then."

"You know I love a good fight." Robin forced a laugh. "How are the babies? Have they said Robin yet?"

"No, but Patrick is working with them almost daily to say his name."

"Patrick?"

"Remember how I told you it would be a bad thing if Patrick and Elizabeth started talking to each other because they got bored?"

"He's over there a lot?"

"Not a lot. I think it's just when it's too quiet for him."

Robin put her hand over the phone and swallowed hard. Well that definitely explained why he didn't answer when she called. She had thought maybe he was avoiding her. He had been pretty upset at her for leaving. "Kiss the babies for me, will you?"

"Of course. Give me a time frame and I'll make sure Elizabeth is conscious when you call."

"She can call whenever. I'm only six hours ahead."

"We're lucky if we can stay two minutes ahead over here."

"Oh. Well, whenever's convenient."

"I was just joking Scorpio. You can call whenever. I know Elizabeth will insist."

"I'll do that. I love you."

"Love you too. No getting too Frenchy on us."

"C'est la vie." Robin hung up.

Previews:

Their cars jolted down the hill at an alarming rate and Sam apologized for every bad thing she had ever done. Her teeth chattered as the cars spun away from each other and threw one arm in front of her face to avoid the glass as the windshield shattered.


	262. Let The Flames Begin

Harper had told her about this particular rendezvous point when they had first started working together, but it had taken this long to get comfortable enough with each other to tackle such a task. Worse than drug dealers, pimps, or any criminal "mastermind" they had come up against, this particular move could be the last debt to society either of them ever paid again.

Shaking that thought from her mind, she waited for him to contact her. Once the call came in, he would tell her where to meet him, they would leave her car, and then go about their business in his car. If things went bad, his car would be recognized by his fellow officers and justice would be served one way or the other. Excitement and a little fear settled into her hands causing her to flex her fingers in anticipation.

It was run by high school students, or so that was the rumor; only after months of studying the patterns, and the death certificates, were they able to label that myth as just that. The entire operation was run by two twenty-something men who, for all intents and purposes, were ghosts…that is there was no way to determine who exactly they were because there had been no witnesses to identify them. Sam involuntarily gulped. Tonight was going to be the exception. She would make sure of it.

The trick of the game was to come out alive and too many lives had been lost already. Granted, they had been young, naïve, and incredibly foolish; neither she nor Harper were any of those things. If it was a game these sons of bitches wanted, it was a game they would get, only this time they were going to lose. She had never taken a life, not even after her son had been murdered, but if it came to that she doubted she would hesitate. If it meant keeping another child out of the clutches of madmen, she was willing to do whatever it took.

Her phone chirped and she took a deep breath before answering. "Yeah?" She made sure to keep her voice even.

"It's time." Harper's gruff, all business voice cut through the line.

"Alright." Sam hung up the phone when she noticed his silver Nissan Maxima pull up behind her white Buick LeSabre. She hurried over to the car, having to squint to see him in the sparse light. It was almost dark, only fragments of dusk holding strong. He was in a pair of dark sunglasses so she couldn't exactly make out his expression. Oh well. They were following a tip on the location of the other drivers and, with a little hair gel and tight clothing they had lost about fifteen years off their real ages making them the perfect "targets" for the race.

"You're awfully quiet. If you want me to drive, just let me know."

Harper glanced over her outfit and noticed her nerves immediately. "You sure you can do this?" He questioned, his tone coming out gruffer than he had intended it to. If she was too nervous, she should go back to the apartment right now, her insistence of being equal to him in every way be damned. Nerves were going to lead to someone, namely her, getting hurt. And that was one thing he wasn't going to chance if he could help it.

"I'm fine." Sam assured him. "I was thinking..."

"Yes?"

"It would make more sense, and probably be more effective, if we each took our cars—" Sam began carefully.

"No. Not happening."

"We're not back to this man-woman crap are we?"

Harper took his eyes off the road long enough to look over at her. "Actually it's the partner crap. It's smarter to stay together in situations like these."

"Don't you think that might clue them into the fact that we're working together? The last thing we need is to make these guys suspicious. There are two spots open a night. You really want some poor kid to be in it with us?"

"These guys see beautiful women like you as one thing: fresh meat. You want me to treat you like an equal? These guys won't even see you as the same species."

"Well there you go. I'm too much of a distraction. I could cost you the race."

Harper smiled. "No, no. You'll distract everyone else. You're my secret weapon."

Sam ignored the sudden butterflies in her stomach and turned her attention to the old garage where the race would be starting. They had spent the past week studying, practicing, and becoming intimately familiar with the route they were expected to take, as well as some they weren't in case something unexpected happened. Tricks like driving a car off the road were not uncommon in pastimes such as this and she was not going to be pushed around. "I'll introduce us." She offered, hopping out of the car without waiting for his response.

Harper watched unhappily as Sam crossed the parking lot and "introduced" herself to their competition. He shot her back a dirty look when he spotted her flirting with the Neanderthals. She was a secret weapon, as he had already told her, but that wasn't why he wanted her to stay in his car. The truth was he could control her actions if she was right next to him. She was more of a distraction alone than she would be in the passenger's seat. He felt the situation quickly slipping out of his grip.

Sam wandered back to the car and tapped lightly on his door. He lowered the window and she handed him a sticker and a receipt. "The name of the place won't even lead back to them." She said conversationally. "But, even if it did, I suppose it's hard to make out a charcoaled receipt."

When she didn't get back into the car immediately, he started to open his door. Her eyes said it all. "Get in the car Samantha." He gritted through his teeth.

"I have every intention." Sam promised with a smirk and turned in opposite direction. "I'll see you at the Finish Line." She called back over her shoulder.

"Samantha." Harper growled after her but it was too late. She had weaved her way through the crowd and out of his sight.

Sliding into her seat, Sam cranked the engine over and drove to the starting point, thankful her car was only a block away. She wouldn't it past these guys to leave her coughing up dust. Part of her wanted to be upset with Harper for questioning her ability, but there wasn't time. The racetrack wasn't much of one. The roads were very windy and unpredictable--thank God they had practiced. This area was infamous for potholes and missing sections of road. The sound of a gunshot screamed through the air and it was on.

As the seconds ticked by, she made herself focus on the road and not on anything Harper was doing beside her. She knew he wouldn't run her off the road meaning she only had to worry about Dumb & Dumber. They swerved in front of her in a practiced motion, trying to intimidate her, but she remained unfazed. She had started driving at eight years old. There were few places she felt more confident than behind the wheel of a fast car. The road broke off and the four of them took a particular direction, leaving her alone for a few minutes. She followed the loopy road for a total of forty seconds before the Burnt Sienna Firebird sprung into her so fast had she not been expecting it she would have tumbled right into a waterless pit. Perhaps it had been a lake at one time, but this stretch of land forty-five minutes out of Port Charles had been rain-free for almost eight months leading them into a horrific drought.

"Is that the best you can do?" She mouthed to the driver of the Firebird and slammed on her brakes forcing him to miss the tiny alley and smash into the building to their left. She glanced back and sure enough he was on her tail, but she wasn't worried. Jerking the steering wheel to the right once she had cleared the alley, she took one of the back roads she felt the most comfortable with and followed it until she was dropped onto a road where she found Harper. He might as well have been drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper for the relaxed posture he had taken on. He wasn't dragging behind by any means, was several feet in front of her, and she felt another delicious rush of adrenaline as she caught up to him.

The Burnt Sienna Firebird and Baby Blue Viper must have picked up on what she and Harper were up to because they were trying their best to not only catch up but also to separate them. Harper looked almost bored at their attempt while Sam took a sharp turn to the left cutting them all off. She wasn't certain, but Harper didn't look too pleased with her from here. The Viper made a stupid move and it ended up costing him several seconds in which he was left, again, at the back of the line. Sam jerked the wheel to the left to avoid falling off the steep road and just in time too. If she had waited another second, she would have gone right over the bridge. Apparently the townspeople were too cheap to put up guardrails.

She could make out the Finish Line in the distance and told herself she had to get there, she had to survive, but first she really needed to disable these guys so that they would not only be out of commission, but easier to kick out of their cars and into Harper's. The car lurched without warning and she realized that the Viper was trying, and just about succeeding, to push her off the road. In order to do so, he was forced off of the main trail. Their cars jolted down the hill at an alarming rate and Sam apologized for every bad thing she had ever done. Her teeth chattered as the cars spun away from each other and threw one arm in front of her face to avoid the glass as the windshield shattered. Son of a bitch!

Forcing her car backwards, she slammed into the passenger side of the Viper and her car barely coughed in response. "Jerk." She flipped him the bird and hurried to get back on the road, wondering where Harper was.

A foghorn blasted and she realized that the race was over. Scrambling onto the road, her car made it to the Finish Line before it jolted to a stop. Putting it in park for safe measure, she put her hand to her forehead trying to spot either remaining car. Surely she hadn't won. Jerking her head from side to side, she clutched her hands into fists so that her nails bit into the skin. It was another minute before the Viper joined her. "Where'd your boyfriend go?" He asked as he dragged a sweaty hand through his blonde hair.

Sam didn't think; she acted. Stomping over to him, she punched him in the nose. "You are going to jail you bastard." She informed him as she kicked his feet out from under him.

"It was just a game." He argued with a smile.

"I was thinking more on the charge of murder." Sam explained in a shaky voice. It wasn't so much her present company that had her keyed up, but he didn't have to know that. From behind her, she heard one car pull to a stop, the gravel squealing in protest. Slowly, she turned.

"Hey Gorgeous." Harper drawled out as he exited the car and leaned against it, crossing his arms. "Who's your new friend?"

*****

She was going to strangle him, Sam mused to herself as the empty coffee cup shook in her hands. She understood that he had taken the boys to the station and fudged a few of the details so that they wouldn't run into jurisdiction problems across town lines and all that nonsense. It had been almost an hour and a half and that was more than enough time for worst-case scenarios to plague her mind. What if one of them had gotten control of the steering wheel and he was knocked out? What if he was handcuffed to the car and it was leaking gasoline and then, before saying something snide, one of the guys threw in a match like so many movies she had seen? She would have to wait for the story to be in the paper before she would know anything for sure. That's it. She was going after him.

Harper walked through the only door in the apartment, wiping the dirt and sweat off his brow as he kicked it shut with his foot. Of course the one time he needed to get in and out of the station quickly, there had to be three other major busts occur on the same night. In the long run he recognized it would help hide the peculiarities in his report, (he was already rehearsing his story about confusion with all the bookings going on) tonight it chapped his ass.

Seeing Sam standing there, her hand on her keys, he fought the urge to snatch that piece of metal and throw it in the trash. "Well at least you remembered this much of the plan."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sam nearly shrieked.

"You were supposed to stay in the car. That was the plan."

"You needed me to distract the other driver. You said so yourself."

"Samantha. Your presence was distraction enough for those meatheads." He swiped his hand across his forearm, trying to get the dust from the race off of him.

"We got the job done, didn't we?"

"Yes." It galled him to admit it, but she was right. "But that doesn't mean you should have taken a risk like that."

"A risk like what? He's the one who drove me off the road."

He began to pace through the living room. "Don't you get it Samantha? He saw you as an easy mark. He wasn't looking at you as a driver or anything else. He saw you as one thing and one thing only."

"So what?" She challenged.

"Is that all you think you are?" he retorted, stepping closer to her.

"No. It just seems to be the opinion of everyone else."

"Everyone meaning me?"

"No. I don't know." Sam answered noncommittally.

"I think you do." Harper reached out a hand to keep her from darting away and into the safety of the bedroom. "Tell me. Is that what you think I see you as?"

Sam shied away from his touch. "No."

"No?"

"I'd like to think that's not how you see me, but I can't read your mind."

"Let me enlighten you. You're beautiful. And you know it. But you are also smart as hell and there is no one I want watching my back more. And if that means I worry when you don't follow the plan, then tough shit. I enjoy the hell out of you Gorgeous and I want you around for whatever fun we can have."

Sam moved forward with the intention of hugging him, but the wiring in her brain got switched and she ended up kissing him. Instead of wrapping her arms around his waist, she ran her hands up and down his shoulders, smiling when she felt him shudder in response. "I didn't know you cared so much."

Closing his arms around her waist, he winked at her. "I'll enlighten you any time." He whispered before pressing his lips against hers, pulling her close to him.

She found herself standing on tiptoe to deepen the kiss, but even that wasn't enough for him. His tongue darted between her lips and she moaned clutching his shoulders and letting her eyes slide shut as his arms moved under her and lifted her up. "Are you still mad at me?" She asked through half-closed eyelids.

"No. I'm sure you'll scare the hell out of me again."

His statement caught Sam by surprise. She had been almost certain that his anger had more to do with her deviating from the plan. He was all about precision and she was the wild card thrown in. She tilted her head to the side and met his impatient tongue with hers, almost losing herself completely in the sensation alone. "I need to tell you something."

Moving his hands down her hips, he teased her tongue with his. "What's that?"

She held his face in her hands so that he had no choice but to see the truth in her eyes. "I want you in my bed."

Reacting immediately to her declaration Harper pressed his lips against hers hard, lifting her up so she had to anchor her legs around his waist. "Good," he managed to growl. "Because that's the one place I want to be right now."

The trip up the stairs was a quick one. Jerking at the ends of his dirty grey t-shirt, she peeled it off his sweaty body and dropped it on the trail to the bedroom. His fingers traveled methodically across her jade blouse, but even the most patient man was no match for the mile of buttons. At his strangled moan, Sam reached down to help him, pressing her other hand to the wall to keep from losing her balance. They tackled the garment for another thirty seconds before he yanked it over her arms roughly. He grabbed at her hand, dragging her closer, and placed a few kisses across her knuckles.

Nudging the door to the bedroom open with his shoe, Harper took a moment to hold her against the door and let his mouth and hands familiarize themselves with her body. She draped her legs around his waist, her own impatience making itself known. When he continued to put off the inevitable for a second longer, she caught the fly of his pants and flicked the button open. He caught her hands and brought them to wind around his neck using his free hand to comb through her tangled hair.

When she thought she could take no more, she felt her body being lowered onto the mattress and sighed in satisfaction. His big body leaned into hers and she wiggled beneath him until she was sure she was touching him in all the right areas. She matted her fingers in his chest hair and grabbed the back of his neck to pull him in for a warm, wet kiss. He reached between them and finished her earlier endeavor of getting rid of the pants. Her hand followed his after the pants were removed and she tugged at the front band of his briefs, pausing only long enough to stroke him through the thin material.

"Samantha." He hissed.

"You've done so much for me." She whispered. "Let me do this for you." Flipping him onto his back, she touched her lips to his chest and dragged them quickly down, promising herself that she would savor every inch of him later. She shoved the briefs down and looked up when he lifted her chin with his hands. Licking her lips at the intense understanding that passed between them, she closed her hand around him and applied the tiniest bit of pressure. Her lips soon followed and it was all she could do to keep him still.

"My turn." Harper choked out weakly. He slid his hands under her arms and jerked her into his embrace, melding their mouths together. Her mouth was warm and mysterious beneath his. No doubt, she hid all of her secrets there. Greedily stealing her breath, he fumbled with the snap on her bra and groaned at the feel of her naked breast in his palm.

"This is k-kind of an awkward time to ask..." Sam whimpered. "But what is your first name?"

He might have chuckled if she didn't sound so serious. "David." He clarified as his thumb swept across the ruby-red tip of her breast.

"Oh God." Sam inhaled sharply, her eyes widening.

"What's the matter?"

"I don't—I mean do you have—?"

"Well it's a good thing one of us is prepared." He teased glibly. "Hold that thought Gorgeous." Harper didn't know how he made it downstairs, but motivation was a funny thing. When he returned to the bedroom, Sam was resting on top of the sheets completely naked. "You look like a woman who knows what she wants." He murmured crawling across the mattress.

"I knew you'd figure it out if you just kept trying." She taunted as he closed the space between them and caught her lips with his. She snatched the condom out of his hand, removed it from the wrapper, and rolled it on without having to look down. If she spent a few extra seconds touching him, he didn't complain.

Lying above her, Harper looked down. "I know it's been a long time since you've made love." He whispered. "But I promise I won't hurt you."

"I know you won't. I want this. I want you." She emphasized with a shaky smile.

He drew his hand between her legs before he ever settled his body against her. His thumb brushed softly above her center and she jerked off the bed. He pressed his middle finger there and slowly slid it inside of her, forcing his eyes to stay open as her body closed around the digit. She threw her head back and he bent down and kissed her, lightly caressing the sensitive skin. His thumbnail traced the inside of her thigh while he strummed his remaining fingers over her center. She bit down hard on his bottom lip and that was when his index finger plunged into her. For a second, neither of them moved. He didn't lift his mouth, letting his breath blow into her trembling mouth. Then her eyes closed and he let himself explore her more intimately.

Though her movements were sluggish, she took hold of his hand and kissed his fingertips, her eyes never leaving his. He drew his hand down her back and pulled her under him, carefully slipping between her thighs. Her breath caught and his eyes flashed. Again, they had one of those wonderful still movements where she felt every jerk of his body. He moved then, ever so slowly, and she let her arms flail aimlessly to the side. A moan escaped her as he ventured deeper and she curled her legs around him. The way her body instantly adjusted to his made her feel as if she had always known this man's touch and she let any anxiety she had been experiencing fall away.

Her body arched into him, throbbing in what almost felt like pain, and he finally shoved all the way inside of her. He had been holding back before, but she was glad he wasn't anymore. As the moments ticked by, she hoped he still thought she was worth it once this was over. Insecurities driven from her mind as her body started demanding things from his she lost herself in the physical for the first time in so long she couldn't even remember. He jerked above her and she saw the distance in his eyes. She told herself not to focus too much on that. Her body didn't let her consider what that look might mean as she was thrown into an earth-shattering climax.

"Alright." Harper rasped out as he collapsed onto her chest. "You can change the plan next time."

"Well if this is all it takes to win an argument with you..." Sam let her voice trail off.

**Previews: **

She rested her forehead against his. "I don't like being out of control."

Running his hands down her sides, he only stopped when they rested at her waist. "You could have fooled me Wild Card."


	263. She Says

"You can't just ignore everyone you deem too young to treat you." Kate's tone was gentle, almost joking but it still carried her point. The Colonel had run out just about every cardiac specialist the hospital had to offer and a few from some other hospitals for one increasingly irrational reason after another. She continued to speak as if the situation amused her, when it did everything but that. "After all, don't you always say they force old farts like you to retire so the young'ens don't feel so intimidated?"

"Is that what they say?" The Colonel smirked. He knew there was a reason he loved Kate; she always made him laugh. And she didn't walk on egg shells around him.

"They also say you should listen to the experts. Like it or not, the doctors are the experts here."

"They're young enough to be in high school." The Colonel protested.

"I do believe at some point the same was said about you on the base there Colonel."

"Who said that?" His eyes shot to hers inquisitively. "Oh well," he sighed before she could answer him. "I'm the only one left alive in my unit."

"All the more reason you need to follow the doctor's advice. Someone needs to keep everyone in line."

"How's Charlotte?"

"She's a strong girl. She'd be doing better if she didn't have to worry about you getting kicked out."

"Oh." The Colonel worried constantly about his baby daughter. She wanted everyone to think she was so tough, his personality instilled in her, but he knew one of these days she would crumble. Her husband was lucky to have her, much more blessed than he could ever realize. It was Charlotte who kept everything together. How else could she have gotten Richard to...? Instantly, his smirk turned to a frown.

"What's that look about?" She had caught the quick frown immediately and knew he would try to hide it. He should know her better than that. She wouldn't have risen so high in her profession so fast if she ignored obvious looks like that.

"Just thinking about my good-for-nothing son." The Colonel admitted.

She resisted the urge to reach out and smack at his hand. If he wasn't currently in that hospital bed, his hand would surely be stinging right now. "Ric's put all of his patients on hold just to come and see you."

"He came for Charlotte, and for you. His visit has nothing to do with me."

"Only because you chase him out of here when he even attempts to talk to you."

"He should be tough enough to handle a little criticism. He's got too much of his mother in him."

"With all due respect Colonel, I think it's because he's got too much of you in him." Kate retorted bluntly.

"Don't you know when you're on the losing team, you're supposed to cut and run?" The Colonel teased her gently.

"I told you before, I see right through you. I'm not afraid of you and I'm not running away."

"My sweet little Katherine." The Colonel sighed.

"Get some rest you big teddy bear." Kate smiled as she leaned over to kiss his forehead. "Kate's orders."

"Rest is for the weak. Send in a doctor who didn't just cut his teeth, will you?"

"Whatever you say McGruff. I'll see you in a bit." Kate moved towards the door, waving and winking at him as she moved herself out into the hallway. It might take her entire stay in Tucson to make him listen, but she was willing to try it.

An arm shot out and caught her, pulling her away from the door. His hand over her mouth muffled her shriek of surprise. "You didn't have to say all of that." Ric told her, though he didn't sound displeased.

"Ric!" Kate swatted his hand away as soon as she recognized his face. "You scared me to death."

"You know I like to make an entrance." Ric teased her quoting Kate's favorite line from a movie she would never admit to anyone she loved, Independence Day.

"How long have you been lurking like a low rent mobster?"

"You're just jealous 'cause you got so far behind in The Sopranos." Ric taunted, pressing his hand to the wall and leaning against it.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Speaking of sleep, shouldn't you be getting some? It's late Katie." Ric admonished.

"This is nothing." Kate dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. "I go without sleep for days when I'm chasing a good story."

"I remember."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Worry about your stubborn father."

"I haven't stopped. Visiting him only seems to stress him out more."

Kate smiled softly. "And not visiting only stresses him out more. Whether or not he'll ever admit to that."

"Why does it bother you so much? I'll see him out of the hospital and then I'm back to a life where I'm not constantly berated because of my career choice." Ric grumbled. "Sorry."

"It bothers me because I know how much you love your father. And I know it bothers you."

Ric waved off her comment. Maybe he did care more than he wanted to, but so far this trip had been hell on his self-esteem. He didn't want to admit to Kate how right she was. "Have you eaten?"

She could lie and press Ric to go in and visit his father right now, but her stomach decided to make its presence known. Laughing in defeat, Kate shook her head. "No. What about you?"

"Not yet. What do you say we get out of here and have a real meal?" Ric felt the tension in his shoulders lift away. The topic was forgotten, for now, and he was willing to revel in his good luck.

"Lead on."

Ric smiled and touched his hand to the small of her back. The movement was so familiar, he didn't recognize it at first. "If we can pass you off as twelve, you'll eat free." He joked as he escorted her through the double doors. The wind had definitely picked up in the short hour he had moseyed around the hospital.

"I think we'd have better luck passing you off as twelve." Kate teased right back, "At least emotionally."

*****

Sam could feel Harper's breath on her neck; she pulled the blankets closer. Since the moment they separated, the awkwardness had set in. It could have been the foreign presence of a man next to her, but something told her it was more. She had given into desire, a feeling that doubled as a friend and an enemy so that she never knew when she should trust it. True to his word, he had been so gentle with her and she appreciated it. That wasn't to say she wasn't a little sore, but she had enjoyed the time she had him in her arms.

To say something or to stay silent? The battle raged inside of Harper as he shifted his arms tighter around her waist. Samantha had let some of her walls down, but he was well aware she still had her doubts about him. It was only natural, he supposed, considering her last lover had been a heartless, soulless, killing machine.

She didn't know what to say, what to do. Her next move should have been clear. One slip up didn't change anything. His arms were securely locked around her, but she knew he would let go if she told him to. If he did let go, would the ghosts return? Just what I needed, she thought to herself. More doubts. More uncertainty.

Words were never their strong point. He and Samantha were creatures of action. Promises and mere words had played them both for fools in the past. For now he was content to just lay here next to her, learning all the ways their bodies seemed to meld together. If she wanted pretty words, she would have to let him know. He dropped a kiss to her shoulder blade and let his fingers trace the curve of her hip.

Sam pulled away. "Please...please don't." She choked out.

"Don't what?"

Sitting up, she pulled the sheet around her and slowly met his gaze. "Just don't." Dropping the fabric, she crossed the room to where her robe was and hurriedly put it on.

Watching her movements, he sat up himself, letting the sheet pool around his waist. Running his fingers through the same hair she had tangled her fingers in not that long ago, Harper nodded sadly. "So that's how you want to play it. I was wondering."

His words hit her like shards of glass, but she said nothing. If she picked a fight, he would ultimately win. Keeping her back to him, she stopped just before reaching the bed and hesitantly met his eyes.

"Do us both a favor here Gorgeous. Just be honest. Give me the same respect you keep yelling at me to give you."

"What did you want this to be?" She asked, instantly regretting it. The last thing either of them needed was to put a label on what had happened.

"Something we both wanted."

"I did want it." Sam assured him. "And it was..."

Harper reached out and grabbed her hand, catching her unaware. "Then why the disappearing act Samantha? If you wanted it, why not just let it be?"

"I did. I let it happen. I made it happen. And now I just want to put it behind us." Her eyes burned as she continued to force back the threatening tears.

"Behind us?" Harper tried to keep the bitterness out of his laugh. "You sure know how to build up a guy's ego."

"I didn't say I regretted it." Sam pointed out.

"Then why put it behind us?"

"Because we still have to work together." Sam explained watching him fall backwards with a huff. "What?"

Harper raised his eyebrow at her. "So working together and sleeping together are impossible to do? Is that what you are saying?"

"If you're going to freak out every time something doesn't go your way, then yes."

"I am not freaking out. You pulled away and are talking in circles. I'm looking for answers that make sense here."

"I don't mean tonight. I mean the last two times we worked together."

Harper nodded in understanding. "Oh it's the man-woman crap, as you so elegantly put it, again."

"No. It's about you making decisions that could cost us both our lives. That's what it's about." Sam clarified, holding his face between her hands.

He snaked his hands up to cover hers. "So this is your crazy way of saying you actually care if I live or die?"

"Of course I care if you live or die. How can you ask me something like that?" Sam asked in a small voice.

"Forgive me Gorgeous. However I am not yet fluent in mind reading." He tucked a piece of chocolate colored hair behind her ear. "You run hot and cold so it can be hard to tell."

She rested her forehead against his. "I don't like being out of control."

Running his hands down her sides, he only stopped when they rested at her waist. "You could have fooled me Wild Card."

"I didn't say I minded when things were out of your control." She whispered kissing the tip of his nose.

"I thought you wanted equality."

"I want that too. It's complicated."

"Explain it to me?"

"I would never forgive myself if something happened to you."

There was distance in her eyes; the slight touch of sadness that usually stayed at the edges was front and center. The reason for it hit him like a ton of bricks. This had so very little to do with him; it had everything to do with the demons Harper knew still haunted her every single night. "Tell me about Vincent." He coaxed her, hoping his directness would surprise her into opening up at least that much to him.

Sam jumped back as if his skin was acidic and shoved her hands into the pockets of her robe. Tears glistened in her eyes, but she knew of no way to stop them. "Vincent?" She repeated, her heart constricting.

"Yes." Harper nodded, reaching out to grab her hand. "Tell me about him."

"He died."

He had gathered that much from her comments. Keeping his voice calm, he used his fingers to rub what he hoped was a soothing pattern over her knuckles. "What did he like to do? Favorite food?"

"He played soccer." Sam recalled quietly. "He told me once it was because he could get away with kicking his own teammates if they got on his nerves." She let him drag her to the mattress and sat down, her breath whooshing out quickly. "He would always ask me to use the cookie cutters to cut out his tuna fish sandwiches. Sometimes stars. Other times, circles."

"Sounds like a fun kid."

"He was in all honors classes. So smart." Her voice broke and she cupped her mouth to gain some sort of composure.

"Just like his mother."

"It's been so long. I don't want to talk about him." Sam countered.

He could push her to talk to him. He could prod, pry, and set out to argue that she clearly needed to talk to someone about her loss. It was as clear as the beauty of her face. But Harper also realized that if he pushed right now, he ran the risk of running her right out of this apartment and headfirst into some other crazy plan. A plan very similar to the one he caught her in when they first met. He pulled her close to him, nestling her against his chest. "Alright." He whispered against her hair. "We'll talk about something else."

Sam forced a smile. He wouldn't be so easily dissuaded later, but at least there would be some peace for her tonight. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now if we aren't going to be talking, we should probably figure out something else to do tonight."


	264. Here Nor There

Will Chambers knocked insistently against the Rodriguez's door. He wanted this exhausting task out of the way so he could focus on other things, namely his own life. This particular assignment had robbed him of hours, days, weeks, and months sparking fights with Alyson. The couch was becoming far too normal a bed for him. The money was good. She hadn't wanted to hear it. He was involved in a custody case. She had whined about him caring more about strangers than he did about her. It was a losing battle every time he opened his mouth or walked in the door or picked up his cell. She didn't care about the exposure, how much this could help his career. The last fight they had had was this morning. The pillow had slammed into his face. What a way to wake up! His nose was still sore. He had left her in tears.

He wasn't sure how Mr. Rodriguez would react to the news he had acquired. Over the last couple of months, they had traded information over the phone, but something had compelled him to come by in person. Alyson had broken his ceramic high school graduation hat just out of spite. It was her fault he had still had the damn thing, her inability to throw anything away.

Opening the door, balancing Majandra on his shoulder, Cruz couldn't help but blink in surprise as he slowly recognized the form of Will Chambers. They literally hadn't laid eyes on each other since he hired him at Christmas. Why was Will standing here this morning? "Mr. Chambers." The formality sounded forced, but what else was he supposed to call him? They weren't friends and didn't feel right to call him "Will."

"Mr. Rodriguez, hello. I'm sorry to bother you so early." Will hadn't glanced at the clock on the wall so he had no idea how early or late he was. Best to cover all his bases and just apologize.

"It's alright. Majandra is an early riser." Cruz stepped aside and gestured towards the living room with the tilt of his head. "Why don't you come inside?"

Will nodded and uneasily walked into the living room. He hadn't realized his client had a baby. Care about them more than his own girlfriend? Alyson was definitely on something. "I found out something and I wanted to tell you first thing."

Sitting down in the chair, Cruz waited until Will was seated before letting himself feel even nerves begin to form in his stomach. "I have a feeling I won't like this."

Will glanced down at his hands, feeling like he was delivering bad news to his high school principal. Gary Olsen had been intimidating but silent, much like Mr. Rodriguez. "As you know, I've been keeping tabs on the Grimes' activity over the last several months..."

"And you've done well. I know Lucky hasn't been in contact much, but he will be grateful for all your assistance once the trial is over and Cameron is home."

"I'm hoping I can be somewhat helpful." Will assured him almost in a squeak.

"You are. You are."

"I was talking to Mr. Grimes' employer, nothing but a few inquiries. I didn't make myself memorable. He was actually the one to bring up Tony Grimes. He said he didn't know what he was going to do without him."

"Without him?" Cruz held onto his daughter tightly for fear he was going to drop her. Had he just heard Chambers right? "What did he mean? Without him?"

"Mr. Grimes isn't sick or anything." Will promised. "He's just put in for early retirement."

"Early retirement?" Cruz blinked in disbelief. This didn't make much sense. The Tony Grimes he knew over the years loved his job. It was the cause of one of the biggest fights Tony and Lucky had ever had, Tony wanting Lucky to join his company and Lucky wanting nothing of it. "He's retiring?"

"And here's the kicker." Will replied as he leaned down to collect one of Majandra's toys and hand it over to her. "His reason for doing it? He wants to make sure his grandson always has someone there to care for him. That's almost a direct quote from what I understand."

Bobbie had given him many lectures about not swearing in front of Majandra. She did not want a repeat performance of Cameron's historic "bitch please." However right now it was a good thing his wife was sound asleep in their bed. "Fuck."

"I had the exact same reaction." Will told him with a steady nod of his head. He didn't go on to say that this would put the Grimes in a much better light than Cameron's overworked single father.

"This isn't good. That filthy bastard. First he somehow gets Elizabeth's parents to testify against them, now this. I underestimated him clearly." Cruz stood up, placing Majandra in her playpen in the corner so he could pace. He needed to move, he needed to think. A full-time, devoted grandfather versus a single father who had newborn twins at home? It wouldn't take even a barely passing legal scholar to see how that won would shake out. What was he supposed to tell Lucky? "There has to be something. Anything."

"Nothing that I've found. Unless you count Lisa Grimes' addiction to the Home Shopping Network." The joke fell flat. "I'll keep looking."

"You bet your ass you will." Cruz nodded in his direction. "No one can play this game perfect and Tony's going to make a mistake. He'll get too cocky. When he thinks he's won, that's when we're going to nail him to the wall."

*****

Florida had Disney World, California had Fan Club Weekend, and the Spencers had their special dinners. They caught up, made fun of each other's life choices in a subtle, understanding sort of way, and then discussed what was coming up next in their lives. The last dinner Maxie could remember being invited to had been almost ten years ago when she and Lulu were moving up in Girl Scouts. She wouldn't even have showed up if her dad hadn't been so insistent. She hadn't known why he was making such a fuss about it, at least not at first. When the invitation extended to Alexis and Kristina, Maxie got the clue. They were still freezing each other out and the Spencer dinner was the perfect excuse to force Alexis into the world with Mac by her side. At least in public they wouldn't cause a scene.

Georgie, always the optimist, had offered her services in the kitchen almost as soon as she showed up at the door. Currently, she and Elizabeth were hiding in there together. Laura was bustling around the house, talking to everyone, smiling. Luke sat in his battered recliner with a very sleepy Majandra babbling into the crook of his arm so Bobbie and Cruz could fix their plates. If the crowd wasn't so big, Maxie had no doubt they would all be expected to sit at the table. Lucky only responded. He didn't start any conversations on his own. His eyes held a poignant stare powerful enough to reach out and touch any of the guests at any given time. Lucas and Lulu were taking turns with the new Spencer twins, but never seemed to be around the other. Dillon was bugging Steven about his movie knowledge and Patrick was staring straight ahead at the mumbling television, not interacting with anyone.

Mrs. Hardy was telling Lance and Kristina one of the many stories that made up Steven and Elizabeth's childhood, purposely leaving out their wicked sister. She and Georgie had had their fights, but Sarah Webber had gone completely overboard. And then there was the matter of Elizabeth's parents. Maxie could sort of relate to the blatant hostility parents showed their children when their real issues had little or nothing to do with them. She often wondered if Felicia had contacted Frisco and told him that she and Georgie weren't really his children, if that's why he had stopped making any sort of contact. Not that she cared.

"Save me." Steven almost ran into the corner after successfully distracting Dillon by pointing out how "paternal" Lucas was looking holding Gracie. He understood fanatical attention to details, but Dillon was quite possibly the most obsessed film person he had ever met. The man could actually name movies he had lensed. Independent movies. Movies even Steven couldn't remember doing. "You have to tell me where to hide."

"Where to hide? In the Spencer house? It's kind of like the song Hotel California. Once you're in..." Maxie's voice trailed off.

"Great. There's no escape." Steven shook his head. "You've seemed to find a nice perch here."

"It helps when people don't like you." Maxie told him.

"I like you. Don't I count as people?"

"You're an out-of-towner." Maxie pointed out. "So your opinion..."

"Is obviously the most important one." Steven cut her off with a smile. Alright so she still had no idea he was really her brother-in-law. It really couldn't hurt to have her on his side whenever it was Georgie decided to let the bomb drop. He promised his wife he could wait, but he still could make a good impression on his in-laws right? And maybe if he could convince himself of the brilliance in this line of thinking, he would actually approach Mac Scorpio instead of staring at him from across the room.

Maxie took a big gulp of her drink and stared into it, not sure how she should respond. When it came to her sister and guys, Georgie was especially protective. Even if they were just friends. She had learned early on to not share friends with her younger sister. "I think I hear Georgie calling me." She made a beeline for the kitchen.

"I wish she would call me." Steven mumbled under her breath.

*****

Patrick glanced up when he realized Lucky was saying something to him. Reaching over to snap off the television, he met his cousin's frustrated gaze. "I didn't hear you. What did you say?"

"Nothing. Nothing important anyway." Lucky sighed as he leaned back against the couch, running his hand through his hair. He should have just listened to his instinct and not come. Let his mother twist the guilt knife. Ever since Cruz's visit this morning with the news of Tony's early retirement, he didn't want to deal with anyone. However all it had taken was just mentioning the idea of skipping his parent's anniversary party to earn him a dirty look from Elizabeth and some pointed remarks he was forever grateful the twins were too young to fully understand.

"Sorry." Lucky could have been proclaiming loudly that Patrick was his inspiration and he still wouldn't have heard him. His mind was somewhere else. Across the ocean. In a tiny flat a few stories up. He had gone to General to pick up the first picture of the baby and been struck with overwhelming sadness at having to make the trip alone. The black and white printout now hung on the refrigerator at the apartment under one magnet featuring Garfield and the other, Odie.

"Not your fault." Lucky shrugged. "I'm just not in a party mood."

"Neither am I." In a quieter voice, Patrick continued, "I didn't think I could handle the guilt if I didn't show."

"If it was just Mom maybe I could handle it. But Mom plus Elizabeth? Dangerous combination."

"Elizabeth told me you got a call from Robin."

Lucky had warned Robin there would be no good to come from Patrick and Elizabeth talking. "Yeah. She didn't say much though. She was more disappointed I wasn't Elizabeth than anything."

"Sounds about right." Patrick wasn't going to admit to not knowing how Robert and Georgie had handled the news of the pregnancy or in Robert's case the pregnancy and the engagement. All he knew was that they had landed and gotten settled.

"You'll be thrilled to hear she is determined to come home in exactly when she is scheduled to."

"I would expect nothing less." Patrick grinned. Glancing down at his empty beer bottle, he gestured toward Lucky. "You want something? I've got to find something stronger than this. I have a feeling they switched the real beer for Corona."

"Damn Cruz and his influence." Lucky stood up and gestured towards the garage with his head. "This is going to call for the secret, secret stash."

*****

"The evening's shaping up rather nicely." Laura said to Bobbie as they walked into the kitchen, neither of them unaware of Georgie and Elizabeth quickly retreating to the living room.

"Really? Any particular reason?" Bobbie recognized the look in her sister-in-law's eye from years of experience. Laura was up to something.

"We got everyone here. I can take little victories." Laura nodded.

"Everyone except Robin."

"Well, she's in another country." Laura reasoned. "I can't exactly be mad at her for not attending."

"So there is a way out of the guilt trip. That is good to know." Bobbie teased her gently.

"What does that mean?" Laura held the tea pitcher in midair.

Seeing her nephews sneak off into the garage, Bobbie pointed in the direction of their retreating backs. "I get the impression those two are only here because of fear of disappointing you."

"Well, it's nice to see them anyway." Laura filled the tea to the rim of her glass before returning it to the refrigerator.

"Why do I get the impression you have your mind on something else?"

"I have a feeling something is not as it seems." Laura nodded toward the door leading to the living room.

"That requires some elaboration."

"I'm not for sure of anything yet, but I'm never wrong about these things. For one thing, I'm used to Elizabeth scurrying away when I come into the room, but why did Georgie?"

Bobbie had to admit she had noticed her niece's skittishness ever since the girl's return from Paris. Georgie had been keeping all her conversations about her trip on the most surface of levels. There was nothing overt, nothing to clue her in just yet as to what was going on in Georgie's mind, but there was something going on. "Maybe it's just the usual tension between her and Lucas. You know how they both love to avoid fights."

"I think they put it past them for the kids." Laura countered, not convinced. Where she created drama, Bobbie did her best to put it off. "No, it's something else. I can't put my finger on it." Smiling as another thought occurred to her, she met Bobbie's stare. "Why didn't you tell me you were renting out your doctor to your older niece?"

"Excuse me?"

"Didn't Mac tell you?" Laura was certain the Commissioner wouldn't spread the news around, but Bobbie always seemed to be in the know. "Dr. Lansing and Maxie are officially dating."

"Well I interpreted something about them seeing each other through Mac's grunts but I didn't know it was official by any means." Bobbie searched through the crowd to spot her niece's blonde hair. "It certainly explains her sudden devotion to work these days."

"She looks sad. Don't you think she looks sad? We should do something." Laura declared.

"Laura. Don't."

"I don't want sadness at my party. We can cheer her up somehow."

"Knowing Maxie, unless you have Ric stashed away in a closet somewhere, she's determined to not be cheered up by anyone." Bobbie pointed out. She loved her niece dearly, but it didn't mean she was blind to the ways the younger woman's mind worked.

"Have you seen Lulu?"

"Wasn't she just here with Jake?" Bobbie looked around the party not spotting Lulu but seeing Steven Webber holding his nephew.

"I thought so, but now I don't see her. Luke!" Laura's tone caused her husband to almost drop the baby he was currently holding. Understandably, Majandra reached for Cruz.

"What? What?" Luke sputtered as Cruz swooped down to rescue his daughter from hitting the floor.

"Do you know where your daughter is?"

"I thought that job ended when she turned eighteen."

It was Lucas who spoke up. "I think I saw her go around back. I'll get her."

*****

"What would your mother think if she caught you like this?" Lucas managed to surprise his jumpy cousin into turning and facing him.

"Like what?" Lulu croaked out, rubbing her free hand up and down her jeans.

"Smoking." Lucas pointed to the death stick in-between her fingers.

"Last time I checked, smoking outside is allowed." Lulu snapped taking a long drag and blowing it directly into Lucas's face.

Coughing, he recovered a moment later. "That wasn't very nice."

"Yeah, well I'm not very nice." Lulu dared him to pick a fight with her. She transferred the half-gone cigarette to her other hand and ran a shaky hand through her hair.

"When did you start this?" Lucas wanted to know.

"Fifteen." Lulu joked.

"Funny. What are you trying to accomplish? Alexis's condition isn't enough of a warning?" Lucas patronized.

"Oh, please stop." Lulu groaned, covering her face with her arm. "I don't want to talk about anyone else's problems. I've got my own and plenty of them."

"Yeah? Tell me about them." Lucas offered.

"No thanks Dr. Phil. I'd much rather smoke this cigarette and think about happier times."

"Such as?"

"Getting kidnapped." Lulu giggled humorlessly. "That was a hell of a lot of fun. I can't quite pinpoint my favorite part. Maybe having the gun shoved in my face. Or being knocked out. So many choices."

Lucas caught her arms and flicked the cigarette into the sidewalk. "What is the matter with you?"

"Me?" Lulu feigned confusion. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Something is obviously going on. Why don't you tell me?" Lucas encouraged quietly.

"I already told you," Lulu growled, pulling out of his grasp, "I don't want or need your help. Why can't everyone just leave me alone?" That said, she turned in the opposite direction and headed for her car.

Lucas reluctantly followed. "Where are you going? Your parents are celebrating their anniversary. You can't just drive off."

"The hell I can't. You know, I think I'll drive away so fast the tires squeak and I'm going to smile the whole time." Lulu decided and shut the door, barely missing Lucas' fingers.

"Should you be driving?" Lucas couldn't help but wonder if her behavior could be blamed on alcohol.

"According to the state of New York, yes." Lulu sped backwards, almost hitting a parked car across the street, and zoomed away.


	265. Sweet Tooth

There was something equal parts wrong and right about sneaking out to see your own husband Georgie thought to herself as she made her way down the twilight-covered streets. It had taken an act of supreme willpower not to just run to him all during the Spencer party and just hold on to him for dear life, but that might make her situation a bit obvious, she supposed.

Already Alexis was suspicious something was going on. Whether it was the other woman's questioning nature or the fact that while she was on medical leave from her DA's position she had nothing to do but watch the soaps and rot her brain, but Georgie recognized the questioning look her future stepmother had on her face during most of the party. Robin had questioned her sudden love of necklaces and rings the few times they had seen each other in Paris. If Elizabeth hadn't been so distracted by the upcoming custody case and keeping track of her own babies, Georgie was fairly sure she would have suspected something was up with a total stranger's near fanatical need to stay near her the entire party.

It would be easily solved if she just took a breath and told her father that not only had she met someone in Paris, she had met The One and had married him. Of course that would probably require her calling 911 for an ambulance and sneaking Steven right out of the country once her father recovered from the coronary she gave him. Twisting her precious wedding and engagement ring right back onto her finger from her pocket, she felt calmer once they slide back to where they belonged. She had to tell her father. He'd be mad but eventually he would get over it. He loved her too much not to. And someday he'd see reason and even learn to love and respect Steven. He just had to.

Trying to keep her walk casual she made her way up the driveway towards the Hardy house. She rehearsed her story one more time just in case Audrey answered the door and not Steven. Her request for a recipe would buy them no more than a few seconds, but it would have to do. Of course if his grandmother had already gone off to bed, then there could be more time. Raising her hand to knock, she prayed that if she couldn't have more time with Steven at least he could answer the door.

Steven watched Georgie walk cautiously up the steps and laughed out loud. He heard his grandmother moving behind him and quickly turned to wink at her. "I was going to get something from the kitchen. Do you want something?"

"No. No. I'm fine." Audrey shook her head. There was a knock at the door so she said nothing more. "Georgie?"

"Hi Mrs. Hardy. I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Georgie shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

"Not at all." Audrey waved away her concern. "Would you like to come in?"

I don't want to intrude. I just stopped by for a minute." Georgie stepped cautiously inside the front door, catching Steven's eye almost as soon as she crossed the threshold. Keep the dopey grin in check here Georgiana, she told herself sternly.

"Steven, don't be rude." Audrey scolded her grandson. "Offer Georgie something to drink."

Even though he had seen her coming up the walkway, he was completely awestruck by how amazingly beautiful she was. "Yeah. I'm sorry. Georgie, would you like something to drink?"

"No, no. I'm fine thank you." Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she turned her attention to Mrs. Hardy. "Mrs. Hardy I'm sorry to bother you like this, but I was wondering if I could get that recipe for those amazing apple tarts you make? Alexis loves them and I want to do something nice for her."

"I know where you keep the recipes, Grams." Steven cut in. "I'll get them."

"Nonsense. I'm not an invalid Steven Webber." Audrey headed for the kitchen with a nervous Georgie behind her.

Seeing Audrey move safely out of eye shot, Georgie moved over and smacked Steven hard in the chest. "You'll get the recipe? You really think I came here for a recipe you big dolt?"

"Did you say something Georgie dear?" Audrey inquired as she rummaged through her box of recipes.

"Nothing." She called out. Turning towards Steven she whispered fiercely at him. "You are terrible at this sneaking around thing."

"And you're better?" Steven raised an eyebrow at her.

The phone rang, startling them all. "I'll get it. Steven, do you think you can find...?" Audrey's voice trailed off as she returned to the living room where she had carried the handset.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, Georgie felt her shoulders sag. "That was too close you know."

"Saved by the bell quite literally." Steven laughed, reaching for her.

She relished the feeling of him holding her tightly to him. Of all the things she missed about that tiny hotel room in Paris, his being constantly close enough to wrap his arms around her topped the list. "I'll never doubt people for having a landline again."

"You can say that again. Better yet, don't say anything." Steven held her face between his hands, carefully tilting her head back. "One kiss." He promised, knowing he would sooner cut off his own hand than let go of her once he got a good hold.

"Only one. Your grandmother could come back at any second." For all the problems keeping this quiet entailed, this moment was more than making up for it.

Instead of kissing her mouth, Steven brought his lips down to her neck and lovingly tugged her skin into his mouth. "One kiss is never enough."

"We're going to get caught," she warned him even though her voice and body betrayed how little she cared about that at this exact second.

"This is killing me." Steven admitted lightly tracing his thumb across the hem of her top.

"Me too." She whispered against his lips, running her own hands up his shoulders. "I can't stand being away from you."

"We've got to tell them and soon. I don't know how much longer I can take this."

Nodding quickly, she bit her lower lip. "I know. I know. I just don't know how."

The swinging door flung open and they had just enough time to release each other before Audrey caught them. "Steven. I thought you were going to get that recipe."

Steven shook his head. "I couldn't find it Grams."

"It's fine." Georgie spoke up. "I can come back."

"I'll walk you out. This town's probably full of crazies." Steven muttered.


	266. True Lies

One of the many problems a district attorney ran into was buying into a story when there was nothing to go on but face value. Alexis had been lied to plenty, she bet, but then she hadn't ever believed in anyone's innocence. It was just easier to handle if she didn't get emotionally involved. When they caught Logan and Courtney, she would not be handling that case. If they got to trial, she thought wickedly.

She was almost never wrong when it came to determining whether or not a person was innocent or guilty. It took patience and a stack of evidence on each side to see which one was the strongest. She couldn't just come out and ask if they were lying because then she might prevent them from slipping up on their own. That was usually the best part. The only problem was she had nothing else to do with her time but wonder and wait and prod gently.

Alexis was not oblivious to her future stepdaughter's mood the previous night. She had been a step up from down in the dumps and Alexis had just assumed she was missing her friends and teachers in Paris. After a brief discussion, she had discarded that theory. She wasn't full of stories she wanted to share; in fact, she was more closemouthed than she had been before she left Port Charles the first time. That's what had clued Alexis in. If she wasn't missing the general staff of the school or her roommates, she was missing a boy.

The biggest obstacle in finding out more information than she currently knew was that Georgie had gotten to be a good liar during her short stay away. Alexis could no longer tell immediately if she was hiding something. Did Maxie know? That was a possibility, she assumed, because she was worried the older sibling didn't know which would go to spark her curiosity, as well as her dread, about why Georgie was so hell-bent on no one knowing his identity.

Alexis tried to think of anyone Georgie might have mentioned during their phone conversations, or even from last night, but no one stood out. Was it possible she had had some sordid affair with one of her professors? Alexis skimmed over the brochure Georgie had originally brought home for her and Mac to see and saw that all four teachers were female. Scratch that. The professor angle was more Maxie's style anyway.

Oh Maxie, Alexis inwardly moaned. Mac was under enough stress. He didn't need to wonder what his twenty-two year old daughter was doing with a man twice her age. She didn't want to think about it. Of course, she had never had the pleasure or displeasure of meeting Ric Lansing, but that didn't make the situation any more rational. Maxie was always trying to one-up everyone, take their expectations of her and burn them away. She was a shock-and-awe kind of woman and that was what had Alexis worried. Right there and then, Alexis decided to put Kristina up in a castle and not let her out until she, her mother, felt she was ready to experience the act of dating.

"The Commissioner doesn't need to know that I'm checking up on his daughters." Alexis told the young man in her office. "And if you could keep it to yourself that I was here today that would help out a great deal." She wasn't supposed to be working, but to hell with it. She wasn't returning to the hospital and it's not like bed rest would get her well. If this was all the time she had left, she was going to use it to the best of her ability.

"Not a problem Ms. Davis." Harper nodded smoothly. It would be a good distraction, relatively simple and something he could easily use Sam's help with. In fact, it would probably be best to get the information the former district attorney sought by enlisting Sam. He had learned long ago girl talk led to all sorts of secrets spilling out. And if Sam's work made him look brilliant in the face of his superiors? Even better. Such a reputation would only help with his and Sam's plan in the long run.

"This has to be completely confidential. I don't care if the mayor himself comes to you. You don't know anything. Of course," She pushed her chair back and stood up slowly, "I would do this myself, but I'm a little less able to—" She didn't continue for fear that she would burst into tears again. No reason to look incompetent in front of the rookie.

"Understood ma'am. We've never even met." He decided not to comment on the tears he saw pooling in her eyes. Alexis Davis reminded him on some level of Samantha. Anything that could be construed as weakness had to be avoided at all costs.

"Whatever information you come across, I'd like to know about it." Alexis added handing him a piece of paper. "This is my cell. I don't want you to call here at the office, especially since I'm on strict orders not to be here."

"I'll program it into my own cell and burn the paper." He promised her.

"We'll discuss payment later." Alexis gripped the side of the desk without meaning to. When she saw that he had noticed and was about to comment, she held up her hand.

"Of course."

Opening the door to follow him out, she muttered an expletive. "My stepdaughter is on her way over to see me. Make sure she doesn't see you." To further orchestrate her point, she lightly shoved him behind her and met Georgie in the middle of the station. "Well, I didn't expect to see you here. Did I forget about a lunch or something?"

"No." Georgie smiled brightly. The truth was she had just met up with Steven for coffee, telling her father she was on her way to see Alexis at the hospital. This was about keeping her lies as close to the truth as possible.

Alexis glanced down at her watch quickly. "It's eleven in the morning."

"And you usually grab a quick something around then so you can work uninterrupted while everyone else is eating." Georgie smirked. "You and Dad really need to not discuss everything in the hallway."

Alexis laughed and reveled in how good it felt. "You haven't...have you seen your father?"

"Briefly at home. He was on his way here so if you don't want to get caught...."

"Get caught? Georgie, I am not afraid of your father."

"But I'm afraid of the fight and the making up afterwards. Please? For my sake? Can we just go to lunch?"

Alexis forced a smile. "Sure. Let's get out of here. You never know when those crazy mobsters might come sailing through the doors."

Walking through the double doors into the parking lot, Georgie led Alexis towards her own Mini Cooper. Opening the door, she allowed Alexis to get in before settling herself into the driver's seat herself. "Any requests or suggestions?"

"Something French." Alexis teased.

"And here I was hoping you would choose something American."

"Did you bring anything back I would like?"

_Steven_, Georgie thought to herself. _You_ _will love Steven._ "I found the greatest book about Marie Antoinette."

*****

"You know, when you said you would treat for lunch, I did think it would be someplace where we don't already eat for free." Georgie pointed out as the waiter left their table to put in their orders. She didn't even have to look at the menu to know what she wanted at The Outback; she knew every item backwards and forwards.

Not that she was complaining. As much as she loved Paris, she had missed her family's old restaurant dearly. Glancing around the oak filled room, she smiled as the familiar decorations crossed her eyes. The framed pictures of high school teams gone by. The wooden oar her father had insisted on hanging above the bar. Steven.

She nearly spit out the water she had just taken a sip of when Steven's tall frame again crossed her eyes. What was he doing here? Georgie tried to replay their every conversation of Port Charles back in her mind. Had he ever mentioned The Outback? Had she? Did he see her? Would he see her? Was Alexis noticing this incredible freak out she was having right this second? Was this what a heart attack felt like?

"What's the matter?" Alexis turned around so fast she should have gotten whiplash. There was a handsome looking man standing by the bar. She recognized him from the Spencers' party, but his name escaped her.

"Nothing. Nothing. I thought I saw a mouse." Georgie lied quickly turning back around to face Alexis.

"Georgie, who do I look like?" Alexis gave her a "get real" look. "Do you know him?"

"Know who?" If she could just play dumb for a little longer...maybe Steven would get his order and leave.

"Alright, have it your way." Alexis ignored the look of horror that danced across Georgie's face as she got up from their table and walked over to the familiar man. "Excuse me?"

Steven almost stumbled right over the bar. "H—Hello." He stammered.

"I don't mean to bother you, but didn't I see you at Luke and Laura Spencer's anniversary party last night?" Alexis inquired.

Steven nodded, not entirely trusting his voice. "That's right. I came with my sister, Elizabeth."

Georgie managed to find her feet and race over to where Alexis was interrogating Steven. "Alexis. Our…our salads are here."

"Just a minute, Georgie. I was just talking to this nice young man." Alexis swatted the air as she tried to remember his name.

"Alexis you really don't need to bother Steven." Georgie protested. "He came here to eat not be interrogated."

"Oh I don't mind, _Georgie_." Steven countered through a rather large smile. "I've been wanting to meet your family for a while." He was going to pay for it later he knew, but that just meant he had to have a lot of fun with it right now.

"Steven. That's right. Steven Webber. It is nice to finally meet you." Alexis held out her hand for him to shake. He reciprocated, his eyes never leaving Georgie's.

"Great. Now we all know each other." Georgie forced a laugh through her lips.

"Join us, won't you? I want to hear everything. Georgie's father was very worried about her going to another country without knowing anyone." Alexis informed Steven.

"I don't want to interrupt your lunch—" Steven tried, noticing the deer-in-the-headlights look Georgie was giving him.

"Yeah, he doesn't want to interrupt Alexis."

"Nonsense. You are more than welcome. Right Georgie?" Before either could say another word, Alexis added, "Georgie's been so quiet about her trip, I wonder if she didn't just lie and trade in her ticket for upstate New York."

"Alexis don't be ridiculous." Georgie laughed.

"It seems Georgie doesn't want me to." Steven feigned hurt, but he was smiling inside.

"Then I guess it's a good thing majority rules, huh?" Alexis smirked.

"Yeah. Sorry about that Steven. We'll let you eat in peace now."

"Actually..." Steven picked up his half-full drink. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

He was dead. It was that simple. First it was an annulment and then he was dead. Georgie tried to telepathically convince him this was not a good idea, but felt her eyes widen in horror as Alexis motioned for Steven to sit down.

"Oh good, our salads are here." Alexis took a quick drink of her iced tea and then a bite of her Caesar salad. "Start with the day you met."

Why had she never noticed the grain of the wood before now? Georgie wondered as she stared at the table. Was this punishment for keeping so many secrets from her family? The guilt she was feeling was overwhelming her. She should have told her dad and Alexis way before now. She couldn't ask Steven to sit there and lie for her, nor could she sit there and lie right in front of him. There was a reason Maxie never had her cover for her exploits. She couldn't handle this, she just couldn't. "Alexis..."

"Yes Georgie?" Alexis glanced up expectantly from her plate.

Taking a deep breath, Georgie met Steven's beautiful baby blues quickly before turning her attention to Alexis. "I have something to tell you."


	267. All I Need

"Now that one I like." Harper whistled approvingly as Sam twirled around the small living room. The full floral skirt flared out from her legs, giving him an extra glimpse of her thighs. The blue top skimmed her curves in all the right places. If this was the outfit she was going to wear when they went after the alleged madam of Port Charles, the old lady would never know what hit her. She looked gorgeous and no one would ever suspect her of knowing how to throw a punch.

"You think so?" Sam glanced down at the outfit skeptically. "It doesn't leave a lot of room for mobility."

"But that's the genius of it Gorgeous. No one would suspect you could kick their ass into next week if you have to." Harper pointed out as he made his way over to where she stood by the hallway next to the steps.

"It's not too frou-frou?"

"What the hell is frou-frou?"

"That's the phrase my dad used when he didn't like what I was wearing." Sam answered, reaching for the zipper at the back of the skirt.

"No. No." Harper protested as he placed his hands on her shoulders before spinning her around. "Please allow me."

"We have other outfits to get through." Sam murmured as he kissed the base of her throat.

"We have time." He nuzzled his nose into her hair.

"I thought this case was especially important. For the D.A. right?" Sam managed to slur out as her eyes fluttered.

"All the more reason for us to take our time and make sure everything is perfect." Harper reasoned, slowly running his hands up and down her sides. "Don't want to rush something so important."

"You were the jock in high school, weren't you?"

"Football. I'm guessing you weren't the cheerleader?"

"Not exactly." Sam grinned, leaning up to wrap her arms around his neck. "I was doing all the things they teach nice girls not to do."

Harper smiled slowly and pulled her close to him, his fingers dancing at the start of her zipper. "So we would have been doing exactly this under the bleachers."

"No." She shook her head and gripped the collar of his white button-down. "Principal's office."

"Even better." Harper grinned wolfishly at her as he pulled down the zipper slowly, letting the skirt fall at her feet before he pressed his lips against hers, tracing her lips with his tongue.

"Do you always wear a tie?" Sam teased, tracing the red and black silk tie and tugging it toward her so that their lips met in a hungry kiss.

"Only when I want to impress."

"I am _so_ impressed." Standing on tiptoe, Sam slid her hands inside his collar, a whine escaping her when she came in contact with bare skin.

His breath hissed a little when his fingers slipped beneath the blue shirt she still wore. "Glad you approve," he whispered into her ear as he squeezed her bare waist.

"Let's go upstairs." Sam whispered, moving her finger down the front of his shirt until reaching the button on his pants.

Tightening the grip on her waist, Harper lifted her up immediately forcing her to wrap her legs around her waist. Kissing the side of her throat, he winked up at her. "Thought you would never ask."

Unlike the first night they had spent together, there was no haste in their actions. Their lips met and fused together and every few feet Harper would stop and hold her against the wall, her legs dangling, and then be able to move again. Falling onto the mattress in a tangle of arms and legs, Sam arched into his hands and used her own to pull the shirt free of the pants. "I don't feel very productive. One outfit..." She adorably pouted.

"If you want to stop..." Harper teased as he leisurely slid her shirt over her abdomen. "I know how dedicated you are to your work."

"No. No, that's okay. I was due for a break anyway." Almost choking him with the tie in her rush to get it off of him, she sat up on her elbows and slipped her tongue between his lips.

Groaning against her mouth, he tangled his fingers into her dark hair. Tugging lightly, he separated their lips for the sole purpose of relieving her of the shirt. Tossing it off to the side, their arms tangled in hungry mass searching for skin. Using his height, Harper tried to tilt them back toward the bed, but misjudged it, causing them to topple off the bed. Looking down at her from where she landed on the floor, he ran his hand down her face. "You ok Gorgeous?"

"Not the first time I've fallen off the bed, but definitely the first time I've been pushed." She laughed, taking his offered hand and dragging him to her. "There. Much better." She whispered crawling into his lap.

"I aim to please." He joked as he kissed her lips.

"Yeah?" Sam pushed him onto his back, suddenly liking the idea of being on the floor more than the mattress at the moment. Her smile dimmed when she saw that he wasn't looking at her anymore but under the bed, his eyebrows drawn together. "What's the matter? Looking for monsters?" She teased, kissing the side of his mouth.

"No." He pulled out a half-empty bottle of whiskey. "What's this?"

"A bottle of whiskey. What's it look like?" Sam tried to snatch it out of his hands, but he held it out of her reach.

"What's it doing under your bed Samantha?"

"I'm sorry Officer. Did I break a law?"

The other bottles under the bed glittered in his sight. How many were there? Five? Ten? Twenty? How long had they been there? He fixed his gaze on her beautiful face. "Samantha...what's going on?"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked carefully.

"This." Harper held the bottle out in front of her face. "Why are you drinking in your room alone?"

"Because you never joined me." Sam tried to laugh off his concern.

"This isn't funny."

"Sometimes I need a drink with my nightmares."

"A drink?" Harper asked incredulously. "This looks like more than just one drink."

"So a few drinks. It's not a big deal." Sam got to her feet and folded her arms across her chest.

"It's a big deal when you are sneaking this and doing it alone." Harper jumped up and curled his fingers around her folded arms.

"Is this the part where you tell me I have a problem? Because I've memorized the speech and I'd just rather save us both a lot of grief."

"This is me Gorgeous. You can't bullshit me; you've never been able to do that."

"Excuse me, David Harper, but aren't you the asshole who said, within minutes of meeting me, that I needed to get over my dead son because my whiny disposition was really starting to get on your nerves?" Sam challenged.

"I didn't say I'm not an asshole. And it was the only way to keep you quiet and prevent us from getting caught if you'll remember, Samantha McCall."

"You don't get to tell me how to grieve. _Now, get out_." Sam ordered in a grainy whisper.

"This isn't grieving Gorgeous. This is hiding. When you're ready to admit the difference, come find me."

*****

Clearly the returning nightmares had completely depleted him of all common sense. This was just about the stupidest idea he had ever come up with, ranking right up there with following Patrick's drunken declaration he should shave his head freshmen year. He should be at home. He should be at work. He should be anywhere but standing outside a Chuck E. Cheese located in a strip mall forty miles away from his own home.

His father would disown him. His mother would give him that sympathetic look she always did right before she would bust into tears. Lulu would make fun of him, if he could find her that was. Dara would probably quit, scream at him and then quit again just for fun. Elizabeth would probably be mad he didn't include her on this little trip down the insanity lane.

Lucky shook his head and ducked back around the dark windows of the video store next door. If this constant bobbing and weaving he was doing didn't merit a phone call to the police, nothing would. Even Cruz and Axe wouldn't be able to keep the headlines back this time. "Music Exec Stalking Children's Parties." "Record Mogul A Child Watching Creep!"

And God help him if Tony or Lisa actually caught sight of him. That would be it. Game over. His current slim chance at winning custody would be reduced to a snowball in hell. Rationally Lucky knew all this, but right now he didn't really care. He just needed to see his son. Even if Cameron didn't know he was there.

He had been skeptical when Cruz had told him about hiring Will Chambers. It seemed paranoid, cynical, and the very thing his father would do. However despite all the bad news the man seemed to bring, he had come up with one piece of information worth knowing. Tony and Lisa took Cameron to Chuck E Cheese every Saturday afternoon for lunch. Lucky smirked as he wondered if the Grimes realized one of the reasons Cameron loved to go Chuck E Cheese so much was because "his" Lizzie had worked there and had made it possible for him to play as much as he wanted for free.

His heart stopped as he spotted Cameron running out from the ball pit and straight towards the Skee Ball section. Sure Cameron could barely roll the ball up the ramp but he still enjoyed trying. Tracking his every movement with his eyes, Lucky drank in the sight of his son. Was he any taller? It was ridiculous to think he had grown in the few weeks since he had left, right? Certainly he seemed happy. Did he cry at night? Did he miss his room and the streetlight that put him to sleep every night? Did Tony and Lisa know exactly which voices to use for his bedtime stories? Did Cameron miss him?

Cameron turned his head suddenly and Lucky almost thought he was caught. But it was a false alarm. Cameron had tired rather quickly of just rolling the ball up the ramp and was ready to run to the video games. This conveniently blocked the rest of the window, obscuring Lucky's view. Slipping back around the corner, Lucky wondered if it wasn't just as well. The longer he stood outside, the better the odds he would get caught. Checking his watch, Lucky sighed as he realized he should probably start back home if he wanted to make it before anyone became too suspicious about his departure.

"I'll see you soon Champ." He whispered towards the window. "I'll see you soon."

*****

"This little piggy went to market. This little piggy stayed home. This li—Hey Elizabeth, you alright?" Patrick glanced up from Jake's crib and caught her small form as it paced past the nursery for the umpteenth time. Under the excuse of redeeming favorite uncle status, he had shown up a few minutes ago intent on playing with the twins. Their faces were so similar, he joked about how only the pink and blue allowed him to tell them apart.

"Fine. Everything's fine." Elizabeth protested as stepped into the room. So Lucky still wasn't sleeping and now was off for who knows what? Ok she took that back. She knew what, Cameron. It had to be about Cameron, the only subject he continued to shut her out on.

Patrick let it drop for once. She could be tired. After all, one baby was exhausting. He couldn't imagine what two at once could do to a person. Her hormones were probably all over the place. Okay, so maybe he had had a little extra time to read up on the topic. So what? It didn't make him a complete loser. He wanted to be prepared. Plus, he wanted to feel like he was a part of this pregnancy, not just some sperm donor. Gracie started to whine from her crib and he took the required two steps it took to get to her, reaching down and collecting her in his arms. "Hey? Don't cry. It can't be that bad."

"I think she just wanted attention." Elizabeth laughed, grateful that he hadn't pressed her harder on her mood. "She seems to think she's the only girl any guy should look at."

"Well yeah." Patrick replied dramatically. "She is adorable. Tell her. Go ahead." He coaxed the baby as she swatted out her little fists, in retaliation or agreement Patrick didn't know. "Jake's pretty easy though, isn't he? Stick a bottle in his mouth and he's ninety-five percent taken care of."

"Just like a man. Feed them, burp them, and let them sleep. All is good in the world."

"It works for Robin and me." Patrick chuckled. Gracie rubbed her little eyes. "Should I rock her or put her back in the bed?"

"She'd love it if you rock her. It would totally give you points in this favorite uncle contest you've created."

"I keep telling you I've already won." Patrick told her quietly as he lightly rocked the sweet little girl in his arms. The small brown fluff sitting affectionately on top of her head was referred to as hair, but he thought it was too thin to be considered anything more than fuzz from her blanket. It was impossible to know which side of the family she had received her blue eyes, but they were the prettiest blue he had ever encountered.

"I don't know...Steven seems to think he has these presents that will blow you out of the water." Elizabeth wished for a camera right now. The sight of Patrick rocking her daughter back to sleep would melt Robin's heart and have her friend on the next flight out of Paris. So it was a dirty trick? Always play dirty, that was what Robin had taught her.

"What?" Patrick asked impatiently as she stared at him. "Am I doing it wrong?"

"You're doing fine Uncle Patrick." Elizabeth teased as she made her way over to check on Jake in his own crib. "I was just plotting something."

"I'm flattered Elizabeth, but I am not available for car pool. You're going to have to ask someone else." Patrick laughed, his face changing when Gracie whined in protest. "Oh, excuse me little princess. I didn't mean to leave you out. What if I hold your brother?" She made another sound of disapproval. "Oh. I don't think you should use words like that. Mama may not approve."

"No but I'm sure her father would find it hilarious."

"I'm assuming you know the 'Bitch please' debacle?"

"And the fact Lucky only pretends to be embarrassed about that when Laura brings it up?"

"Embarrassed?" Patrick lightly laid Gracie in her crib and turned to pick up Jake. "I think the word you're looking for is scared. She looks innocent, but Aunt Laura can be darn scary sometimes."

"Oh preaching to the choir here. I still run when I see her even close to a wedding store or magazine."

"At least it's all out in the open." Patrick reasoned, taking Jake's little fist and meeting it with the open palm of his hand. "Now Jacob, you're going to have to learn the proper high five." He murmured to the little blonde.

"Then he better not take lessons from you."

"Ha-ha. You take that act on the road?" He noticed that Jake had fallen asleep in the crook of his arm. "Fine. Fall asleep on me. I see how it is." He returned the baby to the crib and followed Elizabeth into the hallway, leaving the doorway halfway open.

"Wow you're a great sleep aid." Elizabeth teased him as she started towards the stairs. "Maybe I should I just record your voice when they get cranky."

"Now you've done it. You've cut me to the quick." Patrick scolded with a smirk. "You want me to stay until Lucky gets home?" It was a long drive to the apartment, longer when he did it alone, and he'd just as well have it over and done with.

"You know he's terrified that we get along now." Elizabeth pointed out, deciding not to tease him about missing Robin and the apartment being too quiet.

"Would you go so far as to call us friends?" Patrick wondered, retrieving his empty glass from the living room coffee table and carrying it to the kitchen.

"More friends now than a few months ago."

"I'll take it." He rinsed out the glass and grabbed his khaki colored jacket from the rack at the back door.

Elizabeth smiled at him as he shrugged the jacket over his shoulders. "If we going to be friendish, you doing ok?"

Patrick met her awkward smile and said, "No. Not really."

"Want me to guilt her into coming home sooner?"

"Bring her back against her will? Cost her valuable time with her dad? Yeah, that'd go over really well." Patrick answered sarcastically.

"Truth?"

"If you kept my name out of it, I'd really like to see her come home. And that's my cue. See you later Liz." He made a beeline for the door.

"I think she wants to come home too, just for the record." Elizabeth called out to his retreating back.

"You'd know better than me."


	268. Once Upon A December

A small, rickety cabin in the middle of nowhere. That was where he had thought she dreamed of being proposed to? In the winter, no less. Under blankets of snow. Mac slammed his fist into his desk and swore. It had been the anniversary of their first date—ironically the same night they had said I love you to each other for the first time. He had been trying to win her over at first, but when that proved ineffective, he had started seeking her out, relentless in his endeavor to get her go on a date, just one date, with him. She had said he was wasting his time and he had responded, "Can you think of a better way to spend my time?" Six months from the moment he had first asked her out just happened to be the same night they had been commended for bringing down the Corinthos-Morgan operation along with the Five Families, thus eliminating the mob threat the town had been living under for what seemed like forever.

She had turned to him, so amazingly gorgeous in her red sequined dress, and told him yes. At first he hadn't known what she was talking about. After all, he had asked her out before the ceremony started, not near the end when she had accepted. That night had been one for the books. Once the deal was made, they slipped soundlessly away from the party and found a coffee shop on the outskirts of town that stayed open late. They laughed and joked and drank their coffee, neither expecting anything to come from the night. When the waitress pointed to the clock, they found that they were nowhere near ready to go home. The drive to the center of town where they both resided would take almost an hour so they took Mac's white Cadillac El Dorado in the opposite direction and vowed to make the most of the night ahead of them.

Only an overheated motor had caused them to stop at the aforementioned cabin. Neither saw a Vacancy sign...or a sign at all. The place looked deserted save a single car in the gravel parking lot. Mac offered to go inside and check the place out—what other choice did they have?—and then, if it was safe, he'd come back and get her. Maybe it was his sense of chivalry—something she still teased him about—or just plain stubbornness, but she decided she was coming and couldn't be dissuaded. Together, they opened the groaning front door and were met with a room smelling of hay and charred wood. He was a step behind Alexis when a tiny little man standing at barely four and a half feet tall cleared his throat startling them both. He mistook them for a married couple, but when they tried to explain further, he pointed out that he only had the honeymoon suite available.

They turned to each other and argued in hushed voices until Alexis accepted their "fate" and agreed to stay. They didn't have to bother with bags and Alexis assured both men that she was more than capable of carrying her handbag up the stairs to the second floor. The stairs creaked beneath their tired footsteps and finally they reached the room labeled 201. The owner, who they would later learn was Mr. Campbell, unlocked the door and placed the key in Mac's hand, wishing the "newlyweds" goodnight. They stepped over the threshold, ignoring his insistence that Mac carry her over it, and stepped into the honeymoon "suite." They closed the door and broke down into a fit of giggles, neither wanting to draw the attention of the nice man who had been so accommodating.

Alexis stepped past the bed and picked the telephone, explaining to the person on the other end that she wouldn't be home to tuck her daughter in. Did she know when she would be returning? Why as soon as the sun came up, Alexis had chuckled setting the phone down. Mac toed off his boots and they each looked toward the bed nervously.

_"Just take the bed." Mac declared with a kind smile._

_"No, that's not fair. You paid for the room. You take the bed." Alexis countered._

_"Alexis, either you take the bed or no one's going to. Hand me a pillow will you?" Mac didn't give her the chance to argue the point further. He retrieved a wool blanket from the closet and made himself a thin pallet between the foot of the bed and the door, thanking Alexis for the pillow when she threw it to him._

_Mac went into the bathroom to shower, completely disregarding the fact that he'd have to change back into the same clothes while Alexis turned on the television and snuggled into the covers. When he emerged, he found her in the exact same spot, the television muted. "Everything okay? I thought for sure you'd be asleep by now."_

_Alexis snorted. "So you expect me to pass out any time after eleven?"_

_"I do." Mac replied. "Something on your mind?" He asked as he towel-dried his dark hair._

_"I'm just uncomfortable." Alexis told him._

_"Ah." Mac answered knowingly. "There's no reason to be. These things happen. That's what makes life fun...the not knowing. Don't worry Counselor. I won't tell if you won't."_

_"No, I mean this dress is uncomfortable." Unconsciously, she tugged on her bottom lip._

_Mac blushed and then laughed out loud, startling her. "Oh. Is that all?" He disappeared into the bathroom and came back with his t-shirt in his arms. "It's not dirty or anything."_

_"That's okay." Alexis shook her head._

_"Are you worried I have cooties, Lexie?" He teased, liking how the nickname made her chocolate eyes ignite. "Come on. We're both tired and you're not going to be able to sleep in an evening gown."_

_"Fine. Fine. Just don't destroy my reputation, will you? And don't change the channel." She quipped, disappearing into the bathroom._

_He read the small text at the right of the screen. "I can understand you not wanting to miss a minute of Santa Barbara."_

_"Well the main character is clearly bright and independent and witty. Plus, she's totally charming." Alexis added through the closed door._

_"She's sure giving this Mason guy a hard time. Maybe she doesn't know what she really wants." Mac picked at her just to see how far she would go with it._

_"Oh she knows." Alexis argued as something fell into the sink._

_"You okay in there?"_

_"Looking for an excuse to break down the door?" Her taunting voice made him grip the remote harder._

_"Are you always going to be on the other side of it?"_

_"I guess we'll never know." Alexis stood in the doorway. The t-shirt hit her mid-calf and seemed to swallow her up. "You're dripping."_

_"What?" Mac asked stupidly._

_"You're dripping. Your hair." She nodded to where he held the towel inefficiently near his head._

_"Oh." Mac moved away from the bed, stopping only long enough to soak up the tiny wet spot his hair had made. _

_"It's fine Mac. It's fine." Alexis promised from behind him. "Really, it's okay. It'll be dry by the time I get in bed."_

_"Okay." Mac backed away from the mattress, almost bumping into Alexis on his way to the bathroom. "Sorry."_

_"It's okay." Alexis repeated._

Ham, Mac thought to himself. He had been such a ham. Such a nervous, insecure ham. But, God, she was so beautiful he hadn't been able to help himself.

_"I'm going out on the balcony." She announced her voice quiet._

_Leaving the bathroom in nothing but a pair of blue and green plaid boxers he had gotten for Christmas, Mac determined where she was only by the fluttering of the curtains. "Hi."_

_Alexis looked up from the chair she had obtained. "Hi. Do you want to sit here?"_

_"No. It's fine. I prefer standing." Mac stated._

_"Aren't you cold?"_

_"Aren't you?"_

_They shared a laugh and were silent for a few minutes. Alexis spoke up first, "I can't believe it's finally over. How long did we work that case? Three years? Four? And now they're behind bars where they belong."_

_"So why do you sound so sad about it?" Mac wanted to know._

_"I'm not sad. Not at all. Just amazed." Alexis explained._

_"At least we can catch up on that sleep we've been missing." Mac joked._

_"Maybe." Alexis murmured. "I don't know if I'll ever sleep soundly until—"_

_"They're both dead?" Mac finished for her._

_"I didn't say that."_

_"No you didn't. I did. It's how I feel. And I'm not apologizing for it. Those monsters robbed so many people of not only their lives but their innocence too. I'm no sorrier they're in prison..."_

_"I wasn't disagreeing with you." Alexis cut in. "I guess I'm just going to miss..."_

_"Miss what?" Mac prodded._

_"The work."_

_"There will be another big case on your desk in the morning I'm sure."_

_"Not like this one." Alexis whispered._

_ "What's really bothering you?" Mac asked leaning over her._

_"Maybe they are monsters, but one of those monsters happens to be the father of my daughter." Alexis reminded him._

_"And I'm very sorry about that." Mac's answer surprised her. "Thank God Kristina got all of her kindness from you."_

_"That's very sweet—"_

_"It's true." Mac interrupted. "If she grows into even half the woman you are..." He caught the tears in her ears. "I didn't mean to..." He had never seen Alexis Davis cry. The sight was debilitating._

_"That's the nicest thing..." Alexis visibly gulped and started to glance down at her lap, only his thumb under her chin stopping her._

_"Alexis, ah, you've..." Mac stammered._

_"I don't know if we should do this."_

_Noticing the panic in her eyes, he pressed his thumb to her quivering mouth. "I don't know how else to say this, so I'm just going to say it. You've stolen my heart Counselor."_

_Their lips met in a searching kiss, the pace slow, his hands gripping either side of the chair. Her mouth was warm and soft and wet beneath his and he shivered in response. Her hands climbed up his back, her fingertips pressing into his shoulders, and she pulled him closer. His hands swept under her and he carried her to the bed, leaving the curtains to billow in the breeze._

Mac slammed his fist into the desk again and left his office. He was going to propose a different way. He couldn't mess this up.

*****

The only problem with finding a completely original, never-been-ruined-on-television proposal was making it work. He had scoured the newspaper, books both fiction and nonfiction, coming up with nothing every time. Sure, they were creative, but he didn't want to jump out of an airplane or have it written in the sky. He didn't want to ask her to marry him over the scoreboard at a game or publish it in a damn newspaper. It was supposed to be special, supposed to be something that would mean everything to only the two of them. He wanted to hear Alexis tell the story over and over again to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. With that thought in mind, he typed a few choice words in the search and pressed Enter hoping the Internet of all things wouldn't lead him to another dead end.

The morning had started with the phone ringing off the hook before the sun had even risen. A wrong number. It had been a damn wrong number at four in the morning. Alexis hadn't even stirred beside him. At least she was still sleeping beside him. He told himself that was half the battle. She might proclaim quite loudly that she didn't see them getting their fairytale ending, but she was invested it all the same. Awake and slightly grumpy, Mac got ready for work four hours early, made breakfast, and woke Kristina for school around six forty-five and Maxie for work at seven-fifteen even though he was sure the elder of the two had rolled over and fallen back asleep. He managed to get Kristina in front of the school ten minutes earlier than usual—on time though Alexis would never believe it—and return to bed without even waking his lovely fiancé.

Alexis had left under the excuse of having lunch with Georgie. He could admit he hadn't paid much attention to the little details, only wondering how long she would be gone so he could do his research without her curious eyes. If she had noticed his strange behavior she hadn't said anything to him. Georgie being back served so many purposes. He had missed her so much in the short time she had been away and she had returned a brand-new person, one who wouldn't talk about what had happened while she was gone as if she somehow assumed he wouldn't approve. He doubted very much that she could surprise him. He had been young once too though not one of his children seemed to grasp that.

In a hot air balloon? What kind of moron—proposing on a water ski? Wasn't that kind of dangerous? Surely he wouldn't be able to hold the ring, look at her, and not die at the same time. Writing an innocuous note with the question and one box next to the yes and one next to the no? He shook his head. This was more frustrating than keeping up with his girls' personal lives. He wondered when Maxie would break and let him meet this Dr. Lansing. Other than a slight recognition of the doctor, Robin hadn't seemed to know him all that well so she was useless to pry information out of. Georgie hadn't talked to Maxie but the one time when she was in the hospital and there had been an awful lot going on at that time.

Singing? Definitely not. He was one sexy man, but he had to draw the line somewhere. Why not just dress up in a clown suit and shoot her with a water pistol? Oh, he inwardly groaned, this was getting him absolutely nowhere. Alexis had a terrible fear of water, Barry Manilow, and public humiliation. It was just as well because he that was one thing he had liked about his first proposal, the sense of security it had allowed them. No blinding lights, no pestering relatives, just one important question that would determine the rest of their lives, a question their souls had already answered that first night.

She called him naïve for believing they would have their happily ever after, but he chalked that up to Cassadine brainwashing and the forever loves of her past that had betrayed her. Before that first case they worked together, she had just been the District Attorney. She had a lovely speaking voice when she was forced to lead press conferences and seemed dedicated, but other than a few one-minute conversations he hadn't known the kind of person she was, the kind of woman she was.

Her past was filled with secrets and death, two things constantly threatening her subconscious no matter how many times he tried to reassure her that it was all in her head. She had broken free of that life and wouldn't be going back, not if he had anything to say about it. The little joke she had made about him going to her father to ask for her hand was something he wouldn't have ever done, not even if the old man was still alive. Stavros had left his children in the hands of a monster and then complained when neither Stefan nor Alexis acted as pawns.

_"There's darkness inside me," Alexis had claimed one dark and miserable night as they lay in bed together listening to the rain beat heavily against the roof. "I'm afraid of what will happen if I ever let it free."_

_"You're wrong." Mac countered, rubbing her back kissing her forehead. "There's nothing bad inside of you. I'm an investigator. I would know."_

There had been a distance in her eyes, one that had stayed with her all these months later. Anytime he got too close, she turned away. Sometimes there really was nothing he could do or say to convince her that what they had was real and that he would protect her from whatever evilness she thought she carried. At first she had trusted his logic that, for there to be something wrong with her would mean something was faulty in Kristina as well, something that they immediately vowed was impossible. She might have had a little difficulty adjusting to their new life together, but she was the sweetest child and that kind of disposition was not something she could have gotten from her father.

"Looking for a plane ticket to the middle of nowhere?" A quiet voice asked as he felt small, feminine hands slide down his chest and around his neck. He twirled around in his chair and reached behind to shut off the screen, pulling Alexis into his lap.

"How was lunch?" He didn't see Georgie behind her.

"Informative." Alexis replied vaguely and pressed her lips to his, her eyes never leaving his.

"Somebody's feeling better." Mac softly brushed her bangs behind her ear and held her snugly against him.

"What can I say? Sometimes you have to hear someone else's story before you start to truly appreciate how normal your own is." Alexis told him with a sigh.

"You're going to have to explain that." Mac pointed out with a smirk.

"Yes, but not right now." Alexis dismissed with a coy smile of her own. "What were you doing just now?"

"Why do you want to know?" Mac challenged playfully.

"Just making sure I don't need to brace myself, that's all." Alexis nodded, giving him her best straightforward smile.

Mac's arms wrapped around her and he carried her over to their bed, his mouth finding hers. "Counselor…you need to brace yourself." He traced the shape of her lips with his tongue and then swiped it across the sweet seam of her surprised mouth. As her mouth fell open beneath his, he fumbled with the buttons on the front of her gray blouse.

"Georgie could be back any minute." Alexis whispered in protest. Her hands ran over his broad shoulders and pushed the navy jacket down his arms, her fingers grasping for the coarse material.

"Door's closed." Mac reasoned, finding the spot between her neck and shoulder blade that made her purr like a kitten.

"I think I should tell you something…" Alexis found it difficult to stay focused when their clothing started to litter the floor beside the mattress.

"Okay, tell me." Slow and deliberate, his hands slid up the outside of her thighs taking the silk skirt up a few inches. His mouth slammed into hers and he pulled her toward him so that he was leaning over the bed while she was being pushed further into it.

"Well it took a little prodding…" Alexis managed, her voice catching in her throat as his fingers curled around her knees.

"Hmm…prodding." He murmured into her mouth, his body curving into hers a bit more intimately.

"I'm serious." Alexis yelped as her own body started to slide over the end of the bed.

"Then tell me." Mac prompted, smiling when her hands betrayed her by pulling him closer. "What would you like to tell me?" Even as he asked, his fingers disappeared beneath the skirt to massage the glossy skin he found at the apex of her thighs.

"Later." Alexis declared. "Later."


	269. Eyes On Fire

There was something deliciously addictive about sneaking around to spend time with the man you loved, Georgie mused as she stretched her arms over her head, leaning back comfortably into the overstuffed pillows The French Quarter Hotel provided them. She had expected that agreeing to Steven's plan of slipping away to the hotel in a neighboring town would make her feel worse about keeping quiet to everyone (save Alexis of course) and Georgie had a nagging suspicion that was probably part of Steven's ultimate plan. However it had felt daring, exciting, just a little bit naughty, and infinitely addictive. This, Georgie realized, must be a part of the reason why Maxie still refused to have anyone in the family meet Ric Lansing.

Running her fingers through her hair, Georgie smiled at Steven's back. He was currently on the phone ordering what he called a "snack," but Georgie suspected was something closer to dinner. Not that she minded. She had barely eaten her lunch after shocking Alexis into silence with her confession on how she really spent her college trip abroad. The longer Alexis remained silent, the longer she had babbled, trying to make it crystal clear this wasn't a decision that she had made in a fit of drunken passion, no matter how much it might sound like one. Biting her lower lip, she offered a bright smile as Steven hung up the phone and turned back around to face her. "So what all did you order, Mr. Sanders?"

"Well...Mrs. Sanders..." Steven drawled watching her from behind his shoulder. "I was thinking baby back ribs with mashed potatoes and a little something for dessert." If someone had told him this would be how he spent his life directly following the wrap-up of his most recent job, he would have laughed. Six months ago the idea of being married, even being serious with a woman, had been ridiculous. He would never admit it aloud for fear of upsetting her but, when she told him she might be pregnant, he had wondered if she was lying. They all ended up hurting you in the end and, from the day he met her, he knew Georgie Jones had the potential to do just that. She could cut him deeper than he had ever been cut, lie to him, use him, and leave him without a moment's hesitation. Either she didn't know the power she had over him or she was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Maybe the proposal, in retrospect, had initially been his way of testing her supposed love for him, but then again maybe not. He hadn't lied when he told her he loved her and, though she might have questioned his motives, his reasons behind it hadn't been based solely on the possibility of her being pregnant. It had all been worth it, he sighed. Every misunderstanding, every little fight they had had—it brought them to this perfect moment with her curled up next to him.

"If I eat all that I don't think I'll be able to move." Georgie declared, grabbing his hand with her own and weaving their fingers together.

"So it can feed us for a few days." Steven wiggled a suggestive eyebrow at her.

"I think we might be missed." She didn't object to the idea totally, but someone had to point out the logical flaw in his plan.

"You're already missed. I miss you." Steven couldn't help but whine, pulling her closer and turning onto his side so he could breathe in her honeysuckle scent.

"You play dirty."

"You miss me too, don't you?" Steven already knew she did. Over these last few hours he had realized just how much. Their bodies reconnected while their minds and hearts were left to take what they could get.

"Of course I do." Georgie pulled his face closer to hers so she could steal a small kiss. "You know I do."

"If you're trying to convince me we should go our separate ways anytime soon, you're failing." Steven whispered against her mouth, his fingers pressing into the skin at her back.

"Never." She smiled against his lips, curling her arms around his neck.

"We need to talk." Steven laughed when she sighed dramatically beside him.

"About telling everyone else. I know." She had been hoping he'd forgotten, but apparently she was wrong.

"You told Alexis and that wasn't so bad, now was it?"

"That was Alexis. And I love her, but she's not my dad. Or Robin or Maxie. I haven't known her my whole life. They have. It's just different telling her than telling them. It'd be like if you told Lucky first and then your grandmother and Elizabeth."

"Why do you have to bring Spencer into this?" Steven groaned. "The longer we put this off, the harder it's going to get."

This was not the time, she realized, to point out that he was doing much better about using Lucky's name to refer to him instead of "that guy". Sure it was his last name, but still it counted as progress. "I realize that. And I know there is no right way to do this. I just wish there was."

"I can help; just tell me what to do."

"If I knew that, we wouldn't have snuck off."

"So let's start thinking about this your favorite way: logically."

"Logic says I should make sure my dad is in a good mood. And I'll probably need Alexis' help for that."

"Let's call and find out." Steven suggested reaching for the phone.

"No." Georgie reached over him and placed her hand over the phone.

"Why not?"

"In the first place, I don't want to interrupt whatever is going on over there. I have a feeling I know exactly what they are doing right now and they have scarred my mind enough without adding more auditory induced imagery thank you very much." Georgie shuddered. "Secondly, don't you think my dad would question why I'm calling Alexis all of the sudden about something I can't talk to him about?"

"Not if you called her cell phone." Steven reasoned with a cheeky grin.

"Oh yeah. Someone in a hotel calling Alexis on her cell phone. That will make my dad really happy." Georgie rolled her eyes.

"Have you always been this paranoid?" He teased kissing the side of her mouth.

"Comes with the Scorpio territory. And for the record, I have nothing on Robin and Maxie."

*****

As it had always been with them, he had been upfront with her. He was moving out. Plain and simple. Harper had seen his mother and his sister after her drown themselves in the bottle. He had heard the excuses, been the co-dependent who cleaned them up after a "rough night," covered for them when they blacked out. It was one of the most consistent memories of his entire childhood. Been there done that. The other night had not been the first time he'd found bottles hidden and heard stories about needing a drink to chase away nightmares. Even as a child he had been able to smell the bullshit in that particular lie and the smell hadn't grown any sweeter with time.

Samantha had a problem. That much was clear to him. In the back of his mind it had always nagged at him that, as valuable as she was to his ultimate plan, she could also cost him everything. She was rash and impulsive. Her temper got the best of her. Now Harper was beginning to realize the drinking was the bigger problem. How had he not noticed it before now? When he got too close to her, she went for a drink. If something rattled her cage, she poured a drink. Had he been so amused by their dance of attraction that he missed what he now saw were obvious clues that something else was driving her to run from him?

She sat stiffly on the couch, watching him out of the corner of her eyes as he tossed the last of his limited wardrobe into the duffle bag. Pulling the ancient zipper to close the bag, he managed to catch her eye before she looked away again. "That's the last of it."

When he made up his mind to leave, Sam made a silent promise to herself that she would not react in anything but an impassive fashion. She would not cry or beg him to stay. Hell, she was still pissed at him for reacting the way he had to something that had absolutely nothing to do with him. She hadn't had a drink since their first kiss, but he wouldn't believe that, would he? No, it was much simpler to label her as an alcoholic because then he was justified in giving up. She wondered what had taken him so damn long.

"I'm crashing with Kimes." He referred to the fellow cop she had met the few times she had been seen with him in public. "If anything breaks, you can catch me there."

Sam gave him a two-finger salute and turned her attention to the piece of loose thread on the end of the quilt her mother had crocheted for her, or at least that was the story her father had always told. What did he want her to do? Apologize? For what? If she wanted to drink herself into oblivion, she could have done it in the years she had spent mourning her son, but she hadn't. Didn't that count for something?

Just as he suspected, she wasn't going to make this easy on him. Had he really expected her to? Harper taunted himself. Half the attraction was the fight she always had. He felt the crazy urge to pick a fight, to say something he knew would drive her crazy just to get her to say anything to him. Every instinct in him told him just to turn around and walk out, not say anything to her, but just this once, he ignored his instincts. "Don't pretend you won't miss me."

"Who's pretending?"

"She speaks."

"Falls on deaf ears though, doesn't it?"

"Your self delusions usually do." He smirked, knowing she wouldn't be able to help herself but respond to that one.

"Delusions? Is that what you call the truth?"

"It is when you are hiding from the truth Samantha."

"Then go." Sam waved her hand for him to do just that.

"You know it doesn't have to be like this."

"You should go while you're ahead."

Harper took a step towards her, knowing it was probably about the stupidest decision he could make right now. Samantha wasn't about to fall into his arms, she was more likely to kick him in a very sensitive area right now. Safety be damned, he reached out and circled her wrist with ease. "I'm not leaving until I get one thing."

Sam's lips curved into a smile. "Sorry to disappoint, but that's not happening."

Matching her smile with one of his own, he pulled her closer to him. "You don't even know what I want."

"I know you're not going to get it." Sam countered, yanking her wrist back with little success.

"It's a small thing really."

"Well I'm sure you'll have no problem getting it from someone else. Now let go of me." Sam ordered her smile slipping.

"Just be safe, Samantha. Tell me before you go out investigating anyone." He wasn't above pleading. He couldn't stay here and watch her self-destruct, but he could at least try to protect her.

An indignant yelp leapt from deep inside of her chest. "Who the hell do you think you are? I don't have to clear my decisions with you. Isn't that why you're leaving? Because I'm misbehaving? Go save someone else, David. I'm in no mood."

"I'm leaving because I'm not going to watch you destroy yourself Samantha." He explained as calmly as he could manage, clipping each word at the end. "You don't think you have a problem and I disagree. It's not a fight I want to have every single night. This isn't about saving you. I want to make sure you don't need saving."

"Don't flatter yourself. I've handled myself just fine before you were even in the picture." Sam retorted angrily.

"Yeah that's why I caught you red-handed." He could barely contain his snort of laughter.

The tears were cold and unwelcome as they slid beneath her rapidly blinking lashes. She turned her face away from him and managed to break free of his hold, telling herself to pull it together. She wasn't going to do this. She was not this person. "It's not all bad. You got something out of the deal, didn't you?" Her question came out in nothing more than a hiss.

"Almost. I almost got something out of this." He admittedly softly. She had let him have her body, but she was still keeping the rest of her locked tightly from him.

"Sorry to have wasted your time. I hear there are some miserable orphans up the road in need of saving." Her lips trembling, she said the words slowly, several of them lost in her throat.

She was just a few steps away from him and Harper closed the distance with ease. Reaching out lightly, he twirled her around so he could see her tear-stained face. A knife twisted in his gut that he should just stay, but he knew better. He had been down this road and had no wish to go down it again. He had to leave, but not before he convinced her of one point. Before she could pull back, he crushed his lips to hers, only releasing her when the need for air became something they could no longer ignore. Resting his forehead on hers, he nuzzled her nose with his own. "You are never a waste of time Gorgeous." He whispered before turning his back and grabbing his bag.


	270. Chasing Pavement

Biting her lip, Elizabeth debated the merits of pushing open the door a little wider and just walking in. She didn't want to intrude but at the same time, Lucky had to stop keeping all of it inside. It wasn't good for him, no matter how many protests he made to the contrary. As far as she knew, he had only opened up to Robin, and that was just barely. Even when Cruz had delivered the news about Tony's retirement, Lucky had barely reacted. It was as if he was giving up hope that Cameron was ever coming home. And seeing him sitting in Cameron's room, staring blankly out the window, it almost felt as if he was sitting there mourning Cameron's permanent absence.

Risking it, she stepped lightly into the room. "Someone's busted." She tried to keep her voice light, but she had a feeling he could see right through it.

Lucky jumped, her voice startling him, even though she had barely spoke above a whisper. He had been lost in his thoughts, remembering the times he had caught Cameron watching cartoons way past his bedtime, the giggling conversations he would overhear Cameron having with whatever stuffed animal was his favorite at the time. "I was just thinking."

"I figured that much." Elizabeth moved further into the room, sitting down next to him on the bed. Sighing as she looked around the room, she reached over and grabbed Lucky's hand with her own. "Talk to me."

"I'm okay." He protested weakly.

"No you're not. If I thought I could actually convince you, I'd drag you down to see Robin's shrink, but I have a feeling you'd talk to her just about as much as you're talking to everyone else." Elizabeth ran her hand through his hair softly. "Baby you aren't okay."

"Talking isn't going to solve anything. It's not going to bring Cameron back home." He pulled away and walked towards the window. Leaning his forehead against the glass, he willed away the tears that were threatening the corners of his eyes.

"No but you'll be much less likely to explode when we go into the courtroom on Monday." Elizabeth pointed out gently.

Monday. Doomsday. Finally the judge had set a start date and Diane Miller had run out of ways of stalling it. On Monday the judge was going to start hearing all the ways he had screwed up, how he had damaged Cameron from living a normal life and how the Grimes were far superior to him in every single way. "I think I'll still want to rip Tony Grimes limb from limb."

"You aren't alone in that, but you might be able to refrain from it in front of witnesses."

He chuckled, but Elizabeth could tell there was no humor behind it. Moving to stand behind him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. "It's going to go our way. He's going to come home."

"I want to believe that, but I have to realistic now. Tony's retired. He can be there for Cameron full time."

"He only retired for the trial. Dara's going to argue that and anyone who looked at the timing of it would see the exact same thing. Cameron will be in kindergarten next year, at the same school as his cousins. Right now I'm on maternity leave. I'm home. It's a ploy no more no less."

"If it was only that. You know Tony is going to bring up the papers."

"You haven't appeared in the gossip columns on a regular basis since that reporter found out about me. Even before that you were giving up the playboy bit. And no one even knew Cameron existed before that snoopy witch snuck into the baby shower. There was no way you could have predicted that at all."

"Even with all that, it could all backfire. I don't like thinking about it, but I have to. The wrong judge and he's not coming home."

"Then we keep fighting until we get the right judge. Cameron is coming home, where he belongs. With us."

*****

"Look! Look! Pretzels! Can we get one? Please Grandpa Robert? Please?" Morgan looked up at his grandfather with wide, begging eyes and a purposeful expression.

"You're hungry? We just had breakfast." Robert pointed out.

"But that was forever ago!" Morgan whined. "And I'm just a little boy. You don't want me to shrivel up to nothing, do you? I could get sick if I don't have enough food and water. Oooh slushies! Please Grandpa? Please?"

"I knew slipping you those M&Ms during dinner last night was a bad idea." Robert sighed, knowing he would never be able to turn his grandson down. If Robin had been here, he bet she could have been firm but she was resting back at the apartment, her feet growing to the size of melons she swore. They looked normal to him, but there were far safer things to embark upon than arguing with his pregnant daughter, like a secret operation or taking Morgan to Disneyland.

"Mickey Mouse ears! Grandpa, we have to get those." Morgan twirled around, his eyes taking in everything he saw.

"Why do you want these?" Robert picked them up suspiciously.

"You can't go to Disney Land without picking up Mickey ears." Morgan reasoned.

"These are a little big for you, aren't they?" He turned over the headband and ran his fingers over the material.

"They aren't for me; they're for you!" Morgan giggled.

"For me? Son, I've been to the far reaches of the earth; I've chased the worst kind of men out of hiding and turned them over to the Government; and you want me to wear a pair of mouse ears?"

"Please? Please! Come on!" Morgan prodded jumping up and down.

"I don't know—" Robert was about to put them back when the vendor of the particular shop reached out and grabbed his hand, her long purple fingernails lightly grazing his skin.

"I think they'd make you look quite dashing." She told him, pushing her short, black hair behind her ear in a practiced motion. She was at least twenty years younger than he was, he noticed.

"You have to say that." Robert couldn't help but grin.

"She likes it, I like it. Let's just get it." Morgan demanded, looking from one adult to the other.

"My wife would never let me live it down." Robert countered.

"She might like seeing this other side of you." The woman released his hand and touched his shoulder.

"You really think so?" Morgan shook his head at his grandpa's obliviousness.

"I do. Tell you what: buy those and I'll throw in an extra pair for your son."

"My son? You're good. This is my grandson, Morgan." Robert corrected her.

"I never would have guessed. What do you say? Would you like one, Morgan?" She asked, crouching down beside him.

"Only if we can get one for Robin too."

"Done."

"You still want that pretzel?" Robert wanted to know.

"I'd rather have candy. Can I have some candy?" Morgan pointed to a giant Snickers bar.

"Why not?"

They paid for their purchases and left the store. "Are you having fun?" Robert could barely see Morgan past the candy bar.

"Yeah! Wanna go on Splash Mountain?" Morgan said.

"What's that?"

"Just a water ride."

*****

The first Sunday had been rough, the second about the same, but now, as he was only a day away from the third, Patrick realized that even though he missed Robin and Morgan he could enjoy being on his own. He had spent the last few days catching up on sleep he was sure to miss once his son came into the world, had relied on only himself when it came time to prepare a meal, visited with Lucky and Elizabeth's twins once a week, and today he was going to watch the Sprint Cup Series.

Robin may not have shared his love of a good old fashioned car race, but that was just one of those things she would have to come around to in her own time, like snoring or sharing a bathroom. They had survived those changes and come out relatively unscathed. He had missed just about every race this year, but managed to keep informed by going on-line. It was crazy to think at one time he had been behind the wheel of one of those cars, a dream he had given up when his mother was taken from him.

He supposed melancholy was to be expected what with all of the changes his life had taken on and adjusted to. As he sat here with just the television for company, he couldn't help but play the "what if?" game. What if his mother hadn't died? Or what if, after she had, he hadn't given up racing? Where would he be now? Would he have a mantle full of trophies and an ever-growing bank account? Which wife would he be on now? The questions didn't mean he regretted all that had come from the decision he had made long ago. He knew how lucky he was. That didn't mean he had to accept life for what it was. It wasn't in his nature to accept anything.

Would Robin be opposed to him teaching their son to race? Or what if Morgan showed an interest? Was he supposed to act like it was a bad thing just because it involved risk? He couldn't think of a single enjoyable thing that didn't involve at least a little risk. It would be a bonding thing, just as it had been for him and his father. Of course the outcome would be different. He wouldn't push his children into things they didn't want and he would support them in their endeavors.

They hadn't discussed the kind of dreams they had for the boys. He didn't even know if she wanted to get married and, if she did, was it about the baby? Was it about security? Did she still love him the way she used to? Snap out of it, he told himself. She would come home and they would talk about all of this. If he wasn't such a pansy he could call her and force her to talk to him now. He would be intruding. He knew it was a cop-out, but it was the reason he continued to fall back on.

The orange Home Depot caught his attention as his favorite driver lost control of his car. Tony Stewart pulled it to the left, and then the right, managed to dodge the other drivers only to get trapped in a spin. The other drivers zipped past him, the ones at the back watching him only for the purpose of not getting smashed. The car righted itself and he hurried to catch up with them, losing his place in the front where he had left Dale Earnhart Jr. and Jeff Gordon. It took another two laps for him to catch up and successfully nudge Kyle Bush out of his spot. Patrick was smiling when he answered the persistent phone. "Patrick Drake." He announced to the caller, taking a long pull of his beer before returning it to the coaster.

"Patrick Drake. It's been a long time." A man chuckled over the line.

"I'm sorry, who's this?" Patrick's attention was glued to the television. Three cars had taken one of the turns too fast and bounced off the wall like Ping-Pong balls.

"I should be hurt that you don't remember me, but when did you ever remember anything that didn't have breasts?" The man asked rhetorically. "It's Doug Bellamy." The same Doug Bellamy who had met with his parents to discuss Patrick's future as a NASCAR driver? The same Doug Bellamy that told Patrick he would always regret leaving the track and shouldn't let a little grief ruin his chances?

"Doug?" Patrick sat up a little straighter. "What are you doing calling me? How did you even get the number?"

"Which question would you like me to answer first Pattycake?" Doug teased with a cough.

"You don't sound so good Dougie." Patrick taunted the aging crew chief.

"I could say it's a cold, but the truth is, I'm one old son of a bitch. How have you been kid?"

"Really good." Patrick replied honestly.

"I wish I could say the same." Doug grumbled morosely.

"What seems to be the problem? I've been following your driver, Greg Friedman. He's going to Daytona last I heard."

"That was the plan, but now all that's been put on hold." Doug explained.

"Put on hold? What are you talking about?"

"Friedman hasn't actually qualified for Daytona."

"But I thought—"

"The kid likes to shoot off his mouth. He stirs up the press, but it's all bullshit. Anyway, now he's gone and gotten himself hurt the little bastard." Doug clarified with another heaving sigh.

"What does any of this have to do with me?" Patrick couldn't help but wonder.

"I need a replacement driver—"

"No way." Patrick shook his head even though the balding crew chief couldn't see him. "I haven't raced in years."

"You got back into it in college." When Patrick didn't answer right away, Doug continued, "You competed in some low-level races so that you could stay off radar. Too bad for you kid."

"That was still almost four years ago." Patrick reminded him.

"Patrick, you have the kind of potential every crew chief in NASCAR hopes to find. I knew from the first time I saw you in a car that you were something. And if it had been a phase or something one of your parents pushed you in, how do you explain your return four years later?" Doug challenged stubbornly.

"Why me?" Patrick inquired suspiciously.

"Why not you? You too busy to qualify for the damn Daytona?"

"But how—they won't know it's me." Patrick answered his own question. "NASCAR won't appreciate the switch this late in the game—"

"As long as they get paid, they don't care who's actually driving. I think, at this point, anyone in that car besides Greg would be a blessing. We could just fudge some of the details."

"I don't like it, Doug." Patrick admitted.

"It's not like it's illegal. We inform everyone who you are and—"

"That you can't do. If I were to even consider something like this, I don't want one of my family members finding out that way."

"So tell them."

"Trust me. It's better if they don't know."

"So you're considering it?"

"I haven't qualified for anything." Patrick noted.

"Would you let me worry about that? Come on Patrick. I know you want to be back on the track. Dreams don't just go away overnight. Take a chance for the first time in your life. There is no losing end. You get behind the wheel and do your best. I'll be right there if you need me."

"I don't want my name mentioned." Patrick said at last.

"Okay Fitzgerald. It won't be. Meet me at that silly little family diner of yours in an hour." Doug chortled, hanging up.

**Previews**:

It was the middle of the night, a time when most women would be steering clear of dark alleys. Not her. She wasn't afraid of the shadows anymore. They couldn't hurt her any worse than she was hurting herself.


	271. Slipping Through My Fingers

"Can I get a rum and coke please?" Lulu beckoned as she slammed her money down on the bar. She wasn't twenty-one, but no one at that door had stopped her. The punk behind the counter wasn't going to ignore her. She didn't care about the throng of people demanding drinks around her; she would get served or there would be hell to pay.

"Coming up." The bartender promised with a winning smile. He could take his smile and shove it. If she didn't have something to wash this awful taste out of her mouth—well now that wasn't a bad idea. Hopping into the nearest stool, she reached out and grabbed a hold of his shirt collar pulling him into a kiss. Startled, he stood completely still for a minute. Then he started to like it. That was about the time she pulled away.

"Thank you." Lulu smiled wiping her fingers across her lips and taking her drink before disappearing into the crowd of dancing idiots. She held her drink over her head to keep it from spilling as she made a good bit of distance into the center of the floor where she spotted the person she had been seeking.

"Back already?" Bennie Vermin lived by his name. He was a short, stubby little man with black beady eyes and the mirage of a mustache hanging above his stiff upper lip.

"Shut up." Lulu warned him and threw her drink down in one gulp. "Are you going to waste my time or show me?"

"Depends. You got the money?" Vermin wondered.

"Would I have traveled this far without money?" Lulu reached into her back pocket and pulled out a handful of bills. "Now show me."

Vermin had gone to high school with Lulu. He had been named most likely to succeed. The person who gave him that title obviously didn't know what it was like to live with such a mock-worthy surname. He led Lulu toward a little table he had set up in the corner of the club, threw his briefcase onto it, and flipped it open displaying the goodies he had brought with him. "I have a lot of stuff here. Do you know what you want?"

"The usual." Lulu replied unenthusiastically. Who would have thought her life would come to this? She was in college studying to be…well something. She was the rising star in her family. It had only taken one moment. One moment had changed the course of her life so drastically that she didn't even recognize the woman she had been.

"My fee's gone up." Vermin informed her.

"What?" Lulu shouted.

"Inflation's a bitch."

"Whatever. Just give it to me." Lulu made a beeline for the door not noticing she had attracted the attention of one curious stranger.

It was the middle of the night, a time when most women would be steering clear of dark alleys. Not her. She wasn't afraid of the shadows anymore. They couldn't hurt her any worse than she was hurting herself. Meth was defined as a synthetic drug sold as pills, capsules, or powder that can be smoked, snorted, injected, or swallowed. It had taken a little practice, but she preferred smoking it over anything else. Combined with cigarettes, she almost felt normal. She no longer shook for any reason; she slept when her body demanded it. The same went for eating. The family would say she had a problem, but what the hell did they know? She was the one with the mysterious bruises on her arms, she was the one with the nightmares, and she had to get herself through this her own way.

*****

The computer screen flashed before his eyes. Normally the latest exploits of Lindsay and Paris would amuse him to no end, but Dillon hadn't actually seen any of them in weeks. Sure he could fake it with the best of them, using the last bit he had heard and passing it off as news. It wasn't that hard. The one good thing about being seen as mainly superficial is no one came running to you for up-to-date news about the presidential election or the situation in the Middle East. It was easy to hide when all you were expected to know was who wore what to which award show.

It as only marginally better than the barely concealed looks of pity he received whenever Lance's name came up. The inevitable look, the sigh, the brave smile, and the comment about how strong Lance was, how sure they were Lance was going to make it. How he and Lucas could handle this. How strong they were for dealing with this so well. Good Lord did he sound so patronizing when he had said similar to things to Lucky and Robin? No wonder they could barely talk to him during those times.

They should all just say the truth. He was the reason Lance was sick. His fault. Some faulty chromosomes from his family decided to rear up and destroy his son's life. All the pretty words about him being a great father were just that. Words. He, Dillon Albert Hornsby-Quartermaine-Jones was officially a worse father than his mother ever accused Edward of being. The only reason Lance was in this situation was him.

Blinking his eyes, he tried to hide the tears that had once again formed behind his eyes. He didn't deserve tears. Tears were for people who were victimized by this. Lance deserved tears. Lucas deserved tears. He did not deserve tears.

"She goes to a better place." Lucas spoke up, startling his husband. Dillon looked up, his eyes wide as if he had been caught doing something bad. To say they had been distant since Lance's diagnosis would be an understatement. He had wallowed in his own misery and, as much as wanted to believe his husband's tears were an after effect of watching A Walk To Remember, he knew the truth.

"Yeah, liked Saved."

"Exactly." Lucas attempted a smile. "Mind if I sit down?"

"It's your couch too."

"Are you ready to tell me what's really bothering you?"

"Nothing's bothering me. You know how it affects me to see Shane West cry."

"What if we took Lance and got in the car with no destination in mind?" Lucas offered.

"That's my line. You're way too much the planner."

"What if I wasn't? What if I said to hell with it and we left?"

"I'd say what the hell did you do with Lucas?"

"We have to get out of this funk. It's confusing Lance."

"Great another thing that's my fault." Dillon mumbled as he pulled himself off the couch and started to pace their living room.

"You didn't have to. I already know it's true."

"What is it you think you've done?"

Dillon spun around incredulously. "Don't act like you don't know it's true. Like you don't blame me for this."

Lucas watched him warily. "Dillon, I don't under—"

"It's my fault. My fault that Lance is sick."

"It's not your fault!" Lucas shook his head furiously and shot to his feet. "How can you think that?"

"You heard Dr. Wexler. Lance inherited this and most likely from his father's side. It was my messed up genes that caused this."

"That doesn't make it your fault. We always knew there was something faulty in the Quartermaine genes." Lucas tried to joke. "Besides, it's not like you ever showed any signs. This is not something you did. This is not a decision you made." He stressed every word, wanting very badly to shake Dillon.

"No it's a decision my crappy chromosomes made."

Lucas reached up and held Dillon's face between his hands. "I don't know to convince you that you're not at fault here. I'd never ever heard of this disease until Dr. Wexler explained it to us. It's rare and a sneaky son of a bitch. The condition isn't dire."

"It shouldn't have happened to Lance."

"I know." Lucas agreed solemnly. "But we've got to stay positive about this." He decided to keep the details about the Sage search out of the conversation, at least for now. There was no reason to get everyone's hopes up if he failed in his attempt to find her.

"When did you jump on the optimism train?"

"When our son's doctor prescribed aspirin."

"I thought your first words to that were stupid quack."

"Yes and that made me smile which brought on the optimism. See how that works?"

Dillon quirked his eyebrow upwards and shook his head. "This Pollyanna Lucas is scary. Bring back the mope please."

"You hungry? I think we have enough Chuck E. Cheese tokens to get a free pizza."

"You? Advocating pizza? Now I know I have a body snatcher on my hands." Dillon grabbed Lucas's hands and frantically began to search his husband's eyes. "Lucas? Lucas? If you can hear me, fight. Fight honey."

"Shut up." Lucas rolled his eyes. "I figured you'd want to go someplace where you could relate to others."

"There's always that." Dillon shrugged. "Lucas?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for putting up with me."

"Ditto."

*****

The phone was the worst invention ever made, Lucky decided as his shrill ring tone hit his ear. Instead of just being left alone to pretend to enjoy the day, now he had to talk to someone he probably didn't really want to talk to in the first place. The important people in his life had assigned ring tones. This was his generic one. Sighing, he debated on sending the call straight to voicemail, but didn't want the hassle of returning a call on the outside chance it actually was important. Distracted and not bothering to look at his caller ID, he sighed into the phone. "Spencer here."

"Daddy?"

It was a trick. The cruelest practical joke Patrick and Cruz had ever come up with. Or he had moved on to straight out auditory hallucinations. One step closer to a stay in Shadybrook. There was no way Cameron was on the end of the phone talking to him. His son did not just call him. It wasn't even possible. Was it?

"Cameron?" he asked cautiously. "Champ is that you?"

"Daddy! Hi Daddy!" Cameron's excited laughter came through the line loud and clear.

"Hey Champ." It was a good thing Cameron couldn't see the tears that sprung to Lucky's eyes immediately and that, at four, he wouldn't be able to tell he was crying by hearing his voice alone. "I've missed you."

"I miss you too Daddy. The babies didn't forget me did they?"

"No. No they haven't. We tell them about you everyday." Lucky promised.

"Can Jake play hockey yet?"

"No. He's still too little for that Champ." Lucky laughed lightly. A thought crossed his mind and, although he wanted to dismiss it, he had to know the answer. Curious to the core, that was the Spencer way of life. "Hey Cam? How did you call me?" Lucky knew enough to know that while Cameron could recite his phone number, getting him to actually use it on a phone was a different story. And Tony or Lisa had allowed Cameron to call him? This close to the trial?

"I took Gramma Lisa's phone out her bag. I pushed the numbers." Cameron answered honestly and Lucky could almost see the matter of fact nod of his head to punctuate the words as if to say, "Duh Dad."

"You pushed the numbers to home or a bunch of numbers?"

"Bunch of numbers. I talked to lots of people daddy."

"Oh I'm sure you have." There was a time and a place to talk to his son about the dangers of random dialing and talking to strangers, but today wasn't it. When it was his cell phone bill Cameron was running up then they would talk.

"Daddy when can I come home? You and Lizzie said soon."

"I know Champ. I know. And we're working really hard on that one. We want you back here so bad. We haven't changed a thing in your room."

"Wolfie misses his nightlight." Cameron whispered.

"Well you tell Wolfie it's still here. And he will see it. I won't stop until he does ok?"

"Okay."

**Previews**:

"Can we talk about something else?" Robin pleaded. "Did I hit too close to home for you?"


	272. Brave Face

Her father had called an hour ago to tell her that they were having a great time and she shouldn't worry. How he had known she would worry she wasn't entirely sure. She had walked up and down the length of the apartment, just trying to find something to do. French soap operas might have been more interesting if she hadn't known what they were saying. She had eaten something that hadn't agreed with her and now she was trying in vain to get rid of her stomach ache. It was too quiet. Snatching her cell off its charger, she dialed a familiar number, estimating that her friend would have been up and around by now.

"Hello?" Elizabeth answered cautiously. Ever since Cameron discovered that pressing numbers led to him talking to people, she had been terrified Tony or Lisa would look through the call log and see the call to Lucky. It was probably the best thing to happen to Lucky all week, but there was no way she was going to let him be blindsided by angry Grimes if she could help it.

"Permission to speak." Robin teased, noticing the tightness in Elizabeth's voice.

"Oh thank God." Elizabeth nearly collapsed in relief. "It's you."

"Expecting Sean Connery?"

"Ok you are the one with that crush, not me. I was totally expecting Pierce Bronson."

"How are you friend?" Robin felt tears spring to her eyes, but she didn't know why. It was just a phone call. Maybe it was the time between this phone call and the last one.

"Exhausted. Hormonal. Stressed. Happy. You know you're basic confusing ball of fun. What about you? You haven't bought out Chanel without me have you?" It was such a relief to talk to Robin directly, Elizabeth couldn't put into words.

Robin tried to think of a snarky response, but her throat closed up before she could. She was blaming the hormones. "I told them I'd have to talk it over with my fashion consultant."

"Good answer." Elizabeth nodded her approval, as always forgetting Robin couldn't see her. "It sounds awfully quiet where you are. Where's Morgan? I thought for sure I would hear him swinging from the chandeliers."

"Oh, he got bored of that. My dad took him to Disneyland."

"I'm sorry your dad took him to Euro Disney? I thought he was too young to be a grandfather and all."

"Let's just say he's handling it better than he thought. I think he might be buying my kid off with candy."

"I hear that's a popular option. I'm already dreading when the twins get old enough to eat solids. I'm not leaving them alone with Luke ever."

"You know Lucky said the same thing at first and we saw how well that turned out." Robin laughed.

"True and unless you're having a girl, Gracie's the only granddaughter in town. I'm doomed."

"Sorry. A boy." Robin confirmed.

"Really? You're sure? It's a boy?"

Robin couldn't believe she hadn't told Elizabeth already! She smiled in excitement, "Yes. A little boy. He wasn't...um...shy about letting us know."

"Oh so something we can completely blame Patrick for?"

"Completely. And don't think I don't remember you not telling me that you were having twins."

"Again who on Earth would figure Lucky to be able to keep that a secret? I gave him a week tops before spilling."

Robin could have asked how Lucky was, but she decided to hold her tongue on the subject. Until he had Cameron back, he wasn't going to feel better. "Have you seen Georgie? She leaves Paris and I get one phone call in which she tells me she landed safely. That was weeks ago."

"Actually I have. She randomly attached herself to me at Luke and Laura's anniversary party and Grams told me she's popped up a few times over at her house."

"Really? I didn't know they were close."

"I didn't either. Has she always been into baking because suddenly she's asking Grams for all kinds of recipes?"

Robin barely contained her snort. "Georgie can't even scramble eggs."

"I don't know. Maybe that personality pod thing Patrick was telling me about got her too."

As per usual, any mention of Patrick made Robin's stomach turn. Now she knew he was avoiding her phone calls. "It's not a crime to try new things. Maybe she's trying to avoid catching Uncle Mac and Alexis going at it like rabbits. I heard that was something that she used to have to suffer through before she left." The idea made Robin want to wash her mouth out with something pleasant, but alas there was nothing in the refrigerator but Grapefruit juice.

"Oh eww. That's like thinking of your siblings having sex. No pictures needed."

"Speaking of, did you get Steven to spill about his little fling up here?"

"No. My parents have made light topic of conversations a little hard to come by."

"Your parents?"

"That's right I didn't tell you. They finally arrived. After Steven flies half way around the world and decides to move back to Port Charles for a while at least and move in with Grams at her house to help her recover, they show up. With the evil she-witch in tow."

"I was thinking Sarah would think up a good reason not to come. What are they doing in Port Charles anyway?"

"Well not to see the twins that's for sure."

"What do you mean? What other reason would they have?" Robin sensed something was terribly off.

"Well that would be the rational reason and we both know my parents aren't rational. No they've not seen the twins outside that one damn paper and they are a month old. I believe the reason they told Luke when they arrived unannounced was they were here to save the family's good name from my completely irresponsible and attention seeking ways."

"What aren't you telling me? And since when do they...? Oh no." Robin didn't like the puzzle pieces she had to work with and she didn't like where they were choosing to fall. "What did they do?"

"They're staying in town to testify for the Grimes. They volunteered."

"What kind of clusterf—what?" Robin must have heard wrong. They were evil, but they wouldn't—they wouldn't.

"Basically my reaction. Minus a breakdown and about a three day crying fit."

"I'm a bad friend." Robin murmured, her bottom lip trembling. "I should have known about this before now. I should have called. I'm so sorry. I'm so—sorry."

"No don't you dare. There was nothing you could have done and you are supposed to avoid stress. Believe me Steven did exactly what you want to do. He told them to go to hell and stay away from all of us. No I am not going to be responsible for your stress-related breakdown. No way."

Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Robin's brain warned as she began to hiccup. "I'm sorry. I'm a mess right now."

"I believe you are allowed when you are pregnant and you've only told four people."

"Six. I told Georgie and Morgan." Robin corrected.

"Well I wasn't counting Patrick so I guess that would actually make five."

"When is the trial?" Robin asked, trying her best to keep her voice from shaking.

"Monday. How'd your Dad and Georgie take the news?"

"Shock. Awe. The usual. Georgie said she's happy for me, but she thinks the proposal was just about the baby. My dad's been hovering over me and I was relieved when he said he was taking Morgan to the theme park because if I spent even one more minute with those two watching my every move, I think I might have screamed."

"So if Georgie knows what did you threaten her with to keep it from your uncle? And sorry chica, hovering family is what I hear concerned parents do. Remember how I couldn't go a foot without Laura or another Spencer being right there?"

"That I can't figure out. I begged her not to say anything and she said she wouldn't. I had a feeling she was hiding something too, but heck if I know what it is."

"When are you coming home? Cause I think together we can totally figure it out."

"Four more weeks."

"My phone bill is going to be huge by then."

"Mine too." Robin agreed.

Elizabeth chewed her bottom lip. Lucky was occupied with the twins and if he found out Robin was on the phone, she knew he would insist she talk longer. It has been far too long since she and Robin had discussed anything of importance and now that the surface updates were out of the way, it was a comforting reality that she may just have a chance to throw out anything to Robin and have it analyzed away. "Robin? I'm nervous."

"About what?"

"The custody trial. And you can't breathe a word of this to anyone Robin. Not Patrick and for God's sake not Lucky."

"I think you're safe." Robin said pensively.

"If it was just my stupid parents and evil sister I could be ok. I mean it's not like there's any proof they are even aware what goes on in my life much less can judge what I'm capable of. But Tony's retirement...."

"Tony's retiring? When was this decision made?" Robin asked incredulously.

"I think about the time Cameron moved in. The PI Cruz hired found out he told his boss it was to take care of Cam full time."

"What a jackass." Robin blurted out.

"Thank you. Everyone's been trying so hard not to set Lucky off that no one's said exactly that."

"Well I'm not afraid to say that it was a ploy to look good for the courts. Which I know you've already considered. I wish I was there." Robin whispered, knowing why she wasn't.

"I know you do. And I so understand why you aren't, but I really miss you."

"I miss you too. I feel selfish for leaving like I did." She hadn't been able to breathe in Port Charles. She prayed it would be different when she returned. Would they stare and point? Tears threatened behind her lids and she scolded herself for being such a whimp.

"You aren't being selfish. I am. You left to take care of your baby and to see your father. That's not selfish. I am told in some parts of the world that is how a family works."

"They're just excuses. This isn't about me. Tony has a weakness and it's his pride. I bet Dara will play him like a fiddle."

"That's what Patrick and Cruz keep saying."

"Well they know what they're talking about." Robin agreed, nodding even though Elizabeth couldn't see her. "The Grimes aren't invincible; it just feels like they are because Cameron's not home with you right now."

"I think I'll keep repeating that until I believe it." Elizabeth paused, twisting a piece of hair between her fingers. It was a gamble, but she owed it to her friend to at least try to press the subject. "Speaking of Patrick..."

"What about him?" Was this Elizabeth being subtle? Robin really couldn't tell.

"He misses you. It might be a good idea to call your fiancé."

"I've tried to call him." Robin promised, trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

"Ok well I will let you know that when he's not at home, he's hanging out here if you are ever looking for him."

"If he wanted to talk to me, he would have by now. I don't have the energy to fight with him."

"I know this is going to sound strange coming from me, but Patrick and I are working on being friendish. And I think he just doesn't want to look like he's pressuring you to come home sooner than you planned."

"At this point, I wonder if he wants me to come home at all." It was a fear she had had since boarding the plane to Paris. Would Patrick really wait for her? Would the time apart give him a chance to resort back to his relationship-phobia tendencies?

"Of course he does. He loves you and is going insane without you."

"Can we talk about something else?" Robin pleaded.

"Did I hit too close to home for you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Sweetie, one of the reasons we're friends is we are the queens of denial and evasion."

"I'm not evading anything. I keep calling; he keeps sending my calls to voicemail." Robin insisted.

"Again I know this is odd with me defending him and all but, honestly, I don't think he has a clue what to say to you."

"What do you mean? A simple 'I miss you' would work."

"He won't say cause like I said we're friendish and I suspect this is far too emotional for him to actually talk to the guys about, but I get the impression he's scared that you don't want to come back."

"Well that doesn't make any kind of sense. Why would he think that?"

"Why do you think he doesn't want you to come home?"

"He doesn't want me to come home? Did he say that?"

"No. What's he said when I've sworn you do want to come home is that I would know better than him."

Robin chewed on her fingernail in contemplation. "I don't know what to do. Things have been so tense between us since before I even left. I don't know what I could even say to him. He made it very clear he didn't appreciate me leaving at such a crucial time." Crucial for him? She was the one that was getting fat. She was the one who was having cravings for things she couldn't get here. She was the one who cried at the drop of a hat.

"Robin, I don't know if you've noticed this, but Patrick doesn't deal real well when things are out of his control. And this whole pregnancy is. It's not in either of your control and you both hate that. And you both have this annoying tendency to deny you feel what you feel. So off the top of my head I'm thinking be honest with him. Tell him the full on truth. Just like you would tell me."

"What happens if I talk to him and tell him the truth and then he doesn't want me to come home? Engagements are broken all the time. What if the reason he's not answering or calling me back is because he doesn't love me anymore?" Robin figured if she was going to be vulnerable for anyone, it might as well be Elizabeth.

"Honey he still loves you. He can't stay in the football field you call home because it's too quiet. He'll never admit this in a million years, but Cruz swears he's seen him sneak the books Cruz read to get ready for Majandra out of Bobbie's house. Robin he's invented a 'best uncle' war with my brother just to keep from going home. Hello he's being friends with me."

"Really?" Robin didn't mind the tears even as they spilled over her lashes.

"I swear on chocolate cherry cheesecake."

"I've been craving that so bad since I've been here. I think I may have cleared out the bakeries in a six-mile radius."

"Of course! I mean hello it's chocolate cherry cheesecake."

"Do you know where Patrick is right now?" Robin asked cautiously.

"He's not here although I'm sure he'll show up around dinner time."

"I'll call him until I get him." Robin decided, knowing Elizabeth wouldn't allow anything less.

"It's about time you listened to me. Please remember I am a genius."

"How could I forget? Don't let this custody thing get you down. Lucky will win because the good guys always do."

"Unless that hack of a bastard is writing it."

"Love you."

"Love you too. You wait to call this long again I'm sending you the guilt trip pictures."

"Kiss the babies for me."

"Like you had to ask. They have to like you better than Patrick."

**Previews**:

"No. No. No. We're just the uncles." Steven tried to get across.

"You don't have to be ashamed. You don't have to make up a story. This is the twenty-first century." She reminded them.

"No, see you've got it wrong." Patrick shook his head furiously.


	273. Sugarcane

Patrick barely managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes at his present company. Elizabeth had decided that, if he and Steven were really going to be in competition, she should get some free babysitting out of the deal. She had called her brother and sent them to the park with both babies and, at first, he had been confident he could do it. Now, he wasn't so sure.

Whatever bond he had thought he had created with Gracie was not helping him out right now. She hadn't stopped crying since Lucky had put her in the front of the stroller. Every time he moved to pick her up, she just screamed louder. Jake, on the other hand, cried when he wasn't held. Steven was, of course, no help at all. "Could you take him for a second?" He asked thrusting Jake toward Steven. A bottle would solve this, Patrick decided. He hoped.

Gracie screamed, probably worried that she wasn't getting the attention she deserved, and Patrick ignored Steven so he could mix the bottle. Satisfied, he lifted her out of the stroller and into his arms, doing what he could to get her to get her interested in the bottle. It was to no avail. She cried harder and kicked out her little feet. "It's got to be the Webber in her." Patrick assessed.

"Please. It's the Spencer." Steven threw back.

"This is getting us nowhere." Patrick started to set the bottle back into the diaper bag when Jake started to whimper. He handed it to Steven and Jake took it with both hands.

"Looks like I'm winning." Steven laughed. He had been completely amused when Elizabeth told him about the competition. Georgie would get a kick out of it. He reminded himself to tell her once this little trip was over with.

"Jake's easier." Patrick countered with a shake of his head. "And Gracie's never acted like this when it was just the three of us. It must be _you_."

"Well aren't they just beautiful?" A woman cooed, giving each of the infants a little finger wave.

"Thanks." Steven and Patrick said in unison.

"A little over a month, right?" Patrick looked at Steven.

"You expect me to know?" Steven shot back.

"A little over a month." Patrick declared with a smile.

"They are so cute. And they look just like you." She exclaimed sharing a long look with both men.

"Well that's just good genes." Steven told her.

"Where's their mother if you don't mind me asking?"

"At home relaxing." Patrick answered.

"At home? So the three of you live together?" She assumed.

"No." Steven assured her. "Three different places."

"That must be hard for the babies." She said thoughtfully.

"No, they have Lucky." Patrick informed her.

"Lucky?" She wrinkled her nose at the name.

"Their father." Steven threw in taking a still traumatized Gracie from Patrick and leaving a sleeping Jake with him.

"I thought you were their fathers."

"Fathers?" Patrick managed.

"No. No. No. We're just the uncles." Steven tried to get across.

"You don't have to be ashamed. You don't have to make up a story. This is the twenty-first century." She reminded them.

"No, see you've got it wrong." Patrick shook his head furiously.

"Why didn't you let me bring my camera?" Dillon's voice, thick with laughter reached both of their ears. Turning quickly Patrick and Steven saw Lucas, Dillon, and Lance standing nearby, close enough to hear everything.

"Don't hide who you really are." The woman called from over her shoulder as she began to move further down the park. "I think you make a beautiful family."

"Yes, yes you do." Dillon managed, straining and completely failing to keep a straight face.

*****

Maxie crouched beneath the safety of a plush green bush, her shoes digging into the ground as she tried to keep from falling over thereby giving away her position. She could see Kristina from every angle so there was no worry that what had happened only a few months ago could happen again. Being allowed to take Kristina to the park without the watchful eye of her mother must have meant that Alexis was a little closer to forgiving her for disregarding her safety. Maxie was just glad some of the animosity was over and done with. It was exhausting. She really didn't care what Alexis thought of her, not like Georgie did. She was surprised when Georgie turned down her invitation to come to the park with them, but she had been in a hurry to get, well, somewhere. Her little sister finally had a secret of her own, a few if Maxie read her right. It was about damn time.

The park wasn't so busy mid-week. Maxie had almost fallen over in shock when Mike had given her the day off. She felt like, since Ric had left, she had worked every single second. At least, she thought to herself, no one was in the hospital, no one was terribly ill, no one was overly upset, and Ric's dad was getting better so he's be coming home soon. As the Nurses Ball drew closer and closer, she had started to worry that he might not make it back in time. He still might not. She couldn't expect him to drop everything and come back, but she hoped he would.

Maxie almost jumped a foot in the air when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she narrowed her eyes playfully at her baby sister. "Were you trying to scare me?"

"Found you." Kristina declared triumphantly, jumping up and down in her excitement. Maxie had warned she was an expert at this game, but Kristina had spotted her sister's silver shoes immediately. She only pretended not to know where Maxie was so she didn't feel bad for not being that good. "I win!"

"Rematch?" Maxie begged with a half-smile.

"Fine. But I'll hide this time."

"Okay. Remember, no wandering off." Maxie shook her finger and hurried over to the base, a tree that was older than the town.

Kristina ran off as Maxie started to count, determined to find the hiding spot she had found earlier when she was "pretending" to look for Maxie. Seeing the huge oak tree that was directly across from the tree Maxie was currently leaning near, Kristina ran for it at breakneck speed, determined to make it to the overgrown bush behind the tree before her sister had time to stop counting. Turning the corner she fell directly across the lap of someone who had apparently also decided this was a great hiding spot.

"Careful there." Sam caught the little brunette and helped her to her feet. "Hope I didn't hurt you." She had needed a break from the monotonous tune of the apartment so she had sought out the park. The little girl looked about Vincent's age and she felt her heart tug a little at the fact.

Wiping the dirt off her arms and light blue jacket Kristina examined herself closely. "No I'm good."

"So what were you doing in such a hurry?" Sam had barely managed to catch the child as she dove for the spot.

"Shh!" Kristina held up her finger to her mouth. "I'm trying to win at hide and seek."

Sam held back her laughter, its effects causing her to bite her bottom lip. "Sorry. Sorry. Mind if I hide with you?" She didn't know what it was about the little girl that made her hesitant to get up and walk away. She had read about the girl's abduction in the newspaper so many months ago and could only imagine what her mother had gone through.

"Just don't blow my spot." Kristina warned.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Sam replied, backing away from the spot to keep her promise.

"Where could Kristina be?" Maxie asked loudly. "Could she be behind this tree? Nope. How about...?" Maxie voice moved away from them.

Kristina smiled in triumph. All she needed Maxie to do was move just a little bit further away and she could make the run to the base with no problems. Looking over at her hiding partner, she smiled widely. "She's not going to find us!"

"Shh." Sam giggled quietly. "You're going to get us caught."

"I am not!"

"Kristina, are you in this log?" Maxie actually glanced into the aforementioned log, purposely not finding Kristina in a hurry.

"See?" Kristina pointed over toward where Maxie stood. "She's not even trying for real."

"My name's Sam. What's yours?"

"Kristina."

Suddenly, Maxie jumped toward them, almost falling over when she saw that Kristina wasn't alone. "Found you!" Maxie squealed, turning her attention to Kristina.

"How'd you find me?" Kristina wondered.

"Because I'm the smartest person you know." Maxie clarified with a wide grin.

"Can we play again?"

"I think I need a break." Maxie confessed and met Sam's nervous stare. "Do I know you? You look familiar."

"Sam McCall. Kristina and I just ran into each other—quite literally." Sam explained hurriedly.

"Sam was in my hiding spot." Kristina explained seriously

"Was she? I'm Maxie Jones." Maxie introduced herself and saw the flicker of recognition in Sam's eyes.

"The Commissioner's daughter?"

"Yes." Maxie was used to the nickname.

"Well it's nice to meet you. I was about to get myself a snow cone. What do you say?" Sam didn't know what to make of this need to be friends with these two. It was so out of place for her. She couldn't remember the last time she had talked to a friend. Harper had been the closest thing—and then she had screwed that up and thrown sex into the mix. Oh well. Kristina was watching Maxie, anxiously awaiting an answer.

"I don't see why we can't." Maxie replied at last.

"Yeah!" Kristina yelled, jumping up and grabbing both of the women's hands. "Let's go. I'm getting cherry!"

**Previews**:

"My expectations aren't really that high."

"She speaks to wound."


	274. You Will Only Break My Heart

The air was so thick you could practically see it. It screamed of smoke, alcohol, gambling, and sex. Which was exactly the way Harper knew Coleman demanded it. Throwing back his shot of whiskey with a flourish, he pounded the money onto the rough, splintered bar top, meeting the owner's eye to let him know he was settling his tab. Pulling his denim jacket on to his broad shoulders Harper let out a sigh as he made his way through the crowded floor full of two types of couples: those pretending to dance and those who were pretending to not be engaging in foreplay.

Ever since he had moved out of the apartment, a trip to Red's figured prominently in his routine. He could hear Samantha taunting him with every step he took across the threshold. _"What?"_ she would demand of him, her eyes flashing, _"I can't be near a bottle but you can?"_ He could even hear his answer back. It wasn't for the drink. Some nights he wished he never neared the bar. No he came to Red's to be among people. It kept him focused on his goal. Coleman may no longer launder money for the mob, but he still kept company with the slime and the cream of the criminal crop. A trip to Red's was often just plain good investigative sense.

Reaching the door, he turned to scan the crowd once more, making sure there was nothing to peek his interest tonight. There were rumors of an increase of Meth-related incidents over at the college. And along with the reputation for quick hookups and violent fistfights, Red's was also infamous for never checking the IDs of the customers who braved its doors. Any rash of illegal anything over at PCU seemed to find its beginnings in this seedy bar on the wrong side of the docks.

Taking a step back, he felt rather than saw the person he ran directly into. Turning around to apologize, he felt a smile form on his face without his permission. He shouldn't be happy to see her here of all places. "Well look what the cat dragged in." He drawled.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Sam demanded, folding her arms across her chest. "I thought you were too good for places like this."

"I'm working. What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" He knew it was a lame line, but figured it accomplished its intended aim of keeping her talking to him.

"Me?" She brought one hand to her chest innocently. "Why, I'm looking for entertainment. Or trouble. Whichever I find first."

Taking in her outfit in a long glance, Harper raised one eyebrow. "Looking like you'll find both."

Stiffening her shoulders, she gestured toward Coleman. Leaning across the bar toward him, knowing the end of her white dress was dangerously close to leaving nothing to the imagination, she whispered her drink order into his ear.

Moving back toward the bar, Harper eased himself onto the seat next to her. "You didn't have to be that obvious with Coleman. All you needed to flash was your face Gorgeous and your drinks are on the house."

"Who said I was drinking?" Sam threw back with an almost smile.

"So you came all this way for the nachos?"

"What can I say?" She only paused for a moment before she said something she knew would piss him off. "A girl gets lonely."

So that was the way she wanted to play this? He had to admit he was amused. He had been betting she would try to ignore him, not sit here and try to drive him crazy with her smile and curves. Two could play at that game. Running one finger down her arm, he smiled slowly. "But a woman like you deserves more than just something 'cause she's lonely.

"My expectations aren't really that high." Sam told him.

He mimed being shot through the heart. "She speaks to wound."

"Would you mind not talking to me? You're scaring off potential one-night-stands."

Leaning in close to her, he whispered directly in her ear. "I hate to tell you this, but you're more likely intimidating any boy in this place. You are clearly out of their league."

"Well maybe I'll just take a page out of your book and go for someone beneath me." She smiled at the unintended joke.

"Well they would have to pass your screening process first."

"Shouldn't you be working or something?"

"I am always working."

"That's a real shame." Sam climbed off the bar stool, mouthing her thanks to Coleman when he set her drink down. "Go ahead and smell it if you don't trust me. I'm going to dance."

"What a coincidence." Harper smiled as he took her drink from her hand, placing it down on the bar. "So was I." Turning back to Coleman as he grabbed her hand, he winked. "Just put it on my tab Coleman."

"What are you doing?" Sam asked sharply. "I didn't say I wanted to dance with you."

"I don't recall asking." Harper shrugged as he led her out to the floor.

Well this she hadn't been expecting. Some idiot had cut her fast song short and replaced it with a much slower one. She wasn't completely convinced Harper hadn't done it himself. No matter what, she could not make a big deal about this. One dance was not going to change anything. He was still overbearing and she was still going to do what she wanted. "Don't step on my toes."

"Don't knee me in sensitive areas." He shot right back, resting his hand on her lower back, gently leading her to the beat of the song.

She hadn't thought the dress this thin, but how else could she explain being able to feel the warmth from his hand? Forcing her eyes to stay open, she let her gaze wander.

Catching her eye, he winked at her. "See anything you like?" he teased.

Sam met his eyes. "I'll let you know when I see something I like."

"You always do."

Narrowing her eyes, she focused instead on his right shoulder. She could make out the indention of muscle through his teal cotton t-shirt and, though she would never admit it aloud, she felt safe.

"Any luck on your search?" It was a relatively safe topic of conversation and he didn't want to give her any excuse to pull away from him before the end of the song.

"What?" Sam blinked.

"Your search? Have you found out any more information?"

"Nothing concrete. My mother didn't exactly put me up for adoption so there are not a lot of records to scour through at this point. I'm hoping to find someone who knew her and work from there. I mean, I know she lives here, or did at one time. So, no I guess."

"I could always help you know."

"You're volunteering to be around me?" Sam couldn't hide her incredulity.

"I said I couldn't live with you and watch you self destruct Samantha. You're the one who cut off all contact."

"You moved out." Sam reminded him.

"You ignored my phone calls."

"Only after you moved out. So see? Your fault."

He pulled her closer to him, causing her to rest her hand on his chest to keep their bodies from colliding completely together. "Because you want to push me away Samantha." He whispered into her ear.

"No." Sam shook her head. "I don't. I have—I have to go." She disentangled herself from him and made a beeline for the door.

*****

Maxie ran the tip of her finger around the rim of the plastic glass in front of her, any pressing matters a million miles away. She couldn't make it through the day without at least one triple-shot white chocolate mocha latte. There was just something so amazing about the combination of coffee, chocolate, and whipped cream. She used the end of her straw to pick up a tiny speck of chocolate sprinkle and place it on her tongue.

Work was basically done for the day, but she had promised Mike she would stay long enough to show the new waitress, Louisa, how to close and then lock the door behind them since an old army buddy of his had blown into town. A twenty-seven year old black and white photo with tattered edges was the only proof of the man's existence and it was tacked to the back wall of Mike's office.

The only difficulty with doing a favor for someone was the time spent doing it. There was nothing that needed accomplishing for hours. Georgie had been unavailable to meet her up here and, logically, Maxie could have left Louisa alone until closing, but Mike was depending on her and the poor girl could barely make change. Pulling out her cell phone, Maxie dialed the familiar number and pressed it to her ear, waiting. There was always the off chance that he was busy, but he might answer.

"Lansing." Ric ran his fingers through his hair as he turned and stalked down the hallway. It didn't matter who was on the other end of this phone, they were a life saver. The other night had involved drinking with both Kate and Charlotte and ended somehow with him promising to spend the day with his father. Hung-over and on the receiving end of yet another lecture from the Colonel was not a combination that led to a pleasant state of mind.

"Hello Doctor." Maxie laughed.

"Maxie." In spite of the pounding in his head, Ric felt himself smile his first genuine smile of the day, instead of the strained one he planted on for his father's benefit. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

She lowered her voice considerably, "I'm actually getting off soon."

Finding an empty office, Ric let himself inside with a chuckle. "Of course you are."

"What are you implying there, Sir?" Maxie leaned back in her chair and sucked off a bit of whipped cream from her straw.

"Exactly what you think I am." Ric confirmed.

"How's everything going?" It was as close as she was going to get to asking him when he was coming back.

"The same." There was no way he was going to drag her into his current family drama. Especially not with the current tear his father was on about the demise of his and Kate's marriage.

"Meaning?" Maxie didn't want to push him because she knew the subject was sensitive. Still, she wanted to feel useful. At least when he was here she considered her presence mildly helpful.

"Meaning my father still has to be reminded he's not running a boot camp. And I still have to explain to my father that yes I do know what the doctors are talking about." He paused and lowered himself onto the couch he found there. "I'd much rather talk about you."

"About me?" The shyness caught her by surprise. She usually loved having all of the attention focused on her. Maybe it was the phone because she couldn't remember being self-conscious around him any other time.

"Yes you. You've been scarce since our last call." He smiled as the memory danced through his mind. That particular night was not one to be forgotten anytime soon.

"I've...been busy." It wasn't a lie. It wasn't the complete truth either. Her face flamed at the memory.

"Busy?"

"Well...not busy, but preoccupied."

"Preoccupied? Oh, the dress. How is Miss Lucy these days?"

"She flew to Rome to see Brenda and Jax. I always had this image of a honeymoon being a private endeavor, but maybe that's just me." The ceremony had been absolutely magical. Maybe Maxie was asking for trouble, but it had gone a little too smoothly. No chandeliers falling, no ex-girlfriends/boyfriends storming through the door, no interruption whatsoever. It was clear as they said their vows to one another just how much they loved each other. Maxie couldn't believe Robin had missed it.

"So you do dream about honeymoons and wedding often?"

"Now you know better than that." Maxie shook her finger at him as if he were standing in front of her.

"How am I supposed to know what kind of images you have?"

"Well I assumed you listened when I talked, but maybe your focus was elsewhere." Maxie rolled her eyes. "I don't imagine a wedding or a honeymoon for me."

"Weddings are overrated parties anyway. Now I have no complaints on honeymoons."

Maxie's lip turned upward in disgust at just the idea of Ric and Kate together. This was a very disturbing conversation. She needed to turn it around and fast. "How's the visit with your sister?"

"Charlotte is Charlotte. She is doing better, but she's still terrified about not being able to buy the solution to this with her current husband's money." Ric shook his head. "Is your sister home?"

"Yes and no. She's in town, but never around. Something's going on. Something happened in Paris; I'm just not sure what yet."

"You'll find out. I know how determined you can be when you want something."

"I do have this insatiable need to have what I want when I want it, don't I?" Maxie tossed the spent drink into a nearby trashcan.

"For the record I have never found insatiable to be a bad thing."

"That should make your trip back even more interesting then." Maxie deduced.

"It was going to be interesting with you being there Blondie."

Louisa gave Maxie a pleading look when their eyes caught in the window. "Shit. I have to go. Listen, call me if anything changes with your dad."

"I'll do you one better. Call me tonight when you finally get off."

Maxie smiled in spite of herself. "I was going to do that anyway."

"I'll talk with you then. Don't forget about me."

"Don't worry. I'll hold the new guy off as long as I can." Maxie promised with a giggle.

**Previews: **

Ignoring the annoyed look on Patrick's face, Lucky pushed past him and strolled into the apartment. "We're bonding." He explained as he patted his cousin on the chest.

"Bonding." Patrick mouthed and ended his call.

"Bonding. It's a great plan that Cruz came up with."


	275. All The Way Down

"Remind me again why this is a good idea?" Lucky asked Cruz as they stood outside Patrick's door. Cruz had shown up this morning and insisted all three of them had to do something together today and babbled something about bonding and guy time. Roughly translated, Lucky took that to mean Aunt Bobbie, Elizabeth, and his mother were spending far too much time talking to each other and his friend had been singled out as the weakest link to get whatever plan those three had in motion.

"Because we're his friends?" Cruz attempted to throw logic at Lucky. Bobbie had been talking his ear off about going to see the guys.

"Who know that you don't wake a sleeping bear like Patrick when he's moping. You let him come to you."

"Well he doesn't seem in any hurry to do that and I've gotten used to the two of you hanging around."

"And your great plan to convince of him this is what? Stirring discussion of manly bonding?"

"Better than any plan you've come up with." Cruz shot back as the door swung open. Patrick put his finger to his lips and said something into his phone that they didn't catch.

Ignoring the annoyed look on Patrick's face, Lucky pushed past him and strolled into the apartment. "We're bonding." He explained as he patted his cousin on the chest.

"Bonding." Patrick mouthed and ended his call.

"Bonding. It's a great plan that Cruz came up with."

"Yes, bonding. Whether you like it or not."

"Aunt Bobbie got to him." Lucky said in a stage whisper to Patrick, nodding seriously.

"What is this about?" Patrick hadn't met their eyes once, his mind still going a mile a minute from the phone call he had just received from Doug.

"Ask the party planner over there." Lucky shrugged as he threw himself down on the couch. "I was just told my presence was required not requested."

"I'm kind of in the middle of something..." Patrick's voice trailed off.

"No you're not. Your phone call's over." Cruz pointed out.

"Since when is Cruz logical?" Patrick shared a worried look with Lucky.

"I don't know, but he has made a rare point. And since the twins are over at Mom's with Elizabeth, I know you weren't just talking with her and planning the next battle in the uncle war." Lucky smiled slowly. "How's your life partner by the way?"

"That's not funny." Patrick stuck out his tongue. "At least I'm winning."

"Oh I disagree. That was hysterical. And how can you be winning when Dillon was the one who calmed the twins down?"

"Because the contest has already started and we're not taking in late applicants." Patrick replied swiftly. "You guys want a beer? Sorry Cruz; I'm all out of Corona." He teased, disappearing into the kitchen.

"Ha-ha, very funny." Cruz fell back on the couch and stared up at the vaulted ceiling. "In case you weren't aware of your over-the-top mentality, this one room is bigger than any of our houses."

"Well you know what they say about guys who have to buy the biggest toys Cruz." Lucky said in mock seriousness as Patrick re-entered the room. "They are trying to make up for some shortcoming."

"You better watch what you say. When you two get tossed out on your asses, you're going to need somewhere to camp out." Patrick countered taking a long swig of his beer before handing them theirs.

"We only seem to get tossed out on our asses when we listen to you." Lucky took a drink out of his own before placing it on the stack of papers Patrick had littered the coffee table with.

"So, what's new with you?" Cruz was already bored of this "bonding" expedition. For some reason, it had gotten more and more difficult to just be themselves around each other. They always seemed to be holding back.

"I'm flattered you're worried about my well-being." Patrick replied.

"You're an asshole." Cruz declared, throwing back his bottle.

"At least he's consistent." Lucky agreed as he went to retrieve his own bottle. A scribbled number on the paper caught his eye and jingled some long forgotten bell in his brain. Why was this so familiar to him? He shook his head. It was probably just a repeat client's number and nothing else. "We could ask you the same thing Cruz. Patrick at least hides at my place."

"I haven't gone anywhere. I've been around...you know, busting wolves in sheep's clothing and watching the baby." Cruz knew it sounded lame, but it was the truth.

"Majandra talking yet and living up the super genius rep you've given her?" Lucky couldn't help but tease Cruz. Not that he was much better than his friend when it came to bragging about his children.

"As a matter of fact she is. She's mastered 'Daddy.'" Cruz beamed with pride.

"And you mean to say she's not being cast on _American Idol_? That Simon." Patrick shook his head, smiling into his beer bottle.

"I thought we agreed speaking his name was forbidden." Lucky teased. It wasn't that he exactly wished ill-will on someone else with his exact same job responsibilities, it was just he wished him less luck than his rival seemed to be having.

"Sorry. Sorry. It's hard to keep up with who we're allowed to talk to. You're worse than a woman sometimes." Patrick finished off the bottle and set it on the side table.

"Does your girlfriend know about this enlightened attitude of yours?" Lucky shot right back.

"You hoo?" Though her hair had been grown a few inches over the last several months, Patrick recognized Greta immediately. She had one arm behind her back, but he couldn't tell what she was holding. "I'm sorry to bother you..."

Lucky and Cruz exchanged a look. Beautiful women coming over to Patrick's place had been commonplace when he lived in the loft but it was a habit that they thought had died since he started up with Robin. One brief shake of the head was all it took to see neither one recognized the woman as a former client of Patrick's. As she made her way inside, they stayed quiet, waiting to see exactly what Patrick would say.

"It's no problem. Come in." Patrick beckoned her forward.

"They sent this to your old apartment by mistake." Greta kept one arm firmly behind her back when she handed him the letter. The name scribbled across the top was clear and visible to Cruz and Lucky. "And I signed for it." She handed over a black and silver helmet. "How could you not tell me you were racing with Doug Bellamy?"

"Doug?" The annoying bell became louder as the owner of the phone number finally made itself known to Lucky's mind. "Since when have you been talking to Doug?"

"I'm not racing with Doug. He called me on Sunday and wanted to catch up. End of story." Patrick told the group.

"But that's a new helmet." Lucky pointed out. "And Doug tends to stay on the cheap side."

"Well there's obviously been a misunderstanding." Patrick stressed each word.

"You are racing, aren't you? After all this time...that's why you haven't met with clients in God only knows how long..." Cruz realized.

"Your theories are more half-assed than your bonding attempts." Patrick cut him off.

"No he's right. About this at least." Lucky retorted. "Doug only called you about one thing and that was racing. Or you racing specifically."

"That's not true." Patrick demanded.

"I thought this would be good news." Greta mumbled. "I didn't mean to start a fight..."

"Greta, maybe it'd be best if you left. Do you have a form so I can send this to the correct address...?" Patrick suggested.

"Yeah sending it here is going to be much easier." Lucky nodded. "Much less chance someone else will find out."

"I don't care if you believe me." Patrick told them.

"That's good because we don't." Cruz folded his arms over his chest.

"Here you are." Greta placed the form in his hand. "Your address is clearly printed on it."

"Gosh who could have figured that one out?" Lucky feigned shock.

"If I were racing, why would it matter to either of you?" Patrick challenged.

"I don't know. Maybe because the last time you decided to try this, we were the ones that had to go to the hospital to pick your broken ass up?" Lucky answered crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's temporary." Patrick assured them.

"But why? This is _Doug Bellamy_." Greta said the words slowly in case he didn't pick up on how big a deal this was.

"And he doesn't do temporary." Cruz reminded Patrick. "The last time this was supposed to be just temporary, you had to jump through hoops for months."

"It's not like that this time. I'm just replacing a driver for a race." Patrick argued.

"What race?" Lucky eyed his cousin suspiciously. He had enjoyed Patrick's obsession with racing and had even cheered him on in high school. But the look of his cousin's bloodied and bruised face after the accident in college was something Lucky preferred to forget than live in fear of a reoccurrence.

"Doesn't matter." Patrick replied.

"If you're planning on racing, it matters." Cruz pointed out.

"And if Doug is trying to convince you to come out of retirement, it's not a small one either." Lucky deduced remembering Patrick's old crew chief well. "He wouldn't bother if it was small. You wouldn't be interested if it was small."

"I don't know what you want me to say here. You've already made up your minds." Patrick snapped, all but pushing Greta out into the hall and closing the door behind her.

"Let's start with the truth and work our way to what the hell you're thinking." Lucky suggested.

"How can I make this any clearer? I'm helping out an old friend who saw potential in me once upon a time. That doesn't mean I'm going back on a regular basis." Patrick blew out a breath.

"A friend who likes to cash in on a good thing. Face it Patrick; you're the cash cow." Cruz retorted.

"And if it's a one-time thing why are you hiding it from everyone?" Lucky questioned.

"You just answered your own question there Sport." Patrick threw back.

"So when we have to call Robin to come to the hospital, do you want us to wait before or after she goes into labor to tell her it's a one time thing?" Cruz wondered.

"What?" Lucky turned quickly to stare at Cruz. "When did you find out?"

"When Bobbie did. She totally broke and told me." Cruz answered.

"She had no right to do that." Patrick said through gritted teeth.

"You had no right to keep it from me." Cruz argued.

"He's got a point." Lucky nodded. Turning to Cruz, he held up his hands. "He swore me to secrecy."

"Then I'm guessing she also told you why we didn't want it blabbed all over town."

"She did." Cruz confirmed. "Still doesn't let you off the hook."

"Probably not, but I'm used to being the villain in this story." Patrick rolled his eyes.

"Oh spare us the pity party." Lucky rolled his eyes. "It's never worked. And this isn't about the baby anyways. Separate issue. This is about you risking your life."

"I'm not an idiot. There's no way I'd even fill in for this guy without practicing."

"Oh well as long as you practiced. That makes everything okay." Lucky shook his head.

"What are you trying to prove?" Cruz demanded. "This isn't high school, or even college. You're going to be a husband and a father. This is a stupid idea."

"Wow," Patrick ran his hand through his hair. "I thought if anyone could understand why I'm doing this, it'd be you two."

"I'm sorry, but I really don't." Cruz shook his head.

"Then get out. Both of you. I didn't ask for your input and I don't need it."

**Previews**:

"But can he back up that arrogance where it counts?"

"Yes and that's part of the reason he's so impossible. Of course there is this really annoying habit he's got that I cannot get past."

"Being good in bed?"


	276. Breaking The Habit

"I was thinking of sending the motorcycle to the dump and collecting on the metal." Luke told his wife as she stood over the stove gazing through the window and effectively burning her grilled cheese.

"That's nice dear." Laura answered noncommittally.

"What's wrong?" Luke had expected her to jump for joy even if he was lying...which he was. Anything to get her to pay attention to him. He rose from his chair and wrapped his arms around her. "What are you thinking about?"

"Lulu."

"Can you describe her?" Luke feigned ignorance and Laura smiled.

"I'm worried Luke."

"About what? Lulu's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"I'm her mother. I'm not like you. You may have cut the cord, but I still get to try and protect them in any way possible." If it were up to Laura her children would still be safely inside her womb.

"And if they won't let you?"

"Well I'm not going to ask them." Laura gave her husband a sly look.

"But you're so good at subtly." Luke teased. "This stress can't be good for you. How about you come upstairs with me and I draw you a nice, hot bath? How does that sound?"

"Wonderful. However, there just isn't time." Laura sighed.

"What have you got to do today? We raised our kids." Luke pointed out.

"I thought I might go and visit Cameron at the Grimes'." Laura replied.

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

"I think it's the best damn idea I've ever had." Laura wasn't known for her swearing so he knew she was serious.

"And the consequences?"

"What about them? I don't want Cameron to think we've forgotten about him." Laura insisted.

"He doesn't think that."

"How do you know what he thinks? Huh? He's just a little boy. We have never kept him away from them. Who do they think they are trying to steal him from us, from our son?"

"Your heart is in the right place." Luke whispered against her ear.

"But you think it will do more harm than good." Laura finished for him.

"Yes I do. Let Lucky handle this. He's braver than me and smarter than you."

"I just want to know that my children are okay. Is it so much to ask for them to include me in their lives? In their fears?" Laura felt the instant prick of tears at the edge of her eyelids.

"They're Spencers." Luke reminded her. "And that means whatever fear they've got they aren't going to share it willingly."

"I don't know how much more of this our family can take." Laura whispered. "It doesn't seem that long ago when we were happy."

"That's because it was an hour ago when we were still in bed." Luke snuggled her closer.

"We're going to get them back aren't we?"

"Them?" Luke parroted.

"The children." Laura explained.

"I wasn't aware they were all missing."

"Luke…" Laura pleaded.

"You put a piece of chocolate cake in the windowsill and I promise you'll get at least Patrick back." Luke smiled. "About that bath..."

*****

Fingers danced across her skin and closed delicately around her arms, turning her to face him. Her eyes blinked open in confusion; she barely had a chance to take in a breath of surprise before his mouth was covering hers, his fingers combing through her hair. His lips were at once tender and predatory as his tongue persuaded her mouth to open for his own personal perusal. She reached up, her fingertips digging into his neck as she anchored him closer.

It was amazing how safe she felt with him when she still had no clue if he was going to help her or hurt her in the end. But she didn't care about the end…this…right now. That was what mattered. The moisture on his lips, the way his hair felt as it brushed across her fingertips, his body humming wonderfully above her. She told herself to focus on the sensations and leave no room for questions or name-calling. Nothing but this. Nothing but him.

His gaze didn't drift from hers until his callused hand pushed the sheet away and discovered creamy flesh. His knuckles barely grazed her throat and his lips followed, his body bending over hers in such wonderful perfection she was afraid to close her eyes should this all be a dream. When his thumbs followed the curves of her breasts and rounded the tips, she caught her breath and arched her body upward. He tilted his head and lightly nibbled on her ear, whispering, "Are you ready to admit you have an addiction?"

Sam shook her head as the mid-afternoon sunlight blinded her. She looked across at the blonde leaning forward in curiosity, her eyebrows lifted and a funny little quirk to her mouth. _"What?"_ Sam demanded impatiently, her fist banging against the table. Maxie almost leapt out of her skin.

"Geez. Frustrated much? I just asked what you did last night." Maxie ran her manicured hand through her short hair.

"I didn't hear you." Sam stared down into her Cappuccino cup.

"Obviously. You weren't even in the same room as me."

"I did some research."

"Research? Oh please. You do not get that spaced over something as ridiculous as research." Maxie brushed off her new friend's explanation with a wave of her hand. They had only met up a handful of times since Kristina literally ran into her in the park, but already Maxie could tell when Sam was trying to lie to her. After all, it did take one to know one. "No. No. You are hung up on some guy."

If she said "No I'm not" then it could prove very bad for her. If she knew Maxie as well as she believed she did, it wouldn't take more than a mention of his name before the young woman made it her mission to get them back on track. "Maybe."

Maybe was a step up from the denial she had been preparing for. "Please tell me you didn't spend all night thinking about a guy you might be hung up on. That is about as pathetic as begging to be a booty call."

"No, I definitely didn't do that." Sam assured her. "I didn't do that."

"Well thank God. I cannot be friends with a pathetic person."

"That makes two of us." Sam took a drink. "And I do like him. A lot. That's the problem."

"What he's married?"

"No. He's not married." Sam almost choked. What kind of question was that?

"Just checking. In my experience it's best to just wait till the divorce is completely final and the evil witch is out of town."

"In your experience?" Sam arched an eyebrow.

"Ric might have not exactly been divorced when we met."

"But he is now, right?"

"He's signed the papers. I'm not 100 percent sure about her." Maxie scrunched up her nose in disgust. "Kate and I aren't going shopping for shoes anytime soon."

"I can't say I blame you there."

"But enough about that. Tell me more about the guy."

"Well, he's a real asshole. And arrogant. God is he ever arrogant."

Maxie smiled remembering her lobbing a similar complaint about Ric. "But can he back up that arrogance where it counts?"

"Yes and that's part of the reason he's so impossible. Of course there is this really annoying habit he's got that I cannot get past."

"Being good in bed?"

"Well he is...but that's not...he never thinks he's wrong. About anything. I could hand him a bag of M&Ms and he would insist they're all blue or red or green. He just likes to pick fights."

"Ric is like that too. It's even more annoying when he's actually right."

"That's the thing. He's so rarely right about anything. And, the few times he has been, I've never admitted it aloud."

"Honey it doesn't matter if he's actually right. And it doesn't matter if you don't tell them they are right, they always know." Maxie shook her head. "However I will say that the only thing more fun than the fighting is the making up."

"That's where things get a little blurry." Sam admitted.

"Now this sounds interesting." Maxie leaned forward and almost knocked both their coffees off the table in the process. "Ric is out of town so give a girl a bone here."

"I lose my senses when he's around."

"I'm not seeing the downside to that."

"It's complicated. Being involved with anyone is just a bad idea."

"Well duh." Maxie rolled her eyes. "But unfortunately a girl has needs."

"Unfortunately more problems are created than solved when I give into those needs." Sam whispered.

Maxie carefully lifted an eyebrow, stirring her own Cappuccino slowly. "Well yeah if you give in to the needs with a psycho. Is he a psycho?"

Sam laughed. "No, he's not a psycho."

"A non-psycho who's good in bed." Maxie tapped her nail against her lip. "Yeah not seeing the problem here."

"I told you it's complicated. He treats me like a child, like I'll completely screw up if he's not there to hold my hand."

"Well what are you doing that would make him think that? I mean this is Port Charles. It's not like you're running down international drug dealers or anything."

"What do you mean, what am I doing?"

"Most guys don't tend to hold hands unless they have overdeveloped Knight in Shining Armor complexes, you've threatened to leave them or, in the rare case, they are just a good guy. I don't tend to meet the good guys."

"I just don't know what he wants from me. I'm not clay. He can't just mold me into whatever he thinks I should be."

Leaning back in her chair, Maxie flicked a stray piece of paper onto the ground. "Far be it from me to sound like an Oprah episode but, if he really is a good guy, wouldn't talking to him work?"

"Not when he only hears what he wants to hear."

"I'm familiar. Ric tends to ignore anything that doesn't fit in his plan."

"How did you meet him? I mean, you don't seem like the candy striper type."

"Ugh. Stripes make me look fat. No my dad forced me to volunteer for the Nurse's Ball and Ric's on the same committee as me."

"Decorations?" Sam ventured carefully.

"Fashion. I may have accused him of being gay."

"But he's not. Right?"

"Honey if he was, I'd be struggling with those needs we were talking about."

"So what's he like? Personality-wise?"

"Full of himself. Smug. Arrogant as all hell. Stubborn. Sexy. Smart. Funny. Surprising."

"Where did you say he was?"

"Tucson. Family business."

"As in he's running it or something bad happened?"

"His father had a heart attack. He went out to help his sister." Maxie decided to leave out the information about the ex-wife tagging along as well. It made the situation, as Sam would put it, too complicated to explain. And the less time she spent thinking about Kate and Ric being near each other, the better.

She was still steaming over the fact Ric hadn't mentioned Kate's presence at all. No, she had to hear about it from his sister, the snobby bitch, when she had called him as a surprise. "Oh, no Ric isn't here." She had drawled, only pretending to be upset about it. "He's out with Kate. You know Kate, his wife?" Maxie had almost ran to the airport just to fly out there and kick his ass, but then thought better of it. It would be far more satisfying to punish him on her home turf.

The sight of two beautiful women dining together would bring a smile to any man. But the sight of one particular dark haired beauty that ran off the other morning before he had a chance to wake her up properly brought an even bigger smile to Harper's face. Samantha would have to learn Port Charles wasn't that big of a city to hide in. Approaching the table, he made a careful effort to avoid catching Samantha's eyes before it was too late for her to escape. "Well now this is a treat. Two beautiful women for all the world to appreciate."

"Sergeant Harper, your pick-up lines need work." Maxie rolled her eyes.

"They wouldn't be so bad if your father wasn't such a slave driver." Harper joked.

"I've tried that for years. It hasn't worked." Maxie looked over to her friend and found Sam looking up at the sergeant with a look of shock. "Sam? Everything ok?"

"Fine. I just remembered something I forgot to do." Sam explained hopping up out of her seat.

"See you around Samantha." Harper called after her, laughing at the dirty look she turned around to shoot him.

**Previews: **

"Ashamed? I'm not ashamed."

"You wouldn't know it from where I'm sitting."


	277. We Are Broken

Taking a deep breath, Dara took one last look at her clients. She knew they were both nervous, but she had to hand it to them; they both hid it well. Lucky looked confident and secure, which she knew he wasn't. Elizabeth held his hand and looked for all the world as a centered, loving influence. Only she knew of the mess they were just a few hours ago when she picked them up at their house. It was a complete mystery to her how they managed to pull it together so quickly in the relatively short car ride over, but she was glad they had.

Stepping out towards the center of the courtroom, she coughed discretely before starting the speech she had memorized weeks before. No hesitation. That was the key she felt. Hesitation would spell doubt to the judge and if there was one thing she didn't want was Judge Henrietta Hicks to have doubts.

"Your honor. This case is about a small boy, a four year old boy, who is obviously loved by both sides of his family. Cameron Lucas Spencer has never lacked for attention, love or encouragement a day in his life. In addition to the family we have present here in this courtroom, there are cousins, uncles, aunts and friends all who take part in making sure he has a happy, safe and secure life. There have been unfortunate events in the past year that have thwarted the best intentions of his father. Events that no one could have predicted or prevented. Events that were in no way brought on by the actions of Lucky Spencer."

"The only reason we are here today is fear. An understandable, but completely unfounded fear. Cameron is not exposed to additional dangers by continuing to live with his father, as he has his entire life, than he is living anywhere else. My colleague, Ms. Miller, wants to talk about instability and irresponsibility, but she will be hard pressed to prove these claims without relying on the relentless lies of a tabloid media. She wants to promote a stable, loving family structure for Cameron. Well Your Honor, my clients can and have provided that for him. By all accounts this child is happy, healthy, and remarkably well-adjusted. The only way to undue this, Your Honor, will be to permanently remove him from the only home he has ever known. His home with his father."

Diane Miller slowly got to her feet despite the tingling sensation running through her, something she recognized as irritation. With a proud smile, she made eye contact with the judge and spoke calmly and rationally. "Your Honor, I have no intention of arguing Mr. Spencer's love for his son. However, I must point out that, while the media is painting a horrid picture of his home life with Cameron, it is not entirely unfounded. He had to have known that this was a possibility when he entered the music industry and, though it might not have occurred to him before now, all of this could have been prevented if he had simply told the press that he had a son. Ms. Jensen wants to wow you with the emotional support this child has been given throughout his entire life, but she fails to mention one thing: the masked man who climbed through the window in pursuit of young Cameron was in fact his cousin, Logan Drake."

"If Cameron is returned to his father's home, what reassurance can Mr. Spencer give us that his cousin won't try again? He has yet to be apprehended and the same can be said of the remaining culprits. In the past month, Cameron has been able to live a care-free, normal life without being harassed by reporters or vengeful relatives. Returning him now would only confuse and scare him. It is my believe, and I do believe we have this agenda in mind Your Honor, that he remain where he is with his grandparents."

Nodding, Henrietta Hicks made a few quick notes on her yellow legal pad. All custody cases were messy, but she had a feeling this one would be murkier than most. Sighing, she lifted her eye from her desk area and caught Diane Miller's eyes. "Very well. Ms. Miller, you may call your first witness."

*****

Steven collapsed on his grandmother's couch, thankful for once that she wasn't home to see him in this condition. She had convinced both him and Elizabeth that she was well enough to go to the church for her weekly Bingo. It was funny thinking of her playing Bingo because he had never pictured her as old, but then he realized she was probably the one pulling the lever and shouting out the answers. He knew she felt little more than useless no matter how many times he and Elizabeth tried to convince her otherwise. He had driven there and promised to pick her up because he had seen her fragile for the first time in his entire life and it still frightened him.

No, his exhaustion had little to do with quick trips to the grocery store and pharmacy and more to do with the emotional anguish returning home had put him through. He had a wife he had barely spent more than ten hours with at a time and a sister who was trying to be both mother to her twins and hero to her boyfriend while painting a thin veneer over her own emotions should anyone worry about how she might be handling it all. He participated in the Uncle contest because he knew it was a good distraction for her; he already knew he was the better man anyway.

How much longer? He asked himself. How much longer did they have to lie, to sneak around, to pretend that they weren't madly in love? How many more times was he expected to practically ignore her when they were in public? When they were in the room together around other people, and even that was rare, he had strongest impulse to grab her and kiss her. That would send some heads flying, wouldn't it? He wanted to wear his wedding ring and he wanted to see Georgie wear hers. It wasn't until coming to Port Charles this last time that he had started to question the promises Georgie had made to him. She wasn't proud to be his wife or she would have spilled the news to her family before now. Alexis didn't count because nothing had come from that particular confession.

"Hello?" Georgie called into the still air. She knew Steven would leave the door open for her and with Audrey gone there was no reason to knock. There was a chance he would be baby-sitting the twins while the trial was going on, but surely he would have mentioned something like that to her. No they were sure to be alone at least for the next few hours. A luxury they hadn't had in a few days.

"Here." Steven announced closing his eyes.

"Hey." Walking further into the house, it was impossible to miss the haggard look her husband wore. Or the exhaustion that radiated off of his normally strong shoulders. Sitting down next to him, she took his hand and began massaging his palm. "You look tired baby."

"Lying is exhausting. Who knew?" Steven barely managed to keep the anger out of his voice. The bitterness lay beneath the surface and he bet she heard it.

Biting her lip, Georgie looked down at her sneakers, curled up on the couch. "I know you're tired of this but..."

"But what?" Steven demanded, pulling his hand back.

"We've been through this."

"Explain it again because no matter how many different ways I try to tell myself that it's the best thing, it still feels wrong."

"I'm just asking for time. That's all. Just time."

"How much time?" He opened one eye and caught her gaze. "How much longer are we going to have to go through this hell?"

"What do you want me to do?" Feeling the tears start to gather in her eyes, she brushed at them with a furious hand. She knew he was tired of hiding from everyone, god she was tired of it too. But it didn't make announcing this any easier. It just didn't.

"Tell your father." Steven told her simply. "Tell him and let's stop hiding from everyone. The plan was for us to move here so that I could get to know them. It's not right lying to them like this. And I'm not ashamed."

"Ashamed? I'm not ashamed."

"You wouldn't know it from where I'm sitting." Steven shut his eyes again.

"I'm not ashamed. Not of you or our marriage." Georgie reached out to take his chin and force his face towards her own. "I'm so sorry if I ever made you doubt the fact that I love you and I am anything but thrilled to be your wife."

Steven touched his lips to the tears on her face. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I just love you so much."

"I love you so much. So, so much. And I hate this. I really do."

"We've got to tell them. I don't know much more of this I can stand." Steven admitted burying his face into her hair.

Greedily she grasped his hands with her own, melding their fingers together. "We'll tell my dad. We'll tell him together. I'll have Alexis set up a dinner and I'll invite you and we'll tell him."

"You mean I get an invitation?" Steven chuckled.

"A very personal invitation." Georgie sniffed.

*****

"Your Honor, I call Elizabeth Webber to the stand." Diane announced confidently.

Even though she knew going in she was going to be called to the stand, it still didn't take the fear out of the words as she made her way to the witness stand. Smoothing her hand over her skirt, Elizabeth took a deep breath and reminded herself to calm down. It was all going to work out. This was all going to work. Raising her hand to swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, her eyes sought Lucky's for some reassurance. God if the worst happened she did not want to be the reason Lucky lost Cameron.

"Miss Webber, I assume you know the penalty for lying under oath?" Diane met Elizabeth's eyes with a fierce gaze.

"I do." Elizabeth fought to keep from rolling her eyes at the question. What did Diane Miller take her for? A ridiculous soap heroine trying to save her bad boy lover who didn't care about her?

"Just so long as you know." Diane nodded solemnly though the smile was clear in her eyes. "Miss Webber, how long have you been associated with Mr. Spencer?"

"A year."

"If you could describe your boyfriend in one word, what would it be?"

"Wonderful." On the surface there was nothing wrong with her question, no real way for Elizabeth to damage anything but she couldn't shake the sinking feeling in her stomach that this was leading somewhere she didn't want to go.

"And his biggest weakness?" Diane prodded carefully.

"He doesn't accept help very easily."

"Is that why he didn't mention to anyone, not even you, the woman he appears to love, that, at a time when his young, vulnerable cousins were disappearing from sight that he, himself, had had a similar experience?"

"Lucky's a caretaker. He was busy trying to take care of everyone else." Elizabeth defended.

"Or maybe he thought that you couldn't handle it." Diane suggested

"Your Honor. That was not in the form of a question. Can we please stick to—?" Dara stood up.

"Sustained. Rephrase Ms. Miller."

"Forgive me Your Honor. Miss Webber, is it plausible that, with your own troubled background, he wondered if you could handle something that would make him totally vulnerable to you?"

"My own troubled what?"

"Isn't that why your own parents are on the opposing side?"

"My parents have not been involved actively in my life ever since I told them I had no plans to be the nursing assistant they thought matched my skills perfectly."

"Why did you return to Port Charles after such a long absence, Miss Webber?"

"My grandmother injured herself and I moved to help her."

"That wasn't the only reason, was it Elizabeth?"

"If you are referring to the break up of my previous relationship, then yes that did play a role in my decision."

"What did Mr. Giambetti do for a living?"

"He was an assistant in a law office."

"Not just any law office. Some of the country's worst criminals passed through those doors. He was used to seeing criminals get off with a slap on the wrist and it's just human to acquire such skills, is it not?"

"I don't see what you are getting at Ms. Miller. Max and haven't spoken in a year and a half. I wouldn't know where to find him even if I wanted to talk with him. What he does or doesn't do in his professional life has nothing to do with me. It never did."

"It was those particular skills that allowed him to walk right through the restraining order you brought against him. Or am I mistaken?" Diane paused only long enough to tilt her head. "The bruises around your neck have healed quite nicely I see."

Elizabeth bit her lip and glared at Diane. How the hell had she found out about, scratch that she reminded herself. Sarah. It had to come from Sarah. The first and only time she had trusted her sister with any information. If she had just stuck with her first instinct and called Steven, but no she had to worry about him getting himself arrested on murder charges. "I can't control what laws other people choose to break Ms. Miller."

"It is not my intention to lay any blame on you, Miss Webber. Let me assure you of that right now. I only bring up Maxwell Giambetti's tendencies because, when the kidnapping attempt on young Cameron was made, did it not occur to you that it might have been his way of punishing you? And, if you did, why didn't you bring it up when the police questioned you? Were you trying to hide something?"

"It didn't occur to me because I haven't thought of Max Giambetti in almost a year. Because he had already moved on to someone else when I left town. If you did as through research as you're implying, you would have found that little fact out."

"I would have thought Cameron would be Mr. Spencer's biggest weakness." Diane countered, returning to one of her original questions. "And when his very safety was threatened...Why do you suppose he didn't think to tell my clients about it, Cameron's own grandparents?"

"A lot happened that night."

"And the nights following it?"

"Your Honor...relevance?" Dara chimed in.

"I have a point. I promise." Diane argued.

"Then get to it."

"Yes, Your Honor. Miss Webber, you are aware that the Grimes suffered a great loss when Cameron was only a baby, is that correct?"

"Yes I am aware their daughter died in a car accident."

"It's strange that you label it as an accident when the original report pointed toward foul play."

"There's no evidence of that." Elizabeth tried to keep her voice calm.

"Is that what your boyfriend told you?"

"Your Honor!" Dara stood up slamming her hands against the table. "This is not a criminal trial and Ms. Webber wasn't even in the state at the time of Ms. Grime's accident. How does Ms. Miller expect her to answer any questions regarding this?"

"I'm only trying to determine how much she knows from what she's been told? If she is to be a character witness for Mr. Spencer, the court needs to be able to differentiate between fact and opinion."

"I'll thank you to not do my job for me, Miss Miller." Judge Hicks reprimanded. "However, I don't find the questioning irrelevant. Please answer the question Miss Webber."

"It's badgering the witness Your Honor."

"Miss Jensen, you've been overruled. Sit down."

"Told." Elizabeth said reluctantly. "Robin Scorpio told me that."

"The same Robin Scorpio who was not, how shall I say, in the picture? I understand she and Miss Grimes did not get along. That would make her biased...not to mention the fact that she spent the better part of her life in his home."

"And taking the word of her parents isn't just as biased?" Elizabeth wondered.

"Miss Grimes is not on trial."

"You brought her up Ms. Miller. And you wanted to know what my opinion was of the situation."

"Well now I have it. Thank you for your time. I have no further questions Your Honor."

*****

The phone was only halfway to Patrick's ear when he answered the phone, "Hey, look. I'm on my way out. Can I call you back?"

"Patrick?" Morgan's voice was so soft, he barely heard it.

"Morgan?" Patrick closed the door and leaned against it. "Hey buddy. What's going on?"

"Grandpa Robert and I went to Disney Land." Morgan told him.

"Really?" Patrick asked eagerly. "Did you have a lot of fun?"

"Yeah! We rode all of the roller coasters and ate lots of sugar and pretzels—oh don't tell Robin, okay?" Morgan suddenly realized his slip-up.

"No worries Morgan." Patrick promised. "No worries. Where is Robin?"

"She's asleep again." Morgan explained. "Do you want me to wake her up?"

"No." Patrick shook his head. "No, let her rest. I'm sure she's exhausted."

"Patrick?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we ever going to get to come home?"

"What?"

"Come home." Morgan stressed out. "When am I going to get to come home?"

Patrick had the wildest sensation to scream, "Now! You can come home now." But that's not what he said. "I thought you were having fun with your grandpa?"

"I am." Morgan answered slowly. "I am. I just..."

"Just what? Morgan, it's not much longer and then you can come home." Patrick insisted.

"But I want to come home now." Morgan whined.

"Your mother needs this time with your grandpa—"

"Don't lie to me."

"What? Morgan, I'm not—"

"You're lying! You and Robin are fighting: that's why we're here. You won't say sorry."

"No, Morgan, that's not—"

"Just say you're sorry and then we can come home now." Morgan pleaded.

"It's not that simple. Morgan, we're not fighting."

"Then why is Robin always crying?" Morgan challenged furiously.

Patrick shut his eyes and blew out a tortured breath. The question shot him right through the heart. Robin was crying...and all the time? He couldn't just blame that on hormones. They kept missing each other, but that was going to have to end now. He was going to have to call her every hour until she answered—a beep-beep-beep interrupted his train of thought. "Morgan, I'll see you in three weeks, okay? You're coming home in three weeks, both of you."

"Bye Patrick. Love you."

**Previews**:

How hard would it be to overpower the Grimes and go through with the plan to take Cameron? Logan and Courtney and the mystery partner were still at large. Why, it wouldn't be any work at all.


	278. Out Here On My Own

She had to hand it to Diane Miller. The woman lived up to her reputation as a pit bull in the courtroom. Dara resisted the urge to walk up to her and smack the superior smirk off her opponent's face. So this was the way it was going to go then. Diane was going to ruthlessly attack every aspect of every witness's life and bring up Tony Grimes' unfounded belief that Jess had been murdered. Well, for once, Lucky's paranoia seemed to pay off. He had been convinced Tony would try to put blame for Jess's death on him almost from their first conversation about this case. She had called him crazy. Dara guessed she owed her client one huge apology when this was over. But not before she made sure the judge was aware of certain points.

Crossing over towards the witness stand, she tried to give Elizabeth a reassuring smile. "Miss Webber, have you talked about Jessalyn Grimes' death with Mr. Spencer since you found out about it?"

"I have. Several times actually."

"And in those discussions, what were your impressions of the relationship?"

"Objection your honor!" Diane Miller rose to her feet immediately. "Calls for conjecture."

"Your Honor, Ms. Miller opened the door to this when she brought up how Ms. Webber found out about Ms. Grimes' death."

Judge Hicks nodded serenely. "Ms. Jensen has a point Counselor. If you are going to explore this as part of your case, then Ms. Jensen is welcome to explore it as well. Overruled."

It was a battle to keep from sticking her tongue out as Diane sat down, clearly irked that she had lost, but Dara battled it willingly. Taking a breath, she turned towards Elizabeth once again. "Ms. Webber, if you could answer the question please."

Chewing on her bottom lip, Elizabeth tried to keep her eyes from locking on Tony Grimes. "I always had the impression they were young and loved each other in a way and had realized they were better apart than together. It always sounded like they were trying their best to go forward with their lives, but making sure that Cameron was always taken care of."

"Did you ever get the impression that there was bad blood between Mr. Spencer and Ms. Grimes?"

"No. I know they argued, but I never heard they were bitter and hated each other."

"In fact Ms. Webber, have you ever heard anyone connected to Mr. Spencer speak ill of Ms. Grimes?"

"No I can't say that I have."

Nodding her head, Dara moved back to the table and pretended to look over her notes. "Ms. Webber, when you discussed this with Mr. Spencer, did he explain to you why he had not told you about Cameron's mother or the way she died?"

"Yes. He said he was going to tell me, but it wasn't the easiest subject to bring up over dinner."

"Could the same be said for why you didn't want your unfortunate experience with your previous boyfriend to be well known?"

"Yes. I was trying to move on with my life and put the whole thing behind me."

Nodding her head, Dara placed her fingers under her chin, the picture of contemplation. "Ms. Webber would you say Mr. Spencer is close to his family?"

"I'd say extremely close. One of his best friends is his cousin. He lives just a few blocks from his parents. He has a close relationship with his sister. There is almost always a member of the Spencer family nearby."

"So you've met Logan Drake on several occasions then."

"No. Just once."

"Just once?" Dara exclaimed in surprise. "But I thought Mr. Spencer is close to his family."

"He is. Logan isn't close to the Spencers. No one ever seemed to know where he was before the kidnappings. As far as anyone knows, he only sporadically calls his own brother. He doesn't show up for family parties or dinners. When he showed up after Cameron's accident, it was a complete surprise to everyone. He got into an argument with his brother and ex-wife and hasn't been seen since."

"In your opinion, does anyone in the family feel warmly towards Logan?"

"When I first met his brother, Patrick, he did but I couldn't say the same for everyone else. Right now I think they only want him found so justice can be done. I don't know of anyone who thinks he's being unfairly accused."

"Thank you Ms. Webber. Your Honor, I have no further questions for the witness at this time, however I will recall her at a later time."

"So noted counselor." Judge Hicks said nodding. "Ms. Webber you are excused for the time being."

*****

"Yeah? And if I don't? Are you going to go up to the Dean and tell him that I'm being unfair and won't finish your paper?" Lulu scoffed into the phone, taking in the awful appearance of her nails. She didn't know when she had started letting them look like this, but she reminded herself she had bigger problems to deal with, such as how she was going to live and meet Vermin's ridiculous prices. There had been a time when she had convinced herself she didn't need the drugs. After all, they just made her feel worse. It had been a short period of denial; she hadn't made it the week she recalled.

The worst part was that she couldn't concentrate. Her grades were suffering and she knew if they kept dropping she would lose her money for tuition. The Government wasn't willing to help out slackers. How hard had she worked to get to where she was? How many nights of fun had she given up to pursue her goal of entering and leaving college without loans hovering above her head?

At first, it had just been a once-in-a-while kind of addiction, or so she had told herself. She just needed a little then, just needed to get through her classes without randomly attacking a classmate who favored her psychotic cousin in appearance. Then, the insomnia hit. Now her dreams were even more disturbing and the slumber so deep there was no escape save the blistering light of morning. She had lost with any friends she had managed to make at the beginning of the semester. She had started sleeping through the alarm and missing exams, serious exams. Her clients were leaving her, but of course they were. She had lost her credibility.

Lulu ended the call without making a sound and glared up at the calendar as it mocked her. She knew what today was and she knew where she should have been. The early days of a custody trial that had been four years in the making. Five if you counted the months Jess had been pregnant with him. Tony had hated Lucky on sight, but then she supposed he was every person's worst nightmare what with his if-they-don't-like-it-they-can-eat-me persona and ability to be whatever he wanted, no matter the cost. Maybe she was being selfish, but then she felt totally justified in her condition. It had been months since the kidnapping. Alexis and Robin had considered counseling for their children but discarded it once they realized that neither child remembered anything from the time they had been taken to the moment they were returned home.

Only Lulu knew. Only she remembered. Only she could feel Logan's labored breathing on the back of her neck when he dragged her down the stairs and out the door. She was the one who had cried herself to sleep for the first four weeks she had been safely back at home. Had anyone come to check on her, see how she was doing? It was only the arrival of a habit she had kicked years ago that roused Lucas' suspicion, but she hadn't wanted to burden him. His kid was sick. He was chasing his tail, trying to figure out the best way to help everyone, neglecting himself. It was a Spencer trait to take care of everyone but themselves. She wondered how Lucky was holding up, wondered what lies the Grimes were telling the judge.

When cars backfired in the parking lot, did every person in the world assume it was a gunshot? Had they all seen the immediate damage two bullets at close range could do? Dragged out by her hair, the only sound she had been able to make out was Cameron's whimpering. She still heard him at night. Even though she knew he was fine. Even though she knew he was safe. She didn't know he was fine and she didn't think he was safe. How hard would it be to overpower the Grimes and go through with the plan to take Cameron? Logan and Courtney and the mystery partner were still at large. Why, it wouldn't be any work at all.

*****

The last thing she would have expected to be able to describe the first day after the custody trial was quiet. But it was. It was quiet in the courtroom when Diane started her attack. Quiet after she had finally been dismissed from the witness stand. Quiet as friend after friend of Jess' took the stand to talk about how much Jess was missed and how much they saw of Jess in Cameron. Quiet on the drive home to pick up the twins from Dillon and Lucas. And now as she sat in the chair in the corner of their room, with her feet curled up under her, Elizabeth had to admit, it was quiet in their house.

From the second Diane had thrown out the fact she had taken out a restraining order against Max, Elizabeth had been expecting something from Lucky. Questions, expletives, a demand for any sort of explanation, but nothing had come. His eyes had glazed over initially, in anger or hurt she couldn't tell, and from then on he had barely glanced at her. When they came home, he had taken over getting the twins settled. She could hear him murmuring to them through the scratch of the baby monitor.

It was just as well he hadn't demanded an explanation immediately. She needed the time to focus on what she had to tell him. Max had been a cheating bastard, but that had apparently just been the tip of the iceberg. It wasn't the original plan to heavily edit the story of her move to Port Charles, but Lucky's immediate decision to run Max over with his car the next time he was in Boulder made her hold her tongue. The same instinct that told her not to call her brother that night spoke up again and compelled her to not finish the rest of the story. Call it protecting them, call it being chicken, it was more than likely a combination of both, but Elizabeth had heeded it.

And now she was going to have to face the consequences of stalling. Lucky knew and it would only be a matter of time now before Steven found out. If Diane was going to throw it in her face, she had no doubt the lawyer was going to lob it at her brother as proof he wasn't a good judge of character.

Spying Lucky entering the room, out of the corner of her eye, Elizabeth squared her shoulder. Steven could wait for now; first she had to tell Lucky the whole nasty sordid truth.

"How are the twins?" Okay, she told herself, apparently she was still going to stall a little bit.

"They're fine. I think they actually feel asleep at the same time. A first."

Three whole sentences. It was an improvement over the rough "fine" he had been shoving off on her every question since her testimony, Lucky realized. It had taken every ounce of self control not to stand up and pound on the table when Diane had started in on her questions. They had known Diane was going to attack her, try to paint it as if her parent's bonehead decision to back the Grimes meant anything, but even in the most remote corner of his mind, he hadn't imagined Max would be brought up, much less in the spectacular fashion he had.

"Good." Elizabeth allowed herself a small smile. "We have to talk."

"Oh yeah, we need to talk now. Instead of, oh I don't know, when you first told me about Max?"

She winced. It was deserved but it still hurt. "I should have told you but I can explain..."

"Oh well if you can explain why I had to hear about it in court from the lawyer out to take my son away from me instead from you, then I'm all ears." He drew out an angry breath and stalked over towards the window. Diane Miller deserved this anger, but she wasn't here right now.

"I should have been the one to tell you. I know I should have told you. And I should have guessed that Sarah wouldn't miss the chance to look like a hero by telling that story. The last time I try to give her a chance to be human. And if I knew it was going to come up I would have told you. You know I would never do anything to risk you losing Cameron."

He shook his head in disbelief. "If you knew it was going to come out, you would have told me? So if this whole thing didn't happen you never would have said anything? Right?"

"No. That's not...." Elizabeth closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I don't know. Maybe."

"Maybe. I rate a maybe."

"I haven't thought about Max in almost a year. He had already screwed me up so much and I didn't want him to mess with us anymore than he already had. God you know what a basket case I was when we met?"

He did. The random freak outs over nothing. The flying leaps of logic she would and could make at a drop of the hat. The elaborate revenge schemes she could plan had only rivaled an act of Helena. But it still didn't excuse the fact she hadn't said word one about it. Not even a hint that their break up was anything more than a slightly more dramatic tale of a cheating boyfriend getting caught. Bruises around her neck? What had that bastard done to her? And why hadn't she told him?

"I know it sounds stupid, but the only person who knows is my sister and the Boulder police. Grams doesn't know. Steven doesn't know. Robin. You. I just wanted to escape from everything and forget it ever happened." Shaking her head to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes, she chewed on her lower lip. "I just wanted to forget."

Escape. A feeling he was familiar with intimately. Along with the long sad realization that escape from your past was apparently impossible. Whenever he expected it and often when he didn't, his would stop him in his tracks. "Aren't you the one who always tells me I can't forget my past?"

"I have a bad track record of taking my own advice remember? And if you doubt that, I'm calling Robin right now and she's backing me up."

"Just tell me what happened. If Diane and your family are going to throw it out there, I need to know."

Closing her eyes, Elizabeth could see the scenes she had tried to repress so many times. "After I found him with Melissa and threw things at him, obviously we were over. He tried a couple of times to talk to me, to get me to "see reason" as he put it and I basically told him to go to hell. And I thought that would be the end of it."

"Obviously that was wrong."

"Yeah just a slight miscalculation. I don't know if I mentioned it but Max was, is, a total control freak. And when I repeatedly ignored him, he started showing up everywhere. My job. Where I hung out with the few friends who didn't know he and Melissa were being all nasty cheating couple on me. My apartment. Everywhere. He left messages. Told me I didn't have the right to say when it was over. It was his call. I tried to ignore it but it didn't stop. A friend of mine worked with a lawyer and he got the restraining order taken out."

"Then what?" He kept his voice calm trying to mask the rage he could feel building.

"Max found out about it. And he didn't…didn't take it well. I came home one night after ditching an obvious blind date attempt and decided a night in front of the TV with pizza was going to be a better option than making small talk with a guy someone's brother knew from the gym. And you know how you get sucked into shows and you forget to pay attention to what you were doing? Well that happened, and when there was a knock on the door, I didn't check. I always checked the door and I didn't."

"Max."

"It sure wasn't pizza." She wiped furiously at the tears as the started to fall from her eyes in earnest. "I tried to shut the door and he pushed past me. And I know he shoved me against the wall and I don't really remember much after that. I remember waking up and the ambulance being there. I don't if its irony or someone's sick idea of a joke, but the pizza guy apparently came by just after he left. I'm sure it annoys Max to no end that he's in jail because of a college freshman making minimum wage."

"Why Sarah? If she's the only one you told, I assume you had to call her."

"It wasn't exactly the first choice. Surprise, surprise my parents were out of the country. And I thought about calling Steven, but then I would probably have to bail him when he was arrested for murder. I didn't want to call any of my friends because I thought I would hear how stupid I was for not checking the door when you have a restraining order against someone. I mean hello stupid soap heroine. I didn't want anyone to know and at the time I thought there was no way Sarah would be able to profit from telling anyone. I mean even my parents would have to fake sympathy for the daughter beat up by the cheating bastard right? The press coverage alone would guarantee that much. So I called Sarah. In retrospect, even bailing Steven out of jail would have been a better choice."

Somewhere in the middle of her recitation, Lucky had found himself sitting down slowly on their bed. He had merely wanted to hurt Max before but now he wanted to kill him. "He's still in jail?"

Elizabeth nodded. "Yeah. Last I heard. It won't be forever obviously but long enough."

"Not long enough for me."

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you. Half the things I tell Sarah she takes credit for or she thinks it was said by TV character. I should have been the one to tell you, not Diane, not my sister, me. And I should have told you a long time ago."

"Just answer me one more question. Are you ok?"

"I am now. Thanks to you. God you have no idea how much you've helped me with this, even if I didn't tell you were helping me." She offered up a small smile. "Are we ok?"

"We will be."

**Previews**:

"My upbringing says bribery."

"If it comes to that. Let's try my family's approach: guilt and obligation."

"Oh sure if you want to play nice."


	279. Call Me

"Is this Patrick Drake?" A gravelly voice asked the moment Patrick answered the phone. Ever since his conversation with Morgan, he had been trying his hardest to get in touch with Robin. So far, he hadn't had any luck. This was just another failure. At least he had gotten someone to answer. Something told him he should hang up now, but he didn't know why.

"Yes." Patrick replied slowly.

"The same Patrick Drake who is the reason Robin is in tears twenty-four-seven?" Then he heard it. Faint, but the accent caught his attention. Of course, Robert Scorpio. After the initial shock, he wondered why he was still allowing this conversation to go on. The man obviously knew the situation. Robin couldn't exactly hide her condition any longer and the man was a spy for Christ's sake. She must have told him something, but what? How much did he know? Right now he just sounded like an overprotective father stepping up to defend his wounded offspring.

"Yes." Patrick finally said. "Would it be possible to talk to her?" Even before he asked the question, he knew the answer he would receive. Robert Scorpio would sooner sleep on hot coals than let him talk to Robin.

"I don't think that's going to be possible." Robert told him in a no-nonsense tone.

"Tell me why." The words tumbled out before he thought better of them. Shit. He had heard horror stories about this man's reputation from Uncle Luke and wouldn't be surprised if there was a trained assassin at his door this very minute. "I have every right."

"You have no right as far as I'm concerned. So you thought you'd ring my daughter and push her over the emotional cliff she's been dangling off of since she got here? I guess I shouldn't be too surprised that a man with no respect for my daughter--" Robert mused.

"I have the utmost respect for your daughter!" Patrick shouted.

"If you had given my daughter a second thought, well ever, you wouldn't have her masquerading as your fake fiancé. You would take responsibility for your own actions. Hell, you would at least let her relish in the existence of her baby with her family." Robert scoffed, rubbing the earpiece across his forehead in frustration.

"I'm trying to protect her." Patrick insisted.

"You're trying to protect yourself. Your own family doesn't know. I wouldn't even know if I hadn't seen her with my own eyes."

"We're telling them when she gets back. In case you missed it, you guilted her into coming there at a time when we could have told everyone."

"Don't blame me for your lousy time. Last time I checked, she was almost six months along."

Patrick wanted to slam down the phone in incredulity. He had half-expected Robert to not care at all. After all, the man didn't exactly make his daughter a priority. Maybe it was easier to blame Patrick than to admit he was the one who was wrong. "Have her call me." He was stopping this fight before it came even more ridiculous. He didn't care what Robert Scorpio thought of him, but if he didn't talk to Robin soon, he wasn't sure they had a future.

"I can't say I'm surprised you're running away from a fight." Robert patronized.

"When I see that there isn't going to be any real outcome, I don't waste my time." Patrick threw back.

"Were you missing on the day God handed out brains or are you just unfamiliar on how to use it?"

"I'm not going to be intimidated by an over-the-hill spy with trust issues." Patrick explained through gritted teeth.

"When I meet you, it won't matter if you're standing in the middle of a police station. I'm going to kick your ass." Robert declared.

"Bring it on old man. Or should I call you Dad?" Patrick taunted.

"You sorry sack of—" Robert broke off and Patrick heard movement. "We'll get to this later."

"Let me talk to her!" Patrick demanded even though Robert had already ended the call. "SON OF A BITCH!" He chunked the phone into the wall.

*****

Seeing his husband come through the door, Dillon crossed his arms as Lucas neared him. Just have some random guy call the house who can't be bothered to leave anything more than a name? And Lucas had the nerve to think there was something going on between him and Georgie? HA! "Who the hell is Gary?"

"Did he call?" Lucas countered instead.

"Did he call?" Dillon repeated incredulously. "Did he call is all you can say to me?"

"Did you take down the message or are you going on your memory? I only ask because it's kind of important." Lucas stressed.

"A message? A message? No he claimed he had to talk to _just_ you and it was too personal to leave with a stranger. Since when am I a stranger Lucas?"

"You're not a stranger. I know you very intimately." Lucas grinned, moving toward his office where he assumed he would find a handwritten note of scribbles and pictures.

"Oh don't think you are getting out of this trouble with sweet talk mister!" Dillon followed directly behind Lucas, almost kicking his heel directly.

"Are we fighting?" Lucas asked casually, shaking his head at the pile of sticky notes. He had tried hiring a secretary, but Dillon had thrown a fit.

"No you are explaining why strange men are calling here looking for you and refusing to speak to me. And just so you know if you are seeing this Gary, I will go Fatal Attraction on you."

"Seeing? Seeing? Dillon, really." Lucas patronized, finding something that resembled the note he was looking for.

"Well I'm not hearing a better explanation."

"Give me a second and maybe I'll come up with one." Lucas started to dial, but Dillon disconnected the call. "What do you think you're doing? This is important!"

"Not as important as you telling me what is going on." Dillon moved the phone further behind him and sat on Lucas's desk. "You've never kept me out of the loop like this."

"I don't want to get your hopes up in case it doesn't work out." Lucas explained briefly.

"In case what doesn't work out?"

Lucas gripped the phone tighter as he put it in its cradle. Slowly, he met Dillon's eyes. "I've been trying to find Sage."

Dillon blinked, looking for any hint of a joke in Lucas's eyes. Seeing the same serious expression Lucas always wore, Dillon put his hand on the desk to steady himself. "Sage." He stated his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Sage. As I said, I didn't want to get your hopes up in case..."

"In case she's still Sage." Dillon finished. He had never pretended to understand his old friend's decision to never have contact with Lance. It just didn't make sense to him. How could you not want to know your own child?

"In case she's not a match." Lucas clarified quietly.

"A match? Lucas, you heard Dr. Wexler say that could be years away for Lance."

"I don't care what she said. Aspirin and medication aren't enough. I was feeling desperate."

"Lucas." Dillon reached out to grab his husband's shoulder. "You aren't a doctor. You hate math."

"You said it yourself: once a detective, always a detective."

"Actually I think I said once a pain in the ass, always a pain in the ass."

"I like the paraphrased version better." Lucas chuckled. "Anyway, I may have a lead. That's what the call was about."

"And you couldn't tell me you were doing this because? We both know I am a model of a calm, cool collected James Dean type."

"Yeah. That's why you were accusing me of having an affair. Real cool."

Dillon rolled his eyes. "Excuse me why do you hate your cousin Georgie again?"

"I don't hate Georgie. I just wish she'd move on from you so I could sleep a little better at night. That's not a crime."

"Oh yeah and me wondering who about Gary was completely irrational."

"Yes it was. You and Georgie have history."

"Ancient history. Like Elizabeth Taylor's career. Let go and move on. And you still are going to tell me who Gary is."

"I put out a few feelers and one of them paid off. That's all."

"What are we going to do if you find her?"

"Bound and gag her, naturally."

"Well that is the more civilized option."

"What would you suggest?"

"My upbringing says bribery."

"If it comes to that. Let's try my family's approach: guilt and obligation."

"Oh sure if you want to play nice."

*****

The knock on the door startled him. Tearing his concentration away from the file he had snuck from the squad room Harper stared quizzically at the door. It wasn't impossible to continue his mission while camping out at Kimes's shitty bachelor pad but this was the first time in days he had to look more closely at the next drug dealer on the list. Standing up he wondered who would come here. As far as he could tell, Kimes had no life outside the station. And the only person who knew he was here had sworn multiple times she wouldn't be by.

Opening the door, he couldn't contain the shock that coursed through his veins as he took in her shaking small frame. "Samantha?"

"I wasn't in the neighborhood or anything." Sam told him once she regained the ability to speak. He looked so good, she thought numbly. And maybe if he hadn't called her Samantha, she would have been able to keep the tremor out of her voice.

"Sure. I know you always just knock on strange doors." He put out his hand and pulled her inside. What had happened to her?

"Yeah." Sam answered, taking in the shabby hole in the wall and noticing how much Harper stood out.

"Sit down." He gestured towards the only comfortable spot to sit, the leather sofa he had just vacated. "I'll make you some coffee."

"No, no that's okay. I think if I have another cup I probably won't sleep." Sam chattered uneasily.

"Samantha, sit down." He said gently. "Sit down."

"Fine, okay. I'll sit. Sure." Sam lowered herself onto the edge of the couch, her eyes darting from one corner of the room to the next as if she expected the furniture to attack her.

Perching himself on the coffee table in front of her, he pushed the file off and onto the floor. Reaching out he gently took her hands in his own, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles. "Talk to me."

"Well, okay, so I may have found a lead on my mother." She was rambling, she noticed. She never rambled.

"Good. That's good right? It's what you wanted right?" He kept his voice steady and low, an effort to keep her calm.

What she wanted? She had wanted to find out why her mother had left her life before she had even obtained a single memory of her, but she had never thought...Well she had brought this on herself. Startled, she realized she had said the last part aloud.

"Brought what on yourself Samantha?"

"I was stupid to go looking for her. What did I expect to find?" Sam asked in a harsh whisper. "I painted up this impossible picture of who she was, why she gave me up..."

"You expected to find answers. No fault in that."

"I wanted to know why and now I do." Sam bit down hard on her lip to keep from losing it in front of him. Why had she even come here?

"What is it you know Samantha?" He felt the powerful urge to pull her close to him and never let her out of his arms, but he knew better. She'd relent for a second and then run for the hills. He kept his hands on her and offered a gentle squeeze. "What did you find?"

"Apparently I was too needy for a woman on the run."

"On the run?"

"Yeah. She killed a man." Sam informed him, starting to shake. "And gave birth to me halfway through her way out of town."

"Are you sure?" It was a hell of a bombshell to digest. How had she found out and what was her information?

"I checked the records for a woman in Port Charles, since I know that she was from here, and there she was. There wasn't a picture and no name. She changed her identity."

"Maybe she just missed school picture day."

Sam's head jerked toward him. "This isn't a joke!"

"I'm sorry. It's not. But if this woman has no name and no picture, how are you sure she's your mother?"

"Because she gave birth the day I was born and it kind of makes sense I would have a mother like that." In the back of her mind, she had always wondered what kind of person she had come from. Her father was no picnic and she hadn't been all that sad when he died. She had been passed down from one foster home to the next, waiting and hoping that her biological mother would rescue her. She never had.

"Why would that make sense?" He placed his finger underneath her chin and pushed her face up, forcing her to look at him. "Why would you think possibly having a mother who was wanted for a crime would make sense for you?"

"I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I shouldn't have come here."

"No." Ignoring the voice that told him this would just lead to trouble, Harper pulled her towards him, causing her to rest on his lap. "No. Just stay."

When his arms swooped down around her she told herself she would just rest against him for a minute. "I don't mean to keep making this your problem."

"Hey, I told you I wanted to help you with this."

"I bet you're regretting that."

"Never." Harper snuck a hand up and pushed her hair off her face. "You're not a girl to regret."

*****

"Don't get up. I'll get it." Steven assured his grandmother as the phone continued to disturb their movie, his personal favorite, Rear Window. "Hardy Residence."

"Hi Steven." Georgie smiled into the phone.

He smirked in response. "Hi."

"So, am I busting up any hot dates?"

"You certainly are. Grams and I were just getting into Rear Window." Steven lightly teased.

"Oh well I guess you don't want to go on a date with me then." She teased right back.

"I didn't say that. What did you have in mind?"

"Dinner. Say Friday? Just you, me, some wine, my father."

"That dinner?" Steven asked breathlessly.

"Yeah. That dinner. You wouldn't by chance be interested would you?"

"I would be very interested. Where?"

"The Outback. Seven? Alexis and I think it will help if he's in a familiar setting."

"Sure. Yeah. I think so too." A part of him hadn't expected this moment to ever come. Now that it was here, he was a little overwhelmed. It was breathe in, breathe...what?

"Good." She could feel the butterflies that were going to rest in her stomach from now until Steven sat down next to her on Friday take flight in the pit of her stomach. There was not turning back now. They were really going to do this. Finally they could actually be husband and wife. "You're not going to be late right? You'll be on time?"

Steven laughed. "Well I was thinking I would show up about closing time...you know, just to keep the anticipation going."

"You wouldn't dare."

"Of course not. I'll be there."

"I love you. You know that right?"

"Ditto."

"OK I gotta go. I'll see you soon ok?"

"Before Friday I hope."

"I do too."

**Previews: **

He bent down in front of her. "If I didn't have you, I couldn't get over it and move on. No one could ever compare to you and I could never love anyone the way I love you."

"Mac, please…" Alexis begged, tears immediately springing to her eyes.


	280. My Same

Alexis smiled as her a familiar pair of lips settled over hers; leaving her eyes closed, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Not having to rush off to work had its perks, she could admit to herself. She wondered what he was still doing at home. Maybe the criminals had taken the morning off, she mused with a smile. His tongue was warm and sweet as it slid between her lips and teeth and ran across the roof of her mouth. Sighing, she pulled him toward her, her fingers bunching in the fabric of his shirt.

Giving her his old Police Academy t-shirt was the best decision he had ever made, Mac thought to himself. It just about swallowed Alexis up giving her the excuse to wear it to bed and him the opportunity to encounter as little clothing as possible when fate smiled upon him and allowed him a few quiet moments with her. She sat up her knees, her eyes still stubbornly shut, and he drew back, breaking the kiss and making her moan in response. It was good to know he could still get to her this way.

His hair was still wet from his shoulder. She could make out just a faint scent of soap and cologne on his skin when her lips fell across his neck. Deciding she had to do more than smell him, she allowed her eyelids to flutter open and crawled behind him, her lips still pressed to his neck while her fingers molded into the muscles in his back. She chanced a glimpse at the door and smiled when she saw it was shut and locked. He really did think of everything.

It was all he could do to not let his head fall forward when her sweet little kisses turned to light tugging and her knuckles bit into his back. He reached for her and crashed their lips together, needing to taste her. She met his eager mouth with frenzied kisses of her own and crept toward him, his impatient hands helping her into his lap. Something told her he wasn't bluffing but, just to be sure, she ground her hips against his and he was panting.

"Naughty." Mac whispered into her ear and let his hand glide between them and close around one covered breast. The thin material allowed him to feel every sensation as he rubbed his thumb against her and felt her nipple stab into his hand. She jerked his shirt up but became irritated when he refused to abandon his current task long enough for her to relieve him of it. Instead, he slid his hand under her shirt and listened to her quick intake of breath as he applied a more direct approach.

So he thought he could make her a mess anytime he wanted? Alexis mulled over. Well, two could play that game. Something must have given her away because he restrained her hands before she could return the favor. He held her easily with one hand and lazily kissed her, chuckling when she struggled against his hold. "Malcolm." She whispered brokenly.

He could feel her trembling, but told himself he was going to sustain her pleasure as long as he possibly could. When he moved into his second part of this foolproof plan, he wanted her calm and satisfied. Not that he was worried about the latter because they had been made for each other in personality, moral responsibility, and their bodies fit together like puzzle pieces. He stroked her skin purposefully, his hand leaving her flushed breast and heading for a new destination, one that was sure to have her arching off the bed in anticipation. He kept their mouths linked as he pushed the shirt away from her skin and slipped his palm inside her panties. They both groaned when his finger slid easily between her legs and caressed her in an antagonizing slow rhythm. With his free hand, he clutched her chin and made sure her gaze didn't waver from his. She grabbed his wrist and worked it to her own agenda, her broken gasps ringing in his ears as he reined his own passion as best he could.

"Please. Now. I've got to have you now." Alexis cried out breaking free of his loosening hold and reaching for the top button of his fly, tugging at it anxiously. He gulped as she efficiently shoved his pants down and ran her index finger across the lining of his boxers.

The only flaw in his plan, he realized, was that he wanted to give into her plea. What was he thinking, making her wait? To do so would mean he would have to. Stubbornly, he snatched up her hand before she reached his sex and threw it over her head propelling her onto her back. Their legs tangled and she lifted herself into him hastily. He moved his other hand to her stomach and held her there, groaning when she bit his bottom lip in response. If there was one thing Alexis wasn't, it was patient.

*****

Alexis's heartbeat thudded rapidly against Mac's chest as he held her tightly to him. His hair had dried while hers was moist with sweat. He tried to fight back his smile when he thought about other moist things and subtly moved his hand between their bodies to stroke her carefully. She glared at him, swatting away his hand and kissed his fingertips. He slid his hand through her hair and pulled her into a slow kiss and she came to him willingly, angling her legs on either side of him even though they were both too exhausted to do anything more than lie there.

"Do you have any plans for today?" Mac trailed kisses all along her throat.

"Is it still light out?" Alexis joked tangling her fingers in his hair.

"I think so." Mac chuckled tracing her spine with the outside of his hand. "Are you up for a little lunch?"

"Is it lunchtime already?" Alexis was surprised.

"I feel like lunch and, even if it's not time for it, I want it. What about you?"

"Well I know how you like to get what you want." Alexis whispered.

"Correction: I always get what I want." Mac argued.

"Oh excuse me, yes I forgot. Just so long as I'm what you want." She tried to laugh off what she had said, but noticed Mac's eyes change.

"Why would say that?"

"I was joking." Alexis insisted.

"It's not funny." Mac assured her.

"Well, it is something we should be thinking about." Alexis reminded him, pushing on his shoulders so that she could sit up. He didn't try to stop her and she tried not to let that hurt her.

"I thought we'd established long ago that you're the only one I want…forever and always."

"We did, but I'm not holding you to what you said." Alexis nodded.

"I'll thank you not to let me off the hook." Mac grumbled, reaching for pants and sliding them on. He seemed a million miles away.

"I don't want to fight with you." She admitted.

"Then why say something like that?" Mac challenged angrily.

"Because I don't think you're getting it." She murmured.

"Getting what?" Mac prodded.

"That I could die." Alexis supplied looking down at her hands.

"Trust me, I get it." Mac cut her off swiftly, cutting an imaginary line in the air with his hand. "And I think I've figured out why you keep bringing it up."

"Because you refuse to acknowledge it's a possibility? Or how about you're so stubborn, you won't even discuss—?" Alexis practically growled at him when he put his hand over her mouth.

"After all this time, you're still waiting for the other shoe to drop." Mac decided with a grim nod.

"I am not." Alexis pulled on the old t-shirt, obviously feeling too vulnerable without it.

"Yes, yes you are. You keep expecting me to make funeral arrangements for you and go on with my life. What you don't seem to understand is that you're vital to my health." He bent down in front of her. "If I didn't have you, I couldn't get over it and move on. No one could ever compare to you and I could never love anyone the way I love you."

"Mac, please…" Alexis begged, tears immediately springing to her eyes.

"No. I've tiptoed around this long enough. It stops now." Mac closed his hand around both of hers and leaned up to kiss her.

"I hate that you can do this to me." Alexis whispered as he tangled their tongues together and enveloped her in his arms.

"You love it. Don't lie." Mac teased, breaking the kiss a moment later. When she stared at him disbelievingly, he kissed the inside of her palms and intertwined their hands. "I love you." He told her simply.

"I love you too." Alexis nodded emphatically. Closing this thumb and index finger around her left hand, he eased the engagement ring off her finger, ignoring her struggle. "What are you doing? That's mine! Give it back!" She whined, looking as if she might pounce on him.

"I will." Mac promised. "But not until I do this right."

"Do what right? Mac, give me my ring back." Alexis demanded worriedly.

"I gave you this ring under the assumption that you wanted to marry me." Mac told her.

"I do. I do want to marry you."

"Is that why you keep reminding me how sick you are? Because you can't wait to be my wife? I don't think so. You're setting yourself up for the inevitable, whatever that is. You're not getting worse. You've been doing your treatments and your hair is growing back. Why can't you see it? Why can't you trust that something good and right is happening here, that I love you more than I ever thought I could love another person?" Mac was almost yelling when he finished.

"I…I don't know." Alexis whimpered.

"You told me not so long ago that you can't see us getting married."

"I was worried that…I was preparing you for…"

"You can't even convince yourself what you're saying makes any sense." Mac accused, swiping a hand through his hair. "It's bullshit…and what's worse is you know it's bullshit."

"I'm scared." Alexis admitted bowing her head.

"I know." Mac nodded. "But what of?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do. Honey, I know your family left something to be desired, but that doesn't mean—"

"This isn't about them."

"This is always about them." He interrupted. "You're scared to let me love you."

"That's ridiculous." Alexis met his eyes defiantly.

"Is it?"

"Yes. Completely and utterly ridiculous. I'm not scared of you loving me."

"But are you afraid of the power it holds?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not ever going to give up on you. I don't care what the doctors say. God Himself could come down to Earth and tell me that he's taking you with him and I still wouldn't—"

"I'm not going to let you watch me die. That's something no one should have to go through." Alexis cut him off.

"You're not going to die! Goddammit Alexis!"

Alexis dropped her gaze to her hands again, not sure what she could say to make this better. Everything had been so nice before. Her and her stupid mouth. She could have avoided all of this. Now Mac was pacing the room and refused to look at her.

"Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to have to convince the person you love that, yes, maybe they are strong enough to fight the obstacle life threw their way?" Mac challenged. "Do you? God, I want to share a life with you, my life. I want to merge our families and I want Kristina to call me Dad." He caught her eyes then.

"I want that too." Alexis whispered.

"Then stop fighting it. Shit happens, we both know that. That doesn't mean we have to stop living every minute we have. Life is unpredictable and we have no guarantees how much time we have on this earth. I'm done with this." Mac declared.

"Done with what? Me?" Alexis inquired quietly.

**Previews**:

The desert expanded out in a panoramic vista of red dirt and cacti. He supposed some would find it breathtaking and beautiful. These people, Ric mused, did not date Maxie Jones.


	281. Closing Time

Three weeks. It had been three weeks since she had actually answered his calls. And he had been calling at all hours. When he was sure she was off work. When he knew she would be working on her design for Lucy Coe. He'd left messages. He'd sent emails. He drew the line at sending flowers. That move was both cliché and something Maxie would deride as a bribe right out of the movies. Ric ran his hand through his hair in frustration as once again his call was sent straight through to her voicemail.

"I'm far too busy to talk to you right now. I'll call you back when I feel it's important." Once again, the taped sound of her voice was a poor substitute for the real thing.

"Blondie. You have some explaining to do when I get back." Ric slammed his phone shut in frustration. He had exhausted the last of his pleasant messages long ago. Months ago, he had told her he wasn't a yo-yo and once again he was feeling toyed with. She was freezing him out right now and he didn't have a clue why. If she'd just pick up the phone, he'd even take a declaration that they were nothing, next to nothing, and couldn't be anything else. At least that he knew; at least that he could work with.

Sitting down on the wicker seat, he looked out over the pool that glittered in Charlotte's backyard. The desert expanded out in a panoramic vista of red dirt and cacti. He supposed some would find it breathtaking and beautiful. These people, Ric mused, did not date Maxie Jones.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Kate's voice sounded from behind him. Smiling softly she moved from the sliding glass door and took a seat in the chair directly next to him. Teasing lightly, she winked at him. "It can't be all that bad. You haven't even seen the Colonel yet today."

A small chuckle escaped from him before he could keep it back. True, if he had been near his father, he wouldn't just be confused. He might also be a little enraged. "You know me. I love to ponder the meaning of life."

"A simple you don't want to talk about it would work fine. You don't have to lie to me Ric." She admonished gently, swiping at his hand resting on the armrest.

"I'm sorry. I just don't know where my head's at today."

"The desert is a great place to figure it out. No noise. No buildings. No people."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't want me to return to the city." Ric taunted.

"Well if all you're going to do around here is mope. You can't bring a girl down like that."

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Go ahead. You already know all my dirty little secrets anyway."

"What are you still doing here?"

Kate shrugged her shoulders. "Charlotte needs me. The Colonel needs me."

"Charlotte has her husband and The Colonel made a deal with the Devil long ago. He's not going anywhere." Ric pointed out.

"I've been part of this family for a long time Ric. Just because we signed the papers doesn't mean the feelings go away."

"It'd be a lot easier if they did." Ric spoke mostly to himself but she must have heard him.

"Ric?" She turned to face him, a question in her eyes. Ironically she had made her career by asking tough questions, and now just a few words were trying up her tongue. "What are you really asking me?"

"What?" Ric looked startled. "Nothing."

"No. I don't think that was nothing."

"I'm not going to fall back on the old cliché and say this experience has made me look at things differently. Nothing is different." Ric told her.

"Of course it is." Kate protested. "You almost lost your father. It's different Ric."

"I'm still the son he never wanted, Charlotte is still trying to save the world, and you're still here. See? Nothing's different."

"But what about you? You conveniently left yourself off there."

"I'm the oddball." Ric explained. "The one that never quite fit."

"Which you used to throw in everyone's face. Used it to run away from everyone. I don't think you're running anymore."

That was exactly the problem. He should be running...running right back to Port Charles where he was safe from his father's scrutiny and his sister's good intentions. He still wouldn't be safe from running into Kate since she had pressing matters to handle there. She wasn't just going to go away.

Leaning toward him, Kate took his hand in hers. "It's not a bad thing Ric. I'm finding staying still has its advantages."

He had a feeling she was saying one thing and meaning another. He snatched his hand away. There was no point in reminiscing the past. Staying was no longer an option.

Standing up, Kate bit on her bottom lip. Clearly she had touched some nerve with him, but she would be damned if she knew what it was. As it always was, if Ric wanted someone to know exactly what was bothering him, he'd find his own way and time to tell. Moving to cross in front of him, she smiled down at him. "I'm on my way to the...."

Her toe caught the edge of a loose stone tile that Charlotte's husband had imported specifically from Italy. Flailing her arms, she tilted forward on her lemon yellow heels, finding herself falling directly onto to her ex-husband's lap.

"Are you okay?" Ric asked, holding her a little too tightly.

"Fine. Embarrassed but fine." Kate blushed.

"No harm done. As long as you're okay." Ric nodded, helping her to her feet, his hands still wrapped around her shoulders.

"Just perfect." She smiled, her eyes locking with his. It felt both familiar and new to have him touch her for longer than a brief second. "Thank you for catching me."

"Habit." Ric murmured, unable to look away.

"A good habit or a bad one?" she teased.

"Just a habit." Ric answered. "I'm sorry." He hadn't realized he was holding her so harshly. The skin beneath his fingertips was white.

"It's ok. You didn't break me."

"Like I could." Ric tried to laugh, but the sound was lost in his throat. He leaned toward her before he could talk himself out of it and touched his lips to hers almost shyly.

She closed her eyes, running her hand up to his neck, partly out of habit and partly out of the feeling of necessity. Pressing her lips back to his, she smiled, reveling in the heady mixture of old never lost feelings and new hope rising.

Her mouth slanted beneath his and he took the initiative, crushing her to him, his tongue prodding at the entrance of her sweet mouth. He closed his eyes, wanting to apply everything to memory, but when he opened them he saw Maxie. It was just for a split second, his conscious making itself known, and he knew he had to stop this. "I can't." He turned and left her standing there.

*****

Steven felt like a world-class prick. What kind of brother didn't know that his baby sister had filed a restraining order against her abusive ex-boyfriend? Had he always been this dense? Georgie would say so. Not that he could tell Georgie. He didn't want anything to diminish the hope he had recognized in her voice when she had told him about the dinner on Friday. She was so excited and he was relieved. Soon the world would know. But how had Elizabeth managed to keep this from him, and for so long? Had she not thought she could trust him? He wouldn't have run to their parents, wouldn't have told a soul. Max would have died with the secret. Max dead, now that was an idea. He started to imagine all the different ways the man could experience an accident.

It wouldn't even be that hard, Steven realized, to loosen someone's brake lines. Hell, he'd just cut them. No use in letting the bastard live. Why had Elizabeth been targeted? He had always done everything he could to keep her out of danger despite her draw to it. He should have known from the first meeting. Max had been as shiny as a new penny in his best suit and slicked back hair the one and only night Steven had had the displeasure of sharing space with him. Elizabeth had been incredibly quiet at the table, her expression complete awe at how well her brother and beau got along. He had shaken that snake's hand, had half-invited him to a baseball game the next time he was in time. How could he have not seen past the glossy surface?

He wanted to throw up, or hit something, or someone. His mind immediately flashed to Spencer, but he didn't know why. Lucky was no more to blame for this than...well, he, himself was far more responsible. It was his job to protect Elizabeth, but he had failed in every respect. He was fired, finished, a disgrace to his family name. Steven closed his eyes and breathed angrily through his nostrils, his hands fisting at his sides as he tried to figure out what to do next.

Lifting an eyebrow as he caught sight of Steven storming out of the house, Lucky shook his head from the safety of the porch swing. Coming with Elizabeth to tell her family the truth about Max had been his attempt at being supportive but he couldn't stand hearing the story one more time. Rocking Gracie in her car seat with his foot while adjusting Jake onto his shoulder, he attempted to greet Steven. "I take it she got through the whole story?"

"Did you know?" Steven asked caustically, not knowing how he'd react if the man in front of him said yes.

"Not until yesterday when she was on the stand."

Steven started to curse violently, but caught sight of his niece and thought better of it. "I met him." He said, almost to himself.

"Really?" Lucky had to admit he was interested. It was still in the back of his mind to fly out to Boulder for "business" and have a small little productive "meeting" with Max Giambetti. Productive meaning erasing Max from any sort of contact with Elizabeth ever, of course. "Does he look like the son of Satan I imagine he does?"

"No, very classy guy that one." Steven's head turned from one side to the other slowly. "He had a good sense of humor." He recalled. "And was really motivated." It sounded like someone else was talking as he relayed the tidbit of information to Spencer.

"Take notes Gracie. No motivated, classy guys with a sense of humor for you."

"I didn't know." Steven muttered. "I didn't know, but I should have." He stood with his back to Spencer, facing the quiet street beyond the front porch. It should have been raining, storming even, but it was calm, so preciously calm.

"She seemed pretty determined to make sure no one knew about it. I still think if Diane Miller hadn't brought it up, Elizabeth never would have." He could understand her position on just wanting to leave the past behind her, but it still burned him that he didn't know the whole truth.

"Do you know when he gets out?" Steven finally looked in Lucky's direction.

"No. But I have my cousin finding out for me." Lucky met Steven's eye. "Doesn't matter when it is though. It's still not going to be long enough."

"When you find out, I want to know." Steven turned toward the house and went inside.

*****

Claire Tanner motioned Patrick in with a nod of her head, momentarily forgetting the door was still locked until he tried to jerk the door open. Smiling in apology, she pushed herself away from the bar and crossed the small distance to let him in. It was several hours before the shop opened, but he had called the night before to set this particular meeting.

"Sorry. Come in. Sometimes I get lost in my work." Claire explained, smoothing a hand over one white puffy sleeve self-consciously.

"It's no problem." Patrick told her. "My fiancé does as well."

"That's why your name sounded familiar. Robin Scorpio's your fiancé right?" Claire assumed with a smile.

"That's right." Patrick nodded. "She's actually the reason for my call last night."

"As I told you on the phone, the deal was made, we both signed, and I have no interest in selling this little piece of heaven." Claire reminded him matter-of-factly, tucking a strand of her short, candy apple red hair behind her ear, showing off her gold wedding band.

"I appreciate your honesty." Patrick said quietly. "But you must understand why I can't accept that."

"If she loved it so much, why did she sell it to me? Seems a little fishy." Claire watched him curiously.

"At the time, it seemed like something she wanted to do. That was what she had convinced herself of. But I know Robin and I know this was not a decision she made with a clear head." Patrick explained coolly.

"I guess I'm just a little confused that this isn't coming from Robin herself."

"I already told you why." Patrick stressed to keep his temper in check. "She's too proud to admit she was wrong, but she needs this building. She needs her bakery. It gives her something to focus on."

"You make it sound like she's teetering on an edge between life and death." Claire lifted an eyebrow.

"It's nothing quite as drastic as that." Patrick assured her. He was trying very hard to get in Robin's good graces. They still hadn't talked and it was making him a little edgy. Okay, mad as hell. He was ready to strangle total strangers when they crossed his path.

"I'm sorry to have wasted your time, Mr. Drake." Claire dismissed him first with her tone and then with her departure to the back room.

"I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again." Patrick muttered, letting himself out the same way he'd come in.

**Previews:**

Opening the door, Ronnie's face immediately broke out into a wide smile. It had been far too long. "Well, if it isn't Mrs. Webber. Does your husband know you're out with your bad influence single girl friends?"

"Shh." Georgie giggled, half-expecting the rest of the Webbers to be hiding behind the door.

"Shh nothing." Pulling Georgie inside the door, Ronnie closed it with her hip. "Linds! Forget the shoes! Georgie is here!"


	282. Kiss The Rain

"Would you get that please? I have to find my silver heels for tonight!" Lindsay's voice was muffled, a combination from being half under the bed and the pound of clothes that separated her from Ronnie thrown across the floor. The pair had only just arrived back home barely two days ago and the small apartment now looked as if a tornado had ripped through it.

Rolling her eyes, Ronnie made her way through the maze of shoes, clothes, and other assorted boxes they had shipped from various places during their tour of Europe. If Georgie was going to go off and elope under the Eiffel Tower, then the least the two of them could do was buy out all of the most fashionable cities they had decided.

Opening the door, Ronnie's face immediately broke out into a wide smile. It had been far too long. "Well, if it isn't Mrs. Webber. Does your husband know you're out with your bad influence single girl friends?"

"Shh." Georgie giggled, half-expecting the rest of the Webbers to be hiding behind the door.

"Shh nothing." Pulling Georgie inside the door, Ronnie closed it with her hip. "Linds! Forget the shoes! Georgie is here!"

"Georgie?" The question was met with a muffled "oof!" and both Ronnie and Georgie dissolved into giggles as they imagined Lindsay moving too quickly and banging her head. A sheepish looking Lindsay rubbing the back of her head did little to stop their laughter. "Oh shut up and get over here. I need a hug."

Georgie barely had time to take in a full breath before Lindsay squeezed it out of her. "I missed you!" She managed, closing her eyes. It was so refreshing to see her friends and, even more, that she didn't have to lie to them. They knew. They had known from the beginning. They loved Steven just like she did. She didn't have to convince them of anything. As the family dinner drew closer, she found herself more and more desperate.

"Well it all could have been avoided if you had just stayed with us after the last exam. But no....you had to go home to be with your husband or something." Lindsay teased.

"For reals." Ronnie chimed in with a smile. "Wanting to be with the man you love. Psst on that."

"It's so good to see you too." Georgie could barely keep from crying.

Catching sight of the unshed tears in Georgie's eyes, Lindsay took charge and ushered all three them over to the somewhat uncovered sofa. "Hey. What's with the waterworks toots? Can't be that happy to see us."

"You have no idea. Lying to everyone is so hard." Thank God that was almost over.

"I know this will do serious damage to my rep as a brilliant woman but duh." Ronnie nudged her with her shoulder. "I'm going to guess you two haven't told anyone yet."

"Of course they haven't. We didn't hear about her dad killing Steven yet." Lindsay remarked dryly.

"Alexis knows." Georgie pointed out.

"Oh well you're stepmother. That changes everything." Ronnie rolled her eyes. "Georgie you know you've got to tell them."

"We're telling them tonight." Georgie replied with a smile.

"Tonight? As in later on today when you leave the sanctity of this space?" Lindsay questioned. "Oh my effing God. Details."

"For example do we have the police on standby and maybe an ambulance?" Ronnie chimed in, resting her hands on her knees.

"My dad is the police." Georgie pointed out. "And it's not going to be that bad. I hope. We're having dinner with my dad and Alexis. She offered to help us break the news."

"Yes. Good move. Have him focus on how his daughter told his fiancé over him is always a wise one." Lindsay nodded sagely. "They can start that fight and then you and Steven can just sneak out the back."

"She's not going to tell him; we are. She's just going to help hold him down so that he doesn't hurt himself." Georgie chuckled despite her worry.

So the plan is you guys tell your dad and then what? Tell his parents?" Ronnie wondered. "I mean I'm guessing you haven't told them already..."

"I honestly don't know what to do about them. Elizabeth has no use for them and, from what Steven has told me, I don't think it'd be so bad if they were the last to know."

"Oh so you're the one that got the wicked in-laws." Lindsay nodded. "Got it. Ok we must strategize. How exactly are you going to tell your dad?"

"Maybe slip it into the conversation."

"Something along the lines of, 'Why did I invite this random guy I barely know and never talk about along to a family dinner? Why funny you should ask that Dad?'" Ronnie shook her head. "Georgie please. Not going to work."

"Well I don't know. What would you guys do?"

"Maybe start with telling your dad that you met this really great guy while you were in Paris? Like maybe before Steven shows up?" Lindsay suggested.

"And then after he's met him, that's when you drop the m-bomb." Ronnie finished. "You have to work him up a little bit."

"Okay. I think I can do that." Georgie set her teeth on edge. "Tell me about your trip." She easily changed the subject.

"Oh well you know how it goes. Boys to flirt with, clothes to buy. But I personally would much rather here about how you and Steven have managed to sneak all over town right under your father's nose." Lindsay smiled sweetly as she leaned back, kicking her denim clad leg over Georgie's.

"Yes. After a while it was predictable. Cute clothes. Cute boy. Boy turns out to be a Euro trash prick. Same old same old. You, on the other hand, are all sneaking around and being all romantic and stuff." Ronnie leaned her head on Georgie's shoulder. "Please let us live vicariously through you."

"Well, at first, it was pretty difficult to be get alone time. I had to sneak over to his grandmother's, where he's been staying, to borrow recipes and such. I can't scramble eggs. Eventually, we started running into each other all over town and somehow managed not to get caught." Georgie explained.

"Well I guess when you have the goody-goody reputation no one would suspect you of having a secret husband." Lindsay nodded sagely.

"I never figured we'd keep it a secret this long," Georgie admitted. "But we did finally get some time together. It was so sweet. We signed in under false names..." She broke off, noticing her friends practically foaming at the mouth. "You know, romantic."

"Totally. And now you're going to tell your father you eloped while in Paris. I'm telling you that hack bastard ruining our show could never top this." Ronnie nearly jumped up from the couch in her excitement. "You know what this means right?"

Georgie looked startled. "What?"

"Hello! Wardrobe consultation. When one plans on completely changing her father's world view, one must be appropriately dressed."

"And aren't you lucky we just happen to have an entire apartment filled with the most fashionable clothes one can afford on a college student's budget."

"Must not have come from any current Hollywood TV shows. Did you see what they were wearing on 90210?" Georgie teased, knowing her friends had kept up-to-date with it.

"Oh hush. We will not speak of the travesty that is Naomi's wardrobe." Ronnie held up her hand.

"Dylan." Georgie muttered unhappily. "Are we sure the same hack bastard that writes Ronnie's show didn't happen to take over 90210?"

"Silence. We do not speak of his evil or his evil power grows stronger." Lindsay covered Georgie's mouth easily with one hand. "Now I'm thinking simple, elegant with an understated sexy edge. Ronnie?"

"Yes. Something that says not so innocent school girl anymore but still the same old Georgie you know and love."

"I'm in your hands." Georgie gave in, wondering what she was getting herself into.

*****

"Please. Please, just get me there." Steven whispered to his grandmother's dented silver Buick. It was twice her age and a constant pain in his ass, but it would have to do because his was in the shop for repair. The clock on the dashboard screamed that he had fifteen minutes before seven which meant twenty minutes later than Georgie had wanted him there. He didn't want to disappoint her, not when this particular dinner was so important.

He never should have left Port Charles to begin with. The car simply couldn't handle the multiple locations in one day. He wished he had just left it well enough alone. By the time he got to dinner, the daisies would probably be dead anyway. He looked at the speedometer, snuck a glance in every direction, and then slammed his foot on the gas.

This would never have happened to him if the night weren't so important. And it was. God it was the most important night of their lives. There would be more, if her father didn't strangle him first, and he didn't want to start off their first official meeting like this. He slammed his fist into the steering wheel and the car coughed in protest. He hit it again and it came to a screeching halt ten miles from the restaurant. Well hell, he thought miserably as he stepped out of the car. Having no experience with cars, he didn't bother to do the guy thing and check under the hood. Any idiot could tell the engine was shot when smoke blew from under the hood. NO! This couldn't be happening! Not tonight!

Steven turned just in time to see something bright coming toward him. And fast. It was a car, he realized, and it was swerving madly. He tried to call it out to the driver, get their attention, but they didn't seem to notice him at all. The road was too dark and even the lights on the car weren't turned on. It was only by chance that the moon hit the passenger side at the right angle allowing him to see the car at all. The sound of metal on metal caused him to go temporarily deaf; he didn't have time to dodge both the Buick and the other car. He had to jump. But he misjudged and caught his left foot on a hidden branch sending him skidding toward a dangerous incline into the pitch-black forest below. His last thought before the rearview mirror slammed into the back of his skull was that he didn't want to leave Georgie a widow. He never knew what happened to the Buick or the other car and it was quite possible no one would ever know what had happened to him.

**Previews**:

Dillon pressed the numbers, double-checking against the paper he had hurriedly scribbled them on after his last visit to Elizabeth's. Everything was crashing and burning and it was high time someone did something. And this situation called for subtly, sophistication, a calm cool rationale. Naturally he was perfect for the job.


	283. Somebody Told Me

It was completely insane to do so, but the moment called for it. And when the moment demanded for him to look over his shoulder as if he was about to be caught by the worst possible person, then damn it Dillon Hornsby-Quartermaine-Jones was going to answer it! One did not pass up a moment. Glancing back after to make sure that no one was going to catch him making what was really a perfectly innocent phone call, Dillon pressed the numbers, double-checking against the paper he had hurriedly scribbled them on after his last visit to Elizabeth's. Everything was crashing and burning and it was high time someone did something. And this situation called for subtly, sophistication, a calm cool rationale. Naturally he was perfect for the job.

Chewing on his lower lip Dillon waited impatiently, shifting his weight from foot to foot, hoping for a familiar voice to pick up the phone. God help if her father answered. He could get around Morgan but Robert Scorpio? That was a different kettle of fish altogether.

"Hold on! The phone!" Robin called after her father and son as they headed out the door of the small apartment. "Hello?" She asked breathlessly. Once she got over her turmoil, as long as that had lasted, she had started to see the sun in front of the clouds instead of hidden behind them.

"Robin? Robin?"

"Yes." She managed to force out, her lungs struggling to catch up.

"Oh thank goodness. While you know I am the definition of charming, I don't think my particular brand would work on your father. Hell I'm not even sure it works on Morgan half the time. Lucas would argue it never works."

"Dillon? Hey. How are you?" She couldn't pretend her curiosity wasn't spiking to unhealthy levels.

"Me? I'm fine. Totally not dying to know why you bailed on me and everyone else but you know me. I'll wait on details."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You are in Paris. I am here in upstate New York. Something wrong with the picture."

"I didn't bail." Robin corrected defensively.

"To be fair no one is saying you did. How's Paris?"

"Oh." Robin blushed even though he couldn't see her. "It's beautiful. We were just about to go to a nearby carnival." Dillon did not call for no reason, but she told herself not to push him. As it went, he and Elizabeth were the closest things she had to her home and she would practice patience.

"Carnival? I thought that was the sole province of Rio? Did you switch continents on me without saying anything?"

"I thought it was kind of crazy too, but you know my dad. He's not above making things happen."

When Robin had a point, the woman had a point. Dillon sucked in a quick breath. "I don't put anything past your dad. So with that in mind, might I make one small request before you go globetrotting on us?"

"Globetrotting with swollen feet? Yeah, what?"

"Swollen feet? Girlfriend what kind of strange shiny object is that?"

"Dillon?" Robin goaded.

"Fine. I'll just come out and say it. You need to come home."

"I know." Robin nodded, again forgetting he couldn't see her. "I'm only here for another—"

"No I mean now Robin."

"Now? What are you talking about?" Robin was confused. Had Elizabeth put him up to this? It seemed very plausible.

Looking around again, Dillon threw himself into Lucas's desk chair. "Describing things around here as tense would be an understatement."

"I wouldn't expect anything less with the custody trial." Robin mused.

"Oh we are dreaming of the days it was a simple custody trial." Dillon stated ominously.

"What do you mean? Has something else happened?" She couldn't keep the panic out of her voice.

"Where to start?"

"Is it the twins? Or Elizabeth? Did something happen to—?" She was still asking questions when he cut her off again.

"Nothing like that. Look you know how we call Max the Cheating Bastard?"

"I'm familiar with that animal, yes." Robin concluded.

"Elizabeth doesn't know I know this, but whatever. Lucky hired Lucas to find out information on him. Mainly when he gets out of prison."

"They're finally putting scumbags in prison? Refreshing."

"Robin, they don't put assholes in there for cheating. Max is in there for assault and battery."

"Why do I feel like I'm in the last act of the play without my lines?"

"Because apparently we all are. Diane Miller called Elizabeth to the stand to ask her if she ever considered Max as a suspect for the attempt on Cameron, what with his history of beating and choking her until she was unconscious and all."

Tears filled her eyes and for a long time she couldn't speak. Beaten Elizabeth? Unconscious? And he was still alive? _Did Lucky and Steven know?_ "Wh-wh-why would Max come after Cameron? From what I understood, he preferred to show off his attributes."

"That seemed to be what Elizabeth fired right back at the allegedly illustrious Ms. Miller with. Apparently what he didn't like was people who told him where the hell to get off. Lucky didn't go into details and Elizabeth isn't exactly answering phone calls these days."

"Oh my God. My God." Those two words tumbled from her mouth at least a dozen more times before she was able to stop herself. "How did Lucky take it?" What a stupid question. He had to be as livid and confused as she was.

"I don't know; he's being all Lucky. Not talking. Swearing he's ok when we all know it's a crock. Normally I would say Patrick and Cruz would eventually get it out of him but that's probably like waiting for a noble mobster."

"Do they not know?" It was rare for the Three Musketeers to abandon each other in a crisis.

"Cruz may. I don't think Patrick does."

"Did I miss something?"

"We all did. Something, and I stress I have no clue as to what, has caused those three to stop talking to each other. Well Cruz and Lucky seem to be on the same side, but Patrick is definitely on the outs. And they are being all guy-like which means no one has any idea as to why it's going on."

"How long has the silence been going on?"

"Hard to say for sure but definitely since you left. Maybe right before the custody trial started."

"But I've been gone for two months!" Robin exclaimed. "Are you telling me they haven't spoken to each other in two months?" She hadn't thought this would ever happen. A few weeks would have been fine, but not two months' of total silence. Had Elizabeth been lying when she had told her Patrick spent time with the twins? Or...wait, since the custody trial? They had been closer than close for a while and then, out of the blue, stopped talking to each other. She had hoped the cold war between her and Bobbie wouldn't have extended to Patrick and Cruz, but perhaps it had. Ever since Cruz had admitting to dating Bobbie, possibly before then, the guys simply hadn't been as close as they once were. First, it was the lies that had set them apart from each other, and then the discovery of the relationship. For Lucky and Patrick to not be on speaking terms set her teeth on edge. Lucky could barely hold a grudge for more than a week and Patrick had learned to let things go...for the most part.

"I don't think it's been the entire time you've been gone." Dillon tried to assure her. Yes, he realized he was hitting her with a lot at once, but it had to be done. Better she know now then walk back in a few weeks and know nothing. "Patrick was spending tons of time at Lucky's. I even caught him babysitting the twins once with Steven, which by the way hilarious story for another time. All I know is within the past few weeks my mother-in-law has been complaining that her husband is spending no time with his friends and this time she has no clue why."

"And you want me to come home and fix all of this?" Robin asked slowly.

"Robin, please. I am fully aware that most of these problems our friends and loved ones need to solve themselves. However, I am advocating you get your butt home pronto so I have backup in convincing these stubborn fools that I am right and they need to talk to each other."

Robert and Morgan must have grown tired of waiting for her, because they came back through the door, simultaneous confused expressions playing across their faces. Clearing her throat, Robin said, "Daddy, we have to go home."

*****

Looking at her watch Georgie tried not to sigh once again. Where was Steven? She had told him dinner was at seven. He had even agreed to meet her early before her dad and Alexis arrived so they could go over one more time how exactly they were going to tell her dad everything and hopefully not cause him to have a stroke on the spot. Steven had sworn to her on his grandmother's life he wouldn't be late. He knew how important this was and yet, here it was almost seven-thirty and there was still no sign of him.

She had tried texting him, but there was no response. Steven had always claimed to hate texting anyways, but Georgie knew the truth. He just didn't get the shorthand and couldn't pick it up easily. If she could have sneaked a call to his cell she would have. However the daunting task of trying to figure out how she was trying to call someone her father had no idea was coming to join them had stopped her. Damn it, tonight was supposed to be about stopping the lies, not continuing them. Steven had another ten minutes to show himself or the next time he saw her was going to be in divorce court. With Alexis as her lawyer.

"You seem agitated sweetheart. What is it?" Mac asked lovingly. She had been quiet since this dinner started. He didn't know what the big deal was. They ate dinner here all the time. Something had his daughter upset and he made it his mission to find out.

"Nothing. Nothing. I'm just a little jumpy tonight that's all. You know with all the sirens we heard a few minutes ago." It was probably no more than a minor traffic accident, but Georgie still couldn't shake the dread sirens filled her with. She blamed too many years growing up in the shadow of organized crime.

"I haven't been called to the scene so I'm assuming it's minor." Mac tried to reassure her. Alexis was equally silent beside him. "Why are you quiet?" He asked her.

"I'm not quiet; I'm in deep contemplation." Alexis countered, sneaking worried glances at Georgie. The young woman looked shaky as a leaf. This dinner had taken long enough to set up, she thought to herself, but Steven wasn't here.

"You're quiet." He argued, maybe just to have her talk to him. "Let's order, huh?" Neither woman paid him any attention. "Or we could eat our weight in bread. That's fine too."

"I'm sorry. I'm just distracted Daddy. Go ahead and order if you want to." Georgie tried to smile. If Steven didn't get his cute butt here soon or at least call her, well it would be a long time before he saw her cute butt that was for sure.

"Are you crying?" Mac asked, worried.

"No. No." Shaking her head quickly, she tried to hide bringing her hand to her face to check for tears. "Why I would be crying?"

"There was something important about tonight, wasn't there? Something you wanted to tell us? Is that why we had to R.S.V.P. to this dinner?" Mac pushed her for a smile, but doubted he would get one. Who had hurt his little girl? He would find out and, once he did, they were going in the ground.

Maybe she should just follow her friends' advice and at least tell him about meeting Steven. "There is something I wanted to talk to you about. Um, it's about when I was in Paris."

"Finally, a story." He beamed.

"Yeah it's a really great story actually." Georgie smiled, finally meeting his eyes. She took a deep breath and was just about to explain the start of everything when Mac's cell phone began to ring.

"Baby, I'm sorry." He apologized and flipped it open. "Mac Scorpio." He listened for a minute completely silent. "How long? You can't tell me how long he's been there? What kind of patrolman are you? Any witnesses? A hit-and-run then." His expression was grim. "I'm on my way. Preserve the area. If I even smell a reporter, the closest job to law enforcement you're going to be able to get after this will be mall security? Understand?" Mac shoved the phone into his pocket, meeting Alexis's eyes first, and then, even hesitantly, Georgie's.

"Something wrong?" Georgie asked, knowing full well what the answer was. Mac only ever got that look on his face when he had to deliver bad news.

"There's been an accident. Your friend, Steven Webber..."

"Steven? What's wrong with Steven?" Her heart leapt to her throat and Georgie could feel the color drain from her face. Was he hurt? In an accident? Was that why he wasn't here? Had she spent all this time being mad at him when she should have been out there looking for him?

"His car stalled a few miles from here. He tried to flag down help, but the car didn't see him..." Mac explained. "It collided with his car which wasn't quite on the shoulder of the road and he hit his head. He's breathing, but unconscious. They're taking him to General Hospital—where are you going?" He demanded when she immediately reached for her light pink jacket.

"I have to go. I have to go to General Hospital." She found Alexis's eyes. "I have to go."

Mac was shaking his head. "I need to call Audrey and Elizabeth first. I don't want them to hear this from anyone but me. Stay here with Alexis and let me do that first."

"I can't lose him Alexis. I can't. I have to go." Georgie reached out for Alexis's hand, part for support and part to make this whole thing seem real to her.

"Georgie, I'm not sure I can get you into see him. I know he's your friend, but..."

"Malcolm." Alexis tried, but Georgie beat her to it.

"He's my husband, Daddy. That's what we were going to tell you tonight. His car stalled on the way here to meet me. So we could tell you that we got married while we were both in Paris." Her tears started to flood down her face in earnest now and she made no attempt to stop them. "I love him and I've been married to him for months. I have to go see him now."

"Your husband?" Mac was stunned. "But, how? All this time?" Considering his dear fiancé had been completely quiet instead of yelling incredulously, he assumed she knew too. So everyone but him? Did they not think him capable of handling news, no matter how shocking? He had always tried to support them in everything. Steven Webber was Georgie's husband? The words flooded through his brain almost too fast, making him a little dizzy. He reached for the table to right himself, punched it with one clenched fist, and then reminded himself that he didn't have time to do this with his daughter right now.

"Yes. We met and fell in love and it was the right thing to do. And Steven wanted to tell you way before this. He wanted to tell you as soon as we got back but I wanted to wait for the right time and now he's hurt and in the hospital..."

"Later. Let's go." Mac interrupted motioning toward the door.

**Previews**:

"Steven is critical." Elaine snapped. "And that means only family is allowed in this room. Commissioner Scorpio, I'd appreciate it if you and your daughter would leave before we have to involve security."


	284. This Woman's Work

They hadn't said a word aloud since he had shown up at Audrey's door to deliver the bad news about Steven. Elizabeth had clutched one of her infant twins closer to her chest and Audrey had started to cry. No questions, no demands. It was shock, he realized. It would wear off. Without warning, they would both start yammering away and he would answer any questions they might have. He had been briefed by the patrolman at the scene, and seen the carnage with his own eyes, so there was precious little he didn't know. This wasn't the time to think about what Georgie had confessed to him, so again he relied on the cop part of his brain to push it back and analyze it later. He couldn't look at the young man, the stranger, as anything but Audrey's grandson and Elizabeth's older brother. He couldn't think of him in terms of family relations or he'd start to feel his control slip quickly away from him. He had to stay in control.

The elevator doors opened and they stepped out in front of him, still silent as ever. He didn't know what he wanted from them, nothing he decided. He should prefer this, he thought to himself, because in a minute, when they saw Steven, they were going to flip out and then he'd have two emotional women on his hands. He wished greatly for Alexis's company, but she had gone home to relieve the babysitter. Better for her not to be here anyway. At least that's what he told himself.

"Is he in surgery? Where is he Mac?" Elizabeth finally asked, pushing the twins in their double stroller. She should have called Lucky and she would. But first she needed some answers.

"He was too unstable to undergo surgery. He's right through here." Mac led them to room 502 and stood in the doorway while they slowly made their way to the left and right of his bed.

"Oh god. Steven." Elizabeth breathed out as her hand hesitantly made its way towards his hand. She was scared to touch him, afraid to do any further damage. There didn't seem a space on his face that wasn't covered in bruises. His breathing was shallow, and to her untrained eye seemed sporadic.

"Sweet boy." Audrey reached out and smoothed his curls away from the dried blood on his forehead. Leaning down, she gently pressed her lips to his forehead. "Oh you sweet, sweet boy."

"Elizabeth? Audrey?" Georgie stepped cautiously into the room. She wasn't sure what, if anything, Mac had told them about why she was going to sitting with them. If he had told them the whole truth, they would have every right to be angry with her. If he hadn't, they were going to be beyond confused as to why she was there in the first place.

"Georgie?" Elizabeth looked up, confusion crossing her face. "What are you doing here?" She had heard her brother and the nervous young woman had met a few times while they were in Paris, but it didn't mean she would show up when she heard he had been in accident. And it for sure didn't explain why it looked as if she had been crying since she found out.

"I came to sit with Steven. The doctor said he might be able to hear our voices." Georgie tried to sound hopeful, but her heart was breaking. Mac must have noticed because he pulled her into his arms.

"Hear our voices? It's sweet you want to be here, but I didn't think you were that close." Elizabeth started to question, but any further exploration was stopped when the door opened once more, revealing the faces of her parents and sister.

"Steven? Oh my God, Steven!" Elaine screeched, running for the bed, almost pushing Mac and Georgie into the door in her haste. "What has happened to you?" She turned toward her youngest daughter. "What did you do?"

"Me? I didn't do anything. I was with Grams." Elizabeth defended herself.

"I don't think I caught your name." Mac stepped between them. "I'm Commissioner Scorpio with the Port Charles PD."

"Elaine Webber." She offered him one manicured hand and then, almost afraid to touch him, withdrew it before their hands made contact. "I'm Steven's mother. What happened? Why are you here? Was there a crime committed?"

"A hit-and-run." Georgie supplied nervously.

"And just who are you?" It was Jeff Webber who demanded this.

"Georgie." She took a deep breath and looked over at Elizabeth and Audrey, the only two family members Steven had ever talked warmly about. "I'm Steven's wife."

"Am I being Punk'd?" Sarah asked, rounding the corner and entering the room. "Steven doesn't have a wife."

Elizabeth felt her jaw drop to the ground and was grateful she wasn't holding Jake or Gracie when Georgie began to speak. Wife? "His...his wife?" she managed to gasp out. "You…you married Steven? My...my brother Steven?"

"We were going to tell you." Georgie promised adamantly. "We just had to tell my dad first. That's what tonight's dinner was about."

"So it's your fault he's hurt then." Elaine deduced coldly.

"Now just a minute." Mac cut in. "I won't have you talking to my daughter that way."

"Can we please concentrate on the fact Steven is in the hospital?" Elizabeth asked. "And the fact that he got married? Placing blame isn't going to help him here."

"What would you know about it?" Sarah growled. "When have you ever taken responsibility when someone gets hurt? Hmm?"

"Sarah." Jeff shook his head. "We're all very upset."

"Yeah we can't all try to paint ourselves as saints by being a backstabbing bitch Sarah dear." Elizabeth said coldly.

"Elizabeth, Sarah, let's just try to calm down." Audrey chimed in.

"Mother, please stay out of this." Jeff insisted. "Is someone going to tell me what happened to my son?"

Mac resisted the urge to reach over and slap Jeff Webber across the face. Not only had his wife attacked Georgie, but he had disrespected the sweetest lady Mac knew. Some people just deserved to be smacked. Swallowing down the bile this particular meeting had brought on, he said, rather calmly, "Steven's car stalled on the side of the road—" But no one was paying any attention to him.

"Jeffrey Webber. You will not order me around as you do your children." Audrey responded sharply. "You, Elaine, and Sarah will either behave yourselves or I will help Georgie call security and have you escorted from the premises."

"You don't actually believe all this hogwash about her being his wife." Elaine sounded insulted.

"But I am—" Georgie tried again.

"Nonsense. Nonsense." Elaine dismissed immediately. "This is just some scheme."

"I beg your pardon?" Mac challenged angrily.

"She's obviously after his money or something. I see no proof, not even a wedding ring on either of their hands. Where's the marriage certificate? She's clearly lying."

"Oh my God." Elizabeth breathed out as the revelation hit her like a ton of bricks. Of course, her brain yelled at her. Why didn't it seem strange to you before? "You know Lucky's name. It was you that night when I was in labor."

"What?" Everyone but Elizabeth asked in unison.

"When Robin called him, she heard someone in his room remind him of Lucky's name. He never says it. Ever. Calling Lucky 'Spencer' is progress. Steven would never tell some random person Lucky's name. But this girl knew it. You know Lucky's name. You've known it. You were there."

Georgie nodded, understanding. "He was so upset that he couldn't bail on the movie and come here to be with you." Her dad hadn't said anything about her being in Steven's room in the middle of the night, but she had had a feeling he wouldn't, at least not now. He was nothing if not diplomatic right up until the moment he blew up.

"Steven is critical." Elaine snapped. "And that means only family is allowed in this room. Commissioner Scorpio, I'd appreciate it if you and your daughter would leave before we have to involve security."

"Georgie is his family." Elizabeth pointed out. "And I'm pretty sure, as his wife, she can kick you out. Right Grams?"

Audrey nodded. "Elaine, I suggest you, Jeffrey and Sarah leave, before I help my newest granddaughter have you be forcibly removed. As you said Steven is critical and the last thing he needs is people causing a scene."

"I'm not leaving. I am his _mother_!" Elaine reminded them.

"And Georgie is his wife!" Elizabeth shot back.

"Not without seeing some shred of evidence." Jeff shook his head. Georgie fished into her back pocket where she had stashed her engagement ring and wedding band for the great reveal at dinner. She held them out and gave him a threatening look.

"Steven told me the truth the other night." Audrey stood up and moved towards her son. "I've seen his wedding rings. I've even seen pictures of the two of them together. That and what Georgie is showing you are all the proof I'm sure Steven will ever make allow you to see. Now I suggest you do what your daughter-in-law said and leave."

*****

Robin didn't know what she was going to say to Patrick, to any of them actually. She had left her father flabbergasted as she hopped aboard the plane and waved goodbye, Morgan trailing giddily behind her. Her father held each of them in a hug that could have lasted anywhere from two minutes to two eternities and, she mused with a smile, it had been all she had needed. Of course, there had been some tears as a result, but what was new about that? Hormones had been kicking her butt long before she started carrying this baby and she had a feeling they were going to hang around like out-of-town relatives. For the majority of the plane ride Morgan was either listening to her iPod or sleeping. She wished she could sleep, but her mind hadn't stopped humming since her phone call from Dillon.

What did you think? That they would just stop needing you if you switched continents for a little while? Please. Even you are not that daft. Though, maybe you are. They're always going to need you and you're always going to need them. Admit it, if only to yourself. This trip was more about a worthwhile distraction than anything else. Yes, you missed your father, but not to the extreme of staying away so long. And what has happened in your absence? Chaos! Your best friend is vulnerable and probably frightened, but she didn't think to call you. Why do you suppose that is? Is it because you're selfish? Robin closed her eyes tightly, trying to fight the voice but knowing it was useless. Her conscious had been whining at her the moment she stepped off the plane into Paris and the sound, the only one she could hear, had intensified to the wildest of cries.

How was Patrick going to take her sudden return home? In all the confusion, she hadn't called him, didn't even want to turn on her phone. He had suffered more than anyone else, had been caused the most heartache because of her decision to leave. No, her conscious screamed. You call it what it is! When she ran away. It seemed she had been running away from Patrick and the feelings she had for him for a long time. Too long. Why was it so hard for her to just love him? He obviously needed her, if Dillon and Elizabeth's phone calls had been any indication. Why weren't he and Lucky speaking? That bugged her most of all. She hadn't thought (well that was obvious) that he would have absolutely no one to talk to while she was gone. Just as she had told Dillon, hearing he and Cruz were on the outs hadn't surprised her, but not talking to Lucky after weeks of being stuck to him like a lost puppy left her feeling discontent.

Would he let her in the door? Of course he would. He would let her in, but he may not speak to her. It had been too long since they'd talked for her to determine his mood upon seeing her again. He wouldn't show it in front of Morgan, no he had matured enough to not fight in front of her son. He would most likely not say anything, freeze her completely out because he knew how much she hated it. He would have made a great Quartermaine, she mused to herself, if for no other reason than he could stick to the silent treatment until she was literally climbing the walls. Please be happy to see me, she silently prayed. She didn't think she could handle any other reaction. Her heart was barely beating in her chest since she had left him and she worried it might stop without warning.

She hadn't told him she was coming, so why was she surprised when no one met them at the gate? Thankful that neither she nor Morgan had to wait on excess luggage, she hurried him outside and pushed him into the first cab she saw, giving the driver directions to their apartment. Morgan must have felt her excitement; she just hoped he was oblivious to the terror she was also feeling. Her father had finally fessed up and told her that Patrick had tried to call her the day before and she had been so angry she hadn't planned on speaking to him for the rest of her trip. It just so happened to work out that way, but she had had no choice but to explain where she and Morgan were going. He had wished them good luck and safe travel and she wondered forlornly how long it would take him to contact her.

"Listen." Robin said, convincing Morgan to meet her eyes before she continued. Despite the full eight hours he had slept on the plane, his eyes were a little puffy and she wouldn't have been that startled if a yawn escaped him. "It's late and when we get home I don't want any arguments about bedtime, okay?" Best to prevent a mob war if she could. She didn't want Morgan caught in the middle of a fight.

"No arguments." Morgan promised, curling up next to her and closing his sleepy eyes. Again, she found herself wishing for sleep and again it evaded her. Too many things could go wrong if she fell asleep. She had to stay awake and, more importantly, alert. They were forty-five minutes out of Port Charles. Robin spent this time practicing what she would say when she saw him, imagined herself cutting off whatever he might want to say for fear that he would want to pick up the fight that had been boiling over the surface since she left him here. Her hands fell to her stomach and she promised she would do whatever she had to do to keep their family together.

**Previews**:

"He's playing messenger for my father. It's called kissing ass." Maxie said sagely.

"Screw him. I'm here for you. Is there anything you need me to do?" Sam countered.

"Honey if you want to screw him, then you shouldn't be sitting here with me."


	285. One Sweet Love

_The lyrics are from "This Year's Love" by David Gray_

"Excuse me? Does no one in this sorry excuse for a hospital understand the simple concept of answering a question?" Maxie threw up her hands in frustration, nearly tossing her phone directly into the open elevator doors behind her.

Apparently the art of the dramatic had lost its appeal in Port Charles in past years. The nurses and doctors barely paid any attention to her as they continued to hurry about their business, reading charts and discussing patients. She stomped her foot in annoyance. All she had was a cryptic message from Alexis stating Georgie was at the hospital and it might be a good idea if she came down. Of all the times for Ric to be out of town, it would have to be the one time that she would welcome his help.

Sam was not in the business of comforting people. During the most intense situations, she wanted to be far, far away. She wasn't without feeling; she just never knew what to say. Still, Maxie was clearly worried and so was she. It wasn't like she had explained what the phone call had been about in any sort of detail, just that her sister was at the hospital and no one would answer their phones. Awkwardly, she rested her hand on Maxie's right shoulder. "Did they mention which floor she was on?"

"Sixth. I think sixth."

"Let's split up. We can cover more ground that way. You take this hallway," She pointed to the one to their left, "And I'll take that one." To the right. "When one of us finds the room number, we'll text it to each other. Okay?" As she made the offer, she could see the refusal in her friend's eyes. "Should I stay with you then?"

Over her friend's shoulder, Maxie pointed to the approaching figure of Alexis, with Georgie following right behind. "I think we were just found." Racing over to them both, Maxie crushed Georgie into a hug. "You're alive." Pulling back, she shot her sister a quizzical look. "Wait, if you're alive why are you here?"

Georgie could barely meet her big sister's eyes. Biting into her bottom lip to keep from completely losing it, she answered, "St-St-Steven. He was hit...a hit-and-run."

"Steven? Steven? Why are we here about Steven?"

Georgie faltered and then explained, "He's my husband."

"You didn't tell me you had a brother-in-law." Sam pointed out, feeling about two inches tall when she realized Maxie hadn't known.

Maxie shook her head. She had to have heard Georgie wrong. Married? In Paris? Miss Goodie Two Shoes had kept something like this a secret? Georgie could barely keep quiet about what Christmas presents she bought everyone. "Wait. Back up. Married secretly in Paris? Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?"

Maxie took another step back as reality hit her. "Oh my God. You told Dad. He's had a stroke."

"No. No." Georgie shook her head. "Dad's fine. One of his officers called while we were at dinner, the one where we planned on telling him everything, and it seems that Steven's car stalled or something and then someone plowed him down and left him there."

"So you got married without anyone knowing and Dad isn't here as a patient. And Steven is but not because Dad tried to kill him?" Maxie shook her head. "And I have the reputation as the drama seeking sister?"

"Maxie." Georgie found a smile for her sister, but it quickly crumbled.

"Georgie." Maxie sighed as she pulled her sister into a hug. "You sure can pick your timing kid, I'll give you that."

Georgie decided to keep the run-in with her new "in-laws" a secret for now. No reason to bring up such bitter memories. "Dad left a while ago to try and locate the car. It would have a hell of a dent in it. Steven's out, but breathing. That's what the doctor said. The name sounds like Serengeti, but I can't remember what it is. He's the chief neurologist at Albany Medical. Alan called him. He's been running tests and promises it'll be hours before he can tell me anything. Elizabeth is in with him now."

"So I'm officially the last person to know?" Maxie pretended to huff. She sucked at being comforting so pretending to be put out would at least give Georgie something else to focus on.

"Basically." Georgie smirked. "Thank you for coming." She could see the surprise in her sister's gaze when she reached for her hands. "I really needed you here." Georgie admitted.

"Well where else would I be?" Maxie swung her hands out wide. "And look I even brought friends! Sam, come here and meet my newly interesting sister."

Sam's head shot up at the excited mention of her name and she headed toward the two sisters, noticing how much they didn't look alike. "Hi. I'm Sam. Sam McCall."

"Hi. Georgie. Georgie Webber."

"Okay that is officially the weirdest thing to come out of your mouth ever." Maxie declared. "Oh and Sam this is Alexis, our soon-to-be step mom."

Alexis, who had been silent beside Georgie, stepped forward to shake Sam's hand. "Alexis Davis. Hello. Did you say your name was Sam McCall? That name sounds familiar to me. Do you, by any chance, know David Harper?" She could already tell by the lifting of this young woman's eyebrows that she recognized his name, at least.

Sam prayed she wasn't blushing. "We've been introduced." She explained. "You're the District Attorney, aren't you?"

"Former." Alexis replied. "It is nice to put a face with a name."

"Hold the phone. You know Sergeant Harper? Enough for him to talk about you?" Maxie placed her hand on one hip. "There are some details missing."

"I said I knew the name." Sam threw back under her breath.

"No you said you've been introduced." Maxie corrected.

"Fine. We've met." Sam replied grudgingly.

"And _we'll_ be talking." Maxie gave her friend an all knowing look. Obviously Georgie wasn't the only person in her life that had been holding out on her where details and men were concerned.

"Excuse me?" Harper made his way carefully toward the four women. Of course he had noticed Sam right way, and any other time he might have made his way over for the pure pleasure of trying to get under her skin, but right now he had a job to do. He had to find out any information he could about who had almost killed the Commissioner's new son-in-law while keeping the family in the loop. "I'm sorry to interrupt..."

"No. It's fine. What's up?" Alexis inquired adamantly.

"The Commissioner wanted me to come here and see if there have been any changes." Harper smiled towards the youngest Jones girl, recognizing her from the pictures in Mac's office and the file he had started to fill on her for Alexis. He supposed he was probably out of the job, at least as far as the D.A. was concerned. "He expressly wanted to know if you were ok Mrs. Webber."

"Am I the only one looking for Elizabeth's mother when they hear that?" Maxie wondered under her breath.

"Daddy asked about Steven?" Georgie's entire face lit up. "No change. Dr. Ferlinghetti is still doing tests."

Technically the Commissioner asked about his daughter, not the newfound member of the family tree, but Harper saw no reason to take away her happiness right now. He offered out a business card to her. "My cell number is on the card. Please call me if anything changes so I can keep your father informed."

"I will. Thank you, Detective." Georgie watched him go with little interest, her focus again on the closed hospital door. Why couldn't she be in there with him? She could hold his hand, talk to him. Of course, he needed Elizabeth as much as she needed him, and it wouldn't be right for Georgie to bust in unannounced.

"Ladies. Call if you need anything." Harper nodded his head as he headed back towards the elevators. "I'll await your phone call."

Sam watched David's retreating back with an almost aloof air about her. Inside, her brain was screaming that she do something, anything, but what could be done or say anyway? He hadn't even addressed her. Well, what were you expecting Sami? In public, you're partners and, now that the District Attorney's stepdaughters had managed to bring their own secrets to light he really doesn't need you anymore, now does he? He was just trying to make you feel included; he didn't actually need you though. You bought it, did you? You? The cynic? Well that's what you get. Outside of the bedroom, his gun is more important than you are.

"Does anyone want any coffee? I hear the machine's is better than the cafeteria's." Alexis offered, trying to break the silence.

Not failing to notice the way Sam's eyes were watching Harper's back, Maxie made her way over to her friend, nudging her with her shoulder. "Go on. You know want to follow him." She whispered as Alexis and Georgie made their way towards the machine.

"No. He's busy." Too busy for me to pick a fight with him in public, Sam thought dejectedly.

"He's playing messenger for my father. It's called kissing ass." Maxie said sagely.

"Screw him. I'm here for you. Is there anything you need me to do?" Sam countered.

"Honey if you want to screw him, then you shouldn't be sitting here with me."

Sam narrowed her eyes. "I didn't mean in the literal sense, Maxie."

"Details. Details." Maxie dismissed Sam's comment with a wave of her manicured nails. "I'm fine. As is our good friend Sergeant Harper."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Promise me you won't tell him that. His head is big enough."

"Rule number is never hit on a friend's guy. That is such a Lulu thing to do." Maxie rolled her eyes. "However you do realize that you do owe me information?"

"What do you want to know?" Sam was tired of having no one to discuss it with. It wasn't like Maxie was going to blab it all over town. Who would believe it anyway?

"For starters, is he _the_ guy? The one you keep saying is annoying but talented in all the right areas?"

"Yes."

"Smug as hell and can back it up where it counts." Maxie tilted her head. "Aren't you a lucky girl?"

"Am I? He didn't even notice me standing here."

"What did you expect him to do? Drag you down the hall and ravish you in a broom closet? He's working Sam. Even I know better than to interrupt Ric when he's working."

"I know." Sam blew out a breath.

"And haven't you been telling me all week that you two have been fighting? I mean he's a guy. They don't know the fight is over until we tell them it is."

"I feel like I'm on a tight rope juggling plates."

"Join the club on that one."

*****

Patrick had no warning. One second he was watching a re-run of Cheers and the next thing he knew the front door was being thrown open and Morgan was in his lap speaking what could only be described as gibberish. "Morgan! What are you doing here? I wasn't expecting—" It had not missed Patrick's attention that Robin hadn't joined them. He didn't immediately look for her, focused on ruffling Morgan's hair and smiling at him.

"Uncle Dillon called and said we could come home. Isn't that awesome?"

"Yes it is! I'm so glad you're back!" Patrick admitted without a bit of modesty. It was too soon after the kidnappings for Robin to be whisking him off to another goddamn country. As if misreading his anger, she stood frozen in the doorway, her eyes focused on her shoes. He told himself he would address her just as soon as he could be convinced this wasn't all a dream. "Let you come home?"

"Yes. He called us and said something and then Robin said we had to come back. Is my room the same? You didn't get confused and make it the nursery, did you?" He gave Patrick a wary glance.

"Of course not." Patrick laughed. "I would never do that."

"You've got to see Robin. She's as big as a watermelon." Morgan said the next part very quietly and Patrick suspected he was attempting to spare her feelings. "My baby brother sure needs a lot of room, huh?" Without giving him a chance to respond, the little brunette gave Patrick a big hug and then fell fast asleep as if he had used up all of the energy he possessed.

Patrick easily lifted Morgan into his arms and, once he made brief eye contact with Robin, carried him upstairs. Pausing, he finally spoke, "I'm just going to put him down. Then we'll talk."

_If you love me I got to know for sure_

Then we'll talk? Robin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Yes, they needed to talk. And, no, she didn't want Morgan waking up to them arguing if that's what their "talking" came to, as it often did. His tone was completely unreadable. She couldn't tell if he was upset or tired or even happy to see her. He hadn't said a thing to her until it became necessary. Her carefully constructed speech died on her lips when he came down the stairs and stopped in front of her. She noticed that the door was still open, but neither of them thought to close it. She couldn't move, she realized. She couldn't move and she couldn't speak.

_Cause it takes something more this time than sweet sweet lies oh now_

He placed his left hand on the rail as if he needed it to keep him standing and fretfully licked his bottom lip. Her eyes didn't stray from his once she collected enough courage to meet them. He had worn a similar, guarded expression when he had seen them off. What didn't he want her to see now? She had understood the use for it then, but why now? Why when she had come home? His eyes ran down her ever-changing body in a tortuously slow motion, so long she was blushing when they finally returned to her face. All of the books in the world couldn't prepare a person for reality. Expecting to see disgust clouding his expression, she was shocked to see him smiling. He closed the space between them and cupped her face in his hands, startling her. He carefully pulled her against him, somehow closing the door without relinquishing his hold on her now tear-streaked face. Discovering her current emotional state, his hands started to tremble, or did something else cause it?

_I start to forget how my heart gets torn when that hurt gets thrown_

Robin placed one hand over his hand and the other looped around his neck as she lifted herself up enough to kiss his lips, a groan escaping them both at the light contact. His hands left her face and slid into her hair, pulling it from the loose braid and spreading it all across her shoulders. The silky strands brushed delightfully across his knuckles and he kneaded just below her scalp. She tilted her head and the kiss changed, deepened, carried them out of the foyer, past the living room, and into Patrick's office where he had set up a long white loveseat and nothing else. One arm looped around her, he carefully lowered her onto the loveseat and settled between her legs, groaning as she scraped her fingers across the back of his neck.

"This is talking?" She heard herself murmur, barely suppressing a laugh but feeling her lips curve into a smile. "We should have talked long before now."

"This is all the talking we need right this second." Patrick ground through his teeth in an almost hiss, pushing her long black skirt up her legs and over her stomach.

"I'm not complaining." Robin assured him as he turned her toward the edge of the loveseat and ducked his head beneath the elusive material of her skirt. He left a trail of kisses across her lower abdomen and nuzzled his nose against her yellow panties. Her underwear always had to match, he remembered, knowing he would find a sunflower-yellow bra when he made his way to her breasts. For now, he was content on this particular area.

_Before I open up my arms and fall, losing all control_

Even though he had made love to her countless times, she still shook beneath his mouth. He knew better than to take offense to it; the fire their passion ignited was as overwhelming as it had ever been. His left hand fell from her waist and tugged the scrap of material down bit by bit; he stifled a groan when he uncovered skin. When his lips made contact with such vulnerable flesh, she cried out, and he reached up to slide his free hand across her lips, silencing her.

He followed the seductive swerve of her outer thighs with his mouth and then, gradually, let his mouth brush across her inner thighs, the scent and taste of her filling his nose and mouth. He licked and kissed and bit every inch of dripping flesh he could get to and then he adjusted his body so he could pay special attention the rest of her lower body. Grabbing both of her feet, he wasn't surprised when she tried to pull them away. His grip held and he closed his lips around her right ankle, applying just the right amount of pressure and, eventually, reaching for the remaining foot to bestow the same amount of satisfaction there.

Robin's quiet whimper was enough to make Patrick lift his head. He kissed his way up her body, completely removing the skirt, and then got to work on her powder-blue top. Together, they wrestled it off of her. When he met her eyes this time, his eyes and mouth were wide. Breasts were breasts, he had always told himself. Some were larger than others and some fit perfectly in his hands. He hadn't thought of hers as even a little small, but this was a definite change for them. Though he knew she would smack him for it later, he wondered if he would get to keep these after the baby came. He unlatched the clip of her bra and drew it away from her skin, still a little awestruck. His thumbs ran across the tips, making them both shudder in ecstasy, and causing the ruby nipples to pucker. Smiling, he put his lips to them and sucked until they were plump and wet and she was clawing at the collar of gray pullover. Off came what had once been his clothing leaving him in tight green boxers.

Patrick paused above her, a thought appearing to him. She stirred when he stood up, but he explained, "I don't have a condom. Just a second sweetheart." He jogged upstairs, bypassing Morgan's closed door, and finally located the condom. When he returned, Robin was braced on her haunches, smiling. Patrick hurried to her and with the condom in place pushed away the last barrier of clothing between them.

Instead of easing into her as he had expected, there was an alarming tension as their flesh kissed. She whined beneath him, trying to take everything he was offering, but he could tell it had been too long since he had been inside of her for her body to immediately adjust. Slipping his thumb between them, he lightly stroked her inner flesh, his fingers entering her for the first time that night. He kissed away the tears he saw on her cheeks, keeping his body rigid above her.

"Patrick." Robin shut her eyes on building pleasure and he pushed himself a little deeper, the clasp of her body over his robbing him of adequate air. "Do it. Do it now please?"

"It's okay. We're just going to go slow." Patrick explained, sliding into her another inch and catching her cry in his mouth. "I want to make this so good for you." He whispered against her ear. "When you come, I'm going to be right there with you. Come for me baby. Let me feel you come." He adjusted his body once more and was able to ease into her completely. "That's so good." As he said this, he lightly scraped his teeth across the tip of her ear and sucked it into his mouth.

Robin whined, hooking her legs around his lower back. He surged forward and she felt that last bit of struggle leave her body only to be replaced with a blinding tension. As promised, Patrick followed her orgasm with one of his own and in a matter of minutes they were both completely spent, both inside and out. He forced himself to stand up and discard the condom.

"Where are you going?" She wanted to know.

"Nowhere." But he didn't return to the loveseat. He couldn't. If he did, he might never get to tell her what he had been practicing for the better part of six months. She looked at him questioningly. And then he said it.

_Cause who's to worry if our hearts get torn_

Previews:

"How could you make this decision without me?"

"I didn't."

"You did. You've made up your mind. I'm just supposed to go along with it because now you've decided I should know. Now, after you've made all the arrangements."


	286. Do You Wanna

_The lyrics are from "This Year's Love" by David Gray_

Patrick's stillness was hell on Robin's nerves. Sitting up, she leaned over the loveseat to collect her clothing, only Patrick's hands on hers stopping her. He handed her his shirt and she slipped it on while he pulled on his pants. When he crouched down in front of her, she stammered, "Patrick, what—?"

_This year's love it better last_

He drew his thumb across her bottom lip, silencing her. "I have something I want to say and then you can talk." She nodded, the confusion mixing with the worry in her eyes. "I want to apologize for how I left things at the airport."

"You don't have to—"

_Heaven knows it's high time_

"Shh. Shh. Please. Just let me get this out, alright?" He took a breath and started again. "I was jealous, I guess, that you wanted to see your father more than stay here with me, but I understand why you did it. You needed this pregnancy, at least some spec of it, to be joyful and you couldn't find that here, could you? Not with me constantly picking fights with you. And then asking you to lie to our family about our son, something I had no right to do. I made you feel like having our baby was something bad and I'm so very sorry for that." He blinked back the tears in his eyes, kissing hers away. "I couldn't be more excited about being a daddy." His thumb brushed over her knuckles. "Three months ago, I asked you to pretend to be my fiancé. I thought it would help, but it only made it worse. I talked to Bobbie and I told her, in no uncertain terms, that she had no right to speak to you the way she did." Robin looked like she wanted to interrupt, so Patrick hurried right along. "Tonight, I want to ask you the right way."

"Ask me what?"

"I think there's something I should tell you first."

"Okay." Robin gulped.

"I've been racing." Patrick felt the air in the room thicken and had to force his tattered nerves to slow down or he might suffocate on his own honesty, however belated it might be. "Doug Bellamy, my old crew chief, asked me to sit in for one of his drivers. It's just one race, one time."

"Racing?" Robin hadn't heard much after that.

"I wanted to tell you." As Patrick said this, Robin took a look around the room they were currently in, the one he had planned on turning into his new studio. She had thought he would fix it up while she was gone, but it was completely empty save the loveseat. Not a camera in sight. No computer. No equipment whatsoever.

"How could you make this decision without me?"

"I didn't."

"You did. You've made up your mind. I'm just supposed to go along with it because now you've decided I should know. Now, after you've made all the arrangements." Patrick thought he could hear her heart breaking.

"I've been trying to tell you, but you wouldn't answer the—this is stupid. Let's not fight."

Robin puffed out her cheeks. "You don't get to decide which arguments are worth discussing and which aren't."

"Why do we have to argue about it?"

"This is your life, Patrick. Your life. And you're purposely risking it by throwing yourself into a career that could kill you."

"So could crossing the street." Patrick shot back unfazed.

"Are you so unhappy that you've convinced yourself this is your only option?" Robin demanded.

"Not with you. With my job." Patrick could admit that much out loud. He hadn't looked forward to photography in years. All of the work he had done to accomplish that particular dream had been his way of keeping his mother alive, but it had brought him no joy. Money, a suave reputation, women. But he had always kept his soul out of it.

"How can you sit there and lie to me about this being a one-time thing?"

"It isn't a lie. This is just one time." Patrick stressed out every word.

"Yeah, now. What about next time? Doug Bellamy wouldn't go to this kind of trouble for one time." Robin insisted.

"Why are you so against this?"

"Because I love you! I love you and I can't understand why—"

"You understand more than you think you do." Patrick interrupted swiftly.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You save up for five years to run your own bakery and then the moment the doctor tells you you're pregnant you give it up."

"I didn't give anything up. I made a choice."

"And so did I. Eight years ago, I made a choice too."

"Not quite eight years. I know you raced in college."

"How?"

"Logan."

"And I gave it up just like you gave up your little shop. All I'm saying is that I need this."

"You're an adrenaline junkie." Robin accused. "So don't insult me by saying this is just going to happen just this once. Maybe this is the only time I'll know about."

"Why are you acting like I went behind your back?"

"Because you did! You made the deal without even asking me about it. We have to talk about things. What happens to you happens to me."

"I know that."

"Do you? Do you know what this could end up costing?"

"I'm not stupid. I've considered every possible outcome."

"Orphaning your son crossed your mind then?" Robin accused sharply.

"I'm not going to die."

"You don't know that."

"And you don't know I will."

"Patrick, I was there when they brought you in. You had multiple contusions, a broken arm, a ruptured spleen, and you almost _lost_ your left leg. Don't you tell me I don't know!" Her outburst had shocked Patrick to silence. There when he was brought in? He had never seen her. Logan hadn't mentioned she had been there, but then, why would he?

"I'm not that stupid."

"You wouldn't know from where I'm sitting." Robin muttered caustically.

"I don't need your permission to do this."

"No you don't. I just thought you might care enough to include me."

"I do."

"No. You don't. You don't understand what it's like." She gestured toward her stomach and said, "This is the closest I can get to you. You don't trust me."

"That's not true."

"What would you know about truth?"

"That's a cheap shot."

"Yeah? Well maybe I'm not feeling up to being supportive."

"You say that like it's a new thing." Patrick ground through his teeth. He ignored the shattered expression she wore. She got to make her decisions and he never said a word, but when it came to something he wanted, something he had wanted for the better part of his life, oh that was out of the question.

Robin shook her head and then nodded. "That's right. I've never supported you in anything, have I? I guess sitting by your side not once but twice while we waited for your test results doesn't count since I'm the reason you were possibly infected both times." He hadn't brought it up and they were still a few months from knowing, but she couldn't pretend it wasn't eating her up inside.

"No, Robin…"

"Yes. Come to think of it, you didn't trust me enough to let me go with you to pick up your results. Will I get to go this time?"

"Stop it."

"You stop it. Stop acting like I'm not a part of your life, like your decisions don't affect our children. What is it you're trying to prove? Better yet, who are you trying to outrun? Noah maybe?" She gave him a sardonic smile. "Well congratulations baby, you're nothing like your father. You never have been. I knew that from the beginning and I'm sorry you haven't figured it out for yourself, but I can't keep waiting for you to get that yes you're worthy of love, of my love, of our sons' love. Do they factor into your decision at all?"

"Of course they do."

"Then tell me you're not going to do this. Call Doug. Tell him to find someone else."

"I can't do that."

"Yes you can. You're asking me to take a chance on you so I'm asking you to take a chance on your family, the family we've created."

"Is that an ultimatum?"

"No Patrick."

"Because it sure sounds like one."

"Maybe it is. Is that such a bad thing? Choose us." Robin's voice broke off, but her gaze never left Patrick's. "Can you take that big of a risk?"

**Previews:**

"You fought about us not talking? Robin, really I don't need you to fight all my battles for me."

"We didn't get around to fighting about you. I just thought you should know that I understand."


	287. Looking For Reason

In lieu of today being fabulous for Lucky and Elizabeth, we are updating early!

**Looking For Reason**

Robin lifted her hand to knock feeling numb all over. She had left Morgan and Patrick sleeping in their bed and slipped out, needing to breathe and unable to do so at home. This wasn't safe, she reminded herself. In her condition. So late at night. Driving across town. But it had to be done. She needed to see this through and find someone who agreed with her. Dillon hadn't mentioned Patrick driving again, but she had a strong feeling that it was Patrick's decision to do so that had temporarily cut the ties between him, Lucky, and Cruz. She could have gone to Cruz first, but she didn't want to face more accusations, more surprise. She needed a somewhat quiet place where she wouldn't be judged. Robin smiled through tears as her best friend opened the door. "Hi Lucky."

"Robin?" Lucky shook his head in confusion as he pulled her through the door. "What the hell are you doing here? When did you get here? And I thought I was like fourth on the list of people to find out the return plans. When did I get demoted to last?"

Robin leaned into his strong embrace and held him carefully to her. She felt like she was still fifteen, holding onto him for dear life because something had gone terribly wrong. "I got here a few hours ago. Did I wake you, or Elizabeth? The babies?" She asked and slowly met his eyes.

"No. Um, they aren't here right now. Steven's in the hospital. She's going to call when she and Audrey are ready to go."

"The hospital?"

"I'm fuzzy on the details. Apparently he was on the bad side of a hit and run but Elizabeth didn't know much more than that when I talked to her." Lucky scratched the back of his head. "Actually she sounded distracted about something else then but she didn't exactly say what that was."

"Oh God. Poor Elizabeth. And Steven. And Audrey. When did it happen?"

"Earlier tonight. And I might be crazy, but I swear I heard your family in the background."

"My family? Well, I'm sure Georgie would be there. They're friends." Robin answered distractedly.

"Yeah. But don't think for a second you are getting out of an interrogation. Sit. Spill. Why are you home early?" Lucky steered her towards the couch.

"Dillon called me. He said you and Patrick were fighting and that I needed to get my butt back here to figure out why." Robin explained as they sat down.

"Dillon has a big mouth."

"I figured you might have mentioned it, or Elizabeth would have, when I talked to you..." Robin's voice trailed off.

"Or Patrick when you called him?" Lucky finished for her.

"Let's just say tonight was the first time we talked at all since I left for Paris." Robin admitted guiltily.

"No offense, but you two are the strangest engaged couple ever."

"We're not engaged." Robin whispered averting his eyes.

Lucky stared at her incredulously. They weren't engaged? "Did you break up?"

"No. We never were engaged." Robin told him. "The night before we announced to the family that we were, Logan called the apartment."

"Logan?" Lucky rose to his feet. "Did he give any hints where he is?"

"No."

"So Logan calls and this prompted you to freak everyone out about being engaged why exactly?"

Robin took a deep breath. "I was the only one home when he called. He said that he knew I was pregnant and that I would never be safe, not me or the children. I called Patrick and we went to get Morgan from your mom."

"Wait. Logan threatens everyone and you decide to fake an engagement instead of calling your uncle? Robin I love you and all, and this could be a side effect of no sleep in awhile but I do not understand this plan at all."

"It was Patrick's idea. He thought that, if we told everyone we were engaged, Logan would back off. He didn't want to see his brother in jail and I didn't want to be the one to put him there." She glanced down at her trembling hands. "I know he's done terrible things...to all of us...but...anyway, I was scared and it seemed like a good idea. We never planned to keep the truth from the family, but we needed it to be publicized so that Logan, wherever he was, would see it. Other than hurting everyone we've ever cared about, it seems to have worked. Not a peep from him."

"Of course not. Logan's big on public acts. He's probably waiting for the wedding."

"I'm so sorry." Robin blubbered.

"Hey, no crying, pregnant women. I get that you didn't mean to hurt anyone, and I can sort of see the Patrick insanity-laced logic in there, but it still is one of your less brilliant choices and I will not let you live it down."

"Why aren't you and Patrick speaking?" Robin wanted to know.

"Oh another brilliant decision he's made."

"Racing?" Robin guessed.

"He actually told you? Impressive. Cruz and I only found out when Doug mailed him a helmet."

"I hate that you guys are fighting." Robin said. "God knows, we got into it." And went to bed angry, with an exhausted Morgan sleeping between them.

"You fought about us not talking? Robin, really I don't need you to fight all my battles for me."

"We didn't get around to fighting about you. I just thought you should know that I understand."

Lucky leaned against the back of the couch. "Sometimes I think I would be more understanding if he hadn't tried to hide it from me."

"You mean after he already made the decision? Yeah, I hear that."

"And it doesn't help that he's right and I wouldn't have agreed with him in the first place. I mean, I was the one who got that phone call the last time. I was the first one there. I'm not making another mad dash to the hospital because Patrick feels restless. Or bored. Or whatever it is he's feeling."

"He said he's unhappy with his job. I pointed out that racing was a rather odd extreme from photography."

"Not in Patrick land apparently."

"He's going to do it whether or not we approve."

"I know. But I can still use the tell Mom card."

"Keep telling yourself that. I pulled the baby card."

"Oh nice one! I approve."

"I think I carried it a little too far. I told him to choose."

Lucky titled his head to consider the idea. "A tad dramatic, but I think Elizabeth would stand up and applaud if she was here."

"I should go by the hospital and see her." Robin said aloud, already standing up to do so.

"Robin, I don't want to stand in the way of girl time and all, but if you're still under the no stress warning from your doctor, no? You should just wait. I am one hundred percent positive the Wicked Witch of The Webbers is over there plus her parents. And I would hate for you to have a shotgun hospital chapel wedding because you're in early labor and don't want to follow in our footsteps."

"Oh don't even joke about that." Robin laughed. "Thank you."

"Hey someone has to protect my nephew there. I've seen Patrick's baby sitting skills in action."

"I love you. Do you know that?"

"How many times do I have to tell you we are not trying to start any triangles here?"

"At least it'd be semi-interesting." Robin made her way for the door. Noticing the paternal look he was giving her, she said, "And I promise to go straight home. Okay Uncle Lucky?"

Lucky quirked up an eyebrow. "So you only came home to find out why Patrick isn't talking to everyone? That's all Dillon told you?"

"I missed my family. All of you."

"Robin. We missed you too, but none of us have the love of the dramatic and the inability to allow Lucas to keep a case quiet."

"You mean about Max?"

"I thought so." Lucky nodded.

"Lucky, I swear I didn't know."

"I know." Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't think you would be able to stay quiet about that one. At the very least I would expect a nickname stronger than Rat Fink Cheating Bastard."

"I can't believe she didn't say anything...all this time."

Even now the shock Robin was expressing mirrored his own. "She said she just wanted to forget about it. I can't get mad about that. Not with my own track record in that department. But I just...just...I just don't know Robin. I don't know how to be ok with this."

"I don't either. I don't want to make her go through it all again. I know how much that sucks and I admire her for not dwelling on it."

"Does she?" Lucky wondered. "Does she really not dwell on it?"

"I don't think she does." Robin answered. "I don't think she kept it a secret to hurt us. If I've noticed anything during this last year it's how much she loves you. She's changed so much since she first got here. Have you not seen it too?"

"That's what I keep thinking about. When we first met." Lucky carefully met Robin's eyes. "It's why I keep thinking she's dwelling on it."

"How so?"

"Just think about it Robin. She was jumpy. Any little thing freaked her out. And when she told me about the cheating some of it made sense, but not dating for six months after a guy cheats on you? Leaving the state? Even by her standards, that's dramatic." Lucky fell back onto the couch. "I should have known she wasn't telling me the whole truth."

"How could you have known? Max was a pretty touchy subject for her on a good day. Now we know why."

Rubbing his hand over his face, Lucky released a sigh. "You know I just wanted to hurt the bastard before. Now I want to kill him."

"I wanted to kill him before. What do you suppose I should do now?" Robin meant it as a joke, but Lucky was suddenly very tense. "Honey, come on."

"It's all I see Robin. Every time I stop and think for a second all I see is him beating her until she's unconscious. I can't stop myself from thinking what would have happened if the pizza guy never showed up."

"But he did." Robin put her hand over his. "He did show up and he saved her. You can't blame yourself for what happened before you even met her."

It made sense. It was even rational. But it didn't change how he felt one bit. "I'm glad you're back Dr. Robin."

"Where else would I be?"

**Previews: **

"I know my brother. He wouldn't have agreed if he didn't want to."

"No, I mean about not telling you immediately."

"What? Are you telling me public spectacles weren't the plan to tell everyone?"


	288. Follow You If You Lead

Trying to keep her voice light, Elizabeth squeezed her brother's hand, trying to ignore the fact this was the first time she could ever remember him not responding to her. "Just so you know you've officially lost all rights to make comments about my love life. Secret weddings negate all naturally endowed big brother rights."

It had been almost an hour and still it seemed impossible to wrap her head around it. Her brother was married? Her brother who had once declared all girls except for her "full of cooties"? The one who had hidden away even better than she had after his last break up? The one who just about exploded at her for wanting to tell Lucky about her pregnancy first instead of him had gone and not only got married but kept quiet about it?

"Oh, Liz, I'm sorry." Georgie hadn't realized Elizabeth was still sitting with Steven.

"Georgie." Elizabeth looked at the young woman she had always thought of as Robin's little cousin. Just a few months ago she remembered Robin talking about the classes Georgie was signing up for and the fun she was having shopping for her trip. Now they were sisters-in-law? Had they been married when Grams had her stroke? Was that why Georgie had volunteered to go get Steven from the airport? "No it's fine. Come in."

"Are you sure? I don't want to interrupt." Georgie told her rather uneasily.

"Yeah. It's fine. I was just letting him know he no longer has the right to lecture me on not keeping him fully informed about every minute of my life."

"Yeah...sorry about that. It's my fault."

Elizabeth smiled softly. "I know my brother. He wouldn't have agreed if he didn't want to."

"No, I mean about not telling you immediately."

"What? Are you telling me public spectacles weren't the plan to tell everyone?"

"Not quite. We were supposed to have dinner with my dad and Alexis tonight and tell them first. And then we were going to tell you and the rest of the family. It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"Georgie." Elizabeth reached out to touch the nervous woman on the arm. "I get this wasn't what you were planning. I get it. Believe me I am the expert at things not going as planned."

"This is all my fault." Georgie turned her face away, fighting for composure.

"No it's not. It's the fault of the bastard who was driving that other car."

"But he wouldn't have been out there if it weren't for me. He wouldn't have had to lie to everyone. I wanted to wait. Not Steven." Georgie's eyes settled on Steven's battered face and she felt hot tears spill down her face.

"You can't know that. Georgie, you could have told everyone and it still could have happened." Elizabeth stood up and enfolded the shaking woman in her arms. "It's not your fault. I don't blame you. My grandmother doesn't blame you. And I know Steven doesn't blame you. Don't you dare listen to my mother."

"I'm so scared." Georgie admitted.

"We all are. But I'll tell you a secret. You will never meet anyone more stubborn than my brother. And I get the feeling he's going to fight like hell."

Georgie looked up at Elizabeth, tears fresh in her eyes. "I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. My mother left too early to show me how a wife was supposed to take care of her husband. What if I'm doing something wrong? I've talked to the doctor and I've listened, but it's all starting to blur. I'm so scared I'm going to make a mistake."

"Well the first thing is don't take notes from my mother. In fact do the exact opposite of her."

Georgie pretended to write something in the air with her finger. "Don't have a blonde jerk for a daughter. Check." She thought she smiled, but she could have imagined it.

Elizabeth leaned back and looked Georgie in the eye. "Just a second. You aren't pregnant are you? I mean I don't care if you are, but the last thing you need is my parents finding out that information."

"No. False alarm on that one." Georgie explained.

"False alarm…did you two get married because you thought you were pregnant?"

"Steven asked me and then we found out I wasn't, but he still wanted to. And I did too."

"So did he rip off one of those movies he swears are the best ever or did he actually try something original?"

"A little of both. Kept to the tradition of asking when we were waiting for the test to tell us something and then asked again once he knew I wasn't."

"Sounds about right for him. So how long exactly have you been together?"

"Almost five months." Georgie couldn't hide her blush.

"That's...wow...that's fast. And he thought I was moving fast with Lucky?"

"It was wonderfully spontaneous and there's not a day I regret it, but sometimes I wonder what it would have been like to come home and just be dating, you know?"

"Well it would certainly be a bit more ordinary. But I'm told that is highly overrated."

"This is Port Charles, after all." Georgie went on. "Had to live up to its crazy reputation."

"Of course. Makes total sense."

"What would you say to some hot chocolate? If I have one more sip of coffee, I'm going to start climbing the walls."

"That sounds great, but I should probably be getting the twins home soon."

"We'll be here. I think Uncle Steven would like if you brought them. Hopefully, he won't be here long enough to miss them." Georgie reached for his left hand and held it in both of hers.

Elizabeth rocked back on her heels and put her hand to her mouth. "It just hit me. You're Aunt Georgie."

Georgie smiled back, but kept her focus on her husband. "I guess that makes me pretty lucky."

**Previews:**

She and Elizabeth were going to have to go shopping for baby clothes. She had gotten a yellow nightgown with green turtles splayed across the front to bring him home in, but other than that, she was going to have to tap into her friend's knowledge on the subject. It wasn't like this little guy was going to come to her at six as Morgan had.


	289. Precious Illusions

We really need to do something for this room, Robin thought to herself as she stood in the doorway of what had once been her spare room to do with what she wanted and defaulted as the nursery. Even though Patrick had said he wanted to move out of the apartment, there was still a bit of time on the lease and she wasn't sure if she was ready for that kind of commitment yet. Yes, she could hear Elizabeth laughing now. Shouldn't you have been worrying about tying yourself down before you got knocked up? Elizabeth would say.

The room itself was even barer than Patrick's office with not a stick of furniture in it. It didn't just advertise stark-white walls, it screamed it. A two-piece window was tucked into the far left corner and, though it was pretty enough (sure didn't expect it to be white too), the only lock on it appeared to be nothing more than a metal ring and hook. Any idiot with a pencil in his pocket could open it. Even well above the ground, the lock bothered her and she vowed to have it perfectly secure before the baby was ever in this room, before she was in the hospital bed delivering, hell before the week was out even. The only variety in the cubbyhole was the royal blue carpet. A stroke of luck? Maybe. She would definitely keep the carpet the way it was.

What all did the room need? A dresser to keep his clothes in, of course, and the crib. They would need to pick up a rocking chair for those nights when he would need lulling to sleep and the window would fall into whatever scheme the wall was transformed into. A changing table. Teething rings and baby bottles. Toys, she thought suddenly. He would need a lot of toys. A lot of shiny, beautiful toys. And a lamp placed near the rocking chair when it came time to read him stories (that is, if she ever ran out of the ones about Grandpa Robert.) She and Elizabeth were going to have to go shopping for baby clothes. She had gotten a yellow nightgown with green turtles splayed across the front to bring him home in, but other than that, she was going to have to tap into her friend's knowledge on the subject. It wasn't like this little guy was going to come to her at six as Morgan had.

Robin stepped out of the room quietly, her mind buzzing with activity as it accepted and vetoed hundreds of decisions in the time it took to walk downstairs and get herself a glass of orange juice. Patrick and Morgan were barbequing ribs on the balcony, talking quietly. From here, she could hear them laughing. It was a sight that did all sorts of things to her subconscious. On the one hand, her heart was squeezing so tight in her chest she almost looked down to see if someone had a hold of it…and then realized someone did. Her boys. She wished she was out there with them. Ever since they got home, she had felt like she was constantly on the outside only ever able to look in from time to time, never allowed to join in. It was her own fault too, because Patrick had gotten over himself almost immediately and did what he could to make her feel included. The problem was her. She didn't know how to adjust into this cookie cutter family. It was why she had run. When she gave up her bakery, it was as if the earth had shifted beneath her feet and she was no longer in control of anything. The doctor told her what she could eat, the exercise tapes told her how hard she could work, and the unfinished nursery reminded her that time was running out. He was going to be here soon and she was no more ready for him now than she had been when she had found she was pregnant with him.

She drank the juice slowly, giving herself another reason to stare at them. It was amazing she could keep this down with the way the baby had been attacking her body lately. He didn't like vegetables so she had cut down drastically to keep from having to devote the remainder of her pregnancy hugging a toilet. He was a big believer in chocolate. She had gone from shop to shop in Paris to find just the right kind. He loved just about any kind of meat, but didn't trust hot dogs. She didn't blame him. She never wanted to know what they were made of, because then she would never eat them again. Her stomach growled as the smell of ribs filled the apartment. "Hungry, little man?" She cooed to her stomach, rubbing it softly and smiling.

Patrick met her eyes through the glass patio doors and smiled. They stared at each other for another few seconds before something caused her eyes to divert south. It was only because her hands were still settled against her stomach that she was able to feel it. Just a light movement, but it was there. "Oh!" She squealed, her mouth widening in appreciative awe. He had moved around when she slept, enough to rouse her, but he had never _danced _before.

Apparently, Patrick had misunderstood the squeal of delight for one of pain because he came inside with Morgan in tow. "Is everything okay?" The words were barely out of his mouth when she grabbed his left wrist and placed his hand over her lower abdomen. For a moment, nothing happened. Morgan looked from one adult to the other, thinking they had lost their minds. Then, his little foot kicked excitedly against his daddy's hand and Patrick's jaw dropped.

"What? Didn't you know there was a baby in there Patrick?" Morgan teased, still confused.

"Morgan, give me your hand." Robin prompted, already reaching for it.

"Why?" Morgan was wary. The two people he counted on had tipped over the edge.

"Just give me your hand." Robin said again, and he let her direct his tiny palm to a spot just to the right of where she and Patrick's hands were. "Feel that?"

"No." Morgan shook his head. When he _did_ feel something move beneath his hand, his eyes widened. "Is that my brother?"

Robin laughed through sudden tears. "Yes, baby. That's your brother. He's strong, isn't he?" She glanced up and noticed that Patrick's eyes had never left hers. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeah." He whispered and then cleared his voice. "It's amazing. Has he done this before?"

"Only when I try to sleep. He's never moved around like this." Robin explained.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?"

"No." Robin giggled. Her stomach growled again. "Are the ribs ready yet?"

*****

Heat. It was the only sensation Lulu's over-exhausted body recognized. It was far too hot to be comfortable. She made a move to kick off the offending covers, only to feel a sharp pain shoot up her leg as her knee made contact with something hard and plastic. Rubbing her hand across her eyes, she tried to focus on what the hell she had just hit before the dazzling sunlight bouncing off the crystal teardrop she had hung on her rearview mirror.

"What the hell?" she muttered to no one in particular as she tried to sit up and nearly strangled herself with her seatbelt in the process. Blinking several times to try to clear the fog that had decided to take root in her brain, Lulu twisted to try to place exactly where she was. The dirty floorboards covered with discarded mail and overdue notices from the library. Her overflowing purse thrown haphazardly on the passenger seat. She was definitely in her car, but where was she? And how did she get there?

Undoing the seat belt, Lulu opened her door and took a cautious step outside. The trees didn't offer any clues to her whereabouts. Almost directly above her, the sun filled the sky. Since she wore a watch, the sun's position allowed her to guess it was probably about noon. Somewhere in her car, she supposed her cell phone was waiting to confirm her guess. Her beloved, classic Oldsmobile was stopped awkwardly, half on the road and half off, the trunk sticking out dangerously close to the curve she had obviously slid around before coming to a stop. Glancing up and down the street, she tried to look for a sign, a landmark, anything really to help her place where exactly in town she was. If she was even in town. Sighing she slid down the side of her car. What the hell had happened last night?

The last thing she could remember was leaving to find a party. Parties were always a good place to find someone who at least knew how to get hold of some Meth. It hadn't been the plan to go out, but when her stash had run out, there were no other options. Life was too overwhelming without it. The memories, the feelings, the terror, they would all combine and knock her to the floor and keep her there. Meth wasn't a drug, it was her lifeline.

Had she even made it to the party? Was she stuck on some back road that led to a god-awful off campus frat party house, the very kind she had promised her parents she would never go near? Well if that was where she was going, it was probably the least of the promises to her family she had broken.

**Previews: **

Smiling sweetly, Dara stood up and approached the witness stand. When Elizabeth had told her what she had learned the night before, it had cemented her belief in karma. Diane Miller was going to learn what it felt like to see a bomb go off in the middle of your carefully orchestrated plan.


	290. Use What You Got

In all her years of practicing law, Dara Jensen had seen her share of self-involved parents. Hell she had lived in Port Charles while the mob ruled it and no one was less concerned about their children's safety than that group in her opinion. But not one of the deadbeat dads, flighty irresponsible mothers, or parents who only seemed to realize children were involved when there was a hefty child support payment involved could touch Elaine Webber, Dara decided.

The stylish blonde had a certain cool charm, Dara allowed, if you liked ice queens. All during Diane's questioning, Elaine had not once looked in her daughter's direction. Her entire testimony had been a litany of what a normal family would have been considered stories of teenage exuberance. She had considered objecting many times, but then realized that despite the intentions of Diane Miller, this testimony was more than likely not going to help the Grimes case one bit.

Smiling sweetly, Dara stood up and approached the witness stand. When Elizabeth had told her what she had learned the night before, it had cemented her belief in karma. Diane Miller was going to learn what it felt like to see a bomb go off in the middle of your carefully orchestrated plan. "Mrs. Webber, you've testified that you and your husband have good relationships with your children overall, with the exception of your youngest daughter did you not?"

"That is correct."

"And this would include your son Steven?"

"I am very proud of my son." Elaine said curtly.

"That isn't what I asked Mrs. Webber. I asked if you considered your relationship with your son a good one."

"We have our ups and downs as any mother and son do."

"Ups and downs." Dara paced through the courtroom with an amused smile on her face. Technically she could force Elaine to answer the question directly by appealing to the judge, but this would be a much better way to go about it altogether. "That is an interesting phrase. Ups and downs. Mrs. Webber, your son decided to not back you or the rest of your family's decision to testify against your daughter is that correct?"

"Steven feels very strongly about Elizabeth and always tries to stop her from making her bad decisions. I'm confident one day he will learn, as we all have, that that is fruitless."

Dara resisted the urge to smack the other woman senseless. Turning back towards the table, she shot a wink in Lucky and Elizabeth's direction. The fun was about to begin. "Mrs. Webber, if you feel you generally have a good relationship with your son, and that eventually he would see things your way where his sister was concerned, then what is your explanation for him not informing you of his marriage almost three months ago?"

"Objection Your Honor!" Diane Miller nearly jumped out of her seat in her haste to stand up. "Steven Webber's marital status is of no relevance to this case."

"Overruled Ms. Miller." Judge Hendricks said coolly. "You opened this door when you called Mrs. Webber as a character witness. Proceed Ms. Jensen."

"Thank you Your Honor." Turning towards Elaine once again, Dara aimed her best smile at the other woman. "Mrs. Webber if you could answer the question please."

"I'm not a child. You don't have to patronize me. I don't believe for one second that Steven consciously made the decision to marry Georgie Jones. She obviously manipulated him. He didn't tell me because he was ashamed." Elaine decided.

"So your son has been manipulated. Your youngest is immature and incapable of making a rational decision according to your testimony. Mrs. Webber forgive me but it seems the only child you like is the one who followed your life plan for her."

"Your Honor!" Diane Miller yelped.

"It is her testimony Your Honor."

"Proceed. Ms. Miller, I will find you in contempt if you don't sit down."

Seeing Diane reluctantly sit down, Dara tried to resist the urge to perform a little victory dance right here, right now in the middle of the courtroom. "Let's move on shall we? Mrs. Webber have you met Cameron Spencer? Or your own grandchildren?"

"I've attempted..."

"Attempted?" Dara interrupted. "Attempted? Mrs. Webber your grandchildren are almost two months old. And Cameron Spencer has been in your daughter's life for a little over a year now. How have you only attempted to meet them?"

Dara smiled as she watched Elaine struggle for an answer. It was a bit hard to portray yourself as a concerned grandmother when you had never even met the children in question. Pulling a picture of the twins taken a few hours after their birth from underneath her legal pad, Dara moved closer to the witness box. "Maybe this will be easier for you to answer Mrs. Webber. Can you identify for the court which twin is which?"

"I'm sorry?" Elaine was clearly puzzled by the question and looked towards Diane for guidance. Obviously this was not a situation they had prepped for.

"Please identify for the court which twin is where in the picture." Dara slowed her speech as she explained for the second time. "And if you could use their full names, for the record."

"Their full names?"

"You do know your grandchildren's full names don't you Mrs. Webber? I would think that a woman as concerned about their welfare as you have testified to be wouldn't find this so hard."

"Of course I know their names." Elaine snapped, annoyed as she grabbed for the picture. "The one on the left is Jake Spencer and the one on the right is Grace." She offered the picture back to Dara. "Happy?"

"Thank you Mrs. Webber." Turning towards Judge Hendricks Dara handed up the photo. "Your Honor, I request the record show that Elaine Webber identified Lauren Grace Spencer as her brother and Jacob Patrick Spencer as his sister."

"So noted."

"Thank you. And I have no further questions for this witness."

*****

"You never did tell me what we're celebrating." Robin pointed her plastic spoon in Elizabeth's direction as they sat at a little white table in front of a long row of stores eating ice cream.

"Well as all good celebrations, the reason is three fold. One, you're home early. Two, you're being home early means Dillon no longer can torture me with every movie he deems a classic. Three, most importantly and probably the reason why I am a truly awful person, Dara made my mother's testimony look as important as being a mob lawyer who doesn't know exactly what her clients are doing."

"Did you take a picture? They last longer, you know? Blackmail never goes out of style."

"I did wish for a camera, but I got the feeling the judge would not approve."

"When can I get on that stand?" Robin asked, her tone almost passing for indifference. She stirred the chocolate chips in the bottom of her plastic cup until they started melting together.

"Dara said she would let you know now that you are back in town. And by the way, don't think for a second we aren't discussing why you are home early in the first place and why I did not get a phone call!"

"Calm down." Robin laughed. "We're miles from Port Charles, but I swear, I think they heard you just now."

"Excuse me." Elizabeth huffed as she sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "But when I get a note at my house saying, 'I'm back, Call you later' from you when I think you are overseas for a least three more weeks, I'm entitled to do a little squealing. Especially after the night I had."

"How is Steven? Lucky said it was a hit-and-run?"

"Yeah. The doctors say he's healing, but he just won't wake up for whatever reason." Elizabeth smiled sadly. "I think he's just playing chicken."

"Playing chicken? Is he hiding out from that secret girlfriend, you think?" Robin lifted a curious eyebrow.

"More like the reaction about his secret wife."

"Secret wife?"

"Yes apparently my brother decided to elope while in Paris."

"In Paris? I don't under—" Robin's voice broke off. "Georgie. _Georgie_?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly. "Yeah. Apparently they were better friends than anyone suspected."

"She's married?" Robin didn't know what to do with this. It was all a joke. "Like, has a husband? Steven is her husband? I don't...I don't understand this."

"Trust me I'm still freaking out myself. And I'm a little fuzzy on details. But the bottom line is we apparently played matchmaker for them and they've been married for a few months now."

"A few months? I was just there! She didn't say anything! That little liar." Robin smiled.

"Hey I'm adjusting to the fact that apparently my children have an Aunt Georgie. And it looks like they were going to tell your uncle first and then tell everyone. Steven was on his way to meet Georgie and Mac when he got hit."

"This would happen when she decides to come clean. Uncle Mac is such a drama queen."

"To be fair he seemed to handle it way better than my parents. At least I didn't hear about him accusing her of making it up for reasons that don't make much sense to normal people."

"What do you mean?"

"My mother seems to think Georgie manipulated Steven into marrying her. Now she's not pregnant and my brother is not rich so I'm a little confused as to why anyone would manipulate him into marrying them. But I will say it was great to see Georgie kick them out and put a ban on them at hospital security."

"That—" Robin shook her head. "Never mind."

"Yes it's better not to think too hard on it." Elizabeth nodded.

"There's no way they'll be credible witnesses now." Robin smirked, tossing her finished cup in a nearby trashcan.

"Even if they were, my mother misidentifying Jake and Gracie sealed the deal."

"She couldn't tell them apart?" Robin's jaw dropped.

"No. If I didn't think it would send them straight to therapy down the line, it would be a funny story to tell them. Now we know why we are celebrating, so what exactly do you need to get ready for Patrick Junior here?"

"Oh everything. So far, he has one outfit and that's to come home from the hospital in." Robin explained. "It just kind of snuck up on me, I guess. I was in his, well what will be his nursery, and I got to thinking how unprepared I am."

"So we're talking clothes, furniture and the like?"

"Basically. Where do you think we should start?"

"Just one slight question before we completely decimate the credit cards. Have you told anyone in your family about the little one here? Because I'm thinking if you haven't, we probably don't want the delivery truck from Babies R Us sitting outside the penthouse."

"About that...we were thinking of having everyone over for dinner tomorrow night. Force everyone to be in the same room together, get the guys talking, pick Luke, Laura, and Lulu's jaws off the ground, and keep a defibrillator handy in case Uncle Mac goes into cardiac arrest." Robin was only half joking. With all that her uncle had been through this last year, this might very well finish him off.

Elizabeth let out a low whistle. "First off, way ambitious girlfriend. Secondly are you trying to top my brilliant announcement skills at the Christmas party?"

"I prefer a smaller body count." Robin smirked. "If at all possible."

"Oh that's probably impossible. While we walk, let's discuss something a little more attainable. Like making our stubborn boyfriends play nice."

"How do you think we should go about it, oh clever one?"

"Lock all three of them in a closet and refuse to let them out?"

"It's warm out. We could lock them out on the balcony."

"Unless the forecast calls for rain. And, unfortunately, I think they might see through that. I don't think you are going to like my suggestion, but I think we are going to need some assistance."

"What did you have in mind?"

"There is one person none of them would dare to cross."

"And that would be?"

"Laura."

"That's true. They wouldn't want to cross her. First, it was the threat of marrying them off. Now, it's something else entirely."

"And you know now that there are children involved." Elizabeth nodded her head and smiled knowingly. "You know she always envisioned their children playing together and being best friends too."

"She wouldn't like them messing up her careful plans."

"Not at all. Not to mention we bring her in now, she might forget to be upset with the whole not knowing about the pregnancy thing."

"You really think so?"

"So the main question is how do we approach Laura?"

**Previews: **

"The situation isn't going to be pretty and I really don't think it's right to put the baby in that kind of atmosphere when it can be prevented."

"It most certainly can be. Especially if you go prepared to be mature and deal with whatever it is that has you three acting like children."


	291. Mr Curiosity

"Do you really think we should take the baby out in this weather? What if she catches a cold or something?" Cruz was desperate. He wasn't above using his daughter to get out of a very awkward dinner party, one she had readily promised to attend.

"It's seventy-five degrees and sunny. Majandra will be fine." Bobbie laughed.

"What about...pollen? Is she allergic to it? The last thing a party needs is a sick baby. The other kids could catch something and it'd be our fault."

"You know very well our daughter is not allergic to anything. And even she was, allergies aren't contagious."

"How do we know that? What if one of the other kids is sick and she catches something?"

"Sweetheart, the twins are fine. Morgan is fine." Bobbie shook her head and sat down next to her husband. "You're not getting out of this party."

"Get out of the party? What makes you think I want that? I'm worried about our daughter." Cruz insisted.

"And while I find that as incredibly sexy as always, I think you are lying to me."

"Well, why do we have to go anyway?" Cruz grumbled.

"Number one, Robin is back and announcing her pregnancy to everyone who doesn't know. They need our support."

"Right, because they were so supportive of us in the beginning." Cruz rolled his eyes. "I don't enjoy surprises, or being a part of one. Don't you know that about me?"

"Cruz, if that was true, you would have never started this with me." Bobbie smacked him lightly in his shoulder. "Second, Patrick is one of your best friends and you two haven't seen each other in weeks."

"The door swings both ways." Cruz replied.

"You're being stubborn."

"The situation isn't going to be pretty and I really don't think it's right to put the baby in that kind of atmosphere when it can be prevented."

"It most certainly can be. Especially if you go prepared to be mature and deal with whatever it is that has you three acting like children."

"Acting like children?"

"Not speaking to each other. Trying to avoid seeing each other. It sounds very high school to me."

"You wouldn't think that if you knew the reason."

"Then tell me. Tell me what's going on." Bobbie pleaded leaning closer to him.

"I can't." Cruz said after a long, thoughtful pause.

"Why not?"

"Because it'll break your heart."

"You three not speaking breaks my heart."

"When he comes to his senses, then we'll start talking to each other again."

*****

"Angel, trust me. You are worrying for nothing." Luke moved to wrap his arms around his wife's waist. "Lulu probably has this all under control."

"That's what you keep saying." Laura snapped impatiently. "You didn't talk with her professor like I did." Laura had only been in Kelly's to pick up lunch for her and Luke when she recognized Lulu's history professor and made her presence known to him. He explained that Lulu's grades had started dropping drastically and he was worried she wouldn't pass the class. It wasn't so much his class that he was worried about, but how it would affect Lulu's GPA and scholarship. He was a very nice man, but the conversation had left Laura feeling bereft.

"He was out to scare you. All those academic types are the same. If you aren't pulling straight A's you aren't living up to your potential or something."

"That might have been your motto growing up, but it has never been our daughter's. Luke, she was the one who asked for more homework from the teacher in grade school." Laura reminded him.

"She was a strange kid. Maybe she's just becoming normal."

"She is not strange. She's stressed out. Something is very wrong." Laura told him.

"Nothing's wrong. If something's wrong Lulu would tell us." Luke pointed out. If there was one thing he knew about his daughter, it was the spotlight she craved.

"Not with that Spencer pride. That was one thing she inherited from you. Maybe she shows off more than Lucky, but I have a feeling the worse it is, the less we're going to hear about it. Come to think of it, she's been acting strangely for a while now."

"Angel, she's just trying regroup after what Logan and Emily put her through. That's all. Lucky went through the same thing."

"It makes me sick that someone from our family could put one of its own through such hell. She won't even talk about it." Laura mused.

"She will. Just give her time."

"We have to get her to that party." She met his eyes. "Would you go by her place and tell her to come?"

"Fine." Luke made an exaggerated sigh as he moved to get his keys. "You want her there early or exactly on time."

"On time. She needs her family and we're going to help her through this." Laura decided.

Luke made a mock salute as he stopped in front of the door. "Then on time she will arrive, my love."

Laura's head snapped up when she heard her husband gasp. "Luke? What's the ma—" It only took a second to see who was standing in the doorway. "Elizabeth, Robin, is something wrong?"

"Actually Laura, we came to ask for your help." Elizabeth began stepping inside, leaving Robin standing on the step.

Laura stopped and stared at Robin and her swollen stomach. "You need…you need my help?"

"That's right." Robin agreed. "The boys are acting ridiculous, and we need your help in getting them to talk to each other." She didn't miss the way Luke was staring at her stomach. "It's a baby Luke, relax." Her voice was shaking when she said it.

"It's one you didn't have when you left Little Scorpio." Luke pointed out.

"Actually, it is something I've had for about six months now." Robin admitted. "We were going to tell you at the party, but then this opportunity arose and I couldn't pass it up."

Luke shook his head. "And I was going to think up some way to get out of this."

*****

Maxie told herself that she was just going to call and bitch to his voicemail. It would be far easier than talking to him and there was the added bonus of hearing his voice. She was still mad at him and she felt she had every right to be. It would have been one thing if he had just told her Kate was going along with him; then it wouldn't have seemed like some secret rendezvous. She would have been able to trust that she had gone for the Colonel and not Ric…or at least that he was certain nothing would come of it. But he hadn't said a word, and she didn't appreciate that. It was as if the worst possible things were starting to happen in front of her eyes.

She would never understand Spencer Family Dinners, not for the rest of her life. They forced people who may or may not have been talking to each other into a tiny room where food and drinks were served. Things were going to be awkward as hell, but she didn't know why. Call it a crack in the ground that she had noticed. When things were rotten in the Spencer clan, they expressed it. Lulu hadn't been by once to harass. Maxie was wondering if she still lived at Kelly's. She was never there anymore. It was quieter, Maxie decided, but very unsettling.

Just dial the number, she beckoned her shaking fingers. Dial. It'll go straight to voicemail. He's had it turned off for days now. She didn't want to think about why that might be. Her fingers pressed harshly across the keys and she pressed her phone to her ear, glancing down at her bed that was covered in possible outfits for the dinner. She loved her cousin, really she did, but she was really starting to wonder why she had to be there. It wasn't requested either. She had been told she was coming. Something was going on.

Looking down, Ric couldn't suppress his smile as he saw her number flash across his screen. Maxie had been scarce for weeks and now she was calling him? He had to admit he was curious. Answering the phone, he waited a moment, trying to think of the perfect opening line to say to her.

Maxie heard the click of the phone and wondered why, if the machine had picked up, she didn't hear anything. "Ric, I think your voicemail might be faulty." She mumbled.

He bit his lip, deciding to keep quiet and see if she would say exactly why she had called him.

"It's better you're not there anyway." Maxie said. "So, the family is expecting me to go to a dinner party at my cousin's. Robin...you remember her, don't you? Or have you met? Anyway, she wants all of us there...every Scorpio, Jones, and Spencer alike. I don't know how I'm going to survive the evening without attacking Lulu, but I suppose stranger things have happened." She picked up the orange outfit and then threw it back down, deciding she didn't want to go to the freak house in a clown costume. "Lucy had to cancel our last appointment because Sigmund had a cold. Tragic, I know."

He bit his lip to keep from laughing. Only Maxie would complain about anything and everything before actually getting to the point of why she'd actually call.

"I wonder if Aunt Anna will make the trip. I wouldn't be surprised if Robin had her plucked out of whatever city she's hiding in to make sure she made this dinner. I have no idea what it's all about, but I think this family has had way too many surprises this year to handle even one more. Oh, I didn't tell you. Apparently Georgie is a Webber. Let me explain. It's a funny story." Maxie tried the green outfit, thought about it, and then hurried to the closet to get the shoes that matched. "She got married in secret during her semester in Paris. Do you know how we found out? You'll never guess. Steven Webber, that's her husband, was run over by a car and they drove away. He's holding his own, but the doctor isn't confident enough to do surgery. I guess it's not that funny a story."

"Well it certainly does lack a little something in the translation." Ric agreed.

Maxie dropped both shoes, the sound barely registering.

"It sounds like you've been keeping busy."

His voicemail wasn't faulty at all! He had purposely stayed quiet while she talked, the weasel!

"Maxie? You still there?"

"I'm plotting your death." She was suddenly aware she had spoken. "How could you do that?"

"Do what? Listen to you? I thought you told me I concentrated too much on your physical attributes."

"I didn't know you were listening."

"Then you normally leave ten minute long messages on voice mail?"

"I just needed to get it all out." Maxie defended. "I sure as hell didn't want to talk to you."

"Then why did you call?"

"To hear your voice."

"I've missed you too Blondie."

"Really? I figure you have enough there to keep you busy."

"Busy, yes? But not enough to distract me the way you can."

So he still wasn't going to own up to it. Maxie swallowed down what she recognized as a catch in her throat.

"Maxie? You ok?"

"I'm fine. Don't start worrying about me."

"Too late."

"Have a good trip, Ric."

"I'll see you soon Maxie."

"Tell Kate I said hi."

**Previews:**

"Are you alright?" Alexis's voice brought him back to the present. Maybe you didn't need to look quite so closely to see the truth. Or maybe Alexis just knew him better than anyone else. He assumed the latter.

"Yeah. I'm asking God to keep life changing secrets to a minimum." As he said it, he unintentionally stared over at Maxie.


	292. If You Ever Stop Loving Me

If you didn't look closely, you would think Mac Scorpio was handling everything rather well. His daughter had been the co-conspirator in a secret marriage that had lasted a quarter of a year, his fiancé had been trying to back out of the wedding since she had been diagnosed with lung cancer, and now, at the height of it all, Robin had invited him and everyone that she and Patrick knew to be a part of a special dinner. Call him paranoid, but the last time they had shared a meal it had been to tell him that she was engaged. His opinion on that matter hadn't deterred his niece one iota, nor had he even been given a chance to completely form one. He hadn't missed the "there are no excuses for not showing up" theme the invitation hid behind its pretty words.

Maybe you didn't even have to look close to see that Mac Scorpio was coming apart at the seams. Alexis squeezed his hand, for support or to express her own dread he didn't know. He met her eyes and told himself he would get her down that aisle if he had to carry her down it. She wanted to be his wife that much he knew. It was everything else that seemed to make her uncertain. Her illness. The children being kidnapped. And something else. Something else was seriously bothering her. He wished he knew what it was. He wanted to fix it because that was his nature. Give him a puzzle, he put the pieces together. Give him a riddle, he solved it. As far as he could tell, whatever this new development, it hadn't started until just recently.

Georgie was at the hospital with Steven. It was hard enough linking their names in his mind, so he didn't try. She was still his baby, no matter how old she got or who she married. He reminded himself not to bring up the subject until the bloke was out of the wood, but he wanted to see the marriage certificate. It wasn't in Georgie to lie, or so he had thought, but he wasn't leaving anything to chance anymore. Maybe this Steven Webber had corrupted her. He had seen it several times in Robin and Maxie's boyfriends over the years. It wasn't so far a leap. He hadn't met Steven before the accident, so who knew what kind of man he was? Not much of one, Mac mused silently to himself. He hadn't even had the decency to ask for Mac's blessing.

That was something else that bothered Mac: the fact that Patrick had tried to call him over the last couple of weeks, each time getting the answering machine or leaving brief messages for him at the station. To this day, he still had no idea what Drake wanted from him and that made him very, very nervous. The man had never sought him out for any real purpose, so why now? He hadn't discussed this with anyone, deciding that, if and when the time came, he would be in the know. What was it with his family and keeping secrets from him? Was he not trustworthy? He didn't always jump to irrational conclusions. He always tried to give the benefit of the doubt…even as his girls were heading closer and closer to the proverbial cliff.

"Are you alright?" Alexis's voice brought him back to the present. Maybe you didn't need to look quite so closely to see the truth. Or maybe Alexis just knew him better than anyone else. He assumed the latter.

"Yeah. I'm asking God to keep life changing secrets to a minimum." As he said it, he unintentionally stared over at Maxie.

"What are you looking at me for?" Maxie asked innocently. "I told you about Ric long before anyone else spilled their news. Don't I get some kind of credit for that?"

"Still haven't met the man." Mac pointed out.

"You haven't invited him to dinner." Maxie bit her tongue. Maybe that wasn't the most tactful comment she could have made. "Besides, he's gone to Tucson to visit his sick father."

Mac almost told her he didn't want more information on the cradle robbing MD, but thought better of it. No reason to make enemies. Alexis rested her head on his shoulder, again as if she knew something he did not, and the door opened wide.

"Natasha! Bubba! Maxie!" Luke called out joyfully. "Come on in and join the party! We couldn't start the fun without you!"

"The fun?" Mac asked, his eyes worriedly scanning the guests.

"Such fun you can't even imagine it." Luke promised, winking conspiratorially. "I promise this will be a party to remember."

*****

"I can't do this." Robin said into her plastic cup of orange juice as she tipped it up into her mouth.

"I think you no longer have a choice." Elizabeth pointed out, holding her own glass tightly in her hand. "I'm pretty sure all the noise Luke is making means one thing. Your family is here."

"I thought I could do it, but I can't. I'm getting on a plane to Aruba. Send them a postcard." Robin decided.

"Good plan, but I think you still need to go out there in order to leave the palace here."

Robin weaved through the crowd with a confidence she didn't feel. Halfway to the front door, a hand reached out and pulled her to the left. She smiled when she realized it was Patrick. "I bet you thought I was going to send you the wolves." Though he phrased it as a joke, she could tell he felt guilty for how his family had found out.

"No...of course not." The catch in Robin's voice was enough of a confirmation that she did, in fact, expect him to abandon her. She smiled reassuringly and dragged him toward her family, sending up a silent prayer that this didn't end in bloodshed.

Seeing the pair move closer to the unsuspecting Mac Scorpio, Luke smiled and settled into his chair. Damn it he wished he had popcorn right now. Why had Laura vetoed that plan?

Maxie wasn't sure what to make of the increasing temperature in the apartment, but it made her uncomfortable. She doubted whatever tonight was about could shock her. Still…

Some time between walking in the door and Robin and Patrick meeting them there, Alexis let go of Mac's hand leaving him feeling lightheaded. He followed the path her eyes had taken and reached to for the wall, suddenly needing more support. Patrick and Robin were holding hands, their gazes a mixture of bashfulness and fear. Over the last several months, he had gotten used to seeing them together. Thankfully, there had been very few occasions in which he had to endure Patrick Drake's strange sense of humor. When Robin called and told him she was leaving for Paris to visit her father, Mac had been sure there was a breakup in his niece's future. He hadn't wished for one of course because he recognized love when he saw it. The signs just seemed to be there.

He had never taken much interest in women's clothing outside of looking over Maxie's sketches and telling her how good they were, how talented she was, and how maybe she could try using just a tad more fabric so her dresses didn't resemble underwear. Robin had chosen a sunflower-yellow dress with frilly sleeves and white flats. He wouldn't have paid any attention to what she wore if it hadn't been for the way the dress fit her. For as long as he could remember, Robin's body shape had been constant: short and just a level above unhealthy skinny. She had mother's build through and through. It had never changed. Her height was about the only thing that hadn't changed. Her face, arms, and breasts were all much fuller and there was an unmistakable glow to her skin. Her arms were wrapped protectively around a plump stomach and Patrick's hands were settled there.

He thought a million things without saying them aloud. Little by little, he ignored the most abrasive facts and focused on the others, such as the fact the missing engagement ring from Robin's left finger. Hadn't she told him she was engaged? In the same breath, she had vowed to do whatever she wanted whether or not he approved. He had underestimated her meaning apparently. He tried to decipher exactly how far along she was, to distinguish exactly how long she had been lying to him. He remembered how Felicia had looked with both the girls, had been there for every stage because Frisco, Tony, and Robert were always off on some insane mission. He estimated five or six months by the way her clothing fit and the size of her belly. She and Drake had only been engaged—if they were truly engaged—for less than half that time. This definitely explained their rush.

"What?" Maxie managed to ask once breath returned to her. And Robin and Georgie said she enjoyed attention? Oh she had nothing on those two. "Are you and Georgie in some sort of competition I wasn't aware to shock us to death?"

"No." Robin managed to squeak out. "We didn't know how to tell you."

"You mean you didn't know how to pick up a phone and say, 'I'm pregnant. Thought you might want to know'?" Alexis scoffed disbelievingly.

"Alexis..." Mac choked out.

"What? This is ridiculous! She's been lying for the better part of a year." Alexis raged on.

"Only at my insistence." Patrick explained gravely.

Mac's eyes lit up. "You son of a bitch. I'm going to kill you." Though his voice never lifted, Patrick looked startled.

"Uncle Mac, please." Robin wasn't sure what she was begging for. He ignored her and lunged for Patrick. "Damn it, stop!" She tried to get between them, but Patrick shoved her carefully to the side.

He allowed the first punch to hit him square on the jaw. He deserved it. However, when the old commissioner's fist came in to deliver a second blow, he dodged it and caught him by his upper arms, holding him in place.

Mac squirmed and kicked and was sure he would kill this son of a bitch if Robin wasn't crying for him to stop. He pushed Patrick's hands away and took a step back, ready to pounce. His eyes turned to Robin's stricken face. "How could you not tell me this?"

"Because I knew you would react like this no matter what." Robin answered. "You can't see straight when it comes to your girls." Her bottom lip trembled.

"Thank God for that. Look what the three of you get yourselves into!" Mac shouted.

"This is my life!" Robin shot back. "I am a grown woman. I am capable of making my own decisions."

"It's obvious where your decisions have led you. Jesus, Robin." Mac said beneath his breath.

Robin did a double take. He might as well have struck her for the shock he saw in her eyes. "I didn't do this to hurt you...or anyone." She said loudly making sure everyone heard her.

"Well you've had an awful long time to think about it, haven't you?" Alexis threw in, her eyes narrowed in anger.

"Alexis, I appreciate you trying to support my uncle but, if you don't be quiet, pregnant or not, I'm going to knock you on your ass." Robin threatened.

"Don't yell at her just because this isn't going the way you planned." Mac warned.

"_Planned?_ None of this was planned!" Robin shrieked.

"Enough!" Elizabeth yelled as she walked closer to the group. "This is so far beyond the point here. Mac, Alexis I understand you're surprised but this is still _Robin_. She would never deliberately try to hurt anyone. And I'm sure the longer she waited, the harder this became for her. And it's not like any one here in this room can throw stones in the 'should have told sooner' department."

Robin was so angry she could barely see straight. "It's a boy in case you were wondering." The words were nothing more than a string of trembles as she forced them out. She jerked her hand free of Patrick's grasp and ran upstairs, pushing past anyone who might decide to get in her way.

*****

"Knock, knock." Maxie stuck her head into the room cautiously, not entirely convinced an object wouldn't come flying in her direction. Her cousin may look fragile, but she had a deadly accurate aim. "One drama queen seeking another."

"Please, just leave me alone." Robin begged, her back facing the door.

"I don't think I have ever listened to that request a day in my life. No reason to start now." Maxie shrugged, making her way further into the room and shutting the door behind her.

"Maxie..." Robin didn't have the energy to fight with her younger cousin.

"I have to give you points." Maxie continued as she made herself comfortable on the bed. "You certainly took the spotlight off the Runaway Bride quite effectively. If Georgie was here, she'd probably kiss you."

"I've gotten used to people handling the news badly." Robin surmised. "Or at least I thought I had. I'm hoping my father told my mother because I don't think I can do this again."

"Did you expect hugs and congratulations? Robin have you met Mac?"

"Actually, that was exactly how I expected it to happen." Robin laughed hollowly.

"It's a good thing you and Georgie have me. Sometimes you are both so naïve." Maxie shook her head, smiling and laughing.

"At least it's out now, right? It can't inflict any more damage." Even though she knew she wouldn't find judgment in those sapphire blue eyes, she didn't roll over to face her cousin.

"Well only if you consider Dad being forced to accept the fact his girls are in fact adults as not being damage, then yes. The worst is probably over."

"I thought...oh I don't know what I thought. I just want everyone to go home." Robin said dropping her face into her pillow.

"Luke just popped popcorn. Laura has Dad and Alexis in a corner. And Elizabeth looks like she's telling Patrick to do something. I'm pretty sure no one is going anywhere. Besides, there is a great deal of fun in watching Cruz try not to stand around looking awkward."

At the mention of Elizabeth, Robin suddenly remembered the plan. She couldn't sit up here feeling sorry for herself. She had a job to do. She was just going to have to put her hurt feelings aside and return to the party. "Do you think he can ever be happy for me?"

"If you name the baby after him."

Robin smiled. "I was already planning on doing that."

"See there's your problem. You didn't lead with that part of the story. That would have made it all rainbows and light!"

"Ha-ha. I somehow doubt that." Robin turned at last and pulled her knees to her chest.

Maxie laid a hand on Robin's knee. "Trust me on this part. You and Georgie haven't had the years of experience I have in dealing with an angry Dad. He'll yell. He'll grumble. Yes he'll take approximately three more running lunges at Patrick before you actually give birth. But in the end if Patrick treats you right and you are happy, then he'll back down. And give Alexis a little time to calm down and she'll talk some sense into him too."

Robin wasn't used to taking advice from Maxie. Usually it was the other way around. She was thankful for it. "Promise?"

"I am this close to getting him to invite Ric over for dinner. I promise."

"Wow. That is progress." Robin giggled.

"And give me another two weeks and I think I'll even get him to use Ric's name."

"Maybe while you're doing that, you can get him to use Steven's. I think Georgie needs all the help she can get." Robin decided then and there not to tell her relatives the other part of her pregnancy, the reason she had waited so long to tell them. There was no reason to tip the scale. So far she and the baby were healthy and she wanted to keep it that way. Something told her Patrick wouldn't volunteer the information without talking to her first.

Maxie rolled her eyes. "I'm not a miracle worker."

_"What was that?"_ Robin hopped out of bed with Maxie hot on her trail. The sound of broken glass sent a series of shivers up and down her spine. She ran for the stairs not sure if she would like what she found. For all she knew, Uncle Mac had pushed Patrick right out the window. Robin stopped short at the sight of a long black rope dangling from the roof and a familiar brunette sliding down it. "Mom?"

**Previews:**

"Why do you have to make an excuse?" Patrick asked, but she was already moving away from him. "Great. Just great." He muttered. Had he always been this easy to manipulate? He watched Robin's dark head disappear upstairs and realized that, yes, it had always been easy.


	293. Tough Little Boys

Robin spotted Lucky almost immediately from the top step of the stairs. He was speaking quietly with Cruz. To whatever questions he was asking, Cruz answered each one with a smirk, a serious frown, or a lift of his eyebrows. She could hear Luke and Uncle Mac talking in the kitchen. Laura and Elizabeth were around here somewhere. Maxie was talking on her cell phone, probably spilling to Georgie or having a secret conversation with Ric. Her mother had dropped in literally for about an hour and had climbed out the bedroom window. Thank God her family wasn't ever going to be normal. She didn't know if she would fit in with them if they were. Maxie was talking on her cell phone, probably spilling to Georgie or having a secret conversation with Ric. She wondered if she could get down the stairs without too many people noticing.

She made her way toward Lucky, somehow blending in with the crowd, and interrupted Cruz mid-frown. "Lucky can I talk to you a second? It's about Elizabeth." If there was ever a surefire way to get Lucky to come with her, it was mentioning Elizabeth's name.

Shooting Robin a concerned look, Lucky nodded quickly. "Sure. I'll find you after okay?" He asked Cruz.

"Yeah, sure. Go on." Cruz went in search of his lovely wife and daughter.

"Alright what's going on?" Lucky asked, maneuvering them towards a corner.

"Lucky..." Robin paused. "It's about Max."

"What about that bastard?"

Robin subtly caught Dillon's gaze from across the room. He was half-listening to Lucas and Bobbie as they made plans for Lance to spend some time with his grandma. According to Dillon, Bobbie had become a little clingy since Lance was diagnosed, not that anyone could blame her for her reaction. Robin, Laura, and Alexis had been the same way when they got their children back. "I think I knew a little before she told anyone that Max was abusive, but I didn't say anything. I've been feeling guilty about it. Maybe if I had confronted her earlier, Diane Miller wouldn't have been able to use it in court." Pinching the inside of her left palm with her right thumb and forefinger, she felt tears immediately spring to her eyes.

"Robin..." Lucky sighed. "What do you know?"

"I can't tell you here." Robin gazed longingly toward the stairs.

"Fine. Where? When?"

"Now. Upstairs. We can talk in the nursery." Robin suggested.

Glancing quickly around the room, he spotted Elizabeth cornering Patrick, more than likely giving his cousin nine kinds of hell for allowing Mac to continue yelling for as long as he did. She would bed distracted for a few minutes at least. "Five minutes?"

"That's all I need." Robin promised. "Shall we?"

"Go on up. I'll meet you."

*****

"Oh come on you have to do this for me Patrick." Elizabeth caught Lucas's slight nod out of the corner of her eye. Apparently Robin's part of the plan had worked and now everything was up to her since there was a less than zero chance Cruz would turn down Laura. "What reason could you possibly have for turning me down?"

"I guess I do kind of owe you for the Mac thing." Patrick squirmed. Things had certainly changed since October when they had gone shopping for Robin's birthday present. Now to be shopping for Lucky's was a little less awkward. He had leaned on Elizabeth in Robin's absence making them friends, or at least sociable with each other. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else going on. Why wouldn't Elizabeth go to Robin for this sort of thing?

"Perfect!" Elizabeth jumped up and clapped her hands. "Now we just have to talk strategy."

"There's a strategy?" Patrick squeaked out.

"Of course there is a strategy. For this to work we need everything to go perfectly, like clockwork. There must be a schedule."

"A schedule?" Patrick rolled his eyes. "Liz, maybe this isn't such a good idea."

"No. It's the perfect idea and you are the only person I trust to get this done correctly. But we can't talk here. Details would get back to Lucky and that would be bad. We need to talk somewhere else."

"Where?" Patrick didn't like where this was going.

Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip, pretending to consider her options. "The nursery. Meet me in five minutes. I just have to make a quick excuse to Robin and I'll see you up there."

"Why do you have to make an excuse?" Patrick asked, but she was already moving away from him. "Great. Just great." He muttered. Had he always been this easy to manipulate? He watched Robin's dark head disappear upstairs and realized that, yes, it had always been easy.

*****

Majandra lay draped across Cruz's left shoulder as he and Laura headed for the nursery, her just a few steps behind him. He hadn't seen the room so he trusted her when she said there was a crib up there that his sweet little daughter could rest in. Like most family gatherings, this one had tuckered her out. If his wife weren't insisting they stay longer, he could have used his daughter's sudden exhaustion as the perfect reason to leave. "Are you sure there's a crib?"

"Positive. It's the one thing Robin swore to me she had already taken care of." Laura promised easily.

Majandra waited until they were almost in front of the nursery to open her heavy eyes and open her mouth to cry. As he went to soothe her, Laura lifted her easily out of his arms. "Laura..." But she was already a step ahead of him. She slipped into the nursery before he could catch up with her and he followed. When he reached the room, neither Laura nor Majandra were anywhere to be found. He headed for the crib in the middle of the room, the only indication that a baby would be sleeping in this room soon enough, and that was about the time he realized he wasn't alone in the room. "Did either of you see Laura?" He noticed a second door to his right, one that must have joined the master bedroom, and heard the click-click of a lock being engaged. Spinning around, he watched Elizabeth and Robin pull the main door closed and heard it being locked as well. He turned toward Lucky and Patrick. "What is going on?"

"I have no idea." Lucky looked between them both confused. "All I know is Robin came over and told me we had to talk privately and then this happened."

Patrick nodded in agreement. "They pulled the wool over our eyes." It was something his mother had always used in reference to her two sneaky boys.

"What is this, some kind of soap opera?" Cruz tried one door and then the other, but it was no use. "This is ridiculous. Laura! Open this door!"

"You're wasting your breath." Lucky sighed as he leaned against the wall. "If Robin and Elizabeth had something planned I will bet my last paycheck Mom was in on it."

"Do either of you want to tell me why we're being locked up against our will?" He looked from one friend to the other. "Well?"

"Well what? We were tricked into coming just as you were." Patrick fired back.

"I have a guess." Lucky offered.

"Spit it out." Cruz demanded.

"When Robin got home, she came over to visit and one of the things she was dying to know was why we weren't talking."

"When was this?" Patrick asked.

"The night Steven had his accident."

Patrick hadn't even realized she had left the apartment. He was going to have to put bells on that woman. "Did you tell her?"

"She figured it out on her own. Especially after you told her. I think she was just testing to see if I would tell her the truth." Lucky blinked as he looked around. It was weird to be here with them. When did it become weird? From the beginning it had never been weird.

"So this is all your fault?" Cruz glared at Patrick. "I should have known."

"It's not just my fault." Patrick defended hotly. "This isn't a one-sided argument."

"It's not, but you are on the wrong side of it." Lucky shot back.

"I can't help it if you're both acting like a couple of spoiled brats. I disagree with you so you've got to give me the silent treatment." Patrick accused.

"Oh cause talking about it always helps with you?" Lucky shot right back. "We don't agree with you and you kick us out in two seconds."

"It was obvious you weren't hearing me. You're still not."

"You're still not making a bit of sense." Cruz pointed out. "Say something rational and then we'll talk."

"Or at least listen to what we have to say instead of jumping down our throats." Lucky crossed his arms over his chest and fixed a straight stare at his cousin. "If I know Robin and Elizabeth at all, we are stuck here for a while so we might as well do something."

"Why can't you two trust that maybe I know what I'm doing?" Patrick inquired tiredly.

"Because the last time you asked us to trust you on this particular subject we were the ones watching your ass get peeled from the pavement and head to the hospital." Lucky responded calmly.

"I learned my lesson." Patrick insisted.

"Obviously not if you're doing it again." Cruz retorted.

"And especially not if you are doing this now." Lucky pointed out.

"I just need a change, even if it's only temporary."

"There. That. You don't even really believe it's only a one-time thing." Cruz jumped in.

"This is possibly the last chance I'm going to have to do this." Patrick said. "After Robin has the baby, I lose this."

"Why do you have to think of it that way? There are other jobs you could do that keep you near the racetrack instead of on it." Cruz snapped.

"You are not doing this because of some last fling of being single." Lucky shook his head. "You'd hate to be a cliché like that."

"Well, tell me why you think I'm doing it you're so smart." Patrick challenged folding his arms.

"Because you have this insane idea you need to prove to yourself that everything is the same, even though it's not."

"Maybe it's not even that." Cruz looked thoughtful. "Maybe this is your way of showing Robin you can face death and not let it overtake you. You're always saying that she's going on and on about how she's going to die before you and how you better be expecting it. You've never been able to face that."

"What do you know about it?" Patrick barked.

"Oh you're right. We're totally ignorant of the fact that someone can die before they should." Lucky retorted. "You are the only person in this room who's ever had to face that."

"Lucky..." Patrick gulped. He hadn't meant to strike the bitter cord in his cousin. Jess's life had been snuffed out because of some irresponsible driver and, though he had never loved her, Lucky had to look at his son who resembled her in so many ways. God, was that going to be him?

Lucky held up his hand to cut Patrick off. "I'm not trying to compare Jess to Robin. But none of us here like to think of Robin dying Patrick. You aren't the only one who has to deal with this."

"I need this." Patrick admitted. "I don't know why, but I do."

"Is it worth the risk though? You've been blessed with a woman who loves you and two children. Have you really thought this through?" Cruz wondered.

"And given how Robin seems to feel about it, do you really think she's just going to give in on this?" Lucky added.

"She's just hurt I made the decision without her. She'll come around or she won't."

"And if she doesn't?" Lucky asked quietly. "Are you willing to risk losing her over this?"

Patrick was silent for a long time. He didn't want to be forced to choose, that much he had told Robin. Why couldn't he have them both? "No. I'm not willing to lose her." He said at last. "But this is still my life and I should have some say in how it's run."

"Hate to tell you this but once you actually have a relationship that pretty much goes out the window." Lucky laughed.

"So glad I can still amuse you." Patrick chimed in dryly.

"You'll always amuse us. You have a face only a mother could love." Cruz assured him.

**Previews:**

In all of their planning, none of them had figured out how to decipher if Patrick, Cruz, and Lucky had made up. They would most definitely lie if asked directly, so the only option was to leave them where they were for now until they started begging for bathroom breaks. Or until Lucky picked the lock.


	294. La Cienega Just Smiled

"I'm telling you, I don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing we weren't there today. On the one hand, Robin could have used the support but on the other, there is no way I could have kept from my dad quiet about something else major." Georgie sighed as she ran a hand through her hair haphazardly. The doctors had been encouraging her to keep talking to Steven, saying there was really no medical reason for him to not wake up on his own. He just needed encouragement as one of the few nice nurses had told her this morning. So she had been babbling about every little thing since then. Thank God Maxie called when she did or she would have had to start discussing her soap with him. Although he might just wake up to protest that topic of conversation. It was something to think about at least.

"So I figure this could go two ways." Absentmindedly, she intertwined her fingers with his, lifting his hand up, careful to not disturb the IV line. "Option one, Dad calms down quickly and realizes there are so many other things that I could have kept from him." Pausing she chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Of course that doesn't mean I'll be telling him all about the false alarm mind you."

"Option two is that Dad realizes there is no way I could have missed Robin's news while we were both in Paris and will somehow figure out a way to blame you for me not spilling the beans first. So between you and me I'm hoping for number one okay?"

Looking down at his face, she half expected to see his crooked smile, the twinkle that appeared in his eyes whenever he was in on the joke. She bit on her lip harder, trying to keep the tears from spilling down her face yet again. Tears, she told herself sternly, were not going to help Steven right now. Tears were the last thing he needed.

"No what he needs is to hear me talk about the most inane subjects known to man." Georgie finished her thoughts out loud with a sigh. Sitting back into the chair, she pulled one leg up under her chin. Squeezing his hand in hers, she pinched her eyes shut. "I feel so useless. So stupid doing this. I know it's supposed to be good for you, but half the fun of talking with you is the arguing. I love telling you you're wrong. And of course the making up isn't bad either. But I hate this. I hate one-sided conversations."

"If I wanted the silent treatment, I wouldn't have banned your parents and sister from the building. I thought you loved to argue with me. Well I've thrown some choice moments out here for you to correct my thinking on and you just let each opportunity pass. Come on Steven. I'm not going to be so obviously wrong ever again so you have to take advantage now buddy."

The tears no longer paid any attention to her attempts to stop them from falling. They traced down her face in two tiny rivers. Using her free hand, she wiped away at them furiously. "I'm crying here Steven. Of course you never did know how to handle a crying woman so that probably wouldn't encourage you to wake up would it? No. You're probably hiding until we all stop with the waterworks so you don't have to deal with them aren't you?" She smiled through her pain, clearly seeing him trying just such a ploy. "Yeah I bet you are."

Blowing out a breath, Georgie tried to sniff back a few of the tears. "It's just we have never not been able to talk. It's our thing. We talk about everything. Or at least try to. And we have so much we still have to talk about. There are so many debates I want to have with you, but the thing is you need to be here to have them. So just do whatever it is you have to do and get back here will you?" Pushing his hair back on his forehead, she pressed a quick kiss there. "I miss you so much."

"Why are you crying?" Steven's voice startled her into lifting her head and meeting his eyes. He squeezed her hand and tried to smile, but the pain caused it to come out as little more than a grimace.

"Steven?" She could barely contain the gasp. "Steven?"

"Who were you expecting? James Bond?" Steven laughed and then winced. He raised his hand to comb through her hair. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing. Right now everything is perfect."

"Then why are you crying? Did somebody hurt you?" He couldn't move his head at will, so he had to depend on his eyes. He didn't see anyone in the room with them.

"No. No. Happy tears. These are happy tears." She tried to assure him.

"Are we at the hospital?" He recognized the whirring machines and dreadful double-breasted gown from his week spent in a hospital similar to this one where he had had his appendix taken out.

"Yeah. Been here a few days now."

"I know the shoot's over, but surely we can afford somewhere better." Steven joked. "What happened to me?"

"You were coming to meet me and my dad. And apparently the car stalled." Georgie looked down at their hands before she could continue. "You got out, maybe to check it or something, and another car didn't see you."

"Someone hit me?"

"Yes. But you're here and now you're fine. That's the important thing. Everything else is just details ok?"

"Who hit me?" Steven didn't think it was all okay. "Did they bring me here?"

"We don't know who hit you. A guy on the squad saw the car on the side of the road and pulled over to investigate. He found you."

"Found me?" Steven repeated.

"Steven, we don't need to go into this now. You're here and you're going to be fine."

"Georgie, I could have been killed. How can you act like that doesn't matter?" Steven gazed up at her imploringly.

"It does matter. But there's just not a lot of information to go over. My dad is looking into it."

"Are we sure he wasn't the one behind the wheel?" The joke came out a little too harsh and Georgie winced. "I didn't mean that."

"I know. I know you didn't. Let's just say it's been an interesting time around here."

"Interesting?"

"I'm beginning to think maybe we should have worried more about how to tell your parents than my father."

"My parents? Oh, baby..." Steven watched her with a pained expression. "That must have been awful. I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"I'll forgive you this time. Thankfully, between your sister, grandmother, Alexis, and my dad we finally got them thrown out of the hospital. However I do think we have been uninvited from Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"What a sacrifice." Steven rolled his eyes.

"But there may have been a slight silver lining in all of that."

"What's that?"

"Elizabeth and I may have a conversation or two and just maybe I told her you would not be opposed to using the fact that you did not want to tell your own mother about your marriage might mean she's not the greatest judge of character in the world."

"The custody trial?" Steven guessed.

"Yup." Georgie nodded. "I've been told watching your mother squirm over that on the stand and then misidentifying the twins would have been funny if it wasn't so sad."

Steven chuckled. "Glad I could be of some use."

Georgie smiled and leaned down to kiss him softly. "I'm just glad you're going to be ok."

"Sorry I was late."

"You'll just have to make it up to me later."

"Speaking of which, when can I get out of here? I think now that the world knows we're man and wife, it's about time we start acting like it." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"I'll talk to the doctors."

"Please do. We have a lot of time to make up for."

*****

In all of their planning, none of them had figured out how to decipher if Patrick, Cruz, and Lucky had made up. They would most definitely lie if asked directly, so the only option was to leave them where they were for now until they started begging for bathroom breaks. Or until Lucky picked the lock. The party had ended almost fifteen minutes ago. Neither Uncle Mac nor Alexis were speaking to Robin, but she hadn't expected them to. She had thrown out a few innocuous comments about Maxie's newest beau, but her cousin had doggedly evaded any real explanation before hugging her and telling her she was working a double shift tonight. Much as Georgie had congratulated her over the fake engagement, Maxie had rubbed Robin's belly and said that, if it turned out to be a girl, her name should be considered.

Elizabeth's legs dangled off the edge of the couch. She was obviously asleep, but still reached protectively toward the twins' stroller bouncy seats positioned mere inches from her fingertips. Audrey had dropped them off so that she could go to the doctor. When Elizabeth offered to go with her she thwarted her granddaughter's attempt. It was obvious she was trying to regain some of her initial independence. She might have Steven staying with her, but she could easily say that was as much for his benefit as well as her own.

Laura and Luke were cleaning up the kitchen despite Robin's insistence that she could do it. They said it was the least they could do after the way they had reacted to the engagement. Shocked, Robin had let them alone. The world must be standing on its head for all the sense today made to her. First, Maxie had been the most positive influence in a mass of chaos. Second, Uncle Mac had punched Patrick. Or how about the fact that the guys were locked in the upstairs nursery? About the only normal thing about this whole thing was the sight of Bobbie rocking Majandra in Patrick's favorite lounge chair.

Robin couldn't help but pace the length of the living room. She had walked past the nursery door several times only to be met with silence. While it was unlikely they had killed each other, she knew their tempers. None of them would appreciate being tricked into talking. Well, if they had just made the effort themselves, they wouldn't have had to be tricked. She would wait another few minutes and then start for the room again. If they hadn't solved their problems by then, there was little she could do. They were three of the most stubborn mules she had ever met. God help her, she was about to give birth to a little boy who would be just like them. Tears sprung to her eyes at the chance of Lucky and Cruz not being around for his life. Maybe she wouldn't let them out after all.

Robin dropped into the loveseat in Patrick's office and wished, not for the first time, that it was full of camera equipment similar to the one at his other apartment. She had been the one to move the loveseat in here in the first place and Patrick must have moved his desk in some time last night while she had been at the Spencers'. Her only regret for leaving Port Charles was that she hadn't included Patrick. She should have let him go with her, but much as the time when Morgan was stolen from her, she had wanted to escape. The only difference was that by the time the second opportunity presented itself she had seized it.

Something sharp poked her in the back and she jumped into a sitting position and turned to see what it was. Wincing as she rubbed the sore skin, she discovered a golden key. It looked like any old key, no writing on it. What made her look at it more than once was that it was a lone key. It didn't belong to a keychain. Curious, she went around the apartment and tried to unlock various things. She returned to the loveseat after almost forty-five minutes of no success. What could it possibly open? And why had it been hidden in the cushion of the loveseat? Robin started to think about the night she had come home, how Patrick wanted to ask her something. Surely, he had learned his lesson before and hadn't gone out and found them a house. No, even that was too drastic a decision for Patrick to make on his own. She would sooner believe he participated in an underground cock fight. So what did this key go to?

Rounding his cherry wood desk, she pulled open the drawers one by one. Whatever the key went to, it was possible a clue lie hidden somewhere in this desk. She pulled out stacks of papers, Post-It notes decorated in chicken scratch, and several writing utensils scattered onto the floor at her feet. Flipping through the stack with her thumb, she skimmed through each page carefully. Water bill. Utility bill. Cell phone bill. Grocery list. Emergency numbers. A list of dates written on a five by seven sheet of notebook paper. That one read: Birthdays.

Discouraged, she returned the papers, the pens and pencils, and stack of Post-It Notes to the desk. As she went to pick up the last pen that belonged to the drawer, her fingertips brushed across a discarded note. Across the top it read: 549 Willow Drive Port Charles, NY 10033. Her bakery, she thought faintly. Why did he have the address written out? She kept reading, trying to make some sense of it. Below the header, she saw several dollar amounts, all but one scratched out. In the far right corner of the paper Claire Tanner was written in bold black letters. The amount that hadn't been scratched out was circled several times. Robin looked back at the other figures. An offer, she mused. An offer to buy the building back from Claire. Patrick must have bought the building because he knew how much she had loved her bakery. Oh God.

**Previews:**

"Worked like a charm." Elizabeth winked. "He'll never see it coming."


	295. Be Yourself

_"No pressure. No pressure_." The words from the social worker's phone call the day before kept echoing in Lucky's brain. _"I'll just be there to observe_," she had explained in a tone that managed to be both annoyingly chipper and authoritative. _"Honestly just pretend I'm not even there. There's no pressure Mr. Spencer."_

No pressure his ass. Apparently after realizing that some of the Grimes's character witnesses had nothing more relevant to say on the case other than what his name was, Judge Hendricks had ordered that both parties undergo supervised visits with Cameron and she would take the report on both visits under consideration. No pressure. A person he had talked to only briefly a total of five times on the phone since the judge's order literally had the power to say his son could come home on the basis of one eight-hour visit. And she said there was no pressure?

Glancing at his watch, Lucky tried not to feel the panic coursing through his veins. The social worker, whose name he couldn't remember right now, said she would bring Cameron at ten a.m. and it was almost time. Was she punctual? Did she run late? Why did he all of the sudden turn into his mother?

"Relax. Everything is going to be fine." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around his waist from behind. Yes the situation was more than a little nerve-wracking but what horrible thing was this social worker going to find? Some toys out of place? The rack of bottles drying near the sink in the kitchen? It wasn't like they lived behind bulletproof glass and had bodyguards posted at every door.

"Did I ever tell you I find your optimism annoying?"

"Did I ever tell you I think you act exactly like your father?"

"Elizabeth, this isn't a time for jokes."

"No, but it's not time to start planning your escape to another country under an assumed name either. Everything will be fine and all the social worker is going to see is how happy Cameron is here. With us. And that's what she's going to report."

"But she met with Tony and Lisa first. If she listened to them..."

"Then she's not doing her job of being objective and being Cameron's voice in all of this. Baby just relax. I promise nothing bad will happen."

"You know on your soap that always means a catastrophe of epic proportions is seconds away from happening."

"Then I guess that mean you'll just have to be the hero that saves everyone in the nick of time then won't you?" She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Besides if you don't calm down, then Cameron will know something is wrong."

Damn it she was right. Turning away from the window he watched as she walked over to where the twins were happily bouncing in their swings. "That's a dirty trick."

Elizabeth shot him a wink. "I think someone told me whatever it took to win was a good thing."

Lucky was about to shoot back a response when the knock sounded at the door. His heart stilled for just a second. This was it. Looking at Elizabeth for a brief second, he saw her smile and motion for him to go and open the door. Taking a deep breath. he made himself walk the three steps from where he was standing to the entryway. Opening the door, he was nearly knocked over by a blur of curly hair, arms and legs attaching to his leg. Cameron looked up at him, the same smile as he had since the day he was born.

"Hi Daddy!"

*****

"Okay, where are you now?" Robin said into her mobile as she swung her car around a corner at a less than safe speed.

"Five minutes away." Patrick promised making a similar maneuver a few streets behind her.

"This has to work." Robin mentioned just in case he had forgotten how important today was. It was the first time Lucky had seen Cameron since the custody trial had begun.

"It will. Don't worry." Patrick reassured her. Ever since they devised the plan, she had been hesitant.

"Me? Not worry?" Robin challenged with a chuckle.

"You're right. What was I thinking? Okay, I see your car." They would have come over together, but he had been held up with Doug. If Robin had changed her opinion of his decision, she hadn't said anything. In fact, she hadn't said anything. He wished she would yell or something.

They exited their cars in sync and Robin went to the passenger side to let Morgan out of the backseat. He stared up at the big house as if he had never seen it before and then made a mad dash for the front door. "Morgan! Wait for us!" Robin called after him right as Patrick came up behind her.

He leaned down and whispered, "Relax babe," and then put his left hand against her lower back.

Morgan was more than a little excited to see his younger cousin. He still didn't really understand why he had been gone so long. He, himself, had gone to stay with Grandma Bobbie and Grandpa Mike without being gone for so long. He had so many things to tell Cameron, and had a feeling his cousin had an equal number of stories for him. When he had asked if they could swing by and pick up Lance, he had been told that Lance was over at Grandma Bobbie's visiting with her, Cruz, and Majandra and wouldn't be able to come with them.

He let himself in when he heard Cameron's giggle beating Robin and Patrick by mere seconds. Feeling himself lifted up by the back of his shirt, he squirmed and glared over his shoulder at Patrick. It was Robin who spoke, "Did you leave your manners in the car?" Pouting, he shook his head and forced out a breath once Patrick had set him back down.

"Morgan!" Cameron screamed out in delight, racing over to them. "Roby! Patty!"

One minute Cameron and Lucky were standing in the middle of the living room with plastic hockey sticks and a shiny black puck and the next Cameron was rounding the couch and coming toward them, his little legs pumping. Elizabeth watched them in amusement and took a sip of Kool-Aid while the twins cooed in their bouncy seats.

"Hey buddy!" Patrick crouched down and hugged him tightly. "What'cha doin'?"

"Playing hockey. Wanna play?"

"Of course I wanna play!" Patrick nodded his head vigorously and walked over to the hall closet where he knew Lucky kept extra sticks.

"Me too! Me too!" Morgan grabbed Patrick's from him and hurried past him. It was lucky for them, no pun intended, that his cousin had so many.

"Morgan's on my team!" Cameron shouted pulling his cousin with him.

As if they could deny him anything. Robin scooted closer to Elizabeth and whispered, "Are we sure there's twenty years between them?"

"I've been checking the birth certificate and surprisingly enough, yes there is."

It was about that time that Robin noticed the social worker. She was nice looking for a babysitter with a boring gray jacket over a pearl-white top, accompanied by a pleated dark gray skirt. Now that she was standing here, Robin thought the woman looked like a sore thumb.

Catching her friend's gaze Elizabeth smiled brightly. "That would be Amy Brinksneader. And we're supposed to ignore the fact she's here."

"And how's that going so far?" Robin didn't wait for a response before approaching the trim professional. "Hello. I'm Robin Scorpio. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you. Amy Brinksneader. And how do you know the family?"

"I'm a family friend. That little brunette right there is my son. He's Cameron's cousin."

"So you're family."

"Yes." Robin nodded.

Looking up from the game, Lucky sucked in a panicked breath when he noticed Robin casually chatting up the social worker. What the hell was she thinking? He knew her. He knew she wouldn't be able to resist getting out her opinions about Tony and Lisa to someone, anyone who might have influence over this decision. Lucky tried to catch Patrick's eye but his cousin was far too involved in joining in the chase he had created by shooting the ball straight down the hall. Moving towards Robin, he prayed he could stop her before she said too much. "Robin."

"I understand that the 4th of July can be a little stressful, but I didn't think Tony would come at the kids with skewers." Robin was saying, barely able to keep a straight face. Who knew what kinds of lies the Grimes had spun during their supervised visit. All's fair in love and war.

"Robin has a strange sense of humor." Lucky tried to laugh and steer her back to the safety of the couch.

"Amy and I were having a very nice conversation." Robin insisted as she let Lucky steer her away from the social worker just as she noticed the woman making notes in the left column of her legal pad. Take that, she thought triumphantly.

"Robin what the hell are you doing?" Lucky whispered fiercely.

"Tipping the scale in your favor of course. What did you think I was doing?" Robin bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud at the horror playing across his face. If he had shown up a second earlier, he would have heard her tell Amy that what she was about to say was a total joke.

"I thought we were friends." Great now in addition to whatever tales the Grimes had spun, he was on the record as having the crazy vindictive friends. Yeah that would look real impressive to the judge. "What did I do to make you hate me?"

"You're being dramatic." Robin accused with a wave of her hand. "I was just kidding. She knew I was just kidding."

"Oh so instead of having the vindictive friend I have the one with the world's worst sense of humor. Robin."

"What? I didn't mean any harm."

"I know you didn't but..." Lucky let out a sigh. "I don't know I'm just jumpy."

"I'm sorry." Robin blubbered out. Leave it to her hormones to show up now. She sniffed back tears.

Apparently he had a rare gift to make pregnant women cry about his being an insensitive ass. What a joy it was to be him, Lucky mused. Pulling Robin into a hug, he gently rubbed her back. "I know Shortstack, but please next time clear it with me before you try to help."

"But you won't let me." Robin said into his shoulder. She caught Patrick's surprised stare and smiled. She heard Elizabeth mutter, "Hormones" to Amy.

He winced as if she had stabbed him through the heart with a rusty butcher knife. There it was. Proof positive Robin was spending far too much time with Elizabeth and his mother. Lucky was going to have a talk with Patrick about this just not right now. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll try to get better at that."

"Promise?" Tears were brimming when she looked up at him.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in Helena's eye." He held up one hand as he recited the oath they had taken countless times as children.

"Okay, I believe you." Robin gave him a small smile. "Stupid hormones. Sorry about your shirt."

Lucky shrugged. "It's fine. Just please talk to me first before you try to help anymore?"

Robin nodded and leisurely made her way over to Elizabeth. "Well?" She felt pretty confident it had worked.

"Worked like a charm." Elizabeth winked. "He'll never see it coming."

**Previews:**

"Okay, you want to be included?" Mac asked Georgie. "Fine. Exactly how long after meeting did you two start sleeping together?"

"Daddy!" Georgie protested, her face turning bright red.


	296. New Version Of You

He contemplated walking in and making the young couple uncomfortable. After all, he needed to be in control of something. Fine, all of his girls had done something behind his back and only one had fessed up before met with disaster. Amazingly enough it had been Maxie. Georgie had only spilled the beans in order to be allowed to sit with Steven while she waited for him to recover fully. He could logically remind that stupid little voice in the back of his mind that Georgie had been planning on telling him everything the night of Steven's accident, that they had planned on telling him together. Looking into the room, he felt something pull painfully in his chest. Georgie had climbed into Steven's bed and they were whispering lovingly to each other. Every so often she would giggle and swat his arm. Mac considered breaking it, and then decided to save that until after the daughter stealing punk was out of the hospital.

Out of the corner of her eye, Georgie spotted her father's frame in the doorway. It was as if she had been hurled back in time to high school as she felt her body immediately straighten up and pull just slightly away from Steven's. Which was ridiculous. She wasn't fifteen and getting caught kissing her boyfriend goodnight. She was a married woman. "Daddy." She managed. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard Steven woke up." Mac explained, not ready to acknowledge the young man himself.

"Yeah. Isn't it great?"

"I can only think of a few better things." Mac responded vaguely. Yeah, like hanging from a tree by his neck.

"Look," Georgie twisted her hands nervously around Steven's. "I know we have a lot to talk about."

"And here I thought Steven and I could have a talk first." Mac tried to look sincere, but his smile turned to a grimace.

"Sir," Steven gulped finally finding his voice. He had only been slightly kidding when he had asked Georgie if her father was a big man. Right now Mac Scorpio was ten feet tall and bulletproof. "I'm sure you have some questions for us."

"And we'll answer them. Together." Georgie answered, squeezing Steven's hand tightly with her own.

"Careful." Steven winced slightly. "Still healing."

"Sorry. Sorry." Georgie whispered.

"Okay, you want to be included?" Mac asked Georgie. "Fine. Exactly how long after meeting did you two start sleeping together?"

"Daddy!" Georgie protested, her face turning bright red.

Mac enjoyed Steven's silent discomfort. "I just want to make sure I'm covering all my bases. Make sure there is only one surprise baby."

"No. We only decided to get married after we found out I wasn't pregnant." Georgie tossed off flippantly, with a toss of her hair that would have made her sister proud.

"Excuse me?" Mac stared hard at Steven.

"Georgie." Steven managed in a strangled tone. What the hell was going on with his wife? Did she want to become a widow before she turned twenty-five?

"That's the second time someone has asked if me being pregnant is the reason we got married. It's not, but I'm a little annoyed at the implication." Georgie continued.

"Well excuse me for questioning you after you've been so forthcoming." Mac snarled.

"What would you have rather me do? Tell you I was dating someone ten years older than me? Tell you I was falling in love in Paris? Tell you I met the one and I didn't really care if it was too soon I was going to marry him?" Georgie shot back. "Dad you didn't like guys I dated who you watched grow up."

"So it's all my fault? I made you lie?" Mac challenged.

"No. But you don't exactly make it easy on any of us to tell you the truth."

He wanted to yell until his voice was hoarse and his throat was dry, but what good would that do? What would it accomplish? He turned to Steven. "The night of your accident...when you two were going to tell me the truth...do you remember anything about the car? The driver?"

"I only saw the headlights. After that..." Steven gestured towards the rest of his body still bandaged and bruised. "I don't remember much."

"If you remember anything, please let me know." He was having a hard time forming the words. Audrey's grandson, he reminded himself. Elizabeth's brother. Best to not think of him in a more immediate title. "I'd like to wrap this up as soon as possible."

"You're the first person I'll call." Steven promised. There was no way he was going to give this man any more reason to hate him.

"You do that." Mac left the room as silently as he had entered it.

Georgie held her face in her hands watching him walk away. Regret for flippant words to him flooded her immediately. "I shouldn't have said all that to him."

"I think it went relatively well. We're both still alive. What were you so worried about?" Steven teased.

"I've never seen him so angry with me. With Maxie sure but not with me."

"I'm sure the world will turn up on its axis soon enough. Until then, let's just take this one day at a time, okay?"

"Hold my hand?"

"Thought you'd never ask." Steven reached over and intertwined their hands. "It's going to work out. I promise. I love you."

"I love you too."

*****

Staring down at the file he had concealed on his desk, Harper debated the wisdom of his latest plan. It was one thing to keep his skills up to speed by doing background checks on punks like his current roommate. But somehow running checks on the background of the DA and fiancé of the Commissioner had the scent of career suicide all around it. If Alexis Davis ever caught wind of this, his career as a police officer was blown, not to mention what it would do to his "side business".

Of course it was Ms. Davis's own fault he rationalized. If her check hadn't come back so confusing and incomplete he would have been passed this days ago and been able to fully concentrate on finding the person who ran Steven Webber off the road. It was probably a sad comment on his social life that puzzling over the scant details he could find was consuming his every spare moment, but there it was.

If he was reading the file correctly, and Harper was confident he was, Alexis Davis simply did not exist before she entered Yale Law School. He couldn't find a single mention of her anywhere prior to that. The way the DA carried herself screamed privileged and old money, yet none of the traditional Richie Rich prep schools had her listed as an alumna. While he had doubted she was a scholarship kid like he would have been, he had checked public high schools as well. It probably wouldn't have been so hard if he had been able to hack into her actual Yale application, but that was a computer skill far beyond what he had. And there were only so many hours in a day and spending them with barely socially acceptable nerds did not sound like his idea of fun.

Smiling to himself, he dialed the familiar number before he could talk himself out of it. Yes she might still be pissed off with him, but Samantha could still read people with the best of them. If there was something off with Alexis Davis, Harper would bet even money she could sniff it out.

"Hello." Sam's irritation was clear as she spoke into the phone. She had gotten maybe three hours of sleep the night before and now someone was calling her. Only one person had her number besides Maxie. Please be Maxie, she begged silently.

"Hello Samantha."

"Damn." Sam grumbled and sat up.

He chuckled at the annoyance in her voice. "Did I catch you at a busy time?"

"I was asleep." Sam explained.

Any other time he would have made a joke about catching her in bed. But not right now. For one thing he was at work and that would mean exposing her existence in his life, which he didn't want to do just yet. Not because he was ashamed of her, which he knew instinctively she would claim, but merely because he wanted to be sure what exactly they were first. "I have a question for you."

"Do I want to hear this?" Sam whined.

"I'll be quick I promise."

"Now that I believe."

He ignored her attempt to goad him into responding. "You've met Alexis Davis right?"

Sam didn't respond immediately. "Yes."

"What's your impression?"

"Old money."

"Yeah me too." He sighed. "Did you get the feeling anything was off?"

"Off?" Sam repeated. "Like what?"

"I don't know." Harper admitted. "Maybe I'm just reading too much into things."

"Not you." Sam remarked dryly.

"It's just...I don't something has been hitting me funny about her lately. I'm not sure what it is and I wanted to see what you thought about it."

"Since when do you care about my opinion on anything?" Sam inquired.

"I told you before. You're the best partner I've got." The sound of high heels clicking on the squad room floor shot Harper's head up. Alexis was walking towards his desk right now, either looking for the Commissioner or looking for an update on Steven's case. Either way catching him discussing her sketchy background wasn't a good idea. "I got to go, but thanks. We'll talk later."

"Wait!"

"Bye." He said quickly as he hung up the phone.

"I think she's running from a shady past." Sam informed the dial tone.

**Previews: **

She'd go. Ric smiled as he closed his phone and started to make his way towards his car. Surprise was always the way to go.


	297. When the Lights Go Out

**When The Lights Go Out**

Sighing as he closed his phone once more, Ric wondered how exactly she did it. He had only been back in Port Charles for a little under two hours and already Lucy Coe had left him seven text messages. Several of his colleagues in the hospital had warned him the closer it got to the Nurse's Ball, the loonier and more superstitious Lucy could get, but he hadn't fully believed them. Now he realized that was absurd. The woman had changed her mind about Maxie's final design at least seventeen times before finally deciding on the first design she had been shown. Of course she was going to drive him crazy.

Deleting her messages was the only sane thing to do, he reasoned. It had nothing to do with the fact that every time he saw Lucy's name he immediately thought of Maxie and the last time he had talked to her. _"Say hi to Kate,"_ she had said calmly before hanging up. It had taken him approximately an hour to get Charlotte to confess to talking to her in the weeks before. Now Maxie's sudden silence made sense.

Thankfully Charlotte knew nothing about that momentary lapse in judgment he had with Kate by the pool. If she did, well Ric doubted he would have been able to leave the house. It was only the good will of some divine power that had sent Kate back to New York shortly after. A story he knew Kate had been chasing for years had finally broken and she had to go back. It was good for her career. It was good for his sanity and future health that she was safely back in her element and not reminding him constantly of the good times they had shared.

The problem still remained with seeing Maxie. She wasn't going to want to see him willingly that was for sure. And Ric wasn't positive if he could lie to her. Oh sure he could hide the truth from her, but he hadn't ever outright lied to her. It wasn't a habit he particularly wanted to start. She'd probably break his nose and then his heart if she found out he kissed Kate. Right now he was fairly certain he was just in the break his nose category. He knew he needed to make things right with her, but the issue remained in how to approach her.

His phone beeped, signaling yet another incoming text message. Ric grimaced as he recognized Lucy's number flash across his screen. Now it seemed Sigmund was predicting a major storm to hit town and Lucy needed him to go and make sure there were no leaks in the hotel room the dresses were currently being stored in. After a few too many years of her dresses being "stolen" so the annual underwear tradition could go on early in the show, Lucy had gotten smart and started storing her dresses in another hotel weeks before to prevent some inspired last minute tailoring. His finger moved to the delete button out of habit, when he paused. If Lucy was texting him, then she was certainly texting Maxie. And as much as Lucy was currently annoying Maxie to death, there was no way she would take a chance on anything happening to one of her precious designs. She had too much riding on this show going perfectly. She'd go. Ric smiled as he closed his phone and started to make his way towards his car. Surprise was always the way to go.

*****

Sam tossed her cell from one hand to the other. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't forget her last conversation with Harper. He had never called back and she had made no attempt to contact him. Something in his voice made her feel like a cat backed into a corner. Her hair was standing on end and her claws were extended; every instinct she possessed was on high alert. It had been like this for the past few days and she was in agony.

Why hadn't he called back? Was he okay? Was he in some kind of danger? Was the DA behind it? Was she being paranoid? Yes, she was being paranoid. She had no idea what answers lay beyond her other questions, so she decided to drop it as well as the phone in her hand. She sunk down onto the couch, reached for the phone again, and contemplated just calling. Check up on him. Nothing was wrong with that. They were partners. It was the same similar spiel he had been singing to her all along. And if he saw her number on his phone? Her pride would take a serious beating. She would suddenly be another of the clingy women she suspected he had left in one place or another. No, she wouldn't call him.

There had to be a way to know he was alright without risking something as important as her image. Yes, she had broken down a few times in his presence. She wasn't proud of herself for it. Everyone had a limit and she had pushed herself toward hers one too many times. Maybe it was because he had always been there for her to lean on. She had been able to trust that he would pick her up when she fell. Listen to you, an angry voice shouted at her. You are not this woman. You are not clingy! You are smart and capable, not some doormat for a man. Get it together. She was acting like a confused soap opera character with too many storylines to juggle. Focus, she told herself. Close your eyes, breathe, and remember why you're here. David Harper did not bring you here. You aren't following the man around like a puppy. Snap out of it!

He was probably at home. She could sneak over without even letting him know she had been there, peak in, and be on her merry way. It was that simple. Sam liked the idea so much she left her phone on the couch, locked the door behind her, and headed for the elevator. As she watched the numbers count down, she tried to calm her shaky nerves. The doors swung open once she reached the first floor and, because she wasn't paying attention, she couldn't rely on those once-useful protective instincts. She glanced up and her voice caught in her throat.

*****

Steven watched the TV screen in mild interest. The first Mighty Ducks was playing on the local channel and he couldn't exactly reach the remote to change it. His grandmother had turned it on this channel earlier in the afternoon to catch one of her favorite Perry Mason episode. He only knew hours had passed because of the number of movies he had watched as well as the fact that the bright sunlight from the morning had dimmed severely. It wasn't dark, but the morning and afternoon were gone. He didn't know what to make of this channel. The types of movies it had played along with the older TV shows such as Golden Girls and Boy Meets World didn't seem to fit any particular theme. Life had definitely gotten a little peculiar.

Georgie had left under the excuse to putting together a dinner for the three of them complete with a chocolate cake for dessert. His grandmother had been delighted, but he knew Georgie was overcompensating for what had happened in his hospital room with her father. She had decided to consult one of the recipes his grandmother had lent her and was going to make a chicken, rice, and vegetable casserole. If she were here, she would change the channel.

Steven figured the visit, or interrogation, with the Commissioner could have gotten a lot worse. He was thankful Georgie hadn't left because he didn't put it past the older man to make his death look like an accident. Like anyone in this tiny little town would go against him. Steven didn't dislike him; really, he had no right to make judgments so soon after meeting him. What he knew of Mac Scorpio had come from the stories Georgie had told him. He supposed what made him feel ill will toward his father-in-law was the way he had treated Georgie when he was just as much to blame for them keeping their marriage a secret.

He didn't want to think about how Georgie had gone about revealing their little secret to his family. Elizabeth would be supportive after her initial wariness. He had known that as soon as he fell in love with Georgie. Maybe even before that. Sarah would pretend to care while her nails dried and then trot back to her own life. His parents would throw out petty insults to try and weaken Georgie's credibility. While he understood her need to keep it quiet for just a while longer, this was exactly what he had worried about. At the end of the day, everyone save his grandmother, Elizabeth, and Maxie were angry with them. Still, in all of his musings he had never considered not being right there with her when both families received the news.

His left ankle itched, but he was in no position to do anything about it. He couldn't reach it without causing himself an incredible amount of pain, maybe not even then He called for his grandmother before remembering her telling him she was going to stop over at the neighbor's to take her some chicken soup. She had been feeling lousy, swore that she did every time the seasons changed. His grandmother had been all too happy to do something to make her feel better. How was it that he could luck out with such a relative when his parents were the way they were?

He thanked God Georgie had had Elizabeth and his grandmother while he was lying temporarily useless in a hospital bed. He wished he had been conscious to hear her throw the rest of his family out. Maybe she would tell him about it when she got home. Hearing the door open, he turned his neck slightly and smiled. His smile froze on his face. "Mr. Scorpio."

*****

"Paranoid old kook." Maxie muttered as she stepped out of the elevator onto the twenty-second floor. Her room was at the end of the hall, her text message had said. Room six eighteen. For as long as she could remember, Lucy Coe had never been able to get through an entire evening in the same gown. This wasn't to say she couldn't decide on one; she just seemed to "lose" her original one about the time she stepped out on stage. As a child, Maxie had thought this great fun. It was better than the fair. Now, years later, she realized that it made Lucy even more unbearable. _"Change this. Alter that."_ She mimicked Lucy's recommendations of the first design she had drawn up months ago. There was, of course, nothing wrong with the dress. Lucy simply wanted to go over every detail to insure that nothing would go wrong. It was why she had moved her and the rest of the committee to the Metro Court along with the dresses.

Beneath her frustration, Maxie was secretly pleased. She would snatch up any opportunity to spend the night somewhere besides home. It had become so stressful there she had started working until she was literally falling asleep in Mike's office. No one seemed to notice. A complimentary night in a nice hotel without family drama was as close to Heaven as Maxie was going to find in Port Charles. Reaching into the back pocket of her jeans, she extracted the plastic room key and activated the door. At first, it seemed to fight her. Then, finally, the green light came on and the lock disengaged. Letting out a sigh, she pushed open the door, her eyes having to adjust to the semi-dark room.

Her immediate thought was that she had walked into the wrong room. Sure the key card had worked, but even it had resisted for a time. There was the possibly that the hotel had double booked the room and the one she was actually supposed to be in was a few doors down or on another floor. Confused, she hit a button on her phone and the screen lit up. She tapped the last message Lucy had sent her, the one with the room information, but there didn't seem to be a mistake. Stepping back, she double checked the room number. She was in the right place.

Maxie decided to take the changes done to the room piece by piece starting from the far left back wall. She let her eyes follow the trail of thick white candles as they took a detour at the parallel wall and separated into two semicircles resembling hooks. For every patch of the room that wasn't decorated in candles there lay hundreds of white, yellow, and pink lilies. In the center of the room was a tiny white linen table covered in two plates lying opposite each other, white napkins, two crystal drinking glasses, and two serving dishes. Someone stepped out of the shadows and she panicked, only succeeding in closing herself into the room.

"Not exactly the welcome I was expecting I must admit." Ric chuckled as he noticed the frightened look on her face. "Should I have called first?"

"You startled me." Maxie explained. "What are you doing in my room?" She wanted to ask him so many other things starting with when he had gotten home and how many times he had picked up the phone to call her only to set the phone back down again, but she held her tongue.

"It's called a surprise." He smiled and took a step closer to her.

"It's not a welcome one." Maxie assured him.

"Why not? You didn't miss me?"

"What good would missing you do?"

"Apparently it inspired your most brilliant creations." Ric gestured to the two rails of dresses that had been moved into the room before his arrival.

"So what if it did?" The distance was killing her, but she would damned if she took even a single step in his direction. He was the one that had an explanation to give, not her.

"They'll make you famous." He smiled at her and tried to catch her eye, but she looked down at the floor quickly. Alright, new game plan. Flattery about her ambitions was clearly not working. "You're the only one to know I'm back in town."

"You mean you didn't bring Kate back with you?"

"No. She left for New York before me."

"Well I'm sure sad to see her go."

Relieved would be closer to it, but no need in telling Maxie that bit of information. "It was past time for her to get back to her own life. My sister cried."

"Yes, I imagine she would be very upset about the two of you separating." Maxie nodded.

"More that she had no one to go shopping with anymore."

"You still haven't told me what you're doing here." Maxie reminded him.

"I needed to see you."

"Well, you've seen me."

"Maxie…" Ric reached out and held her still, catching her arm in his hand. "Talk to me."

"Why didn't you tell me Kate was going with you?"

"Because I didn't want you to freak out. Because I didn't ask her to come and she wasn't going there for me. Because I was stupid. Take your pick of reasons."

"I like the last one." Maxie tried to keep herself from smiling, but lost the battle.

"I thought you might." Testing his luck, Ric managed another step forward. "There are some more elements to this apology if you want to stick around for it."

*****

"Samantha." Harper smiled as he saw her shocked face just outside the doors to the elevator. He had come here to try to see her and make sure everything was ok. She had been quiet since their last call and that usually only meant one thing. She was up to something. Gesturing to the inside of the elevator cab, he did a mock bow. "Headed my way?"

"Hardly." Sam replied in a clipped tone.

"So you've taken to standing outside of elevators for fun since I moved out? Interesting."

"I stepped out on the wrong floor. That's all. I was invited to a party and am on my way there. Thanks to you, I'm going to be late." Sam lied brazenly.

"By all means, let's make sure you get to your party on time." Seeing her still standing outside the door, Harper put his hand out to keep them from closing. "It might help if you actually get in so you can get there."

"I'll take the next one. The last thing I want is to be shoved in an elevator with you." Sam told him.

"Why? Have I offended you?"

"Not at all. I just wouldn't want my new friend to misinterpret our relationship."

"New friend?" Harper lifted one eyebrow. "Maybe I should step out and hear all about this new friend."

"What makes you think that's any of your business?" Sam baited him.

"Just trying to make sure my partner is well protected that's all. After all, that is what we are right? Partners?" He goaded her.

"Exactly. I've found it's just much easier to keep sex simple and straightforward."

"So you keep telling me. But if we're just partners, then there should be no reason for you to not ride in this elevator with me." Harper smiled at her calmly.

"Who said I was talking about you?" Sam got into the elevator and kept her back to him.

He smiled as the door slid shut and waited for her to push the button to signal her destination. As she stood there silently, he couldn't keep the small chuckle out of his voice. "Samantha? It won't move until you tell it where to go."

"I know that." She snapped. "Which floor are you going to?"

"Ladies first."

Sam pushed a random button and waited for the elevator to ascend. "You didn't say why you were here."

He felt the folded paper he had shoved in the back pocket of his jeans stab him in his lower back. "I found..." His words were lost as the car suddenly shuttered and jerked to a stop. Thrown off balance, Sam began to fall backwards, causing Harper to hold his arms out on instinct to break her fall. With a mild grunt, she fell onto his chest. The lights flickered once and were replaced with the dim glow of the emergency back up lights. "Easy," He whispered into her ear.

"What happened?" Sam pushed away from him.

"The power's out. We're stuck."

"Well fu—" The lights flickered once more and then there was only the faint red glow from the emergency light.

Preview -

"Care to dance?"

"I hate to break this to you, but there isn't any music."


	298. Like Lovers Do

**Like Lovers Do**

Maxie let Ric lead her toward the table and waited for him to pull out her chair before she sat down. He was buzzing around the room with unbound energy and she couldn't help but laugh. The truth was, she had missed him terribly and it was like he had said: Kate hadn't gone to Tucson for him. She had gone because she cared about her ex-father-in-law. That was where it ended. "So tell me about this apology."

"First," He gestured towards the flowers he had strewn across the room. "There's the flower shop I robbed."

"Maybe you shouldn't tell me that. My father is Commissioner." Maxie giggled.

He winked over at her. "I hear you can keep a secret."

"Who has been spreading these vicious rumors?"

"Second, I have the rest of the committee taking care of Lucy tonight so no more interruptions from her."

"That sounds like conspiracy." Maxie teased.

Ric drew closer to the table and pulled the cover off her plate. "I thought I might also sweeten the deal with a little dessert."

"Chocolate mousse. How did you know?" Maxie barely resisted the urge to clap her hands together. She loved chocolate more than some of her family members.

"I know you."

"Or at least you think you do." Maxie replied shamelessly.

"What secrets are you hiding from me?" He asked as he sat down across from her.

"Secrets? Me?" Maxie asked innocuously.

"Yes you." Ric teased. "I want to know everything about you."

"You insinuated you already knew everything." Maxie reminded him.

Leaning over the table carefully, he ran a finger down her arm. "Maybe I should clarify that I know everything about making you happy."

"I'm not convinced." Maxie whispered. "I always was a visual learner."

"There is that." Gently he helped Maxie stand up, holding her hand the entire time. "Care to dance?"

"I hate to break this to you, but there isn't any music." Maxie didn't shy away from him when he pulled her deeper into his arms.

"Who needs music?"

"Do you promise not to step on my toes?" Maxie gazed up at him.

"Always."

"Okay then. As long as you promise not to hurt me, I guess I can humor you with one dance."

"As long as it humors you." Ric laughed as he started them off swaying softly.

"I am easily amused, but not so easily satisfied." Maxie told him. "As you know."

"Do you hear me complaining?"

"I never have." Maxie leaned up and mumbled against his ear.

"And I aim to keep it that way." He whispered into her hair before moving his head slightly to catch her lips with his own.

At the brief contact, a million little shivers ran up and down her back. She lifted her arms and placed them on his shoulders so that her body was angled a tad more intimately against his. Her right hand moved to the back of his head and she tangled her fingers in his hair. "Mmm." She purred into his mouth.

"Now this. This I missed."

"What? This?" She slid her hand beneath his shirt collar and rested her hand on the back of his neck standing on tiptoe to move the kiss past passing acquaintance level. "Or this?" There was nothing shy about the way she brushed her breasts against his chest.

He inched the fabric of her thin pink top up dipping his fingers underneath. "All of it."

"Me too." Maxie broke their kiss and inched backwards until she was directly in front of the table. She ran her finger across the dessert and sucked it into her mouth. She swiped another piece of frosting onto her finger and carried it over to Ric waiting for him to open his mouth and accept her finger. His lips closed over the sticky digit and she felt the heat from his mouth sweep through her. She involuntarily moaned. "Like that?" Maxie smiled up at him and took hold of his hand dragging him toward the table. "Maybe you should have some more." She suggested.

Ric caught her hand and brought it to his mouth kissing each knuckle and wrapping his other arm around her waist hoisting her up. If she still had any illusions about what her closeness did to him as well as for him, the truth was made apparent when he sunk into her. She reached between their bodies and led him by his belt buckle toward the table without looking over her shoulder to see where she was going. He held out his hands to catch the table before she stumbled right over it and slanted her backwards, paying little attention to the dishes as they scattered onto the floor.

"Are you mad at me for ruining dinner?" Maxie asked almost shyly.

"No." He all but growled. "You just made it better." Ric touched his lips to hers ceasing any further questions. His fingers clutched her elbows in his much larger hands until she made a submissive sound low in her throat. She pulled one arm free and threw it around his neck pulling herself up onto her tiptoes and swiping her tongue into his mouth. His hand slid over her bottom and he boosted her onto the table sliding between her legs before she could so much as blink.

"Jesus." Maxie ground out helplessly pulling his head down and deepening the kiss. She was barely aware of the button on her jeans being unfastened and only registered alarm when she felt them ease down her legs.

"Too fast?" Ric posed the question casually, but she could feel the heat of his gaze as his eyes settled on her face. When she didn't answer right away, he leaned down and whispered, "Maxie?"

"No." She replied almost to herself. "No, not too fast." Maxie hopped off the table just long enough to kick her jeans away, and then left it up to Ric. Without breaking their stare, Ric dragged her away from the table and kissed her. The kiss went on and on but neither wanted it to end, not even in favor of air. He smoothed his hands against her back and then let his fingers dance across her hips. She felt her shirt slide over her skin and then fall into place. He couldn't seem to make up his mind what he wanted to do with her first. With a hiss, he hooked his fingers on either side of her panties and tugged them down and off. Her breath caught as his lips fastened to her stomach and made their slow descent along her body.

She braced her hands on his shoulders, her fingers clasping and releasing his shirt material as his lips brushed across her most vulnerable flesh. Their gazes caught and held for another moment before his head dipped and she felt that first wonderful rush of his tongue gliding across her skin. He took her every tremble as his invitation to make slower, bolder thrusts of his tongue. His hands folded across her bottom and he pulled her into his mouth so that she had no control over her own body. She cried out, in anguish as well as in ecstasy, loving the way he appreciated her body.

"Sweet Maxie. God, you're so sweet." Ric groaned, panting. As he got to his feet, he let his fingers linger where his mouth had just been and brought her to the quickest, most gratifying climax she had ever experienced. She jerked his belt free and flicked the two buttons of his pants free jerking the zipper free. "Let's slow down a bit." Ric suggested catching her hands and looping them around his neck. "We don't have anywhere to be. I'm not leaving you again." He promised walking her over to the bed.

Maxie staved off his attempts to kiss her again. "That's very good, because I think I might be slightly addicted to you and you know how much I hate going without." She ground her lips against his and they fell into a tangle of arms and legs. Clothes were lost in the tumble. Hands explored. Lips kissed and teased. He coaxed her thighs apart and entered her completely in one thrust. At the intimate contact, she felt him climax and then lull her toward a second one. Outside, the blackout drove the rest of the town into elevators, dark buildings, and even darker streets. Outside, there was chaos. But lying together with their bodies intertwined, they didn't even notice.

Preview -_ It wasn't the darkness that was scaring him, Steven decided. It was the silence. The longer Mac Scorpio stayed silent, the greater the chance his father-in-law had to load his gun and figure out the best way to shoot him without destroying his grandmother's couch_


	299. Stroke of Luck

**Stroke of Luck**

It wasn't the darkness that was scaring him, Steven decided. It was the silence. The longer Mac Scorpio stayed silent, the greater the chance his father-in-law had to load his gun and figure out the best way to shoot him without destroying his grandmother's couch. Was there a conspiracy afoot that every chance he had to make any sort of good impression on this man, the worst possible thing had to happen?

For years he had teased Elizabeth about her tendency to babble when she felt nervous. And now he was feeling the same urge. If his sister ever found out about this, well there would be another thing she would never let him live down. If he kept quiet, then there was a chance Mac wouldn't be able to locate him in the dark to get a shot off. After all, it wasn't as if the man had brought night vision goggles with him. Or had he? Would Mac have caused a citywide blackout for the sole purpose of torturing him? Well he probably deserved it, but it still seemed a bit extreme.

"Mr. Scorpio, don't you need to help your officers with some emergency plan or something?"

Mac looked Steven in the eye for the first time since meeting him. "I'll thank you to do your job and let me do mine."

"Not enough light to do my job." Steven joked lamely.

"I assume you've guessed why I'm here."

"It's not to sing songs and bake cookies is it?"

"Well it'd be awfully hard to accomplish either of those without electricity, wouldn't it?" Mac wasn't sure what inspired the joke.

"You want to talk about Georgie."

"She is the only common link between us." Mac reminded him. He thanked God Georgie hadn't been pregnant. There was only so much a father could take.

It was on the tip of Steven's lip to say "for now," but his common sense talked him out of it. He and Georgie hadn't even discussed children yet and no way was he giving this man more reasons to hate him. "I want you to know I love your daughter Sir."

"Well I should hope you care for her since you made it a point to marry her. Why did you do that?" Mac held up his hand. "And don't say because you love her."

"Because I realized I didn't want to imagine my life without her." Yes, the thought of her being pregnant had sped up that revelation, but sooner or later he would have known. He hadn't been lying when he told her he didn't want it to be a simple fling. It had always been something more between them.

"So you weren't just covering your bases? While I believe a man should take responsibility for the things he has created, I'm having a little trouble understanding why you still thought marriage was the best idea. And after such a short time of knowing my daughter."

"I know it seems like I only proposed because we thought she was pregnant. But she ignored me, told me it was too much to think about. And while I was sitting there waiting for the test results, all I kept coming back to was marring her wasn't the wrong decision. And if she didn't say yes, then I was going to keep asking until she did."

Mac walked into the kitchen only long enough to pick up one of Audrey's high-back chairs and carry it into the living room. He finally sat down. "Why was dating no longer an option?"

"It wasn't enough."

"You're a young man. She's a young woman. What was the rush?"

"Paris."

"What about it?"

"Have you ever been?"

"Can't say that I have."

"Being in love, in Paris, it's magical. I found myself living in one of the movies I normally just film. Time seems irrelevant, until you feel it running out. Then you want to do everything, savor every last second."

Mac stared hard at Steven, but knew it was lost on the young man. "So you used my daughter to play out one of your fantasies."

"No. No." Steven shook his head. "Just the opposite. She made my every dream come true."

"What dream could you possibly share with my daughter?"

"I want to see Georgie write that novel she keeps talking about. I want to travel the world with her. When the time is right, children. Every time we talk about our families, it's clear how much she loves you. I want that kind of family and I want Georgie to teach me how to get it. I obviously can't look for mine as role models, what with trying to separate a boy they've never met from his father."

"I don't have to tell you that, if you plan on having children, you also know how much it would break my daughter to be separated from them."

"I'd never follow my parents' example. I never have. You can ask my grandmother and sister if you want."

"Two unbiased sources for sure. I want you to consider what would happen if the two of you separated. Bringing a child into that kind of situation seems cruel."

"Georgie and I won't separate."

"Oh to be so naïve." Mac replied condescendingly. "You can't predict the future."

"No offense Sir, but neither can you. Did you consider what would happen if you separated from Alexis?"

"Excuse me, but who the hell do you think you are?" Mac challenged hotly.

"Georgie's told me what's going on with Alexis and I'm sorry about that. But you can't sit there and tell me that I should consider what would happen to children we don't have if we separate when you obviously considered the same thing and decided to risk it anyways. I know it's not the same, but we are taking the same risk."

"With one big difference. Time. I have loved Alexis for over three years."

"But if you knew sooner, would you have waited?"

"She didn't give me any choice. Thanks to the last asshole in her life, she was extremely cautious. And I don't blame her being so. It was her rash decision to create a child with a man who had no scruples and do you know who ended up being hurt the most by it?"

"Kristina and Alexis. But I'm not Sonny Corinthos. I know you don't know me, but I'm willing to prove that to you."

"I don't consider my daughter an idiot, so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt when she tells me she loves you. That said, I don't trust you and the only way you're ever going to get my approval is to treat her the way she should be treated. I don't joke when it comes to my little girl's heart. It's been broken twice before, once by another boy who said he loved her and then by the abandonment of her mother."

"Georgie deserves nothing less than the best. I haven't really talked with her about this yet, but I'm planning on moving back here to Port Charles so she can finish school. Once she's done, we'll decide together what is best for us."

"Then let the games begin."

*****

"I can't believe this is happening to me." Sam banged her fists into the steel elevator doors in exasperation.

Harper closed his phone and tried to hide his smirk. For once he had a legitimate reason to avoid a mandatory work order from the Commissioner. "It's a citywide blackout. I highly doubt it was aimed at ruining your night."

"You would say that." She angrily replied, hiding her eyes behind her hands. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you made this happen."

"I'm glad you think I'm that talented."

"Why are you here anyway?" Sam hadn't realized until now that he had never given her a reason.

Reaching behind his back, Harper pulled the envelope out of his back pocket as he leaned against the wall he had sat down against. Tapping it against his chin, he smiled at her. Sure he had every intention of giving her this information, hell she was the only person who would find this interesting, but she didn't know that. "I thought you weren't interested in anything I have to say."

"I'm not." Sam lifted her head and met his eyes. "But you might as well tell me."

"Here." He offered the envelope to her.

Sam read the heading several times before opening the top flap and having a look inside. It seemed routine. David obviously had some sort of new assignment he wanted help on. It was like two images in one picture. At first she saw the overall facts with little glamour. Then certain pieces started to form in her mind. Dates jumped out at her. "What is this?" She barely noticed she had spoken at all.

"Some research I did." Harper shrugged his shoulders. "I thought you might find it useful."

"That I would find use..." Sam's voice drifted off and she didn't say anything for a long time. Aurora High School. Graduated 1972. "Who is Natasha Davidovich?"

"No idea. After this she seems to have disappeared off the map. I'm still digging but she's covered her tracks well."

"Does she have something to do with one of your cases? And what does she have to do with me?"

"Keep reading Samantha. Just keep reading."

Natasha Davidovich had transferred to Aurora High School mid-Sophomore year, but there didn't seem to be much mentioning of her other high school or a definitive reason for her to have been moved. Her address was listed as well as that of both high schools. Both in the same city. She would be willing to bet they were relatively close together, but that was just based on her knowledge of Victory, Vermont. The time between leaving one school and transferring to another was exactly five months. "She had a baby."

"Bingo. And around the time you were born, around the city you were born in."

"Are you saying this Natasha Davidovich is my mother?" Sam didn't let her gaze waiver.

"No. I'm saying it's possible." Harper caught her gaze and held it with his own. "I have no proof but the dates fit."

"Do we know where she is now?"

"No. She seems to have vanished into thin air since she left high school. But I'm looking."

"I...I don't know what to say. Why did you look into this?" It seemed far too good to be true. Finding her mother had been at the front of her mind ever since her father had admitted to her existence. For the first eighteen years of his daughter's life, he had told her that her mother had died at childbirth, that Sam had killed her and that was why he hadn't make any considerable effort to treat her better than he had. It was only on his dying bed that he had told her. At first, she hadn't believed him. Clues, she remembered. The perfume in the top drawer of his dresser, pictures with her mother's face cut out. Not the work of a love-stricken widower, not by a long shot. Any minute now David was going to tell her this was all a joke and laugh at her.

He should have been surprised but deep down he wasn't. Samantha trusted him with her body, but not her heart and mind. She had shown him that time and time again. Why would now be any different? To admit he had done the research in an attempt to continue to be close to her in some manner would admit far too much vulnerability for either of them to be comfortable with. "When you finally told me the real reason you were in town, I told you I would help you with this Samantha. And I've always kept my word to you."

"Thank you." It sounded so trite, but Sam honestly didn't know what else she could say. "Whether or not this turns out to be her, thank you."

"You're welcome. And _when_ I find out more, I find you wherever you are."

"You say that like I'm going somewhere."

Harper shrugged. "Maybe you are, maybe you aren't. You're your own woman as you keep reminding me. It may take awhile to find where Ms. Davidovich is hiding not to mention why. It's not like you have anything keeping you here in town. Our jobs dry up, what's to say you won't leave?"

Preview - _This was absolutely the last time she tried to plan anything. There was apparently some law written in the stars that if she planned something then the gods would conspire against her to make it impossible._


	300. If My Heart Had Wings

**Song Credit goes to Ben Folds "Gracie." HOLY CRAP CHAPTER 300!**

This was absolutely the last time she tried to plan anything. There was apparently some law written in the stars that if she planned something then the gods would conspire against her to make it impossible. She planned to tell Lucky about being pregnant at Thanksgiving, Patrick got sick. She planned to tell him at Christmas and Patrick had to jump to conclusions and pick a fight with Robin. They planned to tell the families at Christmas and Cameron told the entire town. Ok she didn't plan the baby shower so the twins deciding then was the perfect time to show up was not technically her fault but it still upheld the pattern. Elizabeth sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. What did God have against her plans?

It wasn't exactly a stretch to realize this birthday was going to difficult for Lucky. It was probably closer to the truth that it was going to be impossible for it to be the perfect birthday she wished he'd have this year with Cameron still not home yet. But she had been determined to at least try it. With Patrick's help, her present succeed her every imagining on the subject. Not that Lucky was going to be able to see it in the middle of a blackout.

She had just wanted it to be special for him. After everything they had gotten through in the past year, was a good birthday really that much to ask for? Elizabeth walked up the steps towards the twins' room, where Lucky had disappeared to just minutes before. Gracie appeared to be developing an ear infection and had been extra cranky all day long. True to his fashion, Jake had decided to be extra agreeable all day long. It still confused her how they could be so small, so different and yet still manage to coordinate their every schedule. She was still learning how to juggle children, work, and having an actual life.

Pausing outside their door, she tried not to smile as Lucky tried to talk Gracie into going back to sleep. She had yet to convince him boardroom negotiation tactics would not work with a daughter. "Come on Gracie. Sleep is a good thing."

Gracie's response was to continue to whimper, not loud enough to wake her brother but just loud enough to make sure all attention was on her. Their daughter apparently had other ideas for the evening. Elizabeth was about to step in when she heard Lucky speak again. "Hmmm maybe you need some music to help you sleep? Huh? You'd like that wouldn't you? Your old man making a fool of himself like that?"

She stayed exactly where she was. Ever since their first dance at Jake's she had wanted to hear Lucky sing again. He tended to get embarrassed and quickly change the subject whenever it came up. Even Robin had been doubtful about it ever happening without serious promises and drinking involved. Now it seemed all she needed was a little brunette daughter who had Lucky wrapped around her tiny finger.

It took her a few seconds to recognize the tune from her Ben Folds' CD. Of course, she realized, she should have known this was coming when he started using the nickname Gracie. Leave it to Lucky to find not only a lullaby that satisfied his music snobbery, but name checked the little girl's name.

_You can't fool me, I saw you when you came out_

_You got your momma's taste but you've got my mouth_

_And you will always have a part of me_

_Nobody else is going to see_

_Gracie girl_

_With your cards to your chest walking on your toes_

_What you've got in your box only Gracie knows_

_And I would never try to make you be_

_Anything you didn't really want to be_

_Gracie girl_

Elizabeth found it interesting they had both made the same promise to Gracie about not forcing her into anything. Of course not that Lucky had the same fears she did about turning into a mini-me version of her mother. His parents were actually human beings.

_Life flies by in seconds_

_You're not a baby Gracie, you're my friend_

_You'll be a lady soon but till then_

_You've got to do what I say_

She made a mental note to ask him one day how the whole "just do what I say" plan was working out for him.

_You nodded off in my arms watching TV_

_I don't move you an inch even though my arm is asleep_

Elizabeth had to turn away before her laugh clued him into her presence. It was only the other day she had found him on the couch with both twins sound asleep and him terrified of getting up in case one or both woke up.

_One day you're going to want to go_

_I hope we taught you everything you need to know_

_Gracie girl_

_And there will always be a part of me_

_Nobody else is going to see but you and me_

_My little girl_

_My Gracie girl_

He may claim the only talent he had in the music business was spotting talent, but it was clear Gracie didn't share his opinion. The singing seemed to be the trick as the little girl's whimpers had all but stopped before he got to the last verse. Elizabeth knew she should move quickly before he caught her listening in but she just didn't want to move, afraid to break the spell she was currently in. She could hear him chuckle softly and put Gracie back in her crib and start back towards the door and still she didn't want to move.

Lucky opened the door, shocked to see Elizabeth standing there in the darkened hallway. The only way he had been able to see her was the partial moonlight that filtered in from a window a little further down the hall. How long had she been standing there? Long enough to hear him make a fool of himself? Judging by the look on her face, long enough for her to hear what he didn't want her to hear. "Elizabeth?"

Planning is highly overrated, Elizabeth decided. Smiling she held up one finger. "Wait here just one second ok?" She ran off for the living room before he could even articulate an agreement. Reaching the last step, she nearly jumped off them, racing on instinct to the small blue package she had left on the sideboard just before the blackout hit. Grabbing it, she hurried back up the steps, smiling as she made it back to where a very confused looking Lucky still stood.

"Elizabeth? Is everything ok?"

"Fine. Everything's fine. You know how much I love perfect moments and all." She offered the present out to him. "It's a little dark, but I think you can see it alright here."

The last time Elizabeth had handed him a shiny wrapped package with a cryptic comment beforehand, it was to give him the first sonogram picture of the twins. Confused, he started to tear open the picture, seeing the edge of the frame first. A picture. Once he removed the last of the paper, he peered closely at the image in the dim light, feeling he throat start to close up. How had she managed this one without him knowing?

Cameron sat between Jake and Gracie, a smile lighting up his face. By some small miracle Jake and Gracie had decided for this one occasion to be on the same page at the same time and both were awake and looking at least in the general direction of the camera. By the clothes Lucky could tell it was taken the day of Cameron's supervised visit, but it still didn't explain how this had happened and why he had been so clueless to its occurrence. "How?"

"I had help. Patrick took the picture and, let's just say there was a reason Robin approached the social worker." Elizabeth admittedly sheepishly. "Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it Cinderella." Pulling her close to him, Lucky kissed her gently on the lips. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Happy birthday."

*****

_Robin was downstairs putting together homemade lasagna for dinner when Patrick headed up the stairs purposefully. Faint sounds of Morgan's new videogame filtered through his half-open bedroom door and Patrick took the time to knock. A muffled response followed and he let himself into the room. Morgan sat in the middle of the bed with both of his hands wrapped around the Nintendo 64 controller. He had outgrown his Spider-Man pajamas and when Robin asked if he wanted her to get more he shook his head and said he would rather have something without the once-beloved superhero stitched into it. She had sent Lucky and Patrick on a shopping adventure and been pleased when they returned with some solid colored pjs for her little boy. Tonight, he was clad in the navy blue and gray short-sleeved with matching navy blue pants. It never ceased to amaze Patrick how fast Morgan grew or how accustomed he had become to having him around. He took a deep breath and waited for Morgan to meet his eyes before he said anything, "What are you playing?"_

_"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." Morgan replied. It wasn't often Patrick sought him out so he figured he better turn and see what he wanted. _

_"What level are you on?" Patrick decided to ease into the conversation because he didn't want to startle Morgan or freeze up._

_"Seven." Morgan explained. "Lance is better at this game than me."_

_"You miss him don't you?" Patrick asked sitting on the edge of the mattress._

_"Yeah. Robin said he's sick and that's why Grandma and Uncle Lucas and Uncle Dillon won't let him go to anybody else's house."_

_"They're worried about him, that's all. You know how Spencers are." Patrick said watching Morgan's shoulders slump. "Maybe we could go over there tomorrow."_

_"Maybe." Morgan's tone proved that he wasn't entirely certain he believed in even the possibility of seeing his cousin. As an adult, Patrick knew how dense he could be when it came to understanding a child's loneliness. He wasn't foreign to the feeling, not by a long shot, but it had been replaced with other things, other worries and joys and responsibilities that he didn't have a quick fix for._

_"I want to talk to you about something." Patrick told him calmly. It was a direct contradiction to how he was feeling on the inside, but he looked perfectly in control on the outside._

_"Okay." Morgan paused his game and dropped it beside his right thigh. "What'cha wanna talk about?"_

_"I know life's been a little nuts for a long time and neither Robin nor I have taken the time to really explain to you what's going on." Patrick stated and then continued, "Now I know I can tell you this because you're a big kid and if you have any questions to what I'm about to tell you, stop me and I'll answer them, okay?"_

_"Okay." Morgan affirmed._

_"Okay, now I'm sure you've been wondering why Uncle Mac and Robin were fighting at the party. You see, when we told you about the baby, we didn't tell everybody."_

_"Why?"_

_"Well, because in the beginning the doctor told us that the baby and Robin were very sick and that stress would be very bad for Robin."_

_"What's stress?" Morgan asked._

_"Stress is when you worry about something so much it makes you feel bad."_

_"Robin and my brother are okay, aren't they?" Morgan was on the verge of tears so Patrick grabbed his hand and squeezed it._

_"Yes, she and the baby are just fine. She doesn't have any stress."_

_"I don't understand." Morgan admitted. "How would she get it?"_

_"Well sometimes the people we love don't always agree with the choices we make and they want to argue with us about it."_

_"Like Uncle Mac?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Did he give Robin stress?"_

_"He didn't."_

_"But he could have."_

_"He wouldn't have meant to."_

_"Do I have stress?" Morgan deadpanned._

_"No." Patrick bit back a smile. "Kids don't have stress."_

_"But grownups do? I thought you said Robin doesn't have stress."_

_"She doesn't. Morgan, listen. We've been doing everything we can to keep Robin from getting stress because, like I said, that can be very bad for her and the baby. That's why you two went to see your grandpa and why we waited so long to tell everyone about your little brother."_

_"Did my brother cause Robin stress?"_

_"No. He's a kid. Remember what I said about kids?"_

_"They don't have stress." Morgan chimed in._

_"That's right." Patrick blew out a steady breath. "And that visit with your grandpa did a lot of good things for all of us. Your brother and Robin are fine and they're going to stay that way."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"The doctor said so." She had said a few other things, but Patrick wasn't going to explain it all to a seven-year-old. He was already scared enough._

_"Oh." Morgan thought on that for a minute. "Is Uncle Mac still mad at Robin?"_

_"He was never mad at her, Morgan. He was just sad we hadn't told him about the baby before the party."_

_"You should have told everybody sooner." Morgan decided with a swift nod of his head._

_"You're right. We should have. It's my fault. I wanted to make sure Robin and the baby were safe before I put either of them in a situation that would risk their health. I didn't do a very good job I guess." Patrick said the last part very quietly._

_Morgan patted Patrick's hand. "It's okay. Everybody makes mistakes sometimes."_

_Patrick brushed an unshed tear from his right eye with the tip of his knuckle and cleared his voice. "Before I make any more mistakes I want to talk to you about something else."_

_"Okay. What?"_

_"How would you feel about me marrying Robin?"_

_"Marrying Robin?" Morgan echoed._

_"Yes. I would marry Robin, we would get a house to raise you and your brother in, and maybe I could adopt you. If that's okay with you."_

_"If you adopted me, would we still be cousins?"_

_"Yes. All adoption would mean is that to the rest of the world I'm your dad too. It's up to you about whether or not you want me to be. I know you're still very sad about your real dad and I'm not going to try to replace him."_

_"Would I call you Daddy?" Morgan wanted to know._

_"If you want to. Or you could call me Patrick."_

_"I guess that would be okay." Morgan said at last. "Robin loves you a lot and I know you love her. Plus, my brother's got to have a daddy."_

_"I love you too." Patrick reminded him._

_"I know." Morgan grinned and then asked, "You're not going to make me say it back, are you?"_

_Patrick threw back his head and laughed. "No." He got to his feet, only Morgan's question stopping him._

_"Have you asked Robin yet?"_

_"Not yet. I wanted to make sure it was okay with you first." Patrick clarified._

_"What if she says no?"_

_"Well I guess I'll just keep asking until she says yes."_

_"Good luck."_

Robin strolled down the stairs with a confidence she didn't feel and stopped short when she felt Patrick's eyes on her. She didn't have to lift her hands to her cheeks to know they were inflamed; she didn't dissuade her lips from turning up slowly to form an affectionate smile. "I don't know what got into Morgan, but he fell right to sleep." She wasn't used to him slipping into such a peaceful slumber, at least not since before the kidnapping, and she took it to mean he finally felt safe in his own bed.

There was a kind, bland response resting on Patrick's lips, but he never spoke the words. Instead, he held out his hand until she took it and led her down the final two steps of the stairs toward the balcony. He had been planning on candles, the citywide blackout making them as romantic as they were necessary, but the translucent moon slung directly over their balcony provided too perfect a setting to be ignored. The night smelled of rain, but there was less than a five percent chance of it in the forecast.

"Wow." Robin breathed. The night air was crisp; this was unusual for Port Charles in the summertime, but the scene was something right out of a storybook. Everything from the single news station located on the edge of town to the loading docks to the long row of housing developments, all of which housed a Spencer or Jones or Quartermaine, had been absorbed by an all-encompassing darkness. The streets were silent; the water was extraordinarily still and free of waves; even the crickets refused to disrupt the tranquility.

Patrick waited for Robin to sit down before he dropped down into the remaining green folding chair. The chairs were able to fold all the way out and for this reason Robin had sworn one of these days she was going to misjudge, fall into it, and not be able to get back up. Even though Dr. Walker said she wasn't gaining any more weight than was necessary—for a while she had been worried Robin wasn't gaining enough—Robin insisted she was going to be eligible for the cover of the next Free Willy movie.

"I thought you might like it." Patrick told her. "It's such a rarity for Port Charles to look like anything but a New York City rip-off." He jested, letting her know he wouldn't live anywhere else. "How are you feeling?"

"Well I'm happy to report I kept down all three meals without so much as a dizzy feeling." Robin answered, her eyes crinkling when she noticed how intently he was watching her. "Good." She amended. "Happy. How about you? You barely said a word during dinner."

"It's been a long time since you've spoiled me with lasagna." Patrick explained. "I wasn't going to waste such an opportunity on conversation."

"Is that right?" Robin intertwined their fingers and let their joined hands hang loosely between their chairs. "Nice to know I'm appreciated."

"You're more than appreciated." Patrick corrected. "You're worshipped." He turned her palm up and kissed the soft skin he found there.

"What's so funny?" Robin demanded once she saw the hint of laughter behind his eyes.

"You are. I brought you out here to talk about something, but if you keep looking at me like that I'm taking you inside and having my way with you." Patrick warned.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Robin tried to laugh, but the sound was choppy to say the least. She had never seen him move so fast. Before she knew it, he was leaning over her and pressing his mouth to hers. She got fistfuls of his shirt and pulled him closer, her arms moving to his back. He tilted her head back and groaned when her tongue swept across his lips and delved into his mouth.

"Hold on." He pleaded, cupping her face between his hands and kissing her a few more times before forcing himself to step back and put a considerable amount of distance between them.

"Why did you stop?"

"Trust me, I have some good reasons." Patrick assured her.

"I bet mine counteract yours a lot better." Robin pouted, crossing her arms.

"I'm sure they do, but humor me please." Patrick was afraid to even kiss her—afraid he wouldn't be able to stop. While nothing sounded better than making good on his threat, either he asked her tonight or he didn't ask her at all. He couldn't pretend this was all he wanted for them. She deserved the best and, while he didn't know if he necessarily fit into that category, he wasn't willing to let her get rid of him.

"Okay, fine. What are we doing? Where are you going?" She felt wobbly and confused when he dragged her into the living room. "Patrick, what's going on?"

"Wait here." Patrick walked toward the hall closet and pulled down a familiar box. "I think it's about time you get that rematch you've been wanting." Now that he was moving closer, she could see what he had in his hands.

"You'd rather play cars than make love to me?" Robin asked incredulously.

"Don't be silly." Patrick shook his head. "This isn't a toy." When she didn't spread out on the floor next to him, he patted the carpet. "Come on, Roby. Are you that afraid I'll beat you again?"

"You did not beat me the first time. I clearly won." Robin argued.

"I see you're still in denial. Get down here and I might even let you win." Patrick offered grinning from ear to ear.

"Let me win? You've got some nerve." Robin accused.

"Babe, we both know it's not nerve that I boast about." Patrick wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"I'll play if for no other reason than to wipe that smug smile off your face." Robin announced and gingerly sat down.

"I bet I get it back by the end of the night." Patrick said under his breath.

"What are the stakes?" She helped him set up the track and then reached for her favorite car, the red Convertible. Her hand froze midair.

"Higher than ever." Patrick took the gold band from the front seat of the tiny racecar and held it out to her.

Robin opened her mouth several times, but no sound came out. Her eyes were wide chocolate saucers as her gaze transfixed on the sparkling two-karat diamond resting between Patrick's thumb and index finger.

"I never thought shocking you into silence would be a bad thing," Patrick taunted, his heart in his eyes.

Was this what he had wanted to ask her when she came home? It must have been. She could no longer assume it had to do with her bakery.

"Robin Cecilia Scorpio, will you marry me?" Patrick held his breath, certain that she would instantly dismiss him if he didn't. A million feelings danced across Robin's face. Shock. Confusion. Fear. Love. Hope. More confusion. Disbelief. Why wasn't she saying anything?

Robin was stunned to realize she was crying. The answer was so clear, but she couldn't voice it. Then it would all be a dream. This wouldn't really be happening. But the ring was there, just beyond her grasp. She could feel Patrick's breath on her face. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Patrick chanced touching her hand and released the breath he had been holding when she folded their hands together. "I don't want to force you into anything, but I want you to be happy and I know I can make you happy."

"You do make me happy." Patrick Drake was _proposing_ to her? Where were the hidden cameras? The annoying red buzzer? Where was the laughter from the backstage audience? There was a little fear in his stare, but nothing in those beautiful brown eyes said that this was a joke. Her disbelief had more to do with the fact that it was happening at all rather than it was happening sooner than she had expected. "_Maybe it won't always be a lie," _he had said. She should have known then, but she hadn't even dared to hope.

He made her happy and they weren't married was what she meant. She was perfectly content to keep it that way. He knew he should be disappointed, but it wasn't anything he hadn't expected. She would fight him all the way down the aisle; then she would obsess over everything from the table settings to the attire of her bridesmaids. "Are you saying no?"

"No. I mean, I'm not saying no." Robin corrected herself. "I'm making sure that this is what you really want."

"Let me end your suffering and tell you that I know what I want and I have no intention of giving up. I don't care if I have to ask until we're old and gray; one of these days you're going to be my wife."

He had made a career out of complimenting beautiful women and taking what he wanted before discarding them. Somehow it had never been that way with them. That man he had been hadn't known how to handle a woman like her and she could no longer say that he had changed tactics merely because he thought it was what she wanted. Too many fights. Too many inconvenient emotions. She could remember feeling this same mixture of fear and excitement the night he had confessed his love for her. "So why don't I just save us both some time and say yes now? Is that what you're saying?"

"You know I would never ask you to do something you didn't want to do. If the idea of marrying me repulses you, I'm just as happy living in sin with you until the day I die."

Robin covered her face with her hands, muffling an indescribable sound. He tugged her hands free and his bottom lip trembled at the sight of her crying. Slowly, her eyes met his. "I love you so much." She whispered.

"Baby, don't cry." Patrick begged. He loosely ran his fingers through her hair.

"Happy tears." Robin promised. "These are definitely happy tears. I would be honored to be your wife." The words were barely out of her mouth before Patrick was kissing her. He stopped only long enough to slip the ring on her finger.

**Previews: **

A soft, but determined voice responded forcefully, "May I speak with Maxie Jones please?"

"This is she. What can I do for you?" Maxie wondered, slightly intrigued.


	301. Shed Some Light

She had always made it home before, even if only after a fashion. That time she woke up in her car had been the single scariest moment of her life, or so she had thought. Now was worse, she realized. Now was so much worse. Lulu kicked at the tangled sheets until they finally released their hold on her ankles and she was able to sit up. Just assess the situation, she told herself. It can't be as bad as you're making it out to be. What did she know? What was the last thing she remembered? The party. She remembered the party. She had made sure not to drink anything. There was no trust to be found in the group she had hung out with last night. Their faces were nothing more than blurred memories. The fear, the mistrust: these were the only familiarities.

When had her life become so unbearable that she had had to turn to this means of existence? She couldn't remember the last time she had attended class; she had probably lost her scholarship. She couldn't bring herself to care. There were bigger problems out there beyond college, beyond grades, even beyond her family's approval. Beneath the beds, in the deep crevices of hallways there were monsters. They were the kinds of monsters who didn't look normal in the daytime. There was no hiding in the daylight, but she had a feeling they never made it a point to leave their sanctuary of darkness. She would never again patronize her nephew. She knew about monsters.

They lived in the hidden parts of her brain, these monsters. She was the only one who could see them, but certainly she would not be the last of their victims. It was impossible to know where her own perception ended and the drugs began because they had been constant adversaries for as long as she could remember…which she assumed wasn't saying much. She had missed Robin's precious dinner party. Her family's worried messages were stored on her answering machine. She didn't have to check to know they were there with their diluted assurances that they could help her. No one could help her now.

Slowly, she faced the man in bed with her. His name didn't come to her immediately, or at all. His face was hidden behind thick brown hair and he radiated of sweat and sex. She barely resisted the urge to throw up as she crawled toward the edge of the mattress and hurried to gather up her clothes. She felt dirty, but there was little she could do about it. As much as she wanted to believe last night had at least been protected, she knew better. This guy was a walking disease. Her stomach churned and her vision swam. She had to get out of here.

She found her car parked half-on, half-off the curb in front of Sleezy Guy's apartment. She was just thankful she had stuffed her keys in the back pocket of her blue jean skirt. She hadn't wanted to spend valuable time looking for it, hadn't wanted him to wake up and find her. A shudder ran through her. I have no one to go to, she realized as she started the car. Lately, the starter had been given her a lot of trouble, but it was being extra lenient today. Away, she thought. Far, far away from here.

Several floors up, Detective Evan Cassidy woke with a start. He blinked several times, taking in the harsh sunlight seeping in through his weak blinds. What had happened last night? One thing was for certain: he hadn't come home alone. Lulu Spencer. She had come back with him. He had been minding his own business when she caught his attention, and not in a good way. He knew he should have left the undercover work to the older watchdogs on the force, but the sudden splurge of drug trafficking had put him front and center. Never should have followed the girl, he chided himself, but he had known instinctively she was in trouble. What a chivalrous guy, he thought dejectedly. He saved her from one maniac only to end up having sex with her. She might have thought sneaking out on him was the last of it, but he knew better. Even if he wanted to forget her, his job made it impossible. "Lulu, what the hell did you get me into?" He asked aloud.

*****

"I never thought I would see the day where coming to Kelly's would be viewed as a special outing." Elizabeth laughed as she sat herself down at the table.

"Well there's a first time for everything." Robin placed her hands in her lap.

"True enough." Elizabeth picked up the menu and just as quickly put it down. What was the point? It only took a few trips to the diner to have the one page menu memorized. And she always ordered the same thing at any rate. "So did Lulu ever call to explain her absence?"

"Not a peep." Robin answered. "I'm not used to her being so quiet. I was sure she'd come storming into the apartment or something."

"Me too. If Lucky wasn't so distracted by the trial, he probably would have left to drag her kicking and screaming into the fun."

"Do you think anything's wrong?"

"It's hard to tell with Lulu. She could just be buried in her school stuff. Then again, she could be planning a third world revolution."

"I guess we'll know when she's ready for us to." Robin assumed. "How are my babies? Have they said 'Robin' yet?"

"Close but not exactly. Gracie has an ear infection so she's just a ball of sunshine."

"She's sick? Is there anything I can do?"

"No. She'll be fine." Elizabeth waved off Robin's request with a toss of her hands. Leave it to Robin to be close to delivering a baby several medical people told her was far too dangerous and still volunteer to watch a sick infant. "Besides she gets lullabies sung to her by Lucky. If she's anything like me, she'll be milking that for all its worth."

"'Lullabies?'"

"I caught him last night. He totally sings her to sleep."

"I knew there had to be a secret weapon. Did you get him on tape by any chance?"

"No. I'm trying to figure that out, but now that the sneak knows I know his secret weapon, he's going to try to be sneakier."

"It's too bad he's not as bad at being sneaky as he is at keeping secrets. You'd have him in the bag then."

"I know! Right now I have him all distracted by the birthday present, but eventually he will return to being himself again. And if I don't have it on tape by then, it will be utterly hopeless."

"Did he like it?"

"Understatement." Elizabeth smiled remembering exactly how Lucky expressed his appreciation for his present.

"I'd ask you to explain that blush, but I think I'd rather let my mind wander." Robin teased.

"I think that's a good plan there friend." Elizabeth taunted. "Now I do have a question for you."

"A question? Okay, shoot."

"You are all extra glowy and smiley today. I'm not complaining, but is there a reason?"

Robin nodded and withdrew her left hand from her lap to place it on the table. "Patrick asked me to marry him last night."

"Oh my God." Elizabeth grabbed at Robin's hand and stared at the ring decorating her friend's finger. "For real? He really proposed this time?"

"For real." Robin promised. "He hid my ring in one of his little race cars and challenged me to a rematch."

"Tell me you at least kicked his ass again before you said yes."

"Well, I definitely thought about it." Robin admitted.

"So this is for real. You're getting married!" Elizabeth jumped up and leaned over to hug her friend as hard as she could. "And to think a year ago we were busy trying to figure out what you should pack on your first date! I'm so happy for you two!"

"Thanks." Robin answered bashfully. "I still can't quite believe it." She looked down at the ring and then back at Elizabeth.

"I'm going to ask the annoying question now. Have you set a date yet?"

"He wants to get married before the baby's born so before September 17th." Robin explained.

"That is like ridiculously soon. Don't get me wrong I love the idea, but I'm guessing that nixes the huge, only Dillon could produce it, wedding spectaculaire right?"

"That's right." Robin nodded adamantly. "I want a small wedding."

"I guess the benefit of having a fake engagement then is all people are really waiting for you to do is set the date. We did find the good side to that whole thing. Alright. Small wedding. We probably need to start planning now then."

"The first thing I have to figure out is where we should have it." Robin decided. "What do you think? A church? No way am I expecting anyone to open up their house to have it. Too many things could go wrong."

"First off this is your wedding, so it's whatever you think. It is my job to make sure it happens."

"Thank you." Robin folded her hand over Elizabeth's. "God, I'm so excited I almost don't know where to start."

Squeezing her friend's hand, Elizabeth smiled warmly. "Good because you deserve it. As for where to start, I'm thinking with the dress. And we let the dress decide all other decisions. Finding the dress will help with deciding the where."

"Well, we'll be facing late summer, early fall temperatures so I'm thinking the fabric shouldn't be too heavy. No ten-mile train either." Robin smirked.

"Ok. I'm thinking Audrey Hepburn as our inspiration."

"Oh yes. Agreed. Off the shoulder, thin but not too thin material." Robin stopped. "God, I'm going to be even bigger by then. Do you think I can find a wedding dress with that much material?"

"If not we'll demand your cousin make you one."

"He wants to humiliate me. That's why it has to happen before the baby gets here. That's really why." Robin insisted, her eyes filling with tears.

Oh how much she missed mood swings, Elizabeth thought with a silent chuckle. "Robin. He loves you. He wants to marry you right now because that is what you do when you are engaged to the right person. You don't want to wait."

"Next time, he's carrying the baby." Robin grumbled.

"I told Lucky there will never be a next time."

"I didn't say I'd be carrying it." Robin laughed. "Okay, I don't really think the dress should be white. It's like Miranda said, 'I have a baby. The jig is up.'"

"And I say if you want a white dress, you should have a white dress. Let's agree to wait till we hit the store and see if there are any pretty colors. I will not have you walk down the aisle in something that resembles a pumpkin."

"Promise?" Robin's bottom lip trembled.

"Swear it."

"Okay, let's figure out my favorite part: the food."

*****

The phone rang incessantly from its spot on Maxie's dresser. She considered ignoring it; after all, she was already twenty minutes late for work. There was no telling why she answered it, only that she was grateful she did. Unlike Robin, Maxie Jones _did_ believe in destiny. It was why she hadn't given up on her dream unlike so many of her high school friends. She wasn't sure how many times it had actually rung when she finally reached for it. "Hello?"

A soft, but determined voice responded forcefully, "May I speak with Maxie Jones please?"

"This is she. What can I do for you?" Maxie wondered, slightly intrigued.

"Miss Jones, I was about to give up trying to reach you." Leann admitted condescendingly.

"I was walking out the door when I heard the phone." Maxie explained. "I'm actually running late for work."

"You might want to call in then." Leann suggested.

Maxie tilted her head in confusion, forgetting Leann couldn't see her. "I'm sorry, why were you calling again? I forget."

"I never explained. As I said, my name is Leann. I'm Miss Blotski's assistant—"

"Feona Blotski?" Maxie squeaked.

"That's right. I see you've heard of Feona." Leann sounded rather pleased.

"Heard of her?" Maxie chuckled unnervingly. "I've followed her career my entire life."

"Honestly Miss Jones it's ironic that one of your sketches fell into Feona's hands to begin with. It's not like you have even attended a fashion school."

"No I haven't." Maxie heard herself say.

"And why should you get ahead when there are thousands ahead of you who have gone to one of the elite fashion academies and finished with a degree?" Maxie recognized the question as rhetorical so she let Leann continue with her rant. "Why should you be allowed to participate in a race that you've not even entered your name in?" Leann took a grinding breath. "However, Feona is interested in meeting with you a week from today at four p.m."

Maxie was certain she was having some out-of-body experience as the conversation went on. Feona wanted to meet her? How had she even gotten her current sketches? Anything Maxie had sent out had been returned as uncertified mail. She could spend the rest of her life trying to figure out who had done it or she could return to her body and not make an ass of herself. She voted for Option B. "Leann, I can't tell you how much this means to me. I will not make you regret it."

"Miss Jones, I was naïve once so I'll give you some advice. Are you listening? Neither I nor Feona give a fig about your promises. Your word has no backing behind it. You're a nobody. You've managed to miraculously land yourself a meeting with one of the biggest names in Vogue, but don't believe for a second that that guarantees you anything. The fashion industry is more difficult to get into than any Ivy League university and time literally is money. You'll be expected to bring some different sketches with you and at any time Feona has the right to end the meeting and throw you out. You are not to contact her again unless she establishes contact."

"I understand." Maxie replied matter-of-factly.

"See that you do. Feona's time is not to be wasted. Come by the main office thirty minutes before your meeting. Do you have a pen?" Leann gave Maxie the address and hung up the phone without another word.

**Previews**:

"And which of us is dressing up like a woman?"

"You have the better legs."


	302. Pave The Way To Hell

The only problem with taking any time off from work, Ric decided was the returning to work. Even though other doctors had taken care of his patients, there were phone calls to be returned, appointments to schedule, notes to read, cases to review, and follow-up visits to be made. Sighing, he ran his hand haphazardly through his hair as once again he stared down at the almost insurmountable amount of paper. He was never going to leave town again.

He knew why he had left. It was the right thing to do, the only thing to do. He would have never forgiven himself if his father had taken a turn for the worse and he hadn't been there. The real mystery was why he had stayed as long as he had. Ric hadn't gone down to Tucson naïve. He knew his presence would be an irritant to his father. Had he stayed on to merely irritate the Colonel into getting well? Charlotte would have pouted and held it over his head for the rest of their lives, but she would have understood deep down if he had come back earlier. So the mystery remained, why he had stayed?

It wasn't like he didn't have a life waiting for him when he came back. He hadn't been lying all the times he had told everyone how much he had grown to love Port Charles. Once a person got used to eccentricities of the town, once they fully crawled under a person's skin, they never really left. He had found himself comparing authentic Mexican chili to Kelly's. The Nurses' Ball. The Christmas party. The almost indecipherable family trees. It was all part of the strange package that made it impossible to ever really leave the town. And of course there was the best reason of all to come back: Maxie.

Maxie slipped into the office silently and cleared her throat. "Are you having naughty thoughts about me Dr. Lansing?" She was buzzing with activity. She had taken Leann's advice and called off from work. Mike had been surprised and, for a few seconds she had worried he would demand she come in, but he didn't. He thought she had been working like a maniac for weeks and suspected Ric was back in town and the reason for her sudden absence at work. While he was partially he hadn't been the only reason. She was still in shock. Several times she had contemplated calling the number back and seeing if Leann really answered, almost certain that the entire conversation had been an illusion. But what if her number came up on the phone as she suspected? Then she could blow her one and only chance. It was the opportunity's arrival that made Maxie seek Ric out. He would understand and share in her excitement because it was all he knew how important it was to her.

Looking up, Ric smiled slowly at her. Leaning back in his desk chair, he moved his hand behind his head. "I am now." He declared taking in her appearance with long, appreciative glances.

"Are you busy?" There was no doubt in her mind that he must have come back to ridiculous amount of work.

"I'll make time for you any day."

Maxie beamed at him and then closed the door behind her. "I've got the greatest news."

"Lucy finally made a decision and stuck with it?"

"I said news, not a _Ripley's Believe It Or Not _episode." Maxie countered moving around the desk leisurely.

"Well do share." He reached up and grabbed at her hand.

"I was leaving the house to go to work when Feona Blotski's assistant, Leann, called to schedule a meeting with me." She waited a moment for the news to sink in and then continued, "Feona Blotski of _Vogue_."

The name sounded vaguely familiar. At some point he had probably heard it whispered in reverent terms between his sister and ex-wife. But it was probably not the wisest time to mention Kate. It didn't take a rabid interest in fashion to see Maxie clearly felt this was a huge opportunity. "I told you someone would finally recognize your talent."

"I just can't believe it." Maxie slid into his lap and leaned back when his arms wrapped around her. "Leann said to bring new sketches for the meeting next week." She was very aware of her own obsession and had a feeling she would not be sleeping from now until then. These new sketches had to be perfect. She was at once excited and intimidated. What if Feona didn't like them? What if the meeting was a fluke and she was thrown back like a rejected skirt from last season?

Smiling at her obvious excitement, Ric leaned up and kissed her lips. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Maxie turned in his arms so that she could study his face. "I know you've always told me I had talent, but I never thought anyone else would think so."

He lifted one eyebrow and smiled. "The great Maxie Jones had doubts?" he teased gently.

"Shut up." Maxie softly punched his left arm.

"I only told you the truth Maxie. No more. No less."

"You can understand why I couldn't take your word for it. You're not exactly a fashion mogul and nowhere near being impartial where I'm concerned." Maxie pointed out.

"But I was right. That's all that matters."

"Smug bastard." Maxie shook her head and kissed him. Her hands slid over his shoulders, her fingers kneading at his scalp.

"I don't hear any arguments."

"What can I say? I'm feeling compliant." Maxie stated boldly.

His hands tightened their grip on her waist. "I think this calls for a celebration don't you?" he whispered into her ear.

"Sure you aren't busy?" Maxie undid the first three buttons on his blue-grey shirt.

"Not any more." He slipped his hands under her pink top and captured her lips.

Last night hadn't been enough, she decided. If anything, she wanted him even more right now. She wound her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer so she could yank the white coat off of him. It was the first time she had seen him wear it, but right now it was just another obstacle to overcome. They took turns undressing each other until she was wearing only her knee-length black skirt and he was shirtless. She ground her hips against his helplessly. "Do you have anything?" She whispered, her cheeks flushed.

"Wallet." He managed as he nibbled at the skin on her neck.

She felt around in his pockets, but came up with nothing. "Where's your wallet?" She asked hoarsely.

"Top desk drawer."

Maxie climbed to her feet, ignoring Ric's wordless protests, and reached behind her until she found what she was looking for. Leaning against the desk, she crooked her finger at him. His eyes never left hers as she unfastened his pants and slipped her hand inside his boxers. He grabbed her skirt in fistfuls and dragged it well above her waist. She barely had time to roll the condom on before he kneed her thighs apart and entered her swiftly. Her head fell forward and she bit his shoulder to suppress a cry. The door swung open and Kelly Lee swallowed a surprised yelp of her own.

"Get out." Ric barked at her.

"I, um, I'm sorry Doctor." Kelly pulled the door shut with a slam.

Maxie reared her head back and stared at Ric wide-eyed. She covered her face with her hands.

"Don't." Ric reached up and pulled her hands down.

"I'm so humiliated." Maxie told him in a cracked voice.

"If Kelly Lee wants to continue to work in this office, she won't breathe a word of it."

"Let me up." Maxie demanded suddenly.

"Maxie..." He sighed as she pulled away from him.

"I can't." She apologized, staring down at her fingers as they smoothed down the wrinkles in her skirt.

"I'm getting a self-locking door." Ric muttered under his breath as he pulled his pants up over his hips.

"I should have locked it." Maxie realized. "I didn't think..."

"It's ok. It will just give us more time plan a better celebration for later."

"I should go. I have so much to do." Maxie crouched down to retrieve her shirt, but Ric's hands on hers stilled all movement.

"Stay."

"No. I don't think that that would be a very good idea. She obviously wanted you for something pretty important." Maxie reminded him.

"Nurse Lee doesn't rank on my list of important things. You do."

"I really have a lot to do. We'll meet up later." Maxie tugged her shirt on over her head and stared longingly at the door.

"Maxie." Ric reached out and touched her shoulder. He understood her embarrassment, but why was she running? The Maxie he knew didn't run. "Just wait a minute."

"What?" Maxie wasn't sure how she got the single word out at all.

Talking had never been their strong suit. In fact, it often appeared to him they did better when they eliminated talking altogether. Where words often failed and enraged them, their bodies rarely did. However something was wrong. That much Ric could tell. If he let her walk out of that door, there was no way he was going to find out what had her so distracted. "What's going on? Talk to me."

"It's just..." Maxie couldn't look at him.

"It's just what?" He prompted her.

"Ever since you came home, you've been...different."

"Different? Different how?"

"I don't really know how to explain it. Last night, when we...it felt like you were trying to prove something...to yourself or to me." He didn't speak. Ric just took a step back, his face looking as if she had suckered punched him. Seeing his reaction, Maxie advanced on him. "Were you proving something? Is that it? Did something happen in Tucson that..." Her blue eyes flashed and held onto his. "Did something happen in Tucson, Ric?"

*****

"I say a visit. No warning. Just ring the doorbell." Dillon declared, his arms crossed over his chest, his feet kicked onto the coffee table. "There's less chance she'd run away."

"And if one of her bodyguards answers instead?" Lucas challenged wearily. Part A of the plan was complete: They had found Sage. Part B was giving them hell. They had discovered her location two days ago and spent the time between then and now trying to figure out exactly how to approach Sage without scaring her and getting her to get tested to see if she was a match for Lance.

"Then we pretend to be door to door salesmen and get in the front door."

"She's going to see through it. Six years or not." Lucas squeezed his eyes shut.

"Then what's your brilliant suggestion?" Dillon countered.

"I don't have one." Lucas admitted. "I never even thought we'd be able to find her."

"Well if you don't want to do a surprise visit, I do have to say I don't think we'll get her to answer our phone calls."

"And yet we're going to ask her to save our son." Lucas didn't like the odds any more now than when he had first heard the cure to their son's illness.

"I know." Dillon reached over and squeezed Lucas's hand. "But we found her when no one thought we could and we'll figure this one out. There has to be a way to do this right."

"I don't mean to be so negative. It's just, she hasn't even tried to contact Lance."

"I know, but she said from the start that was what she wanted. We never understood her wishes, but it's what Sage said she wanted."

"Exactly. And that makes me nervous."

"Look, Sage may be many things, but she can't be completely heartless. After all, she is part of Lance and he's pretty wonderful."

Lucas smiled. "He's perfect."

"Exactly. So she will respond. We just have to come up the foolproof plan."

"We could always kidnap her. What? It works in the movies."

"Must I teach you everything?" Dillon sighed. "Think romantic comedy, not thriller. We must woo her to our side in this."

"Woo her how? Her uncle's got more money than God." Lucas reminded his husband.

"Did Lloyd Daubler have more money than God? No he did not. All he had was a boom box and he won Diane Court. We are Lloyd Daubler."

"That definitely explains your music taste." Lucas jested.

"It's still better than yours."

"Tell me more about this salesmen idea." Lucas cajoled.

"I'm thinking Avon. No woman can refuse the Avon lady."

"And which of us is dressing up like a woman?"

"You have the better legs."


	303. Something That We Do

Lisa Grimes wrung her hands nervously while she listened to her husband conclude his telephone conversation. Cameron was upstairs taking a nap (they had finally been able to get him on a schedule) and this was the first time she had shared a space with her husband in almost a week. He was conducting business, something she wanted no part of. While she was ecstatic at how well the interview with the social worker had been, she was far from convinced that Lucky would let Cameron go so easily. His girlfriend's stupid parents had made a mockery of the case, but she was hopeful. And desperate. Her grandson was the only piece of her daughter she had left. God wouldn't be so cruel as to take him from her as well. What if the courts went against them? What if they took him away? Would they lose everything? Would Lucky still allow them to see Cameron? It was questions like these that ate away at her, kept her from sleeping soundly at night.

Tony wasn't worried. He wasn't hysterical. He didn't doubt their influence over the court system. She couldn't talk to him about this because he simply refused to let her think that there was any other alternative to keeping Cameron with them. His confidence scared her. How could he be so certain? Didn't he know as well as she that sometimes life simply wasn't fair? What did he know that she did not? He had never been a betting man in his life. Tony dropped the phone into its cradle. She left her spot on the couch and went to talk to her husband. He was bustling with energy, barely noticed the pain her eyes.

"I need to talk to you." Lisa told him. She reached for his hands and held them tightly in hers.

"What's that face for?" Tony wanted to know.

"Who were you talking to on the phone?" Lisa countered.

"That's not important." Tony assured her. "What matters is that we're going to have Cameron with us always."

"How can you possibly know that?" Lisa demanded shrilly. "How?"

"Because I do." Tony patted her shoulders soothingly. "I'm going to take care of us."

"I've never asked questions." Lisa pointed out.

"And I appreciate that. We have to have trust."

"Do you trust me?" Lisa prompted.

"Of course." Tony nodded.

"Then please tell me what's going on." Lisa drew his face between her hands.

"I'm sorry, I can't." Tony shook his head. "You just have to trust that I know what I'm doing."

"Do you have any idea what's at stake here? Do you?" Lisa shouted, backing away from him.

"Yes, and that's exactly why I'm doing what I'm doing." Tony emphasized each word, reaching out to stop her. She spun around to face him, looking ready to pounce on him.

"What are you doing? Why can't you tell me? Is it legal?"

"What?" Tony shook his head in disbelief. "How can you ask me that?"

"Because I know how much you want to win."

"Don't you want us to win?"

"I want us to be a family again."

"We are a family! You, me, Cameron."

"We're not. You don't..." Lisa dropped her gaze to her hands. "You don't look at me the way you used to."

"That's preposterous!"

"Is it? Tell me, have I ever fit the ideal wife in your eyes?"

"I'm not having this fight with you. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid! Why can't we just talk anymore?"

"We're not talking; you're trying to pick a fight. I'm walking away from it."

"Walking away is what you're good at, isn't it?"

"Are you fighting?" Cameron asked from the bottom of the stairs. His eyes were blurry from his nap.

Lisa hurried over to her grandson and bent down in front of him. "No, darling. We're not fighting. Did you have a good nap?" She picked him up and hugged him to her, giving her husband a warning look. "Do you want to help Grandma make lunch?"

"Yeah!" Cameron squealed.

Tony was about to follow when his cell phone buzzed in his back pocket. He flipped it open. "And you're sure there's nothing to worry about?" he demanded of the caller, heading up the stairs where he could find a little privacy.

*****

Apparently it was his calling in life to do special assignments, David Harper was beginning to realize. No sooner than Alexis told him to stop his investigation into what secrets her future stepdaughters where hiding the Commissioner had called him into his office for an assignment he had explained needed "special handling." If that wasn't code for being a gigantic pain in his side, Harper didn't know what else could be.

And of course, this case was going to require Samantha's assistance. The very woman who had avoided him since the blackout. The second the power returned and the elevator stopped safely at the next floor, she had practically sprinted out of the cab and down the hall. If he had thought it would have done any good, he would have followed her.

He had told her time and time again hiding in a town like Port Charles was impossible. And now it looked like once again he was going to be proven correct. Raising his hand to knock, he raked one hand through his hair and leaned against her doorway.

"Keep your shirt on, I'm coming." Sam yelled through the door without getting up. She reached over to turn down the show she was watching, knowing it would lead to immediate ridicule. Despite all the adventures she had been on and through, she still couldn't stop watching the local soap opera. She had to know if the couple who had grown up in the same town would ever get together. The person on the other side of the door could wait until the commercial.

"Are you sure you want my shirt on?" he teased when she finally opened the door.

Sam leaned against the door and smiled. "I guess that depends."

"Well I prefer to take my time but if the lady is impatient..."

"Are you here for me, or for work?"

"Can't it be both?"

"I knew it. Come in. Do you want something to drink?" She asked as she moved toward the kitchen.

"No. Technically I'm working." He moved closer inside what he still felt was their apartment, sitting down on the couch that still dominated his thoughts.

"Always a boy scout." Sam teased, returning with two glasses of iced tea.

"It always works out for you."

"What are you doing here?"

Harper held up a plain manila envelope. "I have a case, one that I need you for."

"I've heard that before. What is it this time?" It was what they did. She would put up a big fight and he would convince her otherwise. If she gave in, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

"Seems there's an increase in the drug trafficking at PCU. The usual, marijuana, coke, speed plus one that's worrying everyone. Meth."

"Anyone dead yet?" It had been Sam's experience that there were some people that just couldn't be saved. For this to get the attention of the PCPD there had to have been a casualty.

"No." Harper shook his head. "But someone important to the Commissioner seems to be caught up in it."

Sam fixed her gaze on him, thinking of Maxie and her sister, Georgie. Surely not one of them. She didn't know enough of the family tree to narrow anyone down. "What do you need me to do?"

"There's an undercover agent already in place on campus. But he can't cover everyone by himself. The other guys on the force would be spotted in two seconds." Harper smiled slowly at her. "You ever want to go to college?"

*****

"Are you actually going to help me pack anything or are you just going to sit there?" Georgie asked in mock annoyance as Maxie sat on what was once her bed, flipping through a magazine. Now it was Kristina's. Officially and forever this room had been passed onto the younger girl.

"I tried to help, but you and your system got in my way." Maxie never lifted her eyes from the magazine.

"Yes I know. Organization is bad." Georgie smiled as she rifled through the last of her belongings. Obviously she couldn't take everything with her. Audrey's house was more than big enough to comfortably house all three of them, but it was still Audrey's house. And although she wasn't quite sure, Georgie was pretty sure a newlywed wasn't supposed to bring over boxes of her old Girl Scouts uniforms, badges, and projects. Sorting had to be done and edits had to be made.

"You're going to still come around, aren't you?" Maxie asked timidly.

"Of course. I mean Kristina obviously is not old enough to be your fashion jury."

"Sure. Tease me on the same day you're leaving me." Maxie accused lightly, flipping a few pages.

"Maxie." Georgie rested her hands on top of the box she was currently working on filling. "Come on you aren't really mad at me for leaving are you?"

"No. It's about time one of us broke out of this place. Who knows? This time next year I might be living in L.A." Maxie mused.

"L.A.?" Georgie asked puzzled. "Did you finally hear back from one of the design firms?"

"I have a meeting with Feona Blotski on Tuesday at four o'clock." Maxie couldn't help but smile.

"Feona Blotski? _The_ Feona Blotski?" Georgie squealed as she lunged for her sister. "Why didn't you say anything? Maxie, this is huge!"

"I didn't want to rain on your parade." Maxie explained, meeting Georgie's eyes.

"My parade? Honey, Steven will be in our lives for a long time to come. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"I didn't want to jinx it. She wants me to bring some new designs. I have two done already. Do you want to see them?"

"Yes!"

Maxie ran for her room, barely missing Mac. He had been watching the entire exchange, but felt too out of place to interrupt such a moment. Maxie returned a few seconds later with her sketchbook, her fingers in-between the pages she wanted to show off. "I haven't shown them to anyone."

"I'm honored." Carefully, Georgie studied the designs. Sure, she felt everything Maxie designed was fabulous, but she knew her words this time were critical. Her sister's entire future could rest on this. Smiling up at her sister, Georgie nudged her shoulder. "Sorry to break it to you big sister, but it looks like you are going to bowl them over next week."

"Really?" Maxie giggled, wrapping Georgie in a hug. "I don't even care if you're lying to me." She couldn't figure out why she was crying, but she didn't feel embarrassed by her tears.

"Why would I lie to you about this? I mean its not like we have to share the bathroom anymore and you'd use my toothbrush to clean the toilet if I was."

"Enough about me. I want to hear about Steven." Maxie persisted.

"What about him? You've talked to him."

"Not at my brother-in-law. Come on, tell me how you met. Where you first kissed. I want to hear everything." At Georgie's confused expression, Maxie explained, "I'm allowed to show interest even if only in my baby sister's life."

"Ha. Ha." Georgie smiled softly. "We met in Italy on New Year's Eve."

"How?"

"I was reading my favorite book in front of the Romeo and Juliet fountain. And he butchered Italian to talk to me."

"Aww, that's cute."

"Yeah it is. He kissed me for the first time on the banks of the River Seine. We were taking a walk and started talking about how Paris was the city of Love and then he kissed me."

"That sounds so romantic."

"It really was. But enough about me. I want to know about this doctor."

"Ric? What about him?" Maxie reached for the magazine again.

"How you two met? Where you first kissed? What's he like? No one in the family has met him except Aunt Bobbie and that's just a little too personal to ask her. I'd take a vague description at this point."

"It was the night of the committee sign-up for the Nurse's Ball. I was trying to work up the nerve to head over to the fashion table when Ric startled me. He was, is, such an arrogant ass." Maxie told her sister.

"Which of course attracted you."

"Of course. It's not everyday you find someone who holds the same appreciation of themselves as you."

"Of course. Makes total sense."

"He kept bugging me, wanting to know my name. He totally wormed his way into my committee."

"A straight guy on the fashion committee. That must have been entertaining."

"I had to 'translate' for him."

"So how did we go from translating to dating?"

"Are we dating?" Maxie asked.

"So the family rumor chain says."

"I guess you could say we're dating. We're not seeing other people. At least not that I know of." The last time she had seen Ric, she had asked him for the truth. Before he could say anything though, his beeper had gone off. A patient going into labor. He had had no choice but to go. She would wait for him, she said. But he said he'd just call her later. That was two days ago.

"That you know of? You think he's cheating?"

"I don't know." Maxie admitted. "I don't think so."

"Is he doing anything that would make you think so?"

"He just divorced his wife. She wasn't happy about it and said some pretty nasty things to me."

"Maxie, she's the bitter ex-wife. You're the hot new girlfriend. You're not going to be best friends."

"I know. It's just, you should see them together."

"Uncomfortable?"

"There are feelings there, strong feelings. And as much as I want to believe it's just leftover feelings from the marriage, I can't."

"But as far as you know he's not acting on them?"

"As far as I know. They just spent a few weeks together in Tucson to look after his father. I found out she was there with him from his sister." Maxie got off the bed and stabbed her fingers through her hair. "When did I become this invested in something that I knew couldn't last?"

"Maxie. You're doing it again."

"What?" Maxie spun around.

"You're giving up on something that could be really great for you. What if you stopped sending in your designs after your first rejection? Would you be meeting Feona Blotski next week?"

"You're right." Maxie whispered. "You're right. I'm going to stop worrying and just trust Ric."

"What a novel concept. Maxie Jones trusting a guy who might actually be good for her." Georgie teased her.

**Previews: **

"Of course. Of course." Bobbie stepped aside to allowing Robin to pass her. "Please forgive the mess. Majandra is figuring out crawling and I'm still adjusting to cleaning up after her."

"It doesn't bother me. We all make messes when faced with new opportunities, don't we?" Robin handed Majandra a plush toy she had been admiring.


	304. The Enemy Walked In From The Cold

If his lovely wife had had her way, they would have never left Maui. Work had been at the front of his brain after the first week of their honeymoon, but it had taken another two weeks to convince her that they should return home to their real lives. She had been hesitant to return to Port Charles, her excuse being that the town held too many memories for her, bad memories, that she would rather forget. He had a feeling Corinthos' suicide was the force behind her insecurities, but he had decided not to voice his supposition. Corinthos might have interfered with their lives in life, but Jasper Jacks would be damned if he did so in death as well.

The City was crisp and cool for his short visit and he took a moment to stand in the middle of the sidewalk—something he had always taken for granted in Port Charles—and let it whip across his face. His stillness set the natives on edge and they smacked right into him, knocking him off balance. Swearing under his breath, he decided to get his head out of the clouds and down to business where it belonged. Time was most definitely money and there was a reason he had so much of it. If asked, Brenda would say to spend. He knew differently. Money was made to invest.

With every investment, there were always a certain amount of risks. Risks were his bread and butter, his oxygen. He thrived on taking chances, keeping his head in the right place, and relying on his instincts. That was how he had ended up in New York City, several hours from his base of operations. He was here to make an offer to the one person who could back his decision to invest in a long-struggling company, a woman who was an investment in herself.

As a rule, he went out of his way to keep women out of the business world. In his experience, the women he had had to deal with in nail-biting situations could not be objective. Their emotions always managed to clog the issue and he had seen firsthand how well that turned out. He could never say such a thing aloud and, from what he had seen, this particular woman was in a league all her own. She had climbed the proverbial ladder in less time than most men he knew in the same profession and it had nothing to do with her sex. She kept things matter-of-fact, unclouded, and most importantly, anyone who had ever taken a chance on her had never ended up regretting it. Jax walked through the double doors of one of his favorite restaurant, Gilberto's, and handed his coat to the maitre di, Alfonzo.

"So nice to see you again, Mr. Jacks." Alfonzo greeted him, handing the coat to one of his employees almost unconsciously.

"Is my lunch associate here yet?" Jax wanted to know.

"Yes, sir. She is at your table as we speak. Right this way." Alfonzo rounded the small podium and led Jax to his special table. As soon as Jax took his seat, Alfonzo asked, "What may I get you to drink?"

"I'll have whatever Ms. Howard is having." Jax replied, nodding toward his lunch guest.

"Martini. Very dry." Kate informed him.

"I'll be right back with your martini, Mr. Jacks." Alfonzo promised, sauntering off to put his words into action.

"I didn't think you were a martini kind of man." Kate told him.

"I like to keep people on their feet. Besides, I knew I could trust you." Jax smiled courteously.

"And how's that? We've never officially met before today, Mr. Jacks." Kate reminded him.

"Your reputation precedes you." Jax explained. "Shall we get down to business?"

"Now that we've run out of pleasantries you mean? Please. I was quite surprised by your call. Last I heard you were on your honeymoon Mr. Jacks." Kate took a quick drink of her martini.

"You were surprised?" Jax accepted his drink from Alfonzo but set it down.

"Your wife must be more understanding than I am. Cutting your honeymoon short to go on a wild goose chase isn't something I would appreciate in a husband."

"Had a lot of experience in that area, Ms. Howard?" At her flinch, he regretted the question. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to be so nosy."

"It's fine. Now, should we move on to the part where I thank you politely and refuse your sure to be generous offer?"

"You don't know what my offer is. How can you so readily reject it? I could be offering you two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for all you know." Jax's drink sat untouched. He had ordered it to be polite, but would not drink it. It was a promise he had made to Brenda before they got married.

"I'm quite happy in my current job." Kate calmly took a sip of her own drink. "I decide what stories I'll cover. I have control over the crew I use and how the story runs when it goes to air. You have nothing to offer me."

"I have plenty to offer. What if I told you that nothing but location would change with this new position? And money, of course. Your salary would be greatly increased."

"I hate to move."

"What ties you to New York if you don't mind me asking?" Jax treaded carefully.

"I do mind." Kate replied quickly. The main attraction to New York was the fact that right now Ric wouldn't set foot in it. The more distance they kept between themselves for the time being the better.

"Fair enough. I didn't mean to cross a line with you. The last thing I want is to upset you." Jax assured her. "What I mean is, for a woman who boasts about seeing the world I guess I'm just surprised you're still in New York after so many years. This new position would definitely expand your options. The base may be in Port Charles, but that is sure to change as well." It was a lie, Jax thought wryly, but she didn't have to know that. He had had his eye on the company long before now.

"New York makes traveling easy. And I'm sorry you wasted your time Mr. Jacks, but the answer is still no."

Jax didn't tense as she must have been expecting. They always said no in the beginning. He would have to probe, sway, or perhaps even manipulate the mouse in order to coax it into the maze. Sometimes he just had to figure out which type of cheese to use. "I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me, Ms. Howard. I'll leave my card on the table in case you change your mind." With that, Jax signaled the waiter and paid the bill.

"I won't call." Kate warned him.

Jax smiled as he stood up. "I'll be sure to tell my secretary not to wait by the phone then. Enjoy the rest of your day, Kate." And then he was gone.

*****

If there was one thing Majandra had inherited from her father, besides his coloring, it was her curiosity. Only a few weeks ago she had figured out crawling and now nothing on the floor was off limits. The number of times Bobbie had found her daughter happily lifting a toy, edge of a rug, or in one instance, a coffee bean that had been missed under a cabinet, to her mouth increased dramatically. Majandra would just laugh and scoot herself over to the next object that caught her eye. Right now she seemed to be content with the toys that lined up to create a makeshift playpen on the floor. It looked strange to anyone who entered her living room, but it was the only way Bobbie could get any work done these days. Of course there were days like today, when she spent most of her time laughing at her daughter, instead of working but that was another matter.

The hesitant knock at her front door broke through Bobbie's musings about what toy Majandra was going to taste test next. She had been leaning towards the ball, but there was always a chance for the Teddy Bear to take the prize. Opening the door, Bobbie couldn't help but blink in surprise. "Robin?"

Apologizing was not something that came easily to Robin. She had done her best over the years to avoid a situation such as this one for most of her life. Call it her pride, which it probably was, but she always felt worse after apologizing than before. It meant that she had made a mistake, something her parents had cautioned could one day cost her or any number of people she cared about their lives. "Hi Bobbie." Robin said slowly. "May I come in?"

"Of course. Of course." Bobbie stepped aside to allowing Robin to pass her. "Please forgive the mess. Majandra is figuring out crawling and I'm still adjusting to cleaning up after her."

"It doesn't bother me. We all make messes when faced with new opportunities, don't we?" Robin handed Majandra a plush toy she had been admiring.

"True. Some of us make bigger messes than others." Bobbie took a deep breath. "Robin I'm glad you came over. I wanted to apologize to you."

"That's not necessary." Robin countered. "It wasn't fair to spring the engagement on you and then make you feel bad for your immediate reaction."

"But I shouldn't have acted as if you decided to re-marry Logan. You marrying Patrick is what we all have been wanting since you two started dating and it wasn't fair to treat you both as if you were making a major mistake."

"Maybe at the time we were. Our reasons for entering into such a decision were premature." Robin admitted. "I've always been able to express my honest opinion, but denied you that."

"And for that I hope you forgive me some day. I was shocked and hurt by the way you announced the engagement. And then when I figured out you were pregnant and hadn't told anyone, well I didn't understand fully your reasons until Patrick explained it to me."

"Patrick? When?" He hadn't said anything to her. For all she knew, Bobbie's appearance at the dinner had been her first step toward forgiving them.

"While you were in Paris." Bobbie admitted. "I went over to your place to talk to him."

Robin tried not to let her hurt feelings show in her face. It made sense that Bobbie would break her silence once Robin was out of the immediate area. "I'm glad. This has been breaking Patrick's heart. I know how much he loves you."

"And I love you as well. The only reason I went to talk to my nephew was because I was convinced he had let you leave the country over something silly. I don't know if you've picked up on this, but he can be stubborn. I didn't want him to miss any more of your pregnancy over something as ridiculous as pride."

"Patrick? Stubborn? Whatever can you mean?" Robin placed her hand over her heart in mock surprise.

"I though it best to warn you before you set the wedding date."

"That's another reason why I stopped by. I was wondering if you would be interested in helping us plan the wedding."

"Plan the wedding? Robin." Bobbie laughed. "Who do you think has been helping Laura since the boys were sixteen?"

Robin blushed deeply. "I always thought Lucky was being slightly paranoid."

"It's what his father wants him to believe."

"We're in kind of a time crunch. We want to be married before the baby gets here." Robin explained.

"Of course. Now the most time efficient way to do this is to start with the nos. What is completely out of the question?"

"Pink tuxedos. Daisies. Going into labor while walking down the aisle."

"So you are totally open to location?"

"I was thinking of something near water. Not the beach. Maybe a lake?"

Moving toward her desk, Bobbie rifled through a collection of brochures she kept in one drawer. Finding the one she had been thinking of, she smiled as she moved back towards the couch. "I think this might be just the place you are looking for."

**Previews:**

"I thought so. But it wouldn't be the first time I was completely wrong about something." Lucky shrugged as he paced in the hallway outside the courtroom.

"Can't you do anything with him?" Dara exasperatedly asked Elizabeth. "Force him to look on the bright side? As a lawyer I'm supposed to be the downer. Not my client."

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I've been trying since this whole thing started. This is about as positive as he gets when it comes to this."


	305. I Can't Break It To My Heart

Evan Cassidy surveyed the apartment from the hallway for several more seconds as he glanced down and double-checked the address. He had been surprised when he had found Lulu's last place of residence, the room above her family's restaurant, vacant. He didn't have to wonder where the extra money had come from because drugs always had a unique way of providing high-paying, low-class jobs for anyone who wanted one.

He told himself he would reserve judgment until he at least learned the details of the situation. There was no reason to let what had happened between them affect his new assignment. New assignment, he thought wryly. That was an understatement. After a full ninety minutes of being subjected to Commissioner Scorpio's verbal lashing, he had been saddled with the unfair assignment of babysitting Lulu Spencer.

He thought about knocking. It would be the polite, universal way to get her attention. Then he thought about how she had run from him when she thought he was asleep and that made the decision for him. He was surprised when the door handle twisted easily and pushed it quickly open. She looked up, startled, and that was about the time she started to scream.

"You!" Lulu pointed as she backed up towards the lone, dirty window. "Get away from me!"

"Now, Lulu, just calm down." Evan held his hands up in surrender.

"Calm down? Are you crazy?"

"I'm not trying to scare you. I have to talk to you."

"Over my dead body. Get out."

"That's not going to happen." Evan closed the door behind him. "Now will you please stop screaming? The last thing I need is to explain to your landlord the connection I have with you." He let the threat hang in the air, knowing he would never do it to her. He watched her eyes narrow in response.

"You wouldn't dare." She fairly hissed. Her mind began to race, trying to remember all the self-defense moves her father, Patrick, and Lucky had tried to teach her over the years. Of course the one time they had tried to teach her something useful and that would be the thing she'd forget. Evan didn't try to hide his grin. "I could have you arrested."

"Could you make sure either Harper or Ennis does it? I still owe Wilson some money."

Her eyes flashed in anger, advancing on him like a cat on the prowl. "You bastard. What? You're a narc? You're a narc and you did what you did to me? Forget the cops. I'll blow the whistle on your little sting my damn self."

"Well it's a little late for that I'm afraid." Evan answered coolly.

"Poor baby. Did you screw someone else's girl and have to blow your cover to save your own ass?"

Evan wasn't going to play this game with her. The five years he had on her had taught him not to waste his time on trivial things. Yes, they had had sex. Yes, he regretted it. "Tell me why you were at the club that night."

"Wild sex and Jell-O shots. What else?" Lulu shot back flippantly.

"I'm not kidding. This is some very serious stuff you've gotten yourself into." Evan warned.

"I already have a father. I don't need a lecture from the likes of you."

"And just what does that mean? You know nothing about me." Evan reminded her. "Beyond the biblical sense I mean."

"That's exactly what I mean." Lulu stalked closer to him, keeping her voice even. "Since apparently you were on the job, then you were sober that night. You knew I wasn't. You knew and you slept with me anyways. Any man who would do something like that is in no position to lecture me on the way to cross the street; much less what kind of people I hang out with."

"I'm not proud of what I did." He stopped talking before he gave too much away. His reason for being there that night didn't matter. Besides, she wouldn't believe him anyway. He could make up a lie or two about what made her so attractive to him, admit that he hadn't been anymore sober than she had been, but what difference would that make? "But I don't want to be fishing your body out the ocean because you're too proud to ask for help."

"You aren't listening to me Officer. I don't need your help."

"It's Detective actually and I don't remember asking for your permission. Whenever you go out, I'm going to be right behind you. I'm going to mess up your plans and your drug deals or whatever they are. You're not getting rid of me." Evan assured her.

"Well see about that." Lulu promised him coolly. She may have hit a rough patch here, but above all else, she was a Spencer. She could probably evade his cop ass before she started walking.

"I look forward to the challenge." Evan made his way to the door. "Either you tell me when you're going out or I'm going to be a constant pain in your backside."

"I hope you like getting ditched."

"Does that mean you'll tell me the next time you go out?"

"Does it look like I want you near me?"

"Well, let's see..." Evan slowly circled her. "Your head is cocked which means you're hiding something. You're shifting from one foot to the other. Obviously uncomfortable. You're biting your bottom lip which, while it could be a habit, it's a nervous one." He stepped closer, towering over her. "Do I make you nervous, Leslie Lu?"

"You make me sick." She promised him.

"I knew I could count on you." Evan smiled slowly. "I'll see you around."

"Not if I see you first."

*****

"Calm down. This could be a good thing." Dara tried to explain to her increasingly agitated client. Judge Hendricks's declaration after a morning of testimony that she had made her decision and would render it after lunch had taken everyone by surprise. Dara had barely begun to start on her own list of witnesses. According to the judge's clerk, the report from the social worker had come in earlier than expected. Apparently when Judge Hendricks had said she would consider the report, what she had meant was it was going to be one of the deciding factors. "This could go our way. You said the visit went well."

"I thought so. But it wouldn't be the first time I was completely wrong about something." Lucky shrugged as he paced in the hallway outside the courtroom.

"Can't you do anything with him?" Dara exasperatedly asked Elizabeth. "Force him to look on the bright side? As a lawyer I'm supposed to be the downer. Not my client."

Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I've been trying since this whole thing started. This is about as positive as he gets when it comes to this."

"Fabulous." Dara rolled her eyes. Sighing she glanced down the hall, spotting Diane Miller and the Grimes coming down the hallway. Standing up, she smoothed out the wrinkles on her skirt and put a warning hand on Lucky's shoulder. "I don't care if you have to bite your tongue till you spurt blood; you will at least fake it for the next few minutes or I will quit on you."

Straightening her back, Dara pasted on her best fake smile. "Ms. Miller, best of luck."

Next to the word insincere should be a picture of the smile Diane Miller gave, Dara decided. "You too Ms. Jensen. You too."

Elizabeth stood behind Lucky and pressed her hand tightly into his, hoping against hope he wouldn't say anything. It would do nothing but cause another fight, one that would most likely come back to bite them both in the ass. If the judge decided in their favor, at some point Cameron would want to know about his mother and her family. As much as it would please them both to cut both Tony and Lisa out of their lives, in the long run it wouldn't be good for Cameron, a fact that had caused more than one late-night discussion between them.

Lucky opened his mouth to say something, anything to wipe the smug expression off of Tony's face. How could the man look so confident? There was just an equal chance that he could be the one to lose everything. Something else was going on; there had to be. At that exact point, Peter Crane, the clerk he had spent countless hours staring at throughout the entire trial, stuck his head out of the courtroom.

"Good. You're all here. Judge Hendricks is ready for you all."

"Shall we?" Dara asked brightly, smiling her best imitation of a beauty pageant smile, gesturing to the door Peter was holding open for them all. It surprised her absolutely none when Diane and the Grimes walked right past without a word being spoken. "I will so miss this friendly rivalry." She muttered under her breath as she motioned for Lucky and Elizabeth to go on. "You two first. This is going to be your victory not mine."

"From your lips to God's ears." Elizabeth whispered.

"I'd say it louder for Diane to hear it, but we don't want her to start a fight right before she's going to lose." Dara murmured.

Elizabeth fought back the giggles that threatened to erupt. The last thing they needed was for the judge to see her laughing right before she announced who was going to get custody of Cameron. It might go against the whole responsible mother figure vibe she had been trying to give.

Judge Hendricks swooped into the room giving them just enough time to assemble behind their respective tables and stand at her entrance. Waving her hands in the hair, she stated briskly, "Sit down. Sit down."

Waiting until all the parties were settled, Judge Hendricks pulled slightly on her pearl earring. Taking a breath, she folded her hands underneath her chin. "There are many things that I take into consideration when it comes to the custody of children. The safety of the child, the stability of the home, the emotional availability of all parties concerned. In this case, there were no glaring signs that one home would be better than the other."

"That being said, there were many factors that went into this decision. I do not consider issues of custody lightly. While I feel the Grimes have demonstrated ample concerns regarding the raising of their grandchild in the media spotlight and the events that led to his attempted kidnapping, I am also equally certain of the explanations of Mr. Spencer. And for the record, I am not basing this decision solely on the events of the past few months. That would be a disservice both to Cameron and all parties involved."

"It is the opinion of this court that the events of the last few months are arbitrations, not the rule. It is also the opinion of the court that it is highly unlikely these scenarios will be repeated again. Furthermore, it is also highly unlikely that Cameron being raised in a different set of circumstances would have prevented these events. Even being raised by the Grimes, the fact remains his father is Lucky Spencer. And I am not convinced the media discovering Mr. Spencer had a child he was not raising wouldn't have been a bigger story than what appeared in the papers."

Looking between both lawyers, Judge Hendricks smiled. "I am convinced that no matter what the decision that I have made, Cameron will be loved and well taken care of. That is a good thing. I don't have many children that come through my courtroom that I can say that about. However both parties have come to ask me to make a decision and that I must do."

"In reviewing the totality of the evidence presented and the report from an independent third party, the court finds that there is no reasonable evidence to alter the existing custody agreement. From all reports Cameron Spencer is a happy, healthy child who is doted on by his entire family. And while I may question Mr. Spencer's business tactics, it does seem he has changed his ways in the past year. For the better I might add. The addition of Ms. Webber and two new siblings in his life has not seemed to be detrimental to Cameron. He appears to love being a big brother and has formed a unique relationship with Ms. Webber. And while I do not doubt the love and concern the Grimes have for their grandchild and they have my deepest sympathies for the situation they have found themselves in, the court simply sees no reason to uproot the child at this time. Therefore the ruling of this court is primary custody. The minor child Cameron Lucas Spencer shall be returned to his father no later than a week from today. The court does expect there will be continued visitation between Cameron and his grandparents until such a time when Cameron is deemed old enough to make the decision himself." Judge Hendricks reached for her gavel and knocked it against the oak desk. "This case is closed."

**Author's Notes**: We totally psyched you out with the title didn't we? Aren't we just little stinkers?

**Previews**:

How had it come to this of all things? He was actually scared she would walk away from him. If he thought he had missed her when he was in Tucson, he didn't want to start to imagine what would happen if she actually left him. Scratch that. He knew what would happen. He'd eventually fall into old patterns and end up dissatisfied because none of them would be Maxie.


	306. Right Before Your Eyes

Keep it light. Keep it simple. No complications. No ultimatums. It had been such an easy mantra. Maxie had lived by it for as long as she could remember. Maybe since her mother walked out on their family for bigger and brighter things. Poor Georgie. She actually thought Mommy Dearest would one day return. At least if she tried Alexis would be the new Mrs. Scorpio and she would have to take a number. Maxie would actually prefer if her mother stayed far away. What a role model Felicia had been for her daughters! If it got too hard, the only solution was to run. It didn't matter who got hurt, who suffered, so long as the end result was satisfactory.

Damn Ric, Maxie thought miserably, scribbling a pattern across the front of an old design she had made. No one had ever seen it. There were days she wished she had been so lucky. Ruffles, gross! Too many sequins. Who was supposed to wear something like this? She stilled her hand, the pen dangling from her loose grip, and she tried to remind herself that she had brought this upon herself. Ric seemed more than happy to stay away until she approached him, or be forgotten. Why had she sought him out? They had had a lot of fun together, but that's all it was. She didn't love him. She couldn't see a future with him. Her interview was the excuse she was going to fall back on. It was only days away. She needed to relax and therefore, however ironic it might be, she needed Ric for that.

Raising his hand to knock, Ric gave himself another second to take a breath before making his presence known. Her message had been clear. Come to see her or she walked away. Forever. Maxie hadn't even hinted at the last word, but he had read it clearly in her tone. Not that he didn't deserve it. He should have just told her the truth and let her decide for herself what she wanted to do. Now there was no way he could make his decision to keep that one stupid kiss from her look like the good idea it had seemed at the time.

How had it come to this of all things? He was actually scared she would walk away from him. If he thought he had missed her when he was in Tucson, he didn't want to start to imagine what would happen if she actually left him. Scratch that. He knew what would happen. He'd eventually fall into old patterns and end up dissatisfied because none of them would be Maxie.

"Just knock." Ric told himself firmly. "Just knock and get it over with. And whatever you do, don't let her see how scared you are." His fist finally connected with the door.

Maxie stared at the door, giving herself another second to figure out everything she wanted to say. Satisfied but no less terrified, she slowly pulled the door toward her and sucked in a breath before letting her eyes connect with his. "Thank you for coming." She skidded to the right and waited for him to walk over the threshold.

Stepping in cautiously, Ric checked for the presence of her father. The man was legally allowed to carry a gun. "Are we alone?"

"Of course." Maxie nodded, ignoring the urge to laugh at the panicked look on his face. It was good her father scared him, she thought wickedly.

"Good." Ric reached out to touch her hand and wasn't all that surprised when she took a step back from him. "You wanted to talk?"

"Yes." Maxie nodded again, feeling slightly foolish. How long had she been standing here silently just staring at him? She led him over the couch.

Noticing her reluctance to sit, Ric elected to stand. If she was going to give him the brush off speech, it was better he stay standing anyways. The better for quick exits and all that. "Look, about the last time we saw each other..." he began.

Maxie put her hand over his mouth to keep him from continuing. "Don't lie to me." He looked like he wanted to say something, but must have thought better of it. "Whatever happened in Tucson doesn't matter." She watched his eyes widen. "I don't want details or excuses or anything else. Obviously something happened or you wouldn't be avoiding me like the Plague." Her hand fell from his mouth, but she still didn't let him get a word in edgewise. "You know how I feel about Kate. You say she's gone and maybe she is. I'm not going to demand to know where you are or check up on you. I'm not that person. I have a little more respect for myself than that."

"So what exactly are you saying Maxie?"

"For as long as I can remember, you've been blatantly honest with me. All I need to know is if it's going to happen again."

"Never." Ric swore. Kate had signed the papers and there were no more reasons for them to see each other. His family liked Kate better than him anyways. There was no reason for Kate to return to Port Charles and less than none for him to go to New York.

Maxie let the stress abandon her features. "Good." She touched her mouth to his softly, almost experimentally.

Gently, he cupped her face in his hands. "You...you are a goddess." He whispered.

"Well I definitely have the wardrobe." Maxie stepped deeper into his embrace so that his arms automatically wrapped around her. "I feel so safe with you." She admitted, tracing the back of her hand across his face, her eyes scanning every inch of his face. She pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and then under his chin. When her lips found his neck, she lightly nibbled at the skin she found there. His arms tightened around her; she ran her hands up and down his arms slowly to try and relieve some of his tension.

He pulled one of her hands toward his lips and softly kissed the inside of her palm, nuzzling his nose against her skin. "I've missed you."

Maxie blushed. "I've missed you too." She jerked at the ends of his shirt until she managed to free the material from his pants and swept her hands beneath it, reveling in the feel of his warm skin under her fingertips.

Ric kissed the corner of her mouth tenderly and then came back for a kiss that seduced Maxie's lips to part. His fingers tumbling down the front of her dress to unfasten the first three buttons, he slipped his hand inside. "I think we need to find a more comfortable place, don't you?" He asked, nodding toward the couch.

"Yes." Maxie took his hand and tugged him toward the stairs.

"Where are we going?"

"To find some more privacy." Maxie explained nervously.

"But I thought upstairs was off-limits."

"It's not to you."

*****

Laura was bustling with energy as she skipped across Bobbie's lawn and let herself into the house via the front door. She heard voices coming from the kitchen and decided to follow them. She found Bobbie and Robin sitting at a table covered in papers, pictures, a bunch of pens, and her sister-in-law's "famous" planner. "There you both are!"

"Laura!" Bobbie exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought you were watching the twins."

"I was. Lucky and Elizabeth came to pick them up." Laura explained, leaving out the reason behind her excitement.

"How was the trial?" Robin asked cautiously. If it had gone badly, she didn't want to add fuel to the fire.

Laura beamed. "Well the judge came to a decision."

"She did?" Bobbie asked alarmed. Why hadn't the kids said anything? She would have been there front row if they had only told her. "But I thought Dara said that was weeks away."

"I guess the judge was a little impatient to pass down the ruling." Laura assumed. "I have to sit down." She reached for a chair and dropped into it, the energy refusing to abate.

"Laura, you're scaring me." Bobbie warned her sister-in-law.

"Well." Laura leaned forward, "While I'm certain the Grimes would have rather stolen Cameron from my son for the rest of their lives, I knew Lucky would never treat them that way if they were to be awarded full custody. The judge must have known this as well because she said Cameron is coming home to Lucky. She said the original custody agreement could only be altered if Cameron, himself, asked to live with his grandparents."

Bobbie and Robin squealed in delight. "So it's over?" Robin asked.

"It's really over?" Bobbie added.

"It's really over." Laura signed deeply, her reaction from when they had told her the news directly. "Cameron has to be returned to Lucky no later than six days from today."

Bobbie leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh of relief. "Lucky must be through the roof."

"He is. He could barely make sense, he was smiling so much."

"This is wonderful news!" Robin exclaimed and then burst into tears. "Why am I crying?" She blubbered, dropping her head in her arms.

"Hormones." Bobbie nodded. "And the fact this is exactly what we were all hoping for."

"That must be it." Robin wiped frantically at her drenched face. "Thank God." She added as an afterthought.

Laura nodded toward the table's new accessories and inquired, "And what exactly are you two working on without me?"

"Well it was plans for Robin and Patrick's wedding, but I don't think Robin will mind if we take some time to plan a welcome home party. Would you Robin?"

"I say the more the merrier." Robin answered happily. "Besides, this is just a review for you, isn't it, Laura?"

"That's right. I've been planning this day since he came to stay with us." Laura admitted proudly.

"And I've been telling Robin all about your ideas." Bobbie assured her.

"Then really it's just the little details now." Laura realized.

Robin laughed. "Yes, like the dress and flowers and location right?"

"Like I said little details."

"And since I think I've sold Robin on the location and I'm fairly certain Elizabeth is helping you take care of the dress and flowers, I think it is safe to say this wedding is as good as planned. Now who wants to talk welcome home party?" Bobbie smiled at both women.

*****

Tony had gotten tired of her crying, so Lisa had sought refuge in their bedroom where she knew he would not be. He was downstairs and Cameron was in his room, playing with his toys and making them talk to each other. Maybe he was able to emotionally distance himself from their grandson, but she was not! She didn't know how she was going to sleep once he was gone, Cameron not Tony. Tony had made it a point to leave before she woke up and return after she had gone to sleep. Her paranoia was plenty justified now. She had gotten his phone away from him once, but she had been too terrified to call the reoccurring number that showed up on his list of recent calls. "You are a coward," She said aloud, not caring if anyone heard her. "You would rather live a lie than face the truth." Her husband was a criminal, but she didn't know the details of it. She didn't know if he was just in cahoots with one or if he actually was one himself. Had it been going on so long he didn't even know how to separate himself from them?

When the judge had passed down her verdict Lisa had had the drastic urge to run home, grab Cameron, and take him over the border to Canada. It would just be the two of them, let Tony's new crowd offer him support. She was tired of making excuses for him with their friends. If he had allowed her to keep any close friends they would have noticed right away that something was wrong, but he had been the jealous type in every way, shape, and form so the friends she had managed to keep were little more than passing acquaintances. There was no one she could go to for help; he had made sure of it. First, by isolating her from her family, from her father and mother especially, and then her sister, Beatrice. She couldn't remember the last time she had spoken with her sister. Her parents had died over ten years ago, together, in their sleep, holding hands. She couldn't lie to herself anymore. She and Tony weren't her parents.

Tears slid down Lisa's cheeks as she remembered a similar conversation she had had with Jessalyn. It was back when she and Lucky had started dating. She had come home late and without a believable excuse and Tony had been incredibly hard on her. She had raged and slammed her hands against her bedroom door, her reaction to his decision to ground her until she began to understand what it was to be a parent and worry about where your child was when they missed curfew. Lisa had convinced Jessalyn to open the door for her and they had spent the remainder of the evening talking about Lucky Spencer and how wonderful he was. Funny, Jessalyn had said. He was so funny. And sweet. He was a hopeless romantic to fault. And he never forgot anything, like her birthday or the week anniversary of their first date.

Lisa had been worried because Lucky sounded so similar to Tony at that age. She began to fear for her daughter's independence and said so. Jess laughed off her concern and paid no attention to the telltale signs. Once the news of Cameron's impending arrival reached Lisa, she knew her daughter was bound to Lucky Spencer forever. She had been ready to strangle her daughter over such a direct act of irresponsibility and was enraged when she and Lucky announced they would not be getting married. Cameron needed a stable home, Lisa had insisted, but Jess had heard none of it. She was an adult, didn't Lisa know? She knew what she was doing. She didn't love Lucky and he didn't love her. She would rather share her son with his father than a home because at least she could spare Cameron a little pain. If he never saw his parents struggling through a marriage that was all wrong for them, then maybe it would be something he never had to wonder about. He could be happy, happy with both of them. The judge's ruling, much like God's, had been final. Losing Cameron was like losing Jess a second time and Lisa couldn't bear it. Not again. She couldn't. Pushing the bedroom door open, she was startled when she found Tony standing just outside of it.

"It's time." He said.

**Previews:**

"She'll be here." Lucas assured his husband.

"I've never stood you boys up before." Sage entered the room with a smile. "I don't intend to start now."

"Sage." Dillon forced a smile onto his face. "You look great."


	307. Don't Do Sadness

If there was one thing he hated in life, it was when Lucas was right. Tired of hearing his ever-escalating scenarios for getting inside the Alcazar mansion, Lucas had merely picked up the phone and asked to speak to Sage directly. Dillon almost fell off his chair when not only did his husband get through, but Sage also agreed to meet with them today. Apparently Sage appreciated a simple, direct approach, a completely foreign and over-rated concept as far as Dillon was concerned.

Looking around the lavishly appointed room, Dillon could grudgingly admit the sunroom more than made up for the decidedly mind-numbing arrival. Every stick of furniture could easily be placed inside large room with its marble tiled floor and the entire wall made of windows. As it was, he was reasonably sure the entire Quartermaine estate could be comfortably encased inside the Alcazar compound. Clearly there was more money to be made in South America than Edward wanted to admit.

Looking at his watch, Dillon blew out an irritated breath and began to pace, his footsteps echoing in the silent room. "If she's going to mess with my movie moment here, the least she could do is to be on time when we show up."

"She'll be here." Lucas assured his husband.

"I've never stood you boys up before." Sage entered the room with a smile. "I don't intend to start now."

"Sage." Dillon forced a smile onto his face. "You look great."

"We were kind of hoping to get to the point." Time was not on their side; Lucas wasn't willing to waste a moment on bland pleasantries.

"I always did like direct." Sage nodded. "So why call me after what, six years?"

Looking over at Lucas, Dillon saw his husband give an almost indecipherable nod. "We're here about Lance."

"What about him?" Sage asked evenly. If they hadn't both shown up, she wouldn't have known who Lance was. She would have figured it out eventually, but she always had had a difficult time remembering Lucas's name. And it sounded so much like Lance; she might have spurted out marital advice if Dillon had come alone not knowing any better. The fact that she could barely sustain a relationship with her cocker spaniel need not apply.

"He's sick Sage." Dillon leaned forward. "He's sick and he might need you."

"But you two are his parents. Can't you provide for him?" Sage questioned carefully. She didn't want to fight with them; it was rare for any of her old friends to visit her.

"In this case, you're more of his parent than I am." Lucas whispered.

"Lance has a genetic condition. And right now his doctors think he's ok but he could need a transplant. I was already tested and I'm not a match." Dillon said sadly. "But as his mother..."

Sage's calm mask slipped off and she shot to her feet. "No, see that's where you're wrong. I am not his mother."

"You are." Lucas insisted. "And he needs you."

"The best thing I could have done for that kid was to give him to you. You're his parents. I'm little more than a—" Sage stammered on.

"A biological donor." Dillon cut her off. "But he needs you."

"What he needs is to be kept far, far away from me." Sage argued, slicing the air with her hand.

"And why is that?" Lucas wanted to know. "What's so wrong with you? What don't you want Lance to see?"

"He's a smart kid. Whatever you're afraid of won't matter to him." Dillon promised her.

"Look," Sage hesitantly looked up at them, her eyes darting from one to the other. "When my father and uncle were born, they knew this was a dangerous business they were in, but they figured it would end with them. When my father met my mother, all bets were off and he forgot the most important thing: children are not safe, least of all the ones from our family. My mother was killed by one of my father's enemies and then I was shipped off to boarding school only to meet my secret uncle years later. He brought me back here and promised to keep me safe. He died this past year, a heart attack. I have my suspicions that he was poisoned, but the jury is still out on that one. Who cares if one more Alcazar is lost so long as the world stays 'safe' right?"

"The only reason I agreed to be your surrogate was because I saw in you two what I have never seen in any of my parental figures: possibilities. Neither of you are connected to illegal handlings like that of my family. Crime does pay and this house is a perfect example of just how much. Right now, Lance is safe. You say he's sick and I'm telling you I'm willing to help you financially in any way you might need." She suddenly picked up her long-forgotten drink and took a quick jug of it, coughing. "If it comes out that I have any connection to Lance, he could be in danger." Sage warned.

"He doesn't need money. What he needs is for you to get tested." Dillon stated flatly. "Hell Sage there is such a thing as getting tested under a fake name."

"You're not hearing me." Sage yelled. "The only reason they haven't come after me is because this house is not linked to my uncle, not in name or business."

"So what you're really worried about is yourself?" Lucas assumed.

"I never said I wasn't selfish." Sage pointed out. "And I'm not ready to die."

Standing up Dillon reached for Lucas's hand. "And we aren't ready for Lance to die." He said coldly as he started for the door.

Sage watched them go, wishing for the millionth time in six years that she could be what they wanted her to be, do what they asked of her. It was just too hard. She wasn't willing to risk her life and that of their son's, but maybe...maybe if she could find a donor for Lance then it would all be okay. Inspired, she lifted the phone to her ear and made a call. "Diego? It's Sage. I need you to do me a little favor. It's in the interest of our family."

*****

Taking a deep breath, Georgie made her way through the maze of desks that made up the squad room of the Port Charles Police Department. There was a time that she and Maxie had run in between these desks with abandon, hiding beneath and behind them with immunity. There wasn't a cop in town she didn't know or at least recognize on sight. This place was her second home.

Now it was the place her father had taken to avoiding her at. Ever since she put the last of her bags in her car, suddenly he was always at his office. No matter the time of day. He was always working. A few years ago that might have been a reasonable assumption, but not now. Not since he and Alexis worked so hard to put those lowlifes behind bars where they belonged. The days of three straight weeks at the office without coming home had long been over.

Alright, she reasoned with herself, he was hurting. His pride and trust had taken a severe beating in the past few weeks between all three of his girls. But he had to get past this. If he didn't, he was going to miss out on walking Robin down the aisle. Or seeing the birth of his first grandson. Maybe it would work better if all three of his girls came to confront him together, but that might just be another reminder of what he didn't want to face. They were capable adults, largely thanks to him, and while they still loved him, they didn't need him in the same way. Squaring her shoulders, she marched straight towards his door, determined to work this out with her father one way or another. She was tired of avoiding him. Tired of Steven only jokingly being afraid of her father. She had inadvertently started this mess and she was going to start cleaning it up.

Knocking, but not waiting for him to give her permission to enter, Georgie opened the door and only stopped long enough to make sure he wasn't briefing an officer on a case before she spoke. "Dad. We need to talk."

Mac lifted his eyes to his beautiful daughter. In his mind's eye, she was still seven years old, asking to go with him to work instead of school. Don't get him wrong, she had always loved school, but that had been the year Felicia skipped out on the girls and she had wanted to stay as close to Mac as possible just in case he got the same idea. Now she had someone else to protect her, someone else to turn to. "Georgie, what can I do for you?"

"For starters you can stop avoiding me." She spoke calmly as she lowered herself into the chair opposite his desk.

"I'm not...in the mood to go into this right now." Mac had never lied to his girls and he wasn't going to start now.

"Well you better get in the mood or you're going to miss a heck of a lot more than just my wedding."

"Thanks for that by the way." Mac shot back, opening one of the files stacked on top of his desk.

Closing her eyes, Georgie blew out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it like that."

"It's done." Mac reminded her. "I'm sure I can just ask your husband about it. Or one of your friends. God forbid you consider me enough to at least call and tell me."

"You would rather I told you over the phone?" Georgie asked incredulously. "Don't lie to me."

"Like you lied to me? You come home and sneak around to avoid telling me that you're married. You didn't even tell me you were dating. Would I have gotten to know if there had been a baby?" Mac tore his gaze from hers and shoveled papers around.

"Yes you would have. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I just...I just wanted everything to be perfect. And so I waited, which I now realize made everything so much less than perfect." Georgie sniffed, feeling tears start to prick her eyes. "Everything just happened so fast, I didn't realize what the right thing to do was until it was too late."

Mac pushed his chair back so fast it slammed into the wall and the noise startled Georgie. He rounded the desk and collected her in his arms. "I hate it when you cry." And he did. God, nothing hurt him more. Her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders and he choked back a sob of his own. "I just...I hate that I wasn't included. You've all grown up without my permission. You don't need me anymore."

"I still need you." Georgie sniffed brokenly into his arm. "Just in a different way."

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"I think I owe you that much."

"You know the part of the ceremony where the preacher asks, 'Who gives this woman away'? Well I wouldn't have been able to."

"See I kinda suspected that."

"Even knowing now that it's all set in stone, I don't think I can." Mac drew back from her to meet her eyes.

"Daddy. I'm just living across town. Not across the country. I'm still going to finish at PCU. It will be like I'm living in the dorms." At least for now. She suspected her husband had this crazy idea of moving to Port Charles and continue to do his job, but Georgie felt this was crazy talk. To work, Steven needed to be in LA. But one bridge at a time where her father was concerned.

"I would never ask you to put your dreams on hold, sweet girl." Mac assured her. "I'm with you no matter where you are. And I'm sorry I've been acting like a child. I am so happy for you and...Steven."

Georgie smiled up at him. "You said his name. Thank you."

"Just don't think I'm going to make a habit of it." Mac offered her a smile and then returned to his seat. "Is it really that simple?"

"Only if you actually keep talking to me. Avoid me again and all bets are off."

"That's not what I mean." Mac shook his head. "I mean is it just as simple as 'I love you, let's get married'?"

"It was with me." Georgie shrugged. "Of course, being on the streets of Paris had a bit of a helping hand." She eyed Mac suspiciously. "Why are you so curious?"

"Let's just say I'm having a little trouble getting my fiancé from Point A to Point B."

Georgie chewed on her bottom lip. "I could help if you want."

"I would love it if you would."

Smiling up at her father, Georgie made her way over toward his desk. "Then show me what you've got so far."

**Previews:**

"I wouldn't mind beating his face in and explaining it to him."

"If you're right, I'll join you."


	308. Diary Of Jane

"Cassidy." Harper reached out to grab the newest undercover officer as the younger man passed him in the hall. "You got a minute?"

Evan stopped so fast, he almost tripped over his feet. To say Harper intimidated him would have been a gross understatement. He didn't know what the guy did after work, only knew his name and face by reputation. Some of the other guys were jealous because he had gone after the scum of Port Charles and come back with them in handcuffs, had succeeded where they had failed. Others were scared of him. Evan considered himself somewhere in the middle. "I guess."

"Good." Harper motioned for the young officer to follow him down the hall to a small office and ushered him inside. There was no reason for the rest of the squad to hear about his latest assignment. No need to embarrass Cassidy with the fact he had been demoted to babysitter. Making sure the door was securely shut behind them Harper took a seat in one of the two chairs sitting in the small room. "Catch me up on the PCU investigation."

Evan inwardly groaned. He had almost made it an entire afternoon without being reminded of Lulu Spencer. He had been content with hiding at his desk or even in the nastiest club just as long as he didn't have to have another run-in with her. "From what I can tell, the operation is being run by a man named Vermin. I haven't been able to figure out what his real name is, but I've been digging, checking with a few of my contacts. He doesn't have a preference: he'll deal to anyone with cash. My estimate would be sixteen and older being that they have the most available cash at hand and, if in a jam, he can pass them off as a lot older." Evan rubbed his eyes wearily. "Baldwin left some useful information for us." Any other time such a statement might have been considered a joke, but not now. Scott Baldwin had been the original undercover for the case, but when he was branded as a cop, he was killed. His body had been mailed to his daughter in Pennsylvania.

Harper nodded slowly. He'd pull the case file later on today to go over it with Samantha. If he could ever get her to answer her damn phone today. He had already left her close to ten messages over the course of the day and she had yet to return even one. "You get close to anyone? Anyone I need to keep clear of?"

"Derek Underwood." Evan pulled a snapshot of the recurring "bouncer" and handed it to Harper. "He doesn't belong to any one club. He follows Vermin. Watch out for him. He's a big s.o.b."

"Got it. Mean ugly and only good with a gun." Harper nodded. "I bet he confuses sexual harassment with flirting."

Evan managed a weak smile. "I doubt he can spell it, but it's definitely his style. So far he's only gone after three women and they all had the good sense to scream. There could be more. I'll look into that too."

"Do that. If we can't get to Vermin directly, we might be able to flip this s.o.b. by hemming him up on some sexual assaults." Harper smiled slowly. "There's probably no need to explain to him Alexis Davis set a strict 'no deals for sexual predators' policy."

"I wouldn't mind beating his face in and explaining it to him." Evan added.

"If you're right, I'll join you." Harper kept a long stare on Cassidy, trying to size the man up. He looked young, but there was no way Mac would have even put him on this case if he wasn't the best. "I understand you'll be sticking around the campus?"

"Yeah. Apparently I can pass for a student." Evan's tone said that he thought the idea was ridiculous. "And I have one of those faces that makes you want to talk to me." Unless you're Lulu Spencer. If she told Vermin who he was, he was going to be no better off than Baldwin.

"Good. I can pass for a lot, but I'm a long way from eighteen." He paused, attempting to judge how much of the information he was about to share, if he could really trust Cassidy. If the man was going to continue to be near the investigation, it was for everyone's benefit if he didn't attempt to arrest Samantha when the bust went down. "Can I trust you?"

"Yes." Evan answered carefully. "Why do you ask?"

"My methods aren't exactly approved by the commissioner."

Evan's brows lifted. "What exactly does that mean?"

"I have assistance. A civilian. She does good work, but she prefers to not be acknowledged for her contributions." Alright, _he_ preferred she not be acknowledged. It made it a hell of a lot easier to protect her if the criminal element didn't know exactly who she was.

"I don't feel comfortable risking a civilian because you can't follow procedure." Evan informed him.

"Believe me she is well aware of the risks. I take more risks making sure she's safe than anything. Much to her dismay." Harper chuckled.

"Why do you bring her up?" Evan decided to play dumb. It was amazing how much information he could obtain simply by playing rookie cop.

Harper shot him a skeptical look. "You aren't that stupid, Cassidy. She'll be around. The last thing we need is for her to blow everything by trying to nail you along with everyone else."

"You're worried about me blowing the investigation?" Evan snapped. "If your girlfriend can't play cops like the rest of us, I'd rather she not be involved."

"She's not my girlfriend and believe me you want her around. Samantha will find out more information from all the players than both of us combined."

"I want to meet her, make sure she doesn't blow this case for me."

"You will." Harper nodded. "I gave her your description. She'll approach you."

"Oh goodie." Evan rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted was a casualty rate.

"Hey if you have a problem with a beautiful woman talking to you..."

Evan didn't care how beautiful she was. This was Harper as a nice guy. He didn't want to tip the scales. "When and where? Or do I get to know?"

"I'll call you." Harper glanced at his cell phone once again. Still no calls from her. It wasn't like her. Even when she was determined to ignore him, Samantha would still call him back after at least the third message, sometimes just to yell at him to stop calling her. Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong. There was a nagging voice in the back of his head that kept insisting there was something else going on. They had yet to go over the entire case together. She wouldn't be stupid enough to go off investigating on her own. He hadn't pissed her off lately so she wasn't avoiding him. She still wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to do about the lead on her mother he had dug up. So what did that leave?

The answer to his question was as plain as the nose on his face. Harper sprung up, embarrassed that it took him this long to figure it out. He never should have left her alone today. Not today. "Cassidy. I'll get with you when she's ready. Right now I have to go."

*****

Mac found Alexis in the kitchen with a stack of reports they both knew she shouldn't be working on, let alone still have access to. There was a new district attorney in place and she had no legal grounds for participating in anything that lay before her. He let it go with a sigh, telling himself he would take back every single file once she slipped off to sleep tonight. It would kill two birds with one stone. He would avoid a fight altogether. Alexis looked up, startled because he hadn't made any noise when he came in. He walked over to the rack standing near the back door and tossed his suit jacket onto one of its rungs. He returned to the table, kissed the top of her head, and then joined her at the table.

"I know what you're going to say."

"Do you?" Mac smirked. "I was going to suggest a little afternoon sex since I took half the day off, but since you already knew that, we can just call this explanation foreplay." He laughed when her eyes narrowed. She refused to meet his eyes, but he was close enough to see her blush.

"That's not what you were going to say." Alexis dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "You were going to get onto me for looking at these case files—"

"Is that what these are? I thought they were just really large thank you cards."

Alexis couldn't help it; she had to look up. Her eyes met his, her mouth slightly open. "You're in a good mood."

"I hear that's only illegal in the other forty-nine states." Mac nodded.

"So you're not mad?" Alexis treaded with the utmost care.

"I'm home. I don't want to play good cop, bad cop okay?" Mac pleaded.

Alexis felt her posture relax. She hadn't seen Mac smile in so long she was beginning to think he had forgotten how. "Even if I play bad cop?"

Mac grabbed her neck and pulled her toward him, catching her laugh in his mouth when she stumbled onto his lap. He pushed her hair off of her neck with his nose and closed his eyes on a groan. "You smell good."

"I thought you might like this perfume. I haven't worn it since—"

"Our first date. I remember." Mac interrupted, trailing kisses down her throat.

Alexis forced her eyes to stay open. "I have a little confession to make."

"Do tell. I love your confessions." Mac feasted on her mouth, his arms sliding around her and dragging her closer.

"This perfume...well it has a past." Alexis stilled his hand when it found the buttons at the front of her shirt.

"Doesn't everything?" Mac pushed her hand away.

"I might have stolen it."

"You aren't sure?" Mac abandoned her shirt for a second and slipped his hand inside the front of her jeans.

"Well it happened a long time ago. I was in high school and I wanted it." Alexis pouted.

"I know all about wanting something and doing whatever I have to do to get it." Mac tugged loosely on her braid and slanted his mouth over hers.

"Have you ever not gotten something you wanted?"

"No, I don't think so. You?" Mac disregarded the change in her voice.

Alexis pushed on his shoulders and he finally met her eyes, his hands exploring some interesting areas. "Yes."

"Yes, what?" Mac's voice was half strangled.

"Yes, there is something I wanted that I didn't get. Or rather didn't get to keep." Alexis clarified.

"I'll get it for you." Mac promised desperately reaching for her.

"You don't even know what I'm talking about." Alexis pointed out.

"I don't understand why you're talking at all." Mac countered, covering his eyes with his hands.

"I'm sorry. I don't even know why I'm bringing it up."

"Bringing up what?"

"When I was in high school..." Alexis hadn't thought it would be this hard to tell him.

"You stole the perfume. Yes, I know." Mac cut her off impatiently.

"No. That's not...you're still not listening." Alexis snapped.

"What is it you're so afraid to tell me?"

"I have...I mean I had a child in high school. A little girl." Alexis.

"Had? As in past tense?" Mac found his way to his feet.

"She died." Alexis whispered, her throat constricting.

"When?"

"When she was six years old. She got hit by a car." Alexis explained.

"Honey, that's not your fault." Mac tried to approach her, but she jumped a foot backwards.

"Isn't it? I wasn't there!"

"Sometimes things happen and they aren't fair, but I know you. You would never let anything bad happen to your child." Mac declared. "Come on in the living room. We'll talk about it." He was surprised when she let him lead her toward the couch and even more so when she opened her mouth to speak.

"I should have said something before now." Alexis muttered, angry at herself for not at least telling Mac. "And I know you have a lot to deal with already, but I have to tell someone. Someone has to know." A little quieter, she added, "And I want that person to be you."

"I'm listening." Mac promised, patting her hand softly.

"She was kidnapped." Alexis choked out. "From her crib. Someone broke in and stole her while I was asleep. I never heard anything." Her eyes glazed over and Mac knew she was reliving the scene in her mind. "It took three years, but I finally caught up with the person who had taken her. Ironically enough, it was the jerk that got me pregnant and split. He wanted to pay me back for not including him in our lives. As if my father would have let that happen. Besides, even on a good day, they might as well have been the same man. Both were so cruel. When I think about what he must have done to...it makes me sick."

Noticing her shake, in fear or revulsion he didn't know, Mac ran his hands up and down her arms. "It's okay. You're safe." He kissed her cheek.

"I was told to stop looking. It would do no good. It had been too long. 'The girl was dead.'" She did air quotes to describe what the lead officer had told her that day. "My father came down to Miami and took me home against my will. I was still a minor so I had no rights. He sent me to a private school in Prague and married Helena, my wicked stepmother."

"Did you stop looking for your daughter?"

"No. Not for a single second. I was written up in class because I simply couldn't concentrate. I broke out of my room at least three times a week, but they always caught me. There was nowhere I could go anyway. My father had my passport. I was seventeen and scared. Eventually, I did stop looking." She couldn't look at him now, a lump forming in her throat. "I started dating again. I started working toward my new goal of being a lawyer and representing the people who couldn't speak for themselves, people like me." Tears welled in her eyes. "My father mailed a newspaper to my dorm room five years later. It was a front page article of a little girl involved in a hit-and-run. She was killed instantly. There was a picture of the little girl smiling. I have a picture of myself at that age and we could have been identical twins. Someone ran down my daughter. And as much I want to believe it wasn't premeditated, my father hated me for keeping her and bringing shame to his family."

"Did you ever have a DNA test done?"

"No. I didn't need one done. I knew."

"You knew?" Mac scoffed. "How? That's why they have those tests: to be sure."

"Don't yell at me."

"I'm not." Mac insisted. "I just don't understand how you could just accept something your father told you as true."

"I just did." Alexis wiped her tears away. "Now you know."

"I know that she could still be out there somewhere, but you're not even looking for her."

"You know nothing!" Alexis screamed at him. "You don't know what it's like to lose a child!"

"You don't know that you have." Mac reasoned.

"What would you have me do? Confiscate the Miami morgue reports and find out all over again that she's dead?"

"It'd be a start. At least then you would know for sure."

"My daughter is dead. I'm not going off on some wild goose chase to make you feel better." Alexis responded angrily.

"Then let's have someone else do it." Mac suggested, catching Alexis's wrist and stopping her mid-run.

*****

Sam glared at the half-empty glass of Scotch, its very presence making her ill. She hadn't taken a drink; she wouldn't. She didn't even crave alcohol. It was as if her mind had told the rest of her body that she was going to quit drinking cold turkey and she didn't have time for any after effects. Maybe David was the reason. His disgust at her habit (now she could admit it was a crutch) had been the driving force to her sobriety. She wished desperately that she could pick it up, throw it back, and feel better, but it wasn't going to happen. She didn't have to look at a calendar to know. Three years ago today, Vincent had been murdered. Three years ago, she had found his mangled body wrapped up in Sponge Bob sheets. She hadn't even been given the opportunity to think maybe he was sleeping. His face had been covered in scratches, deep, deep cuts, and there were bruises up and down both his arms. The coroner had explained that while the damage done to his face was new, the bruises were not. How had she not seen them? They estimated a month or more of beatings. If he had lived, county services would have taken him away from her.

He hadn't suffered long, the coroner had promised. His neck had been broken. The coroner had no estimation of the scratches, almost as if she couldn't see them. Sam could, and had, every night before falling asleep. She could still see him lying in his bed, his face and lips blue, his head and limbs twisted awkwardly. His fingernails had been trimmed, probably postmortem, and that led Sam to believe that her little Vincent had fought, and fought hard. If only she had been there. If only she hadn't left him in the care of that monster. Tears ran down her face, but she barely felt them, save a minor chill. He hadn't been sexually abused. Such a thought had never entered her brain, at least not until the coroner assured her that at least in that respect his body hadn't been violated.

The only regret she had about killing Jason Morgan was that she had never been able to find out why he did it. Why had Vincent been such a threat to him? He was murdered, in cold blood, and for what? What possible motive could Jason Morgan have for ridding the world of the most exuberant six-year-old, the most wonderful child? She had asked him, demanded even, once he was charged for raping a little boy Vincent's same age in the next town over. When he had been accused, she had been too stupid to put the pieces together. When the clues started to back up a true theory, when he was convicted, that's when she had confronted him about Vincent. He had admitted to killing her son, but refused to tell her why. He had died with that secret. She had almost killed him that day, but he had shown no reaction, no remorse.

The curtains whipped ruthlessly against the double doors leading onto the balcony. Sam abandoned the couch and walked toward them. She pulled the doors shut, but found she was on the other side of them. Funny, she hadn't meant to come out here. Oh well. No bottles out here. No glasses to mock her. She liked the view a lot more. Nothing could touch her out here. The iron bars that made up the balcony beckoned her forward and she loosely wrapped her fingers around the railing, swaying her body up and back. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the harsh wind on her cheeks. Yes, she definitely liked it better out here. She decided to stay.

Cautiously he put his key in the lock. It still amused him that she hadn't asked for it back, even after she refused to look at him when he moved out. Not wanting to disturb, but needing to make sure she was alright, Harper silently opened the door. The room was dark. Still. If it wasn't for the half-empty glass of Scotch on the table, he would have almost believed no one lived here. Making his way further in the room, he looked for any sign of where she might be. He had seen her car in the parking lot so that eliminated her driving anywhere, but she still could have walked. Or have made new friends since he moved out. A beautiful woman like her wouldn't be without companionship for long.

There were none of her tell tale noises coming from the hallway leading to the bedroom. If she was alone, she wouldn't feel the need to hide them. A slight rocking movement caught his eye from the seldom used balcony. Moving closer, he started to make out her form, rocking back and forth her hands loosely gripping the railing. Before he could let out a sigh of relief, Harper felt his eyes widen in horror as Sam started to lift one foot up and pull herself into a standing position on the thin metal rail. Forgetting his earlier idea to just check on her, he rushed to the balcony area. "Samantha!"

It was as if she was in a dream, able to see herself but have no direct effect on her own actions. A voice sounded behind her and she turned to look. The sole of her tennis shoe squeaked and she felt her body propel backwards, her hands gripping only air as she flew over the side of the balcony. All noise seemed to be buffered out by an overwhelming sense of panic. If she screamed, she had no recollection of it.

It was automatic. He saw her start to tilt and ran for the railing, shooting his hands out. No. He was not going to watch her die, damn it. Almost tipping himself over the bar, Harper made a desperate grab, managing to take hold of one of her tiny hands in his. He held on to her as if his own life depended upon it. "Hang on Gorgeous. You hang on you hear me?"

"David?" Sam tried to reach up and grab his free hand, the one he was offering to her, but she knew she would fall if she even attempted such a maneuver. "I'm slipping!"

"I'm not going to let you fall. Trust me Samantha." He tried to steady his own feet. If he lost his footing in any little way, it was going to be a disaster. "Just trust me."

"Don't let me go. Please don't let go." Sam whimpered, trying to stay still as the wind shoved her from side to side. She could feel her hand start to perspire and made an unsuccessful attempt to grab his other hand.

"I won't. I promise you." Shoving his feet underneath the railing, he leaned down a little further causing her to whimper even more. He kept his voice calm even though his heart was racing. "Hey. Hey. I got you. I'm just going to try to raise you up a little. Alright? And when I do you try to grab my other hand ok?"

"Okay." Sam accepted, her answer lost in the wind.

"Alright. Count of three ok? One. Two. Three." It was a good thing he worked out regularly or else they both surely would have plunged over the railing. He managed to lift her a few inches, just enough for her to make contact with his other hand. Closing his fist over it immediately, he stopped and tried to re-center his gravity. "Good. Good job Gorgeous."

"How did you know? Know to come I mean?" Sam asked, trying to distract herself while levering her legs up. If she could just get them around the bars, she could climb up. Her legs dangled heavily beneath her and she panted at the effort.

"I remembered. I'm just sorry it took me so long." Harper admitted. "Alright I'm going to try lifting you again. One. Two. Three."

Sam tried to help him, but her body only floundered and his face with sweating profusely. "This isn't working. I'm too heavy for you."

"Nonsense. You're light as a feather." He denied. "Let's just try again. Let me do the work and if I get you close enough then you try to get your feet on that railing ok?"

Sam nodded, trying not to let fear show in her face. "Okay, let's get this over with. I've got that soap opera to catch up on." Tears slid down her throat as she spoke the words; she could barely make out his face clearly now.

"That's right. You've got important things to do." He smiled down at her. "Alright here we go. This is it. One. Two. Three."

This time, David stepped back and was able to get her up to the railing. He didn't give her a chance to wrap her legs around anything, simply jerked her over the bars. Her body propelled forward and she screamed as it collided with his. If he had been thinking about talking, her body landing on his in such a way had successfully knocked the air out of him. "Are you okay?" She asked quietly, her limbs feeling as if they were made of lead.

"Just fine." He reached out a hand and pushed her hair off her face. "What about you?"

Sam's immediate reaction was to burst into tears. She folded her upper body over his and kissed him. Her fingers moved to the back of his head and she pressed them harshly into his scalp. He moaned, rolling them over so that she was beneath him, and his mouth softened. "David." She whispered. "I'm so sorry." Each word was accompanied by a catch in her throat.

"Shh." He managed to say, gently using his fingers to wipe away the tears from her face. "It's alright. It's ok."

"You're shaking." She noticed.

"So are you."

"I wasn't going to..." Sam suddenly needed for him to believe her.

"I know. I know."

"David?"

"Yeah Samantha?"

"I love you."

Harper blinked, stunned by her confession. Not trusting himself to speak, he smiled shakily and leaned down to capture her lips with his own.

**Previews:**

The older of the two gentlemen asked, "What do you want? How did you get in here?" His face was just a bunch of lines and shadows, but his eyes were a magnificent blue-green. Striking came to mind, though his manners could use a tune-up.

"How did I get past the top-notch security system, you mean?" Robin teased, enjoying his surprise.


	309. I Wouldn't Miss It For The World

"You're going to wake the whole neighborhood." Alyson complained as she watched her boyfriend pound mercilessly at Lucky Spencer's door. She had been less than pleased when he came across something on his computer and was running out the door, leaving her sitting at the table with her fork halfway to her mouth.

"No one made you come." Will Chambers pointed out. He had had enough of her whining. She had insisted on coming so he had let her. Of course, he would never be so stupid as to phrase it that way in the building argument. "This can't wait." He emphasized.

"Yes," Alyson nodded. "You said that. It's dark out here. If he doesn't answer soon, we're not going to be able to get back to the street, let alone find the car." Her eyes darted from side to side, but he could tell by her tone that she was more frustrated than afraid. As a last-ditch effort, he reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"Will?" Lucky squinted into the darkness trying to make sure he was recognizing the figure standing on his front porch. "Is that you?"

"Mr. Spencer, hello." Will had never been in Lucky's presence without Cruz close at hand. He couldn't shake off his nervousness. Alyson shuffled past Lucky to inspect her clothing in the light, just in case some small creature had taken refuge on her vomit green skirt or ruffled white shirt.

"Hi. What are you doing here?" To say he was confused would be an understatement. With the trial over, Lucky has assumed Cruz had told Will the case was over. He had figured to never see the investigator again, or at least not for a few months.

"Mr. Spencer," Will began, taking a split second to glare at his girlfriend for her rudeness. "As you know, it's part of my investigation to take a look at the Grimes' bank accounts. For the last couple of weeks, we've seen large amounts of cash going out and, while I still don't know who the faceless benefactor is, when I was checking tonight, I noticed a sum of over fifty thousand dollars disappear from the account."

"Fifty thousand dollars?" Lucky took a step back in shock, sputtering. "Tony and Lisa don't have that kind of money."

"At first I thought, 'Well maybe they're taking a trip.' It would definitely explain the plane tickets they just purchased...under fake names. Mr. and Mrs. Arturo Griswald. I wasn't worried until I saw a third ticket." Will looked up to make sure Lucky was following him so far.

"Three plane tickets." Lucky said in an eerily calm whisper. "Assumed name?"

"Arturo Griswald, Jr. No age was listed, but it was a child's ticket. I know because there's a bit of difference in price." Will explained.

"Right." Lucky nodded. "Did you happen to find out where and when they are taking this little trip?"

"Not yet, but I figured we could narrow it down together. After all, there is only one private company in Port Charles and I don't see them being stupid enough to take Cameron on a commercial flight."

"Check it anyways. Tony didn't expect anyone to find out this much and I'm not putting anything past him at this point." Lucky took a few steps and grabbed his cell phone off the coffee table and pressed the speed dial button.

"Who are you calling?"

"Reinforcements." Lucky said evenly. Hearing the other end pick up, he smiled. "Ned. I need some help."

*****

The gravel parking lot only held four cars, Robin noticed, but then, it was getting late and there were no scheduled races at this particular location. From what Cruz had told her, it was used for the sole purpose of practicing. Patrick's stupid crew chief (she might have liked him under different circumstances) had left a message on his cell phone reminding him about tonight's necessary practice. She shouldn't have listened to it, she knew, but how else was she supposed to figure out what was going on? It wasn't like he had asked her to be involved in this part of his life. That might have been because of her reaction to his decision about racing again. He must have misunderstood. It was his life she worried about, not racing in particular.

As she advanced on the somewhat tiny arena, she began to make out the chain-linked fence that ran all the way around it and the backside of a single row of grandstands. Some security, she thought, as she pushed the handle up and let herself inside. She could pick up the putrid scents of burning rubber, car exhaust, and old, rotten food. The closer she got, the greener she expected her face became. She heard someone shout Patrick's name and saw a streak of white lightning run past her. She skidded backwards even though the car was several feet in front of her, swallowing a scream. There were six poles of lights on each side of the racetrack leaving it in mostly darkness. She stared down at her hands, but couldn't see them. Nor could she see where she was stepping. She took cautious steps as she advanced on the grumbling voice that was calling the car in.

A dark head appeared from the driver's side window and said a few things to the older man on the bottom row of bleachers. He craned his neck to squint at who Robin assumed was the crew chief, or someone of equal importance, and crawled out the window, too impatient to open the door. She watched the exchange from one of the many patches of darkness beside the grandstand, but couldn't tell what was being said. The driver stalked back to the car and kicked on of the tires in frustration.

"Excuse me." Robin called out to them in a strained, cheery voice.

The older of the two gentlemen asked, "What do you want? How did you get in here?" His face was just a bunch of lines and shadows, but his eyes were a magnificent blue-green. Striking came to mind, though his manners could use a tune-up.

"How did I get past the top-notch security system, you mean?" Robin teased, enjoying his surprise.

The driver stopped to watch them, decided not to interrupt, and slid into the driver's seat, obviously against permission for all of the colorful words his departure inspired in the old man's vocabulary. He turned back to Robin, nearly snarling, and then his face went completely impassive. "What did you need?" He sounded far less angry and a little annoyed at her for bothering him.

"Robin?" Patrick's voice came from just a foot behind her and she jumped on impulse. She turned toward him, ignoring the crew chief, and giving herself a headache as she tried to zoom in on his face.

"Hi. Hello." Robin waved awkwardly and then let her hand drop. "How are you doing?"

"How am I...? What are you doing here?" He stammered, keeping his distance for the moment.

"I hadn't been to a racetrack in so long. I just wanted to make sure it looked the same as I remember." Robin glanced over her shoulder at the crew chief. "It does. Good job."

"Thanks, but I didn't design it. My drivers just use it to practice." The crew chief clarified.

"Oh. Well, um. Okay." Robin told herself to stop talking before she made an even bigger fool of herself.

"Doug, this is my fiancé, Robin Scorpio." Patrick told his boss.

"Well why didn't you say so?" Doug left the confines of the bleachers and swung around them, almost missing the bottom step, and grabbed Robin's hand, shaking it forcefully. "It's nice to finally put a face with a name. Pattycake here won't shut up about you." Doug went on, but Robin's eyes never left Patrick's.

"Nice to meet you, Doug." Robin said politely and moved back toward Patrick. She didn't like him on sight, but she didn't know why. Other than the vulgarity of his language, he seemed perfectly nice and normal.

"Nice to meet you too, Robin. If you'd shown up a little earlier, you might have gotten to see Patrick race, but he tells me he's got to go home." Was he blaming her for that? Yes, he did need to come home. He had a family. Who did this guy think he was?

"That's too bad. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it." Robin lied, biting back everything else she wanted to say.

Patrick was watching her very closely, but she couldn't tell what he was thinking. "I have more important priorities."

"Planning a wedding. I get it." Though his words held no hint of a lie, Robin had very little faith that he had a wife. He was the most insufferable...pompous..."Garrison, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Doug shouted suddenly and excused himself to go and yell at the same driver again.

"Does he always yell like that?" Robin wanted to know.

"Not at me. Come on, I'll take you home." Patrick offered, wrapping his arms around her.

"I didn't drive here to be driven home." Robin argued, leaning into him.

"Then why did you?"

"I wanted to see what you did all day." Robin said quietly. "And now I'm kind of wishing I hadn't."

Patrick frowned down at her. "It's not always like this. We're just getting near the end and it's in Doug's nature to throw a hissy fit at least once a season."

"Enough about him." Robin twirled in his arms and brought her hands to settle on either side of his face. "Hi."

"Hi." Patrick echoed, bending down to kiss her lightly on the lips. "How would you like the tour?"

"You mean there's more?" Robin asked in mock surprise.

"Careful, honey. Your cynicism is showing." Patrick warned her.

"Show me then." Robin suggested.

It took over an hour to show Robin everything he wanted to show her. He led her to a lone garage shoved off to the side of the track toward a sun-fire yellow beauty. She smiled at the awe that lit up his features. "It's so beautiful."

"I love this car." Patrick admitted. "I fell in love with it before I was even interested in girls."

"What is it?" Robin insisted eagerly. "I mean, it's obviously a classic, right?"

Patrick smiled widely at her confusion. He was going to like educating her on new things, just as he always had. "This is a 1969 AMX Road Racer. It was raced in the VSCDA for ten years before the owner of this particular racetrack made a deal and brought it here."

"VSCDA?"

"Vintage Sports Car Drivers Association."

"Does it still work?" Robin asked as she circled it.

"Of course it still works. Or at least it could. I think the owner just wanted it as a trophy."

"How much would something like this cost today?"

"Around twenty-nine thousand I think."

"Dollars?" Robin sputtered. "Good God."

"It's a legend." Patrick argued.

"I'm sure it is." Robin answered timidly. "What kind of work would you have to do on it?"

"Why are you so curious?" Patrick asked instead.

"Because you want it." Robin said simply. "And I make it my business to get you what you want."

"Is that so?" Patrick wagged his eyebrows at her.

"Yes." Robin nodded as she ran her hand across the hood of the car.

Patrick rested one hand over hers and used the other to draw her closer. His mouth beside her ear, he whispered, "Tell me Robin. Have you ever done it in the back of a stock car?"

"That's right. Smelly, terrible things, race cars. And so noisy." Robin taunted, letting her arms fall to her sides when his hands picked at the ends of her shirt.

"Well they come in handy when you find yourself in a compromising position and the person with you is slightly less noisy than the car." He kissed her passionately, his hands settling under her arms to lift her a few inches.

"Patrick."

"No one's going to see." Patrick countered, dipping his head for another kiss.

"Don't you trust me Robin?" He folded his hands together and moved them under her so he could hold her more intimately against him.

"Yes I trust you, but I don't feel comfortable here." Robin explained. She watched him draw his head back and look at her face.

"That's fair." Patrick said after a moment. "Come on. I'll follow you home."

**Previews:**

"Is he cute?"

"Not your type. He's very by the book."

"Maybe I need a change." Sam threw back haughtily.


	310. Perfect Time For A Breakdown

Sam didn't know where the words had come from. All she knew was that she wanted them back, especially when he didn't say them back. And not just in an immediate kind of way. She was on the couch now and he was in the kitchen getting them something to drink. He had said he made a killer pink lemonade. She hadn't said it, but she had a feeling he had stashed some Kool-Aid in the cabinets.

"You can't hide in there forever." She muttered under her breath just before he returned to the living room and handed her a glass. Clamping both hands around it to keep them from shaking, she brought the glass to her lips and drank vigorously, her eyes trained on the rim.

"So I have more info on the new case. Let's go over it." He tried to not sound as nervous as he felt. The words she had said on the balcony still echoed in his head. They were the last three words he ever expected to hear her, of all people, say to him. The best thing to do right now was to keep moving until it somehow felt real and normal. Then maybe he could begin to deal with his own feelings.

Sam resisted the urge to punch him in the nose. "What have you got for me?" She tried to sound bored.

"Not much. Seems cops get made pretty easy. Leader's a snot named Vermin. Nasty piece of work to match his name."

"Vermin have a first name? Or is it like Cher?"

"Right now it's just Vermin. Cassidy is working on finding out more."

"Cassidy?" The name sounded somewhat familiar, but if he wanted to play this game with her, she might as well make him work for it.

"The original primary. He fucked up somehow and got demoted to babysitter. He'll still be around, so look for him. A good guy. He'll protect you."

"He might be the new PCPD babysitter, but he's not going to be mine." Sam assured him.

"So you'd prefer I follow you around all day? I'm flattered Samantha."

"Is he cute?"

"Not your type. He's very by the book."

"Maybe I need a change." Sam threw back haughtily.

"If you want to look like you're dating a high school senior, be my guest. Just don't expect me not to make comments when he picks you up at the door in his momma's car."

"I could teach him so much." Sam grinned.

Harper matched her grin with one of his own. "I don't know how much teaching you would get done. I mean a roommate on the couch tends to put a damper on that sort of thing doesn't it?"

"I doubt it stopped you." Sam took another sip of her drink.

"I guess you'll find out soon enough." Harper sat down across from her in the chair. "I'll be packed and out of Kimes's place by end of shift tomorrow."

"That's too bad. Where will you be living?"

"Right here." She had scared him to death today and he wasn't about to let her out of his sight again. Cassidy could handle watching her in the field, at least he better if he wanted to continue on with the squad, but he was not going to let her stay here, by herself, not with who they were targeting.

"Excuse me?" Sam asked in a pitch only dogs could hear.

"That's right Gorgeous. We're going to be roomies again."

"No."

"Yes."

"No. Find someplace else to live. Someplace with a bed for you to sleep in."

"I like this couch. It's good for my back."

"I won't let you." Sam decided.

"Too bad it's my name on the lease." Harper pointed out.

"Then I'll just leave."

"No. You'll stay here."

"I don't know who has been lying to you, but you aren't in charge of my life."

"I don't pretend I am. But where would you go Samantha? And before you answer that, just know I plan on protecting you just like always, so where you go, I'll go."

"Then I just won't tell you. You have to sleep sometime."

"You volunteering to tire me out?"

"Fuck you."

Ignoring her last statement, Harper continued with his point. "Besides, I'm an investigator. Even if you did manage to give me the slip, I would still find you."

"Only if I stayed in Port Charles. Maybe I'm tired of this town. I could just decide to leave and you'd never find me."

Harper leaned closer to her, ignoring the anger that was flaring in her eyes. "Trust me on this much. Wherever you go, whatever name you try to hide under, I will find you. I will always find you Samantha."

"Why?"

Silently he cursed himself. Well he walked right into that one didn't he, he mused. "You know why."

"I don't know anything." Sam countered with a wave of her hand. "I know the sex is great, but that hardly seems like a good enough reason to put yourself through this."

"I'm not here just because of the sex." Harper argued.

"You wouldn't know from where I'm sitting." Sam folded her arms.

"What do you want me to say? That I'm here for you? That I can't get enough of you, all of you? Is that what you want to hear?"

"It'd be a nice change."

"Samantha..." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You are the most infuriating, fascinating, exasperating, amusing woman I have ever met."

"So I have nice personality. Thank you."

"That's not...that's not what I meant." He let out a frustrated grunt. "I'm not good with relationships."

"Is that what this is supposed to be?"

"You're the only person I see. The only one I want to see. What does that make it to you?"

"A passing amusement."

"I don't think so."

"Explain it to me then."

He took a step toward her, reaching out and holding her arms with his hands. "I think whatever this is it's not what I expected at least. A passing amusement is something you forget after it's over. You're not someone I'm going to forget."

"Thank you." Sam took her glass to the sink to wash it out and stood with her hands out in front of her.

He followed her into the kitchen, carefully putting his hands on her shoulders. He buried his face in her hair and nuzzled the chestnut strands with his nose. "You doing ok today?"

"Perfectly fine." Her shoulders shook as the truth made itself known. She bent her head over the sink and closed her eyes.

"Come here." He murmured softly as he turned her to face him and pulled her into his arms.

"Why did he have to die?"

"I don't know. I wish I did, but I don't."

"It isn't fair. It should have been me."

"No. No it shouldn't have." He protested. "Don't say that."

"I made the decision to date that monster. I brought him into our lives. Yes. It should have been me."

"You didn't make the decision to hurt Vincent. He did. And you made the decision he would never hurt anyone else."

"The pain won't dull. It's been three years, David. What will it be like after five? Ten? Still as sharp? Still as unbearable?"

"I can't answer that for you. But you're strong Samantha. And you're not alone."

"Can I tell you something? You have to promise not to freak out."

"Try me."

"When you found me out on the ledge..."

"Yes?"

"I wasn't trying to kill myself."

"I know you weren't."

"There's only one thing keeping me alive and that's the knowledge that if I commit suicide..." She had to take a deep breath before she could go on. "I won't ever see Vincent again."

Harper had never held much stock in religious beliefs. God hadn't helped him when his mother and sister danced through abusive ass after abusive ass, all the while drinking themselves into a stupor. But if belief was what got Samantha through this, he wasn't going to argue with her. "What do you need me to do?"

"You don't have to do anything where I'm concerned." Sam could tell her answer surprised him once she met his eyes. "If you need a place to stay, you can stay here. I don't care."

He knew he was probably pressing his luck, but still he leaned his head down to press a kiss to her forehead. "What do you say to pizza and cards?"

"I say pepperoni only and I'm dealing."

**Previews**:

"Cameron, leave the nice man alone." Lisa urged.

"He doesn't bother me." The man promised. "It's good to have someone to talk to."

"Why don't you talk to yourself?" Tony suggested.

"Well that'd be silly, wouldn't it?"

"It would." Cameron agreed.


	311. You Get What You Give

"Are you excited Cameron?" Tony asked, giving all of his attention to his grandson as they boarded the plane. They were seated together with one remaining seat on Tony's right side, nearest the window. The airport was barely larger than their backyard, but by the time anyone realized they had used it, they'd be long gone. While his wife buckled Cameron into the seat between them, Tony noticed how badly her hands shook. She had been like this ever since he told her the plan, or at least the condensed version. She had had so many questions, but he had buffered them all. He had told her she knew all she needed to. If something went wrong, at least she would be blameless. He placed his hands over hers, his fingers wrapping around both of her wrists, and he pinned them to her lap, his thumbs lightly rubbing the inside of her palms.

"Are we meeting Daddy and Lizzie there?" Cameron asked seriously.

It was Lisa who answered and, to her husband's surprise, her voice never wavered. "We talked about this, remember?"

Cameron shook his head. "But I want to see them."

"And you will." Tony chimed in, his expression serious. "If they want you to come home with them."

"That's right baby." Lisa added, meeting his eyes. "Your daddy and Lizzie have the twins to take care of now."

Cameron crossed his arms. "They said they love me too."

"Of course they love you." Tony agreed, though it was hard not to grit his teeth. "But they know that you've got your grandma and I and the twins need them more. You understand?"

"I guess." Cameron sighed.

"You see, it's like this Cameron," Tony explained solemnly. "When you were a baby, you had both your mommy and daddy. Don't you think the twins should get to have their parents too?"

"But I'm supposed to take care of them too. I'm supposed to protect them." Cameron argued, rubbing his eyes.

"They don't need you to look after them." Lisa assured him, swallowing down her guilt.

"Yes they do. Who's going to teach Jake about hockey?"

"Your daddy. Just like he taught you." Tony replied.

"I'm supposed to help. Daddy said I was going to help."

"I think that's what your daddy wanted in the beginning." Lisa countered. "And then Lizzie came into the picture and now he's got to take care of their babies. She's not your mommy and would always treat you second."

"But she does all the things mommies do. Morgan told me that."

"Morgan? Didn't he lose his mommy too?" Lisa recalled.

"And now he has Robin and she's his mommy now."

"That's the difference between Robin and Lizzie. Robin wanted Morgan and Lizzie wanted your daddy so she had to take you too."

"Don't worry Cameron," Tony hugged his grandson to him. "If they want to take you with them, they'll meet us when we land."

Lisa turned just in time to see a very tall man shoving down the aisle with a hiking backpack strapped to him. She wasn't sure whether or not he meant to hit as many people with his carry-on (how on Earth had that been considered a carry-on?) because he was smiling brightly, his brilliant white teeth glowing behind his dark skin. With each step he took, the cabin lights bounced off of his smooth, bald head and people jumped out of his way. He had in a pair of headphones she assumed were connected to some sort of music player hidden in one of the many compartments of his backpack. He stopped directly in front of their aisle and did a slight bow as if he were a humble servant to the king and queen. Or he might have been trying to make out their faces through the thick lenses of his sunglasses. "Pardon me, but I think this is my stop."

Tony had his nose buried in one of the offered flight magazines so he didn't pay the peculiar passenger any attention. It wasn't until the man leaned across Lisa and Cameron his face mere inches from the old man's, that Tony looked up in surprise and swallowed a yelp. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Which subscription is that? I think I might have it." In a quieter voice, the man went on to say, "That's not exactly the sort of thing you should be reading in the presence of such a cute little tyke."

Tony's eyes widened, his cheeks turning a dangerous shade of red. "You...you hooligan! You've got some nerve! Scurry on back to the hole you crawled out of."

"Wish I could Gramps, but that there is my seat." The man nodded to the vacant seat nearest the window. "So, if you'd be so kind...?"

"Nonsense. That can't possibly be your seat. You're mistaken." Tony charged.

"Nope. That's my seat. It's my first plane ride and I requested the window seat."

"You've never been on a plane before?" Cameron asked, his eyes wide with wonder.

The man responded with a slow smile. "That's right. My first ride ever. Have you ever flown before?"

"Sure. Lots of times." Cameron bragged. "It's fun."

"I wish I could share some of that enthusiasm." The man said as he shoved his impossibly large backpack into the overhead compartment against the flight attendants' suggestion. "I'm a little scared."

"Just pretend it's a roller coaster. That's what my daddy told me." Cameron said matter-of-factly, nodding his head.

"That's some good advice." The man slumped down into his seat. He gave Tony a quick once-over. "Is this your dad?"

"That's my grandpa silly." Cameron laughed.

"When I was a kid, we all lived together, every generation. I called them all mommy and daddy because I just didn't know for sure."

"Cameron, leave the nice man alone." Lisa urged.

"He doesn't bother me." The man promised. "It's good to have someone to talk to."

"Why don't you talk to yourself?" Tony suggested.

"Well that'd be silly, wouldn't it?"

"It would." Cameron agreed.

"Cameron, what did I say?" Lisa scolded. "Here, you wanna look at this book with me? It's got a lot of nice pictures." She tried to steer her grandson's attention away from the flamboyant stranger to their right.

"I didn't mean to get anybody in trouble. I just figure if I keep my mouth going, I won't have time to be scared."

Tony bit back a groan. "There's nothing to be scared of. Flying is safer than driving."

"That's what Uncle Gary thought." The man caught a tear that had slipped beneath his shades with his thumb and brushed it away.

"What happened to Uncle Gary?" Cameron wanted to know.

"He learned the real meaning of gravity."

"Don't listen to him." Tony insisted. "He's just trying to scare you."

"But I'm not scared. He's scared. Shouldn't we try to make him feel better?"

"Thanks little man." He gave Cameron a high-five.

Lisa tugged on Tony's shirtsleeve. "Perhaps we should find other seats."

The man laughed a deep, soulful laugh. "I don't mean any harm."

"I like him Grandma. He's funny."

"I'm a comedian." The man said, taking off sunglasses and setting them on his head.

"What's that?"

"I make a living making people laugh."

"Do you tell jokes?"

"Sometimes. Usually, I'm just funny-looking."

"Tell me one." Cameron begged.

"It just so happens I have one right here in my pocket." The man felt around in his pants pocket for a scribbled sheet and unfolded it. "I always write down my jokes so that I don't forget them." He paused and met Cameron's eyes. "I don't suppose you saw what I did with my glasses."

"They're on your head."

"On my head? Well why would they be there?"

Cameron shrugged. "You put them up there."

"I did?" The man rubbed his bald head until his fingers found the sunglasses. "So they are." The sound of the engine caught his ears and he went completely still.

"What's wrong?" Cameron asked.

"I forgot for a second that I was on a plane. I'll be alright as long as we don't go anywhere."

"But that's what planes do. They go places."

"Maybe I'll be asleep when this one does. Or wait. No, I can't sleep. What if we crash?"

"We're not going to crash." Tony grumbled.

"That's what they always say right before the plane crashes."

"'They?'"

"The victims of plane crashes."

"This is absurd. Our plane is not going to crash. You've seen too many movies."

"You haven't seen enough! Let me out of here!" The man flopped in his seat, fighting against his seatbelt.

"Sir, please." Lisa insisted.

"No way. I'm out of here! Nurse! Stewardess! Get me out of here! Stop the plane! It's going to crash!" His arms and legs were flailing so hard, he couldn't get the seatbelt undone.

"Sir, please calm down." The flight attendant rushed over as she noticed the other passengers start to notice the commotion the man was causing.

"I won't calm down! How can you be so calm? Have you been to the other side? I'm not ready! I don't want to die!"

"Sir no one is going to die."

"Is that right? Well have you checked all the parts on the plane? No, that's not your job. You're gambling your life on a guy you've probably never met. Well not me." The man pointed to his chest.

"If you have a problem, why don't you just go?" Tony snapped. "The rest of us have places to be."

"Maybe you're ready to go, but I wouldn't be able to look at myself if I left this little guy here. Cameron, we need to get off the plane."

"You're silly." Cameron shook his head. "Sit down and we can go."

"No, Cam, my man, you don't understand. I'll tell you what's going to happen. First, we're going to twenty-thousand feet above the water and then something's going to give out. I'm not a pilot or an engineer so I can't tell you what it's going to be, but it's going to stop and then the other one is going to stop working too. Before we know it, we'll be heading for the water—"

"That is quite enough!" Lisa shouted, covering Cameron's ears. "Who do you think you are, scaring my grandson this way? I have to agree with my husband. If you're so worried, leave."

The plane jerked forward and the man unbuckled Cameron's belt. "Who are you going to see? You never told me."

"My daddy and Elizabeth."

"But I just saw them." The man promised.

"You did? Where?" Cameron asked excitedly. Tony lunged at the man. Forgetting about his seatbelt, he was thrown back into his seat.

"Right outside. Come with me." He held out his hand to the little boy. Cameron reached up for the man's hand.

"Now, Cameron, remember what we told you about strangers?" Lisa reminded him, tackling her seatbelt.

"That's right. Remember when that stranger tried to get you and took your aunt Lulu?" Tony pointed out.

"I'm not a stranger." The man persisted. "And I'm going to take you to your daddy." He scooped Cameron into his arms and ran for the front of the plane.

"Stop him!" Tony screamed as he and Lisa struggled against their seatbelts. "He's stealing my grandson."

The passengers and flight attendants crashed into each other in their haste to stop the stranger. Cameron's dark curly head disappeared off the plane, his screaming heard for miles around. Lisa and Tony shoved their way to the front and almost tumbled down the steps when they saw who was waiting for them.

"Hi Tony. Lisa." Lucky waved cheerfully as he reached out his arms to take Cameron from Taggert. "Fancy meeting you here."

**Previews**:

"You should be. You know you get absolutely no say in anything that goes on in my relationship ever again right?"

"I don't think so."

"Oh I beg to differ. Secretly eloping in Paris with my best friend's baby cousin? Nothing I could do would touch it."

"Must you say it that way? You make me sound like a..."


	312. Falls Right Into Place

The night had definitely gotten away from them, Maxie thought to herself as she watched Ric sleeping from the windowsill. He had been that way for a while now and she couldn't bring herself to disturb him. She had woken up early, as per usual, only to realize she had swapped shifts with the new girl and had the day free. He was so peaceful, so utterly content taking up the entire bed, and she decided she'd give him another few minutes and then she was waking him up using whatever means necessary.

The sheets were crumpled and the comforter had been kicked away early on in the evening. Currently, he had both pillows under his head and she wondered if he noticed she wasn't beside him. She hadn't known until last night that he talked in his sleep. Nothing all that revealing, she smiled, but definitely interesting. He had gotten so loud she had had to hold her hand over his mouth until she could wake him up completely and there had been only one way to get him back to sleep.

Maxie wrapped herself more securely in her favorite blanket as she let the memories of the previous night flood her mind. Everything had been in slow motion from the moment she had kissed him. Every sensation had been heightened and every moan muffled. She hadn't known he could be so gentle or patient, but he had been. God, but last night had been wonderful.

She left the safety of the window and leaned down to pick up his discarded shirt, quietly giggling at his idea of casual. The shirt was long sleeved and decorated in smooth patches of blue and gray. While it seemed large compared to her, the material was tight on his muscled shoulders and stomach and fell gracefully against his lean hips. Most of the buttons were still fastened so she slipped it over her head and snuggled into it, reveling in the warmth. She found his belt and added it to the ensemble. Pleased, she leaned across the bed and kissed Ric on the forehead.

His eyes didn't open, but his arm did shoot out and wrap around her, pulling her off her feet and onto the bed. She braced her hands against his shoulders, struggling to find some balance, and he rolled her over, his mouth finding hers without incident. "You said you weren't going anywhere." He accused lightly.

"I haven't." Maxie promised, returning the kiss with fervor.

"I beg to differ." He ran his hands down to her waist. "You already got dressed."

"If you call this dressed..." Maxie teased, watching his eyes narrow in suspicion. She held her breath as his hands moved under her.

"I wasn't making a complaint per say." Ric amended taking in the sight of her dressed in his clothes, the simple act turning him on more than he could have ever imagined. "I might have to insist on you always wearing exactly this from now on."

"How did you sleep?" Maxie asked, swiping her tongue between his lips, his teeth, and sipping at the moisture of his mouth.

"Better than I have in months." He answered honestly, his fingers playing with the ends of her makeshift belt. "What about you?"

"Same. You didn't tell me you talked in your sleep."

"I do not."

"Oh yes you do." Maxie laughed.

He tickled her sides lightly, never letting up on kissing her. "Take it back."

"Nope." Maxie tried to get away from him, but his fingers were everywhere. "You actually started humming a tune."

"Liar. I may have to punish you for lying you know." He said slowly as a sleepy grin lit up his features.

"That's not much of a threat, Doctor." Maxie teased, pushing the sheet away from his body and glancing down. "You're so easy."

"Only around you Blondie." He promised her. "Only around you."

"Before I forget, your phone started ringing a little while ago." Maxie told him, sighing when his fingers stopped tugging at the belt.

"Really? How long ago?" He glanced over towards the mess on the floor, idly wondering where exactly his phone had ended up last night. At one point it had been on the nightstand, but now...well who knew?

"I don't know. I've only been up for an hour."

It obviously wasn't a patient or they would have beeped him. Ric really didn't want to think what would happen if by some stroke of hellish bad luck it had been Kate or Charlotte. It was probably in his best interest to just check it later. "If it was important, they'll call back." He decided

Maxie gave him a strange look. "Are you sure?"

He leaned closer to her face, kissing the tip of her nose. "Positive."

"Good." Maxie looped one arm around Ric's neck, pulling him closer. He wasted no time in relieving her of the belt and getting to work on the buttons. He started at the bottom, one hand effectively unfastening while the other caressed the skin he found beneath the shirt. When his thumb brushed across one of her nipples, she caught her breath on a whimper. His teeth gnawed at one ear and then the other, his thumb encircling her belly button while his fingers fell between her legs.

"Maxie? Are you alright?" Only the sound of her father's panicked voice could rouse Maxie from her current state of euphoria. He was standing just outside her door, his fists pounding impatiently.

Ric stiffened above her, the fear in his eyes mirroring her own. She put her finger to her mouth, motioning for him to stay quiet, and rolled him over. Scrambling to her feet, she managed to pull the comforter from the ground and throw it over the bed, over Ric who was at the foot of the mattress, right before the door swung open and she was greeted by her father. She pulled the blankets around her and plastered a smile on her face. "What's up?"

"Can I come in?"

"Umm." Maxie struggled for a reason to make him leave without making a complete idiot of herself. "I don't think that that's such a good idea."

"I know you're mad at me and you have every right to be." Mac said, letting himself into the room.

"Mad? I'm not mad." Maxie squeaked out.

"I've been acting like a child and I'm sorry. I understand you not wanting to see me right now. However, I had a long talk with your sister and she convinced me that I should stop hiding from whatever's bothering me and just confront it."

"Bothering you? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're getting older now and you're not my little girl anymore. I have to come to accept that. I guess it just hurts that you didn't tell me about your interview."

"I just didn't want to jinx it. That's all." Maxie promised, her eyes going wide when he rounded the bed.

"You don't have to hide things like this from me. You were upfront about your new guy and I respect that. Did you think I wouldn't understand about this?"

"About what?" Maxie was having a hard time concentrating and pretending that she was the reason for the big lump at the end of the bed.

"About your interview. I know how much you want this and I guess I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you." Mac leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"If I say that I forgive you, can we talk about this later?" Maxie practically begged, her words blending together.

"When, Maxie?" Mac challenged. "I didn't even see you last night. For all I knew, you never came home."

"I was...tired." Maxie floundered. "Very, very tired." She forced her eyes to stay on his even as she felt Ric's hand on the base of her foot.

"Who are you trying to fool? This is me." Mac pointed out.

"I guess I was—jealous, I was jealous. Of Georgie and Robin. Yes, that's what it was. God, it's so good to get...that...out." Maxie was sure if she bit down any harder her lip would spring blood.

"They have been taking a lot of my attention lately, haven't they? Well, that stops now. We should do something together." Mac declared.

"Um..."

"Maxie?"

"Hmm? Oh yes, we'll do something. Later, okay? I really am very tired. All those double shifts, you know?" It was a last-ditch effort, but she had to try. She was going to kill Ric for this. Kill. Maim. Dismember.

Mac was barely out the door when the blankets flew up and uncovered a smiling Ric. "You're dead." Maxie informed him. "How could you do that to me? I should have let him find you. Better yet, I should just call him back in here."

"Relax Maxie, you did great."

"No thanks to you. What did you think you were doing?"

"Having some fun."

"Well I hope it was worth it." Maxie shoved him away from her and pulled his shirt off, throwing it at him.

Ric smiled as he pushed the shirt easily aside and grabbed her hands before she had a chance to protest. Pulling her back down on the bed, he rolled them around so he was once again on top of her. "I have no complaints."

*****

This had to be his father's work. Oh sure Lucky knew the whole welcome home party concept was more than likely his mother's idea, just as he knew Robin and Bobbie needed about zero discussion to devote themselves to planning this. But the location, that had to be his father's "contribution" to the proceedings. Only his father would find it appropriate to have a goodbye party in the exact same park where Lisa had picked up Cameron.

The simple way to prove himself correct would be just to walk up and ask his father, but the truth was Lucky didn't care all that much. Cameron loved the park. And if he knew his father, this was Luke's one final last act of defiance toward Tony. After all, now that Elizabeth's parents had left town yet again, Luke didn't have anyone new to torment. It wouldn't surprise Lucky one bit if there was a package sent to Tony's new home on Cell Block C complete with pictures of this occasion.

Tony and Lisa had been so stunned to see him and realize that Taggert had been working with him to even register Mac's presence at first. He couldn't be positive but he was fairly sure the first time they even realized someone else was there was when Mac put the handcuffs on them and started reading them their rights. Tony had blustered there was no legal right for him to do this, but Ned had chosen that moment to step forward with the warrant, signed by Judge Hendricks herself, for custody interference. Sure Tony and Lisa probably wouldn't do much time, but it was enough for now.

Luckily, Cameron had been too busy reacquainting himself with everything to apparently be traumatized by the events. He didn't fully know every lie the Grimes had told Cameron while they had him, but he was more than committed to make sure he proved every single last one wrong. Starting with the one that he wasn't wanted now that the twins were here.

Currently Cameron was playing a far more energetic game of tag than anyone over the age of ten could play comfortably. Patrick and Cruz had been playing, but now took on the role of supervisors which basically consisted of standing around and drinking. They must have learned that from Luke, Lucky smirked to himself. Robin and Elizabeth were off discussing something, more than likely wedding related, which meant he wasn't getting near either one of them with a ten-foot pole.

When he saw Steven start to move toward the two women, Lucky couldn't help but laugh to himself. Clearly Steven was a much braver man than anyone gave him credit for. Not only was he still surviving after being on the receiving end of a Mac Scorpio showdown, a feat not many of the exes of the Jones-Scorpio girls could claim, but now he was looking to breach a wedding planning discussion. Maybe he should look into getting work as a stuntman instead of a director of photography. It was quite obvious Steven was developing a daredevil streak.

Robin watched Steven come up behind Elizabeth and put his hands over her eyes. "Guess who?" He taunted, smiling when he heard her mumble beneath her breath.

"Colin Ferrell?"

"Close." Steven dropped his hands and spun her around. "Elizabeth, is that you? I was sure you had moved out of town for all the time I've seen you." It was a dirty trick, he knew, to use the famous Hardy guilt trip, but he was curious to know what she thought of Georgie. She had been uncharacteristically quiet on the subject.

Elizabeth smiled sweetly. His pathetic attempt at a guilt trip wasn't going to work on her. He was her brother, not her grandmother. "I've been around. You've just been off meeting your in-laws."

"You know," Robin announced awkwardly, "I think I hear Patrick calling me, so I'll let you two catch up."

Watching her friend beat a hasty retreat, Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Steven. "Really Steven; did you think that guilt trip was going to work? You need to practice some more."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but since we are alone, I was thinking we could talk."

"What would we have to talk about?" Elizabeth matched his grin with one of her own. He wasn't the only one who could try to play the dumb card.

"Georgie?" He ventured.

"I'm impressed. You jumped right to the point."

He wasn't going to point out that if he hadn't been direct, she never would be. "What do you think of her?"

"Steven, I barely know her."

Steven rubbed the back of his neck. "And I guess that's my fault."

"Slightly." Elizabeth teased. "I'm still trying to adjust to the fact you're _married_."

"That makes two of us." Steven told her. "I'm sorry for not telling you."

"You should be. You know you get absolutely no say in anything that goes on in my relationship ever again right?"

"I don't think so."

"Oh I beg to differ. Secretly eloping in Paris with my best friend's baby cousin? Nothing I could do would touch it."

"Must you say it that way? You make me sound like a..."

Elizabeth sighed. "I was just kidding. I mean if you're happy, I'm happy for you. It's… Steven, this is the last thing I expected from you. I always knew I wouldn't be at Sarah's wedding, but yours?"

"I'm sorry about that, but we knew if we came back here and told everyone our plans, we would be met with too much resistance."

"I can't say I wouldn't have had a few jokes at your expense, but I would like to think you know I support you in everything Steven. If what you want is a life with Georgie, then I think it's great. I think it's fast but if it works for you, so be it."

"I didn't mean you specifically." Steven grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Good." Elizabeth smiled at her big brother. "And for the record I barely know her, but I do like Georgie. Anyone who bans our parents and Sarah from the hospital can't be all that bad."

"I figured you would get along. I just wanted to...your opinion matters to me I guess. I almost forgot." Steven made a dramatic motion with his arms. "We brought some things for the kids."

"I thought you didn't believe in the best uncle war." Elizabeth leaned back in surprise.

"This was back when I did. Georgie helped me pick them out. Do you want me to get them out of the car?"

"If you want to. Just let me warn Patrick first."

"Don't you dare!"

"Sorry but part of my duties as maid of honor is to make sure Robin's wedding happens. I don't want it to be cancelled because the groom self-destructed."

*****

"Have you picked out a tuxedo yet?" Robin asked the moment she and Patrick walked into the apartment. They had left Morgan with Lucas and Dillon who promised to bring him home in the morning. She had explained to them how much Morgan missed his younger cousin; they had apologized for that and said that it was the same way for Lance. They had been sheltering him, they admitted, but they were going to do their best to stop.

"Picked out a tuxedo? Are you thinking of something other than black and white?" Patrick headed straight for the coat closet. The nerve Elizabeth's brother had, giving all three children a gift at Cameron's welcome home party. He hadn't been given a chance!

"I don't know. What do you want?" Robin picked up a wedding magazine from the coffee table, one of the many Elizabeth had sent her home with a few days previous, and flipped through it slowly.

"Whatever you want." Patrick's voice was muffled.

"I'm serious. This is your wedding too. Isn't there something specifically you want?"

"Sure. Sure there is." Patrick answered noncommittally.

"Well? Like what?"

"I can't think of anything off the top of my head." Patrick said, throwing a few items out of the closet as he searched for something that would top Steven Webber's stupid gifts.

"Let's start with food. We have to think about appetizers and main courses."

"Whatever you and my aunts pick out is fine with me." Patrick assured her.

"Are you allergic to anything?" Robin dog-eared a page and then continued looking through it.

"Shellfish." Patrick supplied. "How about those little hotdogs in a bun?"

"Pigs in a blanket?"

"Yeah. I love those things." As he spoke, Robin made a note in the left margin of the page.

"Okay, so that can be one appetizer. What about wine? Do you have a preference?"

"I thought you wanted a small wedding." Patrick reached for something, but then threw it behind him.

"I do, but I think we should have sort of wine list."

"Let's just do an open bar. Then they can pick whatever they want." Patrick suggested.

"There. That. See? You're helping."

"Should I be wondering why a pregnant woman is concerned about alcohol?"

"It's a wedding." Robin said without much thought. "It's for the guests."

"How about we focus on what we want and they can bring their own?"

"I don't want them bringing liquor to my wedding!" Robin shrieked in dismay.

"The real reason comes out." Patrick teased. Sock 'Em Boppers! The twins were too young, but Cameron would love these!

"What about the main course?"

"Is there a contest? Do we get a prize if we figure this all out right now?" When Patrick didn't hear a response, he looked up. Had his head been turned a little to the left, the target, Robin's magazine, would have hit him square in the face. "What was that for?"

"You're not taking any of this seriously, are you?"

"Of course I am." Patrick crooned.

"No you're not. You don't care at all. You're going to show up in overalls and there won't be a dress in this world that fits me!" Robin snapped unhappily.

"Oh, honey." Patrick abandoned his current task and walked toward her.

"Don't come near me. Don't." Robin warned. Knowing the threat was groundless, Patrick closed the space between them and pulled her into his arms. "You don't know. You don't know how hard this is." She insisted, sobbing into his navy pullover.

"It's just a wedding. All we need to do is show up." Patrick reminded her.

"No. We have a lot more to do than that. We're planning a wedding that's going to take place in less than twelve weeks. Do you have any idea how difficult that is? Well, how could you? You're the guy. All you have to worry about is showing up, as you said."

"Maybe this is too stressful for you."

"Don't patronize me. I'm just a little emotional right now, that's all. I can handle this."

"I know you can. That's why I'm not worried: I know you're going to make this the best wedding ever."

"You think so?"

"I know so." Patrick touched his finger to her nose. "Come with me."

"Where?" Robin lifted her head.

"To the jewelry store. It's about time we picked out our wedding bands."

**Previews: **

Lulu crossed her arms in defiance. "I am not a child. I can look out for myself."

"With all due respect Miss Spencer if that was true I wouldn't be sitting here right now." Harper pointed out.


	313. Ticket To Lie

This was going to rank up there as one of the biggest wastes of time she had ever participated in. Lulu sat back in the booth that concealed her from the view of the rest of the pizza parlor on the edge of campus. Just as well because there was no way in hell she wanted to be seen with him. Glaring over at Detective Cassidy, she tried to intimidate him into leaving, but apparently he was just too stubborn to realize it was in his own best interest. He really didn't have to worry about her blowing his cover; he'd probably do it himself. The undercover cops had the reputation as standing out as clearly as Britney Spears trying to blend in from the years of mob rule and nothing Mac had done had fully repaired the image. It was entirely possible Vermin already knew exactly who Evan Cassidy was and who he worked for.

"I thought you said they would be here." She grumbled, twirling her straw around her drink. "I have better things to do." It was Friday night after all; there were parties to hit and scores to be made.

"I never said that." Evan countered, unfolding his newspaper and pretending to be engrossed in one of the articles. He was glad his presence was putting a damper in her mood, as well as her evening, because now maybe she could see how it felt. He hadn't asked to be assigned to watch her like a hawk; he was getting enough hell for it from his colleagues. If it were up to him, she could go and do whatever it was she wanted as long as he was kept out of it.

"Yes you did. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't. I still don't even know why I have to meet these people. Probably have stick up their asses just like you."

"It's important you meet them. I don't really care if you like it or not."

"Well goody." Lulu began fumbling through her purse. There was a slight chance she had left a bag in here from the other night. It was becoming more and more obvious he wasn't going to let her leave until these people he worked with showed up and even then he'd probably follow her to the party. He was working her last nerve and she needed to keep a calm head if she was going to get through this.

"It's not in there." Evan assured her, his eyes never leaving his paper.

"What? I'm not looking for anything."

"That's good because you're not going to find anything. I made sure of it." He grinned, knowing it would bother her.

"What are you talking about?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Nothing. Nothing."

"Did you go through my things?"

"When you went to pay for your pizza."

"You....you....you unbelievable asshole! You had no right to do that!"

"I had every right. I know you want us to pretend that you aren't a drug addict..."

"Who's pretending? I'm not."

"It's just as well. I didn't want you all drugged up when Harper and Sam get here."

As if on cue, Harper slid up to the table with Sam close to his side. It was obvious he was the oldest one in this dive but he had dressed as a poor graduate student to at least make an attempt at fitting in. Slipping in next to Cassidy, he nodded in the other's officer's direction. "Cassidy."

"Harper." Evan recognized the voice and folded his paper in half. "Did you have any trouble finding the place?" He could hear Lulu grinding her teeth. "Oh, I'm sorry. This is Lulu Spencer."

"Miss Spencer." Harper nodded in her direction, noting the seething expression the young woman was wearing. Apparently he had interrupted something. "This is Samantha McCall, my partner."

Sam's hair was styled in a simple braid, but some of the strands refused to stay in the ponytail holder. She figured she fit in better than either of the gentlemen in her company, but there was little she could do to help that. She took one glance at Miss Spencer and decided it wouldn't be smart to extend her hand. "It's nice to meet you. Please call me Sam."

"I understand you've helped out in other cases." Evan doubted he would get any details on such cases and he had a feeling he was better off not knowing, but he was still a little curious what would make Miss McCall want to participate in such a lethal business.

"Do you?" Sam challenged, not inclined to discuss it.

"Samantha's the best." Harper assured Cassidy.

"So you've said." Evan knew taking the word of her boyfriend, detective or not, would be stupid. It was best to make his own analysis. And soon. That way there wouldn't be too many casualties. He still didn't feel right including her, but then, if he had his way, Lulu wouldn't be a part of this either. "Should we get on with it then?"

Nodding, Harper focused his attention on all the members of the table, and tried to ignore the way the waiter was staring at Samantha. As if that teenager stood a chance with her. "Alright. Since Cassidy is already getting close to the main players I think you should stay exactly where you are. Just make sure you stick close to Miss Spencer here."

Lulu crossed her arms in defiance. "I am not a child. I can look out for myself."

"With all due respect Miss Spencer if that was true I wouldn't be sitting here right now." Harper pointed out.

"Agreed. You don't exactly have a leg to stand on." Sam went on.

"Who the hell are you and who elected you my mother?" Lulu spat back.

"This is getting us exactly nowhere. Lulu, hush." Evan ordered. "You know as well as we do that you're in way over your head here."

"Says you." Lulu muttered under her breath. If this Sam character wasn't sitting right next to her, she would have left already. Maybe she could tackle her to the ground or something...

"Thank you. Now Samantha I think you would be best at chatting up the girlfriends. Miss Spencer can point them out to you." Harper continued.

"I won't do anything of the sort." Lulu argued.

"Why are you making this so difficult?" Evan wanted to know. "The sooner we catch this guy, the sooner you're back to Gossip Girl."

"Don't pretend you don't watch." Lulu smiled slowly. "I do remember seeing you around on Monday nights."

"Why did I need to be here?" Sam asked Harper.

"One so you don't go after the wrong targets. Two, so they don't go after you. And three so you know who I have watching your back." Harper ticked off with ease.

"That makes me feel so much better." Sam mumbled under her breath. "So Lulu, if we're going to become best friends, I need to know a little about you."

"Too bad. I didn't volunteer for this mission and I'm not going to risk my own neck to help you fools out."

Sam leaned forward. "Either you tell me, or I find out for myself."

Lulu arched her eyebrow. "Ohhh big threat."

Sam didn't think; she simply reached across the table and slapped Lulu in the face. It was so instantaneous she almost didn't realize what she had done. "Can you, for just one second, act your age? I know you're used to getting your way, being the baby and all, but I'm not going to put up with your shit."

Harper leaned his head in the direction of the two women currently glaring at each other across the table. "All the glamour of undercover and a chick fight? How did you get so lucky Cassidy?"

"It's all part of my charm." Evan smirked.

"Stereotypical male chauvinist pigs." Lulu grumbled in their direction.

"Typical." Sam agreed, scooting out of the booth.

"If that's all, I have plans." Lulu announced following Sam quickly out of the booth.

"And that means so do you Cassidy." Harper reminded him as he stood up.

"Life is truly difficult sometimes." Evan waited for Lulu to head out before he followed her. Over his shoulder he called, "Nice to meet you Sam."

*****

It was finally happening. After all of her threats, Alyson packed her stuff while he was at work and moved out. She had left him a note explaining her reasons. They were bolded and set apart by attractive bullet points. He had been staring at the letter for over an hour now, trying to make sense of it. What was her problem? To everyone else he was a hero. He had found the link, had warned Lucky that his child was about to be taken out of the country, about to be kidnapped, but she hadn't understood that. All she saw was the time the case had taken away from them, from her.

He knew he should be upset, drinking even. It was how his father had reacted each time his mother walked out on them. She always came back and he knew Alyson would too. She was just feeling left out. Her pride was hurt. He would give her another hour and then he was calling her cell. Knowing her, she would ignore his first attempts and then answer as if on accident. She would come back. He took another stare at the bare apartment and felt as if the hole she had really left was the one in his chest.

A knock interrupted his thoughts. Maybe Alyson had changed her mind early, he thought making his way towards the door. "Alyson?"

Jax chuckled as the young man's face fell. "No. But I do hope I'm just as welcome."

"Mr. Jacks. What can I do for you?" It was impossible to not recognize the Australian tycoon and that would have been true if he steered clear of the newspapers and media.

"The question Mr. Chambers is what can I do for you?" Jax corrected, taking a step inside the small apartment.

Will had heard comments like this far too often to not be a little wary. "What do you mean?"

"I heard about the success of your latest investigation. Congratulations. It's not every day you get paid to be a hero."

"People keep saying that, but I don't feel like a hero." Heroes always had someone at home waiting for them. It was like a prerequisite.

"Would settle for being viewed as the best then?" Jax looked at Will carefully, watching to see which approach would work the best. He usually entered any negotiation with at least three ideas and usually decided on the spot which one to go with based on reading the room. It was just this type of decision making that made him unpredictable and feared once he had his sights set on something. Like now for example.

"I guess."

It was a slight opening but it was all Jax really needed. "Mr. Chambers I have a business agreement for you."

"Thanks, but I'm happy with what I'm doing." Will started to close the door, but Jax's hand flew up to hold it open.

"Custody cases? Mundane background checks? Mr. Chambers that is not worthy of a man of your talents."

"I don't remember ever meeting you, so I'm a little curious as to how you know anything about me."

Jax smiled slowly. "I want only the best to work with me. And I want you to join me."

"What for?"

"I routinely use various investigators when I'm about to acquire a new business. I want to make sure everything is on the up and up. No mob fronts or shady investors of course. It recently came to my attention it might be more cost-effective to have a fulltime investigator in house."

"What business would that be?"

"That's classified unless you decide to take me up on my offer."

"So that means it's already 'acquired' by someone else at the moment?"

"Again, details will be discussed once the contract is signed. Are you interested Mr. Chambers?"

"It sounds shady."

"I am an honest businessman just trying to make sure I am not going to be caught in a scandal down the line." Jax defended himself. "I want to make sure my money is well spent and well protected."

"What would you want me to do?"

Got him, Jax thought to himself. "Some background checks of course, but strictly through legitimate sources. Undercover work would not be discouraged. Of course travel would be expected and if a companion would help you blend in more, that would certainly be understandable." Jax took a step closer. "Of course there is also a generous salary to be negotiated."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to at least hear the offer."

**Previews:**

"That's it? Dude you are getting married in about two months!" Lucky leaned over and smacked him. "You need to make some decisions or you'll end up in some theme crap dressed as a knight or something."

"Robin wouldn't do that to me."

You don't know that for sure. She's planning her wedding. To you. That alone we all thought was impossible."


	314. Wild Horses

"Your brother is the coolest." Cameron declared as he once again became engrossed in the handheld hockey game Steven had given him earlier. Since they had returned home, the toy had only left his hands to brush his teeth and even that was under protest. For the past hour all Elizabeth heard was the electronic whirs and beeps that indicated some sort of action occurring on the screen. She was officially no longer sure if her brother loved her or was on a mission to drive her absolutely bonkers.

"Just make sure you say that in front of Patrick some day ok bud?" There was no way she had missed the burning jealousy that flashed across his face when Steven had ceremonially presented the presents. She had tried, she honestly had tried, to keep back her laughter at his sulking but this wasn't her fault. She had told him what was going to happen. It wasn't her fault he had chosen to think she had been pulling his leg in an attempt to get him to agree to a theme wedding.

Cameron just nodded distractedly, which was probably just as well. His actually repeating that statement would most likely lead to her worst nightmare, living in a toy store. Complete with every NASCAR related item she was sure Patrick could find. At one point Elizabeth could have sworn she heard him muttering something about Dale Earnhart blankets, but she was choosing to think that was the result of a hyperactive imagination instead of reality.

Collapsing onto the couch, Elizabeth smiled over at Cameron. He had been home less than a week and already it felt as if he never left. Well almost, she corrected herself. There was something different, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. And it was something to do with her. No, they weren't back to the glare of death phase again, but he definitely wasn't talking to her as much as he used to. Cameron was holding back on her and she would bet her last paycheck it had to do with something Tony and Lisa had told him.

He still hadn't told them everything. They had only found out about the line about them loving the twins more than him when Cameron was full of questions and concerns they had changed his room while he was gone and given it to Jake. She could feel the rage building and tried to squash the urge to go throttle those two yet again. How could they claim to love Cameron and try to turn him against his own family like that? Alright her family wasn't the picture of normalcy, but at least they didn't start the back-biting and betrayal until they were adults like normal people!

The small sigh and the sudden suspension of electronic noises were the only indications Elizabeth had that the game was over and, judging by the look on Cameron's face, he had certainly not been the victor. "What's with the sad face there mister?"

"I lost." Cameron put down the game and walked over to the couch. "I don't wanna play anymore."

"I give it another few days and you'll beat it every single time." Elizabeth promised with a wink. "And if it's just too impossibly hard, we'll give it back to Steven and tell him you need a better one."

Cameron pursed his lips as if he was considering the idea and shrugged his shoulders as he sat down on the floor. Ok now she knew something was wrong. Cameron loved to jump on the couch, especially if Lucky wasn't anywhere near to catch him at it. And right now Lucky was downstairs trying to argue with a manager of some new artist who didn't understand the concept of vacation. "Cams? Something wrong?"

"No." Cameron denied shaking his head. "I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

"Something Grandma said."

I knew it, Elizabeth thought triumphantly. "What did Grandma say Cam?"

"Nothing."

"Cam it's not nothing. You can tell me. I promise I won't get mad."

He squinted his eyes as if he wasn't quite sure if she was on the level with him. This suspicious streak had to be Luke's fault, Elizabeth decided. Every Spencer but Laura seemed to have it. "Cameron have I ever lied to you?"

"You didn't tell me there were going to be twins instead of one baby."

Damn. He had her there. "That was a surprise for everyone. That wasn't really a lie." Elizabeth answered thinking quickly.

"I don't know."

Moving towards where he sat on the floor, Elizabeth reached out and held his hand in her own. "Whatever is going on Cameron, it's bugging you. And you always feel better when you tell someone what's bothering you."

"Do you like me?" Cameron questioned out of the blue.

Reeling back as if she had been punched, Elizabeth struggled to keep her breath. Looking into his serious eyes, she could feel her heart break. How could he think she didn't like him? She ran her fingers through his hair and met his eyes straight on. "Of course I like you."

"What about Daddy?"

Blinking her eyes in confusion, Elizabeth shook her head and laughed a little. "Well yeah I like Daddy too but Cameron..."

Cameron shook his head, interrupting her. "No. Do you only like me because of Daddy?"

"Where on earth did you...?" Elizabeth caught herself before she could finish the question. She knew exactly where Cameron he had gotten that idea. Those rotten bastards. What? They couldn't get Cameron to budge from loving his father so they convinced him everyone else didn't want him around? She could feel the bile start to rise up in her throat but she held her tongue. There would time enough for ranting later when she was on the phone with Robin and when Lucky finished up his business call. Right now she had to concentrate on Cameron. "Sweetie. I liked you before I even knew who Daddy was."

"Really?"

"Really." Elizabeth lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "In fact, there were times you were the only thing I liked about your daddy."

Cameron giggled at her answer. "You're silly Lizzie."

"Well good, because so are you. I missed you so much while you were gone. And you don't miss people you don't like."

Cameron smiled and leaned over to hug her. "I missed you Lizzie." He said into her shoulder.

Feeling tears start to well up, she bit the corner of her mouth to keep them back as she hugged him hard to her. "You're home now. And nothing is going to change that."

*****

"Bobbie, really, we'll be fine." Cruz insisted, taking the tray from his wife and sending her up the stairs to play with the kids. Patrick had come over to pick up Morgan and Lucky just so happened to be over as well, so it seemed a good time to discuss the wedding.

"Are you sure?" There was some voice telling her trusting these three with anything to do with the wedding was foolish. It was going to be difficult enough to pull this off in such a short time frame without having to correct any unnecessary decisions.

"We're sure." The boys said in unison, all smiling widely.

This could be the biggest mistake she ever made, but she had to trust her husband somewhat. Bobbie nodded her head as she made her way upstairs, sending a quick prayer that Robin would understand and forgive her.

"She doesn't seem to trust us, does she?" Patrick noticed.

"I have no idea why." Lucky shrugged. Casting a devious glance over at his cousin, Lucky smirked. "So got your monkey suit picked out just yet?"

"Only because Robin made me. I don't know why she's making such a big deal about this. It's not like we can get it wrong."

Lucky lifted one eyebrow. "That is not the impression I got."

"What do you mean?" Cruz wondered, smirking.

"As my living room has become the unofficial wedding planning office, I have learned all sorts of things that are apparently wrong. For example, apparently it's in bad taste to serve beer in cans."

"Well how else would we serve them?" Patrick wanted to know, befuddled.

Lucky held up his hands in ignorance. "I just live with the maid of honor. I don't get to question these things."

"And I live with the wedding planner, but she won't let me cheat and look at her notes." Cruz sighed.

"About the only thing we can agree on is that Morgan is going to be the ring bearer. Oh and the rings." Patrick complained. If he had thought this much work went into a wedding, they would have eloped.

"That's it? Dude you are getting married in about two months!" Lucky leaned over and smacked him. "You need to make some decisions or you'll end up in some theme crap dressed as a knight or something."

"Robin wouldn't do that to me."

You don't know that for sure. She's planning her wedding. To you. That alone we all thought was impossible."

"Shut up." Patrick rolled his eyes. "What kinds of decisions should I be making?"

"I don't know. Ask Cruz. He's the one who's actually married."

"Eloping in Vegas should be your first clue that I have no idea how it works." Cruz pointed out.

"Maybe it will be easier if we figure out what decisions are better to leave to the girls." Lucky suggested.

"Well, I won't need to pick out the dress. And, from what Robin's told me, Bobbie found the location yesterday. Robin wants the wedding to be by the water."

"So that's all settled. What about food?"

"I suggested pigs in a blanket and she didn't say no, so I guess that's a silent consent to go ahead with it. Other than that, I don't know."

"Bar?"

"I'm thinking red wine and some basic beers."

"Good call." Lucky nodded. "It sounds like you have everything covered then."

"There is just one thing left." Patrick managed to position himself so that he could stare at each of them.

"No offense Patrick, but I am not helping you plan your honeymoon." Lucky joked.

"I don't think I'll need any help in that department." Patrick threw back with a chuckle. "No, I was thinking more in terms of best man."

"Best man?" Cruz asked.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it, and I guess you've got to stay with tradition."

"Makes sense." Lucky nodded.

"Would it be okay if you both did it? What I mean is, would you like to?" Patrick posed quietly.

Lucky and Cruz shared a look between them. It was Cruz who found his voice first. "Sure. Yeah."

"Of course." Lucky added.

"You don't have to sound so glum about it."

"Would you prefer a cheer?"

"I'd prefer a few smiles or thanks or something."

"You're welcome." Cruz grinned.

"And we're honored." Lucky added. "Better?"

"Much."

*****

Glancing down at the stack of papers he held in his hand, Harper wondered how exactly this moment was going to play out. Right now, he had the power to change her life forever. It was entirely possible through completely accidental means that he had just solved part of the second greatest mystery of Samantha's life. And it would be up to her if she wanted to solve the other part of it.

She would either love him for finding her answers or hate him for bringing with him a whole slew of new questions. It was a trap he knew well. He would start a case; accomplishing one thing would be fine with him. Rescue the missing child. Find the murderer. Arrest the bad guy. But it never was. He would get caught up in the minutiae. Help the family of the victim. Help the family of the perp when they were victims themselves. When he had started as a rookie cop, he would get swallowed by his cases and almost drown when something went wrong. To save himself, he had developed a hard as nails jackass persona. It was a matter of survival. And as much as Samantha tried to project that to the world, Harper knew that was all it was. A projection. A façade.

If this didn't go the way she had hoped, if the answers weren't as simple as she had determined in her head, finding this answer for her would shatter her heart. And he didn't think, no he knew, he couldn't bear to do that. But if he didn't tell her about this, she'd walk out of his life without a second glance. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn't, Harper mused as he made his way into the apartment he once again shared with her.

"Samantha? You around?"

"Upstairs. Just a second." Sam called from the bedroom. Ever since David moved back in, she had found herself doing things she wouldn't normally do such as taking her clean laundry out of the baskets and putting them in the dresser. Usually she just shoved them in the drawers. Now, for no particular reason, she couldn't stand to look at an empty closet and a cramped dresser.

"Can you just come here?" He asked. "I really need to talk to you."

Sam walked to the stairs and peered down, recognizing the near panic she heard in his voice. "What is it?"

"Just come here please? I promise it's important." He looked up into her eyes, pleading with her to just take a few steps. His heart was racing, he was nervous. Which was ridiculous. He had told mothers their only child had been gunned down in gang violence and this was making him nervous? He needed to have his head examined.

Sam hurried down the stairs and stopped just shy of touching him, her eyes never leaving his. Self-consciously, she brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "What did you find out?"

Offering his free hand, he held tightly to the papers with his other. You can do this David, he told himself. You knew this day was going to come sooner or later, so just sit her down and do this. "Sit down."

"It's bad isn't it?" Sam let him lead her to the couch, but she couldn't keep the childish fear out of her voice.

"That's up to you." Harper answered honestly. Sitting down across from her, he took a breath before starting. "A few days ago, the commissioner called me into his office to work on a special case. One not connected to the Department."

Sam gulped. "Okay."

"Remember when I called you about Alexis Davis? What your take on her was?"

"I remember you hanging up on me." Sam answered brusquely. "And yes. I thought she was flighty."

"I had a reason. It seems our former crusading DA has a past none of us would have ever guessed. And the commissioner wanted me to track down a piece of it."

"Where are you going with this? Why should I care about Alexis Davis?"

"It seems while she was in high school she had a baby. A little girl. A few years after she gave birth, she changed her name to get away from her father and crazy stepmother." Noticing Samantha go still, he held out the papers to her. "It seems Alexis Davis started life as Natasha Davidovich."

"No, that can't—no sense." The words were plunged from her throat as she started to wheeze. She felt his hand on her back and leaned forward to catch her breath.

He kept a steady pressure on her back, rubbing it with his hands. "I know. I've been staring at the papers for the past three hours and it's not any closer to making sense in my head either."

Sam was startled when she straightened and felt fresh tears on her cheeks. "I don't know why I'm crying."

"You may have just found what you are looking for." Harper shrugged. "It's normal. You're overwhelmed."

"I have to...I have to see why she gave me up." Sam got shakily to her feet, looking from left to right. She wasn't sure where to even start.

"Slow down." Harper stood up, putting his hands on her shoulders. "First you need to make sure our hunch is right. Then you can get your answers."

"I'll just ask her straight out and if she says no then we'll know we're wrong." Sam knew she was grasping at straws. Ever since the moment she found out she was pregnant with Vincent she had wondered what kind of person her mother was. To find out she was so successful and living her life by her own terms made Sam feel stronger in her own pursuits.

"There's one way. Another might be to suggest a DNA test." Harper suggested gently.

"You mean you aren't sure?" Sam slapped the papers out of his hands, wanting only to see them hit the floor more than to actually pick through them. "Why bring this to me if you aren't sure?"

"I brought this to you because the timing it fits and it seems very likely she could be your mother. This was a lead. Just like the name Natasha Davidovich was. You knew when we started we could find several leads before we found the right one."

"I know." Sam answered in an eerily calm voice.

"I know that look. Talk to me."

"I was just thinking. If Alexis is my mother, that means I have a little sister."

"True." If he thought about it, he could see a resemblance between Kristina and Samantha, but now was not the time to point that out to her. Now was time for rational thought.

"You think I'm crazy."

"Never."

"Sure you do and I don't blame you. I haven't exactly been living on what one might call steady ground this year."

"You've had some rough spots." Harper allowed. "But you are a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for."

"No. I just lean on you." Sam corrected him.

"I'm not complaining."

"Well you wouldn't." Sam rolled her eyes. "Have any plans tonight?"

"None. What are you thinking?"

"A date. A real one. Dinner. Movie. What do you think?" She watched him so she could gauge his immediate reaction.

He shot her a wink. "Get your things Gorgeous. We're going out."

**Previews:**

"Of course I did."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to see if you were going to tell me the truth."


	315. Black Balloon

"Are you sure you're okay?" Bobbie asked when she found Cruz in front of the bedroom mirror fixing his tie. She wouldn't be concerned if it were daytime. She wouldn't be concerned if he had just started messing with the tie instead of fussing with it for almost half an hour. She glanced down at Majandra who was making sucking noises in her sleep and shifted her to the other arm.

"I'm fine. It's just important this goes well." Cruz said, tugging uncomfortably at his tie and trying to wipe the uncertainty from his face.

"It's seven o'clock at night. Can't this wait until the morning?" Bobbie pressed.

"No. It can't wait." Cruz shook his head as a last-ditch effort to keep her from arguing the point further.

"Would you please tell me what this is about?" Bobbie insisted.

"I'll know more when I get home. We'll talk tomorrow." Cruz abandoned the mirror, spun around to kiss his wife and daughter, and then stumbled out the front door.

"Tomorrow?" Bobbie demanded to herself. She watched his car zoom out of the driveway and head east, toward the newspaper. None of his staff knew what was going on; she knew, she had called and asked when he first came up with the idea to bring them altogether. Something was wrong. She could feel it in the deepest recesses of her brain, but he didn't want to share it with her. In so many ways, even with all the vows they had made to each other, he was facing the world alone.

Half terrified she would tip the scales if she gave him the "we'll get through this, whatever it is" conversation, she had said nothing. Other than a few well-placed questions, she was just as clueless now as she had been when he took that call at dinner. So here she would stay until he came home and explained it to her. He would tell her tonight, not tomorrow. Exactly how long was this meeting supposed to take? What had him spooked? She would have tracked down the person who called him in the first place, but he had made other calls since then so it couldn't be traced.

Cruz wiped his hands down his green silk shirt. He had to stay calm. This could all blow over. All he had to do was keep his head. There was no reason to freak out his employees. He was hoping he hadn't already with this last-second staff meeting. He knew Bobbie was suspicious. Those sneaky Spencer traits Luke always swore he and his relatives shared couldn't be found in her. She wore her heart on her sleeve, all too often getting it trampled on. As much as he wanted to go home and tell her everything, he didn't have all of the facts yet so it would be little than speculation. And that wouldn't be fair to her.

Businesses collapsed all the time. Some people just couldn't hack it. The newspaper business was one of the most expensive and, at times, the most thankless job around. It required specific, around the clock care. The stories weren't always there. Witnesses weren't always willing to participate. Police often got in the way. Rival stations closed all the time in the bigger cities like New York, Chicago, even L.A.

So what was he so worried about? His old partner and the present owner of his biggest rival, The PC Chronicle, Jesse Beaudry, had called him in the middle of dinner tonight to tell him that his business had completely collapsed on itself and he figured Cruz would want to be the first to know. Bad joke aside, Cruz had been less than pleased. He respected Beaudry, had shared The Insider with him until he decided it was too low-scale and left to build his own empire, but it was more than that. The Chronicle had been more successful. Every story had been followed up. Every detail had fallen into place. They were friends with at least half a dozen PCPD officers so they were able to get the exclusive stories first and faster. Every source that had ever helped the newspaper was treated especially well after the story wrapped up. Wined and dined, Beaudry liked to brag.

Closing his doors on such short notice? It made more sense for Jesse to have called to offer Cruz a loan. He wasn't an extravagant spender. He had no family to provide for. His money went into the newspaper, just as Cruz's did, but he was able to more than turn a profit. He should have been able to retire in less than three years with the exposure The Chronicle had received. The call had come from above, Jesse had said. That must have meant one of the banks he dealt with. Cruz couldn't imagine the man in financial distress. He couldn't picture him having an enemy in the world. No compensation for the sweat and money he had put into the newspaper to make it a success. Just a little box with his stuff in it and no explanation.

_"I thought about suing," Beaudry had admitted, "but they seemed to be expecting it and said it would be in my best interest not to go ahead with the suit." He hadn't ever been threatened before and he obviously didn't like it. "I just thought I would call and give you a head's up. If a paper like mine can sink, just think what that means for yours."_

Gripping the steering wheel with enough force to make it squeak, he pulled his car into its assigned spot and walked into the building. Cool as a cucumber, he told himself. Cool as an ice cube. Cool as...Port Charles' winter. Cool. Calm. Focus. Direct. He wasn't going to lie to his employees if they asked him straight out if the newspaper was in trouble. However, if they didn't, he was going to let them live under the assumption that everything was fine. He opened the door to the only conference room they had and refused to cringe at how tightly packed in everyone was. Taking a deep breath, Cruz tried to prepare himself for what he was about to say. "I brought coffee."

*****

Steven nodded a hello to his grandmother when he saw she was on the phone. Probably exchanging recipes or setting up some sort of bake sale for the community. His grandmother was good at things like that. He knew she missed volunteering at the hospital but after her stroke he also knew that was the last place she wanted to be. Letting himself into the living room, he found Georgie on the couch with her eyes closed and a book folded open across her stomach. He smiled and leaned down to give her a kiss.

"Steven." Georgie smiled slowly. "How was your day?"

"Good. Good. Nothing to write home about. How was yours?" He picked up her feet, sat down, and then balanced them on his lap.

"Educational." She stated cryptically.

"Yeah? Like a documentary or something?" He couldn't quite picture her sitting down to watch the History Channel, but stranger things had happened.

"Something like that." Georgie kicked her feet off his lap and pulled them under her. "Steven, I'm just curious. Not that I don't love having you around all the time, but have you given any thought about what your next job is going to be?"

"Sick of me already?"

"Yes."

"Ouch. Don't get your panties in a twist. I have some prospects. One right here in Port Charles."

"Really? Who on Earth would be filming on Port Charles?"

"Guy Tucker. He's an old friend of your cousin, Lucas's."

"Guy Tucker?" Georgie vaguely remembered Lucas's first boyfriend. While she was still learning about the movie business, she had a feeling a short student film wasn't exactly in the same league as what her husband was aiming for. "I wasn't aware he was still in town."

"He's just passing through." Steven told her.

"Well that's great." Georgie leaned back on the couch and before jerking back upright, feigning surprise. "Oh! I forgot you have a message on the machine."

"I do?" Steven didn't know quite what to make of his wife's mood swings. One minute she was smiling, the next suspicious, and now a little too excited.

"Yeah. I saved it for you."

"Okay, thanks." Steven walked over to the answering machine and hit the play button. Immediately, he wished Georgie wasn't standing anywhere near him. She had already heard too much when the caller addressed himself. Baz Luhrmann. The same man who wrote Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge. He was interested in giving Steven a job. Steven's mouth went dry. He turned to face Georgie who looked neither happy nor excited any longer. "You listened to this first."

"Of course I did."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted to see if you were going to tell me the truth." Georgie crossed her arms. "According to that he's offered you this job at least twice and you've turned him down."

Steven ran his hand down his face, telling himself she had every right to be mad. In her words, he heard only resentment and disappointment. "And I've explained to him both times why I don't want it."

"Explain it to me. Explain to me why you'd turn down a huge opportunity like this to work with Guy Tucker."

"I have my reasons."

"Fear of success?"

"No, but keep guessing if you want to."

"I'd rather you just tell me." Georgie rose and stood in front on him, placing her hands on his chest. "This is huge. It's exactly the job you've always wanted."

"It's not exactly what I wanted."

"It's an A list director. And one who's known for visually stunning films. Even I know that much." Georgie pointed out. "You could work with whoever you wanted when you pull this off."

"Let's just drop it." Steven walked around her and threw his jacket on the hook.

"No. This is too important to just drop." Georgie followed him around the room.

"It's not your decision." Steven pointed out.

"It's our decision." She corrected him.

"Well as the other half of that we, I'm telling you to let it go."

"I just don't understand. Why would you turn this down? Just explain it to me that much."

Steven turned to face her. "I don't want to be on the other side of the world when you're here? Okay?"

Georgie bit her bottom lip and reached her hand up to trace his face with her fingertips. "Who said I wouldn't follow you?"

"We're talking about Australia."

"And?"

"What about school?"

"Steven." Georgie chuckled lightly. "We met while I was studying abroad. I can reapply for the Australian program."

"Really?"

"Yes really. This is too important for you to pass up. I'm not going to be the reason why you don't fulfill your dreams."

"Australia here we come!" Steven cheered, picking up the phone.

**Previews:**

"Don't start with you? You're the one following me! And I don't recall inviting you in!" Lulu protested.

"So call a cop." Evan called from the kitchen.


	316. I'll Be

"What about this one?" Elizabeth pulled a gold-tinged, vintage inspired dress. The empire waist would de-emphasize the baby, which Robin wanted. It was a beautiful dress, but Elizabeth was doubtful it would be the one.

Robin screwed up her face. "Did I fall asleep and wake up in the 1980's?"

"Back on the rack it goes." Elizabeth laughed.

"I don't mean to be so picky," Robin apologized, "I just don't want to be seen from space."

"Hey it's your wedding. I think this is the one time in a woman's life she is allowed to be picky."

"Thank you for coming out here with me today. If I had to look at one more china pattern, my eyes would have crossed permanently." Robin heaved a sigh.

"Like I would be anywhere else today? And can I just say that I have never understood the whole point of a china pattern? Do you ever really plan on using them?"

"I didn't." At her own response, Robin felt tears fill her eyes.

"Oh honey." Elizabeth moved to hug Robin. "The first rule of wedding planning is you don't think about previous mistakes."

"I know. Until now, I had pretty much blocked it out, but now...To be back in a store picking out a dress. It's all too familiar."

"Except this time it's going to work. And you have a way better groom. Not to mention a more fabulous maid of honor. So I think our motto should be more fabulous than fabulous."

"Well I've made the necessary edits to make it a success, yourself included." Robin smiled and took a deep breath. "Okay, we're not leaving this place until we find me a dress."

"That's right and if it takes all day? Oh well the boys will just have to fend for themselves." Elizabeth smiled back. "So first detail first, has the date been finalized?"

"Hold on. I've got it written down." Robin walked over to the mirror where she had left her purse and pulled out her "nuptials" notebook as Lucas had nicknamed it. "August 3rd. That puts me six weeks from my due date. I don't know what I'd do if I went into labor while walking down the aisle."

"The horror. Such a soap opera cliché." Elizabeth shuddered. "But still it should be warm enough that, if we find a fabulous strapless dress, you'll be perfect."

"Strapless? With these?" She pointed to her chest.

"Well it would stay up."

"What if we went just a little strap?"

"Whatever you want babe. Whatever you want."

They cut the area in half, flipping through dresses. Some customers thought it appropriate to mention her giant belly to her. As if she didn't notice. One unfortunate four foot nothing man made the mistake of trying to touch her stomach. Elizabeth might have heard him yelp; that may have been why she came running. She found Robin hiding under a rack of dresses.

"Robin? You ok?"

"Yeah." Robin nodded. "I just don't want to be touched. It's hot and I don't need strangers trying to touch me."

"Understood. The next one who tries better be altering your dress to perfection or they will incur the scissor kick of death." Elizabeth reached out her hand to help Robin up. "I think you might need to try stuff on."

"Agreed. It's all very pretty, but we'll never know how wide is wide until we determine a size."

As they made their way towards the dressing rooms in the back of the store, Elizabeth chewed her bottom lip. It would officially make her the world's worst maid of honor to ask this. She shouldn't do it. She should just call Luke and Laura and be done with it. Beg Robin's forgiveness and swear to be back in time for the wedding. No, she shouldn't ask a favor this big, this soon before the wedding. "So August 3rd? It's going to be here before you know it." She stated gamely, trying to keep her tone light.

"Yeah. Sometimes I think it's too soon, but other times I wish it was already over with so we could be done with the planning." Robin took some of the dresses from Elizabeth's pile and walked behind the curtain to try them on.

"But we've gotten a pretty big chunk of it done don't you think?" Elizabeth called out behind the curtain.

"I guess so. The flowers are yellow roses. Patrick's contribution. The menu is set. The location is set. If I can just get this dress—oops."

"Oops?"

"Nothing, nothing. We may just have to buy this dress and use it for some other purpose when I'm skinny again."

"Got it." Elizabeth nodded, forgetting Robin couldn't see her. "So if I had to leave town for a little bit, you wouldn't absolutely hate me and demote me to guestbook attendant or something?"

"What? What did you say? Where is my head supposed to go in this thing? Help! I've been swallowed by ruffles."

"Do you need assistance?"

"No. No, I got it. It almost swallowed me up. I'm on to the last one. If it doesn't fit, I might cry."

"Think positive. It will fit and it will be the one." Elizabeth offered helpfully. "And what I said before is if I left town for a few days, a week tops, you wouldn't totally hate me would you?"

"Why would I hate you? And where are you going?"

"Hate me for abandoning you in your time of need. And it's not one hundred percent decided yet, but right now we're leaning Disney World."

Robin was quiet for a minute. "It's not my time of need. You and Bobbie have helped me finish all the planning. There's just the fun of getting to the church on time left to do. And you guys deserve a vacation. If the wedding weren't so soon, I'd demand an extended one." She laughed.

"It's not exactly a true vacation."

"What does that mean?"

Elizabeth chewed on her bottom lip and let out a sigh. If she couldn't tell Robin, who could she tell? "It means it's about convincing Cameron that Tony and Lisa lied to him a lot. They apparently told him I only liked him because of Lucky and we loved the twins more than him."

"WHAT?" Robin yanked back the curtain, her mouth agape as she stared at her friend. "Those...those...there aren't words. There truly aren't."

"Right. So I kinda though if we took just Cameron somewhere, just the three of us, it might go a long way in proving that wrong."

"That's a good idea." Robin agreed. "Wait? Three?"

"As much as I hate the idea of leaving the twins behind, it might not help convince Cameron that we love him just as much as them, if we are constantly taking care of them."

"Well, yeah, but who...where?" She cleared her throat. "Who's keeping them while you're gone?"

"I haven't asked anyone yet. But I'll probably just ask Luke and Laura. I don't want to bother anyone."

"Bother? Elizabeth you just went through a custody trial and you're worried about being a bother to the people who love you? That's silly."

"Says the person who asked if I was busy at least twenty times before we came to this store." Elizabeth teased right back.

"I'm just planning a wedding. It'll be here and then be gone. What you and Lucky are trying to do for Cameron is wonderful."

"I hope so. If planning a wedding is so easy, then if I asked you and Patrick to watch the twins, you would say?"

"Watch them?" Robin echoed, her eyes widening.

"See, I knew it was a bad idea. I'll just ask Laura. Forget I said anything." Elizabeth waved her hands in dismissal.

"No. Now just wait a minute." Robin insisted, the little wheels turning inside her head. "Do you have dates and times yet?"

"It's before the wedding. There is no way we are missing that. Like the last full week before the wedding."

"But you'll be back for the wedding?"

"Of course. I have duties to fulfill."

"We'd love to watch the twins."

"Really? It wouldn't be too much with last-minute details and all?"

"I have Bobbie and Dillon for that."

"Then it's a deal. If you are sure. And if Patrick doesn't want to, I'll call Laura no problem. Hell it might even be fun to get Georgie and Steven to do it."

"I'll tell Patrick that if he has any objections." Robin giggled.

"Now there's a foolproof plan." Elizabeth laughed. "Now get out here and show me this dress."

Robin stepped out, the curtain no longer keeping her hidden, and lifted her arms so Elizabeth could really look at the dress. Its straps were thin and braided giving it an almost Roman look and a silver ribbon made up the bust. A similar strappy braid was stitched just above her ribs and the pearl-white skirt bloomed out without bringing notice to her growing figure. "What do you think?"

Elizabeth smiled and moved toward Robin, grabbing her friend's hands in hers. "This is it."

*****

He watched her cross the parking lot, stumbling all the way, but he suspected it wasn't due to her being under the influence of anything. It might have had something to do with the time of day, very early morning, the sunlight just now starting to peak out through the clouds. Evan took a sip of his coffee and winced at its chill. He had had only one chance to get this particular treat and it had been hours ago. Other than that, he hadn't let her out of sight.

What a night it had been! She hadn't slept so he hadn't slept. His nerves were shot; his eyes were blurry. He was groggy and grouchy and figured now was as good as ever to approach her if he wanted to get a word in. He was amazed she could get up the double flight of stairs, but she was very stubborn after all. He couldn't put anything past her. She stepped into the apartment and he slipped out of his car. He jogged the last few feet and climbed the stairs. A door swung open almost before he reached the top.

A woman with stark-white hair looked out at him and he smiled for her. She didn't smile back. She slammed the door shut after several seconds of staring at him suspiciously. He glanced down at his suit and took note of how shabby it was. He had even managed to get a coffee stain on his only remaining white shirt and his pants needed to be ironed badly. He could only guess at the state of his hair. She had good reason to not trust him right away. He wished every woman in town would be so wary; maybe then he would stop finding them shoved in garbage cans.

Ellie Ramsey had lived in this apartment since the day her grandchildren decided she was too much trouble to take care of and they were too cheap to stick her in a home. She made her own living and spent the majority of it on the Home Shopping Network. She spent almost every hour at home so she never missed anything. Though Miss Spencer was not what she would call a girl she respected, one had to earn that, she still worried for her safety. No one ever came to visit her. They must have grown tired of finding the apartment vacant. She was out partying almost every night. Ellie was almost certain the young woman didn't go to school and that made her incredibly sad. A woman shouldn't squander away education when women in general had worked so hard to make sure each and every one of them had the right to.

Ellie didn't like the idea of men stalking women; it bothered her immensely, not the following but the intent. She never trusted their intentions. The man she had just seen was at least twice the size of little Miss Spencer and, despite her sharp tongue, she would be no match for such a man. Dialing her number, she was thankful that her grandson-in-law, the only one who paid any attention to her, worked at the PCPD because she was able to get a hold of each and every one of her neighbor's numbers without too much trouble. She had never phoned the girl before and hoped she wouldn't have to again. Her disposition was poor to say the least. "Hello? Miss Spencer? I'm sorry to bother you..."

"Who is this?" Lulu rubbed her eyes in exhaustion and fought back a yawn.

"Ellie Ramsey. I'm your downstairs neighbor."

Vaguely Lulu could remember an older woman who always seemed to be watching everyone's coming and goings. In some way, she had always reminded Lulu of her Aunt Ruby. "Right. Right. Sorry."

"I wouldn't normally disturb you, but there was a strange man watching you from his car. He waited for you to go inside and then followed you up. Use the peephole and, if he's standing there, I'll call the police straight away."

Lulu made her way cautiously toward her door and glanced through the tiny window. Although the vision was blurry, she recognized the brown hair and the telltale slouch. She bit back a groan. "No need Ms. Ramsey. He is the police."

Swinging open the door, she tossed her phone on the ground and glared at him. "Do you get some sort of sick thrill out of following women around town? Is that the only way you can get a date or something?"

"Don't start with me. Don't you even start." Evan warned, pushing himself into the apartment.

"Don't start with you? You're the one following me! And I don't recall inviting you in!" Lulu protested.

"So call a cop." Evan called from the kitchen.

Lulu let out a growl of frustration when she saw him go about a routine of making coffee as if this was normal. "I thought I was clear. I don't need you hanging around."

"Relax. I just need a good cup of coffee."

"There's a coffee shop around the corner. Go there."

"You know the rule: You go, I go. You're here, so I'm here." Evan pressed the ON switch and went about straightening the kitchen. "This is a mess. How do you cook in here?"

"Who says I cook?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to offend your sensitive ego." He opened and closed a few cabinets until he located two frying pans. "Here when you moved in I assume?"

She watched him skeptically as he made himself at home in her small kitchen. He was annoying. He was a sleaze who she still couldn't remember everything about since their one night together. He was arrogant. And he needed to get the hell out of her life like yesterday. "You can take them with you as you leave."

"That's very nice of you, nicer than I'd expect, but I'm not leaving yet. Are you hungry?"

"No." She hadn't felt the need to eat in days actually, but no point in telling him that. He'd just take it the wrong way.

"Well I'm starving." He stuck his head inside her refrigerator and sniffed. "This is way past expired." He watched hope spring into her bleary eyes and said, "Not to worry. I brought my own." He returned to the small bag he had snuck in and left by the door a few minutes ago.

"Of course you did." Lulu threw her hands up and made her way back to the couch. Throwing herself down onto it, she crossed her arms over her stomach. "Are you planning on moving in or do I get a say in anything that goes on in my life anymore?"

"Do you want me to leave?"

"Yes."

"That's the funny thing about life: you don't always get what you want. Anyway, you'll be begging me to stay once you try these eggs." He promised smugly.

"I doubt I'll ever beg you to do anything but leave." Lulu yawned.

"Well you don't really know me, do you?"

"About as well as you know me." She pointed out, fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Maybe I can do something to change that." Evan proposed, scooping the scrambled eggs onto a plate and carrying it into the living room. At first he thought maybe she was ignoring him, but then he saw that her head was bent forward. He started to panic, almost dropped the plate, sure she was having some awful reaction to whatever she had taken, and he closed the space between them. He left the plate on the coffee table and reached for her face, holding it with both hands, and felt the air rush back into his lungs ever so gently. She was asleep. Her breathing was deep and slow as if she hadn't just been carrying on a conversation with him.

"Well, Sleepyhead, you're going to regret not trying these eggs, but I'll make more when you wake up." Evan scooped her into his arms and carried her to her room, forcing himself not to notice a single detail of it. He wasn't in here because it was where she wanted him to be. Dragging the covers back, he slid her beneath them and plopped a pillow under her head.

Carefully, he nudged her bangs off her pretty face and bit the inside of his jaw. "I regret how it happened, but not that it did." He whispered to her, and then returned to the living room, cleared the plate, and went to the kitchen to clean up the mess he had made. _It's not like she's going anywhere_, he reminded himself as he made his way to the door and walked out quietly.

**Previews:**

"That's a yacht."

"You know me. Never do anything small."


	317. Save Tonight

"Are you sure you want to be here for this?" Mac asked Alexis, careful to not give himself completely away. He was worried. What if the news wasn't good? Of course, what could be worse than losing a child? Something in Detective Harper's voice had set him on edge and he was going to get to the bottom of it right now. If he had discovered something, was it possible it was that the slain little girl Alexis had been so convinced was her daughter was in fact someone else and alive?

"This was your idea." Alexis reminded him. She couldn't pretend she was sore at him for pushing the issue; it was more that he had forced open old wounds. Still, she had been the one to bring it up in the first place. It was her guilty conscience, she supposed. "Did he say what he found?"

Hearing the faint hope in her voice, Mac instantly regretted telling her anything. Detective Harper could present them with the same information they already had. He could be setting her up to get her heart broken again. "No. He wasn't specific on the phone. He said he wanted to discuss it here." And that made Mac very nervous. What couldn't his detective say over the phone?

"I want to know once and for all." Alexis said. "I've lived with this guilt for thirty-one years."

Mac put his hands on her shoulders. "You have nothing to be guilty about."

"I let him take her." Alexis muttered. "I knew he was a monster, but I was stupid and in love with him anyway."

"You didn't let him take anything." Mac contradicted, shaking her. "He came into your house and stole her. Do you hear me? You had no decision in any of that." The knock at the door interrupted them. "Come in." He watched Alexis put some distance between them and worried he might never find a way to bridge the gap again.

Harper cautiously stuck his head in and nearly backed right back out the door when he noticed Alexis sitting next to Mac. He had hoped to be able to go over this information with the Commissioner alone and figure out a rational course of action. But apparently, just like Samantha, the former DA had other ideas. At least he had accomplished the small miracle of having her wait in the hallway while he talked to Mac. He couldn't imagine how much more awkward this would be if she had followed him in here, as she originally planned.

"Commissioner." He nodded and turned towards Alexis. "Ms. Davis. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"This is about my daughter, isn't it? I think I'm entitled to be here." Alexis's voice was dull, but there was a challenge lying between them.

"I never said you didn't have that right. I just wasn't expecting you." Harper explained.

"I'm sure Detective Harper meant no disrespect." Mac assured his fiancé. "What did you find out?"

Harper took a deep breath and made sure the door was fully closed behind him. He wouldn't put it past Samantha to barge in here if she felt he was taking entirely too long and announce what they had discovered herself. Someone in this room had to be logical and it looked like it was going to be him. "It's nothing concrete, but I think your case intersects with another one I am working on."

"Which case is that?" Mac wanted to know.

"What does my daughter have to do with one of your current cases, Detective?"

"Not exactly a case. More like a favor to a friend." Harper explained, fudging the truth just a tiny bit. "See she was also given up by her birth mother and I've been assisting her in trying to locate her."

"Are you saying...?" Alexis let the question hang in the air.

"I have no proof." Harper stressed, just as he had with Sam a week before. "But there exists a _possibility_ she could be your daughter."

"If you have no proof, then why are you wasting our time with this?" Alexis demanded, slamming her right hand against Mac's desk.

"Alexis, stop." Mac whispered. "What makes you think the two are linked?"

"My friend knew she was born in Victory, Vermont and we started looking through records from there. We found a promising lead on a Natasha Davidovich who appeared to have a child around the time she was born and in the same area." Harper paused and looked over at Alexis. "I'm assuming that name is familiar to you?"

"Yes." Alexis nodded slowly. "I changed my name when I left home...to escape my father and stepmother."

Nodding, Harper continued. "Then I assume it was your father and stepmother who had the birth record of your child erased from the county registry. We've tried to find them but no luck. At the time we thought our only option was to track down the disappeared Ms. Davidovich and hear her story. Then you asked me to look into this Sir, and well I couldn't ignore the possibility."

"What's her name?" Alexis inquired timidly.

"Samantha. Samantha McCall. You've met her I believe."

Alexis was thankful Mac had taken hold of her elbows because she was sure she would have fallen at Detective Harper's feet. She could feel Mac's breath on her neck; she let her shoulders relax. From the moment he had broached the idea of her daughter being alive, she had felt as if her heart was constricting more and more until she couldn't breathe. "I want to talk to her."

Harper nodded. "She's in the hallway waiting. She was a little anxious to talk to you as well."

Mac turned her in his arms. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Come this far, right?" Alexis tried to laugh, but it was hollow.

Harper made his way over to the door, sticking his head out, praying he was doing the right thing. If this was all just a cosmic coincidence, he thought as Samantha stood up and made her way towards him, this wasn't just going to kill her, but it would hurt Alexis Davis as well, a woman he actually admired and respected. When Samantha got close enough, he reached out and took her hand into his own, squeezing it for reassurance. Leading her into the room, he took a deep breath. "Alexis Davis, this is Samantha McCall."

It all made sense now, Alexis thought to herself. She finally understood why she had been so haunted after meeting Samantha McCall that day outside of Steven's hospital room. Her eyes hadn't immediately made the connection, but her heart had. What was she supposed to say? Beneath the frightened expression the young woman wore, Alexis also saw the wariness. God only knew what Aaron had told her when she was growing up. If this was in fact her daughter, what of the newspaper article? It was possible her father had staged it. Should she ask for details? Would that prove or disprove this woman's identity for her? Later, she told herself. "Hello."

"Hello." Sam's voice cracked slightly. She cleared her throat. "I don't want to cause any trouble. I just want to know if you're my mother and, if you are, why you gave me up." Direct was the only way to go, she decided.

"First of all," Alexis said in a trembling voice, "If you are my daughter, I never gave you up. You were kidnapped."

*****

Ever since he had accepted the job in Australia, Steven had been trying to figure out how he was going to tell his baby sister. He vividly remembered her response to Grams moving out. Of course, at the time, her hormones had been a little out of whack. Still, he knew his sister was all heart. It was one of the reasons he had always wondered if she was blood related to their parents and Sarah. Gathering up his courage, he knocked quietly on the door under the excuse that he didn't want to wake the twins or Cameron if they were taking a nap. In the back of his mind he knew if they didn't hear him, he would have a valid reason for not telling her yet.

It was a wonderful opportunity Georgie kept saying. A once in a lifetime chance. She seemed to think they were going to be gone for a few weeks and then come home and he knew differently. The man was an artist, but not a miracle worker. Movies took time to shoot and edit and actors had a tendency to suck at least the first hundred times they worked a scene. It was going to be all about appointments and deadlines. It would be just like last year when the only way he had been able to contact anyone was by phone. He didn't want to think about how big Cameron and the twins were going to get in his absence and if Grams would be alright living alone again. Who would protect Elizabeth from their parents if he was gone?

What would his role be once they left? Great Uncle Steven who watched his niece and nephew grow up in pictures on postcards and Christmas cards? Would they even remember him? He and Elizabeth were closer now than he could remember them ever being and he didn't want to lose that bond. Did he really trust Lucky Spencer, the playboy mogul, to take care of his sister? I have to, he thought angrily. There was no alternative. The guy was okay. He didn't deserve Elizabeth, but she seemed to like him. Okay, love him. And Steven had gotten to see firsthand how well Lucky took care of his family.

"Steven?" Elizabeth asked as she answered the door. "What are you doing here?" Cameron and Lucky were out at the park and the twins were playing in their playpen while she tried to get some housework done.

"Can't I visit my little sister once in a while?"

"You can. But generally you like to call first to make sure Lucky isn't home."

"Is he?"

"No. He and Cameron are at the park right now. Come on in."

Steven noticed the twins in the playpen and walked over to make funny faces at them. "How's it going?" He asked Elizabeth.

"It's good. I'm just glad Cam is home and we can focus on being a family again you know?"

"I'm glad too. I know you much you care about that little boy." Steven replied.

"Yeah. And speaking of Cameron, it's a good thing you came by. I needed to tell you we'll be going out of town for a bit."

"Out of town?" Steven told himself not to panic.

Elizabeth nodded and leaned down to tickle Jake under his chin. "Lucky and I are going to take Cameron on a little trip to help defeat some of the things Lisa and Tony told him while he was them. We'll be going to Disney World in a few weeks."

"How are you going to enjoy Disney World with twins?"

"They aren't coming. Part of what we are trying to convince Cameron is we do love him as much as we love the twins. So Jake and Gracie are going to stay with Robin and Patrick."

"You picked Patrick over your own brother?" Steven was incredulous.

"It's called practice. And Robin knows if at any time Patrick freaks out, you are the first one to call to save the day."

"Thanks for that I guess." Steven muttered.

"Are you hurt?" Elizabeth laughed as she teasingly punched him in the arm. "I thought you didn't participate in the Best Uncle War."

"What? Oh, no I'm fine." Steven lied. He had planned on spending every waking moment before he left with Elizabeth and the rest of his family, but now that wasn't going to be possible. Suddenly, he didn't want to tell her his reason for coming over. "Look, I told Grams I would pick up steaks for dinner."

She didn't miss the way his speech hurried when she told him her news or the way he was nervously looking at the door. There was something going on here. "Steven is something wrong? You're not really hurt are you? It's not that we didn't consider you, but between Grams and Georgie and no one really knows what your next move is with your job and all, I just...I just thought it would be less of a hassle for the twins to go with Robin and Patrick."

"I know. It makes a lot of sense." Steven agreed.

"So why are you running out of here like the house is on fire? I mean it's two in the afternoon Steven. Yes Grams likes to eat early, but not this early." Elizabeth joked.

"I'm not. I promised to cook and I guess I'm a little nervous about it."

"Well I do know your fear of the fire department, but are you sure that's it?" Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know I just get the feeling there is something else going on here."

"I would tell you if there was."

"Alright." Elizabeth eyed him skeptically. She didn't fully believe his story but she wasn't going to push him anymore. If he wanted her to know, he would tell her. "Do you really have to go right now? It's pretty quiet right now and as much as I love them, Jake and Gracie need to learn some conversation skills."

"I can stay for a while."

*****

The sunset painted the normally dreary docks in a golden glow. This was the only time Ric could understand the appeal this place had on the town. The last rays of daylight danced across the water, reflecting the lights across the buildings and wooden planks in a million twinkling directions. It was, almost, the most romantic setting he had ever experienced, if he was the type of guy who considered such things.

He had planned tonight carefully, wanting to either cheer Maxie up if the interview went badly or help her celebrate if she impressed in the way he knew she could. When Maxie Jones put her mind to impressing something, she was unforgettable. He should know; he hadn't been able to forget her from the second he met her.

His message had been vague: Meet me at the docks and wear something pretty. He was obviously unbalanced. The docks weren't safe in the daytime; what made him think they would be once the sun set? Still, she told him she would and spent a ridiculous amount of time getting ready. Her outfit was the first thing she considered. There was a white cocktail dress she had bought a few months back and never worn. She had just the right silver heels to go with it. Though she normally left it down, tonight she pinned up her hair and used enough hairspray to catch a small country on fire. Last, she worked on her makeup and it took the least amount of time. A few swipes of mascara and pink lip gloss. Whatever he had planned tonight, she thought eagerly, at least she would look fantastic for it.

Maxie smiled when she caught his handsome back head. He was staring out at the water in a crisp black suit, hands shoved in the pockets of the jacket. If nothing else, the man made an entrance. She noticed it when they went anywhere. Every woman's head turned when he walked past them, but his never did. "Fancy meeting you here." She drawled with a smile.

"It is a funny coincidence." He smiled and held her hands out to inspect her. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you. You don't look so bad yourself."

"Thank you." He winked down into her blue eyes. "Now as much as I know you would love for me to stand here all night and admire you, we do have a reservation to keep."

"Oh do we?" Maxie watched him with narrowed eyes, her smile never leaving her face.

"We do." With a smirk, he gestured to the yacht anchored just off shore. "Our chariot awaits."

"That's a yacht." Maxie announced stupidly with wide eyes.

"You know me." Ric leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Never do anything small."

"Thank God for that. You know how easily I get bored with conversation." Maxie took his offered hand as he led her to the yacht. If she was still breathing, she was unaware. "When did you have time to do this?"

"I had to do something while you were busy preparing."

"I didn't take that long." Maxie defended herself.

"I meant for your interview Blondie. You ignored me shamefully for the past week."

"Well I had good reason. Don't worry. You have my complete attention...unless my phone goes off. And then I may have to steal the inflatable boat on the side." She joked.

"In that case," Ric drawled leaning across her to grab her bag from her hand. "I better take this."

"Where are you putting that?" Maxie demanded lightly.

He winked as they made their way onto the ship. "I guess you'll just have to search me later."

"Why wait?" Maxie challenged, walking toward him. She slid her hands beneath the suit jacket to stroke his ribs roughly.

"Dinner will get cold." He protested mildly, leaning down to kiss her lips.

"Dinner?" Maxie couldn't ignore the warning or the grumbling of her stomach. She hadn't stopped all day not even for a snack.

He laughed lightly. "Come on. I don't want you starving after I've spent so much time preparing this feast for you."

"You cooked for me?" Maxie traced his bottom lip with her fingertip, her gaze lazy.

"All your favorites." He promised, nipping at her fingertip.

"Well, let's eat then." Maxie suggested suddenly, breaking the sensual spell and walking toward the tiny white table in the corner.

Ric chuckled at her attempt to regain control of the situation. Two could play that game. "We can eat when you tell me about your interview."

"But I'm hungry." Maxie whined.

"It's the only way I'll know which dessert to serve you."

"The interview was..." Maxie grappled for the right word. "Fine."

"Fine? Fine doesn't get you chocolate mouse."

"That's low." Maxie complained.

"So is wearing that dress with the sole purpose of teasing me all night." Ric pointed out.

"What can you mean? I don't tease." Maxie countered. "It went wonderfully. Fiona loved my new designs and she gave me a job. It's nothing glamorous, just assistant for now."

"Congratulations!" Ric made his way around the table and dropped down to kiss her. "I knew you would impress her."

"I don't think I stopped shaking until you called me tonight." Maxie leaned forward and wrapped her hand around his neck, drawing him closer for a much deeper kiss.

"This is just the beginning for you. I know it. Today the assistant, but tomorrow you'll be running the whole thing." He promised, moving his fingers to disentangle her hair.

"You're just trying to butter me up." Maxie charged, sighing at the feel of his fingers combing through her hair.

"No." He shook his head and moved to kiss her neck. "Just being honest."

"Wha-what about dinner?" Maxie asked helplessly.

"It can wait. Right now we have to celebrate."


	318. My Front Porch Looking In

Alexis stared at herself in the mirror and tears sprung to her eyes. She could hear Georgie and Maxie in the background warning her not to cry because they had already had to touch up her makeup twice. Taking the handkerchief Georgie offered Alexis blotted her eyes, laughing when Maxie loosely grabbed her chin and made sure no major damage had been done. Mac was across the hall with his brother, Robert, a man she had met only a handful of times, and Luke. Every now and then, they would catch a long string of expletives and not know which man it had come from. "Where's Kristina?"

"She's with Bobbie and Leslie practicing the throwing of the rose petals." Laura spoke up. "That dress you picked out is so beautiful. And Cameron's little suit..." Laura paused, trying to get herself together.

"How come she gets to cry and I don't?" Alexis teased her friend.

"Because she's not the bride." Georgie laughed.

"And we won't kill her if she ruins a perfect makeup job." Maxie threw in, playing with the veil.

"Now, let's make sure we got everything." Georgie stood up and began checking things off the list she had made up the day she had started helping her father plan this surprise wedding. "Alright, Alexis is here and looking gorgeous."

"Thank you Georgie, but I'm sweating like a pig. I do not look gorgeous."

"It's the three layers of thick material." Maxie assured her.

"Hush. Every bride looks gorgeous on their wedding." Georgie assured her. "Robin is making sure everything is in place up front."

"Is Kevin here yet?" Alexis wondered. He was, after all, the best man. Even though she knew Mac could replace him if need be with his older brother or, God help them all, Luke, she also knew how important Kevin Collins's presence was to her fiancé.

Maxie rolled her eyes. "Yes. He and Lucy just arrived. And of course Lucy is just full of suggestions for how I should design her dress for next year's Nurse's Ball. As if I'm crazy enough to do that again!"

"You know you loved it." Georgie baited her with a grin. "Okay groom, bride, and best man are here." She made a check on her list.

"Wait! Maid of honor! Alexis who is going to be your maid of honor?"

If Alexis was honest with herself, she wished Sam would take over the job, but it was too soon to expect that of her. Both she and Sam had decided a DNA test was the only way to know for sure if they were what the other was looking for. "Do I need one?"

Maxie made a dramatic sign of the cross. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just ask that."

"Of course you do! Even I had two!" Georgie pointed out.

Alexis twirled her chair around. "Laura, would you do me the honor?"

Laura smiled and reached out for Alexis's hands. "I would love to."

The door opened and four sets of eyes turned to see who it was. "I left the guest book in very able hands." Sam promised, her eyes twinkling when she thought about what David would want in return for her ditching him at the little table.

"Sam, come in." Alexis beckoned, waving her hands out in front of her.

"You know I think we should go make sure Luke isn't getting Dad drunk or anything." Georgie suggested, motioning for her sister to follow her out the door. Ever since Alexis and Dad had told them about Sam and the possibility she could be Alexis's daughter, Georgie felt a little awkward around her. But right now it wasn't about her, it was Alexis's wedding day and Alexis probably wanted a moment alone with Sam.

"I'll help." Laura chimed in, closing the door behind them.

"I didn't know I was so repulsive." Sam joked quietly.

"You're not. Not at all. Give them some time. They'll get used to it." Alexis promised, getting to her feet with difficulty. The dress itself weighed at least two tons and the sequined material seemed to go on forever. She rubbed her lace covered arms and offered Sam a smile.

"They're all very nice." Sam noted. "And we don't know what the results will say, so it's probably just as well if they don't warm up to me right away."

"I don't think we should immediately jump to worse-case scenarios. It's a wedding. A happy day." Alexis reminded her, lifting Sam's chin in her cupped palm.

"That's right. I'm sorry." Sam wrung her hands nervously. "Today you're marrying the man you love."

"I'm lucky." Alexis answered emotionally. "The best man in the world wants to marry me and I still don't know why but I'm not going to squander it away."

"Maxie said you were sick. Are you?" Sam broached the subject carefully. "There I go again. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Sam. Yes, I am. I have lung cancer." Alexis told her. "And at this point the treatments are pretty futile."

"The will to live is stronger than medicine." Sam replied, trying to keep the tears at bay. She compromised for covering her mouth with her hand for a second and then letting it fall away. She walked away from Alexis's loose grasp and tried not to pace. "Tell me about Mac. What makes him the one?"

"Well," Alexis sat, knowing she would regret it, and her eyes went dreamy. "He's funny and loving and passionate. He has this way of calming me down. Through all of this, he's been my rock, my constant. He gave me hope when I was first diagnosed and then again when Kristina was kidnapped. He's never left my side. Oh," Alexis looked down at her hands, but Sam caught the blush. "When he gets really frustrated, he slips into his Australian accent. There is nothing sexier, let me tell you."

"He sounds incredible." Sam whispered. "Just remember, he's the lucky one to have you."

*****

"Alright are you ready?" Kevin Collins patted his long time friend on the back, grinning from ear to ear. It had taken Mac a long time to find the right woman but now that he had, Kevin couldn't be happier for him.

"I was ready the morning I met her." Mac informed him with a chuckle. "Maybe someone should go check on my bride and make sure there's no confusion about where we're meeting."

"Alexis has always impressed me as a smart woman. I think she'll find you alright." Kevin teased.

"It's not her brain I'm worried about getting confused." Mac argued. "Damn these shaking hands."

"Here Bubba." Luke handed Mac over a shot glass filled with whiskey. "It's tradition."

Mac took the glass from his old friend and slammed it back in one drink. He winced at the burning, but at least his hands were still. "Thanks."

"No problem. Just don't tell my wife or Alexis I'm the one that got you drunk before you took the plunge."

"I'm pretty sure I won't be mentioning your name tonight." Mac muttered.

"Argh!" Luke backed up, mimicking rubbing his eyes. "Too much information."

"You sound like Lulu." Mac laughed. "Where is my goddaughter anyway?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "She was here and now she's off hiding somewhere. You know how much she hates dressing up and such stuff."

"I didn't even know she'd moved out of Kelly's until Maxie brought it up. Where's she living?"

"She moved in with a girl she knows from class. A house near campus."

"Have you met this girl? Do you want me to have her checked out?" Mac offered.

"No. Lulu's a pretty good judge of character." Luke turned Mac's offer down gently. "Besides this is about you, not my little Sweet Pea."

"Should we head out?" Kevin spoke up.

"You better or you'll have one unhappy bride." Robin answered for her uncle as she came through the door. "It's time Uncle Mac."

*****

The music signaled Alexis's entrance. Everyone looked toward the back. The doors remained closed. Patience might have been a virtue in other families, but it wasn't one the Scorpios handled well. Robin kept a smile on her face just in case Uncle Mac should look in her direction. Georgie and Maxie debated with their eyes about whether or not they should go and check on her. Robert was telling the minister of one of his great adventures in the South Pacific. Mac though, standing at the altar with Laura on one side and his big brother on the other, had never looked more confident that Alexis would come through those doors and meet him where he stood. They would exchange their vows just the way they had dreamed since he first proposed. Everything would be perfect.

The aging woman at the organ's fingers never tired and the groom never fretted. Behind him, the minister double-checked what he was supposed to say even though he had memorized them by about his hundredth ceremony. Robert was nearing the end of his story when the handles on the double doors started to shudder. Some of the guests had turned their attention to Mac; they turned around in their seats to witness what they knew would be the most beautiful bride. Finally, the bride emerged and, at her presence, everyone forgot about her being late or ever doubting she would arrive. Her hair was spun in an elegant bun with one single strand on either side of her face crimped and curled to perfection. Her eyes were lightly dusted with a creamy powder that matched her skin tone and a few able strokes of mascara. Maxie had chosen the most innocent of pinks to lightly smooth across her plump lips and spent an excruciating amount of time plucking her eyebrows.

The wedding dress, in Alexis's opinion, resembled a three tier wedding cake. Above the first layer was an exquisite white bodice. Though it was meant to be sleeveless, Laura had talked her into adding some temporary sleeves that worked a lot like pantyhose only they were open on both ends. Other than Laura and herself, no one noticed the add-on. The first layer was long piece of extended lace and the remaining two layers matched it in form and design, but each was a little longer. She felt a little like a lamp shade.

What she liked most about the shoes, perhaps even the defining reason she chose this dress, was because it went so wonderfully with her white heels. She told herself not to stare at them now, not at the thin ribbon strap or how attractive they made her ankles appear. One step at a time, her mind instructed. Find Mac. Find his eyes. Her eyes started at the velvet red aisle and then moved to stars that led to the altar. Her eyes slowly settled on his face and then his eyes. There she found her calm. There she found solidarity. While she was half startled at the idea of taking the few necessary steps to reach the aisle, he looked completely certain of her, of them, of their marriage and she let herself focus on that.

"You're beautiful." Mac mouthed to her as soon as she was in front of him. She smiled, self-consciously, and then had to laugh at her nervousness. "You are." This time, she was graced with his steady voice.

"Am I late?"

"Not at all. I knew when you were ready, you'd come." He assured her, taking her right hand in his.

The minister, taking the cue from them once they went completely silent and still, addressed the rest of the church. "Dearly beloved..." His words fell on deaf ears as the couple gazed into each other's eyes. It wasn't until he cleared his throat that they realized it was their turn to talk.

"Do you have the rings?" The minister prompted and Cameron held up the tiny red cushion that contained two matching bands.

"Repeat after me." The minister instructed but again they only saw his lips move. It was times like this when they were thankful they had stuck with the old-fashioned vows because they had been to enough weddings to have them memorized. Instead, they focused on each other's faces. Tears fell freely from their eyes and Mac's bottom lip trembled as he slid the ring onto Alexis's finger. When the minister turned to her, Alexis clutched his hand until her knuckles whitened to which he responded by lightly caressing her knuckles with his thumb.

Without waiting for the signal, Mac leaned forward and kissed Alexis deeply, as if no one was watching which won them a great deal of laughter and hoots from their guests. When they broke apart, it was not modesty that showed in their faces, but mutual satisfaction. "I am proud to present Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Scorpio."


	319. You Won't See Me Cry

Running a hand through her short bob, Kate drew in a nervous breath. It had to be done. There was no other way around it. What she had thought was just a passed opportunity kept reappearing. Every time she looked, Jasper Jacks had some new offer for her, each one designed a little more carefully than the last to cater directly to her. An office in New York City. A more concentrated focus on crime. It was almost as if he was tapping directly into her subconscious and trying to find an offer she could never pass up.

She was running out of ways to say "not interested." A few days after each refusal, he would show up or messenger over a new offer. It wasn't until he casually mentioned his support of the same charity she did volunteer work in high school that she started to suspect he had a private investigator digging up information for him. Normally it wouldn't bother her, but if there was one thing she knew about Jasper Jacks, it was he was relentless. She had already caught his hints about possibly running into her mother; what was to stop him from looking up her ex-husband?

The last thing she wanted to do was complicate Ric's life even more than she already had. Ever since that kiss, he had avoided her. She didn't know if he had told Maxie, if the younger woman had forgiven him, blamed her or left him in the dust. She wasn't going to say she regretted that kiss, but if it caused Ric any pain, she would regret that.

Rubbing her palm against the fabric of her black skirt, she closed her eyes for a brief second, gathering courage. "Okay Kate you can do this. Just walk in there. Tell Ric what is going on. Tell him you have no intention of coming to his town and you're sorry if Jax bothers him. Easy. Just walk in there and do it."

She raised her hand to knock but it froze in mid-air. Clenching her fist, she lowered it and grabbed the doorknob instead. Turning the knob, she strode in, attempting to mask the butterflies in her stomach. Seeing him look up from his desk, she smiled softly. "Hello Ric."

Ric looked up, startled. She hadn't made any noise upon entering. Only her voice alerted him to her presence. Still, he couldn't pretend he wasn't happy to see her. Or relieved. Relieved was a better word. He could be relieved and still be faithful to his girlfriend. "Kate. How are you?" Stupid question, he berated himself. He hadn't spoken to her since their kiss and he honestly didn't know if he wanted to know why she was here.

"I'm good thanks. How are you? Getting back to normal?"

"Trying." Ric managed. "What can I do for you?"

"It's more like what trouble I'm going to end up causing you." Kate confessed.

"What are you talking about?" Ric wished he hadn't asked the question, had sent her away. Things were getting back to normal. Things were great. Why was she here? Had there been a national ad put out that he was feeling something other than numb since they had signed the divorce papers?

"I've had a job offer." She started slowly. "A job offer from Jasper Jacks."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"The job is editor of a magazine here in Port Charles."

"That's...I'm happy for you."

"I don't want the job, Ric. I've lost track of the times I've turned him down. But every time I do he comes back with an offer tailor-made for me." Kate took a few steps and stopped just to the side of his desk. "Ric, I think he's digging in my past to make an offer I can't refuse. And I think he's going to talk to you."

"Why would he talk to me?"

"Because you're my ex? Because no one in this town seems to marry anyone other than their ex nine times? Because he thinks you could be leverage? Take your pick Ric. He'll see you as an opportunity and I don't want that to happen to you."

"Forgive me, but you sound a little paranoid."

"You haven't seen these offers." Kate pointed out. "He's mentioning things I haven't thought of since high school. He's mentioning friends, family. Come on Ric, you live in this town. Don't you pay attention to his reputation?"

"I'm more interested in my own I guess." Ric joked. "Look, nothing is going to happen. I don't want you to worry. If he does approach me, I'll give him the brush-off."

"Good." Kate nodded. "I just didn't want to cause you anymore complications."

"Katie, you haven't caused me any complications." Ric assured her, leaving his chair and stepping around his desk.

"Are you sure Richard? I mean, we haven't talked since....since..." She looked at the floor.

"Since the kiss." He finished for her. "I know. I had to...avoid you. I'm sorry."

"No I understand that. You have Maxie. It made perfect sense."

"Correction." Maxie's voice trembled from the doorway. "He had Maxie."

"Maxie?" Ric pushed Kate aside and took a step toward her. "Maxie?"

"Kate?" Maxie screamed, advancing on him until he was backed into the front of his desk. "Kate is the one you kissed?!"

"I can explain." Ric held up his hands. "It didn't mean anything."

"It didn't. Honestly it meant nothing. It was just the situation." Kate offered, taking cover behind Ric's desk chair.

"Right. The situation. Something I wouldn't understand because I wasn't there." Maxie spat, her eyes trained on Ric's.

"No." He admitted.

"How dare I question the sacred bond the two of you have, right?"

"That's not true. You know that's not true."

"I know what I know, okay? I know I trusted you. I know you abused that trust. God and you were the one pushing for some sort of label on us." Maxie shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut.

"You said you didn't care about Tucson." Ric pointed out. "You said it was ok with you."

"When I thought it was just some faceless nurse! You told me it was over with Kate."

"It is over with Kate. It has been since the moment I met you."

"Don't you dare." Maxie threatened, shaking her finger at him angrily. "You're caught. Stop lying!"

"I'm not lying." Ric protested taking a hesitant step toward her. "I regretted that kiss the moment it happened. I haven't even talked to Kate before now."

"That's true. He left and never looked back." Kate offered quietly.

It took some effort, but Maxie somehow managed to look in Kate's direction. "I don't want your take on things. Okay? I don't want to hear your voice. I don't want to see your face. Please leave."

Knowing when it was best to leave a situation alone, Kate nodded and headed to the door. She mouthed an "I'm sorry" in Ric's direction before closing the door behind her.

Maxie felt his hand on her shoulder and jumped back as if she had been burned. "Don't touch me." She ordered through gritted teeth. "If I hadn't walked in, would I have been privy to a repeat performance?" Her mouth shook so violently, she had trouble forming the words.

"Maxie, that wasn't what was going on. She was just giving me a warning about a far too zealous would-be employer. I had no idea she was coming."

"Did you enjoy the kiss? Was it just like you remembered?" Maxie gulped.

"It was a onetime thing and that's all it was. I moved out of Charlotte's house and into a hotel that minute." Ric promised.

"Why didn't you just come back here? To me? Am I always an afterthought?"

"I had to finish up with my father. And I didn't know what to say to you." He confessed.

"You didn't want to hurt me?"

"I didn't want to lose you."

"If you didn't want to lose me, you never should have kissed her. I should have been enough for you."

"You are enough for me."

"I never thought I'd say this." Maxie was all but whispering, her throat hoarse. "But Kate was exactly right, wasn't she? That day she said I was nothing more than a passing attraction. You've accused me from day one of not putting enough trust in you and us. And all along it's you who has been shut off. You're the one who's running."

"I'm not running." Ric swore, trying to reach out to touch her all the while knowing it wasn't welcome. "I want to fix this."

"This isn't something you can fix." Maxie argued. Tears were stinging the back of her eyelids and she knew she had to get out of here if she wanted to save what was left of her pride.

"Tell me what you want. Tell me what I can do to make this better."

"Go be with your wife. I'm tired of fighting for your attention. You obviously still love her. And I want—" Maxie broke off. "I just want you to be happy." In a small voice, she added, "God knows you were the only thing keeping me here."

"What are you talking about?" The only thing keeping her here? What on Earth?

"Goodbye Ric." Maxie made a beeline for the door.

"Maxie!" Ric called after her as she pushed her way down the hall. "Maxie!"

"I can't." It was all she could say, all the explanation she could give him. The opportunity to live and work in L.A. was too great an offer to turn down. She had lost the final tie to this morbid little town. She didn't stop. She didn't turn around. She didn't hesitate.

*****

What was the point? He had called every bank in Port Charles and none of them were willing to help him. The magazine still wasn't financially stable no matter what he tried. All the stories Lucky had provided had done little more than keep them afloat. Now there was nothing. The town looked toward their neighboring city for the real news. He was losing staff like trees lost their leaves at the onset of winter. He couldn't get a loan. He could barely afford the staff that had stuck around. What had he been thinking? He was talented okay, but not a miracle worker. Something was coming. He didn't know which direction it would emerge from but he had felt it moving in on him the moment he got that phone call from Beaudry.

There had to be something he was missing, some saving grace he hadn't considered yet. His staff was booming with ideas--that much of the meeting had been a success--but he had to realistic. For them to be able to achieve the sorts of things they were suggestions would require more money out of his pocket, money he simply did not have. It was times like this when he was thankful his home was fully paid for. He inwardly cursed. It wasn't his home. It had never felt like his. It was as if he had just moved in and not claimed a single section of the two-story house. When he had thought of their lives in terms of the future, even before his little girl had made herself known, he had never planned on living in the same house Bobbie had shared with a man she had loved, still loved.

Business should have picked up. Stories should have been everywhere. He would never tell Alexis but ever since she and Mac cleared the town of the mob, there wasn't a lot of disturbing news to report anymore. This wasn't to say he missed the blank stares or the bugs he had had to plant in their penthouse to pick up any sort of information. He just wanted his business to prosper. It didn't have to reach New York City standards, but couldn't it just pull its weight for once? Must he always take loans to support his family and his staff? Was it ever going to get better?

A dark thought entered his mind, one he didn't want to acknowledge. Whatever moron was in the market for this little magazine would probably be the best thing to ever happen to it. The employees would most likely get some ridiculous raise, something he had only been able to provide them once in the entire four years he had owned the company. They were loyal but they weren't stupid. The zeros would break them of any obligation they felt to him. He buried his head in his hands and ground his elbows into his desk, frayed.

His phone buzzed again. He didn't have to look down to see who was calling. It was the same person who had tried to reach him for seven solid days. He had offered no explanation to her questions. He didn't know what he could tell her without making her into a nervous wreck. She would use the old line, "We'll get through it, no matter what" and he didn't think--no he knew he couldn't handle that. He didn't want her to have to worry. He didn't want her to panic. Most of all, he didn't want her pity. When they had vowed to be together for the rest of their lives, he had promised to take care of her, to support her. How was he supposed to face her?

"Boss Man?" Axe stepped cautiously toward Cruz. It didn't take a genius to notice that whatever was bothering his boss, it was major. He had been trying, but it was obvious to everyone he was running on fumes. "Hey Boss Man?"

"Yeah. What is it, Axe?" He stopped himself from asking what was wrong now.

"What's going on Boss Man? Something bugging you?"

"No." Cruz lied. "Nothing I can't handle."

Axe regarded him skeptically. "You sure? Cause you know I'm willing to help you with whatever. I am the plan maker."

"Fine, Axe. It's fine." I could be kicked out of my job without any notice, but you'll be taken care of, don't worry.

"Alright." Axe drawled slowly. "But if you need anything..."

"There is one thing you can do for me." Cruz finally met Axe's eyes.

"Name it."

Cruz grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. "Call my wife. Tell her I'm coming home."

Axe offered up a salute. "On it Boss Man. She will know of your impending arrival. And might I suggest a shower while you're there?"

"Thanks a lot." Cruz drawled, stepping out.

"I'm just here to help." Axe smiled.

Cruz stopped in his tracks and returned to where his faithful employee stood. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a business card and a few twenties. "Take Becca out and celebrate."

"Boss Man I'm not going to take your money."

"Just take it. I took Bobbie here for our first date and she loved it. Please. Don't argue. Just listen for once."

Tucking the business card in his back pocket, Axe passed back the twenties. "I'll take the place under advisement, but not your money."

"No matter what happens..." Cruz couldn't finish immediately. "It's been a pleasure being your boss."

"Is there something I need to know about?"

"No. Thanks Axe."

"No problem Boss Man. And I'm serious about that shower."

"Noted."


	320. More Than You Think You Are

"Mickey! We're going to see Mickey!" Cameron was practically jumping down the hallway with excitement. It was only a slight improvement over the jumping on his bed he did last night and the jumping on their bed that had just gotten him booted from the room. Any other day Lucky might have reprimanded him a little harder but today Cameron was his unsuspecting accomplice and for that he was grateful.

Between Cameron's excitement and checking everything for a fifth time to make sure Cameron and the twins had everything they could possibly need for the next week, Elizabeth was far too distracted to wonder why it was taking him so long to finish packing. Years of traveling with Ned had honed his packing into a fine art. One bag; even for the longest trip, he could fit it all in one bag. However he had been obsessing over this packing arrangement for the past two days. If Cameron wasn't demanding so much attention right now, Elizabeth might have started to ask questions. She might have grabbed the bag herself in an effort to hurry him along or tease him about it. Then she might have found what he was currently trying to keep hidden just a little while longer.

The velvet box lay in his hand, the ring still nestled inside. When he had found it months ago with Daphne, he honestly hadn't planned on waiting this long to ask. Hell he should have asked once he knew the twins were on the way, Elizabeth's insistence on not getting married be damned. He had honestly thought he would hide it in his sock drawer for a few days and then surprise her before the twins were born. Maybe there was something to Elizabeth's paranoid theory about someone having a plot against them planning surprises. First it was the twins deciding to join their own baby shower. Then the custody trial. He had almost given up on planning anything and then Elizabeth had the idea of taking Cameron to Disney World. Who knew Tony and Lisa's lies might actually lead to something good for him.

The only issue right now was where to put the box where Elizabeth wouldn't find it. Inside a pair of socks? The pocket of the jeans he most likely would be wearing when the moment happened? Could he sneak it into Cameron's bag or would his son find it and then ask very publicly what it was in the middle of the hotel lobby? Why hadn't he just mailed it down to the hotel first and then it would already be there? Oh that's right; he was a paranoid freak that's why. He had thought of that idea and then decided the ring would get lost in the mail. Somehow, he was pretty sure that was his father's fault. He was blaming him at any rate. But back to the issue at hand, where to put this box?

"Hey slow poke." Elizabeth stuck her head into the room, laughing as Cameron nearly knocked her down. "You almost done yet?"

Shoving the box quickly into his dopp kit, Lucky shut the lid of his suitcase. "Yeah. All set."

*****

From the two seconds he had spent outside that morning, Patrick deduced that it was going to be a good day weather-wise. He hadn't expected any additional treats, say having sex in the middle of the afternoon. It was times like this that he knew he would miss once he went back to work fulltime. For now, racing was sufficient, but it would be impossible for him to keep it up forever. Robin had been right; he wasn't just risking his life when he got into that race car: he was gambling all of their lives. What he did affected them and vice versa.

He smiled, wondering when exactly he had become such a grownup. This time last year, his life had been on a very different path. His biggest worry…well he hadn't had many, had he? He had been content with going through women like Kleenex and never following up with any of them, even on the rare occasions when he got lonely. Robin had changed all of that. He could no longer imagine not having her in his life. He couldn't fathom existence without her in his arms. It had been shaky there for a while, but life was finally starting to calm down. They were mere weeks from the wedding and the birth of their son. Life was good.

Robin turned over and almost smacked him in the face with the back of her left hand. Her eyes were full and sleepy as she snuggled up to him and rested her cheek against his shoulder, her breath very deep as if she wasn't really awake. "I didn't mean to wake you." He brushed his hand down her bare back and she lightly moaned.

"You didn't. I just felt you staring at me." Robin admitted.

"How could I not? You're so pretty." He pushed the sheet away and pulled her on top of him.

"I'm humungous." Robin countered with a sigh, swatting at his hands when they settled on her backside. "I don't know how you can stand to look at me."

At one time, he might have thought she was fishing for compliments, but her weight gain, even though it was perfectly normal, left her feeling extremely insecure. "I never tire of looking at you." Patrick assured her, tilting his head. "Or kissing you." To further illustrate his point, he pressed his mouth to her neck. "Or tasting you." He lightly nibbled at her shoulder.

"Patrick." Robin breathed, her eyes slipping shut for reasons she knew had nothing to do with exhaustion. For the way their bodies were responding it was as if they hadn't just made love an hour ago. She laughed when he rolled her over and yanked both of her arms above her head. "What's next? Bondage?"

"Maybe." Patrick winked at her. A knock interrupted further fun. "Damn it." He had expected to see his disappointment mirrored in her eyes, but he saw only alarm. "We can just leave whoever it is in the hallway." He reasoned trailing her arm with his thumb.

"We have to get up." Robin argued, trying to wiggle away from him.

"In case you haven't noticed, one of us has already accomplished that." Patrick threw back his head and laughed at Robin's reddening face.

"You're a terrible influence." She wagged her finger at him, still unsuccessful in getting out from under him.

"I am. Why don't you come here and teach me a lesson." Patrick suggested with a wolfish grin, kissing her before she could voice her protest.

"As much as I want to…" Robin managed to squeak out, catching his knowledgeable hands before they caused her more grief.

"Robin, I'm dying." Patrick insisted harshly against her ear.

"I know." Her voice was so matter-of-fact, he pouted in response. "Don't worry. I'll make it up to you."

"How are you planning on doing that?" Patrick asked, mildly curious. He had almost one of his hands free and he knew she wouldn't take much convincing.

"I'll do whatever you want." Robin promised with a nod of her head.

"I want you to stay right where you are." Patrick answered.

"Whatever you want later." Robin clarified, patting his cheek and climbing out of bed.

"Are you expecting someone?" Patrick inquired when he noticed her bypass her white terrycloth robe for clean clothes and panties.

"Yes."

"Care to elaborate?"

"Please put some clothes on. I don't want you to scare the twins."

"The twins?"

"Yes. I kind of said we'd watch them for the week while Lucky and Elizabeth take Cameron to Disney World." Robin didn't wait for him to react, simply ran for the door.

"You said we'd do what?" Patrick threw on the same clothes he had come home in and raced after her. Whatever explanation would have to wait, he realized, once she opened the door to greet their guests.

"Hi Patrick. Thank you so much for agreeing to do this." Elizabeth stepped forward with Gracie in her arms. "I know it's crazy timing."

"Tell me about it." Patrick drawled, almost stepping back when she shoved Gracie into his arms.

"I mean I told Robin that it was too much and Steven and Georgie would love to do it." Elizabeth continued, shooting Robin a wink while Lucky tried to keep back the laugh that was threatening to erupt.

"So glad we could serve as an alternative."

"Well everyone has their uses." Lucky smirked.

"Are you excited about Disney World, Cameron?" Robin asked, bending down so they were face-to-face.

"Yup. You want a souvenir Roby? I'll bring you one."

"I would love that. Thank you Cameron." Robin got to her feet and lightly jabbed Patrick in the ribs, careful to not hit Gracie in her beckoning.

"You want one too Patty?"

"Yeah. Bring me back something that a girl wouldn't want to play with." Patrick crouched down to whisper the next sentence in Cameron's ear, "You know how they like to steal toys."

Cameron nodded seriously. "Kristina always steals the good toys."

"Give me a hug?"

"Do you need some love Patrick?" Lucky joked as he walked closer to his cousin.

"As a matter of fact..." Patrick ignored the hard look Robin was sending his way.

Cameron walked over to Patrick and wrapped his arms around Patrick's neck. "Daddy's silly."

"So I keep saying. Love you buddy." Patrick muttered, patting Cameron's back gently with his one free hand.

"Love you too Patty."

"Let me see that baby." Robin took Jake from Lucky's protective grasp. "You guys better get going or you'll miss your flight."

"I know. I know." Elizabeth took a deep breath and clenched her fists to steel herself to do this. This was harder than she expected it to be and she expected it to be almost impossible. "You have our numbers. Call every night ok?"

"Of course we will." Robin assured her friend, pulling her into a light hug. "Don't cry."

"I'm not crying." Elizabeth protested.

"Yes you are." Lucky countered. "We both hate it but we do have to go. Just think of all the fun of Patrick mastering the feeding schedule."

"You are enjoying this just a little too much." Patrick accused.

"Just trying to look on the bright side." Lucky held up his hand in protest.

"It'll be good practice." Robin pointed out. "For both of us."

"Is Morgan here?" Cameron asked, suddenly realizing that his older cousin was missing.

"No, honey. He's staying over at his friend, Max's house." Robin explained.

"I'm guessing this won't be such a surprise to him." Patrick said under his breath.

"Nope. I told him after I talked to Elizabeth." Robin replied with a smirk.

"Some things you just have to talk about beforehand." Elizabeth smiled back, draping her arm around Robin's shoulder.

"Alright, Mommy, time to go to the airport." Robin insisted lightly.

"I know. I know." Elizabeth sighed. "I'm hovering. I swore I would never hover."

They brought the babies closer so Lucky, Elizabeth, and Cameron could take turns hugging and kissing and saying goodbye to them. When they stepped back, tears were in Lucky's eyes as well. "We won't break them." Robin promised, ruffling her friend's hair in an attempt to get him to smile.

"It's not you I'm worried about."

"Hey!" Patrick snapped indignantly.

"Don't get lost on your way home." Robin told Elizabeth, hugging her once more before steering her toward the door.

"I trust you. I know it doesn't look like it right now but I really do you know."

"I know. Be safe. Have fun. We'll talk."

"Come on Cinderella. The sooner we get there, the sooner we come back." Lucky pointed out, looping his arm around Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Right. You're right. Ok. Really leaving. Come on Cameron. Say goodbye."

"Bye Roby. Bye Patty. Don't let the twins forget me!" Cameron called out, waving his hand.


	321. Make Me Over

Sam followed David into the last place she had ever thought she would accompany him, not daring to smile in case he changed his mind. There was something adorable about his choice of venue for their second date. Could she even think of it in those terms? She told herself she could. "Are you going to tell me what's in the bag?" While she assumed he had brought his own ball and pair of special bowling shoes, she enjoyed teasing him.

"Samantha, you are on a need to know basis. You'll find out when you need to know." David turned around and shot her a wink. She hadn't asked for a second date but he had seen the way she had been walking the walls ever since the DNA test. The doctor had told her and Alexis it may take weeks before the results came in. And if there was one thing Samantha wasn't, it was patient.

"I've never been bowling before." Sam told him as they headed for the shoe counter.

"Well then allow me to introduce you to the best fun money can buy." He motioned for the clerk to bring two pairs of shoes. "Two sets please. I need an eleven. Samantha?"

"Seven. Do you come here often?"

"I used to come more. These days I've been a little busy."

"Is that right? What's more important than bowling?" Sam wanted to know as she took the shoes offered to her.

Using his finger, he tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "I have no idea." He whispered to her.

"Are you ready to get beat by a girl?" Sam asked, running in no particular direction. She squealed when he caught her waist and yanked her backwards.

"You're awfully confident for someone who's never bowled before." David pointed out, pulling her closer to him.

"I have my own secret weapon." Sam informed him.

"Care to share?"

"Nope. You're just going to have to suffer in suspense. Now, are you going to show me how to play or what?"

"Well first thing, you have to know what lane we're assigned." David chuckled. "So you'll have to follow me."

"We can't just use whichever one we want?" Sam looked a little disappointed.

"No." He pointed to the only other patrons, a group of elderly men. "I think they might frown upon that. We've been assigned to lane seven."

"So how do we figure out who goes first? And where are the balls?"

Pointing to the rack of balls lining the back wall as he lead them toward their assigned lanes. "You pick out a ball here. And there are any number ways we can decide who goes first."

"Such as?" Sam wasn't sure what made a good bowling ball so she decided to go from big to small.

"Well there is a traditional method, you know ladies first or experience before newbie. But I can be persuaded to use a more non-traditional method."

"You can go first." Sam waved her hand permissively, carrying her chosen ball to lane seven.

"Learning from the best as always."

"Amazing you haven't choked on that ego long before now."

Walking past her as she placed her shoes on, he tussled her hair. "I haven't heard any complaints."

"Hmmph." Sam turned her face away from his touch.

"Watch and learn Samantha. Watch and learn." With a practiced air he sent the ball spinning down the alley, knocking down every pin.

"Showoff." Sam rolled her eyes.

"Your turn." He extended his hand to her.

Sam pulled her left arm back and threw the ball in what she hoped was the direction of the pins, her eyes half closed. There was a shriek and then a lot of grumbling and she realized that she had tossed the ball into a different lane. "Oops." She apologized, hurrying to extract her wayward ball from a very unpleasant looking gentleman. He just smiled and waved off her concern.

David tried to hold back his laughter. "Alright come here. Can't have you killing everyone in the place." Getting her ball from the ball return, he stepped behind her and placed the ball into her hands. Whispering into her ear, he smiled. "Now you have to open your eyes."

"Shut up. I don't want your help." Sam staved off his overbearing attempts.

"What you want and what you need are two different things." He teased, staying his ground. He ran his hand down her arms and held her wrist with his hand. "Now aim the ball with your hand towards where you want it to go."

"I did that." Sam grumbled.

"But you didn't focus. You rushed things when a good shot takes time to set up. Now focus on where you want the ball to go."

Sam pulled her hand back again, her hold on the ball steadier, and they watched in silence as it skidded down the lane and then inched toward the gutter. "No. No." Sam shook her head as if that would have some significance on where it ended up. One pin fell over but she assumed it was out of pity because the ball never touched it.

"Hey you did better." David pointed out. "Stick with me kid and you'll be throwing strikes in no time."

"I know." Sam made her way toward the plastic chairs and waited for him to take his turn.

"Are you pouting?" He asked over his shoulder as he tossed the ball down the lane, not paying attention to exactly what pins he hit. "Come on you didn't honestly think you would ace this the first time out did you?"

"Don't talk to me. I'm trying to concentrate."

"Oh sorry." Holding up his hands, he moved toward the chairs she just vacated. "Then I won't tell you to pull the ball back a little further before you release it."

"Hush. I can figure it out for myself." In a voice she knew he couldn't hear, she added, "I've been making it on my own my whole life. I can hit a few pins damn it."

Sitting back in his chair, he tried not to be a pig and admire the view. He'd let her do it her way a few more frames before he tried to step in again. As always she had to be stubborn before allowing him to help her in any way. But she wouldn't be Samantha if she made it easy on him. Nor would he be having so much fun.

"I feel you watching me. Watch the game." Sam instructed, releasing the ball.

"Hate to tell you this, but you are part of the game."

Sam was going to let him have it when a familiar buzzing interrupted her. "Your pager?" She assumed, her newfound glory at having knocked down all but one of the pins short-lived.

Glancing down, he noticed Cassidy's number flash across the screen. He bit back a groan. The younger officer had been bugging the hell out of him all week, trying every trick in the book to get out of his babysitting duty. Not going to happen. The commissioner had put him on the assignment and he was going to be the only one to take him off. He might be riding some goodwill with Mac and Alexis right now, but he wasn't a miracle worker. "It's nothing. If it's really important he'll call back."

The ball return spit out Sam's ball and she walked past David in slick satisfaction, her eyes on the one defiant pin. "She shoots...and she scores!" Sam all but jumped up at down at her victory.

"See, all you needed was a little practice."

Making her way over to him, she sat in his lap. "I hear that improves lots of things."

"That is the hot rumor."

*****

Taking a deep breath, he ran his hand through his hair. This had gone on long enough. He had given her some time to calm down and now it was time to talk about this. She was too important to him to just let her walk away like she did. No, Ric shook his head.

Just letting her walk away would be the easy way, and a huge mistake. Yes he had screwed up royally. Twice. He shouldn't have kissed Kate in the first place and more to the point he should have been the one to tell Maxie. It was a toss up over which was probably the bigger transgression in Maxie's eyes. She had every right to be mad at either of those decisions and he knew it.

She could yell at him. Throw things at him. He deserved it. It had taken months to earn her trust, convince her he saw her as something more than just a conquest, that he valued her. And he did. It had taken him as much by surprise as it did her. He had been nothing but honest with her from day one and this was how he repaid her? Lying to her? Deceiving her with his ex-wife? He knew Maxie. It didn't matter that he regretted it. It was the fact it happened in the first place.

He shouldn't have waited. He should have chased her down the hallway that day in his office. Jammed the elevator and had the fight out right then and there. Letting her wait meant letting her get even angrier at him for not coming after her, the way he promised her he would. Damn it, why had he let her leave? Why had he listened to that stupid little voice that told him to give her some time to cool down? He was starting to think it was the same little voice that had led him to that stupid kiss.

Stepping out of his car, he drew a deep breath as he made his way up the walk. He didn't see any cars but hers in the driveway so he was fairly confident she was home alone. Or at least at any rate that her father wasn't home. Ric didn't doubt that if Maxie had told her father anything about their current issues, the other man would arrest him without a second thought and hem him up on a trumped up charge of trespassing. Raising his hand to knock, he closed his eyes and sent a quick prayer up that this might be able to be worked out.

She looked up from the book she was reading, a pair of reading glasses pinching the bridge of her nose. The knock startled her. Had Alexis or Mac forgotten something? Now that was unlikely. She had promised to look after Kristina while they honeymooned just as they had promised Robin they would be back in time for her wedding. "Just a second."

Hearing the muffled voice, Ric took it as a good sign. At least she wasn't checking the door with a shotgun before opening it. That had to be a good sign right?

She poked her head out and drew back. "May I help you?"

Ric blinked in confusion. Who was this? He didn't recognize her at all. Who was she and what was she doing in Maxie's house? "I'm sorry. I'm looking for Maxie."

"Who are you?"

"Ric. Ric Lansing. I could ask the same about you Miss...?"

"Ric, huh? Maxie isn't here." Georgie moved to close the door.

"When is she coming back?" Ric stuck his foot in the door to keep this mysterious woman from closing it fully. Maybe this was Georgie. He had heard she was back in town and it would make sense that Maxie would talk to her sister at least.

"I don't think that's any of your business. Please leave." Georgie ordered.

"No. I just want to talk to her. I want to apologize."

"You're a few days late, aren't you? Besides, I already told you, she's not here."

"I know I screwed up and I should have come that day. And fine she's not here. But she has to come home sometime. I'll wait."

"Unless you're planning on residing in your car, you aren't likely to catch her anytime soon."

"What are you talking about?"

"What are you doing here? You made it pretty clear what this was between you and my sister."

So he was right. This was Georgie. "It is between us, but I'm trying to make it right. I just want a chance to talk to her."

"That's too bad. Maybe we can pencil you in for a week from never. Does that work for you?"

"Look she doesn't want to talk to me here, that's fine. I can deal with that. But she can't hide forever. She does have to go to work still."

"Yes, she does and I have you to thank for that. You couldn't just leave her alone, could you? No. You just had to keep pushing and pushing until she finally gave in. And when she did, what did you do?"

"I screwed up. I don't deny that. I take full responsibility for that."

"You act like you forgot her birthday. Unless I heard the story wrong, I'm assuming you weren't under a hypnotic spell when you chose to cheat on my sister."

"Georgie. I'm not saying what I did was right. I'm not going to offer up any excuses or justifications. There aren't any. I know why Maxie is angry with me and I get it. She has every right to be. But doesn't she also deserve to know that some guys genuinely regret hurting her? Because I do. Every since the second it happened I regretted what I knew this would do to her. And I know you have nothing to base this on, but Maxie does. And that's all I want to tell her."

"Can you put that all down in writing?"

"Would you actually give it to her?"

"Of course not. I make it my business to protect my sister from scumbags."

"Isn't that up to your sister to decide?"

"My sister isn't here, is she? That means it's up to me."

"Look I get it. You hate me because I hurt your sister. I don't blame you. But know this. I'm not giving up on her. I told you I'll wait until she comes back because she deserves to hear this from me in person. So I'll just move my car down to the street and wait for her there."

"I don't hate you for what you did to my sister." Georgie corrected him. "I hate you for what that final shove did to her."

"What are you talking about?"

"Maxie isn't just running errands or at work."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"How many different ways can I say it? Maxie isn't here. Not here at home. Not down the block at Kelly's. Not in this state."

"She's gone?" Ric felt as if Georgie's words smacked him across the face. She had really left?

"Yeah. She's gone. She said there wasn't anything keeping her here. Look for yourself if you don't believe me." Georgie moved away from the door and nodded toward the stairs.

Ric shook his head and took a step back. "No. No. I believe you. She's gone."

"I've never seen anyone pack that fast. In the end, I guess I should thank you for breaking her heart. Now she's off doing something she loves and you can't sneak in behind her and steal it away." Georgie slammed the door in his face.

Ric stood staring at the door, which still shook with the power Georgie had exerted to close it. It was almost ironic, in a way. After all her talk about him being the one to walk away, she had been the one to do it. "Damn it Blondie. You just had to have the last word didn't you?" he whispered.


	322. Why Do I Keep Counting

There was no point in wasting any time at Kelly's; Evan knew she wouldn't be there. She would avoid any establishment that could be traced back to her family. Best to steer clear of anything that fell under that category. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but she had evaded him. And from what he could tell, without much effort. He slammed his fists against the wheel as he turned his car into the opposite direction without giving a single driver a second of warning. He was met with horns and screeching tires, but he flashed his badge and everyone went silent. The day was still again.

What was her damn problem? It was the question he had been asking himself since the moment he had tracked her down after their night together. He could understand her being wary of him. That night hadn't gone the way he planned either and he wasn't proud of himself. Her being wary would make total sense. Her avoiding him had passed cute days ago. Right now he just wanted to find her and handcuff her to something.

He had always been slightly curious about their use, handcuffs that is. When they ran out of bad guys, exactly what purpose did they serve then? Get your mind out of your pants, a strict voice ordered. He shook his head to clear the dangerous thoughts, barely able to halt his car before he drove headfirst into a row of cars that littered every lane. A traffic jam. Just what he didn't need. He gave a courteous wave and swerved his car out of the mess, taking a back road.

Forget handcuffs. He was taking a bat to her pretty blonde head. She was driving him crazy! Just when he thought they were getting along, just when they could tolerate being in the same room together, that was when she ran off like a bat out of hell. It was the middle of the day. He didn't see her trying to score in broad daylight. Still, she didn't strike him as the sharpest crayon in the box. She was unpredictable and spontaneous. If she took half a second longer to think anything through, he bet she wouldn't be in as much trouble as she was already in. For the hundredth time, he wondered what the commissioner had been thinking. This assignment made no sense. He had crossed a line and he had paid for it. Damn it, he didn't even feel like a real cop anymore.

He had to stop feeling sorry for himself and find her as soon as possible. This was the only and last time he was paging Harper for anything. The man was little more than useless. He would have put 9-1-1 in the message, but he figured he could handle this if he had to. It just would have been nice to at least get a call back. Stopping the car suddenly, he barely escaped whiplash. "I sound like a woman." He muttered, taken completely aback. To make himself feel better, he let off a string of curses and then continued down the road. He would find her and when he did he didn't know what he'd do, but this was the last time she went off alone. If she had thought he was unbearable before, watch out.

His attention splintered when he noticed a white-haired man to the right of him standing on the edge of the sidewalk. Even though the man was a ways off, Evan could tell the man was unhappy. Maybe it was the red face or the fact that when he thought no one was looking he kicked the front tire of his motorcycle with his boot. Even though he knew he shouldn't stop, Evan was dying for a distraction. It wasn't like the commissioner was here to catch him. Taking a few minutes to help if he could would not be the end of the world. He parked his car a half a block down and returned to where he had seen the man. "Having trouble?"

"No. I'm just enjoying the view." Luke grumbled back.

"What seems to be wrong with it?" Evan ventured cautiously forward. Despite the white hair, he had a feeling the man was quick.

"Hell if I know. She just died on me. If I didn't know better I'd suspect my wife was behind it." The only link that kept him feeling the death of his motorcycle was directly tied to his beloved Laura was the simple reality that his wife didn't know the difference between a lug nut and a bolt.

"Mind if I take a look?" Evan offered.

"Go ahead."

Evan leaned over the bike and held in the clutch with one hand while he used the other to turn the key. Nothing happened. He wasn't an expert at motorcycles, but he had spent quite a few summers at his uncle Andy's who worked on them for a small profit from the local townspeople. Uncle Andy had died a year ago and his "workshop" had defaulted to his daughter, Ellie, who had spent only five minutes with him once and had no use for the space. "Maybe the battery?"

Luke shrugged his shoulders. The battery probably sounded better than his theory of Helena Cassadine plotting to destroy him on the road. "Could be. At least I'm sure it has gas. So we can rule that possibility out."

"There's a shop just down the street. I'm sure they would take a look at it for you." Evan told him.

"Are you offering me a ride there Dudley?"

"I was going to help you push it." Evan said quietly. "But if you don't want my help, I'm sure you're strong enough to do it by yourself."

"Of course I'm strong enough boy. But if you want to help I'm not going to stop you."

"When you put it that way..." Evan shook his head good-naturedly and helped the man shove the bike down the street. They passed two older women coming out of the salon winning some strange glances and a few blushes and more often than not the old man would run himself over with the front wheel and let out a curse so dark Evan was almost certain he had made it up.

"So what's your name Dudley? When I change details I'll need to know how disguise your identity properly."

"Evan Cassidy. And you?"

"Luke Spencer."

Evan didn't hesitate. "You're Luke Spencer? Well of course you are. Mr. Spencer, your reputation precedes you."

"As it should. As it should." Luke nodded, not the least bit surprised by the young man's recognition of his name. "And should I recognize you for any reason?"

"I don't see how." Evan countered. "I know your daughter."

"You know my Sweet Pea?" Luke's eyebrow shot up. "Do I need to reconsider running you over with this bike?"

"If you think you can get it started." Evan joked. "It's not like that."

"Why don't you tell me what it's like and I'll be the judge of that." Luke stopped in his tracks, much to the annoyance of the family that was following behind them.

"Fair enough. We're friends. We met at the community center. I volunteer twice a week in the Big Brother program."

Luke regarded him skeptically. "Community center? I don't remember Lulu mentioning any community center."

"The college gives extra credit for a certain number of volunteer hours."

"I'm sure they do. I just wasn't aware they gave credits to non-students."

Evan nodded and pointed to himself. "You mean me? I never said I was a college student. I said I volunteer at the community center."

"Very good. Trying to start confusion about the small details. A classic move if not predictable." Luke nodded and took two steps with his bike. "Mac's training you well over there at the Academy."

"I come from a long line of police officers. My father, my grandfather, and so on." Evan explained proudly.

"Well every family has their dirty habits." Luke shrugged.

"I've had to break up quite a few fights at your club."

"Now that's just good clean fun and not a way to impress me Dudley." Luke shook his head. "Now about you and my little girl..."

Evan had all too often been on this side of the conversation. If the situation was any different—but it wasn't. Almost every word out of his mouth had been a bold-faced lie. "What about Leslie?" He wasn't entirely sure why he insisted on calling her by her first name instead of the nickname her family had probably stuck her with at a very young age. Maybe because he knew it bugged her.

"Leslie? Oh I bet she loves that." Luke chuckled. Already he knew probably more than he cared to know about whatever was going on between this cop and his daughter.

"She hates it." Evan admitted. "But I'm sure she has a few names for me I don't know about." Like asshole. Or stalker. Or any number of things.

"I'm sure you'll be hearing those soon. For example the next time you call her Leslie."

"Something to look forward to. Listen, I should get going."

"Sure you should." Luke nodded. "Thanks for your help Dudley. I'm sure I'll see you around."

*****

Cruz had never had the pleasure of meeting Jasper Jacks personally, but he recognized the businessman's face from the paper. He hadn't been expecting the man to show up at his front door. "I assume you're here to see my wife." He began once he had opened the door.

"No. No." Jax shook his head. "While I enjoyed Bobbie's company immensely I'm actually here to see you."

"Me? What for?"

"May I come in?" Jax took a step forward before Cruz could protest. "I'd rather discuss business inside."

"And I'd rather have an answer to my question, but we don't always get what we want, Mr. Jacks."

"I always get what I want Mr. Rodriguez. Don't you read the papers?"

"I try to stay away from publicity stunts."

"Your friendship with Mr. Spencer says otherwise."

"What do you know about Lucky? Is that why you're here?"

"No. I have no interest in the business dealings of L&B records. Only the insane go into the music business. My reasons for being here run to a more local interest."

"Is that right? Well by all means, come in." Cruz barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. This guy had a lot of nerve showing up unannounced.

"Thank you. Now Mr. Rodriguez, I'd like to talk to you about your magazine."

Cruz felt the little hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention. "What about it?"

"I'd like to make you an offer."

"An offer to what?"

"An offer to help you financially. I understand you and several other publications have hit some hard times lately."

"I'm sorry, but your sources are wrong."

"Really? Then your biggest rival publication didn't just close its doors? You haven't been turned down by banks all over town?"

"What right do you have to poke your nose into my business?"

"It's my job. I look out for investment opportunities. And right now I see an opportunity." Jax responded calmly.

"This is going to be one of those times you don't get what you want." Cruz told him, ignoring the screaming voice inside his head that said he was in way over his head. He needed the money or he was going to have to start letting his staff go.

"Mr. Rodriguez, be reasonable. You've done great things with The Insider, but you've taken it as far as it as you can. You need money. Money you don't have. Money you can't seem to get. I can offer you money. My company will help you fix that staff issue you seem to keep having over and over again. I can help you achieve the goals you are setting."

"I don't need or want your help, Mr. Jacks. As you said, The Insider is mine, and I don't want some stranger coming in and pushing me away from something that I built from the ground up. So you can take your checkbook and shove it up your ass. I'm not interested."

"I don't think you understand Mr. Rodriguez. I don't really care if you're interested or not. Your investors will be. I'm giving you the chance to come out the hero and with your dignity intact." Jax stood up and approached Cruz slowly. "I'm offering you the opportunity to look like the better man."

"I already am. And if my investors believe you're the better choice, then so be it. But understand this: I'm not going out quietly. I may not have senators in my pocket and the local banks by the balls, but if you try to take my magazine from me, you're going to have a real fight on your hands. I believe you've said what you came here to say. Goodbye."

"Just one more thing. How well do you think you can provide for your daughter on pride? After all, it would be horrible if both her parents took the more difficult road here."

Jax smiled as his remark settled over Cruz in the exact manner he had intended. It was always amusing to see the idealistic ones start to question their own ideas and will to stay in this fight. Making his way to the door, he turned around and bowed slightly. "We'll meet again Mr. Rodriguez."

"I look forward to it." Cruz sneered, slamming the door shut and throwing his back against it.

Bobbie silently pulled herself back into the shadows once again. She was on her way down the stairs when she heard Jax's voice and stayed where she was once she realized exactly what they were discussing. Was this what her husband had been hiding from her? Was the magazine really in that much trouble? God why hadn't he told her any of this?

She wanted to go down there and offer him comfort, encouragement, anything. But she stayed where she was. The last thing he would want was for her to see him like this. She would give him some time to collect himself, and then they were going to sit down and talk about this. Make plans. Jax had clearly threatened her business as well. This wasn't just about him anymore. They were a family and it was time they started acting like one.


	323. Don't Be Shy

Patrick watched the twins suspiciously as they each sat in their bouncy chairs on the dining room table. He and Robin were taking turns feeding them, but right now it was her turn and he was doing his best to figure out her technique. For a woman who constantly complained about tired ankles and a sore back, she didn't miss a beat when it came to the twins. He wished he could be so lucky.

When Elizabeth shoved Gracie into his arms, he was at least twenty percent certain he could handle this. After all, Robin was here and she knew much more about babies than he did, right? Wrong. The moment Elizabeth was out of sight, Gracie threw back her head and wailed in such a way he had checked for cuts or scrapes, anything to explain her sudden distress. He had tried bouncing her, cooing to her, even rocking her in the chair he had put in the nursery, but it was to no avail. She wanted her mother and she wasn't subtle about it. He had checked her diaper, tried to burp her, and then started to really freak out.

He should have taken Jake, he realized. He was a much more agreeable child and his needs were pretty clear. Being the traitor that she was, Robin had snuck Jake upstairs and played with him until he fell asleep. Patrick had stolen the mobile from the nursery crib and played it over and over again, but Gracie would not be soothed. Maybe she was hungry. The thought was so fleeting, he almost missed it. Was there some kind of schedule they were supposed to know about? It would be in the diaper bag. It would have to be. What other suitcase had the twins arrived with? The diaper bag seemed to laugh at him when he fished out a neatly folded piece of notebook paper with their schedule written on it. Bless you Elizabeth, he had thought.

Robin brought two bottles to the table and handed one to Patrick. At first, Gracie wanted nothing to do with it. She swatted it away with her tiny fists and blew spit bubbles in defiance. Jake, of course, took the bottle Robin offered and even smiled for her. God knew what he was doing blessing them with a son and not a daughter. Gracie was cute enough, but if he couldn't handle a few days with his little niece, how was he supposed to cope after that?

"You have to tilt it up or she'll just get air." Robin told him without letting her eyes leave Jake's.

"Won't matter. She doesn't want it." Patrick protested.

"Try again. She's hungry. She has to be. You've tried everything else, right?"

"No, I was lying about that. Really I've just asked her to stop crying. What do you think?" Patrick brought the bottle closer and Gracie slowly parted her lips accepting it.

"There. See?" Robin smiled, making funny faces at Gracie.

"You could have at least warned me." Patrick complained, leaning his elbow against the edge of the bouncy chair.

"You would have said no and they need time to spend with Cameron." Robin clarified.

"I wouldn't have said no." Patrick argued.

"Patrick Drake, you are such a liar. Either you would have flat out said no or you would have gone to stay in a hotel for the next seven days to avoid having to take care of them."

"I would have brought you some nice flowers." Patrick conceded with a small grin.

"You could still." Robin pointed out. "Just so long as you have them delivered."

"I've been thinking..." Patrick began uncertainly.

"Yeah? What about?" Robin slowly pulled the bottle out of Jake's mouth when he started to doze and waited to see if he would ask for it back.

"Our baby." Patrick admitted.

"Just now?" Robin teased, helping him tilt Gracie's bottle up when she noticed it start to dip.

"Forget it." Patrick folded his arms and went still.

"Aww, honey, don't be like that." Robin barely held back a giggle. "Tell me."

"No. You don't want to know so I'm not telling you." Patrick shook his head.

"I bet I can make you tell me." Robin threatened with a smirk.

"Nice try, but Gracie and I are not that easily fooled."

"Tell me. Please?" Robin batted her eyelashes at him.

"Do you think we're ready?"

His question caught her by surprise. He wouldn't look at her, his gaze locked on Gracie. "I...um..." She stammered.

"I'll take that as a no."

"We will be ready when we need to be." Robin promised, resting her hand on his left arm. "Parenthood is supposed to be a learning experience and we're both quick studies."

"I worry about it sometimes: what kind of father I'll be."

"Patrick, you're already a great father." Robin insisted.

"I haven't had much of a role model." He reminded her. "I'm going to screw up."

"Where is this coming from?" Robin ventured timidly.

"When you were in Paris, let's just say I had a lot of time to think."

"And a lot of time to read. I saw the stack of baby books on the shelf." Robin jabbed him lightly in the side.

"I didn't ever intend on ever being a father. I had been on the receiving end my entire life and I thought it would be pretty cruel to bring a child into this world and treat it how my father treated us."

"You are not Noah." Robin countered. "You have this amazing capacity to love and protect your family. I've seen it. I feel it. Whatever doubts you're having right now are completely normal, but I want you to know..." She grabbed his chin loosely and turned his face toward her. "I don't have any about you."

"How is that possible?" Patrick demanded, stunned.

"I know you a lot better than you think. You are my family and I love you. The man you were before we started dating didn't just disappear. A lot of those qualities he had are the ones I fell in love with. I don't want you to discount the way your life was because if you were anyone else, I don't think I could love you the same way. I've seen the way you are around Morgan and Cameron, and Gracie looks so natural in your arms, even when she's fussy."

Despite the sweetness of the kiss they shared, he could feel her heart beat wildly against her ribs as she leaned into him. He barely missed the empty flying bottle Gracie kicked at his head. There was nothing they could do but laugh. Gracie, thinking this was great fun, kicked out her feet and smiled, her eyes dancing. Beside her, Jake lightly snored.

The knock interrupted any further discussion, as well as Bobbie's voice calling through the door. "Hello? I know you're home. I saw the car."

"Bobbie. Cruz. Hi!" Behind them, Lance was holding Majandra very carefully in his little arms. "Hey Lance."

"Hi Roby!" Lance looked up keeping his grip on his aunt tightly. "Where's Morgan?"

"He's at his friend Max's house tonight. Come on in. You want to see the twins?" Robin invited, wishing she had made Morgan stay home tonight.

"Majandra does too." Lance nodded. Catching sight of Patrick for the first time he walked over slowly. "Hi Patrick!"

Cruz tried not to laugh as he noticed Jake passed out in his chair and Gracie looking quizzically at everyone. It was the first time in weeks he had been genuinely amused at anything. "I see the changeover happened without any major trauma." He remarked lightly as he walked closer to the table.

"Cruz knew?" Patrick snapped, taking Majandra from Lance so he could climb into one of the chairs and look down at the babies.

"Of course I knew!" Cruz smiled.

"I'm going to remember this." Patrick warned them with a disapproving scowl.

"Tell it to Lucky. He's the one who told me." Cruz retorted. "I think he said something about payback."

"For what? What could I possibly have done this time?"

"I'm not quite sure. Something about high school and a locker was mentioned."

"He holds grudges worse than any woman I've ever seen." Patrick complained, grabbing Majandra before she could leap into Jake's chair.

"So what brings you two by?" Robin asked, meeting Bobbie's eyes.

"I needed to go over some wedding details with you. I brought Cruz along so Patrick wouldn't feel too ignored." Bobbie explained.

"More wedding stuff?" Patrick rolled his eyes. "What's left to do?"

"Men." Bobbie sighed with exasperation. "They just don't understand these things."

"If you didn't insist on getting married before the baby comes, we wouldn't have so much to do." Robin explained slowly.

"Why is it always my fault?"

"Because it usually is?" Cruz offered helpfully.

"Shut up. Morgan got a new racing game. You and Lance wanna play?"

"I do. I do." Lance said happily.

"Just because it says seven and up doesn't mean you have to play it." Robin grumbled.

"It beats wedding preparations." Patrick threw back.

"He's got a point." Cruz laughed.

"Take the babies upstairs, won't you?" Robin prompted.

"Yes." Bobbie nodded. "We need to work and unless you want to join us in the seating charts..."

"Come on Lance. Let's go upstairs!" Cruz stood up, getting Jake out of his seat. "Can you help with Majandra?"

"Why do we have to take the babies? God knows this will bore them right to sleep." Patrick remarked.

"If you want to avoid a fight, I suggest you take them upstairs." Robin said.

"Give me your keys." Patrick held out his hand.

"You think we would abandon you?"

"I do. Now give me your keys."

"Fine. Here." Robin handed them over. "Satisfied?"

"Yes." Patrick took Gracie out of her seat and followed Cruz and Lance upstairs.

Bobbie smiled over at Robin. "Good thing he underestimates me." She fished her keys out of her purse. "I think our discussion would be better served with some manicures don't you?"

"I thought you would never ask. Do you think it's crazy to get a pedicure if I can't see my feet?" Robin wondered, grabbing a light jacket from the hook and shutting the door quietly behind them.

"Not at all." Bobbie assured her. "After all it is important to look cute at all times. Even when giving birth."

"I'll have to remember that."

*****

The one time in their entire existence Jake and Gracie had picked to do something identical and it had to be now. The twins were howling in protest and nothing he or Patrick tried would work. Majandra was busy trying to see how close she could come to sticking items into the electrical socket before Lance could stop her and Lance thought that was one of the best games ever invented. Why hadn't he thought to take Bobbie's keys? Cruz wondered for the nine millionth time since they had discovered she and Robin had left. "Any ideas?" he asked desperately.

"There has to be something in the diaper bag. Stay here. I'll get it." Patrick made a beeline for the stairs.

"Don't leave me alone with them! Don't leave me alone!" Cruz begged to his retreating back.

Patrick had a wicked urge to abandon his friend, but then the diaper bag came into view and he felt bad for it. He snatched it up and carried it upstairs. Together, they pulled things out of it, most of it flying past Lance's head. "Where is it?"

"What are we looking for?"

"You know Lucky pretty well don't you? Don't you think our friend would have a secret weapon for when the twins get this way?"

"The sneak. Of course he would." Cruz stopped and tried to rack his brain for any ideas. "A tape. Or a CD. Look for that."

"Here we go." Patrick held up the tape as if he had discovered a bar of gold. He read the tiny white label taped to the front of it. "'Daddy Knows Best.'"

"Can I put it in?" Lance wanted to know, making a grab for the tape.

"Sure. There's a stereo on that table over there." Patrick pointed.

A very cheesy instrumental started; they stared at the stereo in wonder. _"You can't fool me. I saw you when you came out."_ Patrick's mouth fell open. "What fresh—heck is this?"

Cruz couldn't hold it back. Laughter spewed from his mouth so hard he nearly dropped Jake on his head. "Oh. Oh. Oh. This...this is gold."

"We've got to make copies." Patrick decided.

"What's funny? Who's singing?" Lance asked.

"And distribute them. I think they would be great wedding favors." Cruz pointed out. Looking down at Lance, he smiled. "That's your cousin Lucky singing."

They weren't sure if he was in on the joke, but he laughed anyway. "That's funny."

"You have no idea Lance. None." Cruz shook his head. "There is no way he knows this exists."

"I don't care what Elizabeth said. I'm buying out a toy store for the kids."

"I'll help."

*****

"Do you think they're alive?" Robin whispered, again closing the door very quietly.

"I told Lance to call Dillon if things got out of control." Bobbie whispered. "Dillon would have notified us."

"It's just so quiet. Do you smell that?" Robin sniffed the air for good measure.

"Smell what?"

"Food. Somebody's cooking." Much like a cartoon, Robin followed the invisible trail to the kitchen.

Bobbie looked around the apartment. "Then are you sure we entered the right place?" she asked trailing behind Robin.

"Well, well, well." Patrick greeted them suspiciously, taking a few seconds to stir the spaghetti sauce. "If it isn't the two sneaks."

"What are you cooking?" Robin wanted to know.

"Something far too good for the likes of you." Cruz pointed out. "Abandoning us with all the children?"

"We had confidence you would do fine. Besides we left with you with Lance." Bobbie protested.

"Right. A six-year-old. Great idea." Patrick rolled his eyes. "Back off lady. I'm not feeding you." He told Robin as she stepped closer to the stove.

"A six-year-old with very specific instructions about when to call for help and who to call."

"Where are the kids?" Robin questioned.

"Gracie, Jake, and Majandra are all sleeping. Lance is in Morgan's room playing a video game." Cruz listed off. Even though it still made him laugh, that tape of Lucky's really had calmed all the kids down. It was downright freaky.

"How'd you do that?" Robin narrowed her eyes.

"Secret weapon." Cruz answered cryptically.

"Yes. A very good one."

"Mind sharing it with us?" Robin begged.

"Oh, we'll be sharing it with quite a lot of people actually." Patrick and Cruz shared a grin.

"I don't like the sound of that." Bobbie said warily. "What exactly did you use?"

"Daddy Knows Best." Patrick answered vaguely. "Isn't that how it goes Cruz?"

"That's what I've always said." Cruz nodded. "Words to live by."


	324. What Was I Thinking?

It was quite a strange transition going from bowling to her first day on a new undercover assignment. This was always the most exhilarating part: the beginning. The lying. The convincing. The fear. The cool feel of a gun pressing snugly against her back. David had insisted on the gun, just in case, even though he was never far. She hadn't seen Cassidy yet, but he was here somewhere. It was good she hadn't spotted him immediately. Mary Muffett hadn't made her entrance yet. Sam began to wonder if she was across town scoring something while they were working. Probably. She wouldn't put it past her.

She had spent all of her free time staring at Vermin's picture so she would recognize him immediately. It would be dangerous to get caught up with the wrong kind of people without knowing the players. That's what her plan was for tonight: find the rest of the players. It would easier to manipulate and eventually turn them against each other if she knew what kind of thugs she was dealing with.

David wanted to pick them off one by one, but she had warned him against it. They would get suspicious if their pathetic little posse started disappearing. Best to wait it out and see who would take the bait. She bit back a smile, remembering how angry he had gotten when she had referred to herself that way. Even though that's exactly what she was. Her beauty was all too often her greatest weapon. It was amazing she wasn't vain--but then how could she have been with the life she had had to deal with as a child? She told herself not to even entertain a life with Alexis, especially not right now. One change in expression could be all it would take to blow her cover and, even though she trusted her expertise with a gun, she didn't want to have to use it.

She was wearing a tad bit more clothing than she had on their assignment with the street pimp and David had been just fine with it until he realized she hadn't worn it for him. Her black boots were longer than the dress she wore. It was white and clingy and dipped just below her ass. She noticed a growing circle of partygoers and danced her way toward them. She had never realized just how short she was until she was standing face-to-back with a six foot nothing giant dressed in all black leather. He wasn't going to intimidate her. She wouldn't let him. The gun might go unused, but the six-inch switchblade stuck into the side of her right boot wouldn't.

"You're new." The giant grunted.

"I'm not new. You probably just couldn't see me under that chin." Sam remarked.

His eyes narrowed in annoyance as her words hit the desired mark and he took a step toward her. "You don't know who you're messing with girlie..."

"Oh lay off." Lulu's voiced sailed over about the deafening music. "You're just mad she's not drooling all over you like the rest of your harem."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Little Miss Firecracker." The giant leaned back and folded his arms around the barrel he considered his chest. "You've been scarce lately. I thought you found some new friends."

"No. More like had to ditch some unwanted ones." Lulu muttered just under her breath enough for Sam to hear. "You know how the life is. I'm here now. And I have money. Isn't that all that matters?"

"That's right. I'll get Vermin." The room seemed to shift as he turned his attention to the crowd where Vermin must have been stashed.

"He makes an awfully nice secretary, doesn't he?" Sam teased.

"Are you stupid or something?" Lulu spat as she whirled around to face Sam, dragging her away from the crowd. "What the hell where you thinking going up to him like that right away?"

"Why not?" Sam challenged.

"Number one he's a creep. Vermin doesn't even really like him. And when Vermin doesn't like you..." Lulu let her voice trail off as if to prove her point. "Number two no woman just talks to Derek, not unless you want to end up in his 'office' which by the way is the backseat of a Chevy Nova."

"He struck me as a Ford man. Will wonders never cease."

"Look I have a good thing going here and you and your cop friends aren't going to mess it up for me."

"Then by all means, out me. Save yourself the complex this case will likely cause you." Sam dared her.

"And get labeled a rat by association? I'm not a moron. Besides Cassidy will probably get you all outed anyway."

"Good. I'm missing House." Sam rolled her eyes.

Seeing Derek beckon her forward, Lulu made her way back towards the crowd. "Stay away. I mean it." She hissed to Sam.

"Thanks for helping me win that bet by the way." Sam called after her.

"What bet?"

"That you would jump to my defense if I was in trouble. I mean, I could have handled myself, but you didn't know that. Looks like you're not completely dead inside which is good. It'll make working together a lot easier."

"It was a free pass. It meant nothing." Lulu assured her.

"We'll see."

*****

He was going to strangle her once he got her home. First he was going to get her out of that dress and then he was going to strangle her, David decided. Referring to herself as bait. Swearing she had studied everything he had given her. Then wearing that, well it barely qualified as an outfit that wouldn't force him to use public indecency laws. And then she shimmied her way right up to Derek Underwood. Good Lord would she ever just stick to the plan?

It was such a good plan too. A safe one. Cassidy would be near by and able to step in if things got out of hand. That is if he didn't step in first. All she had to do was approach the group Lulu Spencer joined. That was it. The two of them didn't even need to talk. All Sam was supposed to do was meet the girls. The weakest links, the ones most likely to be addicts. Addicts couldn't keep quiet. And it would be easy to flip them. But no. Samantha just had to prove to him how capable she was of handling herself once again. He would even bet she snuck that switchblade into her boot again.

Spotting Cassidy standing just a few feet away, David made his approach. Where the hell had he been? "What's wrong with you?" he spat out once he got close enough. Hell he had even warned the younger man about Samantha's disturbing mistrust of a plan. "You were supposed to be close enough to stop her from getting near that dirt bag."

"I'm supposed to be able to read minds? And she did just fine. If you didn't think she could handle this, you shouldn't have included her." Secretly, Evan was grinning. What's that? Harper needed him? Well he would just ignore that need and go about his way just as the senior detective had done.

"Don't think I didn't notice you didn't come here with Lulu tonight." David shot back. "Having some issues keeping her in line too?"

"Keeping her in line, no. Keeping her in one spot, yes. I do think I've found a secret weapon."

"Handcuffs?"

"Might as well use them for something, right?"

"I can think of a few uses for them."

"Shit." Evan muttered, his eyes scanning the crowd.

"Lose her?"

"Story of my life. It's times like this when I wonder why I worked so hard to get into the police academy. At least babysitting in the real world would pay more than I make." With that, Evan strolled off to find Lulu.

Ignoring Cassidy's quest to find his missing assignment, David locked his sight on Samantha and made his way to where she was dancing. Oh she had some explaining to do. Catching her from behind, he rested his hand on her hip lightly before whispering in her ear, "Do you like giving me heat attacks?"

"I live for it." Sam grinned. "For an undercover detective, you should be more worried about not blowing your cover."

"Maybe if you stuck to a plan once in awhile you wouldn't have that worry."

"I just wanted to see which team Lulu was pitching for. I promise. I wasn't in any real danger." Sam insisted, leading him away from witnesses.

"That you know of." He pointed out.

"I could have handled it."

"I know you could have. I just don't want you to have to use that switchblade you think you snuck past me."

"I just don't like guns."

"Well Vermin does and I don't want you bringing a knife to a gun fight."

"Would you have saved me?"

Pulling her closer to him, he wrapped his arms around her so his hands rested on the small of her back. "Haven't I always?"

"Yeah? Shouting and reading them their rights? Using your handcuffs? Maybe your gun?"

"Definitely the gun. Maybe the rights. And I'd save the handcuffs for something else."

"Maybe we go home and you can read me my rights?" Sam whispered against his ear.

*****

Beyond his frustration at losing her again—did it really count as losing her when she was the one who kept running off?—he was a little (okay very) surprised with the way she had walked up and basically saved Sam from herself. There was no real reason for her to do so, especially if all of her whining about being followed and babysat was true. She had set the trap herself and walked right into it. He smiled. Sam was right: Lulu wasn't nearly as cold-hearted as she was trying to project. He wished he had known her before the drugs because there must have been a time when she was different, nicer, maybe even a little trusting.

Not that he deserved her trust. Following her around and looking out for her wasn't his favorite pastime and he wasn't doing it out of the goodness of his heart. If the commissioner wasn't making him hang around Lulu, he would have split weeks ago. He was the worst kind of man for taking advantage of her and he could almost convince himself that, no, he was a good guy and had never done anything like that but was enchanted—for lack of a better understanding of the foreign feeling—and thus distracted by her take-it-or-leave-it attitude. Almost. If he were such a man, he wouldn't have slipped in the first place.

Thinking about that night would be a waste of time. There was nothing he could do to change it. She wouldn't let him make up for it. He could tell her he was sorry for the rest of his life and he bet she'd never hear a word of it. She was determined to push him as far away from him as she could, along with the rest of the world. He wondered what inspired such a tragic life choice, but decided it wasn't his business. Drugs did different things to different people and he didn't need to know her story. He shouldn't care. It was just since meeting her father that he had started to think about the kind of daughter Lulu must have been, what kind of person before the drugs started to take over. He bet she was a lot like her father...at least at one time.

Shit. Until he heard the click of a gun being triggered, Evan didn't realize he was in trouble. He had been walking in this particular direction for some time now. He was at least two blocks from the bar where his only backup was and he highly doubted Harper would come to his rescue. He was on his own.

"On your knees." He recognized the voice well and did as he was told.

"What's your problem man?" Evan asked, keeping his voice and expression blank. Surprisingly enough, this was not the first time he had had a gun aimed at his head. All he had to find was a weakness. Underwood was only twice his size after all. So what if most of his size was due to muscle? It could be worse. He could have friends.

"I don't like your face. Hand over the gun." Underwood ordered.

"What gun?" Evan challenged, wondering what state he had caught the giant at. Was he stoned? Drunk? Uncertain? Blitzed out of his mind?

"The one you're trying to hide under that nice jacket." Underwood clarified.

"Do you like it? I thought about leather, but it is summer." Evan joked.

"Easier to repair." Underwood said after a minute of contemplation. "Now, the gun."

"I don't think I really want to do that. This isn't exactly a safe neighborhood."

"I grew up in this neighborhood." Underwood growled.

"Well it's one thing if you come out your size." Evan pointed out.

It had been easier than it should have been to give her Commissioner appointed babysitter the slip. If there was one redeeming quality to Evan Cassidy, Lulu thought with a smile, it was he obviously hadn't had much of an exposure to stories of the Spencer family. Anyone who had wouldn't constantly give her golden opportunities to escape so easily. The highlight of her day was imagining the look on his face whenever he realized she was gone again. Not that she spent time thinking about him.

"Here." Evan handed over the gun, keeping it tightly grasped in his hand. "Separation issues. You understand."

He was smug. Irritating as all hell. Still a bastard. So what if he was somewhat good looking she told herself as she rounded the corner, nearly bouncing off the brick wall. That didn't overcome his more...her thoughts trailed off as two figures blurrily filled her eyes. Blinking to clear the fog, gradually she recognized Cassidy. The annoyance she felt on seeing him slowly giving way to alarm as she realized who had him at gunpoint. She hadn't been joking earlier when she said Cassidy would probably blow everyone's cover for them not her. But that still didn't mean she wanted another crime on her conscience. Yanking one of the shoulders of her aquamarine shirt down to expose her collarbone, she stumbled in their direction. "Derek. I've been looking for you."

"I've been busy taking out the trash." Derek explained his eyes glued on Evan.

"That's not very nice. I didn't insult you. I thought we were friends." Evan complained.

"Do it later. I need you now." Lulu pouted.

"Busy little girl. You've got more than enough there to keep you busy for the rest of the night. Last thing I need is you OD'ing on this shit."

"You know Vermin's just being a hard ass." Taking another step toward him, she rested a hand on his meaty arm. "I'd be so grateful if you would help me out."

"I guess I could. It's not like Sergeant Dick is going anywhere." Underwood reasoned, advancing on Lulu.

Evan let him take half a step and then he kicked him in the back of the knee, sending the giant stumbling forward. He caught himself and spun around, Evan's gun dangling from his hand, but Evan already had his backup piece and fired a shot, barely knicking his shoulder. For the yelp that emerged one might have thought he had been shot through the heart. He finally fell forward, howling and carrying on about his "wound." With his knee pressing into Underwood's back, Evan wrapped both arms around the pumpkin sized head and squeezed until the giant gave up and lost consciousness.

"Took you long enough." Lulu sniped as she grabbed his hand and led him down the alleyway.

"Thanks." Evan said once they cleared the street.

"Don't read anything into this. You're still a pain in my ass. I just didn't want to call Mac to clean up your mess."

"He wouldn't answer. He's on his honeymoon."

"Minor detail."

"And I think I did pretty well."

"Let's get this straight. I saved your ass."

"Why?"

The truth was she didn't really know. She hadn't even stopped to think, the instinct to step in had just taken over. And she didn't even really want to analyze that instinct. "I told you. I didn't want to worry Mac."

"Loyalty to someone other than yourself? I never thought I'd see the day. Here's what I think Leslie: Whether or not you want to, you care about me."

"Dream on."

"You know, the only difference between this and my dreams is your clothing." Evan smirked, not caring that he was crossing a line. It was fun to watch her eyes ignite in anger.

She balled her fingers up into a fist and held it until she felt blood. "Then keep dreaming cause that will never happen."

"Doesn't it count that the dreams are always complimentary?"

"No. Because I don't want compliments from pigs."

"I bet if you gave me half a chance, you'd get a taste for bacon." Evan smirked.

Lulu fixed her best glare on him, before advancing slowly. "Can't be that good if I draw a total blank when I think of you."

"Maybe if you didn't make it a point to be blitzed all the time, you would remember some important details." Evan remarked harshly.

"I'm not blitzed. I only use when things get to me and I can handle this. No one is asking you to save me."

"Maybe I saw someone worth saving. I don't see her now."

"Just keep out of my way." She warned turning on her heel, determined to lose him once more in the exiting crowd of the pool hall across the street.

"I don't think so Princess." Evan countered, snapping a pair of handcuffs on her left wrist.

"What? What the hell are you doing?" She yelled indignantly. "You can't arrest me."

"I'm not arresting you." Evan assured her, snapping the remaining bracelet on his right wrist.

"Oh excuse me! I don't know how I could think that!" Lulu rolled her eyes.

"Time to call it a night."

"I'm not into kinky games."

"You just haven't tried enough. Come on. I'm taking you home."

"I'm not a child!"

"Maybe not, but you are still my responsibility." Standing at the edge of the sidewalk, he hailed a cab. He turned back to her just long enough to say, "Or I could call Luke and tell him how you're really spending your nights."

"Luke?" Lulu parroted. "You're on a first-name basis with my father?"

"What can I say? We have a few things in common. Let's go."


	325. Momma Said There'd Be Days Like This

"I'm going to smother you in gasoline." Maxie growled at the jade Pinto as it rolled to a halt in front of the only rest stop for twenty miles. "Yes, first I'm going to kick you a few more times and then I'm going to push you off a cliff. 'It's a reliable car,' they said. 'A classic.' A piece of shit." She decided, pushing open the creaky driver's side door and slamming it shut. The right side window, the only one that rolled up and down properly, shook in response. "Go ahead!" She shouted at it. "Break! I don't care. Never spent so much money on such a piece of shit." Maxie fished out a handful of quarters and walked over to the phone, fuming all the way. She pulled a bottle of antibacterial spray from her purse and drenched the phone in it before bringing it to her ear and dialing the familiar number.

"Hello?" Georgie answered distractedly, re-reading the letter for the fifteenth time. She had to have read it wrong. It just could say that. How was she going to explain this to Steven?

"Georgie, hi!" Maxie said in a cheerful tone.

"Maxie? Maxie?" Georgie shook herself to concentrate on her sister. Maxie had torn out of town a week ago and she hadn't heard from her since. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Yes, everything is just...wonderful. How are you?"

"Fine. Yeah I'm fine." If by fine she meant her plans for the rest of the school year were falling apart spectacularly around her, then sure Georgie was fine. "Where are you?"

"Ironically enough, I'm in Tucson." Maxie tried to find humor in it, but there was none. The car hadn't given her a bit of trouble until she entered this damn state.

"Oh. That's...I'm sure that will be funny one day."

"Somehow I doubt that. How are things with you? How's Kristina? Steven?"

"Kristina is good. She misses you like crazy. Says I can't do the voices like you."

"And Steven?"

"He's good. He got a new job lined up that will be huge for him." And one that her wonderful crazy husband would quit in a second if he ever saw this letter. He couldn't see it. He just couldn't. This was way too important to him.

"In Port Charles?"

"No um, Australia actually."

"AUSTRALIA?"

"Yeah. Australia. Baz Luhrmann wants him on his new movie. It's a huge step for him."

"No joke. So are you going with him?"

"That's the plan." Georgie tried to keep her voice from wavering.

"Sounds like a good plan to me. I'll have to come and see you once I get settled. Did you explain to Dad and Alexis about my leaving? I'm sorry about sticking you with that responsibility." She really was. It was her mess, not Georgie's.

"Well if they had actually called, I would have. But surprisingly enough, we've not heard from them. But no worries, I'll tell Alexis first and then Dad."

"Good. That's good. I wish you were here with me. This trip has been pretty crazy so far."

"I'm sure. Tell me about it."

"Well, I stopped at the Hershey's Factory in Pennsylvania. In Ohio I was mistaken for Meg Ryan. I'm hoping the pre-bob Meg Ryan. Instead of going through Illinois as was my original plan, I got a little, well okay very lost, in Kentucky. Which is how I ended up in Arizona. Instead of catching up with the original route, I just picked up this highway and that and now I'm seven hours from Los Angeles."

"Well at least you're close. That's like what a day or so left of driving?"

"I think I might just drive through tonight. The car's starting to give me problems and I don't want to break down."

"Well, no. Breaking down in the desert is the start of many awful horror movies. Just promise you'll be careful."

"I'm always careful."

"Maxie. This is me."

"From now on I'll be careful. No more ignoring my instincts."

"Oh Maxie. I wish I knew how to help you."

"You have helped me. More than you realize. I don't think I could have kept it together if you hadn't been there."

"I just...I just wish you didn't have to leave so fast."

"You know why."

"I do." Georgie sighed. It wouldn't do Maxie any good to know Ric had shown up the day after she had left. "So tell me, what are your plans once you hit L.A.?"

"Getting an apartment, setting up for my new job. The usual."

"Of course I'll expect you to call me every day. So I can assure Dad you are being safe of course. Otherwise he'll be on the first flight out to drag you back."

"No worries. Everyday. I promise."

"You better. Or I won't offer you a place to visit in Australia."

"I'd find you."

"I know. You better get going if you want to make it in before dawn tomorrow."

"Call me before you leave for Australia, will you? I can tell you what to pack."

"Yeah I'll call you." Once again, she re-read the letter. She couldn't let this ruin everything. She just couldn't. "Love you Maxie."

"I—I love you too." Maxie broke off. She didn't know why she was suddenly in tears. No more phone calls until she got to L.A.

*****

"Would you get that?" Accompanied by her voice, Robin's left hand slammed into Patrick's chest. He groaned in response. She thought about rolling over, but that would require too much movement and she was sore in places she had forgotten about.

"Get what?" Patrick asked his eyes still closed. He didn't care that it was six in the evening; he was exhausted. Four hours of sleep was cruel when you were used to getting eight, but two hours seemed to make those four hours seem like a godsend.

"The phone." Robin explained. "It's ringing."

"So what? It'll go to the machine." Patrick protested groggily.

"It could be important." Robin argued.

"So they'll leave a message." Patrick insisted. "You know if we don't sleep now we'll never be able to stay up with the babies."

"I know if we let it ring any longer, they're going to wake up anyway." Robin pointed out, reaching for the phone herself. "Hello."

"Luv?" Anna's voice held concern. "Is everything alright? You sound terrible."

"Leave it to you to always be blatantly honest. Everything's fine, Mom. How are you?"

"It sure doesn't sound fine. Where's Patrick? Isn't he helping? If he's going to be a father, he might as well get used to—"

"Mom. Mom. He's right here with me. We were just catching a quick nap."

"A nap with babies? Good luck with that my dear." As Anna offered the half-spent wisdom, Patrick grumbled about pulling the plug out of the wall next time.

"It's so good to hear from you." Robin said, fighting through a yawn.

"It's good to hear your voice my darling." The pride in Anna's voice made Robin smile a bit. "If I had known you were sleeping, of course I wouldn't have…"

"I know, Mom. It's okay. I'll take a conversation with you over sleep any day."

"That makes one of us." Patrick growled into his pillow. Robin put her index finger to her lips, silencing him. He gave her a "get real" look and closed his eyes.

"The reason I'm calling is because your uncle Mac tells me your maid of honor—"

"Elizabeth." Robin supplied.

"Yes. Well he tells me she abandoned you days before your wedding."

"She didn't abandon me. She and Lucky just wanted to spend some time with Cameron alone. His grandparents have been trying to brainwash him into believing that Elizabeth doesn't love him."

"My darling Robin." Anna said condescendingly. "You're always making excuses for other people. I should know. You've made plenty for your father and I haven't you?" There was sadness in her voice and it made Robin's heart break.

"You're both wonderful parents."

"We weren't when you were a little girl." Anna countered. "But it's going to be different now."

"Different?" At Robin's tone, Patrick opened one eye and stared at her anxiously.

"Yes. I know I've made a lot of mistakes, but I want you to know that I'm not going to pull the disappearing act on you or your children. Not anymore." Anna vowed confidently.

"We know you're busy. We're happy to see you when you're in town, but I don't want you turning your life upside-down keeping impossible promises."

"There's nothing impossible about it. I've been talking to a realtor—"

"You're moving?" Robin interrupted.

"Your father will be returning to the field soon and I just want to be near family."

"Near family?" Robin said.

"Is there an echo on this phone? Yes, near family. You are my family. You and Mac and the boys."

"And Patrick." Robin reminded her mother.

"Not officially. Not yet. You could still change your mind."

"MOM!" Robin scolded.

"Don't get mad at me. I'm never going to believe any man is good enough for my only daughter." Anna explained calmly.

"Where were you thinking of moving?"

"What do you mean? Port Charles of course." Anna replied.

"P-Port Charles?" Robin stuttered, unable to look at Patrick.

"Are you alright?"

"Yep. Sure. I'm fine. Mom, that's incredible."

"I know it's sudden and there wasn't a lot of warning, but I'm here now."

"What do you mean, you're here now?"

"I'm at the door. Come and let me in won't you? Your neighbors probably think I've gone senile."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Robin demanded, hopping out of the bed.

"I wanted to give a chance to wake up." As Anna said it, Robin pulled the door open. "There's my beautiful daughter." She complimented, shutting her cell phone.

"Hi." Robin threw her arms around her mother and held her tightly. "How long have you been in town? When did you get here? Does Dad know?" She was still asking questions when they broke apart from each other.

"Breathe, Robin. I got in an hour ago. I drove myself here from the airport. I just got here. Yes your father knows. I called him when the plane landed. He's staying over at Mac's."

"Why didn't you call me? I would have come to get you. What a trip that must have been for you." Anna had barely had a chance to close the door when Robin pushed a steamy cup of tea into her hands.

"I am a grown woman. I am more than capable of driving myself." Anna reminded her daughter, sipping her tea in grateful gulps.

"I know that. I just mean that you shouldn't have had to." Robin explained. "Come sit down. Tell me all about your campaign. Dad says you were—"

"That's all over. I'm so over politics. This country isn't ready for my style yet, but one day they will be." Anna cut her off.

"What are you going to do now?" Robin couldn't place her uneasy feeling. Her parents had always been career driven. She wasn't used to Anna Scorpio having more than a few minutes to talk.

"I haven't figured that out yet. Until I do, I thought I could help with the boys."

"You're more than welcome to visit with your grandsons, but we've got it under control. We really don't need—"

"You haven't a clue what you need. You won't until my beautiful new grandson makes his appearance."

"Parenting is a learning process and Patrick and I are both very capable people." Robin insisted.

"I love you, but you are being rather naïve about all of this aren't you? There are going to be instances where what's happening won't be found in one of your baby books. What are you going to do then? You're going to need someone who has been there."

Robin didn't let the initial response fly from her lips because it would have been mean. The truth was, for the first year of her life, she had been raised by the nanny. "I think we'll get along just fine. We could use any advice you're willing to give."

"Where is that wayward fiancé of yours?" Anna demanded when the twins started to cry in unison.

"He probably fell back asleep." Robin wished she could take the words back. "We haven't been..."

"Fell asleep? Parenting is a team sport. He should be helping, not hindering." Anna declared, making a run for the stairs.

"Mom, please. I'll go and get them and then we can have a nice long chat, okay?"

"Nonsense. I'm here to help." Anna waved off Robin's suggestion and followed her to the second floor.

Robin watched helplessly as her mother moved about the room as if she had a thorough knowledge of it and tended to Jake first. "Well there's a handsome boy." She cooed, picking him up. Robin watched in wordless wonder as Anna soothed the fussy infant into silent compliance. "That's better. You were just lonely, huh?" Anna's eyes found Robin's. "Aren't you going to check on the other one?"

"Yes. Yes of course." Robin rambled, taking Gracie from the crib and walking over to rocking chair.

"Don't sit there. You've got to walk and rock." Anna demonstrated. Jake lay content in her arms.

"I don't want to drop her." Robin whined tiredly. "At least if we both fall asleep in the chair..." But Anna was paying her no attention. Feeling as if she were still a child herself, Robin listened to her mother but Gracie would not be tricked. She knew Robin was an amateur and she was milking that for all it was worth.

"Is something sticking her? She sounds like she's in agony." Anna noticed.

"You should hear her when her meal is five seconds late." Robin stated.

"Here, I'll take her." Anna offered.

"No. I can do it." Robin nearly growled.

"It's not as easy as you thought it'd be, is it?"

"Don't make fun of me. It's only been a few days. I'm going to have a lot more time with my son. I'm going to get the hang of it."

"Of course you will. She probably just misses her parents." Anna figured.

"Why won't she stop crying?" Robin was in tears herself, rocking Gracie the only way she knew how. "All she does is cry. There's nothing I can do to stop it. She hates me. Babies hate me."

"Oh Robin." Anna laid Jake in the crib and took Gracie. "She's just not used to change. It's nothing to do with you."

"Then why isn't she crying now?" Robin snapped, stomping out of the room. Anna followed, her hand lightly patting Gracie's back.

"Babies pick up on stress." Anna explained.

"I can't even get my own niece to stop crying and she knows me. I've held her plenty of times."

"In the presence of her parents. She just misses them. That's all."

"Look at me."

"I am looking at you."

"I'm covered in formula and...phlegm. I haven't had a shower since last night. I'm losing track of what day it is."

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. What you're going through is nothing every parent hasn't gone through at some point or another. You'll get the hang of it."

"What if I don't? What if I'm a terrible mother?" Robin whimpered.

"How can you even think that? Look at how you are with Morgan."

"He came to me walking, talking, and thinking for himself."

"It's normal to worry. It's a natural reaction to parenthood."

"Really?" Robin wiped her eyes and nose with the sleeve of her lightweight sweater.

"Really. You've just got to know what they want. For instance, the twins only cried until they got some attention. Sometimes it's food, or a dirty diaper, but more often than that, it's just your presence. They need to know they aren't alone."

"I'm so scared I'm going to mess this up." Robin admitted.

"What's the worst that can happen in a week's time?"

"I mean this baby." Robin pointed to her stomach.

"You underestimate the bond between a mother and her child. You'll know. You'll struggle. You and Patrick both will, but in the end, you'll understand."

"Do you swear?"

"I swear. Here. Take her." Anna handed Gracie to Robin. "Use these two as your crash course. Not literally of course." She laughed and Robin was shocked when she laughed too.

"Mom."

"I know. I'm awesome. Let's have that talk now."


	326. I Want You To Be My Love

"We're going to see Mickey again right? We're going to see Mickey again." Cameron practically danced his way through the entrance gate to the amusement of the gate attendants. It had been three days since they had stood in line to see the Mouse himself, and every day since then Cameron had asked the same question.

"We'll try." Lucky promised him, grabbing hold of his hand in an attempt to keep him from sprinting out into the crowds and straight up Main Street. He was feeling enough pressure for this day to go well without adding the stress of seeing Cameron swallowed up by a sea of strangers.

"That's right. We'll try. Besides there are lots we haven't seen yet." Elizabeth pointed out. "There's the Magic Carpet Ride, riding Pirates again...."

"And the Haunted Mansion!" Cameron chimed in immediately, distracted for the moment.

"Yes. The Haunted Mansion too." Elizabeth laughed, grabbing hold of Cameron's other hand while shooting Lucky a wink. "We have a lot to do today."

Lucky fell a step behind, watching the two of them walk and plan their day for a moment. Although he, Elizabeth, and Cameron had missed the twins terribly (not that Cameron would ever admit it), this was the right thing to do. No it hadn't magically erased everything Tony and Lisa had told him, but the previous week had made great progress in proving their words false. At first Cameron had been reluctant to sit near Elizabeth, especially on rides where you could only sit two to a car. But at some point, maybe during the three trips on the Tower of Terror, Cameron had started to cling to Elizabeth more than him. Which Lucky was fine with, more than fine with. It was just one more hurdle cleared before his plan could be put in to action.

And it was a hell of a lot more enjoyable than the other major hurdle. At least this one didn't come complete with phone calls. Lucky almost expected his phone to ring just because he was thinking about him. Patrick and Robin hadn't called as often as Steven had. And the calls from his cousin were far more pleasant. At least for him. Lucky had no doubt Steven was immensely enjoying nettling him.

_"Hello?" Lucky answered his phone distracted. Even though they were in the middle of Disney World, Cameron was completely excited about seeing Finding Nemo on TV. Elizabeth had snuck down to the store in the lobby to find some snacks for the movie and for tomorrow's day of riding rides and hunting down characters._

_"If I start calling you Lucky, will you answer a simple question for me?"_

_"Steven don't you have a father-in-law to impress?"_

_"He's on his honeymoon."_

_"Then don't you have a wife or something? I thought spending any time with me was on par with making you watch horrid 80s teen movies."_

_"It's not like we're in the same room. Are you going to quit beating around the bush or should I call back? I know how you like to put things off."_

_"Go ahead and ask. Elizabeth will be back soon and I don't want to give her any false hope about the two of us getting along."_

_"Are you planning on marrying my sister before the twins start driving?"_

_"Depends. Does it mean the end of our bonding?"_

_"This isn't about us. It's about my sister."_

_"Who deserves the best."_

_"Who deserves to be with the father of her children." Steven corrected._

_Lucky chose not to rise to Steven's obvious bait but it was hard. "You know I have a plan here." He pointed out evenly. "I told you and Audrey that over a week ago."_

_"I know that's what you said. I also know you're not known for your reliability and my grandmother loves everyone."_

_"So you've decided to call me everyday until it happens? You realize I give Elizabeth about two seconds before she calls you, Audrey, and everyone in town. You'll know Steven."_

_"Like I knew the instant you knocked up my sister?"_

_"Point taken." Lucky acknowledged. "Look I'm planning on asking tomorrow."_

_"How?"_

_"I wasn't aware I had to run it by you for approval."_

_"God knows you need a little help if it's taken you this long."_

_"If you must know, and since you have no life then apparently you must, tomorrow in front of the Cinderella castle."_

_"You know nothing about my life. My reasons for wanting to protect my sister are none of your business."_

_"I'm not Max."_

_"I'm not talking about Max."_

_"Don't even try it. You'd have better luck with someone who doesn't share your desire to see him go out like Jason Morgan."_

_"If only. Elizabeth has been promised a lot of things and very rarely have they come through for her."_

_"I've never promised Elizabeth anything I wasn't prepared to make happen."_

_"Being a husband isn't just about titles."_

_"You don't say." Lucky drawled out._

_"You think you've got it all figured out, smart ass?"_

_"No I don't. Did you?"_

_"Of course. I'm naturally wonderful at everything."_

_"Except you know, telling people you got married."_

_"That was more to do with how people would react. And what am I telling you for? I don't owe you an explanation."_

_"Look I know I don't have all the answers. But as long as Elizabeth is with me, then I'll figure them out. But first she has to say yes you know."_

_"Are you worried she'll come to her senses?"_

_"More like she's going to convince herself it's about something other than what it is. Love."_

_"Then don't let her. If you want her, let her know it."_

_He bit back a more colorful reply. His relationship with Steven was on shaky enough footing as it was. "That's the plan. Tomorrow."_

_"Then good luck. Don't break my sister's heart."_

_"Never."  
_

It was all well and good to talk about tomorrow with Steven, it was even easy to tease Elizabeth's older brother about his obsessive need to know about when and where his plan was going to take place, but now it was tomorrow. The only thing that he was depending on was how long it was going to take Cameron run down Main Street and make his way up the ramp to the castle. That was it. It was now officially only a matter of time and he was a nervous wreck.

What if Steven was right? What if Elizabeth did come to her senses and realize he was just a total idiot? What if she was still convinced this wasn't what she wanted? What if her reasons for not getting married had absolutely nothing to do with being pregnant or it not being the right time and everything to do with the fact that she didn't want to marry him? His feet rooted to ground as the nerves overtook him. Was he about to make a bigger fool out of himself than Patrick and Cruz ever managed to do before?

This would be a fine time for Robin to tell him that he was being insane but Robin wasn't here right now. She was thousands of miles away, watching the twins and doing final wedding preparations of her own. Plus, he hadn't mentioned this whole idea to her otherwise she probably would have called just as often as Steven had. Maybe he should have told her. Then she would have told to stop being ridiculous and just do it.

"Hey slowpoke!" Elizabeth called over her shoulder. It was taking all her strength to keep Cameron from pulling her arm off and taking off in a run straight for the castle. From their spot in front of the Walt Disney statue, he could clearly see Cinderella and Prince Charming standing near the entrance to the castle, signing autographs and posing for pictures.

"You coming?"

"Yeah Daddy. Come on! Lizzie and I want to see Cinderella!"

Shaking his head, Lucky smiled. "Yeah. I'm coming."

Laughing at him, Elizabeth turned her attention back toward Cameron. Letting him lead her straight up the ramp and right to the crowd of children oohing and awwing around the princess and her prince. It was a little ridiculous how excited she felt about this but if pressed she was going to blame far too many hours watching Disney movies. She was fairly certain Cameron had seen every one ever made.

Giggling she pulled the camera out of her pocket, determined to get at least one shot that was at the perfect moment and not four minutes after it, as was her current trademark. The number of pictures she had deleted—the back of the characters' heads—caused many a laugh for Lucky. She felt, rather than saw Lucky come behind her and rest his hands on her hips. Leaning back on him, she smiled as Cameron ran up to meet Cinderella.

"Attention. Attention." Prince Charming took a step forward and gestured with his hands to try to get the noise down.

Once the crowd settled as much as it was going to, Prince Charming took another step forward. "As you know, I found my princess after a long, arduous treacherous search. So I always look to help other men like myself when they are looking for their true love."

Cinderella took a step closer to the crowd. "I hear there is one such gentleman here today."

A collective "aww" sounded through the crowd as most of the adults realized what was happening and began to look around for who was about to receive the surprise of a lifetime. Elizabeth shared a laugh with the couple standing next to her as she began to look back and forth, looking for someone to appear from inside the castle entrance way.

Lucky cleared his throat from behind her. "Umm Elizabeth?"

"Yeah?" she answered distractedly, still trying to spot the man Prince Charming had been talking about.

"Turn around please?"

"Lucky. I'm trying to watch here."

"Elizabeth, just trust me on this one. Turn around."

"Lucky, what is…?" Her voice died in her throat as she turned around and noticed Lucky down on one knee, a little velvet box in his hand. Turning her head quickly, she realized the entire crowd was now focusing entirely on them, including Cameron who had a puzzled expression on his face. She raised a trembling hand up to her mouth and realized her eyes must be the size of saucers. "Oh my god. Oh my god."

"Elizabeth, when I met you, running into your classroom late, I thought I knew what it was I wanted. But I was wrong. Since that day, life's been interesting but it's never been boring. You've made me a better person and a better father. And before you say it, I didn't just to come to this because we won the trial. This is something I've wanted to do for a long time now. I want us to be a family. I want us to be forever."

She knew there were tears streaming down her eyes but she didn't care. He didn't even have to open the box. She knew her answer the second he started talking. "Yes. Yes."


	327. I Dare You

Wednesday was the most hated day of the week because it meant there were still two long, hard days to go, two more days of waking up with an alarm clock. Two more days of dead-ends and roadblocks, traffic jams and inconsiderate drivers. To soothe the sting of such an awful day restaurants all over the free world offered specials, radio stations rounded up free prizes, and the world momentarily forgot it was Wednesday.

This Wednesday had started out as any other. A steady rain had joined the over caffeinated worker bees of Port Charles this morning and followed them into the late afternoon, only dissipating at the echoing five o'clock bell heard round the world. According to the local radio station, there had been three major accidents and a handful of fender-benders, but no one had died on such a dismal day.

Jazz music sucked, Sam decided, turning off the radio completely. She didn't understand why it was so popular when it made her want to break things. She had run out of things to do, distractions to participate in. The envelope hadn't moved from its original spot during her cleaning fiasco. She had hoped maybe it would. Then it would have been a normal Wednesday evening.

The next-door neighbor, Mrs. Cole, a woman well into her nineties, had done the unthinkable today when she walked her Poodle, Rose, an extra mile putting that at one and a quarter mile for the day. Mrs. Cole didn't like Sam and she had a pretty good idea why. At first, when David had worked late and not made his presence known to the old battle-ax, she had greeted Sam every morning with a quick wave and an oatmeal cookie. Now, it was as if she was punishing Sam for having a live-in, well, boyfriend—maybe. It hadn't even mattered that they were strictly partners for the better part of their time spent in Port Charles; the woman wouldn't budge and thus held the oatmeal cookies for ransom. A warm oatmeal cookie and a cold glass of milk would put her at ease. It wasn't fair!

Sam wasn't sure how, but there was a tiny rip at the seam of the envelope. She supposed it could have happened when it was delivered to her, before she had realized what lay inside the safe white envelope. Once she figured it out, she threw it onto the table and refused to take even a peek inside. No reason to ask for trouble. As long as it stayed sealed, she didn't have to deal with ramifications.

Fear was like a familiar dance partner. She knew all of its tricks, but all too often fell for them anyway. She was slightly cautious but such a danger junkie she ignored her instincts and landed head-first into some very sticky situations. It was amazing neither she nor David had gotten shot when she went off on her own to prove that she was just as capable as any man. It wasn't respect she longed for, though she knew he thought so. It was as if she were playing a game to see how far she could push herself before inherent caution pulled her back.

What could a little piece of paper really do to her? Change her life completely. If she didn't open it, didn't that make her a coward? Only if there was someone here to witness it. What outcome did she want? Whichever one was the least complicated and hurt the least amount of people. What if the results were as she suspected? She and Alexis would live out their lives in a perpetual state of emptiness. If she was wrong, if she truly was Alexis Davis's daughter, she would gain not only a mother but three younger sisters too. What could a little piece of paper really do for her?

"Hello." David called out as he entered living room, still his bedroom for now. Thankfully his shift today had been remarkably calm, which probably meant there was some drama to come later tonight. He had assumed that would mean another night of bitching phone calls from Cassidy, but now looking at Samantha's still frame, he wondered if he had bet on the wrong horse. "Samantha? Something going on?"

"No." She lied shaking her head.

Looking at her skeptically, he stepped closer to her. He ran one of his hands up and down her arms. "You sure?"

"Yeah. Everything's fine."

David followed her gaze to the envelope that sat on the table. "Then why are you staring at that envelope like it's about to bite you?"

"The DNA results." Sam admitted, stuffing her shaking hands into the front pockets of her pants.

"Have you read them yet?"

"Can't."

"Can't or won't?"

Sam glared at him. "What do you think?"

"Stage fright."

"It doesn't matter what they say. Everything's about to change."

"True. But ignoring it isn't going to stop it Samantha." David pointed out. "Even if you burned it on the roof, Alexis probably has the same envelope waiting for her. One way or another you will find out the truth."

"I guess a part of me never wanted to know. As long as I kept looking, I could keep up hope that I wouldn't..." Sam snatched the envelope up and threw it into the trashcan.

"Hey." David walked over and calmly plucked the letter out. "You thought wouldn't what? Find out the truth?"

"Be alone."

"Who ever said you were alone Samantha?" David wondered pulling her into his arms.

"What if I'm not what she wanted? I mean, she barely knows me. She doesn't know what I've done." Sam mumbled into his shirt.

"What she wanted was to find the truth, same as you. The rest is going to be up to the two of you. But for the record I don't think she's going to want to become your instant best friend."

"Thank you for not sugarcoating it."

"I know better than to do that. You'd kick me in my sleep."

"You'd have to sleep for me to do that." Sam pointed out, having woken up to him watching her sleep more times than she could count.

"Are you offering to tire me out there?" He winked at her outrageously.

"Like I could." Sam rolled her eyes.

"You're welcome to try anytime."

"Anytime?" Sam wondered, looping her arms around his waist.

"Anytime after you open this envelope." He clarified, pulling back just far enough to hold it in front of her face. "But good attempt on trying to distract me from it."

"Fine, but I'm only doing this for you." Sam insisted sliding her thumb across the seal until it released its hold. She pulled out the single folded paper and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

"Hey." David put his finger underneath her chin. "No matter what that says, we're in this together."

"You don't have to say that." Sam assured him.

"I know. That's not why I said it." He kissed the top of her forehead. "Just open it."

The paper was folded into three perfect rectangles. Sam undid each one very slowly, reading the results silently to herself. "David." She breathed.

"Yes?"

"I found my mother."

*****

"What are you doing Mommy?" Kristina badgered, climbing into bed with Alexis. Her mommy reached over and tugged her closer, too close. Kristina tried to wiggle away. "Mommy, I can't breathe."

"Sorry." Alexis loosened her hold and Kristina rolled over, taking her pillow. "I'm just thinking about things."

"What kind of things?" Kristina spied the printout in her mother's hands, but it looked very confusing to her.

Alexis weighed her options. Either she told Kristina the truth or she waited until she was feeling a little less dizzy. Kristina had met Sam one time before according to Maxie, but Alexis had no idea how she would react to finding out that her new friend Sam was also her oldest sister. It could be devastating, for both of them. "Boring grown-up stuff." It could wait.

Kristina considered this and then said, "I brought you a coloring book Mommy." She reached behind her and presented her gift.

"You did?" Alexis smiled. "For me?"

"I thought it might make you happy." Kristina told her.

"It does. So much. Thank you munchkin." Alexis hugged Kristina tight, but released her quicker than before. She flipped through the Disney Princess book and noticed that it was a new one.

"Do you like it Mommy?" Kristina wanted to know.

"I sure do. When did you get this?"

"A few minutes ago. Daddy took me to get some candy." Kristina explained, her words bringing tears to Alexis's eyes.

"Did he? Where is your daddy?"

"Did I hear someone call me?" Mac interrupted from the doorway. "Did you give Mommy her present?" He asked Kristina when he joined them on the bed.

"She sure did." Alexis held up the coloring book. "And it's just what I've been waiting for. I can add it to my collection." Alexis pulled her feet beneath her and walked over to the bookshelf to make room between her law books for this newest present.

"How are you feeling Mommy?" Kristina tugged at Alexis's hands until she bent down and she was able to put her hand to her forehead.

"I'm just fine baby." Alexis promised. "I feel wonderful. Thank you."

"Does this mean we don't have to go to the hospital anymore?" Kristina implored nervously.

Mac and Alexis shared a private look over Kristina's head. "That's right." Alexis promised.

"So you're all better?" Kristina prompted.

"I feel good right now." Alexis diverted, hugging Kristina again, fighting back a different kind of tears.

"Kristina, would you mind if I talk to Mommy for a little while? Maybe you can get to work on that homework I saw sticking out of your backpack?" Mac suggested with a knowing lift of his .

"Okay." Kristina sighed, leaving the room. "I'll come right back Mommy."

"Did you meet her teacher?" Alexis wanted to know, her heart shattering at the idea of having to miss such an important time in her daughter's life. She had never before missed the annual meeting of the new teacher. It was tradition to take Kristina out for ice cream right after.

"Miss Applewood, yes." Mac supplied. "She was very nice."

"Applewood? She sounds like a granola bar." Alexis stated.

"I'm sure she'll marry as soon as she finds someone willing." Mac chuckled. "I told her you wanted to talk to her too and she said she'd call tomorrow around two. She's very excited about meeting you."

"I bet." Alexis drawled. "I must be quite intriguing as the bed-bound mother."

"I've been selling tickets left and right." Mac teased. "Besides, I kind of like you waiting in bed for me."

"Only you can make cancer sexy." Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Years of experience my dear." Mac leaned over and kissed her. "How are you feeling, for real?"

"Not bad. This was couriered over." She handed him the printout.

Mac took a second to read it over. He smiled. "Sam is your daughter. This is wonderful. Isn't it?"

"A part of me had accepted that she was already gone. I buried her over twenty years ago. To see her walking and talking...Mac, I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"What you're doing."

"What am I doing?"

"You're processing. No one's expecting you to become mother and daughter overnight, at least not emotionally. There are a lot of things you still have to get to know about each other. Aren't you excited?"

"I am." Alexis whispered. "Excited and terrified. Is she ever going to understand why I wasn't there?"

"Your father told you she was dead." Mac pointed out.

"But you saw through that. Why couldn't I?"

"You were just a scared kid. And he knew he had enough control over you to make you believe whatever he told you. He needed Sam to die so that he wouldn't feel...disgraced."

"For someone who's never met my father, you sure know a lot about him." Alexis taunted.

"I know his kind. I've been putting them away for more than half my life."

"And I love you for that. I love you for a lot of things."

"You know, I saw that stack of homework. I bet it takes her awhile."

"I bet it doesn't. She's brilliant."

"What if I hinted something about a dog?"

"Malcolm Scorpio, we are not getting a dog!"

"Why not Alexis Scorpio?"

"Who's going to take care of it? Puppy's are messy and the fence is broken in case you haven't noticed."

"Semantics. I could fix it up in no time."

"I always did have a weakness for construction workers." Alexis murmured, closing the door.


	328. Wedding Dress

**Since The Internet Didn't Implode....**

"And just what do you think you're doing?" Robin asked, smiling. She pulled the covers up to her chin and let her eyes follow Patrick's every move as he crossed the room.

"Me?" Patrick whispered innocently. "Nothing. Nothing." As he drew closer to the bed, he watched her eyes narrow playfully.

"You know you're not supposed to be here." Robin informed him.

"I know." Patrick replied. "You're absolutely right. Did I mention I rarely follow the rules?"

"It's bad luck." Robin cautioned, leaning back so that he was looming over her. "You're supposed to be with Lucky and Cruz."

"I'd rather be here with you." Patrick told her. "You're a hell of a lot more fun to be around."

"Is that right?"

"There are far more possibilities."

"Are there? Well, what is it you can do with me that you can't do with your best friends?" She could feel his breath on her lips and watched as he braced his hands on the mattress enveloping her though he had not yet touched her.

"You want me to stay." He insisted raggedly against her ear.

"But I need my beauty sleep." Robin halfheartedly argued.

"No you don't. You're perfect." Patrick yanked the blankets away, his gaze making Robin's breath catch.

"Now how can I believe that when I know you're only here for one thing?" Robin challenged as her arms looped around his neck.

"You want me to prove it to you?" Patrick assumed and Robin nodded. He leaned in and pressed his mouth to her neck.

"If I'm to make an informed decision, yes." Robin managed weakly.

He looped his fingers around one jade strap of her nightgown and drew the thin piece of silk down her arm, his lips following its descent. While he feasted on her skin, his hands found the edge of her nightgown and she moaned helplessly beneath the pressure of his knowledgeable fingers. Her left hand slid down his back; her right pulled impatiently at his t-shirt. "I don't know how I'm going to do it."

"What?" She croaked.

"I don't know how I'm going to get through an entire ceremony without ravishing you in front of everyone." He explained, his thumb unerringly finding her nipple.

"If you want that honeymoon, you'll be good." Robin instructed, sighing at the feel of his warm skin under her fingertips.

"But I don't want to be good." Patrick assured her.

"You smell good." Robin mumbled distractedly.

"You do too." Patrick slid up her body and kissed her hungrily. "But you taste even better."

"Patrick, are you marrying me for my body?" Robin laughed.

"Yes. I think there are other reasons too, but they escape me at the moment."

"You don't think I'm fat?"

Patrick caught the uncertainty in her voice. "Not at all. There's not a thing about your body I would change."

"Would you love me even if I weren't pretty?"

"Uh huh. Would you love me if I lost all my hair?"

"Yes. I would rub your head for good luck."

"Come here. I think you need a good rubdown." Patrick decided, sweeping the nightgown over her head.

"You say such nice things."

*****

"Wakey wakey." Elizabeth teased her best friend in a sing song voice. "Someone is getting married today."

"Tired." Robin whined, swatted Elizabeth's hand away from shoulder.

"That's what you get when your fiancé sneaks over in the middle of the night."  
"That's not my fault. I did tell him to go away." Robin countered.

"Sure you did." Elizabeth laughed as she continued to nudge Robin's shoulder. "Come on. You got to get up. Your mother made a schedule and I'm not going to be the one to tell her it's not being followed. She's a little scary."

"She's not scary. Why is everyone afraid of my mother?" Robin could remember just a few days ago when her mother had come to stay and help them with the twins. By the end of the week, she had them whipped into shape and Patrick hiding in their room.

"I think it has something to do with the gun and her ease at suggesting its use."

"She isn't carrying a gun. What? She's not."

"Maybe not but she sure likes to convince everyone she is. Now get up. It's your wedding day and we cannot have the boys outshine us."

"You're right." Robin slowly sat up. "What's first?"

"Breakfast?"

"Sounds good. I have stuff to make French toast. I mean, they aren't as great as Patrick's French toast. Honestly, I don't know what he does, but it just comes out tasting better than mine."

"Well we'll just have to compare them to mine because you are not making them." Elizabeth declared as she stood up and started towards the door.

"Where's Morgan?" Robin wondered following Elizabeth downstairs.

"He's upstairs still sleeping." Elizabeth nodded. "I figured he would wake up as soon as he smelled food."

"You know him well." Robin agreed. "I would kill for coffee right now." She stroked her stomach lovingly. "Do Mommy a favor and don't make an early appearance okay?"

"Yes let's not turn this into a soap opera sweeps event." Elizabeth teased as she began to assemble the necessary ingredients to make French toast. She had her own engagement ring tucked safely under her shirt on a chain. As much as she wanted to tell Robin the news, today was about Robin and Patrick and no one else.

"How was your trip?"

"It was great. Wonderful. Best trip I've ever had. What about you? The twins didn't act up too much did they?"

"No. They tried to tag-team us, but we got the hang of it I think. Just so you know, next time we watch them, you're staying in sight at all times, got it?"

"See I told you I would have neurotic children." Elizabeth shook her finger in Robin's direction. "I sent the secret weapon. Why didn't you use it?"

"What secret weapon?"

"'What secret weapon?' I finally got Lucky on tape. I put it in the diaper bag."

"No you didn't. I would have seen it."

"I totally did. I labeled it Daddy Knows Best and everything." Elizabeth insisted.

"Well I never found it. And what do you mean you got Lucky on tape?"

"Singing. I got him singing a lullaby on tape." Elizabeth explained as she mixed the ingredients together.

"You're kidding."

"Nope. I out-sneaked the sneak." Of course he had to one-up her with his proposal so Lucky was still the bigger sneak, but little victories, Elizabeth told herself, little victories.

"Do you still have it? I've got to hear this."

"Of course I made a copy for myself." Elizabeth nodded her head in the direction of her purse. "It's in my purse. I keep it there for security reasons."

"I'm sure. That smells yummy." No sooner than the words were out of her mouth, Morgan came skipping down the stairs. "Well hello there Sir. So nice of you to join us. Are you hungry? Aunt Elizabeth is making breakfast."

Morgan rubbed his sleepy eyes. "Yeah." He said through a yawn.

"Good because I'm making enough to feed an army." Elizabeth declared, flipping the slices of bread on the stove. "How many do you want Morgan?"

"This many." He held up two fingers.

"That many it is. So Morgan you ready for today?"

"I guess so."

"What do you mean you guess so?" Elizabeth asked as she passed a plate over toward Morgan. "You have a huge role in this thing."

"That's what Patrick said. He told me that he didn't want to replace my daddy, but I think I'm still going to call him Patrick."

Robin smoothed his hair away from his eyes. "You can absolutely do that. I want you to be okay with this."

"It's just a wedding." Morgan answered noncommittally.

"Such a boy." Elizabeth laughed as she passed a plate over to Robin. "It is never just a wedding."

"I bet the guys are having this same conversation." Robin said, taking a big bite. "This is good."

"Considering they were all passed out in my house when I left, I doubt it. I'm thinking they are still asleep."

"If he's late, so help me." Robin shook her fork in warning.

"Oh don't worry about that." Elizabeth assured her friend. "Anna gave Lucky and Cruz their schedule to follow. And the only person I know they fear more than Laura is Anna."

Robin stared down at her plate and wondered how she had eaten it so fast. She had barely gotten a chance to taste it. "I'm so nervous." She admitted.

"Why? Today is going to go perfectly."

"Famous last words."

"True enough. What are you over analyzing now?"

"I don't know. I know in my heart it'll be fine."

"Then listen to your heart." Elizabeth advised. "And your maid of honor. If you don't want anything else to eat, go upstairs and take a long bubble bath to relax."

"Are you sure you don't need...?"

"No. This is your day and I believe the job description of maid of honor is to help the bride. Consider this help. Now scoot. Morgan and I got this."

*****

Robin picked up the phone and then set it back down, careful to not drop it into the bath water. This was silly. She had just seen him a few hours ago. He had snuck out before their family could catch him, but a part of wished he was still here. Such a sap, she chided herself, grinning. You're going to see him in a few hours. You're supposed to be relaxing. She snatched up the phone and dialed his cell. "I'm just going to make sure he's awake." She said to no one.

At first, she wasn't sure if he had answered or not. The click she heard only stilled the ringing. "Hello?"

"Good morning." Robin could only hope her voice was lulling. He didn't sound pleased to be woken up at all. "How did you sleep?"

"You know better than that." Patrick yawned.

"I'm calling because..." Robin faltered.

"You miss me?" Patrick finished for her.

"Oh please. I just saw you."

"Yeah, that's true, but you did more than see me." Patrick reminded her.

"What are you doing right now?"

"Well I was telling the stripper she had better go on home because I'm getting married today." Patrick joked.

"Right." Robin rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see her. "Patrick, I'm a little nervous."

"What are you nervous about?"

"I don't know. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid. Tell me."

"How do you know...how do you know we're going to make it?" She could barely get the words out.

"Robin." Patrick murmured.

"I'm serious. There are no guarantees. What if you get bored with me?"

"How could I? Robin, we're written in the stars. It's destiny."

"You know I don't believe in any of that."

"Then believe in me." Patrick suggested. "I love you. I want you. We've been a family for a while now. All we're doing is making it official."

"I love you too."

"What are you doing right now?" Patrick wondered.

"Me? I'm in the tub. A bubble bath."

"Sounds good to me. I'll be right there."

"Patrick." Robin lightly scolded.

"I'm only half kidding. You want me there, I'll come."

"I know you will. I love you. I'll see you later."

"How will I know which one's you?"

"I'll be the one in all white."

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"We're getting married today."


	329. Last Resort

It was a slightly stupid idea. If Robin or Georgie saw him, he ran a very good chance of causing a scene. However, Maxie wasn't giving him much choice in the matter. If he wanted to talk to her, he was going to have to crash this wedding, Ric reasoned as he milled between the arriving guests.

Knowing Maxie, she'd never miss her cousin's wedding. Even with her legitimate hatred of him, she'd die before she'd let him keep her away from something this big. Plus she'd never be able to resist rating all the different outfits of the guest, mentally planning on how she would have dressed them better. She would be in her element, and not expecting him, the only way he knew she would come near him.

Ric knew he had screwed up, and screwed up royally. And he realized Maxie had every reason to be mad at him. But he still wanted, no he corrected himself, needed to try to apologize, try to make things right. He was miserable without her. It was a daily struggle to not verbally berate a patient for repeating a question they asked the last time he saw them. He had become close friends with the clerk at the liquor store around the corner from his home. Even if she didn't accept his apology he had to at least try or this feeling was going to eat him alive.

In the midst of all the tuxedos and mall-bought dresses, he spotted her, a glittering gem that would be the rival to the bride. Moving quickly, Ric kept his eyes on her the entire time, tracing her every move. Had she lost weight since he saw her? Was her hair different? The ice blue dress hugged her every curve and accentuated them to their best advantage. Had she picked this dress in the hope he would see her in it?

Coming close enough to touch her, Ric momentarily closed his eyes and debated the wisdom of his plan. This could end in disaster, but he was counting on Maxie not wanting to ruin this for Robin. Sneaking out his hand, he rested his finger on her bare shoulder. "Maxie."

Maxie spun around, his voice and touch too lethal a combination to ignore. "What are you doing here, Ric?" She whispered, keeping a smile on her face for the rest of the guests.

"I needed to talk to you."

"Not right now." Maxie said through gritted teeth.

"Yes right now. I'm not going to let you disappear on me again."

"Let me?" Maxie balked.

"Yes let you. If we don't talk now, I'll follow you to wherever it is you're hiding." Ric declared hotly.

"Leave me alone." Maxie started toward her seat.

"Not until we talk." It was a dangerous move, Ric realized, but he had to do it. He reached out his hand and grabbed her wrist. "I want to work this out with you, but it's a little hard to do that if you keep running away."

"I don't know what you're talking about. 'This' is over."

"You don't really want that do you?"

"Yes. Now please go away. I'm trying to enjoy my cousin's wedding."

"Look me in the eye and say it." Ric challenged her. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't miss me and wish that we can work this out."

"Why? Why do you want me now?" Maxie demanded angrily.

"I've always wanted you."

"You had me." Maxie pointed out. "And we saw how well that worked out."

"Kate was a mistake. A onetime mistake."

"I don't want to talk about your ex-wife. Maybe some of this has nothing to do with her. Did you ever think of that?

"Then what does it have to do with?"

"Look," Maxie took a deep breath. "It was fun while it lasted."

"It doesn't have to end. Not like this."

"I've moved on."

"Moved on?"

"Yes, moved on. You should too."

She finally turned her back to him and made her way to the rows of chairs. Ric felt the air leave his lungs as he watched her walk away without a single glance back. "I don't know if I can do that Blondie." He whispered. "I don't know if I can."

*****

Checking his watch, David fought against an impatient sigh. In all other areas of her life, Samantha McCall had proven to be the exception to every rule he had ever heard. Except this one. It didn't matter where they were going, he had better lie to her and give her the wrong time or they would never arrive anywhere on time. While some of their investigations didn't quite require punctuality, he was pretty sure a wedding demanded being on time, or as close to it as possible.

"Samantha." He called up to her. "We need to go if we're going to make it on time."

"I'll be right down." Sam promised, clipping her hair into an elegant bun.

David sat down in the chair, determined to get comfortable. He had heard that promise before and reckoned he had at least another ten minutes before she determined herself ready to leave.

"I can't get this right." Sam explained, though she bet he had no intention of rushing her. She wasn't entirely certain she should go to this wedding. Yes Robin had invited her, but she had a feeling it was only at Alexis's request. She had to think of her as Alexis because any other title would be far too strange to use. She didn't know if she'd ever feel comfortable calling her Mom.

"I'm sure you look gorgeous." David reassured although he knew from experience she had no intention of letting him see her until she was completely ready. More times than not, it was so she could slip out of their apartment in something she knew he would hate.

"Maybe we shouldn't go." Sam reasoned, stabbing the tender skin at the base of her skull in an attempt to anchor a rebellious cinnamon strand. Alexis hadn't called, but then Sam hadn't waited by the phone or attempted a conversation of any kind on her end. If she chickened out at the last minute, who would really miss her?

"Shouldn't go?" David parroted, twisting his tie. "Why?"

"Well it's not like we play big parts in the wedding. Robin will have plenty of people there. I don't want to be in the way."

"But Robin invited you. She wanted you there."

"Robin barely knows me. She only invited me because of Alexis."

"Then Alexis wants you there. Which I thought is what you wanted."

"She extended the invitation before the results came in." Sam pointed out.

"Samantha. You take the practice of self-defeated thinking and make in an art form."

"I don't mean to." Sam promised. "I just don't know my role anymore. I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing. A little slip of paper says that I'm Alexis's daughter and Kristina's sister and I'm just supposed to start inviting myself over for meals?"

"In the first place, you didn't invite yourself, Robin invited you." Holding up his hand as if she was standing right in front of him, he waved it to stop any protest he could imagine forming on her lips. "By whatever way and for whatever motives, she invited you. And I doubt Alexis has any more of an idea of what to do here than you do."

"I'm ready."

*****

Tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, Lulu managed to duck the parade of relatives streaming into the park. The last thing she needed was to have a conversation with someone she was actually related to. Some of the more distant relatives she could fool into thinking everything was fine, but her more immediate family would find it hard to believe her explanation of running late being related to something as mundane as work.

Meeting with Vermin had taken longer than she expected. He was expecting more and more from her, and she was getting less and less in return. Apparently Derek hadn't been too talkative about what happened in the alleyway but the looks he was giving her as well, spelled one thing: trouble. Damn Evan Cassidy.

Thankfully her annoying shadow had once again been easy to ditch. A few misplaced directions, a few false hints, and the little bugger had gone scampering off to campus just like she predicted. Now all she had to do was pay attention to where her purse was and be happy for her cousin.

Laura spotted her daughter before anyone else did. Standing and raising her arms like a concert conductor, she called, "Lulu! Over here! Come sit here." Luke glanced up from the handheld Yatzee game he had snuck over and, following his wife's gaze, he wondered when exactly the spark had gone out of his little girl's eyes.

"Mom. Dad." Lulu hoped she kept the shock out of her voice. She had always thought Lucky and Patrick were just paranoid when they claimed Laura had a sixth sense about when her children didn't want to deal with her for whatever reason. Lord she hated for them to be right about anything. Making her way over to where her parents sat, she tried to take a mental inventory of her appearance. Her dress was appropriate right? She had put on makeup this morning and wasn't wearing the remnants of last night. Her shoes were on the right feet and actually matched her outfit.

"You're pale as a ghost. What's the matter?" Laura fussed, drawing Lulu closer.

"Nothing. Nothing." Lulu swatted her hand in her mother's direction. "I'm fine."

"You look anything but." Laura noted softly. "Are you eating enough? Why aren't you ever home when I call? I'm beginning to think you're avoiding me."

"I'm eating plenty. And I'm just busy."

"I spoke with one of your professors." Laura confessed.

"You…you what? That's violating my privacy!"

"Also known as being a mother. I'm just worried about you, that's all. I never would have interfered if you'd just answer a darn phone call."

"I'm busy. It's called having a life." Lulu defended herself crossly. "I don't live at home. I don't have to check in with you at all hours of the day and night."

"I should apologize. I've been capitalizing on her time." Evan spoke up from behind Lulu.

Lulu felt her mouth open and close in shock as she stared at him. What the hell was he doing here? "What...but....wait...what...?"

"Evan!" Luke jovially greeted. "Does this mean you're going to have to show up at work tomorrow with a doctor's note?"

"You really know him?" Lulu asked incredulously.

"Dudley Do Right here offered some good advice on the bike." Luke explained. "And we got to talking about the two of you and how he should come to the wedding. He said he was busy, but it looks like his schedule just cleared up."

"Things change. I just hope you don't mind me tagging along." Evan replied with a charming smile.

"Are you insane? Dad this is a family thing." Lulu protested.

"I haven't had the pleasure." Laura realized, finding her voice. "I'm Laura Spencer."

"Evan Cassidy. You have quite a family, Mrs. Spencer."

"Yes, and I do apologize for that." Laura joked.

"Great. You've met. Fabulous." Lulu groaned.

"What's the matter sweetie?" Evan crooned, throwing one arm around Lulu's shoulders. "I thought you wanted me to meet them."

"Don't call me sweetie." Lulu warned him in a dangerous voice.

"She's just a little moody today." Evan told them. "We didn't get a lot of sleep last night." It was the truth, but not for the reason he was implying.

She had never felt speechless with rage until this exact second, Lulu realized. Narrowing her eyes to slits, she tried to make her smile as sweet as possible. "Well someone had to make sure you didn't pass out in the bathroom from alcohol poisoning snookums."

Evan could respond a number of ways, but none of them would work in his favor. He wasn't about to admit a vulnerability to her. "So, what's the ETA on the bride and groom?"

The musicians started the opening bars of "Everything I Do" and Lulu felt a twinge of annoyance. Patrick, Lucky, and Cruz took their places at the end of the aisle. Now she was stuck. Evan was sitting next to her for the ceremony and there was no way to get around it. "I guess now."

If Evan grinned any wider, his face was going to hurt. Little Leslie Lu Spencer was stuck sitting next to him and she couldn't be a total jerk to him either. Not in front of her parents. They would never allow it. There was very little space between the chairs so they had to sit elbow-to-elbow which, while he didn't mind, he could see Lulu biting the inside of her jaw. Taking a chance even though he knew it would be thrown back in his face, he whispered, "You look pretty by the way."

Lulu turned her eyes to him and glared. "Not the point. You're supposed to be looking at the bride."

"Then you shouldn't have worn that dress." Evan rationalized.

"I didn't wear it for you."

"The point is that you did wear it."

"The point is you are supposed to be paying attention to the wedding party." Lulu hissed as Kristina started her walk down the aisle.

"Is that why you think I came?"

"No I'm sure you came just to ruin my life."

"You don't need my help to do that."

"Why don't you find someone else to torture? I saw Sam sitting back there. Why don't you go play with her?"

"She's taken."

"Afraid of Harper?"

"Not at all, but it's clear that she's not settling for him. Crazy thing, mutual attraction."

"Like you know anything about that."

"I know a lot more than you give me credit for."

"Apparently not enough to keep your mouth shut." Lulu hissed. "Kristina is almost done and Elizabeth will be out any second."

"Then just block me out." Evan suggested, crossing his arms. Every time he thought he was making progress, her defenses would fall securely back into place.

"I can't. You're blocking my view."

It was going to be a long ceremony, Evan realized. "Better?" He asked, grabbing her hand and holding it in an iron grip so that she couldn't pull away from him. Their fingers intertwined and he let his other hand fall to his side.

"Hardly." Lulu hissed under her breath but stopped short of squirming. Her mother was already shooting them warning looks and was close to reprimanding her if they didn't stop talking. "Now shut up. You're ruining the wedding."

"I think it just got interesting." Evan countered.


	330. I Do Cherish You

**Author's Notes: Can you believe the wedding takes place exactly 300 chapters from Scrubs' first kiss? It's like we PLANNED it or something!**

With her father on one side and her uncle on the other, Robin finally understood what her mother had been talking about. She was going to count her blessings from now on. There was no sense wasting time worrying about what could happen. All she cared about was how happy she felt at this moment and how much she wanted to bottle up the emotion and let it out when she needed cheering up.

The music fell away and "At The Beginning" signaled her arrival. She could hear the crowd turn around in their chairs, but her eyes were focused on Patrick's. From where she stood, she could make out tears in his eyes, though they were subtle. Hers had started the second her dad and uncle came to collect her. Absently, she sniffed and laughed at how ridiculous she must look her cheeks blotchy and her eyes puffy. If Patrick shared her opinion, it didn't show in his chocolate eyes. She gulped, realizing that she was suddenly closing the space between them. They must have taken to dragging her because she couldn't remember voluntarily moving.

"You have never looked more beautiful." Robert whispered, squeezing his daughter's right hand.

"I'm go glad you're both here. I don't know if I could have…" Robin's voice fell away when her eyes returned to Patrick's of their own accord. The truth was, she could have done this without them, but she was so thankful that she hadn't had to. She knew in her heart she would have gone through with this even if every person she knew was against it.

"You would have been just fine." Mac insisted, touching her nose through the veil just as he had when she was a little girl.

Robin stopped suddenly, her left hand finding her stomach. She could feel the worried glances from the guests and from her devilishly handsome fiancé, so she made certain to put on a smile for them. There was nothing wrong after all. "He's dancing again." She explained in a voice that everyone could hear without having to yell. Thank God for an outside wedding.

"Do you think we could make it all the way down the aisle this time?" Robert teased, tucking his thumb beneath her chin. "I think I about had a heart attack just now."

"No heart attacks at my wedding. No drama." Robin begged with a smile.

"If you want to hightail it out of here…" Mac offered, though she could tell from his tone he was joking.

"I've made it this far." Robin reasoned. "I think I'm ready to go all the way."

"I think you are." Mac agreed and the three of them finished their journey down the thin strip of red velvet. Robin had insisted the wedding be outside so Maxie had suggested the carpet. If nothing else, she wouldn't have to traipse around in the sticky grass, a disaster Maxie had called it.

The pastor smiled at the beautiful bride as she stopped a single step away from her rightful place at the altar. "Who gives this woman away?"

"We do." Robert spoke up, tears in his eyes. Mac was only able to keep his at bay because of the pressure he was keeping on the inside of his cheek.

"How are you doing? You okay?" Patrick wanted to know as Robin stepped in front of him.

"We're just fine, Daddy." Robin whispered, smiling brilliantly.

"I guess I'm a little overprotective." Patrick admitted unnecessarily.

"You? I never would have guessed." Robin laughed, loosely taking his hands in hers.

"Dearly Beloved." The pastor addressed the crowd. "We are gathered here to witness the union of two very special people. I can still remember when these two were younger, stirring up trouble during my sermons."

"I never…" Robin began, but under the pastor's loving yet stern gaze, she shut her mouth. "I meant well."

"I was just curious by nature." Patrick defended himself.

Lucky covered his laugh by immediately starting a coughing fit. "Sorry. Dust."

"I think everyone here can agree that their road hasn't been an easy one, not separately nor the life they've build together. God doesn't intend for us to have it easy because he wants us to appreciate what we have and fight to keep it. And I have to say, I've never seen a more suited couple."

"Did he just call us suited?" Patrick muttered, giving Robin a worried look.

"It's a compliment." Robin promised with a nod of her head.

Patrick didn't realize the pastor's hand had disappeared behind his back until he felt a smack across his head. "Still interrupting me, I see."

"Sorry." Patrick sheepishly replied.

"As I was saying, though the journey has been difficult, they've come together today to share their joy with all of us. Do we have the rings?" At his question, Morgan left his seat next to Bobbie and dug into the front pocket of his black pants.

"Morgan?" Patrick goaded.

"They're here somewhere." Morgan vowed, digging ever vigilantly into his pocket.

"Maybe the other one?" Patrick suggested, leaving his spot only long enough to bend down and help him.

"Uh oh." Morgan's face reddened.

"What's the matter baby?" Robin wondered, slowly bending down, her left arm grasping Patrick's in case she ever wanted to stand back up.

"Well, Cameron and Lance and me…we were playing with them and…" Morgan glanced down at his empty hands.

"And?" The pastor prodded.

"Well I think I dropped them." Morgan explained his eyes glued to the floor.

"That's okay." Robin told him.

"Got you!" Morgan laughed, extracting them from his back pocket and meeting their eyes. "I got you so good." His arrogant statement caused everyone to giggle to themselves.

"You little devil." Robin grabbed him and tickled him until he released the rings.

"Well what else was I supposed to do?" Morgan challenged. "Everybody was crying. It was freaking me out." He admitted.

"Do you want to stand up here with us?" Robin suggested, scooting him toward the altar. "This isn't just about us today."

"Do I have to say anything?" Morgan whispered.

"Not unless you want to." Patrick stated with a grin. Leave it to Morgan to come up with a unique way to break the tension.

"I guess I can do that then."

"Well don't strain yourself." The pastor chuckled.

All laughter subsided when Patrick took the offered ring and slipped it onto Robin's finger. He didn't realize he was shaking until he felt her other hand cover his reassuringly. "I thought I would know what I was going to say when I got up here." Patrick worked to soothe his scattered nerves. "I was going to recite a poem or a song or maybe just have the band sing it to you, but then I thought about what a disservice that would be to you. So this is what I came up with." He paused, lightly stroking the finger he had placed the ring on. "I didn't know what love was until I loved you. I didn't know how to see until I saw you. I am a better man for knowing you and the luckiest man in the world to have your love."

"I know things started out rough and there have been times when you've wanted to give up, but you never did and I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for that. You've touched a part of me that I thought had died long ago. You taught me how to live, really live, again. You know my flaws and you still want to be with me; you have the patience of a saint and the most captivating smile. It's hard to believe the world could ever frown after they've seen it. I want all of you today and forever. I love you Robin Scorpio."

Robin was laughing and crying as his speech came to a close. "I thought I had everything planned down the letter, but you know what?" She snatched the folded note from the bouquet Elizabeth was holding and threw it at their feet. "It doesn't come close to what I want to tell you."

"From the moment I met you, I've known you were the most exasperating, stubborn man I had ever met or ever would meet. I didn't ever think you were the type to need anyone. You were always so confident about everything. I hadn't ever felt shy around any other man, but I did around you. I was so worried I was going to start mumbling and make a total idiot of myself. It was easier to believe you didn't have a care in the world, because then I could tell myself that you were better off without me. And then I saw that look in your eyes, that sadness that I immediately recognized. And suddenly I wanted to make that look disappear. I wanted to scare away whatever demons you carried around with you, never realizing that I carried a closet full of my own."

The tears were so thick now she couldn't see his beautiful face any longer. Taking the handkerchief Elizabeth offered, she continued, "I never believed in heroes until I met you. You saved me that day in the car and you've been saving me ever since. I don't know what kind of wife I'll make, but I promise I'm not ever going to give up. I'm not wasting anymore time worrying about a future we can't predict. I look forward to all we don't know because I know you'll be by my side. I love you so much Patrick Drake." Already holding his hands, she easily slipped the ring onto his finger, her bottom lip quivering.

The pastor's voice boomed. "It's my great pleasure to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Drake!"


	331. Someday

Between Patrick and Robin, there were quite a few relatives and friends that Maxie had never realized existed. She could, quite easily, merge into their conversations and use them as worthwhile distractions. She didn't let herself think about why she was in so desperate a need for distraction. But then she didn't have to voice it; the answer was in her flighty greeting as she made her way from one side of the Spencer house to the other, wondering why she didn't just go upstairs and hide. It was tempting—but then she would be admitting defeat and that was not something she wanted to do. It was one party, a few hours out of her day, and she was not going to let Ric Lansing of all people ruin it for her. She wanted to see Robin before she left, but the same group Maxie had mingled with seemed to swallow up the bride and groom quite efficiently. There would be no polite excuse to leave; she was stuck.

She knew _he_ was watching her, but every time she turned her head, he wasn't there. Still, something told her he was observing at a cautious distance. She couldn't get their last conversation out of her mind, as brief as it had been, or forget what fueled the tension behind their words. Time didn't ease pain. She doubted she would ever feel like herself again, no matter how much time passed. It was so much easier to not think about him in L.A. Why hadn't she declined the invitation in the first place? But why would she? It wasn't like she could have anticipated he would be there, though she now recognized her logic as foolhardy. This event was not, by any means, a secret affair and he would have jumped at his first chance to see her in over a month. Why couldn't he just go back to his ex-wife and leave her to her own miserable loneliness? She didn't want to hear promises from him, had never wanted anything close to that. All she wanted, as she had told him before, was to be important to him. Important enough for him to not break her heart when she knew it was time for them to put whatever was going on between them to rest.

Slipping his hand out, he grasped her wrist and dragged into the corner he currently occupied before she could protest too loudly. "Imagine meeting you here."

"Strange, isn't it?" Maxie decided to play along, justifying to herself that she was going to have to give him the closure he so desperately sought after.

"Listen I just want a chance to explain things."

"Okay." Maxie's arms crossed in front of her chest. "Go ahead. I'm on the edge of my seat." She couldn't seem to keep the edginess out of her voice and, for once, didn't care if it reminded him of the drastic age difference between them.

"In the first place I should have never lied to you about Kate. Starting with the fact that she was going to Tucson. When my father had his heart attack, my sister called her first. I heard about it from Kate, not Charlotte."

"Well that sure makes you look blameless, doesn't it?" Maxie's voice didn't rise. It was, uncomfortably, numb.

"No it makes me look like the ass that I was."

"There's no one here for you to convince. As you can see." She demonstrated how effective a spot he had chosen to bear his soul to her. It was a dark corner, even on the brightest of days, hidden behind the massive staircase.

"Would you prefer we have this conversation in front of your family?" Ric took a step out from under the cover of the staircase. "Let's go."

"Why not? I heard my dad say something about loading his gun this morning, just in case Robin wanted to make a quick getaway." Maxie said dryly.

"Your father doesn't scare me." Ric promised her. "You can't hide behind him to get out of this conversation."

"You're the one suggesting we change venues, not me. I don't care where we have this conversation."

"Fine." Ric reached out and held onto her shoulders. "I was an idiot. I knew the one thing, the one person I shouldn't lie to you about was Kate and I did it anyway. Maybe it was to save my own skin or maybe I was just plain stupid. But whatever my reasons it wasn't worth it. It wasn't worth losing what we have."

"Were you trying to punish me?" Maxie found her voice somehow.

"Punish you? Why would I punish you?"

"For ignoring you." Maxie stated.

"No. It had nothing to do with that. You were only ignoring me because I was shutting you out."

"That's not true." Maxie shook her head.

"It is true. This wasn't about you. This was about me being stupid."

"No, I mean—that's not why I was ignoring you."

"It wasn't?"

"I called and your sister answered. She said you were out with—and that's how I knew."

Damn Charlotte, Ric mentally cursed his sister. She could never leave well enough alone. Now her smug attitude and her constant pushing toward Kate made sense. She knew she had helped torpedo his chance with Maxie. "My sister is a bitch."

"No. She just wanted what was best for you. She could tell that I wasn't..." Maxie decided she had said enough, maybe too much.

"Charlotte never has been and never will be the authority on what or who is best for me."

"It was going to happen eventually." Maxie reminded him solemnly.

"Says who?"

"Says me." Maxie spoke up.

"Maxie..." Ric took a cautious step toward her. "We can work this out."

"Do you finally have it?"

"Have what?"

"Your closure." Maxie explained coldly. "Do you have it, or do you wish to put me through more pain? Or is that the point?"

"You think this is about closure? I'm trying to make things right here Maxie!"

"What outcome are you expecting?" Maxie challenged. "The fact that I haven't punched you every time you reach for me..." Again, she felt no need to say more.

"Means you still care." Ric finished for her. "If you didn't you wouldn't still be talking to me."

"Don't analyze me please."

"I'm not." Ric promised her. "I'm just pointing out the truth."

"What would you know about truth?" Maxie spat, closing her eyes. This was why she had left. There was no solution to this fight. She didn't want to reconcile and the only reason he was tempted was because he was lonely.

"The truth is that you miss me as much as I miss you. Don't bother denying it because I know you. You're pissed as hell and hurt and it's with good reason but don't let this go without a fight Blondie. We've fought too hard to get here."

"Don't call me that. I don't want you to call me that." Maxie shook her head, her eyes still firmly closed.

"What do you want? Just tell me what you want so I can fix this."

"Let me go." Maxie answered, tears slipping beneath her lashes. "I need to be away from you."

"Don't run away from this Maxie."

"From what?" She demanded, her eyes angry. "This isn't getting us anywhere. Why can't we just be friends?" Inwardly, she wondered if that would ever be possible when his very touch made her dizzy.

"Because we were never friends Maxie." Ric pointed out.

"So all or nothing. That's what you're insinuating?"

"That's actually what you've always stated."

"Ric, why are we doing this?" Maxie's voice was barely above a whisper.

"Because we're too important. This means something Maxie. You know it does."

"I know it hurts." Maxie watched panic flash across his eyes.

"This isn't goodbye. I'm not going to let it be goodbye."

"We're just hurting each other if I stay." Maxie reasoned.

"No. You're only hurting me by leaving."

Maxie's bottom lip quivered and she quickly bit into it to still the open weakness. "You'll forget me. I'll just be some girl you knew once, shared your bed with a few times."

"You were never some girl Maxie. You never could be."

Maxie gulped under the look he was giving her. "I have to go say goodbye to my cousin. I'll be heading back tonight."

"Tonight?" Ric sputtered. He had thought she would spend at least a few days with her father and new stepmother before she returned to wherever the hell it was she was hiding. "Why do you have to leave tonight? You just got here."

"I have to work." The excuse sounded lame to her own ears.

"You're lying."

"I didn't ask for more than a day off and that leaves me enough time to fly there."

"Fly here? So you're not in state anymore?"

"No, but then, I assumed you guessed that when you talked to Georgie." Her sister hadn't brought it up, but she hadn't missed the way Georgie's voice tensed during their last telephone conversation.

"Your sister didn't tell me anything other than you left."

"Why did you come here today? What did you possibly think would be accomplished?" She couldn't help but sound patronizing.

"I came because I knew it was the only chance I would have to see you. And I hoped we could discuss this, find some way to work it out."

"And how would we do that? I have no intention of resigning and it's not logical for you to come with me."

"How do you know that?"

"Ric. Stop it." Maxie begged him.

"No. I want to know why it's so unfathomable for us to be together."

"It just is. We're not free."

"I can find a job in any hospital."

"You don't understand." Maxie sighed. "I don't want you to do that."

"Why not? What am I not understanding?"

"I told you: We aren't free. You're still in love with...and I…" Her voice withered and fell away.

"I'm not still in love with Kate. You know that. And you what?"

"I'm seeing someone else."

*****

Georgie tried to keep her worries at bay as she watched Maxie rush out of the wedding. Her sister had barely managed to say goodbye to Robin before she ran for the door. It hadn't escaped her notice that Ric Lansing had shown up, probably to try to corner Maxie once again. Damn that man. She had barely had time to talk to her sister since she settled in L.A. and if she knew Maxie at all, her sister was racing across the country to avoid him again.

Chewing her bottom lip, she debated the wisdom of following Maxie. On one hand, eventually Maxie would appreciate the support. On the other hand, trying to get Maxie to the point where she would appreciate the support was not fun. Getting her there usually involved copious amounts of alcohol. And while she loved her husband dearly, she still wasn't one hundred percent sure of his hangover cure routine.

Catching Steven's eye, she felt herself brighten. "Isn't this all beautiful?" she asked him, as she slid over to where he stood.

"It's no Eiffel Tower," Steven drawled.

"Well nothing is." Georgie wrapped her arms around his neck and started swaying to the beat of the music.

"I don't think you know this about me." Steven warned, twirling her around. "I happen to be an excellent dancer."

"They do say you learn something new every day." Georgie giggled. "You keep this up and I think we're covered until we're in our nineties."

"Only our nineties?" Steven lifted an eyebrow.

"It was a beautiful wedding wasn't it? Robin seems so happy."

"I got that impression when they almost started the honeymoon when they were announced man and wife."

"Sweetheart they started the honeymoon long before then." Georgie laughed.

"I wouldn't know anything about that." Steven chuckled.

"Count your blessings. If you thought my dad was mad about us eloping..." Georgie paused and shuddered. "I don't want to think what he would have done if I really had been pregnant."

"Do you regret any of it? Our ceremony I mean."

"Regret? Why would I regret our insanely movie-perfect wedding?"

"Well our family wasn't there..."

"Steven." Georgie's voice dropped a little to a concerned whisper. "I don't care about that. All that mattered is you were there."

"And you were there." He agreed, squeezing her hands. "It's just...I saw your face when your dad and uncle walked Robin down the aisle."

"What are you talking about it?"

"You looked sad."

"I did? I wasn't."

"I just don't want you to look back and regret."

"Steven, look at me. The only way I would regret anything is if I didn't marry you."

"Good." Steven nodded. "What do you say we steal some cake?"

"I say excellent plan. This is after all Patrick's wedding too."

"Have you heard anything back from the school yet?"

Georgie looked to the ground quickly, hoping he didn't see her hesitance. Not now. This wasn't the place to tell him. "No. Not yet. I'm hoping any day now." Surely by this time next week she could convince the chairman of the department.

"Let me when you know and I'll take you shopping for new clothes. Sound good?"

"Sounds like a plan." She plastered on her best smile that only Maxie could tell was fake. "Now how do we get that cake?"


	332. Now You See Me

**Author's Notes: In case you're wondering WHY we're doing double updates, it's because we finished writing the story, and we've started another one, four chapters in so far. This week, since the Internet didn't explode on Wednesday, I'll be posting the last two of the week's updates on Saturday.  
**

"Bye!" Robin called to the crowd as Patrick dragged her to his car. "Bye!"

"Robin, it's just a weekend." Patrick reminded her through barely controlled laughter.

"Robin, you forgot this!" Kristina ran down the stairs with the veil in her arms. "Wait!"

"We aren't going anywhere yet." Robin promised, breaking free of Patrick's hand long enough to bend down and take the veil from her little cousin. "Thank you so much."

"I just didn't want you to go without it. My Wedding Barbie has a dress like yours and once I lost her veil and then she couldn't get married." Kristina prattled on excitedly.

"And I'm very glad you did." Robin smiled.

"There, we have the veil. Goodbye everyone." Patrick encouraged pushing her toward the car.

"Okay, I'm going. I'm going. Bye everyone!" She managed just before she climbed in the front seat.

"I didn't think he'd get her to the car." Cruz whispered to Lucky.

"I had money on her trying to clean the place herself." Lucky whispered back.

"Not to get all nostalgic, but did you ever think this was possible?"

"What Patrick getting married or Patrick getting married to Robin?"

"Either. Or."

"The answers are no and hell no."

"Does this mean you're next? I only ask because I want to prepare myself."

"Well it does mean I win the bet we all made. Either way I'm the last single one." Lucky smiled. It was Elizabeth's idea to keep quiet about their own plans until at least Patrick and Robin actually made it down the aisle. There was also the outside chance they would have the chance to discuss what kind of wedding they wanted before his mother and the rest of the family jumped in and took over.

"Who was that guy that came with your sister?" Cruz asked eyebrows lifted. "I thought for sure after Brady..."

"I'm not sure." Lucky shrugged. "Dad keeps calling him Dudley so I'm about ninety-nine percent sure that's not his name. And Lulu kept disappearing all night so she's no use."

"We'll have to check up on that one." Cruz said, half to himself.

"Most definitely." Lucky nodded. "I mean he may have gotten past Dad, but the old man is getting up in years." Moving away from Cruz, Lucky decided to start his contribution to the clean up in the far corner. Far enough away it was plausible his mother wouldn't see him. So if he was to slack off, there was a higher chance he wasn't going to get caught. Gathering up the discarded cups and napkins into a pile, he groaned and dropped them onto the folding chair in the corner.

It had taken far longer than he thought possible to get the majority of the extended family to leave. However a few well placed hints about starting the cleanup process seemed to do the trick. Of course, true to her nature, it had also led to Lulu disappearing down the rabbit hole, and her latest boy-whatever followed soon after. He wasn't too sure about that guy. True he had barely talked to him, hadn't even managed to get his name, but there was something off. Lucky wasn't even sure how long Lulu had known this guy, but he was willing to bet it had something to do with her recent habit of ignoring her family. Was he the reason Lulu had moved and not bothered to tell anyone?

Spying his sister's purse sitting under the chair, Lucky smiled to himself. At least some things never changed. As soon as she was old enough to want a purse, his sister was also old enough to leave it behind no matter what event she was at. Normally he would just give it to his mother to hand off to Lulu, but with his sister's recent track record, who knew when that would happen? Maybe she left her phone in the purse as well and Dudley's real name would be listed in the contacts. Now that he thought about it, that wasn't a bad way to check to see how serious she was about him. If he wasn't in the contact list, then he couldn't be that important now could he? Nodding at his own logic, Lucky opened the flap of the tiny clutch.

Her phone was there alright, along with something else Lucky was rapidly wishing he hadn't seen. The plastic baggie was wrapped tightly, secured with the twist tie of a garbage bag. Maybe if he wasn't in the music business he wouldn't have recognized the tiny clusters for what they were, but he did. He recognized them far too well. Meth. Meth in his sister's purse.

Lucky nearly dropped the cloth to the floor he was holding the bag so tightly. Was this why Lulu had suddenly become so secretive? How long had this been going on? As long as this new boyfriend had been in the picture? Was it hers? Was it his? Had the scumbag introduced his sister to drugs? Was she just his convenient mule in case the cops caught him?

Shoving the bag into his pocket, Lucky steeled himself. Whatever this was, Lulu was obviously in way over her head. She needed him to do more than check out this new boyfriend. She obviously needed him to protect her from this creep.

*****

"Why can't you just tell me now?" Robin wondered as Patrick carried her off the elevator to their hotel room. After the fire back in the day of Corinthos-Morgan rule, The Metro Court had been completely remodeled from top to bottom even though the flames had only reached the first twelve of forty floors. The walls were soft apricot and the doors were cream. It looked very much like a dollhouse, she thought to herself.

"Soon." Patrick hedged, taking the key card from his back pocket. Neither of them had bothered to change out of their wedding clothing; Robin had never looked more stunning.

Robin fought back the urge to pout. "But what if I tell you what I got you. Then…" Her voice was tempting and her eyes were darker than melted chocolate.

Patrick struggled to get the lock to read the card. "You could tell me now." He countered with a grin.

"Never." Robin shook her head stubbornly, reaching out to unfasten the top two buttons of his white button-down.

"I thought you wanted your present." Patrick reminded her. With no hands free, he pushed the handle down with his left elbow and pushed it open with his shoe.

"I do. That's right." Robin seemed to have gotten distracted and smiled bashfully. Patrick watched her with fascination as she moved around the room, her eyes trained on the two gifts in the center of the table. Of course the gift she had for him was perfectly folded with just the right amount of clear, two-sided tape. His was easily discernible with its cluttered tape job and a long red ribbon that wrapped around it several times.

"Shall we?" Patrick helped her hop down, his hands moving to her shoulders so he could steer her toward the table.

"Next time we're exchanging presents before the reception." Robin decided, picking up the unfamiliar box, shaking it for good measure.

"Planning on marrying me more than once? I heard that's no longer fashionable." Patrick teased, snatching her body toward him while she tinkered with her present.

"Ha-ha. You're hilarious." Robin rolled her eyes, examining the box as if she simply didn't know where it started or began. She growled at him when he made a move for it and used her fingernails to quickly pull it apart. "What could you possibly get me that doesn't rattle?"

"Open it and see." Patrick suggested. He was already picking at his gift though it was more to have something to do while he waited for her to lift the lid off of the box. He wanted to see her face the moment she discovered what lay inside. It was why he hadn't given it to her already.

Robin took the single item out of the box and held it up for closer inspection, her fingers running over the golden script. She read it aloud: "You are formally invited to the reopening of Sweet Indulgences—" Her eyes jerked to Patrick. She was looking for confirmation he realized.

"I know how much you loved it. How could I not?" Patrick reasoned with a half-smile.

So she had been right. He _had_ bought it back for her. She didn't figure out why his face was suddenly bleary until he reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her hand still holding it, her fingers brushed across the back and she hastily turned it over. The key she had found.

"I never thought I'd regret rendering you speechless." Patrick said wryly. "Do you like it?" He couldn't keep the desperation from his voice. If she didn't, he wasn't sure what he would do. "The last thing I wanted was to make you…" She silenced him with her finger.

"I have never loved anything more." Robin fought to keep her voice steady. He pulled her to him and she noticed that she was shaking. Closing her eyes and burying her face in his suit jacket, she tried to muffle the sound of her tears. He turned her face toward him and then his mouth was on hers. When they broke apart, the only sounds in the room were that of their combined ragged breaths.

"You don't have to convince me." Patrick assured her. "If you don't want it—"

"You'll have to pry it from my cold, dead fingers." Though she meant to tease, she watched his eyes flash at her words. "Alright, open yours."

He took his time pulling it apart mostly because he loved the impatient noises she made. Beneath the paper was a white hat box. He lifted the lid and looked inside, his eyes wide. "How did you know this was just what I wanted?" He took the red, white, and blue NASCAR onesie from the box and held it over his chest. "'Today's Schedule," he read. "Eat. Drink. Watch NASCAR. Nap. S-Same as Daddy's schedule." There were tears in his eyes when he finally collected enough courage to gaze over at his wife.

"I know you said it was just a onetime thing and, while I've made my side clear, I want you to know we're with you no matter what." Robin didn't dare speak above a whisper.

"Robin." Patrick's voice was just as shaky as hers had been.

"Keep going. That's not all I got you." Robin prompted, taking the outfit and pushing the box toward him.

Patrick was still stunned when he pulled out the second outfit. Though it kept with the racing theme, it was definitely not something he or his son would be wearing. "For me?" He dug until he found the second part of the black and white ensemble. He was smiling when he spotted the silk black panties that accompanied the black and white checkered bra.

"For you." Robin agreed enthusiastically, pulling him into a passionate kiss.

*****

"I did not lose it. I did not lose it." The words had become her mantra, a spell. If she said them enough times, it would come true. She didn't lose her purse. She did not walk away from it. There was no way she misplaced it. Not with the results of her earlier errand run sitting inside.

Lulu stalked around the site of the now long completed wedding. Patrick and Robin were sickeningly happy and safely on the road to honeymoon bliss or something like that. Cleanup had started at the house from the reception. Which meant it was the perfect time to slip out and try to find her purse.

"I didn't lose it. Damn it I didn't lose it."

"What are you looking for?" The voice came from directly behind her. How many times had she imagined a moment just like this? His voice had followed her into her dreams, morphed them into nightmares, and then left her feeling cold the moment she woke up.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Another party to crash or something?"

Evan just stared at her, his lips twitching as if he was fighting back a smile. "You're mad at me?" He sounded surprised.

"You're breathing aren't you?"

"I thought it went magnificently well, don't you?"

"It was everything Robin and Patrick deserve." She continued walking down the abandoned chairs. "Now they can go on and live happily ever after and pop out babies and whatever else it is married people do."

"That's not what I meant." He nodded his head toward the table where Laura had left her camera. "I can't believe that was all on one roll." At her glare, he couldn't help it: he had to smile.

"You smile now. Wait till she develops the roll and a half she spent on you. Sizing you up. Evaluating you. Exposing you to all the family and neighbors for inspection."

"I don't mind." Evan answered easily.

"You've not experienced Laura Spencer." Lulu shook her head.

"She's just trying to protect you." Evan sighed. "As if you'd let anyone do that."

"I don't need protection."

"Is that what you tell yourself? Because I'm not convinced."

"What's it going to take Detective?" Lulu walked straight up to him, her hands on her hips. "What proof do you want and I'll be thrilled to hand it over to you right here, right now."

The smile left Evan's face. She stood a mere foot away from him, so close he could pick up on the perfume she must have been wearing. Or was that her original scent? Why couldn't he remember? He was never going near another alcoholic drink again. Never. God, but she was just as potent. His hand lifted to her face and he lightly brushed her bangs back, keeping his touch whisper-soft.

Jerking back, she swatted at his hand. "What the hell do you think...?" Her voice trailed off as two figures from her nightmares appeared just over his left shoulder. "You." She screamed trying to push past Evan. "You!"

"Lulu, what—?"

"Assholes!" She lunged forward hurrying in the direction she had seen them disappear in. "You fucking assholes! You're going to pay do you hear me? You're going to pay!"

"Who are you talking to?" Evan looked in the direction she was pointing, but there was nothing there.

"Them." She gestured wildly with her hands. "Them!"

"Lulu, no one is there." Evan insisted carefully.

"They are! I saw them." She started to run for the trees. "I can prove it."

Evan followed, ever reluctant, as she hurried across the lawn past a huge chunk of her relatives. "Where did they go?"

"That way. They ran that way. Like the rats they are. Come on. We can catch them if we drive."

"Lulu." Evan wasn't oblivious to the curious stares the family was sending their way. "Maybe we should sit down."

"No. They'll get away again. We have to go now." Lulu made a running start for her parked car. So what if she lost her purse? She had a spare key in the glove box.

"Where's the key?" Evan asked, maneuvering her into the passenger seat. No way was he letting her drive like this. She must have snuck something when he wasn't looking. Stupid, he chided himself.

"Glove box."

"Can you tell me who we're following?" Evan urged patiently.

"Where the hell are you going with my sister?" Lucky's voice boomed out over the sea of relatives as he advanced towards the pair.

"She saw something." Evan told him quietly. It was bad enough Lulu was in hysterics; now her brother was going to bring the remaining attention to her. Just what she didn't want.

"She saw something?" Lucky parroted back skeptically. Going over to his sister, he looked into her eyes. "Lu? What's going on?"

"I saw them Lucky. I saw them."

"Saw who?"

When she didn't say anything, Evan answered for her. "She wouldn't tell me either."

"I asked my sister. Not you."

Evan knew that tone and he struggled to keep his temper in check. "If you would be so kind as to back off, we could maybe figure out what she saw and get her calmed down."

Lucky took a step toward Evan, his eyes narrowing. "I don't know who you are, but let me enlighten you here. That is my sister in that car and until I know more about you than the nickname my father gave you, you don't get to tell me anything about how to take care of her."

"Evan Cassidy. We're friends." Evan had hoped he would hear some sort of disbelieving sound from Lulu, would have gladly handled the outcome, but she was still and silent.

Lucky crossed his arms over his chest and continued to stare at him. "Friends? Why hasn't anyone met you prior to today?"

"She said she didn't want to scare me away." Evan lied. "And what business is it of yours anyway? You're her brother. Shouldn't you make it a priority to stay informed? Or did I misunderstand the role of the big brother?" Evan couldn't figure out why he was suddenly angry with Lulu's brother, maybe the blinders he wore where she was concerned. If he had been protecting her as he should have been, Evan wouldn't have had to step in and keep her from getting killed. She would have never crossed that line. Her biggest problem should have been an upcoming exam.

"Lulu's business is always my business." Lucky clarified. "And what I know is Lulu hasn't felt the need to hide anything until you popped into her life. Before you, she would overshare. Now we're meeting mysterious friends. I don't think that's coincidence."

"You're blaming me for this?" Evan snapped incredulously.

"I said nothing about blame. I'm just pointing out the timing."

"Well you need to recalculate. I'm a new friend. Lulu has been in quite a bit of trouble long before I came along." Evan informed

"Nothing that she felt the need to hide." Lucky pointed out. Of course Lulu had been in trouble. She was after all a Spencer.

"Are you sure about that?" Evan nearly sneered. "When was the last time you checked in on her?"

Lucky felt his fists ball up and he was already planning on exactly where to land them when a small voice spoke up. "Lucky?" Lulu finally spoke.

Ignoring Evan completely, Lucky knelt down to Lulu's side. "Yeah Little Bit?"

"I'm tired. I need to lie down."

"Of course you are." Lucky agreed as he helped Lulu out of the car, keeping Evan back with a warning glare. "Come on, let's get you inside."

A.J. watched Lucky carry his baby sister into the house and smiled. He climbed into the car once he was tired of looking at the chaos that had been spread by his mere presence. He smiled at Courtney. "I think she was embarrassed we didn't get an invitation." He interpreted with a smile.

"Well she was always concerned about manners." Courtney smirked.

"I've seen enough. Let's go. I'm thinking we should make a few adjustments for how we meet up with the newlyweds."


	333. Decode

_The lyrics are from Paramore's "Decode."_

The knock startled David from his light daze on the couch. The complex was not filled with the friendliest of neighbors. Which had been the key selling point in picking this place. The less people to pay attention to his and Samantha's comings and goings, the better. The fewer questions, the fewer lies they had to come up. The fewer people who noticed them, the fewer people who could point them out to their prey. Sure the neighbors looked nice enough, but David had been around long enough to realize evil resided in many locations, from the gutters of Courtland Street to the penthouses of Harborview Towers. Trust no one. It was one of the first things he and Samantha had agreed on.

He grabbed at his service revolver that he had laid down on the coffee table. Sliding the safety back, he held it behind his back lightly. No point in going to the door like a crazed mob bodyguard if it was no more than a lost Girl Scout selling cookies, David reasoned. Opening the door a slight crack, he stared, puzzled over the strange slip of a redhead that stood before him. She couldn't be more than ninety five pounds soaking wet and didn't look a day over eighteen. While she didn't look like the crowd they had been studying in Vermin's clubs, it was possible the light of day disguised how far she had fallen. David opened the door slightly wider, but kept his gun close to his back.

"Can I help you?"

"I hope so." She all but giggled at the sight of him. "My name is Jenny. Jenny Patterson. I just moved into 16A down the hall and my dog seems to have gotten lost. Have you seen her?"

"No. Sorry. Hope you find her."

"Are you sure? Annabelle Lee means the world to me. She was a gift from my granddaddy before he died."

"I'm sure. I haven't seen any dogs wandering around here." David assured her and he moved to close the door once more.

"Can I just give you her description? That way if you happen to see her, you can let me know?" She asked hopefully, her green eyes flashing.

"She's a French Bulldog. White coat. Black eyes. She's a little overweight but don't tell her that. She's a little sensitive about it." Jenny laughed. "You are really just too sweet. I just moved in a few days ago, but you are the nicest neighbor I've met so far."

Clearly his neighbors had better sense than to open the door for her, David mused. "Well welcome to the building. It's a little quiet," he stressed the word, hoping she would get the point that he valued privacy, "but it works."

"Oh totally. That's why I picked this building. It's so quiet I can study and not be interrupted. Not like the dorm you know?" She giggled even though he remained silent. Jenny offered up what he was sure she had found to be her best smile. "Let me just leave you my number in case you do see Annabelle Lee."

"You know I know where you live. I don't need..." David started to protest before she cut him off.

"Nonsense. I might be out and then where would we be?" Jenny moved closer and took his hand in hers. "Have a pen?"

"And here I thought you were allergic to Girl Scout cookies." Sam interrupted, coming from around the corner at a languid pace.

"I am." David pulled his hand away quickly. "This is Jenny. She moved in down the hall and lost her dog."

"Isn't that too bad. I had a dog once. Dumbest thing ever. He came to 'Here kitty, kitty,' but I loved him." Sam threw in her two cents before disappearing into the apartment. "I hope you find it."

"Thanks." Jenny called out after her disappearing figure.

"Yeah good luck with that search." David said hurriedly as he managed to get the door shut. Leaning against it, he feigned wiping sweat off his brow. "You have wonderful timing."

"Do I?" Sam asked flatly, sorting through the mail.

"You saved me you know. I might just be in your debt Samantha."

"Hmm." Sam answered begrudgingly.

"Samantha?"

"Yes David?" She didn't look up.

"What's going on? You've never been this disinterested in having me in your debt."

"I figured you'd have to pencil me in."

"Pencil you in?" David shook his head in disbelief. "You think I'd actually be interested in that nothing?"

"I only know what I saw."

"What? Me trying to get rid of her?"

"It's not a big deal. It's not like..."

"Not like what?"

"It's not like we're serious."

"We're not?" David moved toward her and grabbed the mail out of her hands. "Since when did we decide this?"

"It's better that we're not." Sam countered, reaching for the mail.

"It's better that we're not?" David parroted holding the mail just out of her reach. "Was I there when we talked about this?"

"I've learned that less is more when it comes to our discussions."

"Will you stop talking in riddles and start talking sense?"

"How should I know if we're serious or not?" Sam challenged.

"Do you see me seeing anyone else? Living with anyone else?"

"Well how much sense would that make? We're partners. We have to live in close quarters." Sam reasoned stubbornly.

"So we are back to just partners now?" David scratched his head in confusion.

"I assumed that's what you wanted."

"When? When have I ever implied that was what I wanted?"

Sam didn't say anything for a long time. She was noticeably angry and she didn't like it: she didn't like being out of control. They were facing each other like adversaries in a ring. And that's how she felt. Defensive.

David took half a step toward her. "I have been clear about what I've wanted with you from the beginning. It seems to me you've changed your mind, again, and I want to know why."

"Because I told you...I told you I loved you and you didn't say _anything_." Sam turned her face away from him.

David reeled back as if she had sucker punched him. She hadn't mentioned those three terrifying words since she had uttered them. He had always assumed, hoped, and prayed they were nothing more than the reaction to the extreme emotions of the day. When she had almost immediately moved to pretend she hadn't said a thing, David had assumed she had reconsidered her declaration and didn't want to make a big deal about it. Clearly, thinking like this was why he had such a hideous track record when it came to women.

"Samantha...I...I didn't..."

"That's right: you didn't. And you don't." Sam finished for him.

"That's not what I said."

"Now who's talking in riddles?" She still couldn't look at him. It was too hard. She didn't want to see the confirmation in his eyes.

"Samantha...that day...I just thought…I thought you didn't mean it."

"What?"

"You were all emotional. It was the anniversary of Vincent's death." He struggled to explain. "People say all sorts of things they don't mean when they are in extreme emotional situations."

"Not me."

"And how would I know that?" David challenged her. "Every decision you've ever made regarding us has been the result of one emotional roller coaster after another."

"I'm not expecting you to say it back okay? But it's kind of a double standard for you to expect me to feel on steady ground with our relationship when you're not being clear."

"_I'm_ not being clear?" He sputtered indignantly. "Samantha I spend most of the time stumbling in the dark wondering what you'll decide we are today."

"Well that's what happens when you're part of a one-sided relationship. Things get tricky."

"I hate to tell you this Gorgeous, but we have always been more than tricky." He reached out and rested his hands on her shoulders. "I've always preferred to think of us as dangerous."

Sam shrunk away. "Please don't touch me."

"Just tell me what to do here Samantha. Give me some kind of clue." It had obviously been too long since his last attempt at a relationship David decided. He had no idea how to go from here, no map to consult.

"Don't worry about it. I'm a big girl. I'm going to bed." Sam dismissed him.

"What does that mean?"

"I don't want you to say it because you think I want to hear it." Sam told him. "And I'm fine with what we have now. There's no reason to change it because of one awful day and what was probably just an emotional outburst like you thought."

"Are you? Are you fine with this? With what we are?"

"Sure. Are you?"

"I wouldn't trade us for anything."

"Neither would I." Sam agreed. And that would just have to be enough for now, she silently added.

*****

"I can't believe you're not coming with me." Steven frowned unhappily, throwing his single carry-on over his shoulder. The rest of his luggage was already being loaded onto the plane.

"We've been over this. You have to go and the program doesn't start yet." Georgie placed her hand on his chest, struggling to keep her voice calm. She hated lying to him, but it was for his own good. Steven would never get on that plane if he knew the truth. "I'll be there before you know it."

"Are you sure? I miss you already." Steven admitted, brushing her hair off of her neck to place a kiss there.

"I promise. I miss you too." Georgie felt her eyes close involuntarily and let out a sigh. Whose brilliant idea was this anyway? Wasn't the entire concept of a career completely overrated anyways?

"Why are you crying?" Steven could tell he had caught her by surprise.

"I...I'm just going to miss you that's all." Georgie breathed out.

"Tell me to stay." Steven begged her shamelessly. "I will. I'll stay."

"You have to go. This could be it for you. The big break you've been waiting for. You have to go."

"Then you've got to stop crying. I can't leave you like this."

Georgie furiously wiped at the tears on her cheek. Smiling up at him, she tried to keep the remaining tears back by pressing her thumb into her palm. "See? All better."

"Georgie, come with me. I know it's selfish to ask, but I want you with me."

"I want to be with you too." She promised him. God did she want to be with him. Something she had failed to convince the Dean of Foreign Studies of apparently. He had just met her pleas to overturn her rejection from the school's Australia program with an indifferent shrug. She had to keep trying. There had to be someone she could appeal to. There was always the option of taking a leave of absence from school, but Steven would rather quit the project than force her to do that. "I'll get there. I swear I will be there."

"How am I supposed to leave you, huh?" Steven demanded, holding her face in his hands. "Can you tell me that? How? Tell me Georgie."

"Because we know this is the right thing to do. And you know that Steven. You know you have to go."

"It doesn't feel like the right thing. How can it be the right thing when it hurts so much?"

"If you don't do this you are going to regret it. And it's not forever. I'll be there in a few weeks." Surely that would be all it would take. Surely there was some sympathetic ear somewhere she could bend. It might not even take that long.

A bored voice came over the intercom to explain that his plane was boarding. "I love you." Steven whispered, tenderly stroking her face.

"I love you too. So much."

"A few weeks?" He repeated hopefully.

"A few weeks."

He didn't like it, but what choice did he have? She was right: he had to do this. He couldn't expect to support them if he didn't go. He tugged her to him and kissed her, firmly but carefully holding her in his arms. His eyes shut the instant their lips met and he was fighting a groan when the intercom announcer spoke again.

"Go. I love you." Georgie whispered, pulling herself out of his arms reluctantly. "I'll see you soon."

"You'd better. I know where to find you, Mrs. Webber." Steven teased.

"And I know where to find you. No forgetting about me over there."

"How could I? I can barely leave you now."

"Just go. Please. Just go. The sooner you leave, the sooner we can be back together."

"It won't always be like this." Steven promised adamantly. "When you get to Australia, I'm going to start putting my vows to good use."

"I'm going to hold you to that." Georgie smiled. Tears glistened in her eyes.

"Alright. Alright, I'm coming." Steven promised when the final call came over the intercom. He leaned in to kiss his wife again, just one more time. One more kiss and then he could survive the plane ride. What he would do after that, he didn't know.

"Goodbye." Georgie whispered as she pushed him toward the boarding area. "I can't do this another time so get on the plane please?"

"Okay." Steven nodded. "Bye." He forced himself to walk away from her and not look back.

"Bye." Georgie called to his retreating back before running in the opposite direction. She could send him onto the plane, but she couldn't watch him leave her. Not when she wasn't sure if she would be able to follow him yet or not.

_I'm screaming I love you so. My thoughts you can't decode._


	334. The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

"We don't have to do this now." Patrick reminded Robin. They were outside of Lucky and Elizabeth's, their first stop back from their honeymoon.

"No, it's important. This affects all of us." Robin pointed out. She would have been just as thrilled for them to do this in the solitude of their own home, but she wanted this over and done with. Maybe a selfish thought.

"I can just think of better things for newlyweds to do." Patrick grumbled beneath his smile. The solid white envelope in his left hand, the one that wasn't holding Robin's hand, grew heavier by the second. He hated that this had to happen now. This time should be sent celebrating, not worrying over the outcome. Ever since her optimistic vows, he hadn't been able to convince her to put this off.

"Don't worry." Robin squeezed his hand and offered him a smile. "You're stuck with me forever, no matter what."

Her "no matter what" sent chills up and down Patrick's back. He didn't want to consider the alternative, the proof that the scales had turned in someone else's favor instead of his. He didn't want to think that his days were numbered. When thought about it rationally, he knew what a baseless fear it was because look at his lovely wife: She was a living, breathing miracle and there was no reason he couldn't be just as healthy.

"Oh look who's here," Lucky drawled out as he opened the door. "Robin and the unfortunate mistake she married."

"Be nice." Elizabeth warned over his shoulder.

"Well hello to you too cousin-in-law." Robin moved forward to hug him and stood there until he caved enough to wrap her securely in his arms. "Do I want to know what brought this on?" She asked, craning her neck so that she could meet his eyes.

"Apparently there is a reason you never found the secret weapon." Elizabeth explained calmly, smirking in Patrick's direction. "It seems Patrick and Cruz found it first."

"What did they do with it?" Before she asked, she just went ahead and assumed the worst. Get those two together hell, get the guys together in any sort of team, and trouble was never far away.

"You left the wedding favors up to Patrick didn't you?" Lucky questioned, though it sounded more like an accusation.

"The one thing I..." Robin faltered. "Oh, really?" She knew she should have been trying harder to keep back a smile, but it was impossible. She would have to ask Cruz for a copy when he stopped by in a few minutes.

"That's it. I don't like you anymore." Lucky declared as he stepped away from Robin. "As for you..." He pointed in Patrick's direction. "Expect the unexpected and always be prepared. That's all I'm saying."

"Lucky, be reasonable." Robin spun around to give her husband a hard glare. She would deal with him later. "And you should apologize." It sounded like an innocent request, but she made sure to let her eyes do the real talking for her. Patrick visibly gulped.

"For what? It was the best prank I've ever pulled." Patrick whined.

"Sadly this is him reasonable." Elizabeth laughed. "You missed the fun of all the phone calls."

"Ph-phone calls?" Robin was biting her lip against the urge to laugh. This was too ridiculous.

"Did someone try to sign you?" Patrick threw in with a wolfish grin.

"Oh don't play dumb. You had to be the one to forward that tape to Ned." Elizabeth pointed out.

"I have no idea what you could me—OW!" Patrick yelped when Robin tugged his ear down hard.

"Okay, so I might have overnighted it to him." Patrick grudgingly admitted. "But you have to admit it's funny. If you were on the other side..."

"And someday soon I will be." Lucky promised.

"I'll steer clear then." Patrick started for the door, but Robin caught his sleeve. "Robin, I don't think this is the right time."

"You have used every excuse you're going to." Robin assured him. "Now we're doing this right now."

"Not the right time for what?" Elizabeth questioned. "You came here for a reason and Lucky's just embarrassed right now. Sit down and tell us what is going on."

Robin pushed Patrick to the couch in case he thought of showing even a breath of resistance. She took the envelope from Patrick. "Six month test results. Patrick took a second test after we found I was pregnant and they came in the mail this morning."

"I told her you two wouldn't want any part of this. Sorry to be the downer." Patrick quietly apologized looking like he wanted to crawl into himself.

"I swear you two could give the twins and Majandra a run for their money in the biggest babies' contest." Elizabeth shook her head. She looked over at Lucky. "It was a joke. Plot your revenge and move on. And you." She turned to Patrick. "You're family and we'd rather help you through this now than wade through the Grump fest you put us all through the last time."

"You know when she's got a point, she's got a point." Cruz announced as he walked through the door. Even with everything that had happened in the past year, he still didn't feel the need to actually knock on the door.

"Thank you. See Cruz and Robin agree with me." Elizabeth nodded.

Patrick thought back to the last time the three of them had worked together against him and Lucky and knew why his old friend agreed so readily. He tore the top flap off the envelope before he could chicken out and then pulled out the thin piece of paper that was waiting for them inside. Glancing around, he realized that he couldn't think of any four people he could stand to be vulnerable around more than the ones that surrounded him. He closed his eyes and unfolded the results. "I can't." He said after a moment's pause.

Lucky held out his hand. "Give it." Taking the piece of paper out of his cousin's hand, Lucky scanned through the blur of medical words and results, looking for something that might this seem somewhat normal. Finally he forced himself to look at the last words, the ones that he had been dreading in the back of his mind for months. "I could be an asshole about this right now but I won't. Negative. The results are negative."

"Do you hear that?" Robin squealed when Patrick didn't react immediately, or at all. "Patrick?" She rubbed her hands up and down his arms. "You okay?"

Cruz waved his hand in front of Patrick's face, but there was still no response. "Hold on. I've got it." He hurried to the kitchen and then returned with a Chuck E. Cheese's cup. He threw the water in Patrick's face and finally his friend's eyes blinked and he coughed.

"Thanks." Patrick said once he was able to speak.

"Anytime." Cruz promised with a chuckle. "This is great news, man."

"I can't quite believe it." Patrick told the group. "I mean of course I'm relieved, but who would have thought I really could have it all?" As he asked this, he reached for Robin's hand.

"Oh God. Please don't tell me you're becoming a sap." Lucky groaned.

"Yeah got to leave Lucky his territory." Cruz chimed in without missing a beat.

"True enough." Patrick beamed. "What do you say we celebrate?"

Robin grimaced. "Hopefully it will end better than our last celebration dinner."

"Good point." Patrick reasoned.

"Yes let's do a check list. Ok pregnancies are all out and open right?" Elizabeth shot Lucky a wink.

"Check." Robin agreed.

"Don't look at me." Cruz laughed.

"And not happening again in the near future." Elizabeth nodded.

"If you want something more to love," Robin told Patrick, "I'll buy you a puppy."

"No secret affairs for Patrick to jump to conclusions about?" Lucky wondered.

"Check."

"Everyone with who they want to be with or should we expect more engagements?" Robin meant it as a joke, but she noticed Elizabeth's flinch. "Elizabeth?"

"Might not have told you everything on that front." Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders.

"Elizabeth Imogene Webber." Robin scolded. "How could you not have told me?"

"Excuse me? When did I find you weren't really engaged?" Elizabeth shot back. Robin glared, saying nothing.

"For the record we were waiting till after your wedding to tell everyone. We know how much Patrick hates sharing the spotlight." Lucky explained.

"Well that is true."

"Forgive me?" Elizabeth batted her eyes at Robin. "Just a little?"

"Yes. I suppose. Tell me everything."

"Later." Elizabeth promised. "The details would probably encourage a prank war the likes we would never recover from."

"In the spirit of true disclosure, I guess I could warn you that Dad is waiting for you to get home so he can start his campaign to have you name the baby after him." Lucky offered up.

"Actually," Robin began. "We've already come up with a name we think you'll like."

"Finally just decided you couldn't fight the awesome power of my name could you?" Cruz laughed.

"Well we were going to go with Maria..." Patrick teased. "Actually, I got to put in the first name and Robin chose the middle name."

"Robin, have you lost your mind?" Cruz pretended to shake violently.

"Oh god. It's Dale isn't it?" Lucky guessed

"Over my dead body." Robin promised.

"Thank goodness for small favors." Elizabeth breathed out.

"If you knew how long that name was shoved on the table..." Robin shuddered.

"Nathaniel." Patrick told his friends.

"As in Nathaniel Baldwin?" Lucky asked carefully, a grin lighting his face.

"Funny. What was the name we used to get into clubs when we were in college?"

"If I remember correctly, you always used Nathaniel Seetle, Lucky always used Nathan Seetle, and I was Nate Seetle." Cruz tapped his chin lightly.

"We wanted a name that could honor your friendship." Robin explained. "And I happened to find the old ID."

"You know you are totally sharing those pictures right?" Elizabeth leaned over to whisper to Robin.

"Oh yeah." Robin murmured.

"Good." Elizabeth said quietly. "So it's Nathaniel Malcolm then?"

"Yes it is. Nathaniel Malcolm Drake." Robin clarified. "What do you guys think?"

"Well we do already have the nicknames all set up." Cruz mused.

*****

Jax glanced up at the wall clock and sighed. He didn't even have business to see to right now. Everything was in place. He was more than caught up; he was ahead of the game. He had thought that since this was his first break in months his wife would want to join him for a quiet evening at home or even on the town if she preferred, but she wasn't here. She was never here anymore.

He knew where she was, but there was no point following her there. He would just be in the way and what advice could he possibly offer to the Jones's? He had suggested a better doctor, but Karen Wexler had no worthy competition in her field. Brenda had become absolutely offended when he mentioned covering their finances with one rather large check. She had become even angrier when he pointed out that, if it were his kid, he wouldn't want to be worrying about medical expenses. She had thrown back that he had no idea what money problems were, never had, and she didn't think the answer was to throw money at it.

So here he sat in his favorite chair with an empty crystal glass in one hand and a long black remote in the other. The television had been muted for a while now; he just focused on their faces. It was a lot like watching one of Brenda's mindless soap operas in that the actual sound wasn't needed. Everything was obvious on their faces. God, he needed a drink. He gripped the glass harder and willed the thought away. The bar was empty; there was no liquor in the house. His eyes squeezed closed when he was reminded why. He still couldn't believe the situation had gotten so out of hand.

The sound of shattering glass was held forever in these walls. They seemed to close in on him as the memories seeped closer. It had been a terrible night. His father's death had left his mother bereft and without any way to support her lifestyle so he had spent the remainder of the afternoon clearing her finances through his account, the same account who had the audacity to remind Jax of what a bad investment he was entering into. To insult his mother that way! Jax had held his tongue and cut the man's earnings in half. What was he supposed to have done? Leave her to starve to death? This was his mother for God's sake!

Brenda only beat him home by five minutes. There were shopping bags in her hands. She started chattering away without giving him a second to even greet her and avoided his kiss. Already in a foul mood, her selfish reaction to seeing him home made him even angrier. He hadn't been paying attention to the glasses of alcohol he had consumed since the meeting with his accountant. His driver had brought him home naturally, just like always. Brenda was the only one who went anywhere in a cab. She walked past him and went to put her new purchases in the bedroom closet, barely noticing him at all.

"_Did you hear what I said?" He could still hear the callousness in his voice when he spoke to her for the fist time she had walked in._

"_No, I'm sorry." Brenda set the bags down and turned to give him her full attention. "What did you say?"_

"_Mother's in way over her head." Jax said directly. He never could have imagined she would react the way she did. How could he have known?_

"_Is that what she told you?" Brenda asked instead. "Because I just saw her at Nordstrom's and she didn't look homeless."_

"_Is that supposed to be funny?" Jax barked in response. _

"_Don't yell at me just because you're in a bad mood." Brenda warned him. "I'm not one of your employees."_

"_Meaning what?"  
_

"_Meaning you don't get to order me around." Brenda explained with a lift of her chin. _

"_I know this is hard for you to understand since your family is nothing like mine."_

"_And what does that mean?" Brenda snapped in defense. He noticed her start to back away despite her incredulity._

"_Only that they don't give two figs about you or the other way around."_

"_Who do you think you are? Leave my family out of this."_

"_But it's okay for you to poke at mine with a stick?"_

"_I don't want to fight." Brenda moved toward the door. Jax acted as her shadow, reaching the door first._

"_Looks like it's inevitable." Jax remembered smiling then. He wanted to wish the memory away, but it was impossible._

"_Let go of me." He hadn't realized he was gripping her wrist until she had spoken._

"_You're not running away from this." Jax argued._

"_From what? You to fly off the handle? Too late for that."_

"_What's the matter Princess?" Jax sneered. "Is this not quite what you expected?"  
_

"_What I expected? Let's see. No. This is nothing like I thought it would be. For one thing, I didn't realize marrying you would give you the right to treat me this way." Though her words were accusatory, they were quiet. She wouldn't look at him._

"_If I had known what a traitor you would turn out to be…" He let his voice trail off._

"_Traitor? What are you even talking about?"_

"_You can't support me in anything." He charged._

"_Like what?"_

"_My mother for one."_

"_Your mother is a manipulator." Brenda stated. "And I'm not going to live as her puppet or yours for that matter."_

"_Puppet?" He said the word in such anger it was as if he no longer understood its meaning._

"_Yes puppet! At least your brother was too smart to fall for her tricks. You, on the other hand, always had to be the good son, the one she could lean on and take advantage of."_

"_Is there suddenly something wrong with wanting to take care of her?"_

"_Maybe you could try taking care of me first, just once?" Brenda's question had caught him by surprise. It must have shown in his face because she continued, "Must I always come second to her?"  
_

"_You're not second." Jax vehemently argued._

"_Yes I am." Another whispered accusation. He wanted to look away._

"_Then tell me what to do, Bren. What should I do, huh? Ignore her phone calls? Go against what I know is right because you're insecure?" His words were like acid to her perfect skin. She looked ready to fold into herself._

"_Oh so this is my fault?"_

"_It's not mine." Jax pointed out._

"_Then I'll just go." Brenda suggested._

"_You're not going anywhere." Jax countered. He kept her securely locked in his grip._

"_Let me go. I won't tell you again." Brenda growled, her brown eyes flashing._

"_What if I don't?" Jax challenged. "What are you going to do about it?"_

"_Jax let me go." It was a plea now, her voice suddenly very innocent._

"_Say please." He was never taking another drink. Not ever again._

"_You're hurting me." Brenda wilted under the pressure of his hand._

"_You don't just get to call it quits because you disagree." Jax told her. "Do you understand?"_

"_Jax." Brenda's voice trembled ever so slightly._

"_You are my wife. That means you have responsibilities." Jax brushed her dark hair behind her ears, ignoring the way she shivered at his touch._

"_Responsibilities?" It was a struggle for her to talk, wasn't it?_

"_You don't always have to agree with me, but you're not going to patronize me either."_

"_Any other conditions?" Brenda grumbled back. The words were barely out of her mouth when they both noticed his hand come down and slap her hard across the face. She fell gracefully at his feet, her entire body crumbling. He let her go then and walked out the door._

Jax jerked out of the trance, tasting blood in his mouth. He must have done some major damage to his lip without realizing it. Not that it mattered. Not that any of it mattered. She asked him for one thing, one measly little thing, and he was struggling with it? He let the glass crash to the ground, but the sound never registered. This house was closing in on him. He had to get out of here. But where could he go where alcohol wouldn't hypnotize him? He would not break his promise to his wife.

He was halfway to the door when the phone rang. "This is Jasper Jacks." What was left of him anyway.

"Mr. Jacks, how many times do I have to tell you no? I am running out of languages to turn you down in." Kate Howard's strident tone blasted into his ear.

"Than quit saying no and try a simpler answer." Jax suggested.

"I've already told you that's not going to happen."

"Then why are you calling me? I assumed once you failed to reconcile with your ex-husband, you would realize the kind of opportunity this is."

The truth was she didn't have a clue why she continued to call him or entertain his offers in the slightest. She hadn't been kidding when she had told Ric she had no interest in coming back to Port Charles, even less of an interest in taking over a magazine. There was just something about Jasper Jacks that refused to let her ignore him, no matter how much simpler her life would be if she would do just that. Of course, Kate knew full well the insanity that would be admitting such a weakness to him. "Mr. Jacks, I appreciate your optimism, but let me explain something to you. Going from regional television to editing a local magazine isn't exactly the career trajectory journalists who want the top spots take."

"Then what are you interested in?"

"Nothing you could give me I'm sure."

"Is it just Port Charles that repulses you? I could always use you at one of my other branches. Belize maybe?" He didn't try to fight back his grin. Kate Howard had no idea all he could do for her if she would let him.

"I wasn't aware you were a media mogul. I thought you were just another run of the mill corporate raiders."

"That's what you get for assuming, though I'm not offended. However, if you had put in as much effort finding out my good points as I did…well you would see your mistake."

"If I spent half as much time as you do chasing dead-end leads I would still be a news editor in some Podunk town out West." Kate responded back quickly.

"Tell me why you don't want this job. I'm genuinely interested." And he was.

"I've never been interested in doing print media. It's a dying form. Port Charles holds no interest for me. It's a fine town for short visits, but to actually live there might start to drive me insane."

"I thought the same thing when I met my wife. And then to find out she didn't want to leave? Of course, what else was I to do? It's not like I could leave her behind."

"Ah but you see, I have no one who wants to stick around that town. I am a free agent Mr. Jacks. A fact I pride myself on." At least lately she did. It had taken some time to remove herself from the pain of signing the divorce papers, but Kate really felt as if she had done it, moved on and put the past behind her. Even if she hadn't, Ric's immediate flight from that one brief kiss sealed the deal. There was no use in pining for the past when it clearly didn't want you in the future.

"Okay, you win." Jax lied. "I won't ask you again."

"Good. I'm glad we can finally agree on that. It was a pleasure not doing business with you Mr. Jacks."

"You too Ms. Howard. Good luck." Jax clicked the phone shut and smiled.


	335. The Things I Do

"Fine." Mac ground through his teeth, glaring at the officer who sat across from him. He rubbed his eyes and sat up a little straighter so he wouldn't slide completely out of the chair and onto the floor. He had spent the better part of an hour with Detective Cassidy and he was out of excuses. He couldn't just ignore the fact that Steven's hit-and-run accident took priority over Lulu's life choices. That didn't mean he had to like it.

"Thank you, Sir." Evan beamed at the news he had been longing to hear for a while now. Ever since the run-in with Lulu's brother, he realized that the entire situation was ridiculous at best. She had moved from numb drug addict to paranoid delusions and he shuddered to think what the next leap might be. It was just as possible that she had faked the freak-out, but he didn't think so. The terror in her eyes had been too sudden, too well-played. He wished he could have figured out what she had seen, but chalked it up to something else he didn't want to know. She was unstable to say the least and no matter what he tried to do was working. He couldn't make her care about her own life and he was done wasting his.

"I have to meet my daughter. Is there anything else you want?" Mac grumbled. His tone held a subtle threat in it, one that Evan heard clearly.

"No, that's all. I'll let you know what I can dig up on this hit-and-run." Evan promised, heading for the door.

"You do that." Mac threw on his pea-green jacket and shoved out the door in an obvious hurry. Evan must have let a smile slip because the commissioner through his final order on the matter over his shoulder, "By the way, you're telling Lulu."

And just like that, the air rushed out of the sails and Evan was left in the middle of the police station with his mouth hanging open. Why did he have to be the one tell her? It wasn't like she would care one way or another. He pinched the bridge of his nose and expelled a breath. This was not the way he had seen this going.

"You finally manage it?" David asked as he made his way over to the younger man. It had been no secret that Cassidy wanted off this case, the sooner the better. He hadn't actually thought Cassidy would manage it, but apparently the idea of pushing to investigate Steven Webber's hit-and-run more closely wasn't as dumb as it had initially sounded.

"With conditions." Evan sighed. He stared at the ground as if he wished it would swallow him whole.

"Conditions? That is never good." David tried to hide his smirk.

"I have to tell Lulu." Evan provided.

"Can I come to watch? There's nothing good on TV tonight."

"Funny." Evan rolled his eyes. "So glad my version of hell is so humorous to you."

David shrugged his shoulders. "Well you had to be good for something. I assume you at least know where she is so you can get this last part over with?"

"She's at the club on Main." Evan told him. He had a few ears over at her favorite club who had filled him in on the week's latest events. Apparently, little Lulu was getting herself deeper and deeper by basically making herself Vermin's groupie. He knew she was helping him unload his supply, but he hadn't been there to witness any such exchange.

"Then I suggest you get over there before she skips on you again." David pointed out. If there was one place Lulu Spencer always seemed to outrun Cassidy it was in the club. She was an expert at hiding in the shadows and disappearing into the crowd. Even as close as Samantha could follow there didn't seem to be a way to stop Lulu from vanishing into the night.

"Take it easy." Evan said before walking out into the chilly night. He had lived here for a little under six months now, but it would take him another six to understand the weather patterns. When he climbed into his car, he checked the outside temperature and his eyes widened when the little numbers caught his focus: fifty-two. It was September for Christ's sake. Why was it so cold?

He pulled out of the lot and took a back street that ran parallel to Main. No one would notice this car. It was gunmetal gray with an acceptable amount of dents and scratches. He had found the ad for it in the local paper and paid little to nothing for it. If anyone ever saw his real car, the one that was safely housed in his garage at home, they would never believe he brought home a cop's salary.

He brought the car to a lingering stop at the curb, grabbed his keys, and stuffed them into his back pocket. This would be a quick job. He would be in and out in no time. He clicked the lock button on his keypad and wasn't surprised when nothing happened. Grumbling unintelligibly under his breath, he manually locked it and avoided eye contact with the thugs he encountered first. They took one look at the car and then said he was too poor to be messed with. It was all the same to him. He jerked the back door open and stepped inside.

Where the night had been cold and intimidating, the club was warm and cloudy. He breathed in a mouthful of smoke and fought back the urge to choke. He hadn't seen her car outside, but she could have just as easily walked here. She actually thought she was a force to be reckoned with. At a hundred, maybe a hundred and five pounds, she couldn't have been any less intimidating. He spotted her without a moment's hesitation—like she could fit in with this crowd. She was standing between Vermin and the Incredible Hulk. Why couldn't anything with her ever be simple?

Seeing his now familiar form crossing through the crowd, Lulu fought back the urge to roll her eyes. Why did he always have to stand out? Evan may have tried to brag about his ability to blend in with any crowd, but he stood out worse than a sore thumb. The self-conscious slouch, the hair that never seemed to stay down no matter how hard he tried the easy stride. Evan Cassidy was born without the ability to blend in. No matter how often she tried to ignore him, he was always there, an irritating constant presence.

It was going to get him busted. And while she didn't care about him per say, it wasn't like she wanted to sentence him to anything close to what she knew Derek and Vermin did to those they considered threats. And Detective Evan Cassidy would most definitely be considered a threat.

Just leave, she tried to order him telepathically. Just completely miss the fact I'm here, walk out the door, and leave. Come on, just this once do what I want you to do.

"I have to tell you something." Evan told Lulu without preamble. "Just let me know now if you can see straight, because I'll save this for later if you're going to forget it." He didn't miss the anger in her eyes. What else was new? At least this was the last time he'd have to see it.

"Who are you?" Vermin narrowed his gold colored eyes in the direction of the newcomer. No one got this close to him or who he considered a friend without an introduction.

Evan gave Vermin a bored look. "Leslie's boyfriend. Who the hell are you?"

Vermin gave Derek a barely perceptible glance. "Boyfriend? Didn't you tell me about our little Lu wanting to be more than friendly with you in the alley? Didn't sound like to me like she has a boyfriend."

"She's promiscuous." Evan stated. "And if you don't mind, we were in the middle of a conversation."

"I mind." Derek took a lumbering step. "And I don't think you're her boyfriend."

"Like I'd share my personal life with you?" Lulu finally spoke up from behind all three of them. It was a good thing Derek somewhat blocked her view of Evan or the death rays she was shooting for that promiscuous remark would have made her defense seem even lamer.

Turning back, Derek gave her a leer that caused a shudder to work its way through her spine. "You seemed to want to share plenty that night. I'm sure the cop here remembers."

"The...the cop?" Lulu spat out incredulously. She had told all of them repeatedly Cassidy would get his cover blown, but she hadn't guessed Derek to be the one to blow it.

"You heard me. I saw those handcuffs he had."

"This again. Did you see a badge too, because the last time I checked handcuffs had more than one use." Evan tried to look bored. He hadn't expected her to help him again. He wasn't sure he wanted it now.

"Really?" Vermin smirked. "You want to confirm that little Lu?"

"That's none of your business."

"She's right. It's not of your business." Evan reminded them. It was futile. There was going to be a fight. Great. He had known this wouldn't be easy.

"I suppose I always was a show-and-tell kind of guy myself." Vermin said, almost to himself. He ignored the seething glare Evan sent him. He felt like a kid with a remote controlled toy.

"You want a show Vermin?" Lulu purred as she moved toward Evan. "I'll give you a show." She might regret this later, but it would end this male pissing contest. Besides, like she didn't know full well that Cassidy would chicken out before anything actually happened. Then she could fake a breakup in front of Vermin and Derek and divorce herself from his mess forever.

Evan caught Lulu by the waist and tugged her forward, tilting his head and focusing on her eyes. They just needed to put on a good show and then he could tell her why he had stopped by. He told himself that this had been necessary, coming to find her, because even though he knew she would continue to make stupid choices, he wanted her to realize that he wouldn't be watching her back anymore.

He should have started them off at a relatively innocent level, but he couldn't help it. She felt too good pressed against him. He brushed his thumb across the seam of her lips and then came in for a kiss that had her standing on her tiptoes. He hadn't expected her lips to separate and, from her muffled moan, he realized that it wasn't a conscious decision on her part either. Her mouth was softer than he remembered and sweet. It reminded him of honey. Sweet, but not overly rich. He wanted to devour her.

"Satisfied?" Evan demanded, pulling away far too soon for his liking. He smirked when he saw that Lulu's eyes were still closed and that she was gripping a piece of his shirt collar.

Vermin was grinning. "What do you think, Derek?"

"I'm keeping my eye on you two."

"You had to talk to me?" Lulu managed to find her voice. Damn Vermin must have increased the potency of his goods for her to feel this affected. No way Evan Cassidy had had such an effect on her. If he could kiss like that, there would be no way she would have completely erased it from her memory.

"Yeah. Over here. If that's okay with you two gentlemen?" He didn't wait for an answer.

She waited until she was reasonably sure the music would drown out any discussion they were going to have. The kiss had left her shaky, her mind spinning. Not that she was going to let him know that. "What the hell is going on?" She hissed.

"I've been assigned to another case." Evan informed her, waiting for some kind of reaction.

Blinking, she tried to process the information. He was assigned to another case. "What exactly does that mean?"

"It means I'm out of your hair." Evan clarified.

"You're done? This is it?"

"I thought you'd be shoving me out the door." Evan admitted. "And anyway, you were right all along."

"I'm always right. But what specifically are you talking about?"

"That you're an adult capable of making your own decisions. And, while I don't agree with what you're doing..."

"If this is you trying to do a graceful goodbye, it needs work."

"Then I'll just go." Evan snapped, turning away from her.

"Cassidy." Lulu called after him.

Evan stopped in his tracks. "What?"

She knew going in it would be a mistake. She shouldn't ask the question. She should just let him walk out of her life and become nothing more than an annoying footnote she would one day look back on and laugh at. But the words spilled from her tongue before she could bite them back. "Why did you go along with that kiss? I thought...I thought you would stop me."

"Stop you?" Evan repeated.

"Yes stop me. You had to know what I was planning. Or guess it. I saw that look in your eyes."

This was kind of fun, Evan thought to himself. "What look?"

"That look you get when you think I'm planning to do something crazy."

"It was a pretty crazy move." Evan allowed, giving nothing away.

"Which you generally stop. Or try to."

"Are you really that clueless?"

"Your baby-sitting is done. You've served your penance. You are officially under no obligation to save me from whatever it is you think I need saving from."

"I wasn't trying to save you."

"Then what the hell were you trying to do?"

Evan chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure I wasn't imagining what it was like to kiss you. I thought for sure it couldn't be as great as I remembered, but it was better."

Taking a step back, Lulu was stunned by his words. "Be...Better?"

"Better." Evan nodded, leaning in to kiss her just once more. Though it didn't last half as long as the one before it, it was no less bone-melting. "Stay out of trouble please." And then he walked away.


	336. Daughters

"You're being completely unreasonable." Maxie protested, folding her arms across her chest. She had already been in Port Charles too long. Her boss assumed her family emergency—the excuse she had used to attend Robin's wedding—must have been a death in the family and Maxie hadn't hurried to correct her.

"How am I being unreasonable?" Mac demanded with a shake of his head. "All I want is for you to stay a little longer."

"It's been a week and I'm running out of things to tell my boss." Maxie complained.

"Then quit." Mac suggested in a huff. "I never could understand why you took a job across the country anyway."

"It's the opportunity of a lifetime!" Maxie fought back. "And the fact that it's far away is not something I planned for." That wasn't to say she didn't enjoy the hefty distance between California and New York.

"Don't they have any offices here?" Mac wanted to know.

"No." Maxie knew it was a downright lie. Of course they had offices here, but she was not going to leave her cushy job in L.A. to return to a place that she had long outgrown.

"Oh really? Then what about the one you worked for in the beginning?"

"Different job, different requirement." Maxie said through clenched teeth.

"So they said you had to come to California or you would be fired?" Mac challenged.

"Dad, look..." The lie died on her lips. She didn't want to think about it. "Do we have to fight? Can't we just enjoy this time we have together?"

Mac had the grace to look chagrinned. "You're right." He finally said. "I'm sorry. I miss you, that's all."

She fisted her hands and drove her nails into her skin before she even attempted to answer. Tears were threatening, but she would not break down, not if it gave him more leverage to keep her tied to Port Charles. "I miss you too Papa Bear."

"You never told me what you wanted for your birthday." Mac reminded her.

"I don't want anything." Maxie answered immediately. Her birthday. Drat. She had forgotten all about it.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't want anything." Maxie emphasized.

"You've never turned down the opportunity to be the center of attention." Mac pointed out.

"I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

"It is a big deal." Mac argued. "And..."

"And what?" Maxie prompted when he said nothing more. "Dad? What are you planning? Dad?"

"If you don't want to make a big deal, I'll respect that." Mac's words came out heavier than he had intended.

"Dad." Maxie whined with a sigh. "Okay." She whispered.

"What's that? I couldn't hear you."

"Okay, you can make my birthday a big deal." Maxie allowed. "But when it's time for me to go back, you can't argue the point."

"I won't." Mac promised.

*****

It was another hellish day, but at least, Cruz thought to himself, at least it was over. He wouldn't have to go back to work until tomorrow morning. He had finally confided in Bobbie and told her everything about the inevitable takeover. From what he could guess, she had miraculously not overheard them fighting about it a few weeks back. He kicked the driver's door shut and the car shook in protest. "Don't give up on me too." He begged the car. When he was fairly certain it wouldn't go up in flames, he strolled up the walk and pulled the key from his back pocket.

The door opened before he even had a chance to use the key and he stepped inside cautiously. "Bobbie?" He called. Of course she must be here; otherwise the door would be locked, wouldn't it?

"Back here." Bobbie called from the kitchen.

He hadn't expected to find her in the kitchen. For the last couple of days, she had admitted to feeling a little under the weather, and he had tried his hand at cooking. Suffice it to say, there were plenty of restaurants that were willing to deliver. He pushed the door open and found her in an apron. "Hi there."

"Hello yourself." She smiled over her shoulder at him as she stirred the sauce. "How was your day?"

"Fine." Cruz lied. "Better now." He slowly made his way toward her.

"Are you sure?" She questioned him as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Definitely better being home with you." He whispered into her hair.

"Sweet talker." Bobbie murmured.

"What are you making?"

"Nothing too exciting. Spaghetti and marinara."

"That is just what I've been wanting." Cruz told her.

"Really?"

"Of course. If you weren't cooking that tonight, I was going to ask you to. Beg even." He gave her a crooked smile.

"Well you do know I can't resist your begging." Bobbie smiled. "Everything will be ready in a few minutes. Why don't you go play with our daughter? She's beginning to forget what you look like."

"If you would agree to tape my pictures on her mobile, we wouldn't run into that issue, now would we?" He asked slipping out the kitchen and into the living room where he had completely missed his sleeping daughter. She was stretched out across the couch surrounded by a fort of pillows in case she rolled off as she was known to do.

"Are you sure this is our baby?" Cruz asked, sounding confused. "She's grown at least a foot since this morning."

"According to the birth certificate she is." Bobbie laughed from her spot in the kitchen.

Majandra's sleepy eyes opened when she heard her daddy's voice. She giggled and clapped her hands. "Well there's my baby." Cruz crooned to her.

"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Majandra squealed, rolling off the couch in her attempt to get closer to him. Before he could even react, she was laughing in delight.

"Did you...did she just say...?" Cruz stuttered, watching her pull herself up. "Bobbie, come here." He almost whispered.

"What?" Bobbie walked towards the kitchen door, wiping her hands off with the dish towel she had thrown over her shoulder.

"Daddy!" Majandra giggled again, pushing off the couch at a stumbling run. Every time she fell, he had to fight to stay where he was.

Bobbie smiled softly. "She's getting better at that."

"Better at...? You didn't tell me she was walking, no running." Cruz's eyes never left his daughter.

"I thought it would be a nice surprise for you."

No sooner than Bobbie spoke the words, Cruz picked Majandra up and cradled her close. "Baby, you almost gave Daddy a heart attack."

"Daddy." This time, she said it as if he should have known better.

"I know. I know. You walking and talking is apparently only new to me." He tugged on one of her dark curls and smiled when it sprung back in place.

"Well dads always are the last to know." Bobbie teased gently.

"She's not even a year old. What's she doing walking?" Cruz wanted to know. "The books didn't say she'd be ready for that at seven months." He was throwing the books away. Obviously the people writing them were stupid.

"Wasn't it you who was always saying she was advanced?"

"Well that is true." Cruz nuzzled her cheeks with his nose. "This was a wonderful surprise."

"See? Learn to trust my surprises."

"I don't know if I want her growing up so fast." Cruz replied uncertainly.

"Sorry to break it to you my love but there is really nothing you can do to stop that."

"Are you sure?"

"Ninety nine percent positive."

"Then I'll just have to hold out for that one percent, won't I?"

"Optimist."

"It's something new for me to try." Cruz told her.

*****

Alexis breathed in the crisp afternoon air and exhaled slowly. Now this was why she had come to Port Charles and never left. Once the mobsters were out of commission, the place no longer reeked. She gazed lovingly down at her daughter as she hurried into the pizzeria and bounced from one side of the display counter to the next. They had spent most of the morning at the movies watching tons of children's films they had had to miss out on when she was sick. Today was all about catching up.

"Mommy, what kind do you want?" Kristina prodded happily. She was already mentally picturing her favorites. Alexis envisioned a stack of hamburger and pepperoni with peppers while she bet her daughter wouldn't even be able to find the bottom of the plate once she made up her mind.

"You first." Alexis suggested, smiling at the cashier/owner. He was only about five years her senior and had run this little place since Kristina was born. She should know: that's when they had started coming here, Kristina with her bottle and Alexis with her green peppers.

"I want...um..." Kristina faltered, her eyes jerking from one side to the next. Her eyes squinted and she twirled around, something catching her eye. "Sam!" She abandoned Alexis's side and ran for her new friend.

"Hey Kristina." Sam wasn't sure how she should react, whether or not she should hug her little sister, so she moved her hands to her back and lightly patted the little girl. "How are you?"

"I'm getting pizza with my mommy." Kristina informed her with a lift of her chin. She pointed to Alexis who was trying very hard to figure out whether or not she should come over or stay where she was.

"Really?" Sam sounded genuinely interested. "I love pizza!"

"Me too! Me too!" Kristina gushed. "What's your favorite kind?"

"I like them all." Sam answered. "Mostly pepperoni though."

"Really? What about hamburger?" Kristina asked carefully.

"I can eat it, but I don't like it as much as the others." Sam made a funny face and Kristina giggled.

"I don't like hamburger." Kristina responded matter-of-factly.

"It's true." Alexis chimed in. "She thinks I'm crazy for liking it."

"To each her own." Sam replied, swallowing a lump in her throat. Kristina was one thing; Alexis was quite another.

"Did you want to join us?" Alexis hadn't thought she would stay until the opportunity presented itself. She hadn't seen Sam since the wedding and she was worried how she might be handling the results. Obviously not well if she couldn't even keep eye contact.

"You should." Kristina said it in such a way it sounded like she was sorry she hadn't thought of it first.

"Actually, I..." What? She wanted to rush home so she could eat her pizza alone? David wouldn't be home and even if he was...

"Oh, you've just got to." Alexis encouraged her.

"I...um—okay." Sam followed them to the counter and they each got in line.

"So what have you been up to?" Alexis wanted to know, though she told herself not to interrogate her daughter. Sam. Not to interrogate Sam. She wouldn't think of her as anything else until she acknowledged the link between them.

"Cheese and pepperoni." Sam told the cashier. "Nothing. Working on a case with David."

"The hit-and-run?" Alexis hated being out of the loop. Once she was feeling better, she was getting her job back.

"No. Mac gave that to Cassidy." Sam clarified.

"Oh. I didn't know that." Alexis confessed.

"Yeah, so, that's it. What about you? You look like you're feeling better."

"I am." Alexis nodded.

"Mommy doesn't have to go to the hospital anymore." Kristina told Sam.

"That's great news." Sam said fervently.

"Yep. I was just feeling so good today I thought I'd take Kristina out and spend some time with her." Alexis explained.

Sam looked over at Kristina who was digging into her pizza before they even had a chance to sit down. "And here I am, ruining it."

"No, Sam. That's not true." Alexis countered. "It's good to see you."

"But you want to spend time with your daughter and I'm interfering." Sam reasoned.

"Sam, if that were true, I wouldn't have invited you to stay." Alexis reminded her. "There's no rule that says you can't join us. We've got to start—"

"I actually have a bit of work to get back to. It was great to see you, Alexis. And Kristina." She gestured toward the sweet little brunette whose face was covered in tomato sauce.

"Please don't leave." Alexis begged her.

"I'll see you around." Sam promised, hurrying out the door.

"Doesn't Sam like us anymore?" Kristina inquired sadly.

"Oh of course she does. It's Mommy's fault." Alexis insisted.

"Next time, we should glue her to the chair." Kristina said through a mouthful of food.

"Next time." Alexis agreed.


	337. Just Like You

"When did it happen?" Robin asked leaning forward. They would have met at Kelly's, but it was too crowded when they got there. The docks made sense. It wasn't like there was any danger to be found.

"Our last day at Disney World." Elizabeth smiled. She had been dying to tell Robin everything since the second Lucky slipped the ring on her finger.

"How? You've got to give me details. I want to know everything. What were you wearing, where were you standing, just everything." Robin gushed excitedly.

"Well we had just gotten there and Lucky was being just completely slow. So Cameron and I told him to hurry up because we could see there was something going on in front of Cinderella's castle."

"And did you figure out what was holding him up?"

"Not at the time. I think it was nerves but I'm sure we'll never ever get him to admit it."

"Lucky was nervous? That is so cute."

"This is why I had to wait till we were alone before telling you this." Elizabeth leaned forward and raised her eyebrows. "Can you imagine if Patrick and Cruz heard about that?"

"Well yes, now I see. I just wish you had pulled me aside before now."

"There wasn't time. Between your wedding and everything. Besides that was about you and Patrick."

"Well now it's about you and Lucky." Robin confirmed looking up.

"Alright so back to the story. So Cameron and I beat him up to the castle and Cinderella and Prince Charming are standing there giving autographs and posing for pictures, stuff like that. All real cute and I'm trying to figure out how to not get another picture of the back of Cameron's head. And somehow, I'm still not sure how, Lucky signaled Prince Charming."

"Signaled?"

"I have no idea. He was being sneaky. The only thing I knew was that all of the sudden Prince Charming starts talking about how he's found his princess and now it's his turn to help someone else find theirs. At this point I think all the adults knew a proposal was coming so we're all looking for someone to walk out of the castle and or see if we can find out which person in the crowd is the lucky girl."

"I like this story."

"So I'm looking just like everyone else and Lucky's trying to get my attention. Of course I'm ignoring him, you know because I'm so consumed with trying to figure this out. He finally gets me to turn around and he's down on knee with the ring."

"Aww, really?"

"I know. He did good."

"I can't believe you didn't figure it out."

"And when exactly did you figure out Patrick was proposing for real again?"

"When I saw the ring in the remote controlled car." Robin admitted. "Right there in front of Cinderella's castle." She added dreamily.

"I could barely believe it myself." Elizabeth sighed. "So obviously I said yes and became super embarrassed when I realized how many people were watching. After the applause stopped and people moved on with their days, we had to explain this concept to Cameron."

"It sounds magical."

"Out of a dream."

"Just the way it should have been. I knew..."

"You knew what? Robin?" Elizabeth waved her hand in front of her friend's face.

"No, I mean I didn't know. Not for certain. I just hoped. You two hit it off so well and I just wanted you both to be as happy as Patrick and I are. I don't give Lucky enough credit. It's right out of a storybook."

"Speaking of storybooks how was the honeymoon?"

"As perfect as one can be when you're a big fat cow." Robin laughed. "But I want to hear more about what happened after the proposal."

"You are not a cow. I was a cow." Elizabeth corrected her. "The first thing was dealing with Cameron. He's still not clear on what exactly the big deal is."

"What do you mean? What does he think is going on?"

"For starters he thinks we already are married since you know we live together and have the twins. And since its hard to explain what being married is without using things that have already happened, we're kinda letting him think its just a big party."

"A big party works." Robin agreed. "Speaking of that..."

"Go ahead. Ask away."

"You realize we have a lot of planning ahead of us."

"I know. Even with the plans Laura already has." Elizabeth nodded.

"This is your wedding. What you want is what we're going to do. So what do you want?"

"For it to be over?"

"You know better than that." Robin giggled.

"The truth is, it hasn't really hit me yet. But I'm thinking Christmas. Steven should be back from Australia for a bit then and I want him there. If we wait for him to finish that movie, well we might be waiting a long time."

"Truer words were never spoken. Okay, Christmas. I can work with that." She leaned closer and whispered, "Elizabeth."

"Yeah?"

"You're engaged."

A smile graced Elizabeth's face and she held out her left hand. "And you haven't even seen the ring yet."

"Wow." Robin breathed. "It's stunning."

"Apparently he hid it in a pair of socks."

"Well then it's a good thing you didn't smell the ring before you said yes, huh?" Robin teased.

Elizabeth leaned back and laughed. "And it's a good thing Daphne helped him."

"Yes, good thing. So where are you thinking of holding the wedding?"

"Not sure but Lucky thinks he knows the perfect place."

"I'll have to talk to him about that." Robin muttered.

"I'm sure he's expecting that."

"Are you going to have the twins in the wedding?"

"I'm hopeful they'll be sleeping at the same time by then."

"They sleep?" Robin feigned shock.

"Strange but true. Just you wait. Little Nathaniel will prove me right."

"Who do you suppose he'll look more like?"

"I'm hoping you. Patrick will be insufferable if he looks just like him."

"I was thinking the same thing." Robin started to laugh, but the sound was lost in her throat. She turned around completely, the old bench creaking in protest.

"Robin?" Elizabeth turned around, trying to find out what had distracted her friend.

"I thought—I thought I heard something."

"Are you sure you're ok? You're shaking."

Robin rubbed her arms as if she was suddenly cold though the overall temperature hadn't changed. It was a mental thing, she realized, her body's reaction to fear. "Elizabeth, if I told you I thought someone was watching us, would you believe me?" Her voice was nothing more than a whisper.

"I'd believe you think there is." Elizabeth reached out and took hold of her friend's hand. "Do you want to go some place else?"

"I don't see anything though." If she could just rationalize that nothing was there, surely she could regain that joyful feeling.

"I don't either. You know it could have just been these docks. They're old. They creak."

"But they haven't ever scared me." Goose bumps exploded across her arms.

"Pregnancy hormones. They put you all out of whack. Crying over things that really shouldn't be cried over. Yours just give you heebie jeebies."

"Do you think I did the right thing about Logan?" Robin wondered aloud.

"Logan? I..." Elizabeth stumbled over her words. She hadn't thought about Logan since the custody trial. "What brought this on?"

"I don't know. I guess I just thought they would have caught him by now."

"We all did. But I know your uncle is still looking for him. He will be found."

"I can't stop thinking about our last conversation. He wants me to suffer for stealing Patrick from him. What's to stop him from doing just that?"

"The fact that the entire town hates him and would shoot him on sight?"

"I guess you're right." Robin answered through unmoving lips.

"Come on you know I'm right. Lets go fight some undeserving little high schoolers out of a table at Kelly's and gouge on whatever it is you are craving."

"Sure." Robin lied. Like she could eat now. It was like fear had materialized and was closing in on her. She had to keep on a good show for now. She could break down when she got home.

"You'll feel better once we leave. Trust me on this much." Elizabeth stood up and offered Robin her hand.

"I guess I was wrong about these docks. They're still just as creepy."

"Yeah but at least you can have a private conversation here."

He waited for the two women to get past him and then he stepped out of the shadows. "Soon." He murmured. "I'll see you soon my lovely."


	338. Best Of You

_Rated Mature for Adult Content._

Robin felt a little better once she was locked behind her deadbolt. She had sent Elizabeth home believing that everything was fine, that she was probably just wary of so much happiness and that's why she was thinking about Logan. As if she had ever stopped thinking about him. She rubbed her hand over her neck and tried to relieve some of the tension she found there. What if she wasn't going crazy? What if he had been there? What if he was watching them? He would have followed her back here. He could be waiting for her in any of these rooms.

No. Robin shook her head. She was being paranoid. That was all this was. She was worrying over nothing. Logan was far, far away. He wouldn't be stupid enough to return, not with his outstanding arrest warrant. She was over thinking as usual. This was just jitters. Everything was finally in place; she had just one more week until she was scheduled to give birth. She was married to the most wonderful man and she had never seen Morgan happier.

She thought about calling Patrick, but ignored that urge. This was his last day to practice before the race in Florida and she didn't want to bother him. She could get Uncle Mac over here, but would he find anything? Even if he did, did she really think it would make her feel better to know that someone had been here recently, been in her room, in the kids' rooms? Robin forced herself to take a deep breath. All of this stress wasn't healthy for Nathan and she had to remember that. A week or not, he was still developing and she hadn't forgotten Dr. Walker's warnings, or Ric Lansing's for that matter. It wouldn't take much…

There must be something on television. Maybe she would luck out and the soap operas she used to love to watch would have been canceled and replaced by something better. One could only hope. She pressed the ON button and flipped through the channels, stopping only when she found an old black-and-white. While she couldn't remember the plot or the title, there was something soothing in just sitting here and listening to their words. Before she realized it, she was fast asleep.

When she awoke, she had not idea how much time had passed. The movie had morphed into another one and it was on mute. She couldn't remember muting it. Jerking into a shaky, yet standing position, she twirled around. If there was someone here, she was going to find out who it was. She couldn't let fear overwhelm her. The kitchen was too far away and he could have just as easily been hiding in there. No, she would go to Patrick's office. It was an open area with only one entrance. Keeping her back to the wall, she slithered closer without making a sound. She pulled the center drawer open and searched meticulously for a weapon. Satisfied, she pulled out the letter opener. It was small, but effective. It would allow her enough time to get away, she reasoned. The air seemed to thicken as soon as she stepped out of the office and headed for the stairs.

Unlike the last time she had felt a foreign presence in her home, she didn't call out or give any indication that she had left the couch. Her bare feet were soundless on the carpeted stairs and she made sure to keep her back against the wall to keep from being surprised. Despite all of the self-defense she knew, it would be useless to her in her current state. The gun. It was a fleeting thought. Where was it? Had she unpacked it? Were there bullets in it? She bet not. She wouldn't take that kind of chance with Morgan in the house. The bedroom. The gun had to be in there. In the closet maybe? Definitely not under the bed. If it was still packed, she wasn't going to get a chance to look for it. She would have to depend on the weapon she was holding between her thumb and index finger.

She could feel the adrenaline kicking it. Whether fear or self-preservation had triggered it she didn't know, but she was grateful. She would need all the strength she possessed to confront the assailant. Maybe if she convinced herself it was a robber she wouldn't feel as scared. But she knew it wasn't a robber. It was _him_. It was always him. She felt it in the tips of her fingers, her toes, and the certainty of her instincts. Would she be able to get away? Was it too late? And Morgan? Could she get to him in time?

_Don't think about it_, a voice instructed her. _One thing at a time. Keep yourself safe and get to your child. Do not beat yourself down with what could have happened._ If this little pep talk was supposed to calm her, it was failing. Her breaths came in short, raspy chokes. If Logan hadn't heard her by now, he soon would. Then she would be found out. She had to keep going; she had to get to Morgan. If nothing else, she had to get him out of here.

_Two feet_, she told herself. Two feet remained between where she stood and Morgan's door. She would sweep in, put her hand over his mouth if she had to—she didn't want to scare him too badly—and get him down the stairs. She would carry him if she had to. Dr. Walker wouldn't like it, her straining her back that way, but the woman didn't have any children so what the hell did she know anyway? Her lips formed his name because she couldn't say it aloud as she pushed the door open. She spun around in a circle. The room was empty. The game was paused. Everything that had been on the bed—the sheets, blankets, and pillows—were shoved into one corner. Other than that, there was no disruption to the room.

_Oh God. Oh God. Oh God_. Why hadn't she grabbed a phone? He was in here; he must still be in here. She hadn't heard a sound. But she had been sleeping. Why had she left him all alone? _Oh God. Oh God. Oh God._ Only Nathan's swift kick to her stomach snapped her out of the panic that was taking her over. Find Morgan. She had to find Morgan. Would he be hiding under the bed? In the closet? No and no. In his bathroom? No. She checked the window. Still bolted shut. No broken glass. Her eyes scanned the room again and again. She must have missed something.

The phone screamed from the living room and she hurried to get it, leaning heavily on the railing to keep from tumbling down the stairs. She jerked it out of its cradle and put it to her ear. "Morgan? Patrick? Hello?"

"'_He who takes the child by the hand takes the mother by the heart." _

"Who is this?" Robin demanded angrily.

"Do you like that? It's a Danish proverb. Very effective, don't you think?"

"Who is this?" Robin repeated.

"You know who this is." The voice sneered.

"Where is my son?"

"I don't think I'm going to tell you."

"Logan, please?" Robin begged weakly.

"Why should I give him to you? What do you want him for? You're about to have your real son."

"If you hurt him, I swear to God."

"You'll what? Kill me? I'd like to see you try."

"What is he worth to you? Why did you take him from me?"

"Maybe because it's about time someone did. What, you couldn't handle competition so you had to take out my cousin? And then her husband too? I have to say, your hands are a lot dirtier than I remember."

"I had nothing to do with—"

"Save it. I don't care. The fact of the matter is, you have everything and I have _nothing._"

"That's your fault. You chose for it to be that way."

"I didn't choose anything. You stole it all away from me. Everyone I cared about. I lost it all. And now it's your turn."

"Logan, please. Give me back my son."

"I'll make you a little deal, hmm? If you can answer one little question for me, I'll give Carly's bastard back to you. Is that fair?"

"I don't want to play games."

"If you want your little boy back, you'll play mine." Logan assured her. "Now, let's see. One little question. Ah, how about this? Were you already fucking my brother when we were married?"

"What? No. Of course not!"

"See, I think you're lying."

"I'm not lying!"

"But how can I know that that's true? I saw the way you always watched him. You were drooling after him like a puppy dog. And you expect me to believe that you didn't weasel your way into his bed?"

"Logan, I swear. I didn't start seeing Patrick until later. After the divorce was final. Last year." Robin was crying now because she knew he wasn't going to give Morgan back. This was her fault. If she had just put him away when she could have instead of forcing herself to see the good in him. The good in a monster? What a joke! And now she was going to pay. First, Morgan would pay. She had brought this on him. Her sweet little boy with his wide brown eyes and shaky smile. Was he scared? Did he understand what was going on? Could she get him back before anything else happened? She had to.

"I'm sure I'll regret this later, but tell you what. I'll let you know where Morgan is and you can come and get him."

"What's the catch?"

"You always were too clever for your own good, weren't you? Is my offer too simple? Do you demand a better climax to the end of this piece of shit story?"

"No. No." Robin trembled.

"Well have it your way."

"No. Logan, tell me where Morgan is. Tell me!"

"Don't order me around. I can just as easily shoot him now and save you the gas. Would you prefer that?"

"Don't hurt my son. Please, don't you hurt him."

"It'd be nothing compared to what you've done to him. You took his life long before I ever could."

"Let me talk to him." Robin demanded suddenly.

"Oh I don't think so."

"Then how do I know you have him? I want to talk to him _now_."

"How many times do I have to tell you? This is my game and I get to make up all the rules. For instance, I expect you to come alone. And this isn't a request. If I so much as smell a cop, I'll blind the kid. Do you understand me?"

"Y—yes." Robin promised.

"That's a good girl. I knew you could be reasonable given the right incentive. Now I know how much you want to call someone and tell them all about our little chat. In fact, I'm guessing you're wishing you had grabbed your cell phone so you could be calling them while talking to me, which by the way would be totally rude. However, since I can see you…" He gave her enough time to look out the window where she suspected he was. "That's right. I have you in my sights. Morgan isn't with me I'm afraid, but don't worry. I know how strict you are when it comes to babysitters and I promise, the guy I left him with is totally willing to play ball. That is, if you do. One little phone call Robin, that's all it will take for your perfect little world to blow up in your face."

"I understand."

"Do you? Don't lie to me, okay? You couldn't possibly understand what I'm going through, the pain you've inflicted on me. I don't want your sympathies. You don't know what pain is." Logan insisted hysterically. "But don't you worry now. I'm going to teach you a little something about it right now."

"Logan, don't hurt my son." Robin pleaded. "I'll do whatever you want. Just leave him alone."

"I'd rather kill two birds with one stone if you know what I mean." Logan cackled.

"There's no reason for that. I'll do what you want. I'll go where you want."

"I'm not used to hearing compliance in your voice. I think I like it."

"Where do you want to meet?"

"I want you to get in the car and turn left at the first stop sign you come to. Keep driving until I tell you to stop."

"Okay." Robin grabbed her car keys.

"And don't forget about those rules now."

"I won't."

"See you soon." And then the line went dead.


	339. Breathe You In While I Can

_**Lyrics by The Cranberries**_

_**Rated V for Violence**_

Robin's hands were shaking when she reached the car ninety seconds later. She closed herself inside and gripped the key with two hands to keep from breaking it in the ignition and turned the engine over. The radio blasted from the speaker and she screamed, vaguely remembering when Patrick had borrowed her car yesterday to get his looked at. What she wouldn't give to have him with her right now, but that was against the rules and she wasn't willing to break them. The cost was too high. Tears slid down her face when she thought about Morgan being all alone with some stranger, a hired gun for all she knew. He must be so scared.

She drove out of the parking lot and snatched up her cell phone the moment she recognized the White Snake's "Here I Go Again" ring tone she had set for numbers she didn't have programmed in. "I'm here." She said. It was impossible to hide the tremble that had been slowing building up in her throat for the past five minutes. She hated how much he must have enjoyed hearing it.

"Took you long enough." Logan scolded though he didn't sound particularly upset. Amused was a better description.

"I'm sorry." There was no point giving excuses. It wouldn't matter to him that even Superman couldn't have gotten to the car faster than she had. If she knew anything about Logan, it was how little he cared for excuses.

"It's alright. I'm sure that kid is slowing you down. It'd be a shame…" He let his voice trail off, but she didn't need for him to continue. She had already considered what could happen.

"I've turned left at the stop sign." Robin informed him through chattering teeth. She set her jaw to try and control the shivering.

"I see. Now, go down this street until it dead ends and I'll tell you where to go." He was silent for a few minutes and then said, "This is kind of fun."

_I'm glad you're enjoying yourself you sick bastard_,she thought to herself. "You haven't hurt Morgan, have you?"

"Unless you do something I don't like, there's no reason for me to hurt the little brute, now is there?" Logan reasoned. "I'm not a bad guy despite what you may think." Robin scoffed and Logan laughed. "Well I guess I'm not a good guy either. I'm just that poor, misunderstood, unloved guy who just wants a piece of the pie you know? Forgive the rhyming. It wasn't intentional."

"You were given everything." Robin pointed out. "Your mother loved you more than anything in the world and so does Patrick." She hated to admit that her husband still loved his younger brother, but it was the truth. Until now, she hadn't wanted him to hate Logan, foolishly believing that that would hurt Patrick more. And maybe it would, she admitted, but he couldn't possibly justify this away too, could he? If something were to happen to her, to their children, he would have to turn his back on his brother once and for all. It made her sick to think. Logan had no idea how lucky he had been. Why take Morgan? It made so little sense. If anything, he should be trying to make amends with his brother.

"My father butchered my mother on the operating table." Logan spat. "And as far as Patrick goes, I'm a little surprised to hear that he still cares for me after everything he thinks I've done to you."

"You say that like I've been lying to him."

"Haven't you? I thought for sure I was in trouble when I came in through your window, but you didn't even seem to mind that much, so it got me wondering."

"I didn't want to hurt Patrick any more than you already had." Robin explained. "Read no more into it than that. It had nothing to do with you personally."

"Has it been hard for you to sleep since then? I hear you started seeing a shrink." There was laughter in his tone and she could tell he was smiling as well.

"You make me sick." Robin told him.

"Then we're even. Barely with my brother a year and you're already having his child. Talk about solidifying your status in our family."

"I didn't plan for this to happen." Robin argued.

"Then why not get rid of it? Oh let me guess: you love it, right? And you've convinced my brother to love it too."

"Stop it."

"Do you think my nephew will enjoy finding out what a whore his mother is?"

"Why do you hate me so much?" Robin hissed. "What did I do to you that you didn't bring on yourself?"

"You turned my brother against me."

"You did that. You knew he cared about me and you knew coming after me would be a nail in your coffin."

"You were asking for it and don't tell me otherwise." He must have heard the tears in her voice because he stopped talking long enough to laugh again. "I've missed our chats."

"Tell me something Logan." Robin steadied her voice. "Why did you try to take Cameron? I can understand Kristina and Morgan, but why Cameron?"

"Because Lucky turned on me too and I didn't appreciate it." Logan replied. "Anyway, I just ended up stuck with baby sister. I should have killed her. I told them to let me. I would make it quick and clean. Just a deep stab to the heart or a bullet to the head. They wouldn't even have to participate. But they were afraid. You see, they were cowards."

"Who was the fourth person?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

"Why not? You don't owe them anything."

"And you think I owe you something. Listen, Robin. The fact that I haven't done away with your kid yet is about the only thing I'm willing to do for you and you don't even deserve that."

"I'm at the dead end." Robin told him, blocking out his hateful words.

"Turn right and follow the road around until you reach I-19. There's an exit five miles from there. The sign isn't easily seen from the highway so you're going to have to be sure not to miss it."

"Okay." Robin signaled and pulled her car onto the highway. "After I exit?"

"You aren't there yet. Be patient. Trust me; I want you to make it to the right place. It's been too long since I've seen your face."

"Trust you." Robin parroted emotionlessly.

"I can understand that you're a little wary after all that's happened between us so I'll let that go. Don't cry." He insisted angrily. "I want to talk some more."

"What would you like to talk about?"

"Let's talk about our last night together. I assume you still remember it."

"No, let's talk about something else."

"You smelled absolutely radiant that night. Whether it was perfume or just your own natural scent—"

"Logan, stop this. I'll talk about whatever else you want."

"I can't believe you're blocking it out. That hurts me Robin."

"Well it hurts me to talk about it."

"Sorry." Logan actually sounded somewhat sincere. Robin wanted to gag, but that would require too much effort. It was all she could do to keep her car on the road. "Pay attention. I'd hate for you to end up in a ditch somewhere because you're distracted." Either he had read her mind or he could still see her. She was betting on the latter. "Wouldn't that be tragic? By the time your uncle found your bodies, it would be too late."

"I'm in control." Robin assured him raggedly.

"No, I'm in control." Logan countered. "And you'll do well to remember that."

"I'm exiting. Which way? Logan, which way?" She demanded when he said nothing in response.

"What's that?"

"Logan!"

"Alright, alright. Turn left under the bridge and follow the road all the way down. It's going to change from cement to gravel so be careful."

"At the end of the gravel?"

"There'll be a farmhouse. Park there. Call me once you're here."

"Wait I—" Robin threw the phone down in frustration. She drove the rest of the way in silence because she didn't want anything to distract her from getting to that farmhouse. There, just up ahead, she could already see it. She started to turn in when something caught the end of her tires and the car jerked forward. "Argh!" She screamed, her body thrown into the steering wheel.

When she woke up, her head was pounding and she couldn't sit up completely. Her hair and forehead were glued to the steering wheel with sticky blood. She clamped her lips tightly together and pushed her body backwards, cringing and crying. Awareness came to her in slow degrees. She knew she was in her car and that it was still day outside—the light stung her eyes. The battery went dead and then there was no noise at all. How long had she been passed out? Was Logan angry? Would he take it out on Morgan? Had he already? Was he dead?

"No." Her lips formed the words and she knew it was a mistake to open her mouth because now she could smell the blood. Gagging, she managed to get out of the car and threw up in a tiny patch of grass, her body lurching in resistance. She felt weak and lightheaded. How was she ever going to make it up the driveway? The phone. She had to get the phone. Quivering, she maneuvered herself back to the car and reached across the seat for the phone, but it wasn't there. Hysterically she laughed as her laborious search turned up absolutely nothing. Where was it? Where was her phone? Crying, she bit down on her dry bottom lip and shoved one hand under the passenger seat while she kept the other pressed to the passenger seat. Her fingers closed over the tiny black box and she drew in a sigh of relief, her arm shaking under the pressure.

_I can't_, she thought to herself. _I can't keep doing this._ It was too hard. Logan had won. Morgan was probably already dead. _No._ No, she had to get up. Sweat fell from her face like a soapy sponge; her knees were buckling. She gripped the phone so hard it was a wonder it hadn't snapped into two pieces. "You got the phone," She whispered. "You got the phone, now get up." _Get up and call Logan_, her mind went on when she became too weak to speak anymore. Her knees scraped against the leather seats, her body giving out even as her mind screamed for it to hold on. Just hold on. Just a while longer.

"You look like hell." Logan remarked. His voice came from the front porch. He hurried down to her and yanked her backwards by the collar of her pink and white polka dotted dress. "I'm so glad you could come. I haven't had friends out here in ages." She tried to focus on his words, but the little white dots appearing in front of her face were too disorienting. "Stay with me now. I'd hate for you to miss this." Logan encouraged, dragging her into the house.

"Where's Morgan?" Robin managed, her eyes fluttering wildly as she tried to push away from him.

"He's here." Logan promised. "You'll see him very soon."

"I want to see him now. Logan, let me see him. Please, I have to see him." Robin wasn't above begging. She would do anything if he would just let her see him.

"Okay my lovely. Come in here. Right this way." He led her down a long hallway that seemed to go on forever and ever. She realized her dilemma before they were even halfway there: she couldn't get them out of here. _Please let Morgan be okay. Let him be coherent enough to get out of here. _She would do whatever she had to do to get him out of here safely and that included staying behind and fighting off her psychotic ex-husband.

"You're awfully quiet." Logan noticed. His voice had the same effect of a loud speaker pressed against her ear. She could feel the vibrations in his throat when he spoke to her.

"D-Don't have anything to say." Robin told him.

"You really do look bad." Logan said again. "You aren't going to die on me, are you Robin?"

"Please." Robin didn't know what she was asking for. To make it a little longer maybe. To not pass out. For her children to make it out of this alive even if she couldn't. One thing was for sure: she wasn't asking Logan anything. His hands were like iron chains around her wrists. He could, at any time, let go and she would fall. He had all the power just as he had said.

"There we go." Still holding her with one hand, he threw the last door on the left open dramatically. "Hello Morgan."

"M-Morgan?" Robin couldn't see him. She couldn't even keep her eyes open long enough to see if it was really him.

"Say hi to Mommy, Morgan. Go ahead." There was a beat of silence and Robin felt her body fly into the wall. She slid down it almost immediately. "Oh that's right: you can't talk." He pointed to the ropes and gag.

Robin could hear Logan moving around the room, but she couldn't pinpoint his location. Her face was completely hidden behind her hair. She pinched the inside of her left palm to keep from losing consciousness.

"I used to think," Logan was talking again. She could make out every other word. Her main agenda was getting to where she figured Morgan was. He was wiggling in his chair so she could hear the clanking of the chair. _Keep doing that_, she silently begged him. _Help_ _Mommy find you._ She crawled for all she was worth, unable to do much else. "Are you paying attention?"

"Morgan." Robin answered instead.

"Yes, yes. Morgan's here. Now listen or I'll have to hurt him." Robin turned toward her attacker when the threat settled in. "I used to think that I was one of those unlucky people. If there was a bad thing within a hundred-mile radius, I was going to find it. I didn't even have to seek it out. You were the light in all of that. You and my brother seemed to understand who I was and, for a little while, that was okay with you." Something tugged her back by her hair and she screamed. "And then it all changed. Why did it change, hmm? Can you tell me what changed?"

"You went crazy." Robin spat, reaching out for Morgan's hand. She almost smiled when she felt his cold hand beneath hers.

"No. That's not it. You both abandoned me." Logan stated matter-of-factly.

"You lost your mind and now you want everyone else to lose theirs. Well too bad." Robin didn't realize she was talking until he released his hold on her head. The relief, though minimal, was enough to keep her from closing her eyes indefinitely.

"There's the firecracker we all know and love. About time you joined us. I was getting kind of bored of the Mother Teresa role myself. It'll keep me entertained on our trip."

"Trip?" Robin echoed, her heart in her throat. Her lips were so dry, she didn't even dare to run her tongue over them. Her eyes were tearing with every second she forced them to stay open. Beyond the pain, there was one feeling that kept her going: Morgan's hand in hers. She squeezed it twice and then turned back to Logan.

"Yes. You see, now that you're here, our family is complete."

"We will never be your family." Robin vowed repulsively.

"You don't have much say in it, now do you?" Logan reminded her. He addressed his next question to Morgan who couldn't have answered anyway. "Morgan, how does the song go again? Love's first right? Well I love your mother. Then marriage. I still have our old rings so that's taken care of. And, thanks to your mother's loose ways, we even have a little baby to raise." He stepped closer until he was crouched in front of his younger cousin. "I'm afraid there just isn't enough room for you. You understand." That said, he pulled out a switchblade and cut the ropes free enough to where he could drag Morgan to his feet.

"_No! _No! Logan, get away from my son!" Robin demanded, using the chair to pull herself up. "You let him go."

"So he can live a life of always being number two? I don't think so. I've been there and trust me, it's not a fun place to be."

"Get away from him. Morgan, run. Run." She insisted.

"He can't Mommy." Logan assured her. "You might want to close your eyes. I know how queasy you get at the sight of blood."

"No, Logan. Don't. Don't do this. Leave him alone. He didn't do anything." Robin made her way toward them, all the air rushing out of her lungs at the sight of the switchblade pressing against Morgan's throat. "Let him go. I'll stay." Morgan shook his head, tears sliding down his cheeks. "It's okay baby. It's okay." Robin told him. She stared at Logan coldly. "Patrick is going to kill you."

"Usually I'd argue, but you're probably right. It's too bad you'll all be dead by then." His words brought images immediately to her brain. Her hands flew to her stomach out of habit.

The front door flew open, the hinges creaking in protest and the windows shaking. All eyes turned to the door. Logan pushed Morgan onto the floor and traded his knife for a gun. It wasn't that different from the one Lucas was holding. Robin's eyes flew from one person to the next, not sure what she should do. She was so relieved to see Lucas, but it was fleeting thought. Even if he could get off a shot, neither of them would be quick enough to save Morgan.

"Hey there cousin." Logan addressed Lucas, dragging Morgan along with him as Lucas moved deeper into the room.

"What are you doing Logan?" Lucas demanded shaking his head. His eyes were wide and incredulous, but there was fear beneath his words. He knew how bad this could get. His eyes locked with Robin's and she nodded once.

"Taking back what was stolen from me." Logan explained.

"Oh, I didn't realize Morgan was your son." Lucas snarled.

"He should be. And so should that little bastard she's carrying. They should both be mine."

"Too bad." Lucas chuckled, watching Logan's eyes darken. "I forgot what a whiner you were."

"What?"

"Yeah. You were always whining about one thing or the other. Patrick or Lucky had something you wanted so you were always complaining. You never saw what you had. And you're surprised she left you. Typical Logan."

"Shut up." Logan ground through his teeth.

"Don't be an ungracious host." Lucas cautioned him sardonically. "Now I know I wasn't invited to this little shindig, but I thought you always liked surprises."

"I have never liked surprises." Logan argued.

"Oh, that must have been Patrick. Hard to believe I made that mistake. You're nothing like him."

"I know." Logan admitted.

"Do you really think doing this is going to score you points with him?"

"I want him to pay attention." Logan clarified. "Nothing more, nothing less."

"Don't be stupid, Logan. You've stolen his entire family."

"He doesn't deserve to have a family!"

"So you're going to punish Morgan? A little boy who has done nothing to you?"

"They haven't had enough time to fill his head with lies about me yet. He doesn't have any reason to hate me yet."

"I think you've given him plenty actually. His memories of you will always come down to this one. Why don't you let him and Robin go."

"No." Logan shook his head furiously. "No, they deserve to pay."

"For your pain? You selfish bastard." Lucas accused crossly. "Pay your own penance, okay? Leave them out of it. Sometimes life isn't fair. Sometimes it downright blows, but you have no one to blame but yourself. You did this. You kidnapped them and now you're going to have to face the consequences. What a concept!"

Logan pulled Morgan to his feet and held the gun in his shaking other hand. "Do you want to see what I can do, Lucas? Don't push me. The way you're pushing me isn't smart! Tell him." He beckoned Morgan, snatching the gag away with a quick jerk of his hand. "Tell him what I'll do."

Robin's eyes widened and she knew there was only one thing left to do. Fisting her hands, she ran for Logan and tackled him to the ground. The gun fired off a round but as far as she could tell it hadn't hit Morgan. She crawled over to him and undid the knot of his gag. Logan rolled over, his eyes dazed, but he was up quicker than a snake in attack position. He and Lucas ran for the gun and Morgan let out a scream, "MOMMY!"

She couldn't figure out why he had screamed, only knew that it was getting harder and harder to stay awake. She was being dragged farther and farther into the thick smog of her brain.

"MOMMY, NO!" Morgan ran for her and then she heard a sound that stopped her heart: a second gunshot.

_Another mother's breaking  
Heart is taking over.  
When the violence causes silence  
We must be mistaken._


	340. From The Inside

It wasn't fair. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to her. God of all people not her. Lucky ran a hand raggedly through his hair. Mac had to be wrong. That was the bottom line. Mac was wrong and this whole thing was a ridiculous and completely unfunny joke.

Pacing in front of the entrance gate at the practice track, Lucky tried to run through the limited amount of facts he had right now. Patrick was going to want answers and he was going to want them immediately. His cousin wasn't going to take this news well in any form and the few nuggets of information weren't going to help keep Patrick from ripping someone's head off. There had to be something he was forgetting. Some small, vital, important fact that could allow him to say that everything was going to be fine.

There was nothing. He _knew_ there was nothing. He had been over it a million times since Mac, looking as if he had aged overnight, had come to the door. There was nothing he could tell Patrick that was going to make this ok. Nothing. God why had he volunteered to do this? Why hadn't he just told Mac where Patrick was and met them both there? Why did he have to listen to that stupid little voice in his head that told him Patrick would take it better coming from him and that Mac had enough going on? Never again. He was never listening to that voice again.

A few of the other drivers and crew members started to meander through the gate. Practice was obviously starting to end for the day. He couldn't stall anymore. He had to get in there and do this. Squaring his shoulders, Lucky pushed his way against the departing team members and scanned the remaining people for Patrick's familiar frame. _Just please be alone_, Lucky prayed. _Just be alone._ This wasn't going to be easy, but the least Lucky could do right now is to make sure Patrick didn't break down in front of a crowd.

"Never thought I'd see the day." Patrick greeted Lucky, jumping off the bottom bleacher and sliding under the bar.

"Patrick." Lucky managed shakily. "I guess hell froze over after all."

"Did Robin send you? Am I late for something?"

"No. Um but we still have to go."

Patrick scanned the bleachers until he found his crew chief. "Hey Doug, I'm outta here. Okay, where are we going?" he asked, letting Lucky lead him to the car.

Lucky bit his lower lip. He had to tell him before they got into the car. "Patrick..."

The grave tone was enough to stop him. "What?"

"Robin's at the hospital. We have to go."

"But we still have a week." Patrick argued.

"Something's happened."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about? I just talked to her."

"I don't know everything. Mac was still investigating...."

"Invest—" Patrick couldn't get the word out. "Lucky, what is going on? What happened?"

"Logan. Logan happened."

"No." Patrick whispered in torment. "No."

"Just get in my car and I'll tell you what I know."

"Is she...?" Patrick asked, needing to know this one answer before he accepted anything else.

"She's hurt. You need to get there now."

*****

"I'm looking for my wife, Robin Drake." Patrick forced his lips not to tremble as he spoke her name, yet again expecting to find her in the worst possible condition. If Lucky hadn't driven him here, he didn't know what he would have done. At this point, he was able to do things one at a time. Get into the car. Buckle his seatbelt. Get out of the car. Find Robin. Lucky hadn't known much more than he did, but he might as well have known nothing for all the sense it made to him.

Nurse Epiphany Johnson sent him a tight, empathetic smile. She wondered if he could really appreciate that the act was difficult for her. It just so happened that treating people didn't require a constant smile and gleeful attitude. She had seen too much, done too much, and lost too many. There was nothing to smile about. "She's in the O.R." Nurse Johnson explained.

"I want to see her. Where is it?" Patrick glanced in every direction.

"You can't see her just yet."

"The hell I can't!" Patrick roared.

"The doctors are extracting the bullet now. You'll just be in the way." She explained patiently.

"The...the bullet." It wasn't a question. He knew she had been shot. It was just strange to hear.

"Yes. When it hit, it shattered and they're trying to pick out the fragments."

"I want to see a doctor." Patrick demanded.

"There's nothing a doctor would tell you that I haven't."

"Patrick." Lucky had finally caught up with his cousin after he had bolted from his car. He placed a tentative hand on Patrick's shoulder. "Why don't you find Lucas? He should know more and answer some of your questions. At least the how and where."

Patrick spun around to fast, his vision blurring. "Yeah. Okay."

"I'll stay here and keep the doctors within arm's reach when they come out. Mom, Dad, and the rest of the family are on the way. You find Lucas and Morgan. I'll take care of this."

"If you hear anything..."

"I'll come running and find you." Lucky promised.

Patrick remembered the way to Pediatrics from Cameron's accident, but he would have preferred to get lost. What was he supposed to tell Morgan? He knew even less than his stepson. Lucas was standing outside the door when Patrick approached. "Patrick." It was a stale, monotonous tone and the younger man's eyes were deep, his skin sallow and unnatural looking. His eyes were red and swollen and Patrick wondered how long he had been here.

"Is he in there?" Patrick couldn't keep the panic out of his voice.

"Yes. The doctor said he has a mild concussion, but he should be able to go home tomorrow." Lucas didn't go on to say that his mother wouldn't be so lucky.

"How is he?" Stupid question, Patrick chided himself. How did he suppose Morgan was? He had just witnessed his mother being shot. This was the second attempt made on his life. Of course he would have no idea how bad the situation was until he asked. Lucas would know better than anyone. Patrick didn't let himself think about what could have happened if Lucas hadn't shown up.

"Physically, he's fine." Lucas answered vaguely.

"And?"

"And do you remember when Carly was killed?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"Remember how he stopped speaking completely? Dr. Wexler calls it something else."

Patrick waited a beat. "Lucas, spit it out."

"He's catatonic, Patrick." Lucas explained. "He won't speak a word. He won't even make eye contact. He just stares at the wall."

"Lucas, what happened?"

"Didn't Lucky tell you?"

"He didn't have a lot to go on. I know it involves my brother."

"That it does." Lucas gave Patrick a serrated smile, his eyes hard. "He lured her to an abandoned farmhouse."

"And he used Morgan to do it?"

"Yes. I wouldn't even have known he contacted her if Mac hadn't insisted I tap your phone." Lucas bowed his head. "I took too long."

"No, you got them out of there. It's more than I could have done." Patrick argued forcefully.

"I'll never forget the way her face looked right before she attacked him—"

"She what?"

"He was threatening her child and she wasn't going to let him get away with it."

"Why didn't she call and let someone know—?"

"Because he threatened to blind Morgan if she did."

"And while all of this was going on, I was off doing stupid stunts." Patrick wasn't actually talking to Lucas so his cousin didn't say anything in response.

"He had the gun to Morgan's head when I came in. When Robin knocked him out of the way, the gun scrambled across the floor and we wrestled for it. He got to it first and it went off, striking Robin in the upper right shoulder. Morgan knew what had happened before I did. Once Logan realized what had happened, he kind of stopped for a second and I used it to my advantage to get the gun away from him. In the commotion, Morgan got shoved down and the gun went off again. The bullet struck the wall and then I got control of it finally." Lucas decided now wasn't the best time to finish the story. "I called the hospital and told them I was bringing Robin and Morgan in and they met me in the parking lot."

"Where's Logan?" Patrick ground through his teeth.

"He won't be bothering anyone anymore." Lucas answered instead. "You should get in there and reassure Morgan. Maybe you can get him to talk."

"Lucas." But Patrick couldn't form the words. Appreciation was too mild a feeling.

"She's practically my older sister." Lucas waved off Patrick's thanks and beckoned him toward the door. "Your son needs you now."

*****

Wringing the well worn shirt in her hand, she asked herself for the millionth time what the hell she was doing. For weeks now, she had been begging Evan to leave her alone. To take his concern and his unwelcome reminders of a time that was most likely best forgotten and get out of her life. For good. And now that she gotten that wish, what was she doing? Standing outside the police station, clutching his damn shirt like a demented stalker.

And that didn't account for the amount of time she had found herself thinking about the last time she saw him. Or those kisses he had laid on her. Alright, technically she had started the whole kissing thing, but still it was his fault for being so damn good at it, Lulu reasoned. How had he gotten so good at it? Practice? Did she really want to think about his practice? Why the hell did that thought bother her so much?

Lulu stomped her foot on the ground and let out a frustrated growl. Damn it! He was supposed to leave her life and improve it! She wasn't supposed to keep finding damn reminders of him around her apartment! She definitely wasn't supposed to keep thinking about him whenever she let her mind wander. He was nothing. Less than nothing. An overprotective baby sitter/annoying bug. Evan Cassidy was not worth this, she told herself firmly as she squared her shoulders and pushed into the station. _Just give him the shirt and you'll never ever have to see him again. It's what you want right?_

Spotting him sitting at what she assumed was his desk she tossed the shirt at his head. "Here. You forgot something."

Her voice startled him. Her tone amused him. He fought back the threatening smile and looked up. "How sweet of you to return it to me."

"Please. It's called taking out the trash."

"Then why didn't you throw it away?"

Damn him for using logic! Lulu fixed her best glare on him. "Why'd you leave it?"

"I didn't mean to. When you conked out, I took a shower. I must have forgotten to take it with me." Despite her sharp tongue, she slept like an angel.

"Ew. Now I have to decontaminate my shower."

"Considering the company you keep, I'm surprised you haven't thought to do that yet." Evan rolled his eyes.

"Is there anything else I need to be on the watch for?" She did not want to be ambushed again by stumbling over a pair of his shoes or something.

"Well let's see..." He looked down at his belt. "The kinkiest we ever got was handcuffs and I have them here."

She could feel the blush working up the side of her neck and she looked to the floor. Damn him for the images she knew he was purposely putting in her head. "Not that you would ever know about that."

"I have an overactive imagination."

"Well you do have plenty of time to use it."

"Not so much now." Let her make of that what she would.

He wouldn't...no he couldn't have actually found a life that quickly could he? She shook her head. "Online gaming taking up a lot of time these days is it?"

"Actually this hit-and-run I'm working." Evan corrected.

"Hit and run...Steven Webber's case?" Of course she had heard bits and pieces of the story since it happened. The last time she had heard anything it was that there were no new leads. "You're looking for who hit Steven?"

"Well no one has come forward to confess." He tried to joke. It fell flat. He had been the one to find Steven Webber.

"Yeah I'm not surprised. Good luck with that. Steven's a good guy."

"Are you going to tell me the truth?"

"The truth? What are you talking about?"

"Why did you really stop by?"

"To give you your shirt genius. Did you forget already?"

"No, but I think it was just an excuse to see me. And I have to wonder why you would go to such trouble."

"Well it's not like I could mail it to you now could I?"

"Why not? You could have mailed it to the station. Or were you afraid of the questions that would inspire?"

"The questions?" She tried to ignore the butterflies that were taking flight in her stomach as he moved closer to her. "Have you been spending time with Vermin that I don't know about?"

"I wasn't referring to those types of questions. Everyone knows I was assigned to keep an eye on you. Are you worried they'll think I crossed some line?" He smiled. "Or are you disappointed that I didn't?"

"You are so full of yourself."

"Yeah well." He answered with a shrug.

"Did you hear about this?" Joe Rafferty, the new rookie, asked interrupting. He shoved the file in front of Evan's face in case he tried to ignore him.

"Logan Drake? What about him?" Evan challenged, his eyes squinting when he noticed Lulu flinch at the name. "Lulu?"

"Lo...Logan? Logan?"

"Lulu, what's the matter? Rafferty why is this important?" Evan growled, trying to comfort Lulu without scaring her. He knew if he so much as touched her, she'd run, but he didn't know why.

"He caught up with his ex-wife tonight. Both she and the kid are in the hospital as we speak."

"Robin? Morgan? Logan got near them?" Lulu gasped as she started to rock back and forth. "He got near them. He got near them."

"The commissioner's niece." Evan realized. "Lulu? Lulu, look at me please."

"It was a clean shot." Rafferty went on. "I guess that's what you can expect from a damn P.I."

"What are you babbling about now?"

"Logan Drake died tonight."

"He's dead? He's really dead?" Lulu whispered.

"Yeah. Apparently Jones didn't think enough of him to leave it to guesswork. He shot him four times at close range."

"I gotta get to GH. I got to be there." Lulu grabbed onto Evan's arm without seeming to realize it. "You got to get me there."

"Come on. I'll take you." Evan promised, leading her toward the door.


	341. Pushing Me Away

"Hey buddy." Patrick waited to see if Morgan would look up. He didn't. There was no response at all. His eyes were glued to the sheets on his hospital bed. It was a step up from the wall at least. As it happened, it was no less unsettling. "I heard you were a brave little kid today." Patrick went on, dropping into the lone chair beside the bed. "I'm proud of you." There wasn't even a flicker in Morgan's eyes, just a tightening of his shoulders as if he disagreed.

"You were. You were so brave." Patrick emphasized every word. "I know you're scared. Robin's with the doctors now and they're going to do everything they can to…" His voice fell away. He had to remember he was talking to a seven-year-old. "I wanted to come and make sure you were okay. Well not okay. I know you're not okay." He took a breath. And he had thought patience was difficult; he didn't know how to handle total silence. It reminded him far too much of the weeks they had been in Paris. He suddenly felt very alone.

"Dr. Wexler said you can go home tomorrow. Isn't that good news?" There was a frantic squeak behind his question. Morgan pulled the blankets up and turned away from Patrick, his head resting against the pillow. "I guess you're tired. It's been a bad day for you. I'm sorry I wasn't there." Patrick reached out to put his hand on Morgan's shoulder, but he pulled it back abruptly. "Do you have any idea how happy I am to see that you're okay? I mean, I know you don't want to talk right now and that's okay. I can do enough for both of us." Morgan didn't take the bait. Patrick suppressed a sigh.

"I know nothing I say is going to convince you of this, but I'm going to say it anyway: we're going to handle this as a family. I'm going to leave you with Uncle Lucas right now and check on Robin and Nathan. Is that okay with you?" No flicker of feeling one way or the other. "This is the best hospital in the state, Morgan." He leaned over and kissed his stepson's forehead. "I love you. I'll be back in a few minutes. If you get scared, you can have the nurse page me over the intercom and I'll come right back."

Having heard his name, Lucas stepped in and the two men shared a private look. Morgan closed his eyes, probably trying to will everything away. Patrick's mind was buzzing when he left the room. He should be stronger than this. He should have stayed with Morgan, but how could he when Robin was lying on an operating table? Right now he needed answers. Then he could come back and give Morgan some good news. Surely that would get him talking…or at least reacting.

He noticed that the rest of the Spencer clan had swept into the waiting room while he was gone. Laura started toward him first, but he held up his hand. He couldn't break down right now. She nodded and resumed her seat. Elizabeth was trembling in her seat, her back to him.

"Has there been any...?" He directed the question at anyone who might know.

Lucky shook his head. "No. No word."

Patrick strolled past them, his pace slow. He didn't have to wonder where he was heading. He just had to follow the line of nurses and other medical personnel. They were all going to the same place. Swallowing thickly, he moved past them, practically invisible, and stared inside. The room was a blur of white and blue. Everyone was moving about quickly. He couldn't see Robin behind them. Well of course he couldn't. She was so...she was so small. Tears sprung to his eyes and he furiously wiped at his eyes.

"Sit down son." Luke came up quietly behind him and whispered his suggestion so only Patrick could hear it. "It's going to be a long night and you'll need your strength."

"I don't have any strength." Patrick argued pointlessly. "I can't leave her, Luke." He protested when he tried to pry him from his spot.

"I wouldn't expect you to. Spencers don't run when there is trouble. But Little Scorpio is going to need everything you can give her to fight this. You need to conserve so you can fight when it's time."

"How could I have let this happen to her? To all of them?"

"Don't do it. Don't do the 'what if' game." Luke shook his head. "It doesn't do any good and it won't fix this. Robin doesn't need your guilt. She needs you to fight for her."

The elevator doors slid apart and Maxie stepped off. She ran in no particular direction, the front desk acting as the needle on her compass, and her eyes searched frantically for any familiar face. Though she would have preferred recognizing anyone else, she caught Lulu's familiar form. Her archenemy was quivering uncontrollably and there was a guy Maxie had never seen sitting beside her. He was whispering something that no one could hear. "I'm sorry it took me so long to..." Tears filled her eyes when she spotted Patrick. "She...she's not..." Maxie shook her head.

"No." Cruz promised, handing Bobbie a cup of coffee he knew she wouldn't drink. She was rocking Majandra who had fallen asleep on the ride over. "There hasn't been any word. She's in the O.R. right now."

"And the baby?" Maxie treaded carefully.

It was Dillon who answered this. "They've got a fetal monitor hooked to Robin. Unless something's changed, they haven't had to induce." This was news to Patrick. His eyes jerked frantically toward Dillon.

"How do you know?" Maxie challenged, more out of fear than frustration.

"Lucas told me."

"Can I have her please?" Cruz asked Bobbie.

"I've got her." Bobbie protested.

"I know. I just thought you might want me to hold her so you could drink something."

"I can't." Bobbie replied and no further explanation was expected.

"Where are Cameron and the twins?" Lulu managed to ask. Maybe if the kids were nearby, she could distract herself.

"My grandmother's." Elizabeth managed. "Lance is more than welcome too Dillon."

"He's with Edward right now. I figured the Quartermaines could serve as a great distraction for him."

"Elizabeth, tell me about the wedding plans." Laura goaded.

"Umm we're thinking Christmas." Elizabeth managed. "Anything to top last year."

Laura grimaced. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Well I'm sure the non-appearance by my parents will help that along tremendously." Elizabeth smiled shakily.

"You don't need them. You've been a Spencer for a while now." Laura told her.

"I wouldn't say that too loudly. That could really confuse people." Lucky pointed out. "Or give the wrong impression."

"Oh you." Laura smacked Lucky's arm lightly.

"I'm just saying..." Lucky started to defend himself.

Dr. Joanne Walker pushed open the doors, alerting everyone to her sudden presence. Her eyes scanned the room until she recognized Patrick. "Mr. Drake." She said grimly. He stood up slowly, fear clear in his gaze.

"How's Robin?" Patrick asked.

"She's stable."

"And the baby?"

"He's a little trooper." She found a smile for him.

"Can I see her?"

"No."

"Why not?" Patrick snapped. "You just said she was—"

"Stable. Not _good_. Not even fine."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, with the machines, she's able to breathe. She hasn't regained consciousness yet."

"Why not?"

"Well that's what I'm trying to figure out. We were able to get most of the bullet out."

"Most?" Patrick echoed.

"Some of the fragments were too small and others were found in areas too sensitive to extract from."

"I don't understand. Why can't I see her if the surgery is complete?"

"Because the area hasn't been sterilized yet."

"I don't care."

"I do."

"I need to see my wife." Patrick stressed every word.

"What you need to do is sit down and wait out here until I tell you it's okay to come in." Behind them, a machine beeped madly. Years of skill had taught Dr. Joanne Walker to not let her emotions show on her face. "I have to get back in there."

"What's going on? What is that?" Patrick demanded, blocking her path.

"Let me pass." Dr. Walker insisted edgily.

"Not until you tell me what that is."

"You're killing your son right now Mr. Drake." Dr. Walker said with just the right amount of malice. He fell back a step and she shoved past him.

"Patrick, come on." It was Cruz. He was trying to steer Patrick back to his chair. "Come on. There's nothing you can do for them right this second."

"Get off of me." Patrick shoved him and his concern in the opposite direction.

"Patrick let the doctor do her job." Lucky cautioned his cousin. "Robin needs her. Go see your son. He needs you."

Wordlessly, Patrick stalked toward the elevator, tears choking him. Lucky was right. Cruz was too. There was nothing he could do for Robin and Nathan. He had to concentrate on Morgan. Everyone watched him go, pity clear in their gazes. Why feel sorry for a man who had done little or nothing to protect the family he had spent the last sixteen months building? He wanted to scream at them. Feel sorry for Robin whose only crime was that she loved him, for Morgan who had trusted him, and for his son whose life could have just been compromised because of his father's inability to face a world without all of them in it.

Patrick didn't go to see Morgan as everyone was expecting him to do. He wasn't in the right condition to be around a frail, catatonic child right now. Until he could get a hold on his emotions, he wasn't going near Morgan. No reason to make it worse if it could be avoided. He would walk around for a bit, clear his head if possible. Things weren't going to get better immediately; he was already coming apart at the seams. If Robin were to wake up right now, she would be ashamed of how he was acting. Cruz and Lucky were just trying to help; the doctor was just trying to her job. But he couldn't see that could he? Not when it was easier to focus on the anger he felt, easier to place it on the closest person.

It must have been absolutely terrifying to be trapped in his mind the way Morgan was with no escape. What was it that kept him from talking? Was it fear? Had he just completely stepped out of the real world and into his mind? Did he no longer feel safe here? Patrick had promised to protect them, but he couldn't even do that. God sent them to him and he hadn't kept up his end of the bargain. What was he going to do if one or both of them died? He hadn't legally adopted Morgan, but it seemed as good a decision as he could put together right now. At least, whether Robin woke up or not, he would have a say in further treatment for their son.

And treatment would be necessary for Morgan if he didn't start talking soon. The first time this had happened, Patrick hadn't been this worried. Granted, at the time, he had barely known Morgan and he simply refused to speak. Back then, he hadn't known what it was like to hear that sweet little boy laugh, to see the joy on his face when he completed another level on his game, or hear his thoughts on used and abused cartoon characters. Now that he knew, he wasn't willing to give it up. No matter what it cost him, he would get Morgan talking again.

Had he held up the doctor for too long? Was his son dead? Robin? Both of them? He couldn't think about that now. Surely someone would have come to get him if that were the case. He could barely remember a time when he wasn't worrying about something, be it Robin, the baby, or something to do with his relatives. He shook his head. He didn't want to think about Logan now. Or ever. How could his brother have carried this out to such an extent? And why go after Robin? He was just as much to blame if not more. He had pursued her without any sort of encouragement. Logan had cut himself off from the family and then from Patrick completely. It had been his own choice so why did he have to come after Robin and Morgan? If Lucas hadn't planted the bug on the telephone…

A chill swept over Patrick, seeping into his skin and past all rational thought, instantly numbing him. His mind refused to process anything more. He found the double doors broadcasting a large red EXIT sign and walked right through them. The temperature was muggy and the air was nonexistent. He nearly choked on it.

An old married couple hurried past him, their smiles ecstatic. When they realized he was watching him, they stopped. The wife, a tiny woman of perhaps seventy, explained, "Our granddaughter has just given birth to our first great grandchild." There was a strong sense of pride in her voice and it was clear her husband felt the same way.

"Congratulations." A thick, throaty voice answered them. He looked behind him to see who it was. There was no one behind him.

"What about you?" The husband urged with his jolly smile.

"My wife and sons were in an accident." Patrick told them. He watched their faces cloud over in despair. "But they're alright now. Would you excuse me?" He scurried away from them before they could respond, calling himself a callous ass for not lying and keeping them in good spirits. The truth was, he couldn't pretend, not now. Not at a time when he needed to prove just how real they were to him, how sustainable this life they had built was.

Patrick wasn't sure how long he walked around. His stroll was aimless. It didn't solve any of his problems. It didn't clear his head. However, when he returned to Morgan's room, his breathing was easier and he wasn't alone: Georgie had slipped in. He knew the rest of the Scorpios would descend eventually and they would voice all of his fears and self-loathing thoughts. "Hey Georgie."

"Hey Patrick." Lifting herself up off of Morgan's bed, she made her way over and wrapped her slim arms around Patrick's waist. "I'd ask how you are doing but that seems a little pointless."

"Thank you for coming." Patrick said monotonously. "I bet Morgan's happy to see you." He looked over at his stepson for some kind of confirmation. His eyes were focused on the wall now.

"You know me. Never miss a party." Georgie tried to joke.

"Robin told me you were headed to Australia."

"Maybe." Georgie allowed. "If everything goes to plan."

"That's exciting."

"I hope so." Georgie looked over at Morgan. "You know you are coming to visit me right Morgan?" Morgan glanced listlessly at the coloring book and crayons Georgie had brought him.

"What do you got there?" Patrick asked.

"I know he likes Spiderman, but I thought Transformers might be good for a change of pace."

"Wasn't that nice of Georgie?" Patrick prompted.

"Has there been any word?" Georgie asked quietly.

"No, but the surgery went well." Patrick decided to edit as he went in front of Morgan.

"That's good. That's really good."

"Yeah." Patrick nodded. "When did you get here?"

"About the time you left to find out about Robin. I thought someone should sit with Morgan."

"Where's Lucas?"

"The police needed to take his statement."

"Oh."

"Yeah. It sounds like he won't be in any trouble or anything. I'm sure my dad will see to that. It's probably just to make it all look official and all."

"Trouble?" Patrick mouthed. "Hey, Morgan, Georgie and I are going to talk outside for a minute, okay?"

"I'll be right back Morgan." Georgie promised as they made their way to the door. "I still have to finish that story for you about Steven and the mean, ugly actress."

Patrick closed the door behind them. "What kind of trouble?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"No."

Georgie chewed on her lower lip and looked to the ceiling. "Patrick...when Lucas got there, Logan was trying to kill Robin and Morgan. He didn't have a choice. He had a shot and he took it. I don't know how to tell you this Patrick...but Logan's dead."

Patrick's throat tightened. "I had a feeling."

"I'm so sorry Patrick. I know he was an ass, but he was still your brother."

"I can't think about him right now."

"Yes. I mean no of course not. You have to concentrate on Robin and Morgan and Nate. I get it."

"I hate to ask..."

"You want me to stay with Morgan so you can go check on Robin?" Georgie assumed.

"Actually, I was going to ask if I could stay with Morgan and you could check on them."

"And you want Robin to make fun of you for the rest of your lives for being a chicken?"

"It's not that. When I was there a few minutes ago...please?"

"Alright I'll go. But don't think I'm not telling Robin everything about this."

"She'll defend me like always." Patrick tried to smile. It faltered and he glanced back at the door to Morgan's room.

"Of course she will." Georgie assured him. "Go on. He needs you too."


	342. For What It's Worth

"This is just procedure, you understand?" Billy Korals, the most hated District Attorney in all of New York, spoke to Lucas as if he was no older than five.

"I understand." Lucas ground through his teeth for the hundredth time.

"Is there a reason to make him go through this more than twice?" Mac wondered with an eye roll.

"I just want to make sure every fact is accurate."

"Isn't that what makes a fact?" Lucas muttered under his breath.

"This is a very serious crime, Mr. Jones." Billy scolded him.

"Oh I know. Trust me I know. If you were doing your job, Logan Drake wouldn't have had any reason to come back here."

"Excuse me?" Billy looked startled. His ten minutes as D.A. hadn't struck up the kind of fear and respect he had been hoping for.

"You heard me. If I hadn't stopped him, someone else would have."

"That's enough Lucas." Mac warned quietly.

"But the body count would have been much higher." Lucas threw in. "How long were you going to wait to catch him? Did your office put any manpower into finding him?"

"Lucas." Mac repeated.

"If you have to put me on trial for this murder, go ahead. It wasn't premeditated, but I'm not sorry. No amount of jail time is going to change that." He held out his wrists.

"It was clearly self-defense." Mac declared.

"Says you. He was shot four times!"

"They were struggling with the gun. You weren't there. I wasn't there. The only ones who can corroborate this story is my niece and I don't think I have to remind you where she's spending her Tuesday night, now do I?" Mac stared Billy down until he was scrambling to find a seat.

"Can I go now?"

"Yeah, you can go." Billy said. Mac and Lucas shared a look. Like his opinion mattered. "I don't think I have to remind you not to leave town."

"No. You don't have to remind me." Lucas assured him sardonically.

"No shit." Mac pulled a cigarette from his breast pocket. He hadn't ever smoked, but he figured tonight was a good a night as any to start. He fished out a cigarette and lit it, ignoring the No Smoking sign hanging above the door.

"I want you off this case."

"I don't believe you have the power to do that, Mr. Korals."

"No, but I can strongly suggest it. You can't be objective and I'm not going to have this case thrown out because of some false move you make."

"Fuck you." Mac said conversationally, lighting his cigarette. "I'm damn good at my job."

"But this is your niece and no one's going to believe that you're treating her hero as a criminal."

"He's not a criminal. I'm proud of him. Maybe if my niece's husband would have stepped in before, this wouldn't have happened. But it did. I let that little weasel slip through my fingers twice and this time somebody stopped him. As disappointed that I am it wasn't me, I'm glad it's over."

"You're giving me ammunition to keep you away from this case you know?" Billy told him.

"Well I'll tell you what Junior. You do whatever you have to do. I'll continue working this case with or without your permission."

"By the way, I'm sorry about your niece."

"My niece will survive this. She doesn't need your pity." Mac assured him, shoving out of the office.

*****

"What's the situation? What's going on?" Ric demanded as he walked into the operating room. He had been paged five minutes ago to assist with a problematic patient. It was one of the downsides of being the head of the OB department. When the case had the potential to go horrifically wrong, he had to be present to make sure every possible attempt had been made.

Dr. Walker looked up from the table and sent him a grim smile. "Thank you for coming. The patient is twenty-six. She's in her final month of pregnancy, suffered a gun shot wound, but we were able to extract most of it. The reason I had you paged is because she had a bad reaction to one of the drugs and I'm not sure which one. I could use a fresh pair of eyes."

Walking quickly toward the bed, Ric felt his brain shift into procedure mode. "Which protocols have you already tried?"

"Syntocinon was used to induce the baby, but once he was out, the patient suffered PostPartum Hemorrhaging and was given Misoprostol to control the bleeding. According to the patient's history, she has an allergy to Penicillin, but at no time was this administered so I'm not sure what caused the reaction. She flat lined for thirty seconds and we brought her back, but we need to move onto blood transfusions as soon as possible. And you know as well as I do that, until we can figure out what she reacted to, we can't use up the B-Negative blood we have on hand."

"It could be anything." Ric agreed. "Even the Hypromellose found in the Misoprostol. Are there any other medications that she takes regularly?"

"Just her protocol of Antiviral medication. She's HIV positive."

HIV positive...Ric made his way to the patient, hoping it wasn't who he thought it was. It would kill Maxie. The only thing he had ever wanted to be wrong about in his entire professional career was his prognosis for Robin Drake. As he reached the bed, he fought against the tears that immediately welled up in his eyes. "Robin? Robin Drake is your patient?"

"That's right: You had her as a patient originally, didn't you?" She feigned surprise.

"You know damn well I did Joanne." Ric snapped.

"Touchy. Considering the way you washed your hands clean of this case, I'm surprised it bothers you so much that she can't breathe without the machines."

Ric glared at Joanne and walked menacingly toward her. "I told her the truth, which is far more than you did clearly. And now I'm here to make sure you don't screw this up even more than you already did."

"I didn't screw up anything! If she didn't know to avoid bullets, she punched her own ticket." Joanne retorted.

"That's the least of our worries right now." He glanced at the fetal heart rate monitor. So far the baby seemed to be holding his own, but that could change quickly. "I'm scrubbing in. I'll handle the baby, you concentrate on finding what is causing her reaction and stopping that bleeding."

"I'll go talk to the family now if that's okay with you."

"Go. I'll be here working."

"Don't think just because I called you in here means that I'm giving you all the credit." Joanne said before heading out.

"All the credit I want is to save this baby if at all possible. Quit worrying about your reputation and let me do my job."

Joanne wiped the smile from her face before she went out to meet the family. Her news wasn't exactly good, but it could be a lot worse. At least they had saved the baby. She almost ran into Patrick he was standing so close to the O.R. "Mr. Drake." She greeted him stoically.

"Georgie said Robin had a reaction to one of the medicines. Is she alright?" Patrick wanted to know. He was going to try this calm thing and if it didn't work, he would try something else.

"We were able to get the baby out safely." Joanne hedged.

"That's wasn't my question." Patrick clarified coldly. "Is Robin okay?"

"We're trying to figure out what caused the allergic reaction right now. Other than Penicillin do you know of anything else that she's allergic to?"

At least she referred to Robin the present tense. He figured that was as close an answer as he was going to get. "No. Nothing."

"You see the problem we run into is whether or not we can find the cause before Robin bleeds out."

"What are you doing here then? Go in and save my wife." Patrick demanded.

"I thought you might want to hold your son." Joanne explained hesitantly.

"You thought wrong." Patrick shook his head furiously.

"Patrick. Nathaniel needs you right now." Elizabeth moved toward him quietly. "Let Dr. Walker work on Robin."

"That baby means everything to Robin. I'm not holding him until she has a chance to." Patrick countered.

"So Little Nate is just going to sit there and wonder where both his parents are?" Elizabeth asked him. "Robin would want you to be the first to hold him. You know that."

"I know that I'm not in any condition to see him right now. I know that I've got my hands full trying to get Morgan to talk. And I know that Robin hasn't regained consciousness one time since she got here. Babies pick up on this kind of anxiety and that's not how I'm going to meet my son."

"Morgan will get better, just like he did last time. Knowing his little brother is here and fine will help him. Georgie is with him and she won't let anything freak him out. Just concentrate on the love I know you already have for him. Let him pick up on that."

"I'm sorry, I can't." Patrick walked away from them, from their whispering voices and accusing gazes.

"Fine. I'll go." Elizabeth sniffed, pushing away the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She understood Patrick was terrified about losing Robin, but damn that little boy needed him too.

"I'll go with you." Laura offered. "I've been patiently waiting to meet Nathan for at least three months now and you know how I hate to wait." She teased.

"Don't I ever?" Elizabeth joked back. "Dr. Walker, where's Nathaniel?"

"We haven't moved him to the nursery yet. I'll get him for you." Joanne disappeared into the O.R. where she found Ric. "Any change?" She asked, scooping the baby up.

"No." He replied tersely.

"Okay then." Joanne backed out of the room. "Here he is."

Elizabeth and Laura stood close together as Dr. Walker placed the tiny bundle in Elizabeth's arms. His hair was fine, but already the same dark color of his mother's. He stubbornly refused to open his eyes, but Elizabeth was willing to bet they were the same shade as Robin's. "Hi little Nathaniel." She cooed quietly. "Your momma is going to be so happy to see you."

"He looks just like Patrick's baby pictures." Laura noted, sweeping her hand lightly across his hair.

"I think he looks like Robin."

"You must be so tired." Laura said to the baby.

"Well of course he is. It took a lot of work to get here didn't it?" Nathan yawned and they both smiled. "Now that you get from your dad." Elizabeth laughed.

*****

"You didn't tell me he was here." Maxie accused lightly, hurrying over to the crowd forming around little Nathan. "Wow. There's no question who his parents are."

"No. No doubt about that." Laura laughed.

She had left to get coffee and this was what she got for it? Well she was done being nice to others. It got her nowhere. "Can I see him?"

"Of course." Laura carefully handed over the small bundle to the younger woman. "I'm sure he was anxious to meet you."

"Well that goes without saying. Hey little guy. I'm your cousin Maxie. I'm going to spoil you like crazy."

"You are about ten people back on that line." Lucky joked.

Nathan started to wail and Maxie's eyes widened. "Um, I didn't break him." She promised, looking for someone to hand him to.

"Give him here." Lucky held out his hands. "He's fine. A tough guy. Just like his mom I bet."

"Well he is a Scorpio." Maxie said handing the baby over to him.

Ric slowly walked through the double doors and made his way to the family. He paused only long enough to attempt to wipe away the exhaustion from his face. He had done everything he could do, tried every medical procedure he could. There was nothing else he could do. Now it was up to Robin.

"How is she?" Luke wondered, spotting him first. He recognized the doctor from Bobbie's delivery as well as Elizabeth's.

"She's....she could be better." Ric admitted.

"Did you find out which drug she was allergic to?" Luke pressed.

"No." Ric replied shook his head. "It's still a mystery."

"I didn't realize you were working this case." Maxie said quietly, not meeting his eyes. She could be civil. He was trying to save her cousin's life.

"Dr. Walker called me in to assist." Ric addressed her answer to the entire group, realizing now was not the time to start in on their issues.

"Well I'm sure she couldn't ask for better doctors." Maxie admitted.

"We are still trying everything we can think of." Ric assured them. "And we're not stopping until we figure this out."

"What the hell are you doing here?" Patrick interrupted, Lucas coming up behind him.

"Patrick!" Laura snapped. "He's just trying to help."

"Like he tried to help before?" Patrick challenged incredulously, closing some of the distance between him and the man he had hated for the better part of a year.

"I told you both the truth." Ric defended. "And I would tell you the same thing now."

"I don't want you anywhere near my wife." Patrick said through barely controlled anger.

"Patrick, what's the matter with you?" Maxie demanded, hands glued to her hips.

"Maxie I can handle this." Ric insisted, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Patrick I understand you are scared..."

"You have no idea what I'm feeling right now." Patrick countered, holding his hands out as if to buffer any further explanation the doctor tried to offer him. "I wish for scared."

"I assure you we're doing everything we can to help Robin. Unfortunately this is one of the risks I was worried about."

"Robin's defied the odds before. She'll do it again." Patrick ignored what he recognized in his own words: desperation.

"You keep hoping." Ric advised him as he turned to make his way back into the room. "I'm going to keep fighting."

Patrick turned away too, rage blurring the world around him. Not that man. Not him. He didn't want Robin's life in the hands of Ric Lansing. He sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. But there was no other choice. The doctor's ego alone would get the job done; he wasn't willing to have a casualty on his conscience. Patrick felt the blood leave his face, his entire body. He would have done anything for that numb feeling right now, but there was only a lingering chill.


	343. Round Here

Lulu's eyes were extremely unfocused as Evan parked in front of her building. She hadn't spoken since begging him to take her to the hospital and that had been hours ago. If the situation weren't so dire, he would have pinched her to make sure she was still breathing. Her eyes barely registered the familiar setting, but she made no move to get out. Evan let the car idle for a minute and wondered what he should do. He didn't want to scare her, but he had to get back to the station.

He could sit and wait or he could drag her up the stairs and make her lock the doors as soon as he left. He didn't want to think about her all alone without even the protection of her deadbolt, but she wasn't feeling like herself so her instincts would be a little shot. Not that he could blame her.

What a hell of a day she had been through. A hell of a week. He fully accepted some of the blame because most of it was purely circumstance. He thought about how she had looked when she stormed into the PCPD holding his shirt as far away from her body as she could. In just a few short hours she had completely lost the sparkle in her sharp blue eyes. Now it was like she could no longer see, barely a step above functioning.

"Leslie." He reinforced the single word by simply resting his hand on her left shoulder.

She jerked in surprise, his soft voice startling her. Blinking, she slowly started to recognize her building. When had she left the hospital? How long had they been sitting here? Looking over at him in confusion, she shook her head. "I'm home?"

"Yeah. Come on, I'll walk you up." Evan offered, reaching for his seatbelt.

"How long have we been here?"

"Few minutes." Evan answered conversationally. At least she was talking. So far he counted eight words, but they were eight more words than she had said in over three hours and he would take what he could get.

"Oh." She took a slow step into the sunlight. "I remember going to the hospital..."

"It's okay if you're finding things a little hazy. Grief does that to people." He assured her, closing some of the gap between them. Not too close though. He didn't want to spook her. She looked fragile and a knot tightened in his stomach.

Grief? He had said grief? "Robin...the baby..." She felt her voice falter and she nearly fell down against the wall. Logan hadn't...he hadn't succeeded, had he? Oh God...Patrick....if Logan had succeeded...

"Hey." Evan couldn't stop himself from folding his arms around her. "It's okay. The baby's fine. Robin had a bad reaction to some of the medication, but she's fighting." He caught a traitorous tear that slid down her cheek and wiped it away.

"He's not coming back is he? It's over right?"

"Who?" He had a pretty good idea, but he wanted her to say the name anyway. He hadn't read her file, but that was something he was going to do once he got to work. He didn't know anything about Drake except that he was her cousin. Was this why the commissioner been so hell-bent on protecting her? Was it because of something Logan Drake had done to her?

"Logan. He's gone. Right? He's not going to hurt anyone again?"

"No, he's gone sweetie. He can't hurt anyone anymore."

"Promise?" She grabbed onto Evan's arm and pulled him closer to her. "Promise?"

He could kick himself for not investigating her past, but at the time it had felt like an awful blow that he just couldn't inflict on her. She was already assigned a babysitter; he shouldn't have needed to know what had brought her to this point. It was none of his business. Correction, it hadn't been his business before, but it was now. "I promise." He whispered focusing on her pale face. "I promise."

"Take me home?" she whispered.

"You are home." Evan reminded her. Damn, how was he going to leave her now? A selfish part of him said that he should stay, to hell with anything else. After all, he would probably never see her this vulnerable again and he would be wasting the chance. Something else, his damn morals probably, argued that that would be manipulation and he didn't want to use her, not again. And that was what he had done, no matter how much he told himself it hadn't been like that. She had been vulnerable then though, hadn't she? And he had taken full advantage.

She was home wasn't she? Lulu looked around carefully at the hallway and the familiar doors. God how had everything gotten so blurry on her? It wasn't like her to not be able to focus this much. Spencers were cool under pressure. Just look at her mother. Her father. Her brother. Why couldn't she concentrate and focus? "Are you leaving?"

"I'll stay if you want me to." Evan conceded. And he would. One word from her and he would stay as long as she wanted him. He would take care of her.

"I don't want to be alone."

He didn't wait for her to give him her key; it would pointless anyway since he had his own. Her eyes widened when he pulled the plain silver key from his back pocket. "I got it for emergencies." Evan explained. "I've never used it, I swear."

Strangely she felt he was telling her the truth but was too tired and confused right now to sort out why she felt that way. "I don't really care. I just want to go to bed."

"You should eat something." He told her, patiently holding the door open for her to pass through.

"Not hungry."

"Drink something then." It wasn't a suggestion.

"Fine. I'll get some water." She took a few steps toward the kitchen before she felt the room start to move on her.

Evan noticed her body sway and reached out to catch her. "Okay, let's get you in bed and I'll bring you some water." He bargained. She accepted his help but he could tell she didn't like having to depend on him.

"Fine." She didn't want to agree with him and wanted his help even less, but the simple truth was she didn't think she had the energy to do anything more than pull back the covers and fall into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

"Put your arms around my neck." He ordered, waiting for her to do just that.

Any other day she would have argued and fought with him. Not today. Sighing softly, she circled her arms around his neck.

"Thank you." Evan smiled, lifting her off of her feet and carrying her to her bed. Her head fell against his shoulder in exhaustion and she was asleep before he reached her room. Softly, he lowered her onto the mattress. She murmured something, but hell if he knew what she was trying to express. He tucked her in tightly, the outside temperature having dropped severely, and turned off the bedside lamp. "As much as I love you being so agreeable..." He didn't say anything more, just sat beside her and leaned against the headboard telling himself to get comfortable.

*****

"You didn't have to come right over." Audrey protested as the couple walked through her front door. She had heard enough from Laura to know the situation with Robin was more complicated than expected. She had been expecting a phone call from her granddaughter asking her to watch the children a little longer, not finding them on her doorstep.

"We didn't want to inconvenience you." Elizabeth fibbed, rubbing her tired eyes. The truth was she had to get away from the hospital. They both did. Outside of visiting Morgan, holding Nathan, or trying to get Patrick to hold his son, there wasn't much else they could do.

Robin had been moved out of surgery and into the recovery room. Dr. Lansing had sworn he had done everything he could, but short of actually calling her parents to come and verify his word (and that wasn't happening in this lifetime), she had to put trust in someone who had previously declared Nathan's birth was going to kill Robin. The nurses had encouraged them to talk with Robin, let her know they were there, same as when she had her car accident. But Elizabeth just couldn't do it.

Maybe it was because back then she had been ignorant of all the dangers. Robin was her friend, but certainly not her best friend. And back then there had been no dire warning about death. Between the twins' births, the custody fight, Steven's accident, and the wedding, it had honestly slipped her mind about Dr. Lansing's warnings. Robin had always looked so healthy. Always took such good care of herself and Nathan. And now those dire words might come true, thanks in large part to Logan.

She had never appreciated a violent, unplanned death before now. It probably meant a one way ticket to hell, but it was the truth. She was glad Logan was dead. He couldn't hurt anyone anymore. Courtney might still be out there somewhere, but no one believed she was really a threat. Logan had always been the wild card. And now he just wasn't. It might not make her a good person, but she was sincerely glad he was no longer scurrying around Port Charles like the lowlife rat he had been.

"Watching my great-grandchildren is never an inconvenience." Audrey corrected gently.

Lucky leaned over to kiss her cheek. "You'll change your mind once all three are in the middle of a sugar rush." He joked.

Telling lame jokes were the only thing keeping him sane right now. When he had gotten that phone call from Mac, he had steeled himself for it to be hard. When he went to tell Patrick what had happened, he realized it was going to be impossible. But seeing Patrick so close to a breakdown had unnerved him more than Lucky cared to admit. While he had realized how much Patrick loved Robin, somehow he had failed to recognize how desperately his cousin needed her. At some point in the past year, Patrick had obviously forgotten how it was to function without Shortstack. If the worst happened, Lucky didn't know how Patrick would even start to recover from it. He probably wouldn't recover from it. It was for the best if he just cracked dumb jokes and tried not to think about it.

Of course Lucky recognized that he would be in no better shape than his cousin if something happened to Elizabeth. Pulling her a little closer to him, he tucked her head under his chin. God please...he offered up the short prayer....just please. Yes he had lost Jess but that had been different. He got through that because he had to...Cameron needed him. If anything happened to Elizabeth the twins would need him. The same way Nathan needed Patrick now. Unfortunately Patrick was refusing to acknowledge that. He wasn't going to let his nephew get forgotten about. One way or another, with Cruz's help most likely, he was going to get Patrick to interact with his son.

"Daddy! Lizzie!" Cameron raced down the stairs excitedly to greet them. Skidding to a stop in front of them, he looked up grinning. "I was good. Just like you told me."

Kneeling down to meet Cameron's eyes, Lucky felt himself smile his first real smile since Nathan had met the family. This was the best decision they could have made. Time with Cameron, Jake, and Gracie would help clear their minds and then they could figure out what to do next.

*****

Thank God some of them had gone home. Patrick could, now that he was practically alone, think a little easier without them here. It was selfish for him to feel this way. They weren't all gone of course, but the number had decreased and that meant less people to stand around and judge him. No one thought he was doing the right thing. They just didn't understand.

He had always heard that loving someone meant giving a piece of your heart to someone, but they had it wrong. He hadn't given his heart to Robin; she had most likely always had it. And now that she was trapped in limbo, it didn't feel to him that half his heart was with her. On the contrary in fact. He felt like someone had sawed him right down the middle and she held all of his vital organs. It was a gruesome thought, but the only way he could think to describe how vital she was to his very existence.

Georgie and Lucas were taking turns spending time with Morgan; he, himself, couldn't make himself leave the waiting room. His preferred spot was directly in front of Robin's room. He hadn't the strength, the courage, to open the door and go and sit with her. What would that do anyway? She hadn't woken up last time because people had talked to her: she had made the decision to rejoin them on her own time. His eyes shut and he sucked in a cold breath. He had come apart at the seams last time, but not nearly as fast. Somehow he was weaker now, his life hooked up to machines. Wasn't that backwards? Shouldn't her love have been like spinach to Popeye? Stupid analogy, he chided himself. Lucky would call him a loser for even thinking it. Among the visitors, he wished Lucky was still here.

After all, who else could understand the unspeakable connection between Robin and the people she cared about but Lucky? He had known her far longer than Patrick and he loved her too. Patrick couldn't forget that. As much as he would like to believe that only he loved her, that she was strictly his, that wasn't the case. She was too bright a soul to belong to just one person, to affect just one person.

He thought about Nathan. True to his word, he hadn't yet held his son. It didn't make him a good guy, but he didn't believe it made him a bad one either. He would shield his son in a way he hadn't shielded his mother and brother. That little boy wouldn't be surrounded by anything but love and happiness. Patrick would not go to him in pieces. And if that made him a selfish prick, he supposed that's exactly what he was.

Elizabeth was right: Robin would hate him for it. Maybe that was part of his motivation: he wanted her to wake up and tell him he was making a mistake. It was a stupid hope, but there it was. She wouldn't approve and therefore would have no choice but to wake up and yell at him for it. He would be right here when she did.

Gripping the door handle, he slowly twisted it and let himself into the room. If it weren't for the machines and the tubes he could have convinced himself she was just sleeping. The double breasted hospital gown about swallowed her up. Did anyone else realize how incredibly tiny she was, how fragile? He bet not. She would never let them. She was a ball of fiery light, a shooting star in the bleak darkness. Patrick walked to the bed, his hand going to his mouth. He should go. He should run in the other direction. His heart wouldn't let him. For once his brain was being illogical, trying to protect him probably, and his heart was making sense. He couldn't leave her, not now or ever. He fell into the chair beside her bed.

"They said you can hear my voice. I don't know if I believe them or not, but it's worth a shot, isn't it?" His voice sounded foreign to him. He forced himself to keep talking. "I want to be mad at you for what you did. I want to yell to high heaven at you for not calling me or the police, but I can't do that, can I? You had no other choice. You were the target, not the boys. You. And I made you that didn't I? Mac was right. I did this to you." Patrick reached for her hand, wincing at how cold it was.

"I don't know if I ever told you this, but I hate the quiet. I used to love it. I used to revel in it, but not now. Not ever again. When you were gone, I thought I would die all alone in that silent apartment. Did I tell you that? Did you know that? Do you know how much I love you? How much your children love you? This isn't right. You shouldn't be in this bed. You've done nothing wrong up until this point." He took a breath. "You're wrong now. You're wrong to lay there and not even force air into your lungs. How dare you give up when we're counting on you? I know it's a lot of pressure to put on one person, but if the roles were switched, I'd expect you to be yelling at me too. This isn't what I signed up for. I'm not losing you." He leaned closer, his lips beside her right ear. "Do you hear me? Not now not ever. You open your eyes. Open them. Open your eyes."

He was shaking as he continued. "I don't care about statistics any more than I care about how unlikely the odds are. I never have. You've tried to drill into my head how probable--no, not probable, certain. Yes, certain. How certain you are that you're just going to die one day soon. Too bad. You aren't those other cases. You're different. You've always been different. Look at how long you've made it, how far past the rest of them you've already gone. This is not how I'm losing you. Not like this. No."

Patrick glanced up, seeing past the stark-white ceiling, past the outer layer of the sky. He didn't know what he was looking for. God maybe. The man he had hated for almost half his life. The man who had already stolen his mother from him. He couldn't mourn for his brother, maybe someday but not now. Logan had caused this. Him and his revenge. "Well you lose little brother." Patrick said aloud. "You don't get to take Robin away from me. My sons survived your brutality and so will my wife. My wife. She's not yours anymore. In a way she never was."

He turned back to the bed. "I haven't held Nathan yet. I haven't even met him. Whether or not he has your eyes, your smile—I don't have any idea. The doctors don't know what they're talking about." He said the last part to himself mostly. "They're depending on science, on odds, but I've already told you that those don't apply to you, right? That you're special? You've got to wake up. Open your eyes. Our baby needs you. If you give up, you're giving up on him, on Morgan. How can you do that? Don't they mean anything to you at all? Wouldn't you do anything for them? I'm not talking about sacrifice. That's for cowards. Giving up your own life for them isn't what they need from you. They need you to love them, to talk to them, and play with them. They need to know that they are the most important part of your life. Not me. Not you. Them."

"You have not stopped fighting since you were awarded custody of Morgan. When we found out about Nathan and that bastard told you to get rid of him, you were too stubborn to listen. Be stubborn now. Use it for something other than proving me wrong, won't you? I'll do whatever you want me to do if you'll just tell me what that is. I'll even let you win a game or two. I wasn't lying when I told you this racing thing was a one-time deal. If you don't want me to do it, tell me. Tell me right now and I'll back out of it. What do you need me to say, huh? What will make you fight to live?"

A single tear slid down Robin's face and Patrick finally let himself break. Short, choking sobs wracked through his entire body and he bent his head, his eyes never leaving her face. A machine beeped and his head lifted. Her chest rose and a shivering breath escaped her chapped lips. She didn't open her eyes or squeeze his hand in response, but in that moment he knew. He knew she was going to come back to him.


	344. What It's Like

Lucas could hear the buzzing from Lance's television and tried to find comfort in the sound. His son was home safe. The love of his life wasn't lying in a hospital bed. When Dillon had suggested they go home, Lucas hadn't seen a single reason to stay. Georgie had gotten a call from Steven and left Maxie in charge of Morgan. From what he understood it, Mac would be there about this time. He had probably missed him by minutes. Lucas was relieved he wasn't there to witness that confrontation and there would be one because Mac was the only one who loved Robin as much as Patrick did. The love was different but absolute. Lucas bowed his head, his shoulders trembling.

Had he been too late? It was the question he had been asking himself since last night. If he hadn't wasted those precious seconds calling the police, anticipating the worst, he might have been able to get her and Morgan out without anyone getting shot, but if he hadn't done that, would she have received treatment immediately? The answer to the latter was no. The closest hospital was almost half an hour away and she would have bled out by then. Would Dr. Lansing be able to find out which medication had triggered her seizure? Would Dr. Walker decide that Robin wasn't going to survive much longer and therefore a transfusion would be futile? He couldn't close his eyes without being ambushed by the questions. The worst part was that he had no definitive answers.

He realized Dillon was watching him from the kitchen. He turned toward his husband, tears in his eyes. Dillon was the only person he felt comfortable crying in front of, but it was never something he liked to do. What did crying do for him? For anyone? B.J. had died. Carly had died. Would Robin be one more sister he couldn't save?

Dillon didn't hesitate. Seeing the tears forming in Lucas's eyes, he flew to where his husband sat and held him close. "It's not your fault. It's not your fault."

"Then whose is it?" Lucas crumbled. "I didn't stop any of this from happening. I was too late."

"But you saved them. If you hadn't put the bug on the phone, Logan might have killed them both and we would have never found them." Dillon pointed out, rubbing Lucas's back gently. "Face it babe. You're the hero."

"And if Robin dies? Am I still the hero?"

"She's not going to die."

"Because bad things never happen to good people?" Lucas challenged, never looking up.

"No." Dillon retorted. "Because it doesn't fit with the script I'm writing."

"Rewrites occur all the time."

"But not on my watch." Dillon placed his hand under Lucas's chin and forced his husband to look at him. "Robin isn't going to die because she's fought too hard for too long to quit now. She's too damn stubborn to quit. Besides you know her control issues. Is she really going to leave all decisions up to Patrick in regards to how Morgan and Nathan are to be brought up?"

Lucas smiled. "No I guess not."

"You guess not? You know not." Dillon corrected. "You did what you had to do. You saved the day. And there is nothing wrong with that. And Robin will tell you the same thing herself. Just give her a little bit of time to recover."

"I guess she did take a bullet to shoulder and give birth in the same night."

"Exactly. She's going to need more than an artfully placed bandage on her head."

"Are TV shows still doing that?" Lucas asked in surprise.

"Only the unwatchable ones."

"What's going on?" Lance asked from the top of the stairs. He yawned and rubbed his sleepy eyes.

"Nothing." Dillon smiled up at their son. "Daddy Lucas is just being silly."

"Aren't you going to read me a story?" Lance asked his parents. "I can't go to sleep without it." He reminded them just in case they tried to back out. They had started this nap thing after all.

"Of course we are." Dillon stood up and offered his hand out to Lucas. "Aren't we?"

"There have been rumors of a mysterious little engine that could." Lucas smirked. "Have you brushed your teeth?"

"Yes." Lance smiled wide enough to show his teeth. As they headed up the stairs, he looked up at Dillon. "How come I had to go to Great Grandma and Grandpa's?"

Dillon bit his lip. "Robin and Morgan were in an accident and we had to go see what all was going on." He explained gently. "We thought you'd rather have fun with Great Grandma and Grandpa."

"They okay?"

"They will be."

*****

_"Look I'm gonna hire someone. It might as well be you." The expressionless actor on the TV screen stated lazily._

_"Do you mind if I think about it?" His counterpart inquired._

_"Yeah, sure. Take your time." The older actor accepted, leaving the makeshift home._

"I don't understand this show." Sam admitted, turning it to mute. "I honestly don't. A mobster retires from the mob and oh, of course they won't go after the kid. Why would they go after the kid?" She was spooked when the front door opened and David stepped inside.

"Talking to yourself again? I keep telling you that show is bad for your health."

"But there's so much pretty." Sam argued, laughing when he flopped down beside her. "You look terrible." She commented, brushing his hair off his forehead.

"Long night." He admitted taking hold of her hand.

"You wanna tell me about it? Can you tell me about it?"

"It's probably all over the news already." David sat up and looked her in the eye. It was a miracle she hadn't already heard about this. "Robin was shot last night. She went into labor and last I heard is still in critical condition."

"Oh my God." Sam breathed. "Shot?"

"Logan. You remember him right?"

"Maxie told me a few stories."

"According to Lulu Spencer, he was in on the kidnapping with Emily Quartermaine and it looks like he wasn't too happy about it not working out all that well. He had apparently been stalking her. If that private eye, Lucas, hadn't shown up when he did..." David didn't want to finish the sentence. He knew what would have happened if Jones hadn't shown up when he did.

"You said she gave birth. Is the baby okay?"

"Yeah. A little boy. He seems to be ok."

"And Robin?"

"The commissioner wasn't too open with the details. Last I heard she had some sort of reaction and wasn't responding well."

"I bet her family is a wreck." How could she not have heard about this before now? Oh, she remembered. Soap opera marathon.

"Understatement." David rolled his neck with his hands. "I only came home for a quick shower. I have to get back out there. Mac's stationed himself at the hospital and the station is a little crazy right now."

"Have you had anything to eat?"

"Some coffee at some point."

"Then you go take your shower and I'll put together the one thing I can cook: grilled cheese."

"Sounds perfect." He leaned over and kissed her lightly. "I knew there was a reason I liked you."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Not for me. However I'm sure Mac and Alexis would appreciate any gestures right now."

He was right. She might be having a little trouble figuring out where she fit, but that didn't mean she was going to sit this one out. Okay so things were a little weird between her and Alexis, but she could go and see if Maxie needed anything; maybe she could take Kristina to a movie. "You're right." Sam nodded, pushing him toward the stairs. "No falling asleep in the shower."

"I know one way to keep that from happening."

"What's that?"

He lifted his eyebrow and whispered in her ear. "I'd be willing to show you."

"As long as you're willing."

"Always with you Samantha. Always with you."

"If I write you a doctor's note, will you stay home?"

"Depends on if you're offering to play nurse."

"I think I have an outfit perfect for it."

*****

She could feel the sunlight before she could see it. Even though her little apartment had a crappy heater, at least she got the morning sunlight. It made facing the world a little bit easier on the increasingly few days when she felt like facing the world. Slowly blinking her eyes, Lulu tried to place exactly how she got into her bed the night before. She could vaguely remember the hospital, coming back…

Her eyes opened wider. Evan. He had taken her home. He had to be the reason she was in bed and not collapsed in a hallway corner somewhere. Turning over, she nearly jumped when she spotted him leaning against her headboard, his eyes carefully trained on her.

"Morning Sleepyhead."

"Morning." Lulu sat up a little straighter, conscientious enough to straighten out her shirt and pull it down over her stomach. "How long have you been here?"

"Since last night." Evan confirmed.

He had been there all night? "Did you sleep at all?"

"I can go days without sleep." He countered stretching.

"You don't look like it."

"Thanks a lot." He replied wryly.

"No...I mean..." Lulu shook her head, briefly wondering why she suddenly cared about making sure he understood her correctly. "I mean you look like you need it."

"I wanted to make sure you slept. I'll take that over sleep anytime."

"You didn't have to do that." She said softly.

"I wanted to."

"Why?" She was genuinely curious. It wasn't as if they were best friends.

"Because I don't trust anyone else to take care of you." He admitted. "And at least seeing for myself that you were alright was better than worrying you weren't."

"Well you can see I'm fine now. You can go home."

"I'm going to make breakfast first." Evan argued, slipping off the bed.

"You don't...you don't have to do that." Lulu protested as she followed him. "I can make my own breakfast."

"You're welcome to help." Evan conceded.

"Cassidy."

"Leslie." He said with a chuckle.

"About yesterday..."

"What about it?" He selected a skillet and placed it on the stove.

Biting her lip, she stared at a pile of unpaid bills on her table. "Thank you."

"No problem." He said waving off her embarrassment. "Scrambled?"

"Yeah." She watched him make his way into her kitchen and find everything with little difficulty. It was a bit off-putting seeing him feel so comfortable in her home, especially given how hard she had tried to make him feel the exact opposite. "Are you actually a good cook or is this some elaborate payback for all the hell I've given you?"

"What do you think?" He turned away from the skillet and gave her his full attention.

"I've not exactly given you abundant reasons to be nice to me."

"Good point."

"So what's the answer?"

"What was the question?" He bit back a grin.

Lulu shot him a dirty look. She was genuinely trying to be nice to him and he was making it impossible to continue. "Are you always this annoying?"

"Nope. This takes work." He threw some salt and pepper on the eggs and removed the skillet from the burner, stirring for a second before leaving the kitchen.

"Why are you doing this?"

"It's a custom Americans have called breakfast." Evan said slowly.

"Funny. You are deliberately not answering me."

"Why does it bother you so much?" he wondered.

"I ask a question. It's common to expect an answer."

"Because you've been so forthcoming?"

"It doesn't matter what I tell you. You already have the right answer in your head."

"I'm a good cook." He knew better than to elaborate.

"Thank you." She could tell by his expression that he had no intention of answering her other question, but some part of her told her not to push her luck right now. For reasons she didn't get, he had stuck by her last night when by all rights he should have left her alone. Her family would have suffocated her, but eventually she would have been able to escape.

Chewing her bottom lip, she glanced at her watch. Last night she was supposed to help Vermin—there was a girl he had his eye on—but somehow Logan had managed to foul up her life again. Now she would have to deal not only with an overly curious family, but an angry Vermin as well. "I need to go soon."

"Do you want a ride to the hospital?" He didn't want to think of an alternative route. She didn't have to depend on the night for cover if she wanted to get rid of some drugs and he still had the suspicion that she was helping the scum unload their supply.

"No. Thanks but I have to meet up with someone. They can drop me off."

"Leslie." He didn't like it, but he had been expecting it. He had to let it go.

"Look you said it yourself. You are no longer obligated to baby-sit me. It's fine. Thanks for last night and everything, but your job is done Cassidy."

"I wasn't working." Evan said through gritted teeth.

"Whatever you want to chalk last night up to then. An overdeveloped sense of chivalry. You'd probably get along great with my brother. Thank you for last night. Thank you for breakfast. You didn't have to do any of it and I appreciate it. But I have to handle some things and you have work don't you?"

"Yes." He had completely disregarded his responsibilities last night, but he couldn't keep doing that. They would wonder where he had been and he wouldn't have been surprised if the commissioner had a lashing waiting for him the second he showed up.

"I know you don't..." He let his words trail off. What was happening to him? She was a grown woman. She had gotten herself into this mess—but what if she hadn't? What if there was some piece of the puzzle that he hadn't intercepted yet? The file, he suddenly remembered. He had to get a look at her file and he had to do it without anyone realizing because he was off the case. Like he had wanted.

"See? There you go then. We both have to go back to our actual lives."

He took his first good look at her of the day and noticed how dark the circles under her eyes were. Yes, she had slept in his company, but it seemed to him she would need more than one full night of rest before the exhaustion would leave her body. "Promise you won't get mad."

"Why would I need to promise that?"

"Just promise." Evan insisted.

"Fine."

"You have a little something..." He ran his thumb under her eye and was a little relieved when he determined that some of the darkness was due to her falling asleep wearing eye makeup. "You might want to get cleaned up before you go out. I mean, if you're going to convince anyone, your family especially..."

"There is nothing wrong with me. I don't think my appearance is high on my family's worry list right now." She pointed out, glancing away quickly. Staring at the corner of her couch kept her from touching the exact spot he had just touched and starting an investigation into why she could almost still feel his fingertips on her.

"It was just a suggestion." Evan shrugged. "You have an advantage both in the sleep-deprived college student story and the fact that everyone is worried about your cousin's wife." His words were sharper than he had intended. Her eyes went almost black in defense.

"I think it's best you leave now."

"Going." He assured her, grabbing his jacket and walking away from her. He stopped just before reaching the door and threw over his shoulder, "Have a good life...or at least a good pretense of one."

"You too."


	345. Broken Glass

"I'm going to see if there's anything I can do." Brenda told Jax. He was sitting at the table already, a paper in his hand. She recognized the company name and bit her bottom lip. She knew he was in the market for a new toy to play with and he enjoyed nothing more than taking one that previously belonged to someone else. While she believed he may have loved her when they got married—had it only been a few months since that glorious ceremony?—she had a hard time keeping faith that he still might.

She was everything he had ever wanted: the collector's item never to be taken out of the box. She was a precious tool for him, a beautiful adjustment to his known bachelor reputation. He often credited her for being the one who changed him, made him a better man. Strangers and business partners alike probably thought that she was put on a pedestal when they were alone—and in some ways perhaps they were right.

The only problem lay in when she wanted to leave the pedestal, walk on her own two feet, or God forbid, make her own decisions. She had seen evidence enough since she had offered to spend enormous amounts of time with Lucas, Dillon, and Lance. Jax was jealous and he didn't hide it very well. Even now, she watched his eyes diminish to the size of points.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Even though he hadn't said anything foul to her since their previous fight—their last one he had sworn up and down—and even though there was nothing directly abrasive about his question, she couldn't help but detect the subtle threat in it.

"Wise?" Brenda parroted. "They're my friends."

"Lucas is your friend." Jax corrected her. His face was set in a pout, but his eyes were abnormally black.

"Yes and he's in pain. Why shouldn't I offer some sort of comfort for him and his family?" Jax said nothing in return. He stayed silent so long it began to grate on Brenda's nerves. "What?" She exploded. "What is wrong with you?"

"Maybe you should spend a little more with your own family and a little less time with someone else's." Jax suggested coolly.

"Spend my time doing what? Watching you rip our wedding designer's life apart by going after her husband's business? Thanks, but no thanks. I don't enjoy the kill."

"You're overreacting." Jax accused evenly. He spoke to her as if she was a petulant child in need of a little disciplining.

"I'm sure after a few years being married to you I'll be the adequate level of cold." Brenda snapped angrily.

"Then go. Go and make sure everyone can see you, Brenda Barrett, offering help to the needy. I'm sure it'll do wonders for your self-absorbed status." Jax waved her off.

"And here I thought that was why you loved me."

"It is." Jax was still smiling long after his wife slammed the door behind her. Such a drama queen. She was becoming rather troublesome. He should have seen it coming when he decided to go after the PC Insider. Her loyalty seemed to rest with anyone. With his name as her driving force, she was able to do everything she had previously been unable to do. How fortunate for her that he actually loved her.

"She'll come around." He told himself and pushed away from the table. Dinner had gone cold an hour ago when Rose had prepared it for them. She was a fabulous cook and he got a thrill out of being able to communicate with her without his wife understanding a word of their conversation. Portuguese wasn't one of the languages she felt she absolutely had to conquer.

The Quartermaines had paid off in a way he hadn't been anticipating. ELQ stock had dropped in price, but not value and Jax managed to buy them out. It was all the same to the old man, his son, and daughter-in-law. Their children were dropping like flies and the oldest son wanted nothing more to do with them or their family company. Any remaining family members were estranged and thereby forfeited any claim they might have had to the company.

The majority of the banks didn't consider Rodriguez's scrappy little newspaper a sound investment and the fools who might actually consider it had been handled early on. Jax had spent the last several months developing relationships with all sorts of people, people who could help him, so if this turned sour, he would call in his favors and all that would remain to solidify the deal would be a flick of his pen.

Currently, the Spencers and family alike were huddled around the new family member's bedside. A short phone call had told Jax that she had started breathing on her own. If she continued to get better, it behooved him to go ahead with his plan ahead of schedule. Rodriguez would only be incapacitated for so long. The time to strike was now and Jax knew it. He pulled his cell from his left pocket and flipped it open. He pressed two buttons and the other line picked up immediately. To the person on the other end he said only eight words, "I'm through waiting. Call me when it's done."

*****

He should have guessed. Luke smiled, amused. Of all the places for his wife to run to, she had chosen to run to the nursery, probably under the guise of checking on Nathan. If the twins, Cameron, or Majandra were nearby she probably would have taken over their care immediately. Fortunately Lucky, Elizabeth, Bobbie, and Cruz had apparently considered that very situation and had left the children with Audrey.

Coming up behind her, he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "He looks like me doesn't he?"

"Maybe if he had a head full of wispy blonde hair and blue eyes." Laura replied, leaning into him. She touched her finger to Nathan's tiny left fist and he wrapped his fingers around it.

"Nonsense. That boy is pure Spencer. Just look at the way he has all the girls here wrapped around his finger."

"Who couldn't love him?" Laura agreed, stroking her knuckles across his cool cheek.

"Certainly not you." Luke sighed as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I knew I would find you here."

"Am I that predictable?" Laura sighed.

"Only when it comes to babies Angel."

"I figured if I wanted to see this little guy, I had to wait for the rest of the family to be asleep."

She had a point, Luke agreed silently. Lucky had taken up residence in the nursery hall ever since he returned this morning. When he wasn't there, the rest of the family filled in. Nathan had all the early indications of being an attention seeker when he got older.

"I'm worried about him." Laura admitted.

"We all are Angel." Luke reminded her softly. "But Patrick is handling this as best he can."

"He's not handling anything Luke. Not really."

"Patrick's in shock. Just like when he found out about Mattie. He'll come around."

"What happens...?"

"It's not going to happen."

"But what if it does?"

"Then we'll help both these boys. Just like we did the last time." Luke reasoned. "We'll handle this and Patrick will be fine. Robin too."

"I've never seen him so broken." Laura turned away from Nathan.

"He's never really had anything to lose like this before." Luke looked into her blue eyes.

"You don't think Dr. Walker was right do you?" Laura could still hear that damned doctor telling Patrick, as well as the rest of them, that just because Robin was breathing on her own now didn't mean anything drastic had changed.

"Never in a million years. Little Robin has been a fighter from day one. There aren't many women alive who can say they dated a member of the mafia and lived to tell the tale without at least losing their reproductive abilities in the process. She survived losing Stone, her own diagnosis, and divorcing that louse of a nephew of ours. Robin is the only person who has out-stubborned both Patrick and Lucky. Don't you worry. Robin isn't going anywhere."

*****

"I thought I'd find you here." Maxie grinned the moment Georgie opened the door for her. Rumor had it that Audrey had gotten saddled with all of the kids and Georgie, the all-year elf, would have gone out of her way to help. Besides, it gave her a chance to forget that her husband was in another country without her.

"Came to help did you?" Georgie smiled at her sister as she balanced Jake on her hip. Majandra was happily crawling in the play area on the floor while Audrey had taken Gracie upstairs to change her.

"You know me. Mary Poppins in training." Maxie replied wryly.

"Completely right up your alley." Georgie teased right back. Maxie had lasted at exactly one job. The second the child stuck his head between the slats on the stair railing, her sister had called home and demanded that Georgie switch places with her.

"Can we talk?" Maxie requested.

"Why not?" Georgie stepped aside to let her sister enter the house.

Maxie followed Georgie to the couch where Majandra crawled over to her, not comfortable enough with walking to attempt it, and held up her chubby little arms. "Daddy." She giggled.

"Not exactly." Maxie corrected with a shake of her head.

"Bobbie says it's the only word Majandra's really mastered. It was pretty funny when she called Lucky that this morning." Georgie laughed.

"At one time that would have been darn confusing." Maxie told Majandra, scooping her into her arms and awkwardly rocking her.

"Just slightly." Georgie placed Jake down in his bouncy seat, making sure he was occupied with the small Teddy Bear Elizabeth had sent over with him. "So any reason for this little visit?"

"Can't a girl just seek out her sister for no reason?"

"Not when she has a babysitting phobia."

"Okay, you caught me." Maxie admitted, patting Majandra's back. "I need to talk to someone about this."

"Ric?" Georgie guessed.

"Yes."

Georgie nodded as Maxie confirmed her supposition. She had been surprised her sister handled the run-in with Ric as well as she had. "I was waiting on this one."

"I don't know what to do."

"I'm guessing talking to him is out of the question?"

"Of course! I don't want to give him false hope."

"But?"

"But I..."

"Still have feelings for him? Still miss him like crazy?" Georgie assumed. Her sister had to be having some sort of residual feelings for the doctor or else she wouldn't feel the need to talk this out right now.

"I was glad to see him working on Robin's case."

"Well you always said he was the best."

"I didn't know it would feel so good to see him. And then, at the same time, to feel this pain."

"Maxie," Georgie said gently, placing her hand on her sister's arm. "You still care about him."

"Why?"

"Maybe because you care about him a lot more than you ever admitted to yourself?"

"That doesn't sound like me." Maxie argued.

"It doesn't," Georgie admitted. "But once the heart gets involved, all bets are off. I mean between the two of us, the smart money would have been on you for eloping with an older man Dad had never met."

"Have you talked to Steven today?"

"Briefly." Georgie clarified. "There wasn't a lot of time and I'm still trying to figure out the whole time difference."

"I doubt he'd mind if you woke him up." Maxie reasoned.

"Probably not, but I didn't have anything new to tell him. And he'd want to talk about how much longer before I'm out there with him..."

"Why aren't you there with him?"

"Because I can't."

"Care to explain that?"

Georgie took a deep breath and looked her sister in the eye. "I didn't get in to the Australia program. If I go to Australia I'll have to leave school."

"Georgie...why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it's silly. I mean Robin's fighting for her life and you're starting this new adventure. It's just one school program I didn't get into. It's not that big of a deal really."

"It is if it means you're away from Steven for even longer."

"And I hate that, but it's what has to happen. If he knew I wasn't coming with him, he wouldn't take this job. Or he'd quit. I don't want him to lose this chance Maxie."

"I can't imagine how difficult this has been for you." Maxie left the couch and put Majandra on the carpet to play with her toys before turning back to Georgie, her eyes narrowed. "And you being you just thought you'd suffer in silence?"

"It would have come up eventually. Like when I never got on the plane for instance."

"I understand why you couldn't tell Steven, but why didn't you tell me?"

"Maxie what could you do? You're living across the country trying to get over a man you clearly still care about." Georgie reasoned.

"It's not even the same thing." Maxie countered. "I don't love Ric."

"Maxie. Please." Georgie scoffed. "You haven't been able to lie to me since you were six. Call it what you want but you love him."

"Love doesn't come close to describing it." Maxie shook her head. "And anyway, I wouldn't have the same trouble you are. I would choose myself over him every time."

"Then why are you so confused over seeing him again?"

"Because I thought I would hate him."

"You didn't leave because you hated him. You left because you were hurt. There's a world of difference between those two situations."

"I left because it's what was best for everyone involved. It gave him a chance to see what he really wanted. At least it was supposed to." She would have been able to truly move on if she would have come home and found him with Kate.

"You ran away because you didn't want to give him the chance to hurt you." Georgie pointed out.

"I thought you were on my side."

"I'm always on your side. But that doesn't mean I won't point out what you are doing. When have I ever let you get away with trying to destroy your life?"

"Is that what you think I'm doing? Georgie, even if I could forgive him, I have no guarantee that he wouldn't do it again."

"There are no guarantees when the heart is involved. There's no guarantee Alexis will get better, but Dad is still there with her. There's no guarantee for Robin and look at Patrick. There is no guarantee Steven and I will handle this separation well, but I'm going to do it for his sake. If you're looking for guarantees Maxie, you might as well just join a convent because you aren't going to find them in relationships."

"I have to end this. Once and for all." Maxie decided, heading for the door.

"I thought you already did that."

"I thought so too, but obviously not."

"Maxie?"

"Huh?"

"If you really wanted to end this once and for all, wouldn't a better way for him to get the message be to just leave again without talking to him?"

That stopped her. "I guess."

"I'm not telling you what to do and I am on your side. Just think about it ok?"

"Only if you talk to Steven."

"I talk to him all the time."

"You know what I mean."

"I know." Georgie sighed. "I'll think about it if you will."

"It's definitely something to think about."


	346. Every Mother's Son

Sam took her time getting to the hospital. She wasn't sure what she would say, what she could do, but what was the point of finding her family only to abandon them when they needed her the most? Alexis might be able to distance herself from the situation, or at least convince everyone that she was unaffected, but Kristina wouldn't have that same luxury. She wouldn't understand why both Robin and Morgan were in the hospital and Sam could only guess if the baby was all right.

A boy, she sighed. A perfect little baby boy. It had hurt when Harper told her that. She didn't mean for the memories to assault her and she was fairly certain he hadn't realized it. Even if he had, she had done what she could to distract him. All of the dreams she had had for Vincent, the life they should have had together. Maybe she would have been able to reconcile with his father if given enough time. Ryan hadn't been a bad guy, but they were both kids when they found out about Vincent. She didn't blame him for leaving. He hadn't lost complete contact until after their son was murdered. Then, he explained, it just hurt too much to be around her.

Alexis looked up from the magazine she was pretending to read when she heard Sam approach. It was anyone's guess as to how she had known it was Sam, or if that was even the case. She could have just as easily heard footsteps. Of course, that didn't account for the smile she was wearing when she lifted her head. "Sam."

"Hey. Hi. Um, sorry I haven't been here before now." Sam stammered, her words tumbling over each other.

"You're here now." Alexis pointed out. "Sit down." She patted the empty seat next to her.

"Where is everyone?" Sam wondered looking around. She had been expecting more than half the town.

"They're taking shifts. Some are visiting Morgan, Nathan, or went home to get something to eat. Hiding mostly." Alexis clarified with a ghost of a smile.

"Where's Mac?" Sam highly doubted Mac would leave Alexis all alone. It had been clear, even in the few and far between instances when they had had a chance to be around each other—okay so the one time at the wedding—that would rather be by her side than anywhere else in the world.

"I asked him to take Kristina home. She had gone without sleep so long she was starting to cry for no reason. I promised to stay behind and report back to him if there was any news."

"Is that your turnabout way of saying that nothing has changed?"

"Robin started breathing on her own," Alexis replied, "but the doctors aren't hopeful."

"It isn't fair." Sam didn't know which of them she was talking to. All Robin had wanted was that baby and now that he was here she didn't even get a chance to meet him? What did God have against mothers being with their children? Yes, she realized her anger had more to do with her own personal tragedy than Robin's, but she couldn't ignore the similarities. A madman had taken Vincent from her and a madman had almost certainly snipped the connection between mother and son in Robin's case. Why wasn't she fighting? Didn't she know her son was waiting on her to wake up? He needed her. The other side of the argument reminded her that sometimes the body wasn't strong enough to recover from certain injuries. Throw that on top of an already shaky health risk and hope tended to dwindle.

"Fun part about life." Alexis said without humor. She had seen enough sad to last her a lifetime and, as dire as her own situation was, she could, if she had to, accept it in time. She had so much to be thankful for. If this was meant to be her time, fine. The same didn't ring true for Robin. She had barely begun to live.

"Well what do doctors know anyway?" Sam threw out. They had told her a lot of things when Vincent was born three months early, but he had survived and she had survived. The price for that decision was high. Not only had she lost him, she had had to have a hysterectomy. There would be no more children for her and, somehow, she was okay with it. She had had her miracle. Six short years, but they had been the most wonderful time of her life.

"What brings you by?" Alexis tossed the magazine onto the ground, the sound somewhat startling to her.

"I wanted to see if there was anything I could do." Sam didn't know why she suddenly felt six inches tall. Perhaps it was because Alexis was right to wonder what she was doing there.

"I'm glad you're here. I thought maybe I had scared you away for good when we ran into each other at the pizza place."

"I am sorry about that." Sam offered no other explanation. If Alexis wanted one, she was going to have to drag it out of her.

"It was good to see you. I know things aren't going to be easy in the beginning. Things are so awkward between us right now. I mean, I thought I had lost you and now I come to find out that you've been happy and alive all this time. Was it something I said?"

"I have to tell you something. And it's not going to be easy to hear. Maybe I shouldn't..." Sam looked over at the exit, but Alexis reached out to place her hand over her daughter's wrist.

"Is it about David Harper?" Alexis ventured a guess. If she was wrong, at least she could have one of her many questions answered.

Sam did a double take. "No. What about David Harper?"

"Do you want to tell me what's going on there?"

Sam could lie. Alexis didn't know her well enough to be able to recognize it as anything but the God's honest truth. Still...She shook her head. "He helped me find you."

"Are you going to try and tell me that all you feel for that man is gratitude?" Alexis didn't sound convinced.

"No." Sam countered. "That's not what I was going to say."

"Well?" Alexis prompted. "Throw a married woman a bone."

"It's nothing to get all bent out of shape over. We're just..." What? What were they? Would any description she gave be accurate? "We're friends."

"Sam." Alexis shook her head dismissively. "Please don't treat me like I'm stupid. I've seen the way you two look at each other. If I had friends like that, Mac wouldn't like it."

"We're companionable. Sometimes I help him."

"What do you help him with?"

Sam caught herself. She wasn't about to get Harper in trouble. No matter how strange things were between them, she wouldn't betray his trust. "Engaging with the rest of the world. I don't know if you've noticed, but he's a major loner."

Alexis gave Sam a wary look, but didn't press. She didn't know what Sam was hiding, but she soon would. "Have you had anything to eat?"

"I thought that was my line."

"We Scorpios speak out of turn. It takes some getting used to."

"As long as it's not pizza." Sam feigned a groan.

"A bit sick of that are you?"

"Well I can't cook and David—erm Harper is never there long enough to..." She was going to stop now. Nothing she said would get her out of the hole she had dug herself.

"You live together?"

"No. Well, yes, but it's not what you think."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Just since I relocated to Port Charles." Sam promised. "It's not a big deal."

"So you're just roommates then?"

Sam felt her face flame and had to look away. "You could say that."

"I'm afraid I'm confused. If you're just companionable, why are you blushing?"

"It's complicated."

"Most things are when you involve sex."

"Alexis!" Sam shushed, looking around to see if anyone was paying them the least bit of attention. No one was. "I'm sure the guy on the fifth floor heard you."

"I'm your mother. I can tell." The way she said it would have convinced any passing stranger that they had always known they were mother and daughter. Sam still couldn't meet her eyes.

"And that in itself is just creepy. I don't want to talk about this."

"So it's more than sex. Interesting."

"It's not interesting. It's complicated." Sam repeated.

"How evolved are these feelings?"

"What are you talking about? There are no feelings to speak of."

"Then why are you sleeping with him? It would make sense if he was the only man on the planet, but seeing as that's not the case...Have you been sleeping together since the beginning?"

"That's none of your business."

"True. Tell me anyway."

"It's not like that. We genuinely like each other and the sex is..."

"Fantastic?" Alexis supplied.

"Fine. Yes. But that's where it ends."

"Then why does it bother you so much to talk about him?"

"We're at an impasse right now." Sam admitted.

"What kind of impasse?"

"I don't know..."

"Come on. I promise not to put the story in the paper. This is just between you and me."

"We want different things."

"Cop-out."

"Well it's true."

"No it's not."

"I told him I loved him."

"And he said?"

"He said he thought I made it up because of the situation."

"What situation?"

"The anniversary of Vincent's death was a few weeks ago."

"Who was Vincent?"

"Your grandson."

*****

If he had just stayed out of this room, it would have been possible to continue to convince himself that everything was fine. Robin was going to wake up, give Patrick nine kinds of hell and start taking care of Nathan and Morgan the way it was supposed to be. Or the way it was meant to be, if he wanted to believe all those romantic movies Mom and Elizabeth made him watch. But now, seeing her lying there so still, it was impossible to deny the terrible words of Dr. Walker anymore. Dr. Lansing had apparently been right. Robin might not make it through this.

As was his habit, Patrick had fled the second he heard the news. Lucky had no idea where his cousin was, but he knew where he wasn't. He wasn't with Nathan or Morgan. His parents were sitting with Nathan while Elizabeth tried to reach out to Morgan. And here he was, sitting with Robin. For someone who had been so determined to not leave Robin's side for anything, Patrick sure had a funny way of showing it.

Lucky sighed. He realized he was being unfair to Patrick. This had to have some uncomfortable familiarities about it for the other man. And even though right now he would deny it, Logan was Patrick's brother. That had to be a whole other layer of general what-the-fuckness that Lucky was thankful he hadn't experience. But still, could Patrick for once open up to people instead of forcing them to come looking for him or forcing him to face what he was feeling? It wasn't like Patrick was the only one scared to death about losing her after all.

Running one hand through his hair, he grasped Robin's smaller one with his. Had she always been this small? This fragile? Surely not. It was a side effect of the pregnancy. Had to be. Someone this tiny couldn't have possibly once threatened to beat him up after he beat her in a race to the highest tree limb. At least he wouldn't have been reasonably sure he wouldn't have been convinced she could have done it.

"Shortstack, you need to understand something. Watching that soap sucks so would you please stop trying to audition for it? I thought you had some pride. Some character."

He glanced quickly at her eyes to see if she had any response. Stubbornly they remained close. A joke that lame would have at least earned him a shove, a groan, anything but silence. "Come on cousin-in-law. You've got to give me something. You know how I get when I have nothing but silence. The jokes get progressively worse."

Running his fingers over her hair, Lucky fought back the tears that had been threatening to fall since Mac had shown up looking for Patrick. Had it really only been a day? It felt like he aged three decades since then. Ever since Thanksgiving he had been trying to deal with the inevitability that one day Robin wouldn't be there, but it wasn't supposed to be so soon, so sudden. There was supposed to be more time.

"You don't get it do you? This whole thing isn't going to work if you're not here Robin. You're the sane one. You're the one we all rely on. Elizabeth, Aunt Bobbie, Cameron, Cruz, Morgan, me. Nathan. Patrick. You're the glue in this group. Without you, we make no sense. We'd have self-destructed a million times over. You, Shortstack, have obligations here. Who's going to make sure I don't screw up this wedding thing huh? You think I'm going to rely on Patrick and Cruz for help with something that important? Who's supposed to help Elizabeth convince me that just because Gracie is a girl I shouldn't lock her away in a tower until she's about thirty-five? Who's going to tell Patrick..." he felt his voice trail off. "Shortstack, you know as well as I do Patrick isn't going to recover from losing you. He's just not. And Nathan and Morgan. God they need you so much. I don't know why you won't wake up, but I just know you have to."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Just wake up. That's all we're asking from you. Just wake up."


	347. The Prince

Had it really been twenty-one years since he had stepped foot inside a hospital nursery? Georgie, he mused. She had been such an incredible baby smiling before she was supposed to be able to, talking before the books said she would…Twenty-one years since he had held a baby. And yet, here he was, standing over another plastic crib on wheels gazing down at the most precious baby he had ever seen.

"You look like your mother. I'm not biased. You have the Scorpio chin, eye shape, and ears. Maybe you have some of your dad in you." Mac admitted, running his hand lightly over the baby's chestnut hair. Half of it was facing forward while the rest was sticking up. "A handsome devil." He added with a nod.

"Has anybody held you?" Mac asked the infant. "I'll bet not. I'll bet they're too afraid to. They probably think you're fragile, but you're not. They don't know you like I do, like your mother does. Have they told you about her?" He reached down and carefully picked Nathan up, holding him close.

"There, that's right." He whispered to his nephew when he started to whine. "I've got you. Nobody's going to hurt you."

He cradled Nathan against his left side using his thumb to finger the thick curls that lay beside his ears. "Your mother is the strongest person in the world. I should know. I raised her."

Mac paid little attention to the other babies as they started to cry. "Quite a noisy bunch, aren't they?" He asked the baby. "I bet you don't get a lot of sleep in this place. I don't want you to worry. In just a few days, you'll be coming home. Home with your mommy and your daddy and your big brother."

He sighed. "I don't know what they've told you about any of them. Your mother risked everything for you. I'm not saying that you should be grateful because you're just a baby. What do you care about besides milk and a clean diaper? And your brother. I don't want you to judge him. He's not speaking right now, but he will be. One day he'll speak again. Until then, we've all got to be patient." Mac breathed in the sweet baby scent and fought back the urge to sob. "I know you can't understand this; you probably think the world has abandoned you, but that's not the case. We love you. We've wanted you from the moment we knew you were coming. I don't care what anyone tells you. That's the truth. How could we not want you? You're our miracle."

A nurse entered the room unobtrusively. She held out a fresh bottle until he took it. "It's time to feed Nathan." She explained patiently.

"See what I mean? You've got the whole world wrapped around your little finger." Mac told Nathan, moving to the corner where a single white wicker rocking chair sat. "There's a similar chair in your nursery. I saw it...I saw it the day I found out about you. Your mom doesn't know that. She thinks...who knows what she thinks at this point?" Mac carefully scooted the chair away from the wall and sat down, holding Nathan's head and balancing his tiny body on his left knee. "Here you go." He plopped the bottle into the baby's waiting mouth and listened to him suck away at it greedily. "I don't...I don't want you to judge your father either. Don't tell anyone this, but I understand what he's going through, probably in a way no one else can. I haven't even been to see your mother. I've been avoiding that particular room, because what can I say? She's had the most important people in her room and I've heard them...I've heard them all beg for her to come back to us, but she remains..."

Mac had to control himself better than this. All his nephew demanded of him was to hold the bottle upright. "She is going to wake up, Nathan. She will come back to us, to you and your brother, to your father and your mess of cousins. She will come back because she's not done yet. She's got too much to do, too many people depending on her and...and your mother is the most reliable person. She will regain her responsibilities and she will get out of that bed and take you home. I swear she will."

*****

When he told the family that he couldn't be at the hospital anymore, he hadn't told them where he would go. Everywhere he went held some memory of Robin; what he needed was a quiet, non-confrontational location. It also needed to be a place where no one, not Lucky, Elizabeth, or even Cruz would think to look for him. He glanced around the tiny space and breathed in the scent of old wood and chipping paint. Calmness. Or was it numbness? He honestly didn't care. He would take anything that allowed him a moment or two of stillness. There were no standards for him here; he wasn't watched like a hawk.

It was amazing Bobbie hadn't come home and found him already, but there was the off chance that she wouldn't. The tree house might have been big by normal standards, but once the sun set, it was almost impossible to spot. He didn't know exactly what had made him think of this particular point, but he was thankful he had. The memories were as palpable as the paint, each one more ingrained in the wood than the last. How many times had he or Lucky fallen out of this particular tree? Or the younger generations? Lucus and Lulu had been even more competitive than he or Patrick. This tree had seen more scrapes and bruises than any other one in the yard.

Morgan was too young to climb the tree, but he wouldn't always be. Would Nathan like this tree house? Would they sleep out under the stars like he and Logan used to do? The bitterness was sharp; he could taste it on his tongue. The rest of the world could block out the first thirteen years of Logan's existence, but Patrick couldn't. Logan hadn't always been terrible. For a little while, he had been selfless and funny. God, he had such a great sense of humor. He was the one people were constantly stealing jokes from.

Patrick knew he needed to go the morgue and identify his brother's body. His father sure wouldn't come to Port Charles and do it. When had that bastard ever taken the time to do anything for his children? Though it seemed impossible, Logan had gotten an even shorter end of the stick where their father was concerned. Yes, he hated Patrick and often blamed him for his wife's illness, but Noah Drake at least acknowledged his oldest son. He treated Logan like a stray dog. Or at least he had. Patrick didn't know how to think of Logan in past tense. It didn't seem real. He buried his head in his hands.

Sometime later the phone buzzed and he reached into his pocket to retrieve it. He gargled a hello, his hands pressed against either side of his head. Maybe that would keep it from flying off. His head pounded; he could barely see straight. He hoped the person on the other end wasn't going to require him to get out of this tree because he was a little uncertain it could be done.

"Patrick." Bobbie sounded startled. She must not have expected him to answer the phone.

"That's my name." Patrick replied unenthusiastically.

"Where are you? You've got to come back." Bobbie explained getting right to the point.

"Why?" Patrick sat up a little straighter. If something had happened with Robin he would never forgive himself for leaving her.

"Patrick, I can't...I can't quite explain it." Bobbie hesitated.

"What happened?" Patrick demanded impatiently. "Tell me what it is!"

"It's Nathan." Bobbie whispered.

Patrick felt the air whoosh out of him. "Wha-what about Nathan?" He tried to steady his voice as best he could.

"He needs his father."

Maybe it was because he had heard almost those exact words from every family member he had talked to over the last forty-eight hours. Maybe it was the lack of control he had on this entire situation. "Listen..."

"No, there's no reason you can give me to excuse your absence right this minute." Bobbie informed him.

"He's got all of you. He doesn't need me." Patrick insisted.

"I hear babies do that."

"Babies also sleep. And he isn't. He should be sleeping several times a day, at least six different frames, but he's not."

"What did the doctors say?"

"They can't diagnose him."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because they've never seen a baby act like this before."

"You're not making any sense. You make it sound like he's doing this on purpose. He's not even a week old."

"Patrick...physically he's fine. At least for now. The doctors are hesitant to induce sleep. So far his HIV status is negative but his immune system isn't what it should be. He can't afford to avoid sleep. This is costing him greatly."

"What do you want me to do? I'm not a doctor."

"He doesn't need doctors." Bobbie ground through her teeth. "He needs you."

"I'm sure there is someone there far more capable than I am." Patrick dodged.

"I know that—listen I understand..." Bobbie struggled for the right words. "You think you're going to lose Robin and there's nothing easy about that. I get it. I really do. Have you considered what would happen if you lost them both? Because it's a very real possibility."

"He's in the hospital. They aren't going to let him die."

"Lucky for him they care about him more than his own father."

Patrick swallowed a large dose of guilt. She was right. He had to go. "What if I can't get him to sleep?"

"Then you'll try something else. Right now, all he wants is his parents. Robin hasn't woken up so that leaves you."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." He promised hanging up.


	348. Leave A Light On

He hadn't intended to fall asleep. It had just happened. He had only sat down for a minute but it somehow turned into hours. Yawning, David pulled himself up with one hand, rubbing his face with the other as he adjusted himself on the couch. Spotting Samantha sitting on the chair, he offered her a slight smile. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"I don't know." Sam admitted, stretching. "A while."

"Did you go to the hospital?" He remembered her plan to go see if she could help. Then they were otherwise distracted.

"I did. I talked to Alexis for a minute."

"And how did that go?"

"It was enlightening."

"Care to expand on that?"

"We just talked. That's all." Sam repeated adamantly.

"You seem a little defensive on that point." David moved closer to her, perching on the coffee table. "How's everything going over there?"

"Same mostly. Robin hasn't woken up. She started breathing on her own, but the doctors are basically doing their best to convince the family that there is no hope to be had. It's messed up." She ran her hand through her hair and left her fingers entangled in the strands.

"Hey." Reaching up he took her hands into his own, careful to not yank her hair in the process. She was practically shaking and he had no idea why. Probably something to do with her conversation with Alexis. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Sam explained, her lips not moving as she spoke the words.

"You don't look it."

"I told her about Vincent."

Well that explained everything. Needing no further information, David pulled her into his arms, letting her weight rest on his lap. "No wonder you're spooked."

"I don't need you to comfort me." Sam assured him, her shoulders stiffening.

"Too bad."

"She started crying."

"Of course she did." David reasoned. "You're her daughter. It makes sense."

"I didn't tell her who killed him. I said they never caught him."

"You'll tell her when you're ready."

"No." Sam shook her head violently. "I can't do that."

"Not now." David agreed, running his hand through her hair. "But someday. I'll help if you want."

"Planning on sticking around that long, are you?" Sam shoved him away and got to her feet. She thought better when she paced anyway. "I can't tell her without implicating both of us."

"Somehow I don't think Alexis Davis is going to be all that concerned with the details on how Jason Morgan died."

"She's married to the commissioner. I bet he'll care."

"Mac Scorpio?" David quirked his eyebrow. "Hardly. He'd probably just be upset he didn't get to join in the fun."

"It's so easy to be you, isn't it? No family attachments. No baggage. Free as a bird."

"I'm not free." David shook his head. He may not see them much or even at all, but his mother and sister still lived in Port Charles. When they weren't drunk or stoned, they were too busy begging him to keep their latest boyfriend/husband/baby daddy out of jail. He had attachments; he just chose not to recognize them. "My situation is just different that's all."

"How so?"

"It's just different. Trust me." He shook his head.

"I don't know anything about you." Sam realized. "My entire life is on display all the time, open for your ridicule, but I can't ask a few questions about yours?"

"I don't ridicule your life. I just want you to face it. I faced my reality a long time ago Gorgeous. There's no need to rehash it."

Sam forced herself to take a deep breath and count to ten. He was the most stubborn man she had ever met. What was his deep, dark secret? And why did she suddenly want to know? On some level, it had always bothered her. With each moment they spent together he gained insight into her life but she didn't know anything about his. She didn't know why he posed as a cop instead of just sticking to the rules and being one for real. While she doubted he was using a fake name, she couldn't disregard the possibility. "I just want to know you."

"You know me. You know me better than anyone." It was true. Samantha didn't know his sordid family history, but she knew far more than any other lover since he left home. She knew he cooked, she knew how he could still screw up laundry, and that he preferred to read the newspaper in bed.

Sam returned to her spot on his lap. "Then why don't you trust me? What do you think I'm going to do with what you tell me?"

"I do trust you." He wrapped his arms securely around her waist. "That's not the reason I don't talk about my past. My past has nothing to do with my future."

She held out her left pinkie. "Would you feel more comfortable if we pinkie swore on it?"

"What are the terms?"

"You answer my questions and I never ask you about it again."

"Depends on the questions."

"You can't add conditions."

He sighed. "Fine."

"Okay. Okay." She tried to keep her voice calm. "Is David Harper your real name?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever been in love?"

"Thought I was in love? Yes. But actually in love?" David paused to consider her question. "The jury is still out on that one."

"Are your parents still together?"

"Nope. My father left before I was born."

"Ass. Okay, um, are you an only child?"

"Nope. Older sister."

"What was your favorite thing to do when you were a kid?"

Hide out from the drug dealers and abusers his mother favored? No, that answer might lead to further questions. "I read. A lot."

"Let me guess. Mysteries?"

"It certainly wasn't romance novels."

"Did you have any pets?"

"No." David wouldn't have put it past some of the more award winning creeps that decorated his childhood to torture any pet he might have had just for fun. Even as a child he had recognized the importance of being cautious.

"Not even a goldfish? Sorry. You answered my question." She glanced down. "Do you stay in contact with your family?"

"Rarely. And it's only when they contact me." He added in before she could ask a follow-up question.

"Why?"

"It's just better this way."

"Better for whom?"

"Me but really everyone."

He watched her strangely when she didn't continue to pester him. "What?" She tried not to laugh.

"You have nothing more to ask?"

"Did they hurt you?" Sam's voice was very small when she asked this, but she made herself maintain eye contact with him. She held his face in her hands when he tried to look away.

"No." Physically he hadn't been hurt. They had never touched him. But that didn't mean he had fewer nightmares until he had escaped.

Sam wished she hadn't asked the last question. He was a block of steel next to her, his face expressionless. Closing her eyes, she rested her ear against his chest and let his heartbeat drown out her own indecision. Her arms wound around his waist and she tried to hold him as tightly to her as she could. "I'm sorry."

"What for? I said I'd answer your questions."

"For saying I didn't know you. I do know you." She traced the inside of his palm with her thumb.

"Of course you do. I keep telling you, we're the same Samantha."

"Can we just sit here a minute?" she murmured.

"We can sit here as long as you want." He promised, kissing the top of head.

*****

Steven glanced from his watch to his cell phone, calculating the time difference. If it was eleven here, it must be seven in Port Charles. He would chance it. How many days had it been since they had talked? She was distracted, but she wouldn't tell him why. Even when he teased her about it, she would clam up and change the subject. It was confusing and he didn't like it. At least if they were face-to-face he could have some clue as to what she was thinking. He dialed the familiar number and leaned back on the hotel bed. He counted the cracks in the ceiling while the phone rang and rang. Just when he was about to give up, he heard a click. "Georgie?"

"Steven?" She had checked her phone without checking the caller ID. He had caught her unaware and unprepared.

"I was beginning to think you forgot about me." Steven joked uneasily.

"Never. You're impossible to forget." She tried to keep a light tone in her voice. It was becoming impossible to keep his questions at bay and she hated lying to him, but she was not going to have him ruin his career over this.

"Have you had dinner yet?"

"A little at the hospital."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Did you eat?"

"There wasn't time. We've been working from sun up to sundown. I just thought I might catch you before you ate and then we could have a meal together."

"I'm sorry; maybe we can plan to do that the next time?"

"Yeah. We'll schedule it next time."

She could hear the disappointment in his voice clearly and hated that she was the reason for it. More than ever she wanted to drop out of school, fly across the world, and jump into his arms, but then her practical side would take over. That wasn't the solution. That couldn't be the solution. There had to be something she hadn't thought of yet. Maybe she could pick Maxie's brain for ideas before her sister ran back to California. "I miss you so much."

Steven covered his eyes, blocking out the weak light of the empty room. "I miss you too."

"Patrick finally came to see Nathan today." Georgie offered, trying to find something positive to talk about.

"Really?" Steven tried to sound interested. He wished they could just talk about each other, but she had to hide behind her family's drama. As if they didn't have enough of their own.

"Yeah. He just came in as I was leaving."

"How is Nathan?"

"He'd be doing better if he would sleep or if he got more attention from his parents. But I think he'll be fine."

"And Robin?"

"No change." Georgie sighed.

"I'm sorry. She will wake up."

"I know. I just may need you to remind of that though."

"You can count on it."

"Good." She whispered, smiling at his reassurance. "So tell me all about the movie."

"Epic love story. Drama. Obstacles. Not a shabby love scene in the mix." Steven ticked off with a chuckle.

"I would hope not."

"Still...I think you and I could teach these actors a few things."

"Of course we could." Georgie chuckled lightly. "But who would believe our story?"

"I like our story."

"I love our story."

"Have you heard anything?"

She had walked right into that one hadn't she? "Not yet. I'm hoping to hear something by the end of the week."

"It's taking an awful long time. You applied before I even left." He was speaking mostly to himself.

"It's probably just university politics and red tape."

"Maybe if we hadn't done this so close to the beginning of the semester..."

"No Steven, I'm sure I'll hear something soon. Just don't worry about it ok?" she pleaded with him.

"I just want you here with me."

"There's nowhere else I want to be."

Steven bit his tongue against everything else he wanted to say. "I love you. Let me know if anything breaks."

"You're the first on my list. I love you."

*****

"I knew." Patrick whispered. He stood outside the nursery, his face pressed up against the glass. The bustling nurses were off doing something at the moment; he wasn't used to seeing the floor so quiet. He forced himself to walk into the nursery and had no problem finding his son. "I knew you would look just like your mother."

It was true. His face was almost an exact duplicate of Robin's. He had her nose, her ears, even her eyes. Nathan's eyes didn't have to be open for him to know they were brown; he also knew from his constant wiggling that he wasn't asleep. He probably didn't trust that Patrick wasn't a threat to him and therefore refused to open his eyes until he could figure out what he should do next. The hair was Patrick's at least both in color and style. "Sorry about that." He apologized to the baby, fingering the curls. "I hear you're not sleeping. What's that about? I've been reading a lot and you're going against everything the experts say."

He paced the room a minute trying to decide what he should do next. Bobbie might not have been right outside the door watching him, but he knew she was close by. She would know what to do. His focus returned to the wiggling brunette in the plastic crib. "I'm going to pick you up and you can cry if you want to. It won't spook me. God's given me a lot of practice." He thought about Lucky's children and wondered how he would have reacted if the situation were reversed, if Elizabeth was the one hooked up the machines. "Your uncle Lucky is a far better man than I am." Patrick admitted. He leaned over the crib and carefully lifted him out of the bed. "There now." He murmured when Nathan didn't cry. He rolled over and snuggled deeper into his father's arms.

"Comfortable?" He inquired with a dim smile. "We're going to have a talk, you and I. This insomnia thing isn't going to last. I'm your dad and you've got to trust that I know what I'm talking about. I hear you're already getting grouchy." Not that Nathan showed any signs of that now. Maybe Bobbie had told a little fib to get him over here. Whatever her reason, he was overcome with a multitude of emotions. Despair for the very real possibility that Nathan would never meet his mother. Fear that he wouldn't be able to raise the boys without her. An irrational premonition that he would be as terrible a father as Noah had been. Coupled with those feelings, he also experienced all-encompassing love for the child in his arms. For the little boy that depended on him for everything, who would need him no matter what happened.

Nathan whined and Patrick decided to do the walk and rock as his mother had called it. How many times had he watched her with Logan? Heard her tell them stories when they had bad dreams? Patrick gritted his teeth together. It was too hard. He couldn't escape the memories, especially not now. Logan should have been here, holding his nephew. He should have come to the wedding. Everything over the last year, ever bad thing he had done, was still so unbelievable to Patrick. Logan had never been a saint, but to think that he was capable of such monstrous acts..."Well if you're going to cry..." Patrick muttered and he and Nathan shared a few tears.

Patrick collected himself a few minutes later, his shoulders sagging under a weight no one else could feel. "What would you say to a little dinner? I mean, I did wake you up and all. The least I can do is feed you." He added spotting a nurse come into the room with a bottle prepared. "Thanks." He held up the bottle, letting Nathan follow it with his eyes. "You have to stop crying." He bargained. Nathan wasn't buying it. "Alright. Alright. Just as stubborn as your mother." He shook his head, massaging Nathan's lips with the nipple until his mouth opened. "Okay, maybe I'm a little stubborn as well."

Nathan watched Patrick as he guzzled the formula down, his clever cinnamon eyes missing nothing. "That's okay. I don't want any." He teased, tickling his son under his chin. "I'm sorry I was late, but I'm here now." He promised. "And I'll be here."


	349. If You Could Only See

Evan slammed the folder closed. He didn't care if he was acting like a spoiled brat. Why did the world continue to laugh in his face? Even before he opened the file, he had known this much about Lulu. Maybe this kind of detailing was acceptable when the mob had run the town, but why wasn't it better now that they had been removed? There were too many holes and no linking points. Why did it seem like some things had purposely been left out? "There you go with that paranoia again." He scolded himself pushing to his feet.

Harper was sitting at his desk in much the same frustrated fashion, but he wasn't as obvious about his mood. Evan wondered if this was really the best time to bug him. Oh well. "Is there just the one file?" He held up the folder.

"What?" David barely looked up at Evan's request. There was something going on with the drug case and he couldn't figure out what exactly. From the looks of things, Vermin was trying to take over the old Corinthos/Morgan territory…that was the obvious part. The not so obvious part was which of the "business ventures" he was angling for. It sure wasn't coffee importing. "Which case is that?"

"Lulu Spencer's personal file."

"I thought you quit being a babysitter."

"I just need a few questions answered." He hadn't mentioned to Harper, though he should, about how he thought Lulu was helping Vermin because he couldn't prove it. At least that was the reason he was sticking with.

Leaning back in his chair, David looked at the younger man quizzically. That wasn't the look of someone who just needed a few questions answered. Standing up, he motioned for Cassidy to follow him. "Come on. If you are going to ask questions about the commissioner's goddaughter, don't do it for all the squad to hear."

"Fair enough." Evan followed him into the empty interrogation room, smiling at the irony.

"What do you want to know?" David asked after making sure the door was closed securely behind them.

"I want to know what links her and Logan Drake for one."

"Her cousin. And her kidnapper."

"Kidnapper?"

"Did you not read the file before you started asking me questions?"

"It's not in here." Evan promised.

"The commissioner." David reasoned. "Do you at least remember the Kristina Davis/Morgan Scorpio kidnappings?"

"Yeah. They happened before I got here, but I heard some of the guys talking about them."

"From what we were able to find out Logan Drake helped Emily Quartermaine and Courtney Mathews plan and execute those kidnappings. Lulu Spencer ended up in the line of fire, but it seems she got in the way when Logan went for her nephew. Emily died the same day her brother Jason Morgan did and in the same manner. Courtney and Logan went underground until a few days ago when Logan obviously surfaced."

"How long were they gone? The children? And Lulu?"

"About three weeks. From her statements, it seemed once Lulu arrived she was continually trying to break them out."

"Why weren't Courtney Matthews and Logan Drake taken in once they were back?"

"Couldn't find them. Logan has been giving his family the slip for years and Courtney seemed to be connected to the mysterious fourth member of the team, the moneybags."

"So two are dead and two are on the run?" It was a rhetorical question. "Wait..."

"Yes?"

Evan didn't answer him. His question wasn't so cut and dry; it wasn't coming to him all at once. He remembered Lulu's terror at the reception and her insistence that "They" were watching her. Thanks to her interfering brother, he had never been able to figure out who she was talking about. Was it possible she had seen Logan and Courtney at the reception? Or even Courtney and the mysterious fourth figure?

"I have to go. Thanks for your help." Evan hurried out of the room.

David shook his head as he watched Cassidy run out of the room. Looks like someone was back on baby-sitting duty.

*****

"I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but being discharged is the best thing for Morgan right now. Being surrounded by familiar people in a familiar setting will help him feel more comfortable." Dr. Karen Wexler explained calmly to the assembled group in front of her. "Physically there is no reason to keep him here."

Patrick rubbed his bleary eyes as he listened to the doctor. She was right: Morgan had been here long enough and he wasn't going to start talking on his own if he didn't feel comfortable. Who in their right mind found hospitals comfortable? "I..." Patrick wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. If he left and went to take care of Morgan, would the doctors just decide to pull the plug on Robin? They were sadistic enough to. If he stayed, he was choosing Nathan and Robin over his stepson. Which answer was right? He looked from left to right feeling like he had fallen into a bottomless pit in which no one would know to find him.

"We are in total agreement Dr. Wexler." Dillon chimed in quickly seeing Patrick falter. "A little interaction with his cousin and some movie marathons never hurt anyone did it?"

"No." Dr. Wexler smiled. "As long you are screening the movies carefully."

"Scout's honor." Dillon promised.

"You were never a Scout." Lucas pointed out.

"Details."

Patrick glanced back and forth between the couple to see if maybe they were pulling his leg. "Would you?"

"Would we?" Dillon scoffed. "Lance has already pulled out the sleeping bags and is ready to stay up all night and eat way too much sugar."

"It wouldn't be for more than a few days." Patrick assured them.

"Of course not." Lucas smiled. "But he's welcome as long as he wants to be there."

"I...um...thank you." Patrick managed laughing at his own frailty.

"You know us Patrick. We love to entertain." Dillon said laughing, clapping Patrick on his shoulder. "And we expect huge Christmas presents."

"Of course." Patrick nodded.

"I'm glad all that is settled." Dr. Wexler cut in. "Now as I said, physically Morgan is fine but he'll need to complete his medication just to ward off any possible infection. Two pills each dose. Once in the morning and once before he goes to bed. It may make him drowsy so just keep an eye out on him."

Lucas nodded, paying close attention just in case Dillon wasn't. "Will he need to come back for any follow-up appointments?"

"In about a month but hopefully he'll be back home by then." Dr. Wexler nodded at Patrick and handed him a slim business card. "You may find Dr. Zeud helpful. She does wonderful work with children and might be very good for Morgan."

"I'll think about it. Thank you Dr. Wexler." Patrick slipped the business card into his front pocket.

"You're welcome. I'll go down to the nurse's desk to sign the papers and then you should be all set to take him home."

"Thank you. I'll go tell him the good news." They were stationed down the hall from his room so that he wouldn't overhear them. Patrick didn't appreciate people talking about him and he suspected Morgan felt the same way. He started toward the room when something stopped him. "Did you hear that?" He asked the group, his eyes widening.

The scream continued, bouncing off the walls in the children's corridor. Parents stuck their heads out of the rooms, trying to locate the source, covering their own children's ears. It was a scream Dillon and Lucas recognized. It was the same type of scream Lance let out when he first started experiencing his symptoms. It was the scream of a child in pain. Dillon nodded slowly. "Oh God. Is that Morgan?"

Patrick was halfway to the room before Dillon finished his question. This wasn't a surprised scream. Surprise tended to be far more subtle. This was terror, pure and simple. "Morgan!" He called ahead. "MORGAN!" He skitted to a stop in front of the room and pushed himself into the room. "What happened? What's the matter?" Morgan's eyes were dilated, the sheets pulled to his chin. Patrick sat on the bed beside him, trying not to shake him. "Tell me. What is it?" He reached for a pen and pad he found in the drawer beside the bed. "Can you write it down?" Morgan continued to stare at nothing, but at least he had stopped screaming. Giant tears fell down his cheeks and he threw his arms around Patrick's neck, shaking. "Hey. It's okay. It's okay." Patrick whispered. "I won't let anything hurt you."

Dillon, Lucas, and Dr. Wexler came bursting into the room right behind him. "What happened? Is he ok?" Lucas managed to pant out.

"I don't know." Patrick said above Morgan's head. "He's terrified."

"Morgan?" Dr. Wexler approached her patient carefully, keeping her voice calm and quiet. "It's Dr. Karen. I just want to check you out and make sure you aren't hurt anywhere ok?"

Morgan shook his head. "Do you have to do that now?" Patrick asked.

"I just want to rule it out." She explained calmly. "But we can wait a few minutes. Ok Morgan? You can just hang out here with your dad a little bit."

"Morgan, it's okay." Patrick told him, rubbing his back. "I'm going to sit right here with you. Okay?" Morgan showed no response.

Dillon moved closer to the pair. "What if we all go down to the playroom or something? Maybe a change of scene would help calm him down."

"That's a good idea." Patrick agreed. "Morgan, what do you think?" Morgan reached out and took Dillon's offered hand. "Let's all go." Patrick decided, leading them out of the room.

"Morgan, you and I are totally going to kick Patrick's butt in Jenga." Dillon declared as they started down the hall.

The room wasn't a large one, but it did offer a bathroom. As soon as the coast was clear, he stepped out of the tiny closet of a room and smiled. "I'll see you again soon son." AJ promised to the retreating figures. He snuck out of the room feeling rather pleased with himself. Everything was going according to plan. Who knew Logan's irrational tendencies would pay off? Courtney was at home because she would stand out far more than he would. He slipped out of the hospital with only one person knowing he had dropped by. That was all about to change. _Soon_, he promised himself.

*****

There had been some suggestion that he had spent too much time in the hospital. Lucky would have dismissed the complaint as nonsense if it hadn't come from one of the nurses. Who had learned not only his name but the names of his kids and could recognize them in pictures immediately. She might have a point, he grudgingly admitted. Morgan was scheduled to go home with Dillon and Lucas. Patrick was actually seeing Nathan, an important first step. There was no change in Robin but sitting vigil right probably wasn't helpful to her at this point.

In fact Robin would probably be the first person harassing him to get out and see actual daylight, he mused as he sat outside of Kelly's. Sitting in front of Aunt Ruby's diner, with the hospital mere minutes walk away probably wasn't exactly what she would have in mind, but Robin would just have to wake up and yell at him about that.

Taking the first sip of real coffee he had since Robin went into the hospital, Lucky closed his eyes and tried to figure out a different plan. Patrick would still need help, but if he was interacting with his own son, there was hope there. Between Mom and Aunt Bobbie, Patrick should be able to get most of his questions answered about care for Nathan. And just try to stop Dillon from dramatically requesting help if he needed it with Morgan. Maybe it was time he and Elizabeth tried concentrating on their own lives. It was a novel concept, but one worth considering.

But before he could fully go back to his own life, there was just one minor detail to take care of: Lulu. His sister hadn't been seen since that first long night when she left clinging to the arm of that guy. Lucky could feel his face contort just thinking about her friend, what was his name again? Elvis? Elvin? Evan? That was it: Evan. How exactly did this guy go from not a single mention to acting like the only person Lulu considered trusting? Who was he? Where did he come from? And what exactly was his interest in Lulu?

Was there such a thing as ending a conversation with Lulu Spencer on a happy note? Or must they all conclude in a fight? Did that make it easier? He wondered. Perhaps. As long as he left mad, it would take that much longer for him to worry about her. Well he was worried now, but it was probably groundless. He had no proof.

Evan sighed noiselessly when he spotted the older brother. What was his name? It started with an "L," that much he remembered. Luke, Laura...Lucky. Lucky and Leslie Lu. He had spent the better part of the night learning Lulu's family tree hoping that one of them would fill in the holes he kept finding. "Hey." Why was he engaging in a conversation with a man who hated him? Who he could go his entire life without seeing again? A common interest, he reminded himself. Damn it.

Hearing the vaguely familiar voice, Lucky glanced up. Since when did he have the power just to think about someone and then they would appear? And if he had said power, why couldn't he have used it when it was useful, say during high school when he was infatuated Sarah Michelle Gellar? "Hey." He managed tersely.

"Any change?" He could make pleasant conversation. He was almost certain.

"No but I would think Lulu would have told you that." Lucky pointed out.

"I haven't seen Lulu today." Evan lied.

"Join the club on that one." Lucky muttered.

"She said she was heading home." Evan doubted Lucky would appreciate him having personal knowledge as to how well Lulu hadn't slept last night or how shaky she had seemed just that very morning.

"Heading home?" Lucky quirked an eyebrow. "And you believed that one?"

"No." Evan admitted. "But at the end of the day, I have to accept one truth or the other."

"And the other truth?"

"That I wouldn't know."

"Lulu's good for that. Maybe it's because she was always the only girl, but she's never come around to telling all her secrets." Lucky admitted. "I only know half the trouble she's been in because I caught her red-handed."

"It's a little hard to keep up with her, isn't it?"

"Just slightly."

"Was she always like this?" Evan told himself not to care. He shouldn't—it would make no difference whatsoever.

"A little." Lucky admitted. "Until it became uncool to want to hang out with her brother and cousin anymore." Or until they started consciously trying to ditch her. Whichever came first Lucky figured.

"She strikes me as the bookworm type."

Lucky couldn't contain his snort of laughter. "A bookworm? Hardly. Lulu's smart enough, but she hates to actually work at it. Or let anyone know she's smart. It would mess with her carefully sculpted image."

"And what image is that?"

"How close are you two if you're asking me all this?"

"Not very close at all."

"Then why do you keep showing up?"

"I hear that's what friends do."

Lucky eyed Evan suspiciously. There was nothing inherently wrong with the younger man's answers, but there was a feeling Lucky just couldn't shake there was something more going on. Evan was not giving him the full answers and he knew it. As sure as he was of his own name, Lucky knew Evan knew exactly what was going on with Lulu. He could press his luck now and demand answers, or he could wait a little while longer. What was it his father had always said? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, with Helena closest of all. "If you see Lulu, tell her Morgan's staying with Dillon and Lucas. He might appreciate a visit."

"I bet you see her before I do." Evan reasoned.

"I doubt it." Lucky corrected.

"'Doubt can only be removed by action.'" Evan chuckled, walking into the diner.

"Not when Lulu is running in the opposite direction." Lucky noted as he watched Evan walk away.


	350. Tears and Rain

"Well I just don't understand why you would make a promise like that and then back out now." Laura said through ground teeth. "We had an agreement; I will not be made a fool."

The phone beeped. "Listen, I have someone on the other line. If you could just—" Someone was at the door too. She could hear them knocking away. "I have to call you back."

"Laura." Elizabeth greeted her soon-to-be-mother-in-law when the door opened. She offered a small smile as she stepped through the door, the binder she and Robin had only recently started in her hand. Laura had offered to help with the wedding plans and there was no good reason to turn her down. Right now Elizabeth needed a distraction, something to keep her mind off of the fact Robin was still just laying there in the hospital bed. Trying to keep Laura from completely overtaking every aspect of her wedding was as close as she had to a distraction right now. It would work right up to the point when she was sure she was going to remember Robin was supposed to be helping her do this. "I brought everything I have."

"Good." Laura beamed and hung up the phone. "Come and sit down. I made finger sandwiches."

"You didn't have to go to any trouble Laura."

"Please." Laura waved off her concern. "We can't think without proper nutrition. Do you like ham and cheese?"

"Yes. Thank you." Elizabeth eyed the telephone suspiciously. "Who were you talking to just now?"

"No one." Laura hedged. "Iced tea?"

"That's fine. Are you sure it was no one?"

"It's just a little surprise I've been working on." Laura replied.

"Surprise? Laura I don't have a good track record with surprises."

"I've been looking into a particular venue for the wedding."

So far it didn't sound like it had a chance to blow up in her face. "I'm glad you're working on plan B because plan A seems to be a dud."

"Plan A?"

"Mt. Hebron. Lucky suggested it and since it's the only thing he seems to have an opinion on, we wanted to have the wedding there. But since we're looking at Christmas, well who could have figured a small chapel in the woods would have a year wait list?"

"That's actually what I've been working on. Great minds think alike."

Elizabeth shook her head in confusion. "But when we called they said..."

"I've had you and Lucky on the list for quite a while..."

"So I was right to be paranoid?" She wasn't going to add that Lucky was correct as well. No sense in letting him know he was actually right. There would be no living with him then.

"I had a feeling. Anyway, it wasn't definite and I figured it couldn't hurt. The last three brides in your way were struck down by terrible accidents--why are you looking at me like that? I had nothing to do with it!" Laura promised.

"Sure you didn't." Elizabeth laughed lightly. The idea of making sure of that with Robin crossed her mind before she could stop it. Damn it, she told herself, this is not the time to be sad. You know Robin would kick your ass for that one. "So what other details have you decided for me?" She asked, putting on her best happy voice.

"Nothing at all. I know my limits."

"If you knew that I wouldn't have been on the waiting list before I was engaged." Elizabeth pointed out.

"Do you want Mt. Hebron or not?" Laura challenged.

"Touché. I withdraw the protest. What else should we discuss?"

"Color scheme for your bridesmaids?"

"I was thinking blue. It would work well for both Lulu and...." Elizabeth's voice faltered before she could finish the sentence.

"Blue works." Laura decided not to comment on Elizabeth's silence.

"Simple and classic." Elizabeth forced herself to smile. "Of course it will help if we can track Lulu down for a fitting."

"I slipped a GPS in her purse."

"Good. Lucky is about this close to doing the same thing."

"I always give my children a chance to let me into their lives." Laura reasoned.

"You're much better at it than my parents."

"Do you know what I wanted to be when I was a little girl?"

"No."

"A mother." Laura answered simply.

"It sounds like you knew your life's calling early then."

Laura couldn't help but tear up. "If only I could keep them from getting hurt."

"I know." Elizabeth sighed. "I get that it's necessary for growing up and all, but it still sucks."

"I haven't been able to get in touch with either Anna or Robert since this whole thing happened."

"I'm sure they'll show up. They've never been conventional about answering phones I hear."

"I can't imagine being away when my children need me." Laura scoffed. "However, I suppose that is hypocritical of me."

"What do you mean?"

"My daughter's life has never been more of a mystery to me than right now."

"She's in college." Elizabeth reached out to grab Laura's hand. "She's on her own for the first time and unless I'm wrong, she's met what looks to be a good guy. The men in her family don't tend to do well with that. Lulu's probably just making sure this new guy of hers doesn't scare so easily."

"Like Bradley."

"Exactly. I hate to think what nicknames they would come up with for Evan."

"She's so much more fragile than anyone realizes."

"I know. But she's also stronger than I think she's given credit for. After all she survived growing up as the only girl in this house."

"Have you and Lucky decided which type of cake you want?" Laura decided it was best to return to the main focus of the conversation.

"Chocolate."

*****

The Paradise Lounge was unusually busy for the middle of the afternoon. Vermin wouldn't have thought the crowds would be so numerous, but the people didn't bother him. A person might be nosy, but groups of people never heard anything past their table. He followed Lulu Spencer's tiny form as she spoke to the hostess. He waved her over.

"You wanted to see me?" Lulu asked, slouching down into the claustrophobic booth. She tried to keep her eyes trained on Vermin and not the action that was taking place on the stage.

"I thought this would be the best time as any to discuss your situation." Vermin explained.

"My situation?" Lulu blinked in confusion.

"You owe me a lot of money for starters."

"I know that. And I'll pay you off. I promise. You know I'm good for it."

"I know you've been saying the same thing for a while." Vermin clarified.

"Things have been tough. Business hasn't been good as it usually is." Of course the fact that she no longer went to class probably more than accounted for her drop in customers.

"I came here to talk business, not hear excuses."

"Talk. I'm listening."

"I make it a point to not negotiate with clients. It's messy and I've heard every sob story you can think of."

"Then why did you want to see me?"

"I've found an exception."

Lulu leaned back further, trying to press her body into the cheap leather of the booth. She didn't like the look in his eye. "And that would be..."

"I've come up with a solution for you."

"A solution? I'm all ears."

Vermin didn't say anything. He gestured toward the stage with a subtle little nod.

Lulu twisted her head just in time to see a girl who looked roughly her age swing herself around on the cold metal pole. The various middle-aged men and enforcer-types that Vermin usually surrounded himself with offered up a smattering of applause for her effort. Twirling her head around again, Lulu met Vermin's eyes with incredulity. _"You're serious?"_

"You would earn what you owe me in a week tops." Vermin told her.

"But I...I couldn't..." She tried to ignore the increase of applause that probably meant a strategic article of clothing had come off of the girl on stage. "I don't...I wouldn't know how to do that."

"You could learn."

"I'm not that fast of a learner."

Vermin leaned closer so that their noses were almost touching. "Then I suggest you try to be better because I am not a patient man."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm tired of waiting for payment. Either you do this or they'll be consequences."

"What kind of consequences?"

"The kind I'm not going to talk about in public."

Lulu nodded her head quickly. It would just be the next in the long line of decisions her parents would never know about if she could help it. Shame quickly flooded her as she heard the words fall from her lips. "When do you want me to start?"

*****

Kate Howard paused outside the glass doors just long enough to run her fingers through her hair. This move was a gamble, but it was the only move she had. He had no reason to go with her plan, except for the fact they had nothing to lose at this point. Walking through the doors, she fixed her best steely look at the lone receptionist, a mere girl, couldn't be more than twenty-one. She had been working at her first station when she was this girl's age.

"Can I help you?" Becca asked, stunned to see Kate Howard striding into her reception area.

"Cruz Rodriguez. It's urgent."

"Is he expecting you?"

"No. But I'm sure once you'll tell him I'm here he'll make room in his schedule." Kate said confidently, crossing her arms.

Becca pushed the button to Cruz's phone, and hurriedly spoke before he got a chance to say hello. "Kate Howard is out here to see you."

Kate sat down, hoping this would work the way she thought it would. She was running out of ideas and she realized Cruz was probably running out of options. Hopefully he wasn't stubborn when it came to saving his magazine.

"Send her in." Cruz allowed leaning back in his chair.

"He'll see you. Just go straight..."

"I can find my way." Kate cut her off. It wasn't like the magazine had a maze of offices. She could see Cruz from here. "Thank you."

"Can I offer you some coffee?" Cruz greeted Kate when she let herself into his office.

"No. Thank you. I'm here to make you an offer."

"Who are you?"

"Kate Howard. I'm a reporter. A damn good one if I do say so myself. And I'm the person Jasper Jax wants to help take over your magazine."

"So you're a spy then. Ask me whatever you want. I'll tell you what I've told everyone else: No comment."

"You misunderstand me. I'm not a spy. I don't even want the job. I'm here to help you."

"Oh why didn't you say so?" Cruz rolled his eyes.

"Look I know you have no reason to trust me on this. You don't know me and I just admitted to being in contact with your worst enemy."

"He's an enemy only because he chooses to be."

"And I choose to be your friend."'

"And why is that?"

"We're journalists. We may be in different areas, but we understand the game. I have to eat, drink, and live for crimes. You have to do the same for the events going on here in town. Jasper Jax just sees money. We see the story, the heart, what really matters."

"So you're saying we're the same?"

"No. Not the same. But we understand each other."

"Why do you want to help me?"

"Because I don't like to see people get pushed around. From what I've been able to find out, the only reason this magazine is on anyone's radar is you. I like to see people who do the work get the credit. I know it's a crazy idea."

"Very crazy." Cruz agreed.

"So do you want to hear my plan or not?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Not if you want to beat Jasper Jax."

"Well then."


	351. Let It Rain

Luke pushed on Patrick's shoulder until his nephew started. "There you are." He said with emphasis, his eyes softening when he noticed Nathan in his arms.

"Here I am." Patrick yawned, shifting Nathan to his other arm. His hands were numb from where his son had been resting for hours.

"The doctors asked me to come and find you." Luke whispered.

Patrick's eyebrows shot up. "Why? Did something happen? Is Robin awake?"

"She's not awake." Luke confirmed.

"Then what do they need to see me about?" Patrick snapped in frustration.

"I think it's the fact that she's not awake yet that has them concerned." Luke suggested. "That's just my assumption. Neither Dr. Walker nor Dr. Lansing said anything of the sort."

"Where are they?" Patrick asked returning Nathan to his bed.

"I couldn't say where Dr. Walker is. Ever since Robin's allergic reaction, she's been pretty scarce." Luke replied. "I do know that Dr. Lansing is waiting for you in Robin's room though."

Patrick snuck a glance at Nathan and then forced himself to leave the nursery for the first time in two days. "I know it's a silly request..."

"I'll stay with the baby." Luke promised with a quick shake of his head. "Go and see about his mama."

Patrick lost count of the steps it took to get to Robin's room; it was all he could do to remind himself to breathe. He found Dr. Lansing standing next to Robin's bed double-checking the status of the machines she was hooked up to. The older man glanced up and Patrick inwardly shivered. "You wanted to see me." It would be best to get to the point while he could still function enough to speak.

"Yes." Ric turned away from his patient and faced Patrick. "I know that there has been a lot of speculation since Robin started breathing on her own..."

"Much to your aggravation." Patrick accused sharply.

"I know you think I hold some sort of grudge against your family, but let me assure you..."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Patrick interrupted.

"It's been almost a week since Robin was brought in."

"A hundred and twelve hours, forty-one minutes, and a handful of seconds actually." Patrick corrected.

Ric looked a little startled. "In that time, we were hoping that she might show some sort of progress."

"She's breathing on her own. That's more than enough proof that she's going to get through this."

"Not necessarily." Ric countered. "Look, I—"

"No."

"The conditions with which your wife has already gone through with the delivery and then the hemorrhaging...breathing on her own or not, she's shown no positive signs of awareness."

"How dare you give up on her? She is going to come through this!"

"Forgive me, but this is your emotional standpoint not fact."

"Do you enjoy tormenting me? It's all I can do to keep from flying apart in front of my children."

"I'm trying to get you to face facts here, Mr. Drake. You need to accept that your wife may never recover."

"I can't do that."

"I know it's hard to think about it now."

"It's impossible."

"Nevertheless, it's not fair to leave her in this state indefinitely."

"What would you suggest?" Patrick asked slowly, his words catching slightly in his throat.

"Did you know your wife has an organ donor card?"

"You're not saying this." Patrick stuttered.

"She wanted her life to mean something beyond living."

"What would you know about her life?"

"You can't just ignore a request like that."

"She's still alive."

"Not technically."

"Get out of here!" Patrick ordered advancing on Ric.

"I'm only telling you the truth. It's not fair to keep Robin locked in this limbo."

"She's not dead until the moment she stops breathing."

"And what if that happens? Are we to save her when she's more or less gone?"

"Your job is to save people."

"My job is to save the living. If Robin dies, will you still ignore her wishes?"

"The only thing my wife wants is to be with her children."

"And one day she will be. It just may not be on this plane of existence."

"What is it you want me to do? Send her off to the butcher block?"

"This is what she wanted, Patrick. How can you deny the last wish of a woman you claim to love? She wants to help someone else. Maybe that means a healthy heart for someone else. Think about it." Ric left the room then.

*****

Sam didn't know what to make of her conversation with David. He had opened up to her in every way with one exception, but she saw no reason to push right now. That didn't mean she wasn't curious though. Part of her really wanted to explore his past more without his careful edits.

He wouldn't like it, she bet. He had told her all he was willing to and that should have been enough for her. Except it wasn't. Instead of his answers pacifying her, she was even hungrier for the answers he hadn't given. Especially about his family. They must have been especially terrible for him to have cut them out of his life.

She didn't care what he said: he didn't see them at all. There were helpers and users in this world and his mother and sister sounded like users. He was the baby too so there was no telling what they had convinced him to do as a child. Sam shuddered to think about specifics. Something had severed the relationship with them and she just had to know what that had been.

Was her insatiability because she loved him? In a way, but she bet that wasn't the basis of it. From what she could tell—and she still had a lot to learn about him and men in general—they had a lot more in common than she had realized. Child abuse and manipulation had definitely been factors. Did some part of him choose to be a cop because of the lawlessness during his childhood?

She had lost count of the number of cons she had done for her father. Before each one, when her conscience would cause a pain in his side, he would remind her that he could just as easily work his jobs alone and send her to the foster home. As a small child, there had been nothing more frightening. The nightmares his stories had provoked…

Now that she knew the truth about how she came to live with her father she couldn't help but wonder what he had wanted her so badly for. She must have slowed him down an awful lot over the years and people tended to remember a grown man traveling with a little girl. He had never hurt her physically at least and that was the only concession she had where he was concerned. Her life could have been so much worse. What had happened to David? The need to ask him was overwhelming. She had to let it go. No good would come out of knowing. He would shut down even more and she didn't think she could handle that.

It was bad enough he was being standoffish with her now. She should have guessed that prying into his past would be the worst thing she could do. As much as she wanted to know, there had to have been a better way to find out than coming at him directly.

Before she could chicken out, she reached across the couch and grabbed his jacket. Somehow in the last few minutes of speculation she had become cold, so cold, and she longed for the warmth his jacket would provide. It was nothing compared to his actual body heat, but he was busy working and she would have to make do with what she had. She took his wallet and turned the flap up smiling when she found what she had been looking for. "Well, look at that." She said to no one. "It looks like someone has a birthday coming up."

Opening the door, David blinked at the sight of her wrapped up in his jacket. He had made it almost to the station before realizing he had left his wallet sitting in the apartment. It had annoyed him his entire drive back to the apartment, but somehow the mere sight of her made the annoyance a little less. "So is this what you do when I'm not around before your show starts?"

"You caught me." Sam pushed the jacket off and crossed the room to wrap her arms around him. "Mmm. Much better."

It was automatic to wrap his arms around her small frame. He smiled at the top of her head. "I forgot my wallet. I should go right back."

"Do you have to?" Sam couldn't help but ask.

"I could be late, if I had a good reason."

"A good reason? Hmm." Sam leaned up and kissed his smiling mouth, her hands cupping his face.

David tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her a little closer. "Well, I have been putting in a lot of overtime lately." He drawled before returning the kiss.

"That you have." She traced her fingers over the only wrinkle in his black shirt and pulled the material up just enough to feel his skin. Unintentionally, she shivered.

"You cold?" He asked, his fingers running up her back, tugging at the cotton t-shirt as they went. "Do you need to warm up?"

"What do you think?" Sam laughed, pulling him into another kiss. "You know."

"What do I know?"

Sam grabbed his hands and tugged him onto the floor. "I don't want to go upstairs."

"I always have found this floor rather comfortable." David agreed pulling her body to him before capturing her lips with his.

"I think we need to keep our options open." Sam explained pushing her shirt up and dragging it over her head.

His hands began to roam over her newly revealed skin, teasing her with light touches. "Never could stand routine."

*****

"Do you want to play Turtles with me?" Lance prompted when he found his older cousin sitting on the couch in their living room staring out into space. "You get to choose which one you want to be. I like Raphael, but you can be him if you want him."

Morgan looked past his cousin, seemingly right through him. He hadn't spoken in a couple of days and it didn't seem to bother anyone but Patrick. Patrick couldn't stand the quiet. Mommy had said so. Not that Mommy was saying anything right now either. He wondered if she would really wake up. And if she didn't, would the adults continue to lie to him?

Lance watched him hopefully and Morgan decided to go play the game, or at least watch his cousin play. He didn't feel much like doing anything right now, but he also didn't want to make Lance unhappy. He took the offered controller even though he knew it wasn't plugged in. Lance didn't notice, only played and assumed the second player on the screen was Morgan, instead of the computer.

"Hey guys! Want something to eat?" Dillon asked carrying a plate full of cookies he had liberated from the drawer Lucas hid them in. Emergency Stash his husband had called them. Well he was calling this an emergency.

Lance peeked over the couch. "What have you got?"

"Oreos. Double stuffed."

"YAY!" Lance giggled reaching for them. "Oreos. Oreos. Oreos."

"What about you Morgan?" Dillon asked, offering the plate out. It seemed strange but he was almost getting used to having his questions ignored completely. He decided to take any decision Morgan made on his own as progress. At least he hadn't let out any of those terror-filled screams since he left the hospital.

Morgan shrugged and took a cookie, shoved it into his mouth, and dutifully chewed. Dillon demanded nothing of him and he liked that.

"Knew you had good taste my man." Dillon clapped Morgan on the back. "So what are you two up to?"

"We're playing Turtles, Daddy." Lance announced through chewing.

Dillon looked quizzically down at the controller, noticing the dangling wire. "Not that I'm not a big fan of the Turtles there bud, but how are you both playing if Morgan's controller isn't plugged in?"

"It is, Daddy. It is." Lance rolled his eyes at his father's assumption.

Dillon looked over at Morgan, whispering conspiratorially. "He gets that stubbornness from Lucas. Sometimes, it just easier to do something than argue with him." With that, he plugged the controller into the box. "There. That might make it easier on you to beat him."

Morgan took another cookie and stared at the television screen. Lance chirped happily beside him.

It couldn't be said he hadn't tried, Dillon reasoned as he watched the two. Lance had been so happy to have Morgan come over; the fact his cousin hadn't actually talked to him didn't even seem to register. He and Lucas had decided to take Patrick's lead and just talk to Morgan as if they expected him to answer. In the back of his mind, Dillon pictured a scene out of The Miracle Worker, but quickly dismissed it since he didn't know real sign language from the more universal obscene version. And trying to communicate with Morgan that way may earn him exile from the Cool People Club by Robin.

"Daddy Lucas is making his special sauce tonight so don't fill up on all the cookies." Dillon warned. "You don't want me to eat it all."

"Oh, Morgan, did you hear that?" Lance goaded.

The phone rang and with sigh Dillon reached out his hand to answer it. "Hello."

"Hey Dillon." Patrick greeted shakily. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Name it."

"Can you bring Morgan up to Robin's room?"

"Is there any change?"

"Something has definitely changed alright."


	352. How Long Gone?

Patrick met them at the door, Dillon, Morgan, and Lance. He slightly turned his body so that Robin was partially covered. Why hadn't he thought of this before? Robin wanted nothing more than to be with their boys. He had kept them separated until now thinking it best, thinking it right, but he had been wrong. There was no option left. Dr. Lansing would have no further reason to keep Robin hooked up to the machines. As he pointed out already, she might be breathing on her own but she had shown no other improvement.

Dillon had both boys by the hand and he looked a little nervous to let go of either of them. Nathan was in reaching distance of Dillon, playing silently in his plastic crib. At the moment, he was practicing sticking his sock covered feet into his mouth. Patrick had been watching him for about an hour now; he was getting quite good at it.

Morgan was a statue in-between Dillon and Lance. His eyes were focused just to the right of Patrick where he could see the outline of his mother's hospital gown. He looked up at Dillon, pleading in his eyes. He just wanted to go home. Why wouldn't they let him go home? Mommy had only been this still one other time and that was after the car accident. He remembered the gory details; he remembered everything. What if she didn't wake up this time? He couldn't lose another mommy. Daddy had always told him that God had a plan, that some people were alive for only a single purpose. Sometimes that was living a long life, sometimes it wasn't. Why would He give Morgan another mommy if he was just going to take her away again?

"Morgan," Patrick gestured him forward.

"It's alright." Dillon promised slowly. He didn't know if it was, but no matter how desperate Patrick might be for Robin to wake up, he wouldn't knowingly endanger his stepson.

Patrick took a step toward Morgan. "I'm not trying to scare you. I wanted you to come and see Mommy and Nathan." Morgan glanced over at the plastic crib and his eyes shot right back to Dillon. "Come and see her. It's okay. She's sleeping right now."

Sleeping? Right. She was hooked up to machines. She was a guinea pig.

"When you get hurt, your body needs time to heal. And that means you sleep a lot. Just like Mommy's doing. If it were her choice, I know she'd be awake right now. We both know how stubborn she is."

"There's an understatement." Dillon chuckled.

"Come over here. It's alright." Maybe if he kept telling his son that, he would start to feel it too. Morgan stared at him a second longer and then met him in the middle. "It's alright." Patrick whispered moving around him so that he could pick up Nathan. "This is your brother, Nathan. I've told him a lot about you. Come. Sit here." He patted the seat furthest from the bed. One thing at a time, he told himself. Children were resilient, but still fragile. This, in itself, was a risk. He could send Morgan into an even more terrible state. The alternative was no better. What if he got Morgan to talk to Robin, to let her hear his voice, and then she still never woke up? Was he making the wrong decision? Was it selfish? No, he couldn't think like that. Mother and son, they had always needed one another. Morgan needed this time with his mother just in case there was no tomorrow.

"Do you want to hold him?" Patrick waited for Morgan to sit down and then adjusted his arms just right. He would take anything he could get. A smile. A frown. A single word. Morgan sat stiffly, his little arms wrapped securely around his brother. Patrick watched every movement, every tick ready to step in if he had to. Nathan reached for Morgan's finger and stuffed it into his mouth, startling his older brother for a second. "That means he likes you."

"Daddy?" Lance tugged impatiently on Dillon's shirtsleeve. "Daddy."

"What is it Lance?" Dillon's lips barely moved his eyes glued on the struggling family in front of him.

"Daddy, I want to go." Lance explained.

"In a minute, okay?" Dillon asked.

"No, now." Lance persisted.

"It's fine Dillon." Patrick promised. "I think we're okay here." Dillon looked to Morgan for assurance and then quietly led Lance out of the room. Morgan stared at the door for a long time. "Is he too heavy? Do you want me to take him?" Morgan's only response was to hold Nathan tighter. "Okay. It's okay."

"You know," Patrick began, "when your mom and I were kids, we didn't get along very well. It was always just us boys and then your mom moved into town. I felt like she was trying to take my family away from me." He didn't go on to say he had kept that feel for quite a while. "I'll never forget the fall she left to go vacationing with your grandma and grandpa. You would think they'd wait until summer, but they always told Uncle Luke that that's when tourists chose to go and they were not tourists." He had been in his first semester of college when she returned the following spring. He would never forget the way she had looked when she stepped out of his brother's red Mustang. He and Lucky had been working on it for the better part of the year and given it to Logan when he was finally able to get his driver's license. The judge had required he wait until he was eighteen before he could be eligible to drive. Patrick forgot why.

"I was awestruck." Patrick told him. "I hadn't known a girl could be so beautiful. I thought, for sure, I would start rambling the second I talked to her. So I didn't. I avoided her completely. Aunt Laura found me in my room and demanded I go talk to her. I was being rude, she said. The thing about your mom, Morgan, is that she has a magical way of making me a little crazy." Morgan lifted an eyebrow. "The reason I'm telling you this is because…I know you get sad sometimes and I'm sure you've heard some things. I want to set the record straight. When she makes up her mind to do something, there is no stopping her. This time she needs a little help." Patrick took a sleeping Nathan from his brother and carried him over to Robin's bed. "I've kept you and your mother separated because I thought that it would hurt you to see her. And I've been selfish, so selfish, believing that I could fix her if I just wished hard enough. Now I know I was wrong."

Morgan glanced up at him, tears in his eyes. "She needs you. She needs to hear your voice. I know it's a lot to ask and it's scary. I don't want to scare you." Morgan looked over at the bed and then back at Patrick. "And if you don't want to, it's alright. I won't force you. It's…I'm out of ideas." Patrick sunk into the chair opposite the bed. Morgan walked over to him and put covered Patrick's hands with his own. Then he looked at Robin and sucked in a breath. The tears were still running down his face as he climbed into the bed and hugged Robin.

They stayed like that for a while, Patrick in the chair holding Morgan's right hand, Morgan snuggling closer to Robin, Nathan kicking out his feet. A nurse or two came in to check vitals and machines, but other than that, the peaceful setting wasn't disturbed. At one point, they all fell asleep.

Morgan was the first to open his eyes. He wasn't sure what woke him because, as far as he could tell, nothing had really changed. Patrick had, at some point, gone to get Nathan. Morgan knew this because the crib was empty and he could hear his brother whining right beside him. Morgan curled deeper into Mommy's arms and closed his eyes, wrapped up in her smell, in her warmth. Nathan's whine grew louder until it he was on the verge of a hysterical fit. Morgan kept waiting for Patrick to wake up, to take care of the baby, but he didn't move.

"Nathan?" The voice was so soft, Morgan barely registered that he had heard anything. He didn't think he was the one who had spoken, but he didn't know. He was still partially asleep. Nathan continued to wail, desperate for someone, anyone to tend to him. "Nathan." The voice, this time stronger, repeated.

Morgan looked up, certain he was dreaming, and was met with Robin's cinnamon stare. They were filled with sleep and confusion. He sat up and scooted backwards, startled, when her left hand brushed his hair off of his forehead. "Morgan." There was a tinge of sadness in her voice and something more profound: relief. "Are you okay?"

He blinked, convinced that he was dreaming. A memory could be strong enough, he told himself. Strong enough to make the hand on his forehead feel so real. Selfishly, he leaned into the hand, determined to relish in the feel of it even if was imagined. It was better than waking up to a world where she almost didn't exist.

"Morgan, baby." Robin coaxed him closer. She looked around, taking in everything. Morgan guessed she was assessing the danger. He had woken up after Logan and been just as scared, but she had been asleep a lot longer. He didn't want her to be scared so he squeezed her hands. "Am I in the hospital? Am I? Morgan, honey, what…?" Nathan's crying stopped her. "Is that…?" She turned her head slightly to the right and cried out. Morgan tensed at the sound.

"Are…are you…does it hurt?" Morgan wanted to know.

"No…a…a little." Robin admitted grudgingly.

"I can…" Morgan swallowed with some difficulty. "I can get Nathan for you if you want—"

"Nathan?" Robin echoed.

"Yeah." Morgan nodded. "He…he's…"

"What's wrong?" Robin insisted. "You can tell me."

"Nothing's wrong. It's okay. It's okay." Morgan promised.

"Can you get Nathan for me?"

"Yes." Morgan slid out of the bed and tried to take him, but Patrick's hands closed over his. "Mommy wants to hold him."

"What?" Patrick ground out.

"Mommy wants to hold Nathan. Give him to me." Morgan demanded.

"Morgan, you're dreaming." Patrick told him.

"No, I'm not."

"Patrick." Robin whispered. "Patrick, open your eyes."

"Now I'm dreaming."

"No, Patrick, wake up. Wake up sweetheart."

Even if it was a dream, it was well worth it to hear her voice. Patrick opened his eyes and looked over at the bed. Morgan was standing between the bed and the chair, his arms wrapped around himself. And there, there, was his beautiful wife. Somehow in just speaking she didn't seem so small, so fragile, but the urge to protect her even still was strong enough to be palpable.

"Let me hold him please." Robin gulped. "Please, I have to see him."

"Yes." Patrick left the chair and closed the space between him and the bed. The second Nathan was rested in his mother's arms, Robin's face brightened.

"Hello Nathaniel." Robin whispered her voice heavy with tears. "It's so good to meet you."

*****

It was the worst kind of stupid idea, the kind one recognizes as stupid about three seconds before one arrived at a destination. Had he really thought she would come here of all places? Really? Maybe he really was as ignorant as the Colonel always said he was.

Kicking at the grass, Ric groaned in frustration. The hilltop, which seemed so romantic during that first date, now seemed to be mocking him. Why on Earth had he thought she would come here? Maxie certainly hadn't been seen around town. Ric doubted she had left town with Robin not fully on the road to recovery yet. Whenever she was visiting Robin it wasn't when he was on shift. He had tried Kelly's, the Metro Court, the docks. He had even debated driving past Lucy Coe's house out of desperation. She hadn't been there. She hadn't been anywhere. Maxie Jones had become a ghost.

Not that he entirely blamed her on that one. And not as if she hadn't told him explicitly this was what she wanted to happen. Maxie wanted nothing to do with him. He was the one with the insane idea that if he could just sit down and talk with her, explain himself somehow, she would forgive him and take him back. Another brilliant idea. Maxie was not a forgive-and-forget-type girl. She still held a grudge against Lulu Spencer for some minor infraction she could barely remember from grade school. He had taken her heart and stomped on it and he expected her to what exactly? Say everything was fine?

And did he honestly expect her to just sit around the places that meant something to them? Maxie? Ric sat down on the unforgiving ground and ran his hand through his hair. No she would never do that. She'd consider that beneath her, a sign of weakness. Something she would swear she would never be around him again. And she would consider their every moment together weak. Ric had the sinking feeling that if she stayed in town long enough, the next time he would see her would be when she had another man in her life.

That thought had kept him up for more nights than he cared to admit. When had she done this? When had she become so important to him? She was just supposed to be a fling. No more, no less. She had told him repeatedly they would end. So why was he so desperate to continue on? It hadn't mattered to him before what a woman thought of him when they broke up. He certainly didn't care what Kate thought. So why was it so important he make it right with Maxie? Why was he so obsessed with finding out where she was hiding?

"Why can't I let you go Blondie?" he asked the wind. "What did you do to me?"


	353. Dear To My Heart

"Are you sure it's only been a week?" Robin asked for the seventeenth time that hour.

"Seven days." Patrick repeated patiently. He would answer the question as many times as she needed it confirmed. He doubted he'd ever tire of hearing her voice, not that he was going to tell her that.

Robin rubbed her thumb over Nathan's fingers. "Are you sure? He's so big." Her voice was awestruck.

"I could double-check, but I don't think I'll ever forget that day for as long as I live." Something in his voice caused her to lift her eyes to his.

"Oh Patrick." She whispered because Morgan was asleep beside her and she didn't want to disturb him. From the heaviness of his little eyes, she assumed he hadn't gotten enough rest lately.

"Let's not think about it." Patrick urged her swiftly. He got up from the chair and rested his arms across her shoulders.

"Okay." Robin caved without any further discussion. "Did I scare Morgan?"

"What? No, of course you didn't scare him."

"Are you sure? He looked startled…no frightened."

"Well give him a little bit of credit. He hasn't seen you since…" His voice broke off.

"Since I was shot. You can say it." She murmured dropping her head in the crook of his shoulder.

"Robin, I'm—"

She pressed her finger to his lips. "You have nothing to be sorry about. I made the decision to go there."

"You had no choice!"

"Patrick, shh."

"He gave you no alternative."

"I should have been watching Morgan. He never would have had the chance…"

"Do you remember the last time Logan came into our lives?"

"How could I forget?"

"I told you how I should have been prevented what happened and you said something that has haunted me ever since."

"What did I say?"

"You said that Logan would have found a way."

They fell into silence then, neither of them wanting to think about such an awful time in such a perfect setting. "He has your hair."

"And your everything else." Patrick shot back with a grin.

"Well not everything." Robin lifted an eyebrow at him.

Patrick laughed. "There is that. Did you notice how he immediately stopped crying when you first held him?"

"It was amazing. I've heard, hell I've experienced the bond between a mother and her children, but I underestimated it. When I woke up and I thought…"

"They're fine." What good would it do to tell her Morgan had stopped speaking for a time? It would serve no good purpose.

"Because of the doctors."

"Robin, how can you say that? You protected our boys the best way you could. I don't want to think about what would have happened if Lucas hadn't been there."

"Why was he there?"

"Mac had him tap the home phone. He heard the conversation with you and Logan." It hurt to think his name, much more to even say it.

"Where is Logan?" Robin's voice was very tiny when she posed the question.

"He's dead honey."

"Dead?"

"Lucas shot him. He had to get you out of there." Patrick looked down and saw that Robin's eyes were closed. He could see tears running down her cheeks.

"And you've been handling everything all by yourself, haven't you?"

"No. The family's helped a lot. They've been wonderful. Much better than I deserved."

"How can you say that? Your brother died."

"My brother was a monster."

"That doesn't matter. For all he's done, he was still your family."

"You are my family."

"I wasn't always. This is me. Please don't shut me out."

"I won't. We'll talk about this. Please, just not right now. Please?" Patrick begged.

"Alright. How about you sleep here beside me? I'm sure Morgan wouldn't mind if you promise not to snore."

"You've been asleep for a week, woman." Patrick teased.

"True." Nathan started to whine. "Do you think he's hungry?"

"I'll get a bottle for him."

"No. Don't leave me."

"Well what are we going to do?"

"Maybe he's not hungry. Try rocking him." Robin looked skeptical, but decided it couldn't hurt. Nathan snuggled into her arms and stuck his thumb in his mouth. Then he settled in for another nap.

"How did you know that?"

"We speak the same language."

"I should have guessed."

*****

"Rise and shine porcupine," Lucky teased his cousin in a sing-song voice, rubbing Patrick's hair with his hand. "Come on rise and shine."

"Five more minutes." Patrick groaned, swatting his hand away.

"Sorry. If we delay girl reunion time by five more minutes we will be the victims of a justifiable homicide."

"You know those remarks work better when we aren't in the room." Elizabeth pointed out, crossing her arms, trying desperately not to laugh.

"You've never tried to wake Patrick up. It's easier to wake a bear in hibernation."

Robin blinked several times. "Liz?"

"Finally. You know how much I hate not being the center of attention." Elizabeth joked as she made her way over to the bed. Sitting down she encircled Robin in her arms. "I told you not to scare me like that again."

"Sorry. And here I am in the hospital again."

"We need to find a new meeting place. What is our objection to Kelly's?"

"No idea." Patrick yawned. "I'm beginning to think we should get a discount by now."

"Agreed. Or at least get medical degrees." Lucky pointed out. "It only takes a few months to get one of those, right?"

"Four years of college I hear." Robin threw in. "But that's only if you want to be a specialist."

"Like I said. A few months. I thought you learned to listen to me Shortstack."

"And why would it start listening to you now?" Robin countered grinning.

"I changed my mind. You can go back to your coma now."

"Thanks a lot." Robin answered wryly. "I hear you've been hanging out with my sons without me. And here I thought you hated to baby-sit."

"Only for Patrick. You're a different story."

"Well that's just fine with me, Lucky Spencer. I have no intention of letting either of them out of my sight again. Elizabeth, have you warmed up to the idea of home schooling yet?"

"Hmmm, six kids under the age of six at one time? I'm not insane."

"Slacker." Robin laughed. "How are the kids?"

"Well since you've been sleeping, Cruz is this close to getting the twins to say Cruz."

"Oh yeah? What about Cameron?"

"Cameron has been patiently waiting for you to get better so we can plan out this wedding he's convinced is a party." Lucky turned toward his cousin and smiled. "He really wants you to play Santa Claus."

"Aren't I little tall?"

"Not according to Cameron."

"I think he'd look good in red don't you Robin?"

"He's got the tummy." Robin pointed out, rubbing his stomach until he growled at her.

"Thanks a lot."

"Anytime."

"Hey he sounds exactly like Nathan when he's hungry!" Elizabeth taunted. "I knew that sounded familiar!"

"What is this, Pick On Patrick Day?"

"Always." Lucky assured him. "Always."

"So what are you two up to today?" Robin wanted to know.

"Does someone have an idea?" Elizabeth asked.

"Have you shopped for your dress yet?"

"Robin you aren't in any shape to go shopping."

"Uh huh."

"Robin," Patrick tried.

"I have been stuck in this bed forever."

"Tough."

"Compromise. You stay here. I'll get a laptop." Lucky offered.

"But it's not the same."

"You can't leave the hospital yet."

Robin folded her arms. "This is so unfair."

"But for your own good. Think of it this way. We'll eliminate the truly ugly early."

"Fine."

"How about Lucky and I go get the laptop and then we'll leave you two to it?"

"Chicken." Elizabeth smiled.

"No. Brilliant." Lucky corrected.

"I thought I saw some silver feathers." Robin teased, smiling at the glare Patrick sent her.

"Oh I forgot to tell you. I was thinking white tuxedos and purple shirts for the guys." Elizabeth chimed right in, grinning widely.

"Lavender or lilac?"

"I was thinking lilac."

"They are kidding right?" Lucky asked Patrick.

"I have a feeling they're not." Patrick purposely raised his voice in fear.

"Well not for you obviously." Elizabeth pointed out to Patrick. "I mean whoever heard of a Santa in a lilac suit? Red velvet and white fur all the way."

"We're going now." Patrick leaned down and kissed Morgan and Nathan's foreheads.

"Like I said chicken." Elizabeth teased as Lucky leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Just brilliant. And I know way better than to interrupt girl shopping time."

*****

"Here you are." Mac shut the door, closing them into the family room. Alexis was sprawled out on the fold-out couch, a hundred photos covering the mattress. "What are you doing in here all alone?"

"Remembering." Alexis replied and pressed play on the VCR. A grainy video showed up on the screen and Mac could tell it was a much younger Alexis sitting in a hospital bed with a baby in her arms. "Kristina." She explained. "I don't have any videos of Sam."

"You can make some now." Mac pointed out.

"It's not the same." Alexis slapped one of her pictures. "I have a picture of almost every week of Kristina's life. When she lost her first tooth, when she rode her first bike. But of Sam? One picture. One black and white wrinkled photo."

He moved toward the bed at a careful pace not wanting to startle her. "Why are you torturing yourself?"

"I used to sleep with this picture. When I was pregnant with Kristina, I had nightmares that I would miscarry."

"You've got to look at everything you have. Your daughters are happy and healthy."

"But I didn't always know that."

"But you do now."

"Mac, you don't get it."

"Then explain it to me."

"For God's sake Mac, I wasn't there for her when she lost her son!"

"How could you have been? Your psycho of a father told you she was dead."

"But I accepted it. Even though I should have known. I should have felt that she was out there somewhere. Why didn't I feel her Mac? Why didn't I know?" Alexis was crying now, her fingers crumpling the picture even more.

"Listen to me," Mac begged sinking onto the bed and hugging her. "We can't change our past. No matter what we do. I know it goes against your nature, darling, but do you think you could try to look at all you've got instead of worrying that at one time you might have let someone down?"

"Will you show me how?" Alexis whimpered. "Damn it." She swatted at the tears on her face.

"You can cry. I won't tell." Mac promised, rocking her. "I love you."

"God knows why."

"Would you like me to name all of the things I love about you?" Mac offered.

"Sure."

"I love your eyes." He leaned forward to kiss her closed eyelids. "And your button of a nose." He touched her nose and then pressed a kiss there too. "And each of these beautiful cheeks." He could taste her tears on his lips.

"Is it all physical then?" Alexis questioned.

"Give me a break. I'm a guy." He picked up a picture. "Is this you as a little girl?"

"Yes." Alexis tried to grab the picture from him.

"You look cute with freckles."

"Shut up." Alexis grumbled.

"You do." Mac insisted. "Look, you still have a few." He kissed the side of her neck.

"Do I?" Alexis whispered. She glanced over at the doors. Kristina was in school for at least another hour.

"Yes." Mac nodded and slid his thumb down her arm until he located the one on her left elbow. "Here."

"You forgot one." Alexis told him when he moved in to kiss her.

"I haven't forgotten it." Mac assured her, sliding his hand up her thigh. He kissed her then and smirked when her lips instantly parted for his tongue. "I'm going to take the afternoon off more often."

"Well I hate to interfere with your work." Alexis said against his lips. "But I don't mind being selfish."

"It's not selfish when I'm willing." Mac countered.

"Aren't you always?"

"That's why you keep me around."

"Then it's a good thing you made an honest man out of you then isn't it?"

"I wouldn't have minded living in sin with you if that had been my only option."

"I'll bet."

Mac tilted her head back with his hand. "There are so many options for us, so much we've got to do."

"We have time."


	354. You Could Be Happy

Steven picked up the phone, telling himself for the millionth time that he wasn't going to be distracted by his wife's aversion techniques. Something was obviously wrong and she didn't want him to know. He listened to the phone click to voicemail and let out a string of expletives his grandmother would have disowned him for.

"This is Georgie. Leave me a message and I'll call you back soon."

"Not buying it sweetheart. If you're there, pick up." Steven demanded in a tight voice.

Georgie bit her bottom lip, torn between wanting to pick up the phone and not wanting to fight with him again. Maybe if she just sat here a little while longer, he'd assume she wasn't home and just leave a message. Again.

He hung up; the phone slammed against its cradle. Let them bill him for using the landline instead of his cell phone. He could care less. He hadn't thought she would ignore the call if she thought it was someone besides him. He picked up his cell phone this time, frustrated but no less determined.

Why was she avoiding him? What didn't she want him to know? The questions played over and over in his mind like a bad song that just wouldn't leave him alone. "Georgie, please." He begged the answering machine.

It was the please that broke her. One simple word. Raising her eyes to heaven, she sent up a prayer for strength. "Hi. I just got in."

Steven figured he could call her on the lie. She could lie as well as she could cook, but what would be the point of starting another fight? "Hi." The single word was so insufficient, but he was afraid to say more.

"Hi. How are you doing?"

"Georgie."

"What?"

"Why are you talking to me like I'm a stranger?"

"I'm not. That's not what I'm doing."

"Aren't you?" And he hadn't wanted to pick a fight, but that's exactly what he was doing. Damn it. He should hang up now. Fighting got them nowhere.

"No. You're not a stranger."

"What's going on?"

"Robin's finally home. That's where I was." A small lie. Robin was home and she had been over at the penthouse earlier today. She had just left a few hours ago.

"Robin woke up?" Had it been that long since he'd spoken to her? Was she already married to someone else? He had called her all week, but she had conveniently been away. Selfish thoughts.

"Yeah. It's great. I mean she's got a way to go yet but they let her go home. That's good. It's a good sign."

"That's wonderful!" Steven had to be careful. This was always when the conversation tended to leave his control. "Any idea when I should expect you?"

"Expect...expect me?"

"You sound startled. Did you change your mind about coming to Australia?"

"No, no. I still want to come." That was the truth at least. She did still want to go and see the world with him. There was just the tricky part of figuring out how to get there.

"Then what's the hold-up?"

Why couldn't she just open her mouth and tell him the truth? _I didn't get into the program. I don't have the money to come on my own. I just don't know if it's possible._ She had tried to tell him hundreds of times, but the words just couldn't come. "Tell me what's happening on set."

"Every other day the actors decide they're going to quit and waste a day and a half renegotiating their contracts. So not a lot."

"Still beats hanging around hospitals and helping Maxie leave town again."

"I thought she might stay longer this time."

"No. Not when she's trying to avoid Ric Lansing at all costs."

"Nothing he doesn't deserve." Granted, Steven had only heard one side of the story, but he had grown quite fond of his sister-in-law.

"I won't argue with you there."

"I've been thinking of negotiating my contract as well." Steven said, bringing them back to the topic at hand once more. She was getting better; he kept falling into the same trap.

"Really? What exactly does that mean?"

"I might get to come home for a few days. Nothing's certain yet."

"That's...that's great. When would you know for sure?"

"You mean you don't want to be surprised?"

"Well planning surprises is one of your many talents."

"Then leave me to it. I'll let you know if I can't." Steven would come home one way or the other. He knew that much.

"Good. I miss you."

"Sure you do." Steven teased.

"I do. It's lonely without you."

"I can't understand why the school hasn't gotten back to you by now," Steven muttered to himself. "What with the semester starting soon and everything."

"I'm sure it's just an oversight."

"Maybe I should call them. You're much too sweet."

"No. Let me handle it."

"Are you sure? I will."

"I know you will. But I have to be able to fight some battles on my own right?"

"No." Steven argued.

"Yes. I love you. But I don't want to be like so many of the other girls in this town. I love you baby, but I need to be able to do some things on my own."

"I don't want to pressure you."

"You're not. I just need to be able to handle this on my own, in my own way ok?"

"Okay."

"Why didn't you tell him?" Mac stepped into the living room. He hadn't meant to listen in, but it was the most reliable way to get information when his daughters chose to ignore his offers to help.

"Because...because he'd quit and come home. I'm not going to be the reason he screws up his career."

"Then tell him the truth. Make him see reason. You're his wife. This isn't high school anymore. You owe it to him to say something."

"I will say something. I just don't how."

"Whether you believe it or not, I do understand."

"You're right. I don't believe you. But I appreciate your advice." George walked over to him, hugging him tight and kissing his cheek. "See I told you I'd still need you."

*****

Her plan was absolutely brilliant. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. To take down a monster, you just needed the right kind of spray. Cruz smiled tapping his pen to a rhythm only he could follow.

There were two things that must be done, one far more difficult than the other. Not that either of them would be especially easy. Becca and Axe would love all of the hidden mirrors this particular assignment required and Cruz would find out who had betrayed him. That wasn't the most important factor though. He closed his eyes. He wished to be done with all of this.

He would need a computer expert with very little moral fiber, one that would do what he wanted without asking any questions or leaving any trails. He needed Stan Johnson in the worst way, but that meant taking a risk that could cost him his own freedom. The computer genius was currently on parole, ironic considering the kidnappers' plan to have him released. Had they known he was only six months from parole anyway? Hardened criminal he wasn't, but Cruz knew how much the man thought of himself. There was one thing everyone understood and that was money. At one time this might have thwarted him, sent him back to square one, but Ms. Howard had a way around that too. He didn't know why she was so invested in bringing Jasper Jacks down and he didn't care.

All they needed was a company that looked reliable enough and would pass any test Jax's experts' tests. They would have to use the newspapers, rival papers, papers that had almost ruined each of their lives—Cruz with his inability to keep his company and the blasphemous accusations that had torn Kate's marriage apart.

Jax would jump at the very idea of competition and that's exactly what their company would appear as. Brand-new, unpredictable. He would play his pieces and eventually he would insist on initiating a truce with them that is once he knew they couldn't be underhanded. He would sink his money into their company and then they would take it, blame it on the stock market and go on about their day.

What would Jasper Jacks be without his money? Cruz wanted him to lose everything. If Brenda was loyal, she might stay with him, but Cruz had a feeling her loyalty only ran skin-deep. She wouldn't want to sacrifice her image to live in the gutter with him and after they were through with him, he would never work again. It was fool-proof if they played their cards right. Cruz rubbed his neck, tired for the first time not due to stress but actual exhaustion. He had forgotten how much he loved working angles.

"Someone looks happier then when I last saw him." Bobbie walked in, wrapping her arms around his shoulders from behind. Placing a kiss on his cheek she smiled at him. "Good day at work?"

"The best. I'm going to take a shower and then let's say I take my girls out for lunch?"

"That sounds wonderful." Bobbie smiled at him.

Cruz whistled as he sauntered off to the bathroom, smiling at his daughter when he passed her nursery. She was sitting up looking at him, her fingers wrapped around the wooden bars so she could rock back and forth. Every time he saw her, he couldn't believe so much time had gone by.

Bobbie smiled as she noticed the extra energy her husband suddenly seemed to possess. She had no idea what happened today at work and what had caused this good mood but she wasn't going to question it. Maybe Axe and Becca had come up with a plan to save the magazine. Maybe she should call them and invite them to lunch too, as a thank you.

The ringing of his cell phone caught her attention. Still watching her husband's retreating form, Bobbie answered it without checking the caller ID. "Hello."

"Hello. Is Cruz Rodriguez there?" An unfamiliar female voice reached Bobbie's ears.

"No. He's busy. Can I take a message?"

"That's alright. It's not that big of a deal. I'll just talk to him tomorrow."

"Well can I at least tell him who called?"

"Kate. Kate called."


	355. Crumbling

**Adult content.**

The small bathroom reeked of bodily fluids. Lulu really didn't want to think too closely on what exactly was all over the floor. Surely she wasn't the first girl to throw up before her first night on the stage. More than likely she wasn't going to be the last.

Haphazardly running her fingers through her hair, she caught sight of herself in the cracked filthy mirror. Her mother would say she was too thin, but she hadn't felt the need to eat in weeks. Although she wouldn't swear to it, she was almost positive she hadn't actually eaten since she agreed to Vermin's terms. No male in her family would let her near daylight in an outfit this short and this tight. Of course Vermin had reminded her that the whole point of the outfit wasn't how she wore it. It was all about how she took it off. Her stomach rolled again at the mere thought of him.

Had her life really come to this? Was she seriously about to step on that stage and take her clothes off in front of strangers in an effort to pay off her dealer? The music pounded between the paper-thin walls separating the stage from what was laughingly referred to as the "dressing area." Even with the pounding bass, it was impossible to miss the catcalls and screams for whoever it was, Lusty Linda? Shy Sherry, she couldn't remember right now, to take it all off. It was an offer Lulu was sure wouldn't be refused.

And in a matter of minutes, it was an offer she was going to be expected to accept as well. Leaning against the wall, Lulu closed her eyes, feeling her heart start to speed up. Vermin had promised she would be in the prime spot, midnight. Still early for the bachelor parties and trust fund frat boys to be out to play, late enough they would be drunk enough to give her all their money. Vermin had sworn with her looks, she'd make back what she owed in one shift. _"But who knows? You might find you like the attention Little Lu. And we both know how much you like to show off." He had purred to her, running his hand over her shoulder and down her back. "I have a feeling this will be very good for both of us."_

The applause startled her out of the memory. This was it. The last act was done and it was now time for her to make her way through the crowd, possibly looking for what Vermin had termed a "special client." A client that wanted her services only. God only knew what services. Vermin had been pretty clear he expected her to satisfy any request given to her. There wasn't any more time for stalling. It was her turn.

"Gentlemen, we have a special treat for you tonight," The disembodied voice of the announcer signaled her doom. Oh god, she was two seconds away from stepping out on that stage and destroying every dream her family had ever had for her. Her feet moved despite her fear. She couldn't do this. She couldn't do this.

"She's making her Paradise Lounge debut tonight and she's a little shy. So let's make her feel welcome." The announcer continued intent on delivering her to guillotine.

Her brain shut down. Instinct took over and Lulu swore she could feel herself leave her body. She watched as she abruptly turned to the left and ran through the creaking oak door that led to the back alley.

"It's Little Lu." The excited voice of the announcer continued, almost oblivious to the empty place on the stage as the regulars exchanged indifferent shrugs. It wasn't the first night a new girl ran.

Vermin looked over at Derek, seated next to him in the back booth. "Get Sherry out there. And make sure our Little Lu understands what happens when she skips out on a deal."

*****

Evan double-checked the number before he risked picking it up. Maybe she had misdialed. "Evan Cassidy." He announced sounding bored.

"Evan?"

He had never expected to hear fear in Lulu Spencer's voice. "What's the matter?"

"I'm really scared. Someone's been in my apartment."

"What do you mean, been in your apartment?"

"My door's kicked open. My stuff's been destroyed." Lulu put her hand over her mouth to keep the sob back. "They left a note they would be back."

"Don't touch anything. I'll be right there. I'm coming." Evan was putting on his coat before he even finished the conversation. Who would be back? What had she gotten herself into now?

"Please hurry. Please Evan hurry."

He could still hear her plea five minutes later when he pulled his car in front of her building and killed the engine. He took the stairs two at a time, ignoring her neighbor who had poked her head out to see what all the racket was about, and didn't bother knocking. "Leslie." He breathed. She was sitting in the middle of the floor wrapped up in a worn blanket.

"Evan." She had never been so glad to see him. The same part of her brain that had gotten her out of that club and made her not return home right away had told her to call him.

"Are you alright? Were you here when this happened?" Evan asked crouching down in front of her. He didn't immediately see the damage, his eyes focused on Lulu's pallid face. She had always been pale, but now she looked ghost-white and the sight was so unfamiliar, he was knocked a step backwards by the full force of it.

"No. I wasn't here. But he's looking for me. I can't stay here." At first, he couldn't make sense of her words. If she couldn't stay here, if she wasn't safe here, there would be no going home to her parents. He would look there first, whoever _he_ was. Evan couldn't take the chance.

"Who's looking for you?" He wasn't surprised to hear she had made a few enemies; they were the only guarantee that drugs always provided. Still, he felt his instincts perk up, his ears waiting for confirmation before he made any rash decisions.

"Vermin."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded her head. "I ran...I ran out on a deal tonight. He's looking for me."

"What deal?" What did it matter anyway? She had pissed off her drug supplier and that meant she was going to have to be made to pay. He didn't want to think of the many ways he could accomplish this because, frustrating or not, she didn't deserve to die because of a few wrong choices. He shook his head. This had so little to do with her.

"I..." Lulu shook her head from side to side. She couldn't admit what she had almost done. Even to him. It was too raw. Too real. Too much of a reminder of what she had become. "It's not important. I just can't stay here."

"Get some clothes then." Evan instructed walking toward her room.

Slowly she followed him, more out of relief to let someone else take the lead and make decisions. Her hand shot out to stop him from turning on the light. "Don't. Someone might be watching."

"Don't worry." Evan soothed her, taking his free hand and loosening her hold on him and intertwining their fingers. So what if they were watching? To Vermin, his band of lackeys, and the Spencer family they were dating and it wouldn't be uncommon for a boyfriend to be called over to his girlfriend's apartment after something like this happened. Still, he didn't point this out because she seemed too frightened to think logically.

And who could blame her? Even in the darkness he could see tiny shards of glass sprinkled all across her bedspread. Her pillows were gutted, feathers everywhere, and the message was not lost on Evan. The dresser had been pushed over to cover a place in the carpet where he vaguely remembered seeing a grape juice stain.

"I don't want to see it all again." She explained. Vermin had to have ordered Derek to send her a message. She was positive of it. Nothing had been sacred. Even the pictures of her nephews and niece had been torn, words scrawled across their faces, promising he'd return. "I just want to go."

He handed her the keys. "Go get in the car."

She nodded and ducked out of the room, clutching the blanket to her chest. "Just hurry," she whispered as she made her way to the door.

*****

"I wasn't sure what you wanted. I kind of just threw it all in a bag." Evan admitted once they got to their destination.

"It's fine. I don't really care." Lulu blinked as she looked up at the building. "Where are we?"

"A safe place." Evan told her. "Come on."

She followed him up the stairs, keeping her eyes open, every few seconds looking behind her. It didn't seem like anyone had followed them but it never hurt to be careful. She almost crashed into him when he stopped in front of a door.

"Give me some credit." He teased. "Nobody followed us."

"That's what everyone says before they get grabbed."

"Then I'll be sure no one gets you." He slid the key into the deadbolt and twisted it until the lock disengaged. "I wasn't expecting company." He couldn't remember the last time he had been nervous around a woman, but he suddenly was.

"You weren't expecting...this is your place?" Even though she was still shaking, she couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice.

"You'll be safe here." Evan replied dodging the question.

Taking another careful step inside she tried to take in all the details. For some reason she had never imagined Evan having his own place. "Looks nice."

"Well they got mad when I tried to sleep under my desk." Evan answered in a light, playful voice.

"Are you sure we weren't followed?" Lulu put her hand out, touching the soft fabric of the couch.

"Positive." Evan nodded. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No. No." Lulu shook her head and sank down slowly into the cushions. "I just want to forget this day ever happened."

"I have just the thing." Evan moved around the couch and selected a DVD from the pile. He had meant to organize them, but he had had other things to do, like sleep. He turned on the television and placed the disc in the player. Lulu's jaw dropped when Scooby Doo flashed up on the screen. "Not what you were expecting then?"

"No. You watch Scooby Doo?"

"Of course. All detectives do."

"Well you had to learn your skills from someone I guess."

"Insults will not make the popcorn cook faster," He assured her, heading for the kitchen.

"Evan?"

"Uh huh?" He stopped in his tracks.

"Thank you. I know I didn't really give you a reason to come and I don't know why I thought to call you but I'm glad you did."

"You had plenty of reason to call. I only wish you hadn't waited so long."

"I'm sorry. I was just...scared."

"You're going to be fine." Evan guaranteed, bending down in front of her. "I promise. You believe me, don't you?"

"I know you think you can keep me safe. But Vermin's looking for me. I can't stay here forever."

"Would I be wasting my breath if I suggested you let the cops worry about it?" Or him in particular. He purposely didn't mention his intentions because he didn't want to scare her even more.

"You don't understand Vermin. Cops don't scare him."

"I'll remember that." Evan told her. "Do you have a preference on butter?"

"Lots of it."

"Good. Do you mind if I ask you for a favor?"

"I think I owe you one."

"You don't owe me anything."

"Yes I do." Lulu shook her head stubbornly.

"If I had been doing my job right, you wouldn't have come home to..." His voice trailed off.

"It's not your fault. It's mine. I make my own decisions remember? Just ask me."

"If I ask you to do some things, can you promise to do them whether or not you agree with them? It's important."

"Maybe."

"There are some rules—yes rules—that you're going to have to follow if you stay here. Considering your alternative is to go straight to the commissioner..."

"No. I can't go to Mac." She couldn't go to anyone and let them know how close she came to...no she couldn't do that to them. "I'll listen."

"Three things. You don't leave the apartment first off."

"No problem. I don't exactly want to be found remember?"

"That's the easiest to follow then. Second, no one comes over."

"I'm a Spencer. I know what hiding out means."

"Three and this is the most important, while you're here, no drugs. It's completely non-negotiable."

On any other night, she would have argued with him. But it was the drugs that led to tonight. Slowly she nodded. "Fine." She whispered.

"I mean it. I don't want to come home and..." He stopped talking again, noticing how she had closed off into herself. "Look, it's none of my business what you do elsewhere and if it wouldn't affect your judgment—but we can't risk it."

"I know." She answered in the same soft voice. "I know that now."

He left her then, throwing the popcorn in the microwave and staying in the kitchen until it was finished. "Now I don't rely on the producers to provide enough butter, so I keep a special stash of melted butter." He told her once he reached the living room, the bowl in one hand, the butter container in the other. "Don't tell anyone about the stash."

"Who can I tell? I can't talk to anyone remember?"

"Oh, right." Evan laughed and doctored the bowl with the perfect amount of butter, stretching out beside her.

"You don't have to go back to the station tonight do you?"

Evan considered his answer very carefully. "Just for about an hour, but then I'll be back. And that's a long time from now."

"Good. Just promise you'll stay till I fall asleep."

"I'm not going anywhere."


	356. Protecting Me

When Evan returned, the apartment was very dark. Had he not lived here for any amount of time, had he been the guest instead of the tenant, he would have stumbled from one stick of furniture to the next, but he was familiar enough with it to slip through without making any noise. He locked the door behind him and set the alarm, something he hadn't shown Lulu how to do on purpose. He would be sure to set it every time he left for work so he would know if she tried to leave. The response would come directly to his cell phone.

At least in the dark he couldn't see his shaking hands. He could feel them, but the sight was unable to bother him in the dark. He listened for any sign of life, wondering if Lulu had woken up once he had left or slept on through. As promised, he had taken one hour and no longer but he hadn't stepped foot in the station. All of his tracks were covered because he had known she would never call the station to confirm it.

He wasn't even breathing hard; his shaking hands were the only telltale sign that he had done anything at all. And he knew she would catch it. He needed to stay out of the bedroom but the quickest way to the shower was through the bedroom and he needed to get this smell off of him.

Making certain that she was asleep, he stripped out of his clothes and dropped them into a paper sack he remembered stuffing under the bed just this morning. A grocery sack, but it was plenty big enough to hold all of his clothes and his shoes. He kept his movements quick and efficient.

Evan glanced at Lulu's face, wishing to find peace there but knowing he wouldn't. By forcing her off drugs when she was so clearly dependent on them would affect more than her current mood; it would interrupt her sleep patterns. Still, she looked asleep to him. He grabbed the bag and headed to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

The water was as hot as it would go, but he couldn't feel it. He grabbed the soap and scrubbed until his skin burned, never satisfied, never feeling clean. What had he been thinking, running off like a chicken without a head, going on his emotions of all things? At least it had served some purpose. She wouldn't have to be scared for much longer, not that he would immediately tell her that. He knew she would leave the moment she knew and he could admit he was selfish enough not to want to let her go.

It was improbable to interfere in her life the way he had, even if she had invited him this time. Mere moral obligation had thought up the third and final rule of her living under his roof. Improbable as it might be, if he could separate her from her drugs then that was enough of a reason to lie—no not lie, edit—until she saw the error of her ways. He wouldn't fail this time.

The sound of the running water was barely audible, but it was enough to startle her. It was a Spencer thing, a complete and total inability to ignore new noises. She assumed Evan had come back but she wasn't taking any chances. "Evan?" Lulu called out. "Evan?"

Making her way slowly down the hall, she kept herself hidden in the shadows. Her eyes starting to adjust to the dark, she was thankful it appeared Evan had the same aversion to non-functional furniture her brother and cousin had. The sole light was from what she assumed was the bathroom. Cracking the door, she stood back as a wave of steam hit her face. "Evan?"

"Who were you expecting?" Evan chuckled through a mouthful of water.

"I didn't...I wanted to make sure."

"Just me. I'll be out in a minute. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Lulu made her way back to the couch, sitting in the still darkened room.

"I didn't mean to bother you." Evan told her, towel-drying his hair when he found her in the living room.

"You didn't. I guess I'm still jumpy."

"Understandable." He glanced down at her t-shirt and jeans. "If you want to change, you can. I'll be staying on the couch."

"No. This is your place. I'll stay on the couch."

"I'm not going to argue with you. You have your rules to follow and I have mine."

"The rules said nothing about me taking your bed. I'll stay here."

"Exasperating." He muttered under his breath.

"There's no reason for you to give up your bed when I am perfectly fine out here." Lulu continued on as if he hadn't spoken. "I have my own rules and number one is not inconveniencing anyone."

"You're not inconveniencing me. I'm not going to have you sleep out here in the open. I told you I would keep you safe and I meant it."

Lulu looked into his dark eyes. "I know you did. I guess I just don't think I'll feel safe anywhere so exact location doesn't matter."

"I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm a little edgy myself." He shouldn't have said that last part. It gave far too much away.

"Yeah it's been a long night." Lulu agreed.

"Did you wake up before I got home?"

"No. I heard the shower running."

Lulu leaned her head back on the cushions of the couch and closed her eyes briefly. The tension of the day slowly began to release itself from her shoulders. She didn't want to ponder too closely why exactly she felt better with Evan Cassidy of all people sitting next to her and promising to protect her. She didn't need protecting. She had yelled those very words at him often enough. So why did she like the fact he was willing to do exactly that? Looking over at him, she smiled softly. "I think this is the longest we've gone without arguing."

"Well it gets old after a while." Evan surmised.

"Only because you refuse to listen to me."

"Oh, is that how it goes?" Evan fought a smile.

"I am usually right."

"You're so funny. You should take that act on the road."

"I thought I couldn't leave the apartment."

"Well I mean afterwards." He didn't want to think about her leaving. Something must have shown in his expression because her eyes narrowed.

"Afterwards?"

"Once you feel safe again."

Lulu sighed. "That might never happen."

"You will." Evan couldn't stop from touching the side of her face. "Pretty soon you'll be right back to some new scheme."

"Oh really?"

"Unless you've decided to reform." Something in her tone made him laugh.

"Never." Lulu laughed inaudibly, brushing her cheek against his hand slightly. "I'd be disowned first."

"You come from a pretty good bunch." Evan recalled.

"That I do." Lulu smiled. "So if I'm stuck here for the foreseeable future, what do you suggest I do?"

"What do you want to do?"

"Something to take my mind off all this."

If he thought about it, he wouldn't go through with it. So he didn't think. For the first time in his life, he just acted. Unlike the last time he had kissed her, he didn't focus on any particular aspect. He felt no need to rush them through it, but didn't linger either. Her taste, he wanted only to be filled with that fleeting memory of something good, something right when everything else in the world was so ugly.

She hesitated under the force of his lips; surprised or unwilling he couldn't immediately tell. But then her hand was on his arm, keeping him from pulling back, and he decided that he wouldn't, not now. Eventually but not right now. Her nails dug into his arm and he held her face in both hands stabbing his tongue between her lips, sampling and feasting, advancing and retreating.

"Stop me," Evan pleaded, his hands moving to her lower back, dragging her closer.

"No." She shook her head. "No."

"We can't," Evan told her between kisses.

"Why not?"

"Leslie," He muttered brokenly.

"Evan."

Evan shoved her backwards and shot to his feet. He closed his eyes and forced a breath through his teeth. "Not like this."

"Not like what?"

"I won't take advantage of you again."

"But you're not."

"I would be. You're not in the right state of mind. You're scared. You just want something to hold onto."

"So what are you saying?" Lulu asked as she stood up and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Evan shook her off. "You don't get it."

"Explain it to me."

"I don't want you to wake up and not remember."

"I won't."

"You don't know that."

"You don't know that I will."

"I know that you did!" Evan grabbed her by her arms, careful to not hurt her. "Go to sleep." He steered her toward his room.

"I told you: I'm not taking your bed."

"Fine. Then neither of us will have it." Evan decided. He grabbed a pillow and blanket from the bed and threw them at her.

"Ow." She raised her hands to defend herself almost a second too late. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sleeping on the floor. You're sleeping on the couch." He explained, closing himself into the room. "And don't let anyone in."

*****

"Shit," Evan groaned, rubbing his head as if he had a hangover. What the hell had gotten into him last night? Granted, it hadn't gone farther than a few kisses, but he was surprised either of them had let it go that far. He hadn't thought...but then he supposed he should have. He had been right though, damn it; she was feeling vulnerable and he seemed a safe enough option. So why did he want to be in the living room where she currently was? Stupid delayed conscious.

His eyes blinked open and he glanced down when he noticed something that he hadn't expected to see, Lulu's arm stretched across his side. He lightly touched his thumb to her skin, making sure she was real, and followed her arm, turning over ever so carefully to keep from waking her. Her straw blonde hair covered her face but she looked peaceful, a direct contrast to how she had looked last night. God, he wished he could forget the terror that rested in her eyes. Would he see it when she woke up? He groaned again. He had to wake her up.

Lulu stirred slightly in her sleep, moving closer to him. She nuzzled her face closer to his body heat. "Hmm," she mumbled before settling back down.

Evan sighed, seriously considering just falling back asleep. It wouldn't be the worst thing. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept with a woman, at least for something other than sex. Sex was sex and in the morning it was over. That was how he liked it and how he expected it to stay. So he didn't know the rules for this. She kept surprising him.

Biting the inside of his jaw, he whispered, "Wake up honey." Lulu grunted and snuggled in closer to him. Evan sat up, not trying to disturb her, and moved his pillow under her head. Her eyes blinked open and he smiled, not quite sure what he could say.

"Hi." She whispered.

"Hi. It's nice to see you."

"What time is it?" She yawned, stretching her hands above her head, inadvertently lifting her shirt off of her midsection.

Evan chanced a look out the window. "Dawn."

"Too early. Going back to sleep."

"I was just about to suggest that," Evan agreed, sitting up.

"Then why are you getting up?" Lulu asked puzzled, putting her arm out to touch his.

"Work." Evan clarified.

"Work? I thought you worked last night."

"I did. I've been putting in a lot of overtime."

"What time do you need to go in?"

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Why do you ask?"

"Because..." She struggled to find the words. At some point in the night, she had woken up in a cold sweat and sought him out. For reasons she couldn't quite explain, just being near him had calmed her down and allowed her to fall back asleep. "I feel safer when you're near."

"Ah, Leslie," Evan broke eye contact with her and stood up.

"Evan." Lulu sat up and looked at him. "Do you really need to leave?"

"Yes, sorry." Evan answered noncommittally, pulling on a pair of gray slacks.

"When are you coming back?"

Evan couldn't look at her. This was too strange, her needing him this badly. He didn't know how to handle her this way. He wished she would yell at him or something. "By dark I think. I'd have to look at the schedule."

"Will you call me?"

"If—if you want me to."

"Please?"

"Okay then."

Lulu smiled softly. "Thank you. For everything."

"I keep telling you I didn't do anything."

"You did more than you know."

"I'll call you." Evan promised trading out his sleep shirt for a dress shirt and grabbing his jacket. "Oh," he said, stopping before he left the bedroom.

"Yes?"

"There's food in the cabinet. If you'll make a list, I'll bring it back when I get off work."

"Ok." She smiled up at him. "Evan?"

He wished she would stop doing that. Her smile was distracting. "What's up?"

"Be careful."

"What?" He couldn't hide his surprise.

"Just be careful." Lulu knew he had sworn they hadn't been followed, but Vermin thought Evan was her boyfriend. She wouldn't put it past him to try to find her through Evan. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

Evan let his jacket fall from his fingers and dropped down so that they were eye level. "Nothing's going to happen to either of us."

"You don't know that for sure. Vermin..."

"Is not your problem anymore." He finished for her.

"Yes he is. He's still out there and he's still looking for me."

"I've taken care of it."

"You've taken care of it?" Lulu blinked in confusion and looked into his eyes. "What do mean? Did you do something?"

"Don't worry." Evan urged her to drop it.

"I can't help it."

"Try." He pressed his finger to her lips.

She kissed his fingertip briefly, not sure where the urge to do so came from. "Only if you call me today."

"I told you I would." He reminded her, damning her silently for smiling at him.

"Promise?"

"What can I do to make you believe me?"

"Kiss me goodbye."

"I don't think that'd be a very good idea." Evan hesitated, leaning back.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't think I'll go to work if you give me a reason to stay." He replied honestly.

"I'm not seeing a problem."

"And that's why I can't."

"One kiss isn't going to kill you."

"People have died from less."

"Please Evan?"

"One kiss then." He pulled her closer and touched his mouth to hers. He would not, under any circumstances, enjoy this, at least that was what he told himself. Mind over matter or something equally as stupid. Such a bad idea. Her taste taunted him even though he refused to part her lips. The messes he got himself into.

When he pulled back, she rested her forehead against his briefly. Once again, he made her feel something other than terror and emptiness. "Now you can go."

"Nice to know you only want me for one thing." He teased reaching full height and retrieving his jacket and keys.

"We all have our uses."

"Something new to put on my résumé." He added, setting the alarm and heading out.

"Call me when you get there." She called after him.


	357. Answered Prayer

Exhaustion had blurred sleep and awareness so that Robin no longer knew the difference. She had heard it would be like this, but she had underestimated how tired she would be, how tired they all would be. Ever since she had woken up, Morgan had stuck to her like glue and, while she had never been happier to hear him call her Mommy, she wished it wasn't a reaction to the horrendous nightmare they had gone through together.

At the very mention of sleep, he had crawled in-between her and Patrick and fallen asleep. When he chose Patrick's arm for a pillow, his sleepy stepfather had followed him into a dreamful slumber a few minutes. Only Robin remained awake. Even Nathan was asleep in his crib. She wondered why they had put him so far away, because if he started to cry she might never make it over there, at least not without crawling.

She stroked Morgan's hair as he slept, just a light touch to keep from startling him, and thought about all that she had to be thankful for. Who would have thought that, just a year ago, she had been stumbling through her feelings for Patrick, not sure which ones to trust? It hadn't become an issue until he seemed to care for her just as much. With some effort, her hand moved from Morgan's hair to Patrick. He still snored like Winnie the Pooh.

Nothing mattered more than what she had in this room. Somehow she had managed to branch away from her immediate family and help create a little one of her own; she knew she couldn't have done it without her boys. Their infinite patience, sour tempers, and insistence that she be everything she could be had steered her toward a life she hadn't dared to hope for. A tear fell from her eyes and she quickly brushed it away. No sorrow here.

Was the two-year anniversary of her being awarded custody of Morgan really coming up? She could still remember how much she had worried about being a good role model for him. The doubt she had felt was only now starting to diminish from her mind. She hadn't thought she could do it, anyone in the world would be better at it than her, but lo and behold look at her now. Not only was she a mother to one, now she had two little boys who she loved more than life itself and a man to share her every day with. Life didn't get better than this.

Nathan whined and Robin figured it had been inevitable. The moment she started thinking about him, he sensed it and sought her out. He didn't cry, just whined, even when he was hungry. The only time he cried was when something spooked him. He didn't like surprises. For all intents and purposes, he was very happy baby. He was still too little to laugh, but she caught him working at his smile everyday. Though he hadn't mastered it yet, he was nothing if not resilient.

"It's okay Nathan," Robin cooed to him. "Mommy's coming." Once he heard her voice, his whine dwindled away and his eyes searched frantically for her face. He couldn't immediately see her over the rim of the crib. She must have taken too long because he started to wail. "Hey. Hey." She lifted him out of the crib and brought him to rest across her chest. "It can't be all that bad." She was whispering even though she bet a tornado could rip the roof off and neither Patrick nor Morgan would be disturbed.

Her mother had sent over a bunch of cloth diapers for reasons none of them understood so Robin went through the process of checking the diaper to see if he was in need of changing or if any of the pins were poking him. "Well that shortens the list, doesn't it?" She asked rhetorically when she saw that it wasn't the diaper that was bothering him. Maybe he was hungry.

She carried him downstairs, bouncing him as she went, and finally found the kitchen. It didn't seem to matter how long she lived here; she still had a hard time getting from one place to the next. It was ridiculously large, but she doubted she would want to live in anything smaller with two little boys. She bent down in front of the dishwasher and pulled it open. "Drat." There were no clean bottles. "I really wish your daddy would learn how to work the dishwasher." Whether he felt the need to defend Patrick or he was tired of waiting on her to figure out what was the matter, he started to rub his face roughly across her formula-stained blue shirt and fisted his little hands. "Gee, I wonder where you got that from." As if to argue, he glanced up at her, his chocolate eyes bloodshot from the short time he had been crying. "Okay, so maybe you got it from me."

Robin pulled open all of the cabinets, desperate for a bottle, just one bottle. She couldn't even clean out the dirty ones because they had been left in the sink too long. "I won't always be this scatterbrained." She promised adamantly. "I'll get this together eventually. I promise. A few more weeks at the most."

"Are you bargaining with the baby again?" Patrick's sleepy drawl came from right behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and scowled at him. Why couldn't she look that good on so little sleep?

"There aren't any bottles." Robin explained choking on sudden tears.

"Sure there are." Patrick argued. "Remember? Mac sent about a million spares." She vaguely remembered that. It must have shown in her expression. "I'll get them."

Robin stood there, not sure what else to do, and waited for him to return with a clean plastic bottle. Neither of them had enough energy to smile when he handed over the bottle. Nathan grabbed for it even though it had yet to be prepared and they let him suck on it while Robin prepared the bottle. "My hero."

"Do you want me to hold him?" Patrick offered.

"No, I've got him." Robin shook her head.

"Care it I borrow this pal?" Patrick asked his son, snatching the bottle and removing the pan from the heat. He had it fixed and cooled before Nathan could even think to cry.

"How do you do that?" Robin asked in awe, handing Nathan the bottle and holding it up so he could eat.

"I've had practice," Patrick replied casually, obviously not wanting to make a big deal about it.

"Come on. What's your secret?" Robin was not going to let it go. She felt like it was all she could do to keep herself standing.

"What do you think I did while you were pregnant? I spent almost everyday with Lucky, Elizabeth, and the twins." Patrick reminded her.

"You're a good daddy." Robin praised him. Nathan sucked greedily at the bottle even though he had fallen asleep.

"You're a good mommy." Patrick hugged her to him.

*****

The day had been long but at least it was over, David reasoned. It had been frustrating. Cassidy was distracted all day and spent most of the time looking at the phone or jumping when it rang. Vermin seemed to be keeping a low profile and Lulu Spencer was nowhere to be found. Those two things worried him more than he cared to admit. When people near Vermin went missing, they didn't tend to turn up. He would have asked Cassidy if he knew anything about it, but David still wasn't sure exactly what was going on between the younger officer and the blonde. Maybe Samantha could ask some questions the next time they were out in the field.

The lights were out as he entered the apartment. This was odd since he saw Samantha's car in the parking lot when he pulled in. She hadn't exactly made friends with people in the building. And if she wasn't planning on being there, she would have left him a message on his cell phone. "Samantha?" He called out into the darkness. "Samantha?"

Sam waited for David to flip the light switch and then shot up from behind the couch. "Surprise!" She had converted their tiny living area to a home for every lost balloon in the city. They were all different colors; streamers hung from every arch she had been able to find. On her head, she wore a Pink Panther paper birthday hat.

Blinking in confusion, he took a step further into the room. "What is all this?"

"Your birthday party." Sam clarified walking over to him slowly.

"My birthday..." David shook his head. "How did you even know it was my birthday?"

"I'm dating a detective." Sam rolled her eyes. "Take off your coat and stay a while."

Shrugging off his jacket, he continued to look around the room in shock. He couldn't say he had ever had a birthday party before. Or at least one that someone had put this much effort into. He doubted they had as many balloons as this. "When did you have time to do this?"

"I made time." Sam told him. "Do you want a birthday hat?"

"It's not pink is it?"

"What color do you think the Pink Panther is?"

"Then no. But it looks cute on you." He answered, teasingly tipping it down on her forehead.

"You're wearing one." Sam argued, giving him hers and running to the table to get another one. She made sure he didn't immediately notice the camera. He made a face when she took a picture. "You've got to smile."

"Not without a reason."

She thought about this a moment. "I bet I can make you smile."

"Really? What are the terms of the bet?"

"No terms at all. It's your birthday. I'll do whatever you want."

"Whatever I want?" David took a step toward her, resting his hands on her hips. "That could get interesting."

"Do you want a piece of cake?"

"What type did you get?"

"Yellow cake with chocolate frosting."

"Do I have to blow out candles?"

"Not before I sing."

"You sing?"

She poked him in the chest. "Let's get one thing straight: I don't normally sing. I can't remember the last time I did it for anybody. So if you make fun of me..."

"I wouldn't. And I'm starving. Bring on the cake."

"I have dinner too." Sam informed him. "Which do you want first?"

"Dessert." David decided. "Dessert."

"You're so transparent." Sam taunted, sliding out of his reach to cut a piece of cake.

"You have no complaints."

"No I don't, damn your over inflated ego."

Sneaking up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Name me one time you complained."

"You're about to be covered in cake if you don't quit it."

David wiggled his eyebrows, even though she couldn't see him. "Would you clean me up afterwards?"

"I would." Sam admitted in a mock pout.

"In that case..." David reached out and made a move for the cake she had left on the table. "I think this cake would look better on you though."

"You are not going to smother me in cake." Sam assured him.

"I believe that would be my decision." David told her moving closer.

"Oh yeah? Well if you think you know what you're doing, get over here."

He reached out his arms. "Distracting me won't save you Samantha."

"Distracting you? I don't know what you could mean." Sam feigned confusion, bracing her hands against the table behind her

"You know exactly what I mean." David warned her, placing his hands on either side of hers. "Remember the reason I was late for work last week?"

"Sore throat?"

"Well that is the excuse you came up with." David lowered his face until his nose was almost touching hers. "Think harder."

"Um, sprained...ankle?"

"Now you're just pretending." David shook his head and moved his hands closer to her, grazing the sides of her hips.

"I guess you're just going to have to show me." He allowed her to get the words out before he crashed his lips into hers. She stroked her hand up his arm, the other reaching for the cake.

His hand shot out and met hers right above the cake. "Now what do you think you're doing?" He murmured against her lips.

Her fingers spider-crawled across the table. "Kissing you."

"I think you're trying to get to that cake." He contradicted, sinking his fingers into the sweet concoction.

"I think you are." Sam leaned up so that his body fit against hers more intimately.

Moving his hand out of the cake and closer to her, he pulled her closer with his free hand. "I promise I'll _thoroughly_ clean you up."

"Sounds like a bunch of talk to me." Sam countered, swiping her finger across the top of the cake.

"Well I am a man of action." He moved his hand quickly, rubbing the icing across her neck. Lowering his head, he ran his tongue over the surface, lightly tasting the frosting. "Tastes good."

"Sweet talker." Sam took the frosting she had gotten a hold of and smeared it on the right corner of his mouth, chasing it with her lips.

He shot her a wink, shifting his lips toward hers. "I think I prefer to eat my cake this way."

"Grab the cake." Sam ordered biting his lower lip.

"I'd rather grab you." He teased. "But if you insist."

"Can't you do both?" Sam gave him a sly look. "Meet me upstairs in two minutes."

"Two minutes." He promised nipping her lip.

*****

Sam found David stretched across the bed with his hands behind his head. He looked quite smug. "Eager?" She asked, keeping her hands behind her back.

"For you? Always." He smirked.

"Now," Sam began walking to the bed. "I know this is your birthday and all..."

"I sense a but coming on."

She didn't answer him until she was on the bed straddled across his lap. "But the only way I can make sure you get everything you want..." She licked his lips seductively.

"You're doing fine so far."

She smiled and rubbed her hands up his sides so that his arms rose up. Before he could stop her, she tied his left wrist to the bedpost. "Is to have you at my mercy."

"Trust me Samantha. I'm always at your mercy." David told her as she secured his right wrist in the same manner.

"Really?" She sunk into him, her eyes closing as the movement sent sensations skyrocketing through her.

"Yes."

"That is so sweet." She kissed his neck, leaving a trail with her lips until she reached his shirt. "How attached are you to this shirt?"

"Not very."

"Good." Sam leaned over him and pulled the drawer next to the bed open. She dug through the contents until she found a pair of scissors. "Stay very still."

"I never argue with an armed woman." David assured her as she brought the scissors closer.

The scissors cut through the material easily but not quietly. Maybe it was because that was the only noise currently. She sliced a pocket sized cut in the fabric and then ripped the shirt apart. "Much better." She appraised, returning the scissors to the drawer and continuing her assault on his neck.

"Of course now you look overdressed." David pointed out, his eyes closing briefly as her lips teased his skin.

"Do I?" Sam looked down at her clothing. "What would you suggest I lose first?"

"I think a shirt for a shirt is fair. Don't you?"

"You're the boss." Sam reminded him, stripping off the shirt.

"Much better." David approved.

"I'm glad you like it." Sam whispered, leaning over to kiss him. He struggled against the bindings as the kiss went on and on. She groaned when with just a shift of his body, he managed to find the most intimate way to touch her. She sat up, looking perplexed.

"What's wrong?" David asked.

"I'm debating."

"On?"

"I really like the idea of you tied up, but I don't know if I can go much longer without your hands on me."

David arched an eyebrow. "We could always switch positions if you want."

Sam grinned. "Well it is your birthday."


	358. Wing Man

Mike Corbin made it a priority, probably the only one he stuck to, to keep his nose out of other people's business. It never ended well for him when he interfered with personal matters and he should have left well enough alone...but he couldn't. Ric Lansing had been walking around town like a zombie since the couple decided to part ways and he couldn't sit back and watch the scene play out any longer. As if on cue, the doctor walked through the diner, the bell signaling his arrival, and Mike looked up from his notebook.

If the doctor and the little designer weren't going to work things out themselves, he was going to have to step in and make his opinion known. How much longer could he watch the young man struggle with indecision? "What's up Doc?" He teased, holding out a fresh cup of coffee.

"Not much Mike." Ric sighed as he sat down at the counter. "Not much at all."

"You look a little rough around the edges," Mike said abruptly. "Have you been sleeping?"

"Long days at the hospital. Still getting back into a normal routine now that Robin Drake went home." Ric shrugged off the older man's concern. Work was partially the reason. The other part was a tiny blonde who was currently hiding from him. But he wasn't about to admit that to anyone.

"You know, I don't make it my business to interfere," Mike began, taking a seat next to Ric.

"But you're about to anyway?"

"I don't like seeing my customers struggling when there's no reason for them to."

"So enlighten me." Ric smiled.

"You know, Georgie Webber comes in here a lot. She fills me in on her life just like she did when she was six years old."

"Must be nice to be so well liked." Ric responded casually. Georgie had kept true to what he assumed was her word to her sister and froze him out.

Since Ric was ignoring it anyway, Mike took the coffee from him and gulped down a large swallow. "I wasn't always. I came here to escape my past and, wouldn't you know, it found me anyway? I thank God everyday that it did because now I get to be in my grandchildren's lives even though I couldn't be there for their father or their aunt."

"That's great for you Mike. And I'm sure Kristina and Morgan are thrilled to have you in their lives."

"When I left Sonny and Courtney's mothers I told myself that it was for the best. They didn't need me in their lives, my children, or so I thought. The years went by, birthdays passed, and I started to wonder if I made the right decision. I told myself that if I could ever find out where they were, I would go to them and be the man they deserved."

Ric looked at Mike quizzically. It was always interesting to hear about someone else's problems and he was only just now starting to see what the other man was getting at. "Do you know something Mike?"

"I've known the Jones' girls their entire lives and I've always protected them as best as I could." Mike told him.

"Maxie has always spoken of you fondly."

"If you're just going to hurt her again then do an old man a favor and tell me now so I won't have wasted my time." Mike insisted solemnly.

"I don't want to hurt her." Ric promised him. "All I want to do is apologize and see where we can go from there."

"You've already done that," Mike pointed out. "Maybe you should try a new approach."

"If I knew where she was, then I would work on that new approach."

"Really? What would you do differently?"

"I don't know yet. But I am open to suggestions."

"Whatever you did and I told you I don't listen to rumors, I'm sure Maxie was justified in leaving you."

"She was." Ric admitted.

"You've got to accept that it happened and quit repeating yourself for one," Mike sighed. "She doesn't want to hear that you know what you did. I doubt she's been able to forget it."

"True." Ric nodded. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Be creative." Mike replied. "Have you tried doing anything proactive or are you too wound up in your own misery?"

Mike was right. If there was one thing Maxie needed in life it was to be the center of attention, to feel like the lead actress in her own soap opera. She didn't need apologies, she needed a spotlight. "I like your proactive idea."

"Maybe you should try and put yourself in her shoes, huh? Imagine she was the one who turned to another man."

Ric shuddered. He didn't particularly want to envision that scenario. "I get it. I need to make a public spectacle of myself."

Mike scribbled something on a napkin and slid it over. "Don't make me regret this."

"Regret what?" Ric regarded the napkin carefully.

"This is Maxie's address in Los Angeles." Mike clarified with a slow nod.

*****

He had some nerve, Bobbie thought to herself as she followed Cruz to his not-so-secret destination. Taking her to their restaurant! It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Wasn't it enough that he was secretly seeing this woman? Did he have to smear her face in it too? The night he had told her about his magazine's nomination. She closed her eyes for a split second, not wanting to wreck the car, and felt a cold tear drift down her face. She would not be made a fool!

What if she was wrong? Oh how she prayed to be wrong. She would eat her words if this was all just a big misunderstanding. It must be! He wouldn't do this to her; he wouldn't do this to their daughter. And, if she wasn't wrong, if he was making plans to abandon them, she would be ready. She owed it to her daughter and she owed it to herself. When Tony died, she was distraught. Only Lucas had kept her going and she had seen how much strain that put on her only son. She would not do that to her daughter.

"So we're in agreement then. The site on Fifth Street is the ideal location for our bait?" Kate questioned as she stabbed at her salad with her fork.

"It has potential." Cruz replied sounding a little less than certain.

"Have you found out something I don't know about?" Kate wondered. "Has Jax made another move on The Insider that you didn't tell me about?"

"No," Cruz shook his head. "No. It's nothing like that."

"Then what is it partner?"

Cruz smirked. "It's been a long time since I've had someone watching my back."

"Well get used to it." Kate smiled.

"Are you absolutely certain about this? You can still back out." Cruz offered.

"I'm sure. Jasper Jacks needs to learn to not be so pushy."

"If I could just understand why you're so hell-bent on helping me..."

"I told you. I don't like to see people get pushed around. If you got half the song and dance I got, it gets old thinking up new ways to say no to someone who isn't listening."

"I have great news." Cruz informed her, leaning in close.

"What's that?"

"Stan Johnson agreed to help us. He said he'd love to stick it to Jasper Jacks."

Kate smiled victoriously. "Now that is reason to celebrate."

Cruz signaled the waiter. "We're having a celebration. What would you suggest?"

"Well for starters, we're getting dessert."

Bobbie leaned against the post, her face partially hidden behind the horrendous plant, and cried silently. It was worse than she had thought. Cruz's sudden change in behavior, his newfound positive thinking, had nothing to do with Majandra's mastering the words "Daddy" and "cup." It was this woman, this beautiful, young blonde who had turned his head and stolen his heart.

Oh God. She couldn't stand to watch this, but her feet wouldn't move. She was trapped. She was terrified. All of the plans she had made when Dr. Lansing told her she was going to be a mother again were shattered. She didn't know how to do this alone despite her immediate decision at the time to raise her daughter alone. She had actually been foolish enough to believe he meant every word of his vows.

"So at least for now, the website looks authentic." Cruz explained biting into a chocolate chip cookie. He would never outgrow these. "I've been on the phone for three days getting everything on the business side set up. You say the Fifth Street location is perfect, but have you spoken with the original tenant yet?"

"Not yet but I plan to swing by tomorrow morning. Hit them bright and early."

"Good," Cruz nodded eagerly. "Not to be rude, but would you be offended if we cut this evening short? I've barely been home this week."

"That's fine. The less time we spend together in public, the better our plan will work anyways. I'll email you as soon as I talk to the tenant."

"Thank you again Kate."

"It's not a problem." Kate winked at him as she stood up, patting his head. "I like helping people every now and again. It keeps me on my toes."

*****

"But if it's a party then why do I have to get all dressed up?" Cameron whined at his father.

Lucky fought the urge to laugh. Cameron had been fine with thinking of the wedding as a party, until he heard the words "dress" "shopping" and "tuxedos." Now suddenly he had serious concerns about participating in this whole wedding thing. "I told you buddy. This is a very special type of party. Everyone will be dressed up."

"Not if you tell them not to like Grandpa Luke does." Cameron pointed out.

"I know you don't understand this yet buddy, but one day you will." Lucky sat down and pulled Cameron up into his lap. "You see girls tend to plan this wedding stuff for years. Basically from the time they start dating. And when it comes time to plan this party, they have very specific ideas about what should happen. You know like you do about your birthday?"

Cameron nodded. "So it's like a fancy birthday party?"

"Kinda. I'm not explaining it well. Let's just say when it's your turn to get married; it's just better to go with whatever your girl is planning. Much safer."

Cameron shot Lucky a skeptical look. "I'm not getting married. Girls are yucky."

"You play with Kristina and Gracie."

"They don't count." Cameron explained as he ran out of the room and past Elizabeth. "Hi Lizzie!"

"Hey Cam." Elizabeth smiled down at him, patting his head. "Grams is downstairs with the twins. I'm sure she'd love to see you."

"Yeah!" Cameron yelled as he raced down the stairs. "Hi Grams!"

Turning to look at Lucky, she crossed her arms across her chest. "Safer huh?"

"You heard that?"

"Every word." Elizabeth took another step towards him. "So now it's a real elaborate birthday party we're planning?"

"If you can come up with a better explanation I'd love to hear it."

"Just don't start expecting candles on the wedding cake there mister." Elizabeth warned, poking her finger in his chest.

"Not unless you want them." Lucky promised, bringing her closer and wrapping his arms around her. "Not unless you want them."


	359. Where Hope Lies

"What are your plans for the day?" Patrick asked. He watched her with one eye open, both arms serving as pillows for the boys.

"I thought I might go shopping," Robin said after a pause.

"With your shop key?" Patrick challenged grinning.

Robin blushed. "Okay so maybe I was going to take a peek over at the bakery if I had time which I probably won't." To further illustrate her purpose, she held out her to-do list.

"If I help you, just imagine what we could get done." Patrick suggested, successful in extracting one arm without disturbing either son.

"That's okay. I can do it." Robin assured him.

"I have no doubt," Patrick began, "But unfortunately we have prior engagements." That said, he climbed out of bed snatched the list from her grasp.

"What prior engagements do we have?" Robin wanted to know, hands on hips. She glared playfully at her husband when he motioned for her to be quiet. The last thing either of them needed was to wake up the baby.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be much of a surprise now would it?" Patrick hedged, rubbing her back and rocking her slowly.

"It's not really a surprise since you already told me something is happening. There. You see?" She challenged.

"Sounds like a technicality." Patrick reasoned indecisively.

"People get off on them all the time." Robin countered giving him a little kiss in case he continued to argue with her.

"Nice try," He pointed at her. "You definitely get points."

"What else do I get?" Robin giggled at his wide-eyed expression.

"Can't tell," Patrick shook his head.

"Please?" Robin dragged out the word in desperation.

Patrick closed his arms around her. "Don't worry so much. I know how you feel about surprises and I wouldn't be subjecting you to one if I didn't absolutely know that you're going to love this one."

"Alright," Robin agreed. "I trust you."

*****

The phone beeped at him, seemingly mocking him, and Evan reached for it. The tiny pink cell phone almost disappeared in his hand as he flipped it open and peeked at the message. While one part of his brain screamed he had no right to look at any incoming message the more rational side that said her enemies could be sending something vulgar, despite their agreement, and he would rather intercept it than let her be subjected to such a thing.

At least that was what he told himself. She was sleeping, or trying to in the bedroom. Every few minutes he would hear her stirring, his ears already attuned to even the slightest noise. He was left alone in the living room which was exactly how he preferred it. How else could he think? She was a constant distraction, his own fault, and he was starting to wonder if his original idea would actually work or if he would, unintentional as it may be, cause her an ever greater deal of pain. Was it worth all he would have to put her through if the end result was to his liking?

He had to believe it was. Otherwise, why go to such extremes to protect her, to see her through this addiction no matter what it ended up costing him? A selfish rationalization, he thought to himself, since it was her life he was turning upside-down, her dreams his secrets were robbing from her, and her body he was attacking by spouting out his ultimatum.

She had asked that he not sleep beside her anymore and he had conceded that it was probably best. Her reasons were somewhat rational even though he was there for every attack, every nightmare. She couldn't hide those from him. Only her pride kept her from asking him if she could break the rules, just once, just one time. He knew even that would be sacrificed as time went on. And he hated himself for it.

The phone beeped again, signaling a second message, and he was torn from his self-deprecating thoughts by the noise. He pressed a button to make the screen light up and then he clicked on the messages one at a time. The first was a forward from a friend Lulu had probably forgotten she had. The second, the one that stood out, was from Lucky. He was reminding her not to be late for Robin's surprise party. She'd be late alright, Evan mused. She would not be leaving this apartment.

How was he going to explain what had happened without her brother going after him with a baseball bat? He was pretty good with his gun but he knew better than to underestimate the man. Going to Luke would cause far more trouble than it was worth and, in the end, Evan bet he'd still fail to make the old-timer see reason. That left only one person.

They had only met the one time, but she seemed to like him enough to waste a whole roll of film on him. He recognized Laura Spencer as the mouthpiece for the entire family, both immediate and extended. If he wanted to keep Lulu safe without alarming too many people he was going to have to go to Laura. And, whatever he did, he would have to edit out as much as he possibly could to keep from spooking her enough to go to the commissioner. If anyone else was involved he had no doubt Lulu would get lost in the shuffle and end up hurt. And that he wasn't willing to risk.

*****

"Shh." Elizabeth gestured to everyone gathered in the darkness. "They're coming."

The various members of the Spencer family took their cue and scattered themselves behind the counter and booths. Patrick was leading a blindfolded Robin towards the store, Morgan holding her one hand and pushing Nathan in his stroller.

"This is ridiculous," Robin exclaimed impatiently. "Don't let me push the baby into a moving car okay?"

"I've got Nathan, Mommy." Morgan pointed out with a giggle.

"Let me just get the door. Stand right here." Patrick instructed and he yanked the door open almost silently.

"No peeking." Morgan warned.

"I wasn't." Robin argued.

"Alright," Patrick slid the blindfold down and turned on the lights.

"SURPISE!" The shout rang out through out the shop as family and friends shot up and began to laugh at the shock on Robin's face.

"What is all of this?" Robin wondered, her eyes fluttering to each smiling face.

"It's called a welcome back to business now feed us cause we are hungry party." Lucky joked.

Robin laughed out loud and glanced back at Patrick. "I had no idea."

"I've gotten better at surprises." Patrick reminded her.

"Not really. Mom and Elizabeth came up with this idea. He was just told to get you here." Lucky explained.

"Lucky!" Elizabeth protested. "We just helped. A little."

"So this is why you wouldn't let me sneak over here this morning." Robin muttered.

"Well I knew you were ready to get back to work and I thought this would be a nice way to bring you back into it." Patrick explained.

"Not to mention, built-in customers." Dillon pointed out as he sat down at the counter.

"I don't know what to say. Thank you." Robin told them.

"Do you really like it?" Morgan prompted.

"Of course I like it. I love it." Robin went on.

"You know," Mac interrupted, swooping around the counter. "Lucky was only half-kidding about you feeding us."

"I wasn't even half-kidding." Lucky defended himself. "I was totally serious."

"Well what does everybody want?" Robin asked, bombarded by a dozen different answers. "Just a second. One at a time."

"Say it." Luke whispered to Patrick.

"Nope." Patrick shook his head.

"Come on. You've got to." Luke insisted.

"Say it." Cruz teased.

"Fine. This was a great idea. Thank you for thinking of it." Patrick gave in smiling at the way his wife glowed in the midst of the people they cared most about.

*****

"I think we need to have a little talk," Laura whispered throwing her arm around Bobbie's shoulders and luring her away from the crowd. Her sister-in-law had done a good job of pretending nothing was wrong and, polite as it was, Laura could see through it.

"Talk?" Bobbie decided to play dumb. There was always the off chance Lulu would show up and distract her mother's well-intentioned questioning. "What do we need to talk about?"

"Why you and your husband are on opposite sides of the room." Laura clarified.

"Laura. Not every married couple has to spend every second near each other. Luke's on the other side of the room too."

"But I'm not glaring at him." Laura challenged folding her arms.

"I do not glare." Bobbie protested.

"So you admit something is wrong?"

"I didn't say that."

"But something is, isn't it?"

"I don't know for sure." Bobbie whispered. It was futile to try to keep things from Laura. Sooner or later everyone ended up confessing it all to her.

"What do you think is wrong?"

"I think...I think Cruz has found someone else." In the back of her mind, Bobbie had thought she might feel relief at sharing her suspicions with someone. She was wrong. It wasn't relief. It was the nerve-wracking anxiety she might find out she was right. After all, if anyone would know, it would be Laura.

"Ridiculous," Laura countered with a shake of her head. "Have you seen the way he looks at you?"

"Then why is he getting phone calls from a Kate?" Bobbie spit out the name as if it were made of poison.

"Kate who?"

"Kate Husband-stealing Tramp." Bobbie declared.

"Don't hold back now," Laura teased, fighting back a smile. "Now Bobbie you know he wouldn't do that to you."

"No?" Bobbie arched her eyebrow carefully. "Then why is he taking her to lunch at _our_ restaurant?"

"Bobbie, were you spying on your husband?" Laura didn't know whether to smack her or give her a high five. It was so un-Bobbie.

"I wouldn't have to if he would just talk to me."

"Have you tried talking to him? I mean, I know it's a novel concept, but our men would never know we were mad at them if we left it to them to figure it out. Like we have that kind of time." Laura sighed.

"And what exactly am I supposed to say Laura? Hi honey, how was your day? By the way, who's the blonde tramp that keeps calling you?"

"I say that's a good opener," Laura admitted.

"I can't."

"How else are you going to know?" Laura wondered. "I know it's hard. I remember when I thought Luke was."

"You did? When?"

"Lulu was a year old. Luke and I had a deal that he would take her with him in the mornings and I would take Lucky and then we'd trade kids on the weekends to keep from being worn out," Laura began. "Her name was Natalia and she worked at the cookie counter."

"The cookie counter? Luke does have a sweet tooth."

"Not anymore he doesn't," Laura argued. "I went up there and got the little tart fired. She was shamelessly flirting with him; Lucky told me so."

"Oh taking the word of a six year old. That's completely rational."

"Hey. I had to do something. And I'll tell you what; he never went sniffing around the

counter again." Laura leaned against one of the booths and closed her eyes. "I'm not saying it was the most mature way to handle it and you and I are different, but if you think he has betrayed you then you have to find out. If not for yourself than for your daughter."

"What if I don't want to know the answer?" Bobbie whispered, her eyes darting to her husband's form.

"Well I could ask him but that might be kind of awkward." Laura pointed out, getting Bobbie to at least crack a smile. She had never seen her sister-in-law so down and out.

"You might get a more truthful answer than I would," Bobbie admitted softly. "All he tells me is his late meetings these days are work related."

"Is it possible that it is work related?" Laura tried.

"Not when Becca and Axe don't know anything about it."

"Then it sounds to me like you need to go and speak with Kate. I would suggest you not admit your true reason for doing so."

"Are you, Laura Spencer, suggesting I lie?" Bobbie pretended to sound horrified.

"Guilty."

"I think I like you better when you are devious."


	360. 8th World Wonder

Robin gestured for Elizabeth to join her on the couch. "I think this may be the first time we've had a moment since before I went to the hospital."

"I hate to admit this but I think you are right." Elizabeth agreed as she sat down.

"They're getting so big," Robin nodded toward the crib where the twins lay watching them through the wooden bars.

"I know. I swear they grow a foot each day."

"How do you keep up with three of them? I mean, Cameron can walk and run and everything."

"Thankfully the twins are pretty immobile. And Lucky helps out tons. I couldn't do it without him." Elizabeth smiled. "Not that I tell him that or anything."

"Of course not. The second a man realizes how valuable he can be..." Robin let the rationalization hang in the air. "Can you believe Nathan is almost a month old?"

"No. I still don't believe Cameron is in kindergarten."

"Morgan's going to be eight this year." Robin said in awe.

"We are far too young to have children, much less ones that are in school and everything." Elizabeth declared.

"I agree," Robin nodded. "And soon they'll be in middle school. And then high school." She blotted at her eyes with a handkerchief. "Stupid leftover hormones."

"It's ok. I remember them well." Elizabeth assured Robin with a squeeze of her hand. "Have you given any more thought to the thorny problem of Morgan as a teenager?"

"Well considering we're on the top floor, that's not exactly a problem right now, but the second we move into a house...not that we're in any hurry to do that."

"Well it's not like you could move an entire family into a house in one day or anything. You need at least two. One to find a house and one to do the moving." Elizabeth nodded sagely. "But for argument's sake, let's say you've moved out of the football field and into the Mansion."

"I'll start growing cacti the moment we move in and get Patrick interested in spy equipment so we can keep an eye on our boys."

"Oh sneaky and likely to work since we both know Patrick loves toys. I'm still leaning toward nailing the window shut and installing alarms. You know, like in Girls Just Wanna Have Fun?"

"I never did see that movie." Robin answered.

"Sadness. You missed out on great cinema. I'll make sure to rectify that situation." Elizabeth promised.

"What do you suppose they'll grow up into? Doctors? Lawyers? Actors?"

"Well Jake is a little ham so I think acting works for him." Elizabeth nodded to her son who was currently trying to figure out how to stuff both of his hands into his mouth.

"And Grace?"

"I think she's going to be full of surprises. She'll probably be the race car driver."

"Uncle Patrick would love to see that."

"I think it's probably his master plan."

"That would explain all the time he spends with her."

"Well that and she totally has him wrapped around her little finger. Just like she has her dad."

"Do you ever catch Lucky singing to her anymore?"

"No." Elizabeth pouted. "Think we can interest Patrick in spy equipment faster if we throw in a chance to get another tape of Lucky as a bargain?"

"I think you may have an offer that even my husband can't refuse."

"We'll have to keep that in mind." Elizabeth giggled. "What about you? Any plans for Nathan yet?"

"Well Patrick's spending five or six days a week at the track and since I'll be going back to work I'm going to have to take him with me. The thing is he hates crowds. He can only stand two or three people at a time. Morgan is the only one who can make him laugh. I've been thinking of asking him to join me there after school."

"I'm sure Morgan would love that. So I guess any future that involves large crowds is out then?"

"He won't be my little performer that's for sure. Maybe an artist or something."

"So I guess I better start buying art supplies for him then."

"Let's start with finger-painting and go from there."

"Of course. What about Morgan?"

"Now that I don't know. He's always my little helper. I think he'll want to do something for other people. Maybe he'll use the time he spent mute when he first came to live with me and teach deaf students. I don't really know."

"I can see that for him. Or a social worker."

"Yes. I think he would be very good at that."

"There is only thing I'm positive with about Cameron. He'll end up dating Kristina."

"But she's a girl." Robin taunted, repeating Cameron's previous arguments.

"I know. And despite that he can't stop hanging out with her. It's true love."

"I could see him with an older woman."

"Besides, can you see Luke's face when his grandson starts dating a Cassadine?"

"I'll drink to that." Robin poured the remainder of the iced tea into each of their glasses.

Elizabeth held up her glass for a toast. "Here's to totally not mapping out our children's lives."

"Here's to letting them be whoever and whatever they want to be." Robin added, lifting her glass.

"Amen to that. May we never ever be compared to my parents." Elizabeth clinked her glass to Robin's.

*****

Alexis knocked lightly on Georgie's door. "Can we talk a minute?"

"Sure." Georgie stepped back and allowed Alexis to step across the entryway. Audrey had left a few minutes ago to go grocery shopping. She had planned to help, but her nausea this morning convinced Georgie it wasn't a good idea.

"I didn't think you'd stay here after Steven left."

"I thought about coming back to Dad's, but Audrey insisted I stay. And Steven feels better if there is someone close to her at all times in case she has an emergency."

"That's not what I meant."

"Oh it wasn't?" Georgie shook her head. "Sit down Alexis. It's been awhile since I saw you."

Alexis chose to stand. "I know how hard it is when you love someone but things keep getting in the way."

"Yeah but we're trying. And we'll be stronger in the end right?" Georgie smiled hopefully.

"Not always."

"Alexis. You suck at pep talks."

"Sometimes we let life take us over and steal from us what we thought we would never lose. Is that what you're doing?"

"Dad sent you over to get me to talk to Steven about the exchange program didn't he?"

"Your dad did nothing of the sort. He's spent every waking moment working on the hit-and-run. It's all I can do to get a word in edgewise."

Georgie sighed and began to pace the room. " I know I need to talk to him. I do. And I've learned the longer you put something off the harder it will be to tell someone something big like this. But I know Steven, Alexis. He'd quit and come home. And nothing I would say could change his mind."

"What if I could get you there?"

"Get me there?" Georgie stopped and put her hand out on the couch to steady herself when she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. She must have gotten up too quickly. "What are you talking about?"

"I have enough money saved. I could get you there and you could tell him the truth. Then you can both stay there until his project is over. It's a win-win."

"But school..."

"I know how hard you've worked," Alexis nodded. "And it's terrible to ask you to give that up. I won't ask you to. I'm just worried that you and Steven have spent far too much time apart and eventually you'll have more reasons to stay apart than to stay together."

"I'm not going to lose Steven. I'm not going to let that happen."

"You look pale. Sit down." Alexis ordered.

"I'm not feeling all that well. I think it's that bug that's going around." Georgie explained weakly as she followed Alexis's orders.

"There is no bug going around. I would have known; my doctors would have made sure I know. My immune system is shot to hell." Alexis countered.

"Then I ate something wrong. You know how risky that Chinese restaurant on Fifth Street can be."

"Do you suppose...?"

"Suppose what?" Georgie didn't like the look that was on Alexis's face.

"Could you be pregnant?"

"Preg...pregnant?" Georgie sputtered the words out and nearly leapt off the couch. "I couldn't...I mean...that's...it couldn't be that."

"Unless you've been a nun it's very possible."

"But Steven's in Australia." Georgie insisted.

"Did you, um, before he left?" Alexis had never felt an ounce of modesty before but this was her stepdaughter and that meant a whole different ballgame.

Georgie felt herself blush bright red. "Alexis I don't think we should be talking about _that_."

"If you don't know how babies are made then maybe we should."

"I know how babies are made. I just…I just..." Now that Alexis had presented the idea, the possibility wouldn't leave her mind. Could it really be true? Could it possibly have happened? Sitting down in shock, Georgie almost whispered, "I didn't think it would be this soon."

"You don't know anything for certain. How about you make an appointment before you jump to conclusions, hmm?"

"Would you come with me?"

"I had every intention." Alexis promised, sitting beside Georgie and hugging her tightly. "Don't worry," she whispered, "No matter what happens..."

"You'll help me pull Dad off the ceiling when he finds out the reason for the appointment?"

"Only if there's a reason to tell him."

*****

It was an odd experience to be actually shopping for food, David mused. He rarely cooked before Samantha came into his life and her domestic skills rivaled his own. He was notorious for buying food and forgetting it was in the kitchen until it developed an odor. Take out was easier, and in many cases safer.

It still didn't hurt to have a few essentials on hand. The crazy weather in Port Charles could mean anything from freak blizzards to floods. A few staples to bridge the gap until the Chinese restaurant was able to deliver was just plain smart. And since Samantha was spending some time with Kristina, he was stuck with the shopping.

It was good for Samantha to get to know her little sister. Between Kristina and Alexis, Sam had been the least able to rationalize reasons for Kristina to be disappointed with her or hate her. Spending one-on-one time with her would go along way in easing Sam's continuing jitters about her role in her newfound family.

Stopping by the dessert aisle, David scanned his memory to see if at any time something had been said about Kristina's favorite treats. Surely at some point the Commissioner or the D.A. had said something in passing. And it wouldn't hurt to have a few things on hand in case Kristina wanted to spend time at their place. Besides, David thought with a wicked grin as his hand reached out for a box, it was always a good idea to have some cake mix on hand.

A giggling little girl with dark hair and blue eyes ran into his leg. Looking down, David estimated her age was probably about four or five years old. She was a tiny little thing, dressed in jeans and a purple and green striped shirt. Scanning the aisle, he looked for a frantic parent or a bored sibling. Realizing they were the only two in the aisle, David knelt down to her height. "Hi. My name is David. What's your name?"

Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "You're a stranger."

Biting back his own smile, he had to give her points. "Very good. I am a stranger. Did your mommy teach you that?"

Nodding her head, she popped her middle two fingers into her mouth.

"Is she here? I want to tell her what a good job you did with a stranger."

A frazzled woman with wild brown curls came whizzing past the aisle, stopping only when she noticed her daughter's chocolate pigtails. "Deliah! I'm sorry," she told David. "I turned around for a second..."

"Carole?" David blinked in shock. He hadn't seen her in four years, right before she left town for a new job. They had a brief relationship and parted on good terms. "Carole?"

"Yes?" she finally looked up after checking to make sure her daughter hadn't picked up any new cuts or bruises.

"Carole, it's me David. David Harper." He shook his head laughing. "I didn't think it had been that long since we last saw each other."

She laughed too. "Motherhood strips you of your memory or so my husband tells me."

"Motherhood? So this is your little girl?"

"You don't think we look alike?" she asked jokingly. It was true. Delilah's most striking features hadn't been inherited from her mother.

"Well certainly she has your charm."

"Did you meet my good friend David?" Carole prompted, peeling her daughter's sticky fingers away from her purse strap.

"Hi." Deliah offered with a wave.

"Hello Deliah. That's a pretty name." He looked up at Carole. "From her father's side?"

"I got it out of a baby book." Carole explained hastily.

"How old are you Deliah?"

"Four."

Four? Carole must have had her when she moved out of town. "Did you just move back in town?"

"Ben was transferred here for his job and we followed him. Didn't we honey?" Carole pulled her daughter's hair out from the back of her shirt in a motion so familiar she barely recognized she had done it.

Deliah nodded and pulled on her mother's arm. "Mommy? I'm hungry."

Carole took a tiny plastic bag of Goldfish crackers and handed them to her daughter. "We should go."

"Yeah. Sure. It was good seeing you again Carole. Nice to meet you Deliah."

"It was very nice to meet you David." Deliah giggled at her attempt to be polite and followed after her mother who thought it best to leave her groceries in the basket and hightail it out of the store.

Watching the pair scurry out of the store, David couldn't help but wonder about how strange life could be sometimes. He hadn't thought of Carole in four years, but he had never pictured her married with a child. And that little girl was a looker too. When she was a teenager in ten years, her parents were going to have problems on their hands. With those blue eyes and dark hair...

His hands lost their grip on the package of Oreos that he had absentmindedly picked up at some point. Rapidly he began to do the math in his head. The blue eyes. The dark hair. The age. Carole's haste in getting away from him. She wouldn't. She couldn't have. It wasn't possible. It was a strange coincidence and nothing more. Surely she would have let him know if... David shook his head to rid himself of the thought. "Get yourself together. You're crazy. You're wrong. There is an explanation for all this and it's not what you think it is. Stop thinking it."

Long ago, he had taught himself there was no such thing as coincidence. It was the motto he staked his entire investigative career on. No matter how severely he told himself it was nothing, his instincts and reason told him it wasn't. There was a very real chance he had just met his own daughter.


	361. Just Too Busy Being Fabulous

"Unbelievable." Maxie snapped at her reflection. Her hair was too short to put in a braid and too long to force behind her ears. It was obviously a disaster. Irritated at her one and only option, she forced the hair band down onto her head almost breaking it. She didn't know what had her up in the air today. She had had plenty of sleep the night before and Hunter had cooked a splendid breakfast for the two of them before he went to check in at work. There was no reason for her current mood.

She went into the kitchen, suddenly feeling incredibly thirsty, and tried to pour herself a glass of orange juice. Hunter was a fitness buff and she didn't really mind. Her figure mattered to her more than it ever had. She had an image to project after all. Taking a clear glass from the cabinet, she screamed when the pressure from which she had been holding the glass caused it to shatter in her hand. Forcing back tears and nausea at the sight of blood—there was so much blood—she left the remaining shards on the counter and rushed over to the sink to clean the wound. The water was unforgiving as she tried to get the blood to clot and finally she had no choice but to flip off the faucet and hold a warm washcloth to the cut.

Maxie glanced at the calendar. The fifteenth. She needed to go down to her mailbox and take care of some bills. It was a stupid process but part of being an adult. She flung open the door and barely muffled a scream, jumping backwards.

"Hey Blondie." Ric smiled at her, pushing his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose. He pulled a bouquet of lilies from behind his back. "Special delivery for you."

"What do you want?" Unintentionally she took another step back allowing him access.

Taking a step forward, he continued to offer the flowers to her. "I was in the neighborhood. Thought I'd stop by."

"You live three thousand miles away." Maxie argued trying to fold her arms only to be met with pain and resistance.

"This is exactly why I need to see a familiar face." He noticed the grimace of pain that shot across her expressive face when she moved her arm. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." Maxie snapped.

"No you aren't." Ric placed the flowers on the table on the hallway, grabbing for her hand. "You're bleeding."

"Well thank you for telling me. You should be a doctor or something." Maxie rolled her eyes.

"Or something." Ric studied the cut carefully. It didn't look deep, but she should still get it bandaged. Gently tugging her hand, he looked through the apartment, spotting the kitchen easily. "Come on. I'll take care of you."

"Don't touch it." Maxie squeaked out.

Ignoring her protests, he ran her hand carefully under the spray of the tap. Reaching behind him, his hand found a paper towel roll. Turning off the water, he pulled her hand to him and gently blew on it. "I don't want this beautiful skin to scar," he whispered. "Where are your Band-Aids?"

"Bathroom." Maxie gulped uncomfortably.

"Lead the way."

"I can get them. I don't need your help."

"I know you can, but I am a professional at this Maxie."

"So I need a medical degree to find a box of Band-Aids?"

"We could have been done by now instead of arguing." Ric pointed out. "Just tell me where they are."

"Medicine cabinet." Maxie dragged him to the bathroom and took the box from above the sink. "If you hurt me, I'm going to hurt you." She warned.

"Why would I want to do that?" he asked as he selected the right bandage. No obvious badge of injury for his girl.

"There. You fixed me. Bye now."

"I know you didn't think it would be that easy to get rid of me."

"Why are you here?"

"To see you."

"Well you've already done that."

"And I was hoping you'd consider going to dinner with me."

"I've already eaten."

"Tomorrow night then."

"Don't you have to go back to work?"

"I took some time off."

"How much time?"

"Enough."

"Ric, why are you doing this? I said everything I wanted to say in New York."

"But I didn't." Ric explained patiently.

"I've heard it."

"But you never saw it."

"Saw what?"

"You'll have to agree to see me and find out."

"I have plans."

"I'll wait till you're free."

Maxie gave him a half-smile. "I make it a point never to be free."

Ric took the smile as a small ray of hope. She could have kicked him out long before now. She could have denied him access to her home altogether. This was actually progress. "I'm not going anywhere Maxie."

"You're not going to sleep on my doorstep are you? That could prove really awkward with Hunter."

"Hunter? Who the hell is Hunter?"

"My boyfriend."

"Your what?" Ric shook his head.

"I told you I was seeing someone. He lives here with me."

"Then I should meet him. Get to know my competition."

"Are you jealous Ric? I never thought I'd see the day."

"I just want to meet the man is all."

"He'll be home soon. He hates to be away from me." Maxie turned her back to him then and plopped down onto the couch.

Ric followed and sat beside her uninvited. "Then I'll just keep you company until then."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" He reached out and lightly traced the curve of her hand with his thumb.

Gracefully she pulled her hand away from him and laid it on her thigh. "I just don't like it."

"Maxie..."

"Wha-what?" Maxie hated herself for the stutter. She had been in control and now she didn't know what she was.

"I just want to talk to you." Ric whispered, leaning closer to her.

"You never want to just talk." Maxie protested weakly.

"But it's the only way we can fix this."

"Fix what?"

"Us."

"What do you want, Ric? Forgiveness? Fine. I forgive you. It was stupid to hold onto my anger for so long. Hunter showed me that."

"You Maxie." Ric said simply. "I want you."

"I want you too."

"Then tell me how to fix this Maxie."

"I don't know," Maxie looked away. "You're going to hurt me again."

"Not on purpose."

"There's a concession worth throwing my relationship away for." She mocked him.

"But you'll hurt me too." Ric countered.

She laughed without humor. "Not on purpose."

"See? So we'd be even."

"I'm a different person now Ric."

"So am I Maxie."

Maxie faced him and got her first real look at him. His hair was a little messier, but he looked exactly the same to her. "It wouldn't work."

"Why not?"

"I'd lose myself."

"I've already lost myself over you Blondie."

"I don't want you to say things like that to me." Despite her words, her voice was begging.

"But it's the truth. I thought you wanted the truth."

"I want you not to be here." Maxie said, abruptly standing. He caught her wrists carefully and she felt her lips tremble.

"There is no place I want to be but here." He said softly rising up.

"You're hurting me." Maxie tugged her hands back only to be met with more resistance.

"No I'm not."

"I don't...I don't want this."

"What do you want Maxie? Just tell me what you want." Ric whispered stepping closer to her.

"I, um, I...I want." Maxie wanted to kick herself for her behavior. A little touch and she wasn't in control of her own body anymore. Why was she moving closer to him? Did she really want to get hurt again?

"I know what I want. I've told you what I want. Dinner. You and me."

"But Hunter?" It was a last-ditch effort and he must have realized it too.

"Hunter isn't here. I am."

She stopped a hairbreadth from his mouth. "No. What's the matter with me?" she asked aloud.

"Blondie. Just come to dinner with me."

"I've already eaten." Maxie said for the second time.

"Dessert then."

"So," a voice called from the doorway, "did I miss anything?"

"Hunter." Maxie blew out a breath of relief and jumped away from Ric.


	362. Flightless Bird

The Spencers lived in a beautiful neighborhood. Every house seemed to look exactly alike so he had to check the address again. He tapped the pen against the file and climbed out of the car. A car passed and then he crossed the street and jogged up to the door. He hadn't thought he would be visiting Laura Spencer under these circumstances.

"Evan Cassidy." Laura declared as she opened her door. "Would you like to come in?"

Evan grinned. "Wonderful to see you again Mrs. Spencer."

"Mrs. Spencer? Call me Laura please."

"Habit." Evan explained following her into the house. "How was Robin's party?"

"It was wonderful. It would have been better if my daughter had managed to attend, but I assume you are here to explain that." Laura said calmly, smiling inwardly as the young man flinched at her blunt observation.

"I see where your daughter gets it." He praised her. "Would you like to sit down?"

"Isn't that my line?" Laura teased as she sat down anyway.

"I guess it is." Evan admitted.

"Sit down Evan. I'm not nearly as dangerous as my daughter makes me out to be."

"She doesn't...it's not..." Evan stumbled over his words.

"Why don't we start with where my daughter has been hiding these days? I assume you know why she's been scarce lately?"

"Let's start with what you already know." Evan suggested.

"I know that despite her protests to the contrary, clearly you and my daughter are involved." Laura stated clearly, leaning forward in her chair. "I also know that you are a smart young man since you are approaching me and not my husband or son."

"They are a little overprotective." Laura nodded. "So why don't you tell me what I don't know."

Evan nodded, an earlier memory causing his focus to splinter. _He pushed open the door and turned around to disengage the beeping alarm. A sound caught his attention and he moved toward the bedroom. There he found Lulu on the floor, her hand lost in her purse._

"_What are you doing?" Evan asked, closing the space between them._

"_Stay where you are." She warned, holding up her free hand._

"_Lulu, what's in the purse?" Evan wanted to know. He thought he had taken everything out before he relinquished the purse into her possession._

"_You don't understand," she argued._

"_Explain it to me then." Evan demanded lightly, crossing the room in two strides._

"_I thought I could do it." Lulu whispered, shaking her head in despair._

"_Do what?" If he wasn't careful, he would scare her even more. This was what he had missed, he realized. It was one thing to study the process; it was quite another to live through it._

"_I understand why you made the rule, but I can't, Evan. I just can't." Lulu whimpered._

"_Sure you can." Evan countered in a soothing voice. "You're so strong."_

"_No. I'm not."_

"_You're a Spencer."_

"_Don't tell me that. I know that." At least she sounded mad instead of just devastated._

Evan shook his head. "Mrs.—Laura, the reason Lulu didn't come to your party yesterday…"

"Yes?"

"She's in a bit of trouble."

"Trouble?" Laura stood up immediately and started to walk towards the front door. "Where is she? Take me to my baby."

Evan grabbed her wrist. "Laura, please. Your reaction is expected, but I need you to stay calm. Please."

"Calm? You tell me Lulu is in trouble and you expect me to stay calm?"

"No. Let me explain. Please sit down."

Reluctantly, Laura heeded his plea. Right now Evan was her only link to whatever trouble her headstrong daughter had got herself into and if she didn't at least play along with his requests, she might have no way of reaching her daughter at all. "I'm listening, but barely."

"She's dropped out of school and took on a...a job that's less than legal."

"Less than legal?"

"Listen, I have no right to judge your daughter. I don't know her and I haven't been here since the beginning. I only know what I see now and I'm trying to help her through this."

"Help her through what exactly Evan? And I'd like to point out that nothing you've said so far is exactly calming me down."

"Lulu's gotten into drugs."

If she hadn't been sitting, she would have fallen to the ground in a dead faint. Even now, the room began to sway in front of her eyes. Drugs? Her precious, darling, beautiful brilliant baby girl had turned to drugs? Even though Luke had laughed at every worst-case scenario, this possibility had never entered her mind. Lulu was too smart for drugs. Too involved with life. How had this happened? Why didn't she know before know, before this stranger made this announcement? "I need to see her. I need to see my daughter."

"I'm sorry." Evan shook his head. "I'm afraid that would hinder more than help."

"Hinder? I'm her mother. She needs me."

"If she saw you...if you saw her that way, she would never recover from it. She's got to understand that she's strong enough to beat this and she can't do that if she's worried about disappointing her family."

"She's not a disappointment to us. And she clearly needs us now more than ever." Laura argued stubbornly.

"I think this may have happened because of the kidnappings. She said that she's had trouble sleeping ever since and it's even possible that that's why she turned to drugs. She knows her family would have supported her, but I think she feels like it'd mean burdening you."

"That is ridiculous. And I intend to tell her so myself."

"I came to you because I needed to speak to the levelheaded member of your family. If Lulu found out, she would never forgive me and that wouldn't help her recover any faster."

"Recover faster? Is she trying to get clean by herself?"

"Yes and no."

"What exactly does that mean Mr. Cassidy?" Laura asked sternly, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Yes she's trying to get herself clean."

"The no?"

"She's not doing it by herself."

"Who is she doing it with then?"

"Me."

"You?" Laura shook her head. "And just what is your interest in this and my daughter?"

"I'm not going to lie to you. I care about your daughter."

"That's good but it still doesn't explain why I can't be with my daughter when she clearly needs me."

"I came to you because I thought you needed to know."

"And you expected me to do what? Accept your decision about what is best for my daughter?"

"I need your help."

"You need my help with what?"

"Were you serious when you said you wanted to help her through this?"

"Of course I was."

"What I'm asking isn't going to be an easy thing, but it will help your daughter tremendously."

"It would help me tremendously if you quit beating around the bush."

"I've been working with Lulu for the better part of the week. She's been doing very well and she'll keep doing well as long as she stays in a comfortable environment."

"Her home is a comfortable environment." Laura pointed out.

"Under normal circumstances."

"What is it you want exactly?"

"I need you to keep your husband, your son, and the commissioner out of it."

"And why exactly would I do that? They love Lulu. They would want to help her."

"They can't be objective."

"And you're saying you can be?"

"Yes."

"I'm curious as to why you think I would agree to this. Why would I keep my daughter from her family, the very people who love her and could help her through this?"

"Because if you don't, she might never recover."

Laura sucked in her breath. "Why exactly do you think she wouldn't recover? And be honest with me."

"She wants to be the perfect daughter, the perfect sister. If she thinks she has to be that for everyone, she'll never help herself. She's like a ticking clock as long as she's on these drugs and I...it would be terrible if we lost her, wouldn't it?"

"It would, but wouldn't it help her recovery if she knew we don't expect that at all? We just expect her to be Lulu."

"You didn't set the bar for perfection. She's done it herself."

That much Laura knew to be true. She and Luke had never set down any dreams for their children beyond being happy. And both had turned into perfectionists in their own ways. Lucky in his career, and Lulu through school in an effort to separate herself from her popular brother and cousin. She had lost count of the number of times she had counseled her daughter to slow down and relax. "Where is she? Where is she right now?"

"She's in a safe place."

"But how do I know that? No offense but we don't know each other well enough for me to trust your judgment blindly."

"That's understandable. She's staying in an apartment on the edge of town. I check in on her from time to time."

"Define from time to time."

"When I'm not at the station."

"And when you are at the station?"

"I'm on the phone with your daughter. Would it help if you could talk to her?"

Laura tilted her head in surprise. "I thought contact with her family would do her more harm than good."

"Direct contact, yes."

"And I suppose you would want me to not let on that I know what she is going through?"

"What if you wrote her a letter? And then, on the days she's feeling good, she could write back to you? It's not much of a concession, but it's something isn't it?"

It was more than he had offered before. While she was still confused as to what exactly the relationship between Evan and her daughter was, it was clear to her he did care for Lulu a great deal. And unless she missed her guess, if she didn't agree, he and Lulu might disappear from her altogether. Her daughter couldn't have listened so attentively to her father's stories and not learned something. She didn't like the idea, in fact she downright hated it, but Laura could feel it was the best offer this man was going to make. "If I agree to this I want another concession from you."

"Anything."

"You keep in contact with me as much as you are keeping in contact with Lulu."

"Agreed."

Laura let out a defeated sigh. "I want you to know I do not like this plan and am only agreeing to this because I do not want to lose contact with my daughter entirely. However if she starts to take a turn for the worst, I expect this plan will be abandoned immediately. Do I make myself clear?"

_"If I could just have a little bit," Lulu tried to bargain, showing him the secret compartment in her purse where she had hidden the last of her stash. "It would be easier. You understand that, don't you?"_

"Crystal."


	363. Cookie Time

How many times could she possibly throw the alarm against the wall before it finally gave up and quit working? It had been going off for what seemed like an eternity. Grumbling all the way, Robin lifted her tired body out of bed and unplugged the clock radio. Then she went to check on Nathan who hadn't been bothered by the noise one bit. They had moved him and Morgan to their own rooms—Patrick's suggestion—and since then, all of them had been sleeping so well. Too well.

Since it was understood that she would be opening the bakery today, Patrick had woken up before her and gotten Morgan off to school with a lunch she had prepared the night before. Nathan was too little to be left with a babysitter and after their troubling start Robin wasn't willing to relinquish him to anyone. She would see how her youngest son handled the customers and they would go from there.

Nestled up next to the edge of the bassinet, Nathan slept with his thumb in his mouth. He looked so much like his daddy when he slept Robin thought lazily as she lifted him into her arms and cradled him against her warmth so that he wouldn't be roused from such a peaceful sleep. She had three bottles waiting in the refrigerator and a new can of formula in the bottom of his diaper bag. As carefully as she could, she crept down the stairs to keep from jostling him and filled the diaper bag with bottles, plush toys, diapers, and wipes. She dropped her car keys into the right side of the diaper bag and grabbed her purse from the side table in the foyer.

"Have I forgotten anything?" she whispered to her sleeping son. "I guess we'll figure it out once we get to work, huh? It's a good thing we have Daddy on speed dial." She got him inside the elevator and to her car before he opened his mouth and let out a scream that could be heard for miles. "What is it, Nathan? What's the matter?" she cooed, checking for obvious signs of discomfort once she had him safely in the car seat. He stuck out his bottom lip and threw his hands into the air in obvious distress. "You aren't wet. Nothing's pinching or poking you. Are you hungry?" She grabbed a fresh bottle from the bag and showed it to him. He swatted it away from her angrily and continued to wail.

Robin rubbed her forehead. "Maybe the drive will relax you. Let's try that." Decision made, Robin got into the front seat and turned the engine over. Stubborn as ever, Nathan screamed the entire way.

Willow Drive was busy this morning. She had to round the block and park directly behind the store. Nathan stuffed his hands in his mouth and puffed out his cheeks. "I am so not impressed." She told her son.

Instead of taking him out of the car seat, she left him in it and spent the next three frustrating minutes untangling it from the seatbelt. She threw the diaper bag over one shoulder and her purse over the other, held the car seat with both hands, and she dug her keys out of the pocket of the diaper bag. "Should have just taken you out of the car seat," she admitted, "but at least you'll have somewhere to sit and watch Mommy."

He blew bubbles at her and she laughed. She unlocked the shop and let them in through the back entrance. Nathan started to whine at the lack of light so she made certain to flip on every single one to soothe him. "Is that better?" she asked once they reached the front counter. She turned him around so that he was facing the front window and could see what she was doing. It was strangely satisfying to turn on the OPEN sign and unlock the front door. "We are officially open for business baby."

*****

"Well it's about time you came back." Edward Quartermaine grumbled as he held the door open for his wife.

"Edward." Lila admonished him quickly with a shake of her head. "Robin, it's wonderful to see you getting back to normal my dear."

"I don't know about normal, but I sure missed seeing my best customers." Robin admitted, glancing over at Nathan. Elizabeth had snuck over a bouncy chair for Nathan sometime during the party and Robin had put him in it.

"Isn't he just adorable?" Lila gushed at the small boy who was bouncing happily along. "He looks just like you."

"Thank you very much. What can I get you this morning?"

"The usual will be fine my dear." Lila smiled. Reaching out to tickle Nathan under his chin, she sighed. "Oh this takes me back to when the children were young. How innocent and beautiful they all were."

"I'll bet. I don't think I've ever seen a less-than-attractive Quartermaine." Robin giggled, filling a small bag with chocolate covered raisins.

"That is the truth. Even AJ showed promise at one point." Edward declared.

"It seems to me he's done quite a good job with Michael." Robin pointed out, adding a bag of powdered donuts to the order.

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Now Edward, you know AJ is living up to his potential. Just not in the way you had planned for him." Lila defended her youngest grandson. "And Robin is correct. Michael is turning into a wonderful young man."

"Maybe if we saw or heard from him more than when he needs money." Edward pointed out.

"I thought he was doing well. When Morgan and I went to visit, he had a whole room dedicated to games and all kinds of things. I didn't think Morgan would ever want to come home." It still hurt to think about that night, about the doubt she had felt at her own mothering abilities.

"Well apparently that girlfriend of his likes to spend money that I earned." Edward explained. "Every time we see him, he needs more money. I have to think she's a part of it."

"AJ's never admitted he has a girlfriend. Edward is a little paranoid."

"It makes the most sense. AJ has always lost all his senses around women." Edward argued.

"I'm sure if he is seeing someone, he's taking it slow. He would want to introduce her to Michael first and see how they got along." Robin threw in, printing out a receipt for them after she took some of Edward's aforementioned money.

"If we could see Michael, I'd ask him that myself."

"Really?" Robin wasn't entirely surprised what with the way his family treated and talked about him whether he was around or not.

"It seems to me as if that girlfriend is keeping Michael away from his family, the very people he needs. I've pointed it out to AJ myself..."

"That is precisely why he won't tell us anything about her." Lila interrupted him gently. "Whoever she is, AJ seems happy with her and has been for months. Why don't we just be happy about that?"

"Months? I didn't realize he was even seeing anyone. Not that we've kept in touch." Robin rambled on.

"From what I can gather it's been months." Lila shrugged. "He's not confided in me just yet, but I am fully confident he will."

"Yes I…I'm sure he will." Robin smiled. "Here you go."

"Thank you Robin. We've really missed this place." Lila smiled as she and Edward made their way to the door.

"Thank you." Robin emphasized with a tiny wave.

"We'll see you tomorrow."

*****

When Alexis walked into the newly remodeled shop, she noticed two things missing: Robin and Nathan. She wasn't immediately worried because she assumed they were in the back for one reason or another. He was a baby after all. He probably needed to be changed or fed. Georgie stepped in behind her and Alexis threw her left arm over her stepdaughter's slumped shoulders. It had been quite a morning and this was just the change of scenery Georgie needed.

Georgie was grateful for Alexis's support. She wasn't sure how she could have gotten through this morning without her. "I think today calls for cookies. Lots and lots of cookies."

"Lots and lots and lots." Alexis nodded with a grin. "Robin?"

"Shh." Robin whispered sliding up behind the counter. "I just got the baby to sleep. We've had quite the morning."

"Same here." Georgie said under her breath. "We are here for cookies. Lots of them and keep them coming."

"What kind?" Robin asked, but it was more of a formality. Georgie loved all kinds and would probably want to try the new flavors she had gotten in. She was thankful she had gotten her son to sleep because, as busy as the morning had been, the afternoon would be worse and he tended to dislike crowds. She would have to break it to him one day that his extended family was made up of a lot of people. One thing at a time.

"All of them." Georgie declared emphatically as she sat at the counter.

"I have some that just came out of the oven. Let's start with those and then I'll make you whatever you want. Fresh is always better." Robin told her younger cousin before she disappeared into the kitchen.

Georgie turned to Alexis who sat down beside her. "I suppose you think I should tell Robin."

Alexis held up her hands. "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. It's been written all over your face since you suggested we come here."

"Well she might be able to help." Alexis stated.

"I know." Georgie sighed. "It's just so strange to think about and saying it out loud..."

"What's going on guys?" Robin interrupted, her hands hidden in two giant pot holders under a tray of cookies. She scooped the macadamia nut and chocolate chip cookies onto a plate and peeled off the pot holders.

Georgie shot a look to Alexis, hoping for guidance. Seeing her stepmother do nothing more than gesture with her hands toward Robin, Georgie let out a sigh. Sure she could make up a story about missing Steven and cookies being the perfect comfort food. Robin might even believe it, especially if Nathan decided to wake up and demand attention, but really it was just delaying the inevitable. She had learned her lesson when it came to waiting for the prefect moment to break life-altering news. "I'm pregnant."

"You are?" Robin looked from Georgie to Alexis and then back to Georgie.

"Just found out this morning."

"Have you told Steven yet?" Robin's smile dimmed when she noticed Georgie glance away.

"No. That's kind of the issue."

"The issue." Robin echoed.

Her stepmother was going to make her explain all this. "I've been putting off telling Steven I can't come to Australia because I didn't get into the program. And I know that when he finds out he's going to quit the film and come home, which is horrible for his job. And when he finds out I'm pregnant, I think he'll do the same thing."

"So that's why you didn't go."

"Yeah. It's a no go without quitting school, which Steven would hate and blame himself for all eternity." Georgie smiled sadly.

"What if you explained to him what an opportunity this was? Both his work and this new baby?"

"Steven was ready to turn down this job to work on a crappy student film before he left." Georgie explained. "He wouldn't hear anything past the part where I told him I am pregnant."

"He has to know, Georgie."

"I know he does. And I want to tell him. I just don't want him ruining something he's worked so hard for in the process."

"Why don't you think you're the best thing that ever happened to him?" Robin wanted to know.

"I hope it is. It's just...it's not...we never even talked about this."

"I don't mean just the baby. I mean you."

"Robin..."

"No," Robin countered, lifting her finger to stop Georgie from getting another word in before she had her say. "I know that Felicia left you and Maxie when you were you were little and that nothing Mac or I did could make up for what that did to you. That said, you are an incredible person and if Steven doesn't see that, maybe you shouldn't tell him about this at all."

"That's not what I was going to say but thanks for the pep talk." Georgie smiled.

"What were you going to say?"

"I was going to say that Steven tells me all the time I'm the best thing that ever happened to him. We've never talked about children and given how his parents reacted to Elizabeth's pregnancy, well I wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to chance that scene repeating itself."

"Do you really think he won't be happy for you?"

"I don't know." Georgie sighed. "When we had the scare in Paris that was more about freaking out since we hadn't known each other that long and shock that Steven proposed. And once we found out it was just a scare, we didn't really talk about children."

Robin came out from behind the corner and draped her arms around Georgie. "No matter what, you've got us."

"I know." Georgie smiled as she hugged her cousin back. "And I love you for it."

"You mean you don't just love me for my cookies?"

"Well that is the first reason."

"How far along are you, by the way? I want to know when I can start rubbing your belly for luck."

"Two months."

"That's so exciting!"

"Tell that to the morning sickness."

"Stock up on Saltines." Robin suggested.

"Are there any that taste like cookies?"

"No, but you've got some to start with." Robin nodded toward the bag she had prepared for Georgie.

"How would we survive without you?"

"Let's not think about unpleasant things."


	364. Little Did I Know

"Mommy, let's play dress-up." Kristina insisted and shoved a handful of fairy princess dresses into Alexis's arms. Daddy was at work and since Mommy didn't have to work right now, it made sense to Kristina that she should be her constant entertainment. Besides, Mommy loved dress-up.

"Dress-up?" Alexis giggled throwing one of the frilly pink outfits over her face so that she could play a game her daughter would never grow out of.

"I can still see you Mommy." Kristina assured her with a shake of her head. She took the makeup kit Maxie had given her before she left for California and flipped it open. "Do you want me to do your makeup?" she offered, bringing the kit over to Alexis.

"I'll tell you what. Why don't you go in my room and find something for me to wear and I'll go downstairs and get those cookies started?" Letting an eight year old do her makeup was quite an endeavor and she needed chocolate to distract her.

"Chocolate chip?" Kristina's eyes lit up.

"Chocolate chip." Alexis confirmed. She bent down and reached for Kristina's new stuffed rabbit. She had replaced the bear after the kidnappings, but her daughter hadn't warmed up to it yet. "How about you put Miss Rabbit in the Belle dress?"

"But she doesn't want the yellow dress Mommy." Kristina argued.

"Which one does she want?"

"Cinderella's blue one."

"Then put her in that one."

"But I don't have that one."

"Where is it?"

"I don't know. I lost it."

"Let me see if I can find it." Alexis moved toward the closet while Kristina hopped across the hall to find her mommy something to wear.

"Mommy?" Kristina called, but her voice wasn't coming from Alexis's room. "Mommy, come see!"

"I thought you wanted me to find the dress."

"No Mommy, you've got to come now."

"Okay I'm coming." Alexis gave in, getting to her feet and heading for the stairs. "Where are you, baby?"

"Downstairs. At the door. Look Mommy."

"Well this is a nice surprise." Alexis greeted once she saw who was standing at the door.

"I wasn't sure if I should let her in or not. You told me not to do that." Kristina pointed out.

"Hi." Sam offered sheepishly. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

If Alexis had learned anything during her brief visits with her oldest daughter it was that less was more. If she eased her into the transition it wouldn't be nearly as frightening. "Not at all. We were about to play dress-up and get some cookies. Kristina, do you want to get your tea set out?"

"Yeah!" Kristina nodded running for the stairs.

"Dress up and cookies? Can't say I'm an expert at that." Sam stated nervously as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her.

"There's nothing to it. Kristina's tea parties always include actual tea and cookies. Are you interested?"

"Sure. If it's not too much trouble."

"It's not." Alexis promised. "Come in and stay a while."

"I had told Kristina I would come by and see her." Sam explained as she shifted from one foot to another. Every urge in her head was screaming at her to run and run quickly. She had been hoping it would have been the babysitter. She could handle small talk with the babysitter. Small talk with Alexis was something she was afraid she would never master.

"Do you like chocolate chip? I always melt some Hershey's kisses on the stove to dip it in."

"Chocolate is always good. I'm particular to chocolate cake."

"We actually have some cake. Somebody at work...Mac brought it home. Would you like some?"

"No. No thanks. There's still birthday cake at my place."

"Birthday? David's?" Alexis guessed.

She resisted the urge to point out her mother would know it wasn't her birthday. David's advice to take small steps echoed in her head. "Yeah. I may have gone a little overboard in the planning."

"There's no such thing."

"There is when apparently David doesn't celebrate his birthday."

"I didn't used to."

"What changed?"

"I met Mac. He asked me when my birthday was and I told him I couldn't remember. Then he asked me the next month and I said January which wasn't true. My birthday's in April. He made it a point to bring me a yellow cake with chocolate frosting every week until I finally admitted when it was."

"That's a lot of cake."

"Tell me about it. He came up with something equally ridiculous when I refused to go out with him. A two-year subscription of fruit."

"David just moved in with me. I'm thinking I got off easy."

"I'm glad to hear things are going so well."

"I think it is. I hope it is." Sam admitted quietly. Something had been bothering David for the past few days and she couldn't quite figure it out just yet. It had to be something about the case. Maybe tonight she'd get him to come out to the club and they could bust Vermin once and for all. That would put him in a better mood.

"Mommy, I can't find it!" Kristina yelled.

"Would you excuse me for just a second?" Alexis moved toward the stairs.

"Sure. Go ahead."

"Will you be here when I come back?"

"I promised Kristina cookies didn't I?"

"Alright then. I'll be right back." Alexis promised. "Kristina, did you check in..." Her voice trailed off.

Believing that the hardest thing in the world was making small talk with Alexis was a misconception, Sam decided. The hardest thing in the world was sitting alone in Alexis's kitchen while she waited for her to come back so they could play tea and dress up with Kristina. What exactly was she supposed to do? Sit hear and eat cookies until they were all gone? Sit and stare at the wall?

David was wrong. The more time she spent here would not make her feel like this was where she belonged. It was all she could do to sit at the kitchen table without bolting for the door. She had promised Kristina and Alexis. She would stay. Even if it killed her. Perhaps it was the fact that her roommate was a detective, but she found herself moving around the kitchen curiously. There was so little she knew about them and she didn't feel comfortable asking too many questions. It had been her experience that people tended to edit.

Sam wasn't immediately alarmed when she saw the pill bottle. After all, Alexis had just undergone major treatments and the Chemo hadn't even done what it was supposed to. It would make sense for Sam to find a bottle or two because her—Alexis would have to find some alternative to deal with the lingering effects. She might be feeling better, but she wasn't Wonder Woman. Her name was printed on the side of it along with the quantity of pills. What struck her as odd was the name of the drug: penicillin. Since when was penicillin prescribed for cancer patients?

Kristina's cheerful voice spooked Sam and she dropped the bottle into the sink. "Are you ready to play tea party Sam?" she wanted to know.

"Of course I am." Sam replied, tucking the pill bottle behind her back.

"Good because I found the tea set." Alexis declared setting the pieces on the table. "What?" she asked when she noticed Sam watching her.

"Nothing. Nothing." Sam shook her head. The questions the penicillin bottle raised in her could be easily answered. A few hours on the computer and more than likely she would know. "Let's have tea."

*****

"Blue and white?"

"Don't care."

"Blue and red?"

"Still don't care."

"Lucky." Elizabeth let out an exasperated sigh as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Let me explain this to you one more time. See this wedding thing is a joint production so therefore you have to care. Otherwise I am putting you, Patrick, and Cruz in pink. With light purple accents."

Lucky paused briefly in his scanning of the weekly Billboard charts. She wouldn't really do that would she? It could be just like the time she threatened to name the twins Frick and Frack and be done with it. But that had been fueled mainly by pregnancy hormones. She didn't have that same look in her eyes as she had that particular day. He was getting the sinking sensation she was deadly serious. "Robin wouldn't let you."

"She would if I told her it was what I really wanted. Your mother too." She added quickly before he could throw that objection out there. "So start helping with this planning or this wedding will be getting press for all the wrong reasons."

"But it's color schemes." Lucky objected. "No groom helps with color schemes."

"You've given me no opinions on anything other than Mt. Hebron. I'm grasping at straws here Spencer. This is supposed to be your wedding too." Elizabeth pouted.

Smiling, Lucky pulled her into his arms. "Princess, as long as you're there, that's all the perfect wedding I need. The rest is just details to me. Even if the details were you that wanted a Star Wars theme wedding and being married by Obi Wan Kenobi."

"You're just being sweet to get out of talking plans." Elizabeth accused, tapping her finger on his chest.

"Maybe." He pulled her in closer to kiss her. It had been far too long since they had time just to kiss each other. Whose crazy idea had it been to have three kids and two careers again? "Is it working?"

"A little. You may be out of color schemes, but you still need to help." She responded between kisses.

"But this is so much more fun."

"It is. It is also a very large part of the reason why we currently have three children running around this house." Elizabeth pointed out with a laugh. "We do tend to get carried away with our fun."

"Are you complaining?" Lucky quirked one eyebrow. "After all, the twins are sleeping right now and Cameron can be entertained by that video game for hours."

"And he can just as easily lose interest and come down here." Elizabeth pointed out. "I thought we had a strict no causing additional therapy deal here."

"Then I guess we just need to take this someplace more private then." Lucky suggested, tracing the column of her spine with his fingers.

She shuddered involuntarily. It really had been too long since they had any time together. And didn't she just tell Robin the other day she needed something to get rid of all the wedding planning stress? Knowing Robin, this would be exactly what she would recommend. "Private huh? Do you have any suggestions?" she whispered into his ear.

"Well, I may have just the spot in mind," Lucky began to drawl before the knock on the door interrupted him. Groaning, he buried his face into her neck. "Ignore it. It's a salesman."

"There's no such thing as door-to-door salesmen anymore. It's probably your family."

"Why my family?"

"Grams calls first and Steven's on the other side of the world. Georgie's not exactly comfortable with me just yet to just pop on by. That leaves your family. This also means they aren't leaving."

"They will if they think we aren't home."

The knocking continued and Elizabeth finally stood up. "Lucky, the sooner we answer the door, the sooner we get rid of them and the sooner we can get back to what we were doing."

Grumbling, Lucky reluctantly allowed himself to agree with her. Damn his family's stubborn streak. Throwing open the door, he was momentarily confused to see Lucas and Lance standing there. In the back of his mind, he had assumed it was Patrick. "Lucas? Lance?"

"Hey Lucky." Lucas smiled awkwardly and then let it fall.

"Hey." Lucky returned carefully. "What are you doing here? Is everything ok?"

"Lance, you want to go play with Cameron a minute? Is he here?" Lucas wanted to know.

"Yeah. He's upstairs playing video games." Elizabeth offered. "Go on up Lance. He'll be thrilled to see you."

"Thanks!" Lance hurried up the stairs.

"Lucas? Do you want to come in? Is anything wrong with Lance?" Elizabeth asked as Lucas continued to stand on the porch.

"What? Oh, no, Lance is fine. I came here to talk to both of you about something." Lucas replied.

"Both of us?" Elizabeth remained puzzled. "Did Dillon send you over to try to take over wedding plans?"

Lucky didn't like the way his cousin was refusing to look at him. And whatever this was affected both of them? His gut was twisting into knots and his every Spencer instinct was telling him this was not good. Sometimes he really hated his instincts. "Lucas? Just say it. What's going on?"

Lucas pulled the folded newspaper from his back pocket and opened it up to the front page. "Max Giambetti is eligible for early parole." He said with a weary sigh.

"He's what?" Lucky exploded, ripping the papers from Lucas's fingers. "How is that possible?"

"He has some information on a current case and they're willing to wipe the slate clean for him if he proves useful." Lucas clarified.

"So there's no way we can stop this? Nothing we can do?" Lucky questioned.

"Elizabeth, can I talk to Lucky in private please?" Lucas stressed.

"No. Max is my past. We discuss this together." Elizabeth shook her head, which matched her shaking knees and voice perfectly.

"Baby," Lucky turned to her. "You don't have to listen to this."

"Yes I do. Max is my baggage. My past. I have to deal with this too. Don't try to protect me on this one."

"Elizabeth I just want..."

"I know what you want to do Lucky." Elizabeth cut him off with a wave of her hand. "And I love you for it, but you can't cut me out on this one. If, when Max gets out this is going to affect me most of all. So whatever you are going to say Lucas, you better say it to me too."

"I think Max knows enough to help them because he's in on it." Lucas expelled a breath. "And I'm going to do everything I can to prove it."

"What exactly does that mean?" Elizabeth questioned.

"He's got specifics and that tends to make me suspicious."

"How big of a case is it?" Lucky wondered.

"You aren't going to like it."

"You knew that before you mentioned it." Lucky pointed out.

"Do you remember Patrick's neighbor, Greta?"

"The slut?" Elizabeth questioned. When both the men turned to look at her, she shrugged. "Robin may have mentioned her once or twice."

"Clearly we know who she is." Lucky continued, turning his attention back to Lucas.

"She happens to be the daughter of the Senior Director of the FBI." Lucas went on.

"And Patrick thought she didn't have high maintenance written on her forehead." Lucky muttered. "How does she fit into this Lucas?"

"She was kidnapped two nights ago. When the kidnapper contacted her father, they explained the ransom demand and how it would all go down. The drop was supposed to happen last night, but something went wrong. The money's gone and Greta McLachlan never turned up. The director is furious and willing to do anything to get her back, even if that means dealing with scum."

"So it doesn't matter if he's involved up to his eyeballs. He spills, he gets out right?" Lucky guessed.

"That's right. All the director has to do is snap his fingers."

"So that's that. He's getting out." Elizabeth said in a shaky voice. "There is nothing to stop it. Max is getting out."

"Unless Greta's already dead." Lucas groaned.

"We aren't that lucky." Lucky muttered.

"He's getting out." Elizabeth repeated in a sing-song fashion. "He's getting out."


	365. Love Fills The Empty

"Not bad." Hunter said after a long pause. Maxie dropped a chip into the bowl of Queso. She openly gaped at him, words obviously too difficult to form. "What?"

"You can't date him." Maxie ordered with a weary sigh. When she had been looking for a place to stay, she had been strapped for time so she ended up rooming with Hunter, her boss's nephew. He understood about personal space and spent more time moping about men than she ever had. His only flaw was his choice in apartments. She had to shield her eyes against the harsh neon lights of the restaurant located directly across the street.

"I can't believe you told him you wanted him." Hunter rolled his eyes at her apparent bad choice. All he had heard over the last several weeks was how she didn't want to talk about her past. He didn't know what her problem was. If his past looked that good, he might have to stalk it.

"I was surprised." Maxie defended herself.

"I'll bet he was too." Hunter threw in with a chuckle.

"Oh what do I ask your advice for?" she whined.

"You didn't, but I'm going to give it to you anyway."

"No need. I already know the worst thing I could do is be alone with him again." Maxie assured him.

Hunter gave her a long look. "And how exactly are you going to avoid that? Follow me to and from work?"

"Look, I'm sorry about my little fib but I had to say something and look at you." She openly gestured toward him. "If anyone's going to make Ric crazy with jealousy, it's you. Imagine what he's thinking about right now." Maxie rested her chin in her right hand and smiled.

Hunter gave her a disgusted look. "He probably thinks we're going at it like rabbits. Wanna prank call him?" He made a goofy face at her.

"No," she argued.

"Don't look so surprised. If I got a few shots in you…" Hunter considered.

"Now you're starting to sound like a straight guy." Maxie clapped gleefully.

"Well that is my role in this little shenanigan isn't it?"

"I'd do it for you." Maxie pointed out.

"And have." Hunter recalled.

"There. You see? You owe me." She grinned.

"I don't have to grab your ass in public do I?" He stomped his foot when she didn't answer right away.

"I'm just kidding. No. I think that would actually blow your cover." Maxie knew she wouldn't like any guy doing that and her reaction might be what set Ric off. She had so few friends. She wasn't willing to put one in harm's way for her stupid love life.

"Can I ask you something though?"

"Sure."

"Do you want to get back together with this guy?"

"If I were even to consider it, I'd want him to suffer a lot more than he has first." Maxie reasoned.

"Bitter much?"

"He broke my heart, Hunter." Maxie defended herself.

"Then let the games begin. We should do a little shopping. I have a feeling I'm going to be very inebriated this week."

*****

Elizabeth pulled her knees up under her chin, resting her arms and head on top of them. Pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders, she tried to fight off the chill that seemed to descend the second Lucas had made his announcement. A part of her appreciated the fact Lucas had been so straight with them. Another part of her wished he had kept his news to himself.

The twins were still sleeping. Cameron and Lance were still completely involved in their video games. So she had retreated to their bedroom. Lucky had wanted to follow her but she had protested, claiming she needed just a few minutes to herself. The original idea was to get her mind on anything, anything other than Max being out but it wasn't working.

He was all she could think about. If she closed her eyes, he was all she could see. Would he want to find her? Would he look for her? Try to contact her? Was he sorry for what he did? Did he even care how long it took her to rebuild her life without him?

"Elizabeth, are you in there?"

"Robin?" Elizabeth raised her head and looked towards the closed door.

"Let me in." Robin insisted.

"The door's not locked. I just told Lucky it was."

Robin pushed the door open and brought her hand to her mouth. She wasn't going to ask the obvious question because she knew her friend was not alright. "Dillon called me."

"I figured it was him or Lucky." Elizabeth smiled sadly. "How long did Dillon wait?"

"He said Lucas had just left with Lance." Robin admitted. "The important question is why didn't you call me?"

Elizabeth shrugged and motioned for Robin to come join her on the bed. "Shock. I'm still stuck on the whole he's probably getting out thing."

"Only if he helps." Robin argued.

"He will. It benefits him. He'll help. I know that much about him still."

"There's no reason for him to come here." Robin promised, saying aloud what she knew Elizabeth was worried most about.

"He didn't exactly have a reason to come looking for me the last time Robin."

"If he did, we'd put him back in jail."

"And he'd just find another way to get out. Come on Robin we both know how this works. The slime always gets released."

"You don't know that'll happen."

"You don't know that it won't." Elizabeth sighed.

"When Logan came after me the first time, I went to Gail." Robin murmured.

"What do I keep telling you about listening to me?"

"Would you be willing to listen to me this time and go to see her?"

Elizabeth chewed her bottom lip before meeting Robin's eyes. "I'll think about it."

"I know it won't stop him if he's determined to come here. I'm no longer that biased," Robin promised. "But I do know that you'll be better able to fight his mind games if you can free yourself from the fear he still holds over you."

"You want to know the really sick thing?"

"I guess." Robin hesitated.

"I'm actually thankful for him."

"You are?"

"I had to leave the state to feel safe again. But the thing is, if I hadn't have moved, I wouldn't have taught Cam. Wouldn't have met Lucky. Wouldn't have had the twins. Wouldn't have met you. In a really twisted perverted way, I wouldn't have had my life without him."

Robin grabbed Elizabeth by her shoulders and wrapped her arms around her. "There's something we need to do, something that'll make you safer."

"Any luck on those fast growing cactus plants?"

Robin tried to smile but it faltered. "No honey. We have to teach you how to fight."

"Excuse me? I know you aren't suggesting what I think you are suggesting."

Robin met her eyes. "What do you think I'm suggesting?"

"A gun is not going to make me feel safer Robin."

"I'm not talking about a gun. Mac got me one and I learned that if you're afraid of it, it doesn't exactly protect you."

"Then what exactly are you talking about?"

"Just what I said. I teach you how to fight. I don't know if you've ever heard stories about the constant danger I was in as a child. My parents' enemies were always trying to take me away in hopes of destroying them. The only reason they never succeeded is because my father taught me how to fight. As a child, I wasn't much of a force to be reckoned with. My mother always told me that God gave me a strong set of lungs for a reason and I should use them, but my father was the one who took me out of what he called wimpy karate and schooled me for the next ten years on how to protect myself."

"So you are offering to teach me to be a super spy like yourself?"

"Yes." Robin nodded. "Besides, Nathan's getting bigger and older everyday. I need another excuse to get back in shape as soon as possible."

"Well when you put it that way."

"I love you and I won't let anything happen to you." Robin promised, patting her shoulders.

"Well what are we going to do? Rely on our boys?"

"Please." Robin rolled her eyes.

"Exactly. They'd do something like challenge him to a video game tournament."

"Then they better let the little boys play." Robin suggested.

"You have to be feeling better if it's pick on me and Patrick time." Lucky observed from the doorway.

"That's just reflex." Elizabeth smiled.

"I know that look. I'm outta here." Robin declared, jumping up. "We'll figure out a schedule and start tomorrow."

"Ok. Thanks."


	366. Feel Good Drag

"Cassidy." The sergeant's voice bellowed over the usual din of the squad room. "There's a rookie on one that thinks they got something on one of your cases."

"Now there's something to spread around." Evan rolled his eyes and picked up the phone. "Cassidy."

"Detective. It's Officer Holzman. You're working the Steven Webber hit-and-run right?"

"That's right." Evan nodded and then realized the officer couldn't see him.

"I may have a lead for you. This girl, she's down at the campus, apparently she's been talking about not remembering much from that night and her car's gone missing since then. Luckily for us, some of her hall mates are real talkative drunks."

"What's her name?" Evan grabbed a notebook from his desk and scribbled down the information.

"Haley. Haley Marano. But be careful, she's a rich trust fund type."

"I don't think money will make this go away." Evan argued, but took the officer's advice anyway. "I don't suppose any of those hall mates owned up to being witnesses?"

"Nope. Gotta make you do at least some of the work."

"Gee thanks. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Rumor has it she has a new boyfriend. Unfortunately, the rumors run from a Jonas brother to the campus football star to the new English professor."

"Really?" Evan smiled. "Now that sounds like a very uncomfortable situation. I live for those."

"Well now that I've solved your case for you, I do need to get working on my own."

"I appreciate it. Thanks." Evan hung up the phone and left his chair, glancing down at the little information he had to go on. Oh well. It was more than he had been able to dig up himself. He kept waiting for the commissioner to suggest he take time off with all the hindering around the station he seemed to be responsible for. He no longer felt in control the way he used to and he had only himself to blame for it. Getting involved in something that had absolutely nothing to do with him. He should have turned Lulu over to her parents. If he'd had any sense that's what he would have done.

Evan left the station and drove the half hour to the campus. He had called ahead of time to confirm that Miss Marano had classes until two when she was expected at work. If he missed her at the campus, he would catch her at work. Her boss was probably already tired of hearing his voice. If he hadn't argued the importance of detaining Haley for a few minutes before he let her start her shift, Evan wouldn't have had to shove logic and obligation down his throat. After all, he was a citizen of Port Charles. Didn't he care if one of his employees was part of a conspiracy? His answer came in a bunch of expletives and a resounding no. Still, he had agreed to call Evan the moment she showed up and that was better than nothing.

He parked as close to the main entrance as possible and then locked the car behind him knowing that particular logic was faulty. No one in their right mind would want this car. It had been issued to him by the Department and their budget got lower and lower as the months passed. He purposely didn't drive his car around town. No, that he kept for his days off when he would drive without a real purpose in mind and only stop when his car demanded fuel.

Before leaving the station, he had collected as much information as he could on Miss Marano. He had a picture of her along with the short list of friends she cared enough to keep in her phone. One call to the local phone company had provided him with that information. He might not be able to use it in court without a subpoena, but at least it told him who to talk to. From that list, he would have to branch off to the people that didn't give a flying fig about her because those, he knew, would be the ones who wouldn't mind letting a few important details slip.

*****

Chewing the bottom of her lip, Lulu checked the clock over the refrigerator again. Had he said six? He had told her he was off at six, right? She checked the calendar one more time to confirm yet again that Evan was supposed to be off at six. It was now seven-thirty and he was officially late.

Why hadn't he called? He always called. Ever since that first night, he'd call as he was leaving the station. Call her if he was going to be even just a few minutes late. Evan always called. It was one of the most reliable things about him. If he said he would call, he would call.

Evening hours were the worst time for her. The urge to go out and score was still strong. It was easier to find the drugs under the cover of darkness. The corners of the local clubs provided shadow and anonymity, perfect to score whatever a junkie would crave and explore whatever body you wanted to get to know that second. It was the nights she needed Evan most. He wouldn't let her leave. He distracted her. He refused to let her consider giving up and just having one more hit.

Picking up the phone, she dialed numbers she couldn't even remember memorizing. She just needed to hear his voice. Know he was ok. Then maybe she could get through the night.

"You've reached Evan Cassidy. I'm sorry I've missed your call, but I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If this is an emergency, hang up and dial 911."

"Damn it Evan." She cursed into the phone. "You better not be dead."

"Did I hear my name?" Evan asked, turning to disengage the alarm and locking the door behind him.

She flew across the room and launched herself into his arms. Burying her face into his neck, she felt relief at his appearance rise up as well as irritation at his casual entrance. "Where the hell were you?"

Evan held her tightly to him. "Geez, Spencer. I didn't know you cared so much."

"You always call. Why didn't you call?" She continued, ignoring his comment.

"There wasn't any service where I was. I was working on the case." He had forgotten. How could he have forgotten Lulu? He had gotten wound up in the interview and where it led him.

"What case?"

"The hit-and-run. I interviewed my first suspect today."

"The hit and run? Steven's accident?" Lulu asked slowly, taking a step back from him.

"Yeah. I got a lucky break. I wasn't even the one to find her. When I did, all she did was deny everything that I knew to be true, so I scoped out some of the other party members and placed her not a mile from where Steven's body was found. She has no recollection of what happened between five and ten that evening and her car is missing. CSU provided me with the results of the footprints they found at the scene and this suspect just happens to wear the same size boot as the prints match up to."

"You had footprints? I didn't know that."

"I didn't remember about them until I got the results back from CSU. I figured they would just match up with Steven Webber, but it seems that the driver of the other car got out, probably to see what they hit, and then abandoned the car. Of course, there's nothing backing up that last theory. The car could be anywhere."

"You...you still don't have the car?"

"No, but Port Charles isn't the only place it could be. She could have driven it out of town, out of state. We haven't stopped looking for it. Of course it would be the smoking gun because it'll provide the most information."

"Right." Lulu pushed her hair behind her ears. Her stomach was tangling up in knots and she couldn't place why. Some instinct wanted her to change the subject to something else, anything else. "So that was the only reason you were late?"

"Part of it, yes."

"Only part?"

"I forgot you were staying with me."

She smiled a little at that. "I thought you said I was impossible to forget."

"You are." He agreed, his mood lightening even more when he saw her smile.

"So then why exactly did you forget I was staying here?"

"I must be losing my mind. Not a big surprise. It was bound to happen eventually." He chuckled.

"Well I never did give you much credit for your brains." She teased.

"Why were you looking for me? Are you alright?"

"I'm ok. It's just...you've never not called."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you also sorry you forgot me?"

He had to laugh. "Yes. Of course. I'm thinking I may have to find a way to keep that from happening again."

"Yes you will. You'll also have to make it up to me somehow too you know."

"I say we make as many memories as possible." He leaned down to kiss her. It was a heady sensation to feel her lips automatically part for him.

"That's a start." She leaned into his palm when his fingers danced up her neck and tugged loosely on her hair. Her head tilted and the kiss deepened, her hands gripping at his shoulders.

He walked them out of the foyer, his back no longer shoved against the door, and into the living room. Her arms wound around his neck and his hands slid to her waist. The kiss went on and on, neither of them wanting to stop to breathe, and he nudged her toward the couch.

"Tired?" She teased, drumming her fingers across the back of his neck.

"Not me." Evan promised untangling his jacket from around his arms and letting it fall to the floor.

"Good. Me either."

"I've had you fall asleep on me before."

"Well you'll just have to keep me awake then won't you?"

Almost shyly, she touched the tip of her tongue to his; he pushed her deeper into the couch. As bad as he felt about forgetting her, if this was his punishment…His fingers slipped beneath the hem of her shirt and he groaned at the feel of her skin. In his arms, she was warm and pliant and he reminded himself not to get too caught up. He knew he wouldn't need much convincing.

She sighed at the feel of his hand on her skin. Moving her fingers down from his neck, she traced along the buttons of his shirt until she found the shirttails. Slowly, she undid one button at the bottom and slipped her fingers inside.

"I never asked how your day went." Evan whispered into her ear, trying to catch his breath. He had a little trouble concentrating on the very part of his brain that made speech possible.

"It's getting better."

"Did you sleep any?"

"Some." She kissed him again, this time moving her lips to the pulse point on his neck.

Evan wasn't aware of his shirt being completely undone until she pushed it off his shoulders. He took her hands in his and held them until she met his eyes.

"What?"

"We don't have to rush." He pointed out.

"Who's rushing?" she smiled.

"What are you trying to prove?" He asked, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

"Nothing. I'm just enjoying this. Aren't you?"

"God yes."

"Then why are we talking?"

"Because I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"I won't."

"Honey when I came in the door you looked like you were about to lose it."

"Because I was worried since you didn't call me."

"What made you call me now instead of earlier? What changed?"

"It was getting late."

"You know that I wouldn't let him near you." Evan didn't see the point in speaking the name. She knew who he meant.

"I know. I wasn't thinking about him."

"Did something spook you?"

"No."

"I think we need to slow this down."

"Give me one good reason."

"It's too soon."

"So we're on some sort of time table?"

"No. Not at all."

"Then what are you saying? Because if this is what we both want, I'm not seeing the problem here."

Damn her for using logic. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing that even thinking about taking that next step could send you stumbling. "Listen to me. I'm not exactly on solid ground here. The longest relationship I've ever had was with the expired milk in the fridge. I want you to feel comfortable here."

"You do make me feel comfortable." Lulu reassured him, running her hand through his hair.

"Aren't you worried that'll change if we rush through this?"

"Evan. We've already done this before."

"I know." He sighed. "But I want the next time to be about you and me, nothing else."

Lulu smiled up at him. "That's the first time you've admitted you want there to be a next time."

"Well there wasn't much to brag about that first time since I don't remember more than meeting you and waking up alone."


	367. Through The Darkness

Mac loved his wife. She was the only woman in his life, except of course Kristina, who didn't go out of her way to lie to him. It hurt a little that Georgie hadn't been the one to tell him about her pregnancy, but at least Alexis had the good sense to come to him directly after the appointment. They had gone to see Robin, probably to get some well-intentioned while erroneous advice. He loved his niece, God did he ever love her, but she came to no decision logically. Every one she had ever made was done so after she put a lot of emotion into it. And what Georgie needed right now was logic.

Both he and Alexis had the advantage over their girls because of what they did for a living. The gory details they saw everyday had instilled them with the ability to block out any and all emotion. Of course, they weren't cold to the families of the victims they often came across; probably because they had all too often been on that side of the table and been dealt what they were dealt.

Still, that didn't mean he wanted to do what he knew had to be done. If she wasn't going to do it, what choice did he have? Steven deserved to know. God, but it made him insane. If the guy wasn't her husband, he wouldn't have bothered. As much as he believed every man deserved to know if he was a father, he might have been willing to make an exception in his daughter's case. That wasn't to say he disliked Steven Webber. Even if they had gone about things the right way, the better way, the normal way, he doubted his opinion of the young man would have changed. And it wasn't even the age difference; he had had to deal with an even greater one when Maxie decided to date Ric Lansing. He didn't have a reason beyond he was the father, Steven was the son-in-law, and Georgie was scared, alone, and pregnant.

Was it enough to call the man or did he need to go there in person? And if he did go, who would he leave in charge of the station? The answer came to him immediately, but it surprised him nonetheless. Alexis would think he was nuts, but he had to try. He knew Georgie was worried about Steven dropping everything and coming to her, but that's what made his daughter so good, so fragile. Steven needed to come home and take care of her the way she had been taking care of him all this time. She didn't know everything, despite what she might think; in order to be a family, two people had to admit that they needed each other if they wanted their marriage to work.

He groaned aloud. She was so young and already so much responsibility had been dropped on her shoulders. He could still remember the last time this had happened and he would be damned if he let it end the way it had before. If Steven wanted out, Mac would rather know first so he could block the direct blow to his daughter's heart. It was about time he proved once and for all if Steven Webber was willing to go the distance. He dialed a number he barely remembered and booked his flight.

*****

Cruz tapped his fingers across the telephone receiver. "Come on," he whispered. He didn't know why women had cell phones if they weren't going to use them. His wife was about the only one who remembered to charge hers.

"Kate Howard."

"Where have you been?"

"Well hello to you too." Kate laughed. "It's called work. I do still have a job you know."

"Well, partner, I thought you'd want to know Jax took the bait. Before I could even get through the entire conversation with Brett, he told me that Jax has been on the phone with him all morning trying to get insider information—forgive the pun—on our little operation."

"Excellent. So we need to prepare stage two is what you're saying."

"Remember that favor you have waiting in the wings? It'd be a good time to call him."

"As soon as we hang up." Kate promised. "I'll be able to come back to town tomorrow. This story isn't going anywhere."

"You know it's about to get dangerous. Are you sure you still want to be in? I don't put anything past the bastard."

Kate smiled slowly, even though she knew Cruz couldn't see her. "If I didn't like to play rough I would have never suggested the game. I can handle the likes of Jasper Jacks. Don't worry that handsome little head about me."

Before Cruz said anything more, the last person he could have predicted walked into his temporary office. "I'll have to call you back."

"Alright. I'll be on my way back." She promised as she hung up the phone.

"Actually, this falls under better late than never." Brenda Jacks argued.

"What can I do for you?" Cruz's mind was spinning. What was she doing here? Why did she look so determined? And, most importantly, how devoted was she to her husband?

"I heard about your magazine. I'm sorry." Brenda replied blandly.

"I survived." Cruz waved off her concern.

"Are you still licking your wounds or would you like to hear a proposition?" Brenda crossed her legs and that's when he saw what she had brought with her: a thick brown folder.

"I have a few minutes." Cruz replied, somehow getting the words out.

"Good. I'd hate to think I wasted the trip." Brenda handed over the folder. "I want to help you bring down my husband."

"You understand why I can't just take your word for it."

Brenda stood up and pushed her hair back from her neck showing him the fresh bruises on her neck. "Convinced?"

Cruz stopped just before touching the scaly skin. "My God."

Brenda smiled wryly. "I doubt God had anything to do with it."

"Have you been to the hospital? You should have those looked at." Cruz insisted.

Her smile widened. "You're a sweet guy, but I have an appointment with my doctor for later this afternoon. I didn't think I'd be contacting a plastic surgeon at twenty-nine, but stranger things have happened."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Off the record?" Brenda mocked him and rolled her eyes. "Look, I didn't come here for your sympathy."

"What did you bring me?" Cruz returned to the desk where he had dropped the folder.

"An early Christmas present. I'm sure you'll know what to do with it. Oh, and, if you could keep from using my name until he's in prison or dead, I'd appreciate it."

"This meeting never happened." Cruz swore.

"Thank you."

"Do you mind if I ask you something?"

"It's in the file." Brenda countered.

"I'm not talking about what's in the file." Cruz explained.

"All right. What do you want to know?" Brenda's hand hovered over the doorknob.

"Why did you come to me now?"

Brenda's back stiffened. "I'm pregnant."

*****

"And then the big bad wolf moved to Hollywood and made a ton of money as an agent. He was so happy in his new life he gave Red Ridding Hood and the Woodsman a special bonus check and they all lived happily ever after." Dillon declared as he shut the book. Smiling over at Lance, he ruffled his son's hair. "And that's the way the story really happened."

"That's not what the book says." Lance argued.

"It is too."

"Daddy Dillon I can read. It's not what the book said."

"Well it should say that. My version is so much better."

"I agree." Lucas swept into the room with a plate of oatmeal raisin cookies. Lance's favorite. So much had been going on lately that he and Dillon hadn't been spending enough time with their son and the last thing either of the wanted was for Lance to feel neglected.

"Read me another story?" Lance asked while reaching for a cookie.

"I don't know. If you can read and all, maybe you should read one to us." Dillon smiled.

"Which book do you want?" Lucas wondered, halfway to the stairs.

"Can we start on Harry Potter?" Lance asked.

"It's a school night. Let's start with something a little shorter for tonight." Lucas suggested.

"Please?" Lance begged. "Just one chapter?"

Lucas knew he couldn't argue with his beautiful son. "Alright. The first book?"

Lance nodded eagerly a split second before his face contorted in pain. "Ow."

"What? What's wrong?" Dillon wrapped his arms around Lance. He shot Lucas a worried glance.

"I hurt." Lance said simply. "Here." He pointed roughly to where his kidneys would be.

"Okay. Let's call Dr. Walker." Lucas barely kept his voice steady. He shot a look at Dillon to stay calm.

Dillon nodded in Lucas's direction, acknowledging the unspoken request. "Right. We'll just check with Dr. Walker. It's probably nothing. Too much sugar tonight."

"Yeah. Too...too much sugar." Lucas hesitantly agreed.

Lance nodded and then winced again as another cramp rolled through his body. "Make it stop Daddy. Make it stop."

"We're going to get you to the hospital. Dillon, grab him. Why isn't she answering?" Lucas whispered the last part, frustrated tears stinging his eyes.

"Leave a message. Tell her to meet us at GH." Dillon instructed as he picked up Lance carefully. "We're going to get you some medicine and we're going to make this better for you. Ok? You just stay tough alright? Just like Uncle Luke taught you ok?"

"Okay Daddy." Lance whispered. "Promise."

"Lucas. Lucas." Dillon prompted his husband. "Come on, we need you."

"This is Lucas Jones. My son is in extreme pain. We're on our way to General Hospital. Call me back as soon as you get this." Lucas followed Dillon out the door, letting the phone dangle from the hook. Lance screamed all the way to the car and all the way to the hospital. When he finally stopped, it was because he had passed out.

"Dillon, what's going on?" Lucas whispered as he maneuvered the car around the growing traffic.

"I don't know. I hope it's not what we both think it is."

"He was fine. He was happy." Lucas grumbled, slamming his fist against the wheel. "If I hadn't argued with him, if I had been paying closer attention..."

"Hey." Dillon reached out and grabbed Lucas's hand. "It's not your fault. You didn't cause this."

"Neither did you." Lucas stressed every word.

"As long as we have that clear. Right now let's just concentrate on finding whatever will help our son."

*****

Patrick stepped off the elevator to the most absolute and utter silence he had ever encountered. Before he met Robin, he was used to the sound. It wasn't as loud before, wasn't as palpable. He was almost afraid to enter the apartment. What a stupid thought. Maybe they were finally getting into a routine and the baby had started sleeping more. He bet she was upstairs with Morgan playing a game or something. She wouldn't want to be far from the nursery and Morgan's room was right beside it.

This was his life and he loved it. Whether or not he deserved it, whether or not he had had earned it, it was his and he wouldn't give it up for anyone. Two years ago he hadn't thought he would be able to love another person as much as he loved Robin. It physically hurt him to be away from her and she had expressed similar sentiments. His little family had been through hell this past year, but they were still standing. Nothing could break them apart as long as they were together.

He pushed open the door and realized why he was always waiting for the other shoe to drop: because it always did. Robin was curled up in the chair they had picked out together with Nathan asleep in her arms. She rocked him continuously and for all Patrick knew this had always been true and he'd been too blind to notice. She didn't register that he was even in the room. Her eyes were hidden in the shadows, the room so dark Patrick had to stumble in order to reach her. He touched her shoulder and she screamed. The sound startled the baby and he began to cry. Robin continued to scream.

"What is it?" Patrick demanded. "What happened? Why is it so dark in here?" She ignored him and her screams only grew louder. Frightened, he took Nathan from her and placed in the bassinet where at least Patrick knew he wouldn't be dropped. That done, he folded his arms around Robin. "Sweetheart?" Her eyes stared straight ahead now and she stopped screaming. He searched for whatever she saw before realizing that whatever she was looking at no longer existed in this room. Her eyes glazed over. She spoke.

"_What are you doing out here all alone?" Robin asked, finding Morgan sitting in one of the empty chairs on the balcony._

_Morgan looked up. "When is Patrick getting home?"_

_Robin smiled sadly. Ever since she was released from the hospital, Morgan fretted every time the four of them weren't in the same place at the same time. Getting him to return to school had been one of the hardest challenges they had faced thus far. He had begged her to stay. Now she wished she had. "He'll be home by the time dinner's ready." With less than four months until the Daytona, Patrick had spent every moment of daylight on the track. He would be home by dark, Robin knew, but the exact time was always a mystery._

"_I want him home now." Morgan shook his head at her answer, obviously not appreciating it._

"_It's getting chilly. Why don't you come inside and we'll get some hot cocoa?" Robin offered, placing her hand on his shoulder._

"_What if Nathan wakes up?" Morgan challenged, folding his arms stubbornly._

"_Well he's too little for hot cocoa." Robin teased. "Listen, I know things haven't settled down yet, but they will."_

"_You've said that before." Morgan accused faintly._

"_I know, but this time I mean it." Robin emphasized. "Come on. Let's get some of that cocoa."_

"_I don't want any." Morgan argued._

"_Not even the kind with marshmallows?"_

"_They're stale."_

"_When have I ever relied on packaged hot cocoa? We add our own marshmallows. Remember?"_

"_I want the big marshmallows." Morgan told her._

"_That's the only kind we have." Robin promised. "Now will you please come inside? I don't want you to catch cold."_

"_Alright." Morgan gave in. "Can we watch a movie?"_

"_Sure. Why don't you pick one out while I take the baby upstairs?" Robin suggested._

"_So we don't wake him up." Morgan realized._

"_That's right."_

"_Can we watch Cars?"_

"_Whatever you want." Robin promised scooping Nathan out of the white bassinet Laura had given them the day they were cleared to go home. Ever since Dillon recommended the movie to Patrick—and recommended meant that he purposely forgot the movie here the last time Lance came over to play—he and Morgan had watched it nonstop._

"_Yeah!" Morgan ran for the movie case while Robin climbed the stairs._

Robin traced the lace lining of the bassinet and then continued her story. "I didn't even make it to the nursery."

"What are you talking about?" Patrick demanded carefully.

"Morgan yelled up the stairs to tell me that someone was the door. He must have remembered what we always tell him about not just opening the door to anyone." Her eyes filled with tears and she had to stare at her hands to keep her voice from shaking too badly.

"What happened next?"

"I carried the baby back downstairs without even realizing it and went to the door."

"Who was at the door?"

_"Robin." Ned shifted back and forth on his feet. He didn't know why he always had to show up with bad news but it seemed to be his lot in life. _

_"Ned? What a pleasant...Come in." Robin pulled the door open wider and carried Nathan to his bassinet. "Morgan and I were just about to watch Cars. Interested?"_

_"Not this time." Ned smiled. _

_Robin almost asked him for a rain check, but his face was too serious. "Has something happened? Is Lois alright?" To say that Ned showed up at her door, well ever, would have been a lie. She had never been as close to Ned as Lucky and Patrick were._

_"Lois is fine." She was ready to spit nails and sweep Robin, Morgan, Nathan, and Patrick out of the country under new names, but he was trying to keep a more rational head here. "Something has happened Robin. Something you need to know about. You need to be prepared."_

_"You're scaring me." Remembering Morgan behind her, Robin sent him to the kitchen to start the popcorn._

_"I don't mean to scare you. But no one else is going to tell you. I don't want you to be surprised." Ned took a deep breath and took a further step towards Robin. "I saw AJ."_

_"I saw AJ with Monica and Alan at the Estate." Ned clarified. "They didn't see me, so I overheard them talking. About Morgan."_

_"My Morgan?"_

_"Your Morgan." Ned nodded. Looking around, he could make out the boy's form in the kitchen. "Is there somewhere we can talk? He doesn't need to hear this."_

_"Morgan, honey, how about we put the movie on in your room?" Robin suggested with a placating smile._

_"But I want Patrick to watch it with us." Morgan protested._

_"I'll send him up just as soon as he gets home." Robin promised._

_"I don't want to be alone." Morgan whined._

_"Ned and I just have to talk about adult stuff for a second. I'll be right there. Promise." Robin told him. "Please."_

_"I'm just going to borrow your mom for a few minutes. I promise." Ned spoke up. _

_"Okay." Morgan gave in. "Should I take Nathan?"_

_Robin laughed and it felt hollow. "No, you just go on ahead. Be right there baby." She waited for him to disappear upstairs before she let any worry spread across her features. "What does Morgan have to do with AJ?"_

_"More than we thought." Ned sighed. "I'm not sure of all the details, but from I heard, AJ seems to think he's Morgan's father. Not Sonny."_

_"That's preposterous!"_

_"I agree with you. But they were talking about lawyers and judges, ordering DNA tests, the works."_

_"Why?" Robin bit down hard on her bottom lip. She would not crumble. "Why now?"_

_"I don't know. I wish I did." Ned reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I didn't want to tell you this, but I didn't want you to blind-sided when AJ showed up with a subpoena."_

_"He can't do that."_

_"He has money Robin. And the backing of the Quartermaines. I don't think Edward knows just yet, but you remember how he was like when Michael was a baby."_

_"He just got home." Robin whimpered._

_"And we're going to make sure he stays here. AJ is no more his father than Sonny was. He doesn't know Morgan. You do. You are his mother. No judge is just going to ignore that. As usual Junior isn't planning ahead effectively. It's always his downfall."_

"Where is Morgan?" Patrick wanted to know.

"They didn't come and take him while you were God only knows where. I promise you that." Robin bit off, pushing away from him and getting to her feet. "He's upstairs asleep."

"Ned was right. They won't take Morgan from us." Patrick tried to reassure her.

"How do you know that?" Robin challenged, advancing on him.

"Because Morgan is as much our son as Nathan is." Patrick reminded her.


	368. The True Meaning Of Persistence

Maxie slammed her fist into the alarm clock and glared it through her thick, unkempt hair. Hunter thought it would be a great idea to keep her up all night with stories of her and Ric while downing Jell-O shots. Sufficient to say, he had called in sick last night and she was going to have to face the world in an hour. She rubbed her forehead and groaned. The first thing she had to do was run a brush through her fuzzy hair. Somehow she dragged her weary body to the bathroom and threw the lever on the faucet until it reached a temperature she preferred. Then, clothes and all, she climbed in and lay down, praying for the pounding in her head to stop as the shower beat mercilessly down on her.

If she could muster up enough strength, she would throttle Hunter for his stupid, spur-of-the-moment ideas. Seeing as she didn't have the brain power to get her fingers to work the buttons on her nightgown, she closed her eyes and wished for death. Some time later, she woke up and realized the entire bathroom was drenched in water. Still, she felt a little better. God, what time was it? Had she slept through work? Surely not. She reached for the side of the tub and slowly, painfully, and with great effort pulled herself out of it. She couldn't stand, but she could crawl and that was how she ended up on the cold floor.

Something familiar got her moving and it wasn't the obvious sense of dread that she had missed work. It was something else, something wonderful. She breathed it in. Coffee. Oh thank God. She could get to the kitchen. Maybe. She _would_ get to the kitchen. Dragging herself toward the door, she wrenched it open and in true cartoon style, followed the smell until she found a fresh cup of coffee waiting for her. Next to it there was a note. Hunter's chicken scratch read: _Made coffee. Passed out. Have a good day at work._ She brought the cup to her mouth and drank it all in one gulp, enjoying the heat and the taste and not bothering to register that it was so hot it should have burned her lips.

Thirty minutes later, Maxie was fully dressed; her hair was shoved under a thick black headband. She felt so much better. Maybe there were people in the world who could live without coffee, but she had never claimed to be one of them. She grabbed her purse from the side table, grabbed her keys, and opened the door.

The sound of the keys hitting the floor was muffled only by the owner's insistence in using carpet instead of linoleum. Propped up against the side of the hallway was the pinkest, frilliest, most beautiful bicycle she had ever seen. The wheels were ashen-white and shiny multicolored tassels hung from both handlebars. A plastic pink bell was nearly hidden behind a large white wicker basket, both placed front and center of the bike. Its height intimidated her.

Where in the world had this come from? She walked around, her mouth hanging open, and that was about the time she spotted a single white envelope resting inside the plastic white basket. It read simply: **Maxie**. Curious and wary, she used her nail to rip open the seal and unfolded the note she found inside.

_Blondie –_

_Better late than never right? _

_Ric_

Maxie was wiping away tears when she finished reading what he had written. She vaguely remembered telling him how much she had wanted a bike just like this one as a child, but that Mac and Felicia hadn't gotten her one. She hadn't gone on to say that it was her overall health that made them hesitate because she'd rather that Ric not know. He would look at her differently. In true doctor form, he would try to fix her.

The rest of the day went like that. Her tiny office was filled chocolate mousse desserts, lilies, encrypted little notes that transformed her back to the time they had spent together. He must have listened to everything she had ever said to be this specific in his presents. She knew what he wanted despite what she told her curious co-workers. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. By five o'clock she was willing to at least talk to him.

Seeing her exit the building, Ric stood up from the bench he had been sitting on for the past two hours. So far, she hadn't sent anything back. He hadn't seen any of his gifts come flying out the window. All good signs. Coming up quickly behind her, he tapped her shoulder lightly. "Have a good day?"

"Enlightening." Maxie answered, catching her breath.

"Really?" He drawled as she came to a stop in front of him. "Care to elaborate on that?"

"The bike." She pushed her hair behind her ear. "That was the first thing I ever told you about. How did you remember it?"

Shrugging his shoulder, Ric reached out and pushed back another flyaway strand. It was shorter than he remembered, but he still liked it. "I told you I was listening to you."

Maxie rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes. "What is it you want from me? The bike, the gifts…I'm confused to say the least."

"The same thing I wanted back in Port Charles. I decided to take away your ability to hang up on me."

"This isn't fair." Maxie said slowly.

"Whoever said I play fair?"

"I know somewhere we can go to talk, but let's get one thing straight right now: it'll only be talking."

"Talking has never been our strong point." Ric reminded her.

"Take it or leave it." Maxie bargained, planting her hands on her hips.

"Lead on."

*****

Kristina dragged her rabbit along behind her as she and Alexis walked Mac to the front gates of the Port Charles train station. "Do you really have to go?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Mac stopped, turned around, and dropped down in front of her, wiping her tears away. "Just for a little while. I have to go help some other cops get a couple of bad guys." He had told Alexis and Kristina that he had gotten a call from a neighboring county where an old friend of his worked. They had a couple of lowlifes that greatly resembled Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan and were just as slimy when it came to getting charges to stick.

"Why do they need your help? Why can't they do it themselves?" Kristina demanded, frowning.

"They just can't princess, but I'm going to be back home with you, Mommy, and Georgie very soon." Mac promised adamantly. Hesitantly, she let him pull her into his arms and then in the next instant threw her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder. The sound broke his heart, but he knew he had to do this for Georgie since she wasn't going to do it for herself.

"Will you call me everyday?" Kristina inquired once they broke apart. Her eyes were already puffy and red rimmed.

"Everyday." He nodded and turned to Alexis who looked about ready to cry herself. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Me? Please." Alexis forced out, smiling for his benefit.

"A couple of days. No longer."

"I know. You have to go." Alexis wouldn't let herself cause a scene. It was such a soap opera reaction and she wouldn't stoop to that. She bent down to pick Kristina and her shabby rabbit up.

"I love you both. I've got my phone with me. Call me if you need me." Mac ordered.

"We will." Alexis shoved him to the ticket counter. "Go save another town. You're good at it."


	369. LastMinute ReWrite

"Bobbie?" Cruz called up the stairs, closing the door loudly behind him. "Bobbie, are you here?" What a stupid question, he berated himself. Her car was in the driveway. Majandra's toys were scattered across the living room carpet, but his pretty daughter was nowhere to be found. To say his meeting with Brenda had left him feeling unsteady would have been the biggest understatement since mobsters could go legit without a body count.

"I'm in our room." Bobbie called out softly. She couldn't go on like this. Laura was right, as she always was. She had to ask him straight out what was going on. If he had found someone else, then she would figure out a way to live with it. But she could not continue in this limbo.

"Bobbie." Cruz breathed, spotting her on the bed. His relief was short-lived when he saw the open suitcase sitting beside her. For now it was empty. She wouldn't look at him. "What...?"

"I need answers Cruz. I can't live this way anymore."

"What way?" Cruz demanded, barely able to keep his temper in check. He walked over to where she was and slammed the suitcase shut.

"What way? You're never here. You shut me out of your life. You've been keeping secrets. Strange women call here looking for you and you never explain them."

"Secrets? Women?" Cruz repeated, not sure which to explain first.

"Have you found someone else?"

"What? No!"

"Then what is going on? Who keeps calling here and not leaving messages? Why are you never at the office anymore? What is going on?"

He should have assumed she would jump to conclusions. One minute he was down in the dumps and the next he was practically dancing throughout the house. Never did he stop to explain the reasoning behind either reaction. No wonder she was wary. He couldn't let her leave him. He knew he wouldn't survive it.

Taking her hand in both of his, he took a deep breath and said, "The reason I'm never in the office is because I don't work there anymore. The truth is I haven't worked there in a while. I've taken on a business partner. Her name is Kate Howard. We've been working, for the past several weeks, on ways to bring down Jasper Jacks. I didn't want to tell you that he has control of The Insider because I was ashamed to."

"Ashamed? Why would you be ashamed of that? I knew he was aiming for The Insider and it was a possibility."

"How did you know?" Cruz had done everything he could think of to make sure she never found out just how vulnerable the newspaper was, how incapable he was.

"The day he came here to the house. I heard him." Bobbie admitted. "What I don't know is why you didn't feel you could come to me about this."

"How could I come to you in pieces?"

"Baby, for better or for worse, remember?"

"I remember promising that I would take care of you and our little girl."

"That means we need to know what is going on. Taking care of us means being here with us."

"Were you really going to leave?"

"If you were going to continue to lie to me, yes."

"I'm sorry I lied to you. I should have been able to see past my own stupid pride and talk to you about this." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the inside of her palm.

"I should have told you what I was feeling before we got to this point." Bobbie admitted smiling at him, running her free hand through his hair.

"Are we okay?"

"Is there anything between you and this Kate Howard?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think anymore."

"From the moment I saw you, I've known you were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, would ever see. I can't say I ever expected you to feel something for me since your brother's dog, Foster, was cuter than I am. But you did and from then on I told myself I would fight for you. I love you and there has never been anyone else for me. But if you don't believe me, if you need me to prove it to you, I will. I will always fight for you, Bobbie."

She could feel tears prick at the corners of her eyes. Why had she doubted him? Cruz loved her; he had proven that time and time again. He'd gone against his friends, his family just to be with her. And she thought he would walk away from everything they had built based on what? A phone message? Smiling at him, she took a step closer toward him. "You were always cuter than Foster."

"Yeah?" Cruz nuzzled his nose into her neck. He wound his arms around her waist, holding her as tight as he could without crushing her.

"Yes. Foster had a terrible drool problem."

"He was always staring at you." Cruz reasoned, pushing her sleeve down her arm.

"Because Luke made me feed him."

"Bobbie, stop talking." Cruz insisted, turning her face toward him.

"Talking is overrated." Bobbie agreed as she saw the look in her husband's eyes.

*****

He had tried to concentrate on other things, anything, but he couldn't. His every waking thought was consumed by one idea. He may have a daughter out there, living in this very town. David had tried to hide from the implications, tried to throw himself even further into his cases, but it wasn't working. Whenever he stopped for longer than three seconds, Deliah's smiling face taunted his memory and his obsessive thoughts would begin again.

Even now, sitting at home, he couldn't stop thinking about the possibility. Why had Carole not told him? Was he being presumptuous in assuming she was his daughter? How exactly did he bring this up when he saw Carole again? Was he going to see her again?

Obviously the girl had a father, or at least he assumed so. The Carole he remembered wouldn't stick around with someone who didn't treat her right. He would assume the same attitude extended to Deliah. If he was right, and he was that little girl's father, what did he want that to mean? Was he ready for to be a father? Could he be one? His own father had left long before he could even remember. The men who hung around his mother could only be called "father figures" in the vilest use of the words. Did he want to disrupt a child's life?

Seeing Sam walk across the small living room toward him, he told himself to snap out of it. If he wasn't sure of what he was feeling right now, Sam would certainly be all over the map. They had never discussed children outside of a few quick conversations about her son. Was he really thinking of dropping this on her lap on top of everything else she was already adjusting to?

She would never say so aloud, but seeing David sitting on their couch was one of the few things she looked forward to everyday. He was more home to her than anyone else had ever been. She smiled and dropped down beside him. "You look a little spooked."

David shook his head. "It's nothing. Just work."

"Must be pretty gruesome." Sam assessed from the look on his face.

"Just difficult."

"Can I help?"

No, first he needed to figure out what exactly he was thinking and what it was he wanted. Correction, he told himself, first he needed to find out if his suspicions were right. Then he needed to figure out what he wanted to do. He put his hand into the pocket of his jeans, rolling the small piece of paper there. It had taken less than five minutes on the computer and he had Carole's address. Now the question was did he want to use it? "No. Thanks for the offer though."

"Well, I might be willing to take your mind off of work."

He took her hand in his own and playfully intertwined their fingers. As tempting as her offer was, this was one time he knew she wouldn't be able to distract him. The back of his mind would be focused on this situation. He needed to deal with it. "Tempting."

"Oh come on." She whispered against his ear. "We still have some birthday cake left."

Turning his face toward hers, he kissed the tip of her nose. "I have to go into work."

"No you don't." Sam argued, kissing the side of his mouth. "You have to stay here."

"I do." He had to. If nothing else Samantha deserved his complete attention. He had to find out. Clearly he wasn't going to have any peace until he did. "If I don't go now, I won't be able to fully concentrate on you."

Sam threw up her hands in an exaggerated fashion. "Fine. Go. Abandon me."

"I'll be back." He promised. "This won't take all night." At least he hoped it wouldn't.

"Okay. If you see smoke when you get—when you come back, it's just because I tried to cook something." Sam told him.

"Duly noted." He smiled at her as he reached the door.

"Be careful."

"Always. I have to come back to you don't I?"

"Yep." Sam's smile faltered once the door closed behind him. What was wrong? A case that had him looking like he had just stepped into a minefield? "What are you hiding Harper?" she asked aloud.

*****

Evan spotted Lulu easily enough. She was sitting in the middle of the carpeted floor surrounded by books on every subject. She was currently engrossed in one, but he couldn't see the title from behind the bookshelf where he was currently standing. He had given the library staff a picture of Vermin just in case, by some miracle, he decided to show up here of all places. He personally couldn't picture the guy in a library, doubted he possessed the mental capacity to read. It wasn't even the university library because that would have been too obvious and there was a possibility that someone would recognize Lulu. The presence of a familiar acquaintance could be just as damaging as Laura Spencer showing up and carting her daughter off.

He had to admit, the idea hadn't been something he immediately thought of. When he came home after an all-nighter, something his live-in houseguest didn't mind pointing out she didn't appreciate, he found her pacing the apartment from one wall to the next. She was absolutely stir-crazy and who could blame her? She had been cooped up in the apartment for the better part of two weeks and there was no definite time table. Instead of the total refusal and blind fear he had been expecting from her, her reaction was merely one of hesitation and a little apprehension. Somehow he got her to the car and to the library, but he could tell she wasn't very keen on the idea, at least not at first. Looking at her now, he might have thought this had been her plan all along.

She sensed his presence before she saw him. Chewing on her bottom lip, she glanced up smiling. "I may have read this book before, but I still don't have a clue what it's about."

"Doesn't it say on the back cover?" Evan supplied.

Lulu shook her head and shot him a skeptical look. "You haven't read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance before have you?"

Evan chuckled. "I can't say that I have."

"Take my word for it and just don't." Lulu sighed and patted a clear section of the floor. "Sit down. You're making me nervous."

Evan stretched out next to her, skimming through the books with his eyes. "Simon and Garfunkel: The Truth Behind Their Breakup." He read aloud.

"A true American tragedy."

"A collection of Peanuts comics? And here I thought you had no sense of humor." He scooted the book behind his back.

"You had me confused with yourself."

"Um, no." Lifting an eyebrow in her direction, he said, "And don't think I didn't notice that discs two and three of Scooby were in the DVD player."

"Boredom makes a person watch anything." Lulu smiled at him. "Lock you up for a week and I bet you even start watching Emergency Room with me."

"Doesn't sound like something I would do. That is, watch a soap opera. I can think of worse things than being locked up with you."

"Really?" Lulu leaned closer to him. "Just what do you think we'd be doing to keep from getting bored?"

He picked a loose bobby pin from her hair and drew the blonde curls behind her ear. "I think between the two of us we could come up with something."

"So you would watch that soap with me."

"Not a chance." He replaced the bobby pin and held her face in his hand.

She smiled at him, leaning her face against his palm. "So what where you just doing?"

"Checking a few leads. It's like string. You keep pulling at one until something tugs back."

"Really? You weren't trying to memorize all the exits in case you have to play hero?" she teased him.

"I did that on the way in. I was checking something else."

"Really? What were you checking on?"

Instead of answering her question directly, he used a question to clarify. "Did you know that there are seven cameras in this one library?"

"Seven? Where are they?"

"They're hidden." Evan pushed some of the books away so that there was a clear path to her. "For instance, there's one over there in that light fixture." He pointed several shelves over.

"That's one."

"There are two more, one to your left and the other to your right. They're hidden in the curtain rods." He waited for her head to turn before kissing the side of her neck. It was a brief touch, something she pretended not to notice.

"So we're being watched then?" She bit her lower lip to keep from sighing at the contact.

"See, but I've found a way around that. All of the cameras have a fifteen-second delay." He nodded toward the horrendous plant that was within reaching distance and pulled her to her feet.

"Fifteen seconds? What exactly can someone do in fifteen seconds?"

"Not a lot, but that's fifteen seconds for each one. It's easy to outsmart a machine, and then we're talking a hundred and five seconds of complete privacy." He explained, walking her around a dusty shelf.

Following him willingly, she pretended to take his idea seriously. "Oh well when you put it that way..."

"I thought you might see reason." He laughed, leaning in to kiss her before pulling her in the opposite direction. There was a camera hidden between a tower of books sitting on a table mere feet away, one that he knew she didn't notice.

"However there's one thing I think you should know."

"What's that?"

"I don't mind the camera."

Surprised and pleased by her reply, he followed the column of her throat with his mouth. Her head fell back on a sigh and it was all he could do to keep his hands from shaking when they settled around her waist. His eyes closed at the feel of her nails raking through his hair and his hold on her tightened. Aware of the few but ever present company floating around them, he led her toward an abandoned section where he knew no one would bother them. Something about old periodicals and scripts from cancelled television shows.

"How many cameras here?" she whispered.

"I have no idea." His lips found the particular spot between her neck and shoulder that made her go limp against him. He could feel her tugging at the overshirt he wore and smiled unconsciously. At least it was mutual.

"Evan." She whimpered.

"Shh." He kissed her then and his hands skimmed up her back.

Her fingers finally succeeded in loosening his shirt enough to slip underneath the material and feel his skin. She molded her body closer to his. "Don't stop."

"I won't." Without looking, he swept his hand over the front of her shirt, loosening the buttons in one swift motion and opening her up to him. Sliding his warm hands around her, he pulled her closer and stabbed his tongue between her lips.

She met the thrusts of his tongue with a few of her own, working his overshirt up with her hands. Pulling back from him only long enough to pull it over his head and deposit it on the library floor, she looped her leg around his and ran her fingers through his hair.

He folded his hands under her and used them to hoist her up even higher so that they were standing in an even more dangerous position. He could feel her panting against his mouth and knew he was in no better condition. They needed to breathe but he couldn't stop kissing her. She felt so good, tasted so good. Deciding a compromise was inevitable, he unfastened their lips and stroked her face with his free hand. He shook his head when the familiar blaring of his phone cut through the fog.

"Ignore it. You have voicemail."

"Only a few people have this number. I have to answer it."

"I'll make it worth your while if you don't."

Groaning, he set her back on her feet and answered the phone. He recognized the frantic voice on the other end of the line immediately. "We'll be right there."

"We'll be right where?"

"The hospital. Your cousin Lance is having complications."

"Lance?" Lulu shook her head in confusion as she buttoned her blouse. "What kind of complications? And who in my family has your number?"

He grabbed his shirt and threw it on. "She wasn't specific. And your mother. Who else?"

"My mother? When did my mother get your number?"

"Honey, there isn't time to explain."

"You will explain though." She pointed out as she watched him re-dress.

"Let's go."


	370. Send Me On My Way

The only way to fully appreciate the law while working in law enforcement was when it worked against you. According to the Sydney Australia Airport, Mac Scorpio looked like a terrorist. Even though he had told them he would be carrying his gun. Apparently he looked like a risk and had spent the last twenty-four hours handcuffed to a seat sitting next to a member of airport security. Stupid Australia. Stupid Steven Webber. Stupid, stupid master plan.

At least he didn't have to worry about controlling his temper when he saw his son-in-law. Steven Webber had the rare opportunity to witness Mac Scorpio at his most frustrated. As it should be. The man had abandoned his pregnant, vulnerable little girl and she wasn't going to do anything about it, so Mac had no choice. He didn't want his excuses, he wanted a solution. Steven needed to make a decision and he was going to have to make it today.

Mac reached the Crowne Plaza a day later than he had anticipated, but at least he had made it here. He could practice a little optimism. It worked well for Kristina. Maybe he should invite Steven to a play date with some nice china and real tea. Oh, but how could such a thing happen without the stuffed rabbit? He was losing it, seriously losing his mind. He pounded on the door impatiently.

"I know you're in there Webber! Open the door!"

"Relax." Steven laughed, opening the door and inviting his loud and obnoxious father-in-law inside. "You're going to annoy my neighbors."

"Annoy?" Mac repeated. "ANNOY? Do you have any idea what I had to go through to get here?"

"Not a clue, but I'm sure you'll tell me all about it. Sit down. Do you want something to drink? I have...something." Steven deduced, shutting the refrigerator.

"Did I do something in particular to deserve you in my life? Because I will gladly apologize for it now if I can turn back time." Mac grumbled, helping himself to a glass of water. The hotel room was about the size of his living room and on the inside he was smiling. Not that he wanted his son-in-law to do badly. If he failed, Georgie would suffer. It was just nice to know that perhaps things weren't as wonderful as he was putting on for everyone else.

"Well lucky for me, you can't. I'm guessing there's a reason you stopped by. Not that I'm rushing you. I would love to spend the day participating in this passive-aggressive argument." Steven drawled, pouring himself a glass of ice water.

"Would you like to know or do you think you can guess? Go ahead. I've got time." Mac folded his hands in front of his crossed legs and smirked. For the first time all day, he felt in control.

"I have to assume you wouldn't have come this far if it didn't have something to do with Georgie. Something serious."

"Would you like a sticker?"

"I'd like some answers. Georgie won't tell me."

"You'd like answers? You would like some answers." Mac took a large gulp of his water and set his glass back down.

"Mac, come on." Steven kicked at the bottom of the glass table in the middle of the room and it shattered.

"At least it seems like you care now."

"I've always cared." Steven argued.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Mac challenged. "Hmm? Something is going on in your wife's life that you know nothing about and when she won't tell you, what do you do? Huh? What do you do? You sit by the phone and wait for the call."

"I'm sorry I forgot to pick up The Great Husband's Manual. I'll do that first thing tomorrow." Steven bit back.

"Steven, Georgie's pregnant."

"What? Pregnant."

"Yes, pregnant. I don't think we are comfortable enough with each other to get into how that could have happened."

"When...when did she find out?" Steven tried to go over the last few conversations he had had with Georgie. He had known she was hiding something, but he hadn't pushed her enough.

"A week ago."

"A week?" It had been longer than that since they'd spoken. She had kept this from him the same way she had tried to keep the scare from him. Before he had at least confronted her. What had he done? Mac was right. He was wasting away here like a man who had fallen down a bottomless well.

"If you're wondering why she didn't tell you, it's because she was afraid of your reaction." Mac didn't know why he had felt the need to tell Steven more than the basic information. What Georgie thought or how she reacted to the stress of this newfound development was her business. She had made it a point not to tell Steven. Was he making a mistake?

"My reaction." Steven echoed.

"If you're going to repeat everything I say this is going to take a lot longer than it needs to." Mac groaned. "Now I came here because I believe, or have been forced to believe that you're an okay guy. You wouldn't abandon your wife. I know that. You know that." He made certain to emphasize the words abandon and wife.

"What are you even doing here? You must have been happier than hell when Georgie told you she didn't want to include me, her husband, in this pregnancy at all." Steven accused hotly.

"Don't tell me what I am or how I feel, Mr. Webber. My reason for being here, my only reason for coming to you today is because I don't want my daughter to think she has to do this alone. That said," Mac took a breath. "If that is your intention, tell me now. I can go back and support her decision not to tell you and you can both go on with your lives. Her family can help her raise that baby and you won't be out anything."

Steven hadn't ever felt angry beyond words, but he knew if words could kill his glare would have sawed right through the back of Mac Scorpio's head. He had to get a grip. How could he when all he felt was anger, no rage. He was outraged that this was happening and that Georgie hadn't been the one to tell him.

"I'm staying across the hall. Let me know when you've made up your mind." Mac got up and left.

*****

"Should I come back?" Hunter teased, holding a cup of coffee directly over Maxie's head.

"Go away Hunter." Maxie whined, pulling the covers up over her face.

"If I go, the coffee goes with me." Hunter threatened.

"Mean." Maxie accused from under the blanket. Her voice was muffled and her mood was sour.

"How did last night go? I'm guessing well if you're sleeping in." Hunter surmised with a grin.

"It's Sunday." Maxie protested.

"You never sleep in." Hunter pointed out.

"I hate you. Leave me alone."

"You know that's not going to happen." Hunter plopped down on the bed and set the coffee next to the table. "What happened last night?"

"Disaster." Maxie moaned.

_"Nice place." Ric commented as he slid across the vinyl bench seat across from her. "Come here a lot?"_

_"No. Hunter suggested it." Maxie flipped open her menu and hid behind it._

_He was determined not to rise to her bait. She was only bringing up that Hunter guy to make him jealous, possibly even to make him mad enough to stand up and walk away. Well she was just going to have to be disappointed. "Reminds me a little of Kelly's."_

_"It's nothing like Kelly's." Maxie shot back._

_"Really?" He quirked an eyebrow. "Take away the red vinyl and the grandmother behind the counter, add in a jukebox and Mike and it could be Kelly's twin."_

_"Whatever."_

_"Have you tried the chili?"_

_"They don't have chili."_

_"Shame." He folded the menu. It wasn't as if he had come here for the food anyways. _

_"What can I get you two?" The waitress wondered. Her auburn hair was wound up at the base of her neck, a pen and notebook in her hand._

_"I'm not hungry. Can I just get a cherry coke please?" Maxie asked._

_"And for you?"_

_"Iced tea."_

_"Be right out."_

_"How are you enjoying L.A.?"_

_"It's not home."_

_"Well feel free to head back."_

_"Not without you."_

_"Are you sure you wouldn't like something to eat?" The waitress pestered._

_"We're fine." Ric dismissed her with a smile. "Don't think you're getting out of talking about us Maxie."_

_"What about us?"_

_"Don't play dumb."_

_"I just figured that's what people expected from the blonde."_

_"Maxie."_

_"Yes Ric?"_

_"You know why I came here. Why can't we talk about it?"_

_"Sometimes I miss how things used to be." Maxie admitted. "But that doesn't mean I thought it was worth all the hell...Damn it Ric."_

_"It was worth everything. It's still worth something." Ric pointed out. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't."_

_"You hurt me."_

_"I know I did. I am willing to do anything to make it up to you."_

_"And just what do you think you have to do?"_

_"Whatever it is you want me to do."_

_"I told you what I wanted you to do."_

_"If you really wanted me to leave you alone and return to Port Charles, you wouldn't have accepted my gifts today. You wouldn't be sitting here with me now."_

_"I knew it was my only chance for a frilly pink bike."_

_"I find it amusing you still think I'll buy your rationalizations." Ric mused quietly. "I never have you know."_

_"You always have."_

_"Wrong." Ric leaned across the table and grabbed one of her hands before she could move it out of his reach. "I know you. And I know when you are lying to yourself. And when you want to push me away because what we have is too real, too scary for you to deal with."_

_"What's real about it?" Maxie challenged, yanking her hand back. "We went out, we had sex. Now we don't."_

_"It was more than just sex Maxie. We both know that. Neither of us put that much effort into something that was just sex. I admit I thought that was all it was in the beginning, but that's not the case now."_

_"What is it then?"_

_"Damn it Maxie." Ric swore. "Somehow, and I don't know how, you are the only person I want to spend time with. When something good happens, I want to call you first. I miss you dropping by my office. I miss seeing you at Kelly's. I miss our phone calls. I miss cooking for you. I miss everything about you. Your laugh, your enthusiasm, your loyalty to your family even if I don't completely understand it. When you're hurt I want to kill the person who hurt you. So the fact that I hurt you is killing me inside."_

_"I...I..."_

_Taking advantage of her stunned response, Ric stood up quickly and moved to the other side of the booth. Before she fully realized what his intentions were, he kissed her. "I meant what I said. I'm not leaving L.A. without you."_

_Her intention had been to push him away, but her hands wouldn't cooperate. How could she have let this happen? She knew, damn it she knew if she let him kiss her...but she hadn't let him. She wasn't stopping him either. She intertwined their hands and placed them on his thigh. He might have control of her mouth, but damn it, she was holding his hands captive._

_He took a step back when oxygen became a necessity. "The number for my hotel is in the card with your flowers. Call me when you are ready."_

_"Damn you." Maxie growled, pushing him out of her way and running out of the diner._

"Chicken." Hunter lovingly teased her.

"I'm not a chicken."

"Where's the card?"

"Dresser."

"Underwear drawer?" Hunter grinned, pulling out the tiny white card.

"Shut up."

"My little Maxie is growing up. I only wish I could actually meet this man. I mean without him running the other direction." He pulled the blanket down. "And you know that doesn't happen."

"You'll get that chance." It was Maxie's turn to look smug.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm inviting him over for dinner tomorrow and you're going to be here."

"Darn Max, I can't." Hunter feigned disappointment. "As much fun as playing referee would be, I'm busy."

"You are not. I checked your schedule."

"Yes, but I got a few new numbers today."

"It's eight in the morning."

"I had to get coffee."

"I hate you. How can you abandon me?"

"Sorry."

"No you're not."

"You're right. I'm not. I'll totally help you pick out what you can wear tomorrow when you go to his hotel room."

"Nope. Your expertise is not needed."

"What?"

"Or appreciated."

"Bitch."

"Ass."

"Love you."

"Give me the coffee."


	371. A Family Tradition

"This was a mistake. I shouldn't have come." Sage moaned and started to walk back towards the elevator she had just exited. What was she doing back here in a town she had sworn she would never return to? She couldn't help. It was dangerous for her to help. She had explained all of this to them months ago. But still, Lucas had called her frantically and now here she was.

Didn't they get it? Any connection to her, her family, and Lance was in danger. The Corinthos/Morgan organization may no longer threaten Port Charles, but their enemies still existed and still threatened her. It was better, safer for Lance if she just stayed away. All she was to him was a name on a piece of paper. If Lucas and Dillon wanted their son to live to see puberty, it was all she should remain to him.

"You can't keep running from this." Diego argued, pulling her as far away from the elevator as he could.

"Yes I can. Diego, you know how dangerous this could be for him. For all of them."

"I know that eight years ago you did something I told you not to do and now there are consequences. Sage, your son needs you."

"He's only my son because of biology. I never wanted to be his mother."

"Then let's just go," Diego steered her in the opposite direction. "I'm sure they'll get a nice picture of him for the Obits page."

"You have one sick way of trying to make me do the right thing." Sage pointed out as she pulled out his grasp.

"So you admit it's the right thing?" Diego laughed aloud.

"I know it's the right thing." Sage sighed as she crossed her arms. "That doesn't mean it's not also the most potentially dangerous thing as well."

"That's why you brought me."

"Diego, what if one of us is a match for Lance? If anyone connects him to either one of us..." She let her voice trail off. They both knew the consequences that came with being a member of the Alcazar family.

"No one will. That's why we're doing this under fake names. We talked about this." Diego tried to reassure her.

"We were using fake names before and Lucas found us." Sage pointed out.

"You heard what the message said. None of their family is a match. That means it's got to be one of us. We are the only chance this little boy has."

"It's not fair." Sage shook her head as she sank down into a nearby couch. "We shouldn't be his only hope. He shouldn't be sick period."

"It wasn't fair what happened to our mothers either." Diego reasoned.

"And what exactly are we supposed to do? Just waltz in there, take tests under fake names, and wait with a room full of people who never understood the decision I made? Who will never see me staying away from Lance as his only shot at a normal life?"

"He has a normal life and after this he'll still have a normal life. The key is life itself. If we don't help him, he will die. Now that's a direct quote from his doctor." Diego stressed, shaking her.

"Diego I love you but your pep talks suck."

"Kiss my ass. I kill people for a living."

"Don't leave me ok? No matter what happens in that room, you are not leaving me."

"I couldn't if I wanted to." He promised, throwing his arm across her shoulder. "Let's go save the day."

*****

Carole Larson. 17916 Elm Street. Townhouse. Moderately sized backyard. Mysterious yellow dog in the fence. A nice neighborhood next to all the schools. Sam repeated the information in her head over and over. In a way it calmed her. This was, after all, the second time she had followed David to this very location. She sat in the car like a stalker and watched him disappear into the townhouse while hours passed, hours in which she wondered what they were doing. In the same breath, she told herself she would rather not know. Some case. She couldn't think of a pleasant outcome if she asked him why he had lied to her, why he continued to lie.

It was hard to watch him slip inside again but she couldn't tear her eyes away. He went there right after work and returned to the apartment only when he needed a change of clothes and a shower. She had almost slipped and asked him why his new girlfriend didn't just let him use hers. Of course, maybe that would have clued in her husband. This was so unlike him, but there was still so much she didn't know about him. Maybe this was his style. No, she didn't believe that. There had to be another explanation. There must be.

Poor little Sami. All alone again. Used again. Forgotten so easily. Despite the promises. Despite all of it. She wanted to hate him, but what good would that do? What she needed was to make herself indifferent. Indifference would drive him up the wall. Not that she cared what bothered him. She didn't care about him, wouldn't care about him.

Sam glanced down at the paper again and gritted her teeth. Carole and her husband, Ben, had a four-year-old daughter named Deliah. From the brief glances Sam had used to check the woman for any kind of disfiguration, she hadn't noticed any signs of an abusive husband. That would have been right up David's alley. Nor was Ben a police officer or a known criminal. They were new to the area. Where was the connection? There had to be one. Think, damn you! Think! The door opened and Sam sped away, sniffing angry tears back.

David glanced up at the sound of the squealing tires. It was at least a sound he was familiar with. Shaking his head, he looked back at Carole and Ben. "I just...I just don't know. I can't give you an answer right now. I have to think this through."

Ben Larson nodded stiffly. For four years he had wanted to hate this man. Wanted him to turn out to be some low life loser, someone he could feel justified in keeping Deliah safely away from. But now, after the few times he had met David Harper, he knew he couldn't. He had often pictured this meeting a million times in his head. He hadn't ever imagined what would happen if David Harper did decide he wanted to be a part of Deliah's life. In many ways the man's plea to think things through made Ben respect him more. At least he wasn't irrational. "That's fair."

Carole shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. "David, I want you to know. I never meant for any of this to happen. I mean, I wouldn't trade that little girl for anything; I just wish I had handled things differently."

"I get that. At least I think I do." David managed softly. "It's just a lot to have dropped in my life all at once. I don't want to hurt anyone. I just need to think." And tell Samantha the truth. He knew she was suspicious of his moods lately. Hopefully she would understand. Maybe. If he didn't receive an armful of his clothes being thrown at his head first.

"Take all the time you need." Ben put his arm across his wife's shoulders and pulled her close. "We aren't going anywhere for a while."

"I'll be in touch." David promised as he started down the steps towards his car.

"Perfectly rational—explanation. He'll explain when he comes home. If he comes home." Maybe she would lock him out. He wouldn't be expecting it. Could he pick locks? Well even if he could, Sam would be long gone before he broke through that door. But then, why should she leave? He should go. Her hands flew to her face to shove more tears away. She wasn't ready for this.

Maybe she was wrong. She could be wrong. It happened. She would wait for him to tell her. She was always waiting for him she thought sullenly and dropped down onto the couch. Halfway to her feet when she heard the key in the lock, she deliberated the logic of running upstairs or facing this. Why drag it out? Unsteadily, Sam waited.

"Samantha?" He whispered seeing her standing there waiting for him. She seemed nervous, shaking. Something had happened that had hit her too close to that sensitive center she pretended didn't exist. Taking a step closer to her, he reached out his hand to touch her cheek. "Is everything ok? Did something happen?"

Sam gulped. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Now he was confused. And even more worried. She may be reluctant to admit to what she was feeling, but Samantha always knew what was throwing her off balance.

"You tell me."

"Me? This has to do with me?"

They were both stunned when her hand reached up and slapped him across the face. Her fingers were still tingling when shoved her hand in her pocket. "Do not lie to me."

"Lie to you about what?"

"Carole Larson." As much as she wanted him to hang himself, his inability to pick up on her reason for being angry somehow hurt more.

"How do you know about Carole?" He suspected she had snooped through his pockets. It would be nice to have confirmation.

"Doesn't matter."

"Carole is an old friend. She moved back to town and we have some unfinished business to talk about."

"What kind of unfinished business?" Sam wasn't buying it. An old friend she had never heard about?

"Just business." He prayed for her to drop it. He wasn't sure yet how he felt about the whole situation yet. Didn't have a clue what he was going to do. The last thing he wanted was to pick a fight with Samantha because of this.

"Fine." Sam headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

"Business. You understand."

"Damn it Samantha don't do this." He swore viciously and followed her.

"I really do have to go. Maybe I can pencil you in sometime soon. I mean, you just never know when an old friend is going to drop in on you."

"You're jumping to conclusions." He tried to keep his voice even.

"So what?"

"It's not what you are thinking."

"I think it's business."

"Bullshit."

"That's what you'd like me to believe so I'm going to believe it."

"Samantha." He reached out and grabbed her arm, twisting her to look at him. "Don't do this please."

"Please let me go."

"Not until you understand."

"Understand what? Business? Now that I do understand. As in, this business between you and I is officially terminated. Okay? Is that clear enough for you?"

"Look I know you have every right to be pissed at me. But Carole threw me. I just needed some time..."

"Well now you'll have time."

"I haven't seen Carole in four years. For fuck's sake Samantha she's married."

"Okay."

Her lips were saying okay but David knew she didn't mean a word of it. She was saving up for a bigger attack, a better way to leave him bleeding. "There is a reason I didn't tell you about this before."

"Because your business is your business. Like the Vermin case that you won't let me anywhere near."

"No." He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "No because I want to figure out what the best way is to handle this situation. I love you too much to put you through something unnecessarily."

"Now you're throwing that in my face?"

"I'm not throwing it in your face. I'm stating the facts. I love you and I didn't want to hurt you over this."

"Have you no shame?" Sam jerked away from him.

"Carole is my ex-girlfriend. She just told me I'm her daughter's father."

Sam spun around. "And you thought what? That I wouldn't understand that?"

"No. I knew you would. But I didn't want to bring up any bad memories of Vincent for you. I didn't want to lie to you but I didn't know how I was feeling about it myself. That's not fair to you."

"My son is not the reason you lied to me."

"No. He was the reason I was delaying telling you the truth." David took a half a step closer to her. "I knew I had to tell you. I was going to tell you. Just not like this."

"What does this mean?"

"I don't know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. As for the whole Deliah situation..." He paused and looked her in the eyes. "That's her name. Deliah. Carole and Ben want to know what I want to do in regards to her. I'm not sure."

"Thank you for telling me the truth."

"Thank you for not throwing another vase at my head."

"David, I..."

"You?"

"I can't."

"Can't what?"

"I can't do this anymore."

"What does that mean?" he asked slowly.

"That I have to go. Away. From here."

"Why?"

"Because you don't need me making your life harder. You've got this whole other life now that I don't, I don't think I fit in it anymore."

"You fit Samantha." He told her softly. "You're about the only thing I know that does fit in my life."

"Your daughter will fit just fine."

David shook his head. "Not without help. I'm terrible at the kid thing."

"I can't compete with that." She argued, ignoring his last comment.

"I'm not asking you to."

"I can't ever give you that."

"What are you talking about?" He took a step toward her and this time was able to rest his hand on her waist. "Samantha?"

"After Vincent there were...complications."

"Complications." He repeated in a whisper, pulling her closer to him.

"No, David. You shouldn't have to deal with this."

"Neither should you." He pointed out.

"I guess I always knew." Sam murmured, touching his cheek.

"Knew what?"

"That you'd make a great father one day."


	372. Count On Me

"Right here is fine." Robin told Lucky as they unloaded the six-foot inflatable Hello Kitty makeshift punching bag from the backseat of her car.

Eyeing the pink bobbing kitten suspiciously, Lucky took another look outside his front window. "And Patrick has no idea you brought this thing into my house?"

"He helped me pimp it out." Robin giggled, pointing to gold clip-on earring dangling from one ear and the long black marks drawn under each eye.

Lucky groaned as Elizabeth made her way down the stairs. "He's going to come by the house with a camera. I know he is."

"He's watching the boys today." Robin promised.

"Really, Lucky you are too paranoid. And I hate to break this to you, but Gracie is a girl. More girlie toys will be making their way into this house." Elizabeth laughed.

"Number one, there is no such thing as too paranoid where Patrick is concerned and number two, I don't think so."

"Men." Elizabeth shook her head as she caught Robin's eyes. "So clueless."

"This is not girlie. This is a training tool." Robin argued, folding her arms across her chest.

"A training tool?" Lucky tried unsuccessfully to keep himself from laughing. "Are we going to be beating down six year old girls?"

"Get him out of here, will you?"

"Go." Elizabeth shooed at him with her hands. "Before I start taking pictures of you and Hello Kitty and start emailing them to Patrick and Cruz."

"You don't have to be mean about it. I was going." Lucky protested as he went over to kiss both Elizabeth and Robin on the cheeks. "Watch out for the dangerous inflatable bat crowd. I hear they are deadly."

Robin rolled her eyes. "Did you bring in my bag?" she asked him.

"Yes Mother Hen." He pointed over by the front door. "Right there."

"Good. You're dismissed. Are there water bottles in the fridge?"

"Yes." Elizabeth assured her friend as Lucky beat a hasty retreat out the front door. "But Robin, I don't think Hello Kitty here is going to put up much of a fight."

"She's stronger than she looks. She'll be good for practice. Patrick is on speed dial for when you're ready for a normal red one." Robin dug through her bag for a few tools. "Give me your hands."

"Ok." Elizabeth was still skeptical about Robin's entire training plan, but she was willing to humor her friend. At the very least it gave her something else to concentrate on other than Max or the latest family crisis at the hospital.

"First, we're going to wrap your hands." Robin explained, showing her the yellow wrap before methodically covering most of her hand with it. "Now the other one. Let me know if I get it too tight. We don't want the hands too snug, but it's important for the wrist to be a little tighter."

"Robin, while you now I love your obsessive attention to details, you do realize that your training tool is filled with the combined hot air of Patrick and Lucky right?"

"Okay, I have a little confession to make." Robin grinned.

"What did you do?"

"Made Patrick hide the real punching bag in Lucky's office. We can work down there without being interrupted."

"You are evil." Elizabeth grinned.

"I am good." Robin countered. "Do you want to put on your gloves?"

"Why don't you show me the actual move first before I injure myself with equipment?"

"Okay. Let's work on your fighting stance first." Robin instructed, nudging Elizabeth's right leg backwards. "Since you're right-handed, you put your left leg in front of you. I should be able to measure the distance between your left toe and your right ankle."

"Measure? With what a yard stick?"

"With my arm."

"Alright. Like this?"

"Yes! Very good! Now bring your hands up so that one is fisted against your chin and one is in front of you."

"Why do I foresee myself knocking myself out before I hit anyone or even Hello Kitty?"

"Would you trust me? I'm not letting anyone or anything near you until you get this right. Now, your hands."

"Yes?"

"You want to keep your arms straight and jab." Robin stepped back to avoid collision.

"Jab?" Elizabeth awkwardly threw her hand forward in a jerky motion. "Like this?"

"Yes. Now bend at your elbow and jab. Jab, pull back, and jab. Like reloading a gun."

"Robin I feel like a total idiot."

"You look great. Come on."

"I look insane." Elizabeth shook her head, but repeated the motions Robin was showing her.

"I know you've been waiting to smack Hello Kitty all this time. Give it a try." Robin pushed the not-so-light makeshift punching bag in front of her friend.

Elizabeth landed a soft punch that barely moved the bag. "There."

"I think I felt a large gush of wind fly past my face." Robin teased. "Come on Lizzie, hit her. Knock her lights out. Pretend it's Sarah. No, no, it is Sarah."

"Well she certainly has Sarah's brains." Elizabeth joked.

"I can see the resemblance. Can't you?"

"Now that you mention it..." Elizabeth lined up her arms and tried to land the punch again. This time the bag bounced down and back up. "Better?"

"Much. Now, how does jump rope sound?"

"Suspiciously like you've watch Rocky one too many times."

"It's on the list." Robin told her with a shake of her head.

*****

His fingers flew across the first set of twelve numbers. As always it was the last one that stopped him. If he just pressed it, in a few short minutes she would possibly answer the phone and Steven could get the answers he wanted from his wife. His pregnant wife.

But as always he would slam his phone shut in frustration. Throwing the offensive technology across the room, Steven sank onto the bed, rubbing his tired face with his hands. It had been almost twenty-four hours since Mac showed up outside his hotel room and proceeded to completely change his world. It was probably some form of karma considering how he had disrupted the other man's life. His father-in-law told him Georgie was pregnant. If it hadn't have happened to him, he would think it was a bad movie scene.

Pregnant. There was that word again. It kept coming back to him. Georgie was pregnant. The concept still hadn't become clear in his mind. His wife was pregnant. In nine months...was it nine months? Was it less? Would she tell him if he called her? Did she ask her father to come and tell him? Was this her big plan to reveal their news? Send her father?

When had she found out? How long before she told anyone? Did she know when he left? Was this why she didn't come with him? Was this why she was full of excuses? The questions wouldn't stop coming. Only one person could answer them for him and she was currently in Port Charles.

He was going to be a father. That was the only thing he didn't question. There was a baby coming, his child, his and Georgie's child. Sure, the timing wasn't what he had expected, but then again nothing about his relationship with Georgie had been expected. Hadn't he wanted this, exactly this since the time he proposed?

He needed to go home. He needed to talk to Georgie and get some of the answers to the questions that had kept him up all night. There was no debate about that. Mac had made it clear if he was going to bail to tell him now. While he understood Mac had been down this road with Georgie once before, Steven still bristled at the very idea that Mac would assume he'd leave his Georgie over this. Leave her? He had been trying to be with her from the second he met her. Standing up, he walked out of his room and found himself pounding on Mac's door before he could talk himself out of it.

"It's open."

Steven threw open the door and barely stepped inside. "When's the next flight back to Port Charles?"

"Two hours. I have an extra ticket if you're interested. If not, I could always smuggle on a few kangaroos."

"I'll be ready in ten minutes."

"Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"As absolutely sure I was the day I married Georgie."

"Then get your ass in gear." Mac waved him off.


	373. My Favorite Things

"He looks old enough for the swing." Patrick explained to Morgan as he picked up the baby and secured him in the swing harness.

"He can't even hold his head up." Morgan argued, pouting.

"Well I'll hold it for him." Patrick reasoned. "Go on. Get in your swing and I'll push you."

"Mommy's going to be mad if you drop the baby." Morgan cautioned, climbing into his swing.

"Won't happen. I am a pro at this." Patrick countered, barely pushing Nathan's swing while holding his little head between his hands.

"Don't listen to him Morgan." Lucky advised as he came around behind the group pushing the twins in their stroller and Cameron racing up to Morgan. "I know he dropped Cameron at least once."

"I did not!" Patrick snapped, holding Nathan's swing so he could push Morgan.

"Did too. Lulu sold you out."

"That little brat."

"Basically." Lucky shrugged as he pulled Jake out of the stroller. Gracie had fallen asleep during the walk over. Cameron was already situating himself on a swing.

"What are you guys up to today?" Patrick asked, rescuing his screaming infant from the swing.

"Avoiding the fight lessons Robin is giving Elizabeth."

Patrick hid his laugh behind his hand. "O-Oh yeah?"

"If you're smart you won't be laughing the next time you see Robin. She might volunteer you to be the next punching bag."

"She already has the two...oops."

"The two what?"

"Nothing. Nothing."

Lucky didn't think it was nothing, but if it meant a good joke on him, then Patrick wasn't going to tell anything. "So why are you hiding out here?"

"A nice day I guess. It's been so da—rn cold lately, I thought we should take advantage of a change."

"Good catch you're improving."

"I'd rather Nate's first word not be something that'll get me in trouble."

"What about his second word?"

Patrick shrugged. "How did Robin seem when you left?"

"She was fine. Ganging up on me with Elizabeth. The usual." Adjusting Jake to his shoulder, Lucky gave Patrick a curious glance. "Why do you ask?"

"No real reason."

"Nope. Not buying it. You wouldn't ask unless you thought I noticed something. Try again."

"I don't know if I'm supposed to say anything." Patrick muttered, switching Nathan to his left shoulder.

"Never stopped you before. Besides Robin is family now. And our family motto is your business is my business."

"Morgan, Cam. We're going to right over here." Patrick nodded and led Lucky a few feet away.

"Ok, if you don't want the boys to hear it is something."

"AJ thinks Morgan is his son."

"What?" Lucky shook his head and looked over at Morgan's dark features. "What? How?"

"I don't know all of the details. Ned came over to give Robin a head's up. She was hysterical when I found her." Patrick closed his eyes, not wanting to relive that particular night.

"There's something else. AJ just thinking he could be Morgan's father wouldn't freak Robin out. Not to mention Ned wouldn't feel the need to tell her about it before AJ approached her. What aren't you telling me?"

"He's going to try and come after Morgan. We talked to Alexis and she's willing to defend us in court if it comes to that. He can't take Morgan without a DNA test and a court order."

"Damn straight." Lucky swore. "Morgan is our family and we aren't letting go without a fight."

"I wish I could convince my wife."

"Let me talk to Elizabeth. She'll convince her."

"You can't. Then she'll know I told. She has to come to Elizabeth on her own."

Lucky nodded even though he was preparing to tell Elizabeth as soon as he returned home. "Can I give you some advice?"

"Yes."

"When Tony and Lisa made a move on Cameron, I couldn't be convinced that my every mistake wasn't going to be held against me. It didn't matter if I knew it wasn't my fault and there was no way I could have prevented it from happening, I still thought it was going to cost me Cameron. I'm willing to bet Robin is feeling the same way. Just listen to her, don't tell her she's being ridiculous, and find her some way to channel that energy. Make her talk about her every fear with Alexis. Let her see that Alexis has a plan in place for exactly what she is afraid of. It will probably help if she has a plan in case her worst nightmare happens."

"When did you get so smart?"

"I've always been smart. You've just been in denial."

"Just a second," Patrick grabbed his cell phone and put it his ear. "We're at the park. Two feet away. I'm holding him. Yes. Lucky's here with Cam and the twins. We'll be there."

"We'll be where?"

"We're meeting the girls at Kelly's in twenty minutes." Patrick explained, motioning the boys forward.

*****

Crowds of school children raced past him and back to their buses. Ric bobbed and weaved through the crowd, concentrating on finding her familiar blonde hair. He had smiled when he read her note this morning. Apparently she thought being in public was going to prevent him from trying anything more than talking. As if being in public had ever been an issue for them.

Her request had surprised him a little. He was sure she would have let him dangle a little longer before contacting him. Hell, Ric had even been planning exactly how long he would wait before he would force another meeting with her. It had been all but a certainty in his mind that he would have to make the next move. Alright, he amended, it would be up to him to make all the moves.

Running his fingers through his hair, he paused for a second when he spotted her standing exactly where she had told him to meet her. Was she eager or just looking for all the exit points, he wondered. Calling up his courage, he took the last few steps to reach her and tapped her shoulder just before she could spot him.

"I never pegged you for a fan of the elephants." He joked, motioning toward the exhibit behind them.

"If you're looking for the donkey cage, it's at the end of the exhibit. I hear they keep the finest asses there." Maxie responded after a pause. She should have known. Hunter was going to die just as soon as she remembered how to get back to the main gate. First, he had tried to abandon her for a date that she soon realized was made up and now, now he was tricking her into meeting him at the zoo?

He bit back a retort about her own fine ass and took another step toward her. "So where should we start?"

"The only way we're continuing this conversation is if you promise to go home afterwards." Maxie bargained.

"I already told you the only way I'm leaving."

"I won't come with you." Maxie promised, folding her arms.

"Then I'm not leaving."

"Don't you have a life to get back to?"

"Not without you."

"If there was nothing else, I still wouldn't leave a job I've waited my entire life for."

"Which you can work in New York." Ric smiled at her. "I asked around."

"I like it here. The people, the atmosphere. Port Charles was dead and dying."

"You're all talk. You may like it here, but you'll never leave your family."

"My family will always be there. It's not like they're going anywhere anytime soon."

Ric moved his hand down to the small of her back. "Just like me."

Maxie pushed him away. "I'm still mad at you for your last stunt."

"I've cleared that hurdle before."

"So your plan is to drag me home so that things can go back to the way they were." Maxie assumed.

"No. My plan is to make you remember the good times so we can work to get them back." Ric corrected her.

"The good times? Oh, like when you told me you'd never lie to me. Times like that?"

"No. Times like working on the Nurse's Ball."

"Me working and you trying to distract me?"

"You never complained."

"It was simpler."

"Before you admitted there is something between us."

"Was." Maxie corrected.

"Is." Ric argued. "If we were truly in the past you wouldn't have wanted to meet with me."

"Oh, this wasn't my idea." Maxie assured him.

"Then why are you still here?" Ric smiled slowly at her. So she was tricked into meeting him. He should have figured that out earlier. But if she really didn't want anything to do with him, she would have walked away long before now.

"I don't know." Maxie slumped down onto an empty bench.

Sitting down next to her, he took advantage of her confusion to grab her hand. "Then let's just wander the zoo while you try to figure that out."

"I just want to sit here for a second. Can we do that please?"

"Whatever you want Maxie. Whatever you want."

"If I ask you something, can you give me a real answer?" Maxie asked, glancing over at him.

"I'll try."

"Why did you kiss Kate?"

It was a question he had asked himself a million times since the kiss happened. "I didn't plan it. My father was continuing to fight with the doctors and make my life miserable as he always does. You were avoiding me at the time and you were the only want I wanted to really talk to. I get it now. You knew Kate was out there and you were pissed I hadn't told you, but at the time I was confused. And frustrated over the entire situation. Kate was sitting there at Charlotte's and offered to listen to my problems. She stood up to leave and tripped. Then it happened."

Maxie closed her eyes and took a breath. "Thank you for not feeding me some line."

"You're welcome."

"Maybe this isn't the worst idea." She gestured to each of them.

"I can think of several worse ones."

"Okay, let's go for that walk now." Maxie pushed to her feet.

"Lead the way." Ric smiled as he stood and offered out his hand to her.

Maxie braced her hand against the back of the bench. "Head rush."

"Nice to see I still have such an effect on you." Ric joked.

Maxie wasn't sure if she laughed or not. Her grip on the bench loosened and her knees buckled. "Something—something's wrong."

"Maxie?" Ric leaned over her to try to stop her fall to the unforgiving concrete. "Maxie?"

"Hospital." Maxie urged him.

"Someone call 911!" Ric yelled as she slumped against him and lost consciousness. "Someone call 911!"


	374. Enough

Cruz stared at the folder and then at the clock. For the last hour his attention had shifted from one object to the next as he tried to figure out what his next step should be. He had in a call to Kate, the first time in days that he had been able to contact her at all. The situation with Lance was steady, but that didn't mean he was alright, only that he hadn't gotten worse. Everyone in the family had been tested and the results were still coming in. So far, nothing.

This was the first morning he had felt comfortable enough to leave Bobbie with her family. She was the one who suggested he get back to work. Obviously he wasn't useful in a crisis. It made sense to him. Dillon was usually the comedic relief, but that role had been passed down to Lucky. Laura distracted Elizabeth and Robin with talk of the upcoming wedding. Luke kept them in coffee. Patrick and Ned took turns playing with the kids. The unexpected presence of Tracy Quartermaine had initially spooked Robin, but once she promised that her reason for being there had to do with her grandson and her grandson only, the two women were content to say absolutely nothing to one another. It seemed the only ones Tracy felt comfortable talking to were her son, Lucas, and Bobbie.

"You've reached Kate Howard. If you'll leave a message, I will get back to you as soon as I can." He groaned and slammed the phone down a little harder than necessary. How could she not be answering when they were on the brink of the biggest corporate cover-up in the history of the world? At first, he had thought Brenda perhaps felt sorry for him and that's why she brought him something to put him back in the black. It wasn't until he discovered what the plain brown folder held that he realized her decision had more to do with his chosen profession. With this, he could do what he had wanted to do: destroy Jasper Jacks.

The problem with savvy businessmen was that very few were as smart as they appeared to be. Minor details always added up. Something that started as a one-time thing never stayed that way. Cruz wondered how Jax's investors would feel if they realized that he had stolen their money and "invested" it into his own pocket. He bet they might be a tad upset. Conning people was easy, but Jax's first mistake had been that he dealt too close to home. When things turned sour—Cruz would make sure they did—Jasper Jacks was going to have one hell of a fight on his hands. If they didn't kill him, there was very little chance that he would survive prison.

After their meeting, it was clear that Brenda wouldn't be staying with her husband and would raise their child alone. Cruz couldn't even blame her after the way he had treated her during the short duration of their marriage. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had seen her smile, a real smile. Their friendship had been brief, but he should have stepped in long before now. Maybe he could have prevented this. Maybe after this was all said and done, she would find the life she should have had. If he accomplished nothing else, he would make sure he had some part in getting her the life she should have had, a safe, happy life for her and her baby, a life that would never again include Jasper Jacks.

*****

Glancing around the corner of the doorway, Sage blinked her eyes several times to try to calm her nerves. Lance had been in the hospital for days now and to look at him, you would have sworn he was just visiting. He sat calmly next to Dillon, listening attentively Seeing her son for the first time since she had given birth was a mixture of emotions, none of which she expected. When she told Lucas and Dillon she was fine with no contact with Lance, she had meant it. It was their dream to have a child, not hers. She had never seen herself with children. It wasn't a part of her world and she was determined her world wouldn't infect anymore innocent people. Even though she still stood by her reasons, still believed she made the correct choice, the only choice, the sight of Lance caused her heart to leap a little as Dillon read him a story.

She scanned his small body, searching for recognition. Was that her smile? Her father's eyes? Did he laugh like her mother or his father? Did he have Dillon's obsession with movies? Lucas's attention to detail? Was he happy? Did he wonder who she was? Did he know anything about her?

A nurse walked by, smiled, and whispered a hello to her. Before Sage could turn her head to nod in recognition, Lance looked up, his attention caught by the slight noise. "Hi!" He said puzzled, looking straight at her.

"H...hi!" Sage stuttered slightly, not missing the look of shock that crossed Dillon's face.

"What are you doing here?" It was all Dillon could do to keep his voice steady.

"I was just walking by. I didn't mean to intrude."

"Well you did." Dillon told her.

"I was just leaving." Sage assured him. "I won't bother you."

"You obviously wanted something." Dillon argued. "Well?"

"Who are you? Daddy do you know her?" Lance asked his head between the two of them.

"Nobody. I'm nobody." Sage said quickly. "And I don't want anything. I just came to see if I could help."

"Help with what?" Lance asked.

"Oh, you want to help now?" Dillon feigned surprise. "Now why would you want to be involved in something so messy? Did you think if you came to see my son you would feel some connection to him? Some obligation to save him?"

"No. I just came because Lucas called me. That's all. Someone told me it was the right thing to do. Obviously, they were wrong." Sage took a further step back into the hallway.

"Lucas called you?"

"Yes. When Lance was admitted."

"Can I talk to you outside please?" Dillon asked, not sure he would able to keep from spooking his son any further.

"Sure." Sage nodded, trying to keep her eyes away from Lance's curiosity filled ones.

"I'm going to go out into the hall for a second. You'll be able to see me the whole time." Dillon promised and leaned over to kiss his forehead.

"Ok Daddy." Lance nodded.

Dillon waited until they cleared the room before he allowed the conversation to progress. "What gives you the right to come in here and confuse him when we came to you before any of this had progressed?"

"I don't want a relationship with him. That's not why I'm here. I didn't mean for him to see me. The last thing I want is to confuse him. He's your son Dillon. Not mine. That's still stands."

"That's good because we gave you the opportunity to be a part of his life for seven years and you couldn't care less. Thank you for not becoming a hypocrite."

"I'm only here to see if I'm a match to help him. If I am, I'll donate and I'll leave. If I'm not, then I'll do what I can to help from a distance."

"You didn't cause this. It could have just as well been me." Sage reached out to touch Dillon's arm.

"Nevertheless, I'm not a match. Let's pray to God that you are." Dillon stepped just beyond her reach and smiled for his son's benefit. No reason to scare him. No reason to make the situation worse. As mad as he was at Lucas for pulling this and not telling him, what else could he have done? They were running out of ideas and hope.

"I know you don't always understand this Dillon but I do want the best for him. And that's you and Lucas. I hope I'm a match."

"Excuse me?" Dr. Walker stepped in-between them, Lance's chart in her hand.

"What's going on?" Dillon wondered. This was the first time he had seen his son's doctor outside of her lab since his son was brought in.

"You know I should go." Sage offered.

"Nobody is going anywhere until I get an explanation." Dillon argued vehemently.

"Maybe we should find your husband." Dr. Wexler suggested.

"What happened?" Dillon demanded.

"We're moving into End-Stage, Mr. Jones. I'm afraid the only hope for your son now is a transplant."

*****

She hadn't been up here in almost ten years, around the time she had discovered it no longer bothered Lucky and Patrick that she wanted to be up in their tree house with them. They had discovered girls and no longer had time to worry about how to keep a determined younger sister out from their club. Tracing her fingers over the rough wood that had been "borrowed" from the discard piles of local construction sites, Lulu marveled at how little had changed since she had last climbed the rope ladder.

The posters of the boy bands she had put up purely to annoy her brother still clung to the walls, albeit a little worse for the wear given Port Charles' weather. The hole in one corner her father had always promised to help close up but never had still teased her from across the floor. It was familiar and comfortable. It was exactly what she needed.

The hospital walls had started to close in on her. The concerned but well-meaning looks family hadn't been lost on her. She hadn't realized how long it had been since she had seen them last. Cameron and Morgan looked at least a foot taller. The last time she had seen the twins, she could only tell them apart because of their clothes. It was only a matter of time before some member of her family got bored with the usual distraction techniques and started asking her where she had been hiding all this time.

What was she supposed to say? _Oh nowhere, just withdrawing from drugs, living with the cop that I slept with in a drugged-out stupor._ _Nothing big._ Yeah that would go over real well. Her father, brother, and Patrick would be thrilled to hear about that.

She had had to get out of there. It was too much. They had been there too many times before. Robin's accident. Cameron's accident. After she and the kids returned from the kidnappings. There was too many memories, and very few of them good. Around every corner there was a ghost waiting to ambush her.

The only thing she was doing there was waiting to break down. And that was the last thing anyone needed right now. She had put up with the teasing assertion that she was the family drama queen, unfailingly able to make any situation about her. Not this time. She was not going have everyone focus on her freaking out about overhearing a brief conversation between Robin and Tracy.

That conversation was what made up her mind. She barely overheard all of it. Just a few brief words and something about AJ and she could feel her stomach begin to clench. If only barely hearing the name of someone she had barely interacted with in her entire life could set her so on edge, then there was something seriously wrong with her.

"There you are." Evan's voice came to her before she saw his face. He grabbed the rope ladder that she had _accidentally_ pulled up and threw it back into place. At least he had found her. That made climbing the stupid tree worth it.

"Evan? What...how...how'd you find me?"

"You mumbled something about this place when you first came to stay with me. I figured there was a sound possibility that you would show up here."

"I did?" Lulu rubbed the palm of her hand across her knees. It was entirely possible she did say something. She didn't exactly remember the first few days at Evan's apartment.

"You said it was a great hiding place because neither Lucky nor Patrick was very good at finding you."

"They aren't." Lulu smiled. "They've always sucked at it. Which I guess is good for you."

"They just didn't know where to look. I am the detective in the bunch, remember?" Laura had tried her best to get him alone the moment they walked up, but he managed to find a way out of it every time. Lulu was already suspicious. Her mother hurrying over to offer advice on a subject she shouldn't have known anything about would only create another problem.

"So you say." Lulu smiled softly. "But they'd still kick your ass."

"Would they?" Their timing had been rather perfect. Her brother and cousin had gone in search of food for the group right before he showed up with Lulu in tow. If only a single member of her family hadn't been so forward, hadn't pestered her with questions. If only they hadn't stared at her as if she had grown an extra head; maybe then she would have felt more comfortable.

"I live with you and they've only met you once. You haven't passed inspection yet."

"Sounds perfectly logical to me." Why couldn't Luke have cracked a joke or something? That's all it would have taken to break the ice. Still, Evan had a feeling that the main reason Laura hadn't gotten to him had to do with her husband's distraction techniques more than anything else.

"Why are you here?"

"I turned around and you were gone. Didn't sit well with me." No one knew where she went or how long ago. Just another example of how easily she could get lost in the crowd when it came to her family.

"I had to leave. Too many ghosts."

"I shouldn't have taken you there." It seemed to him that the list of wrongs on his part just kept getting longer and longer. He shouldn't have approached Lulu that first night and, even if he had, he should have taken her home and then ratted her out to the commissioner. Nothing should have happened beyond that. To make matters worse, now he had brought her mother into the whole thing and, even though his intentions had started out good, he wondered if Lulu would stop to consider that once she found out.

"No I had to go there. If we skipped it, it would have just brought up more questions and sent people out looking for me."

"So disappearing from the hospital was a way to avoid more questions?"

"I didn't realize how long it had been since I'd seen them. You don't know my family. Eventually they would start asking questions of me. Where I've been. What I've been doing. Who you are. I can't answer those."

"You still should have gotten my attention. How am I supposed to keep you safe if you continue to run from me?" Evan challenged wearily. So far, nothing had happened. Vermin was sticking to his side of the bargain. Evan wished he could take that as a certainty that it would stay that way, but he supposed he was far too fatalistic to believe it.

"You were on the phone. The station called remember?"

"So tap me on the shoulder." Lulu probably could have punched him in the shoulder and he still might not have noticed her. An abandoned car matching the description of Haley Marano's red Oldsmobile, dents included, was found on the edge of Port Charles. The only reason it hadn't been stolen were the dried bloodstains on the rearview mirror.

"Everything just came too fast. I needed to get out of there." Lulu shook her head. It hadn't crossed her mind to tell him anything. It had been so long since she had someone concerned about her comings and goings that it would take some getting used to that Evan was.

"Are you okay now?"

"I'm doing a little better." Lulu smiled. "Thanks for coming."

"It's a little cold. You really want to spend the night in a windowless tree house?" Evan couldn't help but tease her.

"It's nice here. Just a little longer please?"

He tossed her his black jacket. "Put it on and we'll stay as long as you want."

Pulling the material over her shoulders, she snuggled her body into its softness, inhaling his scent that still lingered there. "Happy?"

"Getting there. They found the car tonight. So that's something."

"The car? Where did they find it?"

"Edge of town. It was parked on a condemned, dead-end road otherwise it would have been easier to spot."

"But it's been months since the accident. Can you really find anything now?"

"We can try. The description of the car matches our suspect's and the driver obviously hit something if the dents on the passenger side are anything to go by." He didn't see any reason to go into details. For one thing, she was a civilian and he broke the rules every time he told her anything about the case. For another, why add to her already violent nightmares?

"So this could be over? You might actually solve the case?" Lulu slid over to him. "You get to be the big, bad detective busting the bad guys, bringing justice and all that?"

"Not if everyone else in the department keeps making these discoveries without me." He chuckled.

"Well I'll give you full credit. Does that count for anything?"

"It counts for a lot." Her hushed tone clued him in that her ever diminishing attention span had reached its limit.

"I'll tell you what." Lulu crawled closer to whisper in his ear. "You close this case, and I'll plan a celebration for you. _Just_ you."

Evan turned his face slightly to the left so that their lips were almost touching. "You won't hear any complaints from me."

"Good." She closed the gap between them and lightly pressed her lips against his. "Thank you for looking for me."

"Habit."

"Forgive me for leaving without telling you?"

Evan shook his head, tangling his fingers in her hair. "No. You can't do that again."

She ran her hands up his arms, smiling at him. "I might need a lot of practice. You should probably stick close to me for awhile." Evan scoffed. Like he had any say in the matter, he thought hazily as he pushed the collar of his jacket away from her skin and covered the back of her neck with his palm.

"Do I need to show how sorry I am?" Lulu teased.

"You just need not to go anywhere." Evan told her, leaning up to kiss her smiling lips.

"I might need some convincing."

Following the sharp incline of her neck, he trailed kisses all along the perfect skin. She braced her hands on his shoulders as he sat up and readjusted her legs on either side of him. He had barely touched her and already his kisses were becoming more and more frenzied. Unconsciously, he bit into the sensitive skin at the top of her shoulder to relieve some of the tension coursing through his entire body.

"Evan." She panted as she closed her eyes and kept a firm grip on his shoulders. "Evan."

He looked up, his vision foggy as he tried to focus on her face. "Did I hurt you honey?"

"No." She shook her head. "No. Don't stop. Please." The feeling of his lips on her skin was the only sensation she could equate with feeling safe. Feeling alive. She didn't want to lose that feeling.

He kept one hand on the collar of the jacket and used his free hand to pop open the two metal buttons at the neckline of her sleeveless, charcoal-black vest. He shoved his jacket off her shoulders on his path to expose as much of her skin as he could and rubbed his hands up and down her arms to keep her from getting even the slightest chill.

Lulu moved her hands down his chest, burying her fingers under the thin wool of his sweater. She wanted to feel more of him. She bit his ear lightly, smiling when he jumped slightly.

Evan leaned into her mouth, barely able to hold his head up. Until now, he had kept some distance between them, but he couldn't stand it anymore. His hand slid under her and he lifted her higher so that she was flush up against him. Gnashing his teeth together as their bodies made that first slow, delicious contact he pinched his fingers around the zipper of her vest, willing himself to hold it in place.

She could feel his hesitation and smiled at the fact he was still trying to hold himself back. Clearly she was going to have to take control of the situation. She started to lean forward, pushing him onto his back.

He swept his hands up to her face and pulled her down for a kiss that was neither chaste nor patient. Satisfied that her mouth was being put to good use, he shifted his legs between hers so that his knees kept her thighs parted and ground his finger between them, teasing her through the thick fabric of her jeans.

He stroked the inside of her thigh, up and down, drawing out her pleasure, cupping her bent knee and then pressing himself against her while they each fought to catch their breaths without breaking the kiss. "No." The single word was choked out when he realized what had startled him.

"Ignore it. Just ignore it." Lulu begged.

"Okay." Evan gave in, kissing her swollen mouth and tracing the button at the front of her jeans. "_Fuck_." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out the tiny black beeper. "It's work."

"They'll call back." Lulu promised reaching up to pull him back down to her. "I promise they'll call back."

He couldn't look at her. Hesitantly, he glanced down at the beeper that continued to beep. "Come on. I'll take you back to the apartment."

"Answer the page." Lulu sighed as she started to sit up. "If we leave now and parents are home, you'll face an interrogation sooner than you think."

Evan dialed the number and identified himself. "You're sure?" His eyes shot to Lulu. "Alright. I'll be right there."


	375. Realm Of Possibilities

If not for her previous experience, no one in this moth-eaten town would have taken her seriously when Mac called and asked her to act as the temporary commissioner until his return. Thank God her reputation preceded her, because there was seriously too much going on right now to add any misunderstandings between her and Mac's officers. Most of them had taken to the transition easily enough; after all, Mac was due back in a day or two. Considering what Alexis had told her about his reason for leaving, Anna thought it a little strange that he could get something like that done in less than a week. She didn't give her brother-in-law enough credit.

As promised, she was actively looking for a more permanent home for herself in Port Charles. Her return had been nothing short of amazing. Having already missed the birth of her grandson, she had set out to do everything she possibly could to mend fences with her daughter. The last conversation she had had with Robin still bothered her almost a full day later. She leaned back in Mac's chair and threw her legs onto his desk, letting her mind wander. A dangerous task, but how else was she going to fix the problem?

"_Where is Uncle Mac?" Robin demanded without stopping long enough to welcome her mother back. The circles under her eyes could only be partially blamed on her newborn son._

"_He's gone out of town for a few days." Anna explained not sure if she should hug Robin or keep her distance. The last thing she wanted to do was make everything worse._

"_What do you mean he's gone out of town?" Robin shrieked. "Where has he gone?"_

"_A neighboring town. He didn't give me specifics." Anna hurried to explain._

"_Well that's just great." Robin tried to look put off, but the tears in her eyes showed differently._

"_What's the matter, Luv?" Anna wanted to know. She shouldn't pry, but if she could help, shouldn't she at least try? _

"_I needed him here," Robin said instead. "I needed him to tell me what to do."_

"_Do about what?" Anna prompted._

"_It doesn't matter." Robin slumped down into the only available chair in the decaying office._

"_Talk to me. Maybe I can help." Anna offered, placing her hand over Robin's._

"_I doubt that." Robin shot back. "I'm sorry. I'm just so tired." That simple statement was just the clarification that Anna needed. For her daughter to complain, to whine about the unfairness of it all, something else must have been going on._

"_What is it you wanted Mac to do? Maybe I can lend an ear." A weak argument, but maybe Robin would take her up on it._

"_AJ is planning on taking Morgan away from me." Robin begrudgingly admitted._

"_He has no grounds!" Anna exploded, shooting to her feet._

"_That's what I thought too. He thinks he's Morgan's father." Robin answered her tone unnervingly calm._

"_It sounds to me like he just needs to be proven wrong. A DNA test would do the trick."_

"_He's already doing that. The court is making him take a second one since the last one he did was in his own company. None of us would be surprised if he messed with the results. He's wanted Morgan ever since I gave him Michael. Why did I do that? Why did I give him power? I just thought I owed it to him after all Carly and Jason put him through. Why didn't I anticipate this?" Robin whimpered, on the brink of collapse._

"_Robin, you can't blame yourself. No one knew this was going to happen. It's not your fault. That man has never known when enough was enough. That's all this is: a power play. Only this time his target is your son."_

"_And if he turns out to be AJ's biological father? Then what?"_

"_They aren't just going to take him out of a home he's lived in for two years."_

"_How do you know that? We haven't exactly kept him in a stable environment lately."_

"_Life happens and things change. Things you can't predict." Anna rounded the desk. "You are not allowed to give up. Do you hear me?" she demanded, bracing her hands on either side of Robin's chair._

Robin hadn't said anything more, just launched herself off the chair and out of the police station, her shoulders sagging as if she held the world atop her shoulders. It wasn't until this afternoon that Anna was able to learn some good news. Against advice, Patrick had taken some time off from practice to take care of the boys when Robin had to work. With less than three months before Daytona, his spur-of-the-moment decision had driven his crew chief into a hysterical fit. It was rare for her son-in-law to do something noteworthy, but his reaction to the whole situation had truly been, _"Then find a replacement because I'm going home to my wife."_

"It will get better my darling." Anna said to the empty office. "Even if I have to shoot him."

*****

"This is stupid." Maxie declared grinning. Between Hunter and Ric, she hadn't gotten a single moment to herself since the collapse. At least she had convinced Ric to let her leave the bedroom and lay on the couch.

"It's not stupid." Ric argued with her. "It's a proven technique to help with relaxation. I often prescribe it for my more high-risk patients."

"Do I have to close my eyes and take deep breaths?"

"Yes." Ric stressed. "Now can you just concentrate on my voice please?"

"Concentrating. Concentrating." Maxie covered her mouth to hold back a giggle.

"Now picture a peaceful place." Ric held onto her hand and rubbed a pattern with his thumb. It still didn't feel real to him. Seeing her collapse that day at the zoo had terrified him. All his medical training went right out the window. He had been barely able to breathe, much less remember he was a doctor. Even when Hunter had run into the hospital with a possible explanation for the doctors, her transplant heart and her history with Kawasaki Syndrome still didn't make it any more real. Seeing her trying not to laugh, he let out a low growl. "It doesn't work if you don't take this seriously."

"I'm sorry. Serious. I can be serious." She promised, pursing her lips together.

"Picture a peaceful place." Ric started again, keeping one eye carefully on her. "Take deep, slow breaths."

"I'm on a beach. It's perfect weather." Maxie told him.

"Good. Keep picturing that place. Can you feel the sand between your toes?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now imagine the water rolling up to your toes and washing all that sand away." Ric picked up her hand and started to massage her wrist lightly.

"I'm a little cold. The wind is picking up."

"You're supposed to be warm." Ric reminded her, moving his hand further down her arm. "Think warm thoughts."

"Warm thoughts. Warm thoughts." Maxie bit back a smile.

Catching her fighting the smile, Ric shook his head. "Anything you care to share?"

"Maybe you're on the beach with me."

"Well I don't particularly equate you on a beach with relaxation. That falls under the category of excitement."

"You don't get to criticize my happy place." Maxie reminded him.

"I'm not criticizing. I'm just interested that I am in your happy place."

"You said to think warm thoughts. I've never felt warmer than when your arms are around me." Maxie pointed out. "And you didn't start out in my happy place. You just showed up. You're stalking my happy place."

"Only because you let me."

"I assumed since you're still here, you want to be there. I can always bring someone else. I bet Hunter has something tropical in his closet."

"I'm sure he does have a cabana boy or two in there."

"Do I have to keep my eyes closed?"

"It's supposed to help the process."

"Okay. I'm relaxing." Maxie settled back against the pillows.

"Good. Now just picture the sand, the sun, and the water. And concentrate of just releasing every negative thought, every pressure, and every worry."

"I really scared you, didn't I?" Maxie opened her eyes when he didn't answer her right away.

"What do you think?"

"I was afraid you would treat me like everyone else if I told you."

"And how's that? Like you have limitations?"

"Exactly. It really goes against my world domination plot."

"Maxie." Ric said seriously. "You can't dominate the world if you do a repeat of collapsing in public."

"So you're saying I should limit my episodes to once every fifteen years?"

"I'm saying you should take your health more seriously."

"I'm dating a doctor." Maxie protested.

"Who was unaware there was anything wrong." Ric pointed out. "And are we dating?"

"Aren't we dating? Hey, haven't we had this conversation before?"

"Yes. But humor me. What exactly do you see us as?"

"I told you I wasn't opposed to us trying again and I'm not."

"If we try again, we need total honesty on both sides. It doesn't work if you keep secrets from me and expect me to be completely honest with you."

"That's fair, but this was my freebie."

"You're only freebie."

"If I promise I'm relaxed, can I keep my eyes open?"

"Depends on what you're looking at."

Maxie reached up and touched his cheek. "Will you stay here with me?"

"Haven't you figured out I'm not going anywhere?"

"I mean in L.A."

"Now that's a discussion for later."

"Okay. We'll talk about it later." She patted the spot beside her. "I'm tired. Lay down with me, won't you?"

"Now that is something I can do." Ric smiled and pulled her into his arms.


	376. When The Smoke Clears

Looking down at Gracie and Jake as they slept in their cribs, Lucky couldn't help but feel guilty. His children were fine and Lance's life was dependent on if a donor could be found. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. He wanted to help but he couldn't. All he could do was sit here and watch his own children, selfishly grateful it wasn't them sitting the hospital bed.

He felt helpless, again. Like when Cameron had his accident. Like when he found out about what landed Max in jail. Like when Lucas had told them Max was getting out of jail. He wanted to stop all of it, protect those he loved from every potential harm, and he couldn't.

All he could do was sit here and wait. Wait for a donor to be found. Wait to see if Max was released. Wait to see what Max would do if he was released. Wait. Wait. Wait. He didn't deal with it well when Cameron was hurt and he hadn't figured out a way to deal with it yet. Taking one last look at the sleeping forms of the twins, Lucky turned to go downstairs. He was tired of waiting. He needed to do something.

"Hey." Elizabeth looked up when she heard him make his way down the stairs. "They asleep?"

"Yeah. Out like lights. Where's Cameron?" he asked, not seeing him playing with the train he picked up the second he ran into the room when they got back from the hospital.

Smiling, Elizabeth gestured towards the basement. "He went downstairs. Punching Hello Kitty became so much more fascinating to him."

"Good." Lucky began to pace the length of the living room. He needed to focus on something, anything.

Seeing his agitation, Elizabeth raised a hand to stop him. "Lucky? I s everything ok?"

"What?" Lucky shook his head, momentarily confused by the question. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You're going to wear a hole in the carpet. You're not fine."

"Really. I'm ok. I just..." Sighing, Lucky sat down on the couch next to her, running his fingers through his hair. "I just need to do something instead of sitting around waiting for the phone to ring."

Leaning forward, Elizabeth offered him the binder she had been paging through when he came downstairs. "There's always wedding plans."

Lucky shot her an amused look. "Wedding plans?"

"I know your mother has had most of this done since you were six, but we do have some decisions still to make. And Christmas will be here before you know it bub."

"Smart ass. No I just thought..."

"You thought what?"

"I thought with everything going on that you'd want to postpone a little."

Elizabeth sat back on the couch, surprised by his words. "I mean sure I want to find out about Lance and I want him there. But Dillon and Lucas would kill us if we postponed because of them. And it might be good for Lance to have something to look forward to. I guess I'll have to talk to Dillon, obviously not tonight, but if they are ok with it, I don't see why we would need to postpone."

"Lance." Lucky said slowly. "You thought I was talking about Lance."

"Well weren't you?"

"No. Well a little but not just Lance."

Elizabeth shook her head in confusion. "What other reason would we have to postpone?"

"Max."

"Max? Why would we postpone because of Max?"

"Elizabeth." Lucky reached out and grabbed her hands with his. "I know we are trying to keep this low-key, but odds are some press will get out about this. And then Max will know where you are."

"I thought of that." Elizabeth admitted.

"So you see why maybe we should think about postponing at least until we know what's happening with him?"

"No." Elizabeth shook her head stubbornly. "I don't."

"Elizabeth..."

"Lucky no. I did think about that. I did. And it freaked me out. But then Robin told me something, amid her instructions on how to take down children's toys…that made sense."

"And what was that?"

"She told me that I had the choice to live in fear. Of course she was using it for the argument that I should learn how to beat up defenseless balloons, but she was right. If I was afraid of what Max could do or might do, then I choose to be afraid of that. And I would be choosing to give him power over me. Again." She shook her head once more and looked into Lucky's concerned eyes. "He's taken enough from me. He doesn't get this."

"Are you sure? Because no one would blame you if you did want to wait because of him."

"I'm sure. The only reason we should consider postponing is Lance, and that's really up to Dillon and Lucas." Elizabeth offered him a smile. "We're getting married at Christmas. And you still have to help me with wedding plans."

Lucky kissed her forehead gently. "Fine. I'll help."

*****

She wanted to be at the hospital. She should be at the hospital, Georgie thought. The rest of her family was there. But even though she and Lucas had been getting along better lately, her cousin was under enough stress right now. If she showed up, there were good odds any little attention she paid to Lance would lead to a fight and that was the last thing anyone needed.

Pausing as she stepped outside of her car, she pressed her hands against her still flat stomach. Soon Lucas would no longer claim she was holding onto the ghost of her lost child with Dillon. Yes she would always mourn that loss, but this new baby would survive. She just knew it.

Of course she still had to figure out a way to tell Steven she was pregnant first. Then she could start telling the rest of her family. She had only told Dad, Alexis, and Robin because she was so overwhelmed. She hadn't called Maxie yet. Or Lindsay and Ronnie. She didn't even know where her mother was, let alone her phone number to tell her the news. No she had to tell Steven. Somehow.

Pulling the door of The Outback open, she searched the crowd for her father's familiar features. He had called almost as soon as he got back into town, requesting dinner with her. She assumed Alexis and Kristina would be joining them as well. It would be just nice to see her dad after his trip. She wondered if he had been successful. Did he accomplish what he set out to do?

Steven felt like he had been punched in the stomach. His beautiful wife was less than twenty feet away and he was scared to approach her. He didn't want to scare her, but he didn't even know what he would say. The entire plane ride home and he had nothing to show for it. He had even taken Georgie's fool-proof plan and tried to write it out. Before he realized what he was doing, he had a one-act play on his hands. And for what? She was right here, no longer a world away, and he didn't know what to do.

She walked up to the bar, barely missing him. His heart constricted and he worried he might pass out. Maybe he should just go. What if she didn't want him here? She wouldn't appreciate him not telling her he was coming home early. Well then he could point out that he had to hear from her father that she was pregnant. That's right pot. This is kettle calling. He sucked in a breath and closed the distance between them, lightly tapping on her shoulder.

Turning around, Georgie smiled, fully prepared to see her father standing there. "Well I've never known you to be late..." She started but the words died in her throat as the curly hair and blue eyes registered in her mind. It couldn't be. He wasn't supposed to be here. But here he was. "Steven?" she whispered, feeling tears prick her eyelids. "Steven?"

"It's me." Steven promised, pushing a wavy curl out of her face. Of all the ways to greet her and this was the best he could do. God, but he couldn't just assume she was happy to see him.

"But how...why...?" In the end she didn't really care about the answers, she was just so happy to see him. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him hard. "What are you doing here?"

"Are you mad?"

"Confused. But not mad." She pulled back just enough to look into his eyes. "Why would I be mad?"

"Why wouldn't you tell me about the baby?"

Georgie took a step back, stunned at his words. "The baby? Who told you about the baby?"

"So there is a baby." Steven pursed his lips together.

"Are you here because I'm pregnant?" The look on his face showed her question to be ridiculous. Of course he was. "You quit the film to come back for this didn't you?"

"I told them I had a family emergency." Steven explained.

Georgie buried her face in her hands. "I didn't want you to quit. I knew you would do this. I didn't want you to quit."

"I didn't quit," Steven argued, pulling her hands away from her face. "I explained that I was needed here and they understood."

"You didn't quit?"

"No. I knew you wouldn't want me to."

"I'm glad you know that. I don't want you ruining your career for me."

"Georgie!" He snapped.

"Steven you were going to turn down this job to work on a student film. I have reason to worry about this."

"Do we have to talk about work?"

"No." Georgie admitted. "I'd rather talk about our baby."

"Good. Come on, sit down." Steven led her to a nearby table.

"How did you find out?"

"Mac came to see me."

"Dad?" Georgie sputtered. "Came to see you? He was in Australia?" Did Alexis know about this? If she didn't, he was in so much trouble when she found out.

"He was concerned."

"Concerned? What would he be concern..." Georgie's voice trailed off as she remembered the look on her father's face when Alexis told him the news. She had seen it exactly one other time in her life. And she remembered exactly what happened after that. "Oh God." She groaned. "He asked if you were going to abandon me didn't he?"

"I'm not." Steven reached for her hands.

"I never thought that."

"Are you sure that isn't the real reason you didn't tell me? Beyond your concern for my work, are you sure you weren't just a little scared that I would?"

"No." Georgie shook her head and squeezed his hand. "Not even for a second. I was scared since we haven't exactly talked about this, about how we would handle this. And yes we still need to discuss your job and how this baby will affect it, but I never thought you would leave me."

"What happened with school?"

"I didn't get in the program." Georgie admitted softly.

"So you're telling me you thought I would wreck my career if I came home to be with you?"

"I thought you would give up a huge opportunity if you did exactly that."

"If I hadn't come home...are you at least in school now?"

"Yes."

"What are we going to do?"

"Well now that you are here, we're going to talk about all our options. And then we will decide based on what is best for both of us. Not just me ok?" Georgie smiled at him. "But first we're going to celebrate you being home."

"I am going to take such good care of you. From now on, I'm at your beckoned call. What would you like to do first?" This was the first time he'd been able to smile since the night they'd created their little miracle.

She rubbed her foot along the inside of his calf. "I think I want to go home."

"Yeah? Should we get dinner to go?"

"Definitely." Georgie smiled.

"Would you like me to carry you, Mrs. Webber?" Steven asked, standing up and pulling out her chair for her.

"No." Georgie smiled as she stood up. "But you can do one thing for me."

"What's that?"

"Kiss me. It's been too long."

"I was planning on doing that anyway." Steven grinned, enfolding her in his arms and bending her backwards. The moment he kissed her, he knew that if he ever tried to leave her, it would kill him.

"Welcome home Mr. Webber." Georgie whispered as they parted briefly.

"Forget the food. Let's go home." Steven tugged her out of the restaurant quickly.

"Whatever you say. Whatever you say."

"Oh I almost forgot."

"What?"

Stopping outside the restaurant, he crouched down in front of her and kissed her stomach. "My baby."

Georgie ran her hands through his curly hair. "Take us home Steven. Take us home."


	377. Nobody Wins

"We need to talk." Patrick repeated for the tenth time. He didn't know what was wrong with the other nine attempts, but he just felt like the door didn't quite understand how important it was. He had been standing out in the hallway in front of the nursery for longer than he cared to admit, wondering how exactly he was going to approach his wife without causing a fight. Of course, he amended, maybe a fight was what they needed. It would be a step up from total silence. She would talk to everyone but him as if he was the cause of this new problem. Who knew? Maybe he was. He hadn't done anything to stop it.

At least the feelings they had been bottling up would boil to the surface leaving them no choice but to face what was really going on. The more he thought about it, the more he liked it. God, but what if she started crying? She knew it was his weakness. Not his only one. He was quite fond of that time when she…this was not the time to be living in the past. Right now he had to fix this. It was what a husband did, he talked to his wife. She needed to know that she could count on him through anything.

"He's a little fussy. Maybe he wants you." Robin suggested, offering the baby to Patrick once he finally worked up the nerve to come into the room. She brushed her hair back and leaned against the wall looking absolutely exhausted. The circles under her eyes seemed to have blended with the normal skin and her words were nothing more than a few mumbled whispers.

Patrick moved Nathan to right arm and used his left to steer Robin out of their son's room and into theirs. "Listen, why don't you lay down and get some rest. We're fine here." He promised, urging her toward the bed.

"I am more than capable of handling my children, Patrick." Robin assured him, stepping out of his reach.

Patrick bit his tongue. He could point out that they were just as much his, but he worried she might be too weak to do more than drop at his feet. Nathan, picking up on the never-ending tension, started to wail, his little fists beating against Patrick's chest. "It's okay. You're okay."

"You're not holding him right." Robin argued, reaching for the screaming infant.

"I've got him. He's fine. He'll calm down." Patrick countered, rocking his son and whispering to him.

"Maybe he's hungry. I'll get his bottle." Robin moved toward the door.

"You just fed him." Patrick reached out to stop her mid-step. "He's probably tired. Maybe he'll sleep if I take him for a drive. He usually likes that."

"You are not taking him out of this house. What if you get into an accident or something? We both know you need me to put him in the car seat correctly."

"An accident." Patrick repeated incredulously. "Because I'm prone to those."

"You aren't invincible. What if there's some cocky driver and he challenges you to a race? Will you remember that our son is in the backseat or will you take the dare?" Robin challenged, folding her arms across her chest.

"You are incredible." Patrick stepped out of the room.

"Do not walk away from me." Robin warned following after him.

"I'm not going to talk to you when you're like this." Patrick continued to rock Nathan, wishing he would fall asleep or at least stop screaming at the top of his lungs.

"Like what?" Robin wanted to know, stopping him at the stairs.

"Like this. You don't even know what you're mad about." Patrick clarified throwing up his free hand in frustration.

"I'm not mad. I'm just tired."

"Then sleep. For God's sake Robin, I'm here to help. Why won't you let me take care of you?"

"I'm not a child. I don't need to be taken care of."

"I don't care how old you are. I'll always be older for one and two, I like taking care of you."

"What do you want from me? I'm doing the best I can!" Even screaming, she was no match for her son.

"I want you to stop trying to control everything. I know that's like asking you to start going by a different name, but humor me, won't you?"

"Like I have any control over anything anymore!"

"Robin."

"No." Robin took a hurried step backwards. "I don't want your pity."

"My...my pity?" Patrick could barely form the words. "What are you talking about?"

"I screwed up. I admit it. Okay? Does that make you happy? I gave AJ power over us, over our lives. I messed everything up." By the end of her declaration, she was fighting back tears.

"You reunited AJ with his son. What was the harm in doing that? You didn't do anything wrong."

"And now he wants Morgan." Robin went on as if he hadn't spoken. "He can't have him."

"He won't get him. We're not going to let him." Patrick stressed every word, ignoring Nathan's fit and pulling Robin into his arms.

"I've worked so hard. It wasn't for nothing. It can't have been for nothing." Robin sobbed into his shoulder.

"It wasn't. Everything you've done for Morgan has been right. AJ doesn't have a case. You heard what Lulu said. You know that he's with Courtney. Do you really think anyone's going to believe that he didn't help her take the kids? No judge is ever going to side with him. Morgan isn't going anywhere."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I don't know what's the matter with me."

"Nothing is the matter with you. Nothing." Patrick swept her hair off her neck and kissed her cheek. "You just need to sleep."

"I'm afraid." Robin admitted.

"What are you afraid of?"

"That I'll wake up and Morgan will be gone."

"Never." Patrick swore. "Look at that." He nodded at Nathan's sleeping form.

"He finds my emotional breakdowns as exhausting as you do." Robin noted.

"Short attention span." Patrick corrected. "I'm going to put him down and then we're going to lay down."

"You won't leave me?"

"I'll never leave you."

*****

"Big day today." Becca grinned, handing Cruz a Styrofoam cup of coffee. She nudged a pink box of donuts toward him.

"You didn't have to do this." Cruz assured her, biting into a glazed donut and looking rather pleased with himself.

"I figured it was the least I could do." Becca replied with a flick of her wrist. "Before the telephone lines start sparking fire that is."

"I appreciate you coming in on your day off." In the past, Cruz had thought there was nothing he could depend on, his employees especially, but when news of the takeover began circulating, every single person who had worked with him put in their resignation and took on side jobs until he could regain control of the magazine, or at least come up with some sort of countermeasure.

"Like I was going to miss this. Oh, Axe is going to be a little late, but he said not to worry. He struck gold."

"What does that mean exactly?" Cruz made certain to keep his voice steady. Kate was at the alternate office today delegating their new staff so that meant all issues would be his responsibility. As if that was anything new.

"I'm going to tell you something my mother always told me when I would get worked up about something."

"Becca—"

"Don't interrupt. She was a sort of masseuse/witch doctor in the teeny tiny town I'm from. Anyway, she always said that trust is like walking around in the dark. You don't always know what you'll encounter, but you'll appreciate the light that much more. Come to think of it, I don't actually know what the message was, but every time I think about it, I feel better."

"Thanks Becca." Cruz replied obediently. He waited for her to leave his corner of wall before he dialed his new lawyer for the tenth time since he got here. Kate had been the one to suggest Earl McGregor, just in case, but Cruz couldn't help but feel antsy. After all of their careful planning, their estimated waiting, today they would take down the beast. And they would hit him where he least expected it.

As prearranged, Brenda had found a temporary change of address until everything blew over. When she had started to argue that she could just as easily stay with a friend, Cruz had gone into protective mode and pointed out that Jax would know exactly where to look for her and he really didn't that on conscience.

"When I said I was just a phone call away, I didn't think that meant I couldn't leave long enough to take a piss." Earl McGregor chortled through a mouthful of Cheetos.

"Everything seems in place. You did what I asked?" Cruz figured he already knew the answer. After all, his simple requests wouldn't take more than a few phone calls, but he had never pretended not to be at least a little paranoid. He would feel better once all of this was over and done with and his biggest worry was

"Yes. It's all taken care of. I will warn you, I don't think Mr. Jacks is going to appreciate his second-in-command switching teams so late in the game."

"It'll be nice to pull the rug out from under him for a change." Cruz reasoned, leaning back in his chair.

"You did explain to Ms. Howard that I will be representing both of you?"

"Of course."

"Then you better get back to work Mr. Rodriguez." Earl bid him farewell and returned to the shabby file cabinet his last secretary had destroyed the day he fired her. "This is a mess."

"Doesn't he take a great picture?" Axe's jovial voice brought Cruz back to the present. He held out what could only be referred to as a candid picture of Mr. Mogul.

"Definitely has front page potential." Cruz laughed, snatching it away.

"Ken Doll just got here." Axe pointed out the thirty-something, five foot nine pressed and dressed man standing in the hall a few feet away.

"His name's Kent and he's our hat trick so try and be nice."

"I'll try and keep my distance. His aftershave is terrible. Hard to believe he's the closest thing this town has to a celebrity. Besides your friend of course."

"Yeah well Mr. Popularity got a nice dose of reality last night. Don't let me forget to thank Mac and Harper for going along with the plan." The commissioner just happened to return home at the exact moment Cruz needed him. He didn't mind helping Cruz out, though he bet that had more to do with Bobbie than himself. Either way, they brought Kent Mercer in on previous DUI charges and threatened to expose him to the media unless he did them a favor.

"Becca, we need more air freshener." Axe shouted out, his eyes finding Kent's.

"Watch it, Axe." Cruz warned.

"What? You don't think I could take that GQ wuss?"

"Reel it in. He's going to help us."

"Do you think maybe we could finish our discussion from the other day?"

"You're not getting a corner office." Cruz shook his head.

"Why not? I am an integral part of this team."

"Okay, let's put it this way. Until I get an office with four walls and a door, you're stuck. Fair?"

"Fair. Oh, man." Axe's eyes grew to the size of saucers when he noticed the pink box. "Donuts!"

*****

Lance was still sleeping, which Dillon supposed was a good thing. He couldn't be in pain if he was sleeping right? Bobbie had offered to sit with him for a while, giving Dillon a chance to track down his husband and have a little talk with him.

Pacing down the hall, Dillon shook his head. Lucas had called Sage. Without telling him. And she had come? And now she was willing to be tested? Had Lucas threatened her? Bribed her? Cast a magic spell over her? And why had he not bothered to tell him about the call?

Did Lucas really blame him for Lance's increasingly dire situation? His husband had sworn he didn't blame him, but now Dillon wasn't' so sure. It wasn't like Lucas to keep secrets. Even less like him to make a move like this without even hinting about it. Plus there was the added evidence that ever since Dr. Wexler made her announcement, Lucas had been more scarce than Lulu.

If he was Lucas, where would he be? The chapel? Too obvious. Lucas wouldn't go there if he was looking to hide. The courtyard? No. He'd go someplace safe. Someplace that comforted him. Suddenly, he knew exactly where Lucas had gone. Reaching the elevators he pressed the numbers for the pediatrics floor.

Stepping out of the door, he took a few steps and easily spotted his husband standing near the windows behind the nurse's station. Coming up behind him, Dillon tapped Lucas's shoulder quickly. "This is not the vending machine at the end of the hall where Lance is." He pointed out.

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing new. Well nothing new to you that is."

"What does that mean?"

"Sage."

"She came?"

"She did. We had an interesting conversation."

Lucas sighed, but he wasn't sure if it was out of relief or helplessness. He had known contacting Sage would be a risk. He hadn't even gotten her directly the first time he called. Talking his way around Diego hadn't been easy either, but it had been worth it if he could get Sage on the phone. "I didn't want to get your hopes up if she said no."

"But she said yes." Dillon pointed out. "Did you think I wouldn't see her?"

"I didn't mean for you to find out that way, but I'm glad she came nonetheless. If she can help..."

"If she can help." Dillon sighed and ran his hands through his unruly hair. "If she helps then what?"

"Then Lance is okay."

"And what about Sage?"

"She wants nothing more to do with Lance. Nothing has changed." Lucas promised.

"How do you know?" Sure Sage had told him the same thing, but Dillon still didn't believe her words. What could stop her? If she saved Lance, could she really continue saying she didn't want to know her son? "If she saves him everything will change."

"That's not true. She doesn't want him to be a target so she'll leave just as soon as the tests are done. The only reason she's here is because I begged her to come."

"Because there was no other option." Dillon whispered. "Because I failed him again."

"You didn't fail him. Damn it, Dillon. I can't help him any more than you can!"

"It could just as easily have been mine. Let's say we changed the combination and it was my family that carried the genetic disorder? Do you really think that would change anything? Lance is sick and bickering about it, blaming ourselves, isn't going to do anything about it."

"I know. I know." Dillon sighed. "I know you're right. I just hated finding out we were to this point. And to see Sage just before it." Dillon looked up into Lucas's eyes. "What are we supposed to tell Lance?"

"He's just a little boy. There's no reason to worry him."

"No. I mean what do we tell him about Sage? If she can save him. What are we supposed to tell him?"

"We don't tell him anything. She doesn't want a relationship with him and I'd just as well keep him away from any mob ties."

"I just don't want to confuse him."

"I agree. We won't. There's no reason for him to know about Sage."


	378. Someday We'll Know

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I thought just because you don't have enough manners to show me where you work, I would show up and familiarize myself with it." Evan answered, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded.

"And I would be inclined to show you where I work because?" Lucky asked slowly, leaning back in his chair.

"What do you know about Steven Webber's hit-and-run?"

"It happened a few months ago. He was on his way to tell the commissioner he got married. Other than that, not much." Lucky shrugged. "Why are you interested?"

"Yesterday afternoon the car that hit him was discovered on a desolate road on the edge of town. There were dents on the passenger side and dried blood stains on the rearview mirror where Mr. Webber was struck." Evan told him.

"Good. I'm still waiting to hear how this involves you, let alone me."

"Well the car was registered to one Lucas Lorenzo Spencer Jr. You."

"What are you, the police?"

"That's right."

"You're a cop." Lucky said slowly. His sister sure knew how to pick 'em. He'd give her that much. Just wait till his father found out about this development.

"Cop. Policeman. Detective. I go by many names. Do you want to tell where you were that night?"

"I was at home." Lucky answered shortly. "And what car? Elizabeth had hers at her grandmother's. And I drive either the Jeep or the truck."

"A red nineteen eighty-six Oldsmobile Cutlass." Evan clarified. "Ring any bells?"

"How close are you to my sister?"

"Relevance?"

"Because I don't understand why you don't recognize your girlfriend's car there copper."

"Lulu's car? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I'm the one who bought it for her sixteenth birthday."

"I didn't think she had a car." Evan whispered, his eyes shifting to the crack in the doorframe. Everything was starting to add up. She never drove, was always picked up or walked. She got anxious every time he mentioned the car or the case. Did she know what she had done? Had she been under the influence at the time? Could she have been at the same party as Haley? Was Haley innocent? Oh God.

"She loves that car." Lucky continued on. "Once she got her license we couldn't get her out of it. Drove it everywhere. If you found it abandoned, it must have been stolen or something."

"Then why wouldn't she report it? And this car wasn't just taken a few days ago. It was almost completely covered in moss and grass."

"I don't know. There was a lot going on at the time. And that's when she started avoiding everyone."

"Do you remember when exactly her behavior started to change? A few days before? Weeks? Months?"

"Maybe...maybe a few weeks before. I can't be sure."

"You can't be sure?"

"No." Lucky responded shortly. "I was in the middle of a custody battle at the time."

"How long after the kidnappings?"

"I don't know exact dates. Maybe a few weeks, maybe a month?"

"Do you know when the insomnia started?"

"No. She moved back to her own place shortly after she came back."

"I know she moved out of Kelly's not too long after. Did she ever tell you why?"

"No."

"Okay, thanks. I'll let you know if I have anymore questions."

"Hold up. Why are you asking all these questions about Lulu?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Like hell you can't." Lucky stood up and moved towards Evan. "Is my sister in trouble?"

"I think she could be."

*****

Entering the apartment, David briefly wondered what exactly Samantha had been so busy with today. He had paged her a few times from the station, once in regards to the Vermin case and another just to check on her, but she hadn't called him back. Once upon a time that would mean she was either pissed at him or just caught up in her own research.

He was fairly certain she wasn't still mad at him. In fact, she had been more than understanding while he attempted to figure out what exactly he wanted to do in regards to Deliah. She hadn't pushed him to talk about it anymore than he wanted to and was more than willing to distract him when talking was pointless. So that left research. But research on what exactly?

Finding her was easy enough. She was sound asleep at the kitchen table, papers spread out around her. Research, he thought with a smirk. Picking up a piece of paper just beyond her fingertips, he stroked her hair as he scanned whatever it was she had printed. Lung cancer? Alternative treatments? "What the hell?" he asked to the air. Sam jerked awake and spun around to face him.

"Morning Gorgeous." David smiled at her. "I can see your research is a fascinating read."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep. Did you just get in?" Sam stretched her arms above her head.

"Yeah, just a few seconds ago. What has you so hard at work?"

She figured she could have lied to him, but that would have been pointless with the evidence all around her. "I found some pills of Alexis's when I was there last. For pneumonia."

"Pneumonia. Well she has been taking a lot of time off at the courthouse lately. That must explain it."

"I didn't bring it up before because I thought maybe I was just being paranoid."

"You? Never." He teased and kissed the top of her head.

"I think she's getting worse." Sam whispered.

"Worse? It's pneumonia Samantha. She'll take the penicillin, rest, and she'll be fine." David comforted her.

"What if that's not it? She's been sick. We've both seen it. What if it's more than she's letting on? Could that be why she's not the DA anymore?"

She had a point. The Alexis Davis he had known by reputation and worked with wouldn't just walk away from a job she clearly loved. Yet in the months since Kristina's kidnapping, she hadn't been as active. There had been a few months where she was right back in the fight, but now, now she was absent again. "Couldn't you just ask her?"

"I don't want to upset her. If there's something she doesn't want me to know, maybe I shouldn't push. If I've learned anything, it's that I shouldn't go asking for trouble."

"Not when you have a spectacular talent for finding it." David teased her gently as he looked into her eyes. "If Maxie was in town I'd suggest you ask her."

"Well obviously she's not, so I'm asking you."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Tell me that I'm being silly, that there's nothing to worry about."

"I thought you didn't want me to lie to you." David pointed out. "You have good instincts Samantha. I've always told you to follow them."

"Please. Lie if you have to. Please." Sam begged, brushing back a tear.

"It _could_ be nothing, but I think you would feel better if you _know_ it's nothing. Talk to Alexis. Talk to Mac."

"And if she's sicker than she's letting on? What do I do then? I just found her David."

"Then you fight for her. You give her a reason to fight." David pulled her gently into his arms and held her tight. "You be the stubborn woman that I know you are."

Needing the focus off of herself, she glanced down at the file he had set on the table. "New case?"

"Nothing important. More threads that may or may not tie back to Vermin." David shrugged.

"Can I help?"

"Can you pass for seventeen?"

*****

Mac tapped a pen against the newspaper until Alexis finally lowered it, presenting her wary expression. "You have to talk to me sometime."

Alexis folded the newspaper and picked up her glass of iced tea. "Alright," She said, putting both the newspaper and glass down. "You have my full attention. Go ahead."

"I couldn't tell you." Mac assured her, reaching for her hands. She pulled them into her lap and her glasses fell down her nose a little. He resisted the urge to fix them.

"Do you want the Sports section?" Alexis interrupted, thrusting the paper at him.

"Alexis, please. Don't be mad at me. If I had told you, you would have told Georgie and I didn't want her hurt if this turned out badly."

"So I can't be trusted. That's what you're saying."

"No. Not at all."

"Then explain that statement to me because I guess I'm too inept to figure it out."

"Do you remember when you first found out about Georgie and Steven?"

"That's not fair." Alexis pointed her finger at him.

"Do you remember?"

"Yes. I remember."

"Did they ask you to keep it a secret?"

"That's not the same thing."

"And you kept it from me just like I kept this from you. Both secrets revolved around life-altering changes and both secrets came out not too long after."

Mac slid his hand under the table and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. "You know I didn't lie to hurt you."

"But you did."

"I know." Mac blew out a breath. "And I'm sorry."

"I admit that there are some similarities between the two situations. We didn't want Georgie to get hurt and we handled it the best way we knew how." Alexis reasoned.

"Yes. Yes, that's exactly—"

"But we were wrong."

"We were...?"

"Yes. We handled it the way the two people who have lived their lives taking care of everyone else would have. I depended on myself and you depended on yourself. We didn't make the decisions to lie as a family."

"I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'll never make another rash decision in my lifetime, nor would I ever ask you to do that."

"I wouldn't want you to. You're a cop and a damn good one at that. I don't think it's in either of us to ignore our instincts."

"So then what do you think we should do?"

Alexis squeezed his hand under the table. "We've got to be honest with each other. I don't want to lie to you."

"I don't want to lie to you either." Mac agreed.


	379. No One Mourns The Wicked

"Louise! Louise!" Jax slammed his fists against the glass dining room table. A short blonde in a black and white uniform entered the room as calmly as ever. "Louise, where is my paper?"

Louise nodded to the coffee table in the living room. "Paper." The word was barely understood behind her thick German accent.

"What is it doing in the living room?" Jax scolded, leaving the table and snatching up the paper. "How hard can it be to put the paper on the kitchen table?"

"Paper." She repeated, turning her back to him to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"Louisa? Is that my favorite cup?"

She took a sip and then faced him. "Coffee." As the word escaped her lips, she smiled.

"Would you mind making me some coffee?"

"Coffee for Mr. Jacks." She pulled open each cabinet, only looking up for a second.

Jax yanked open a cabinet she had yet to get to. "How long have you worked here? The coffee cups are here."

"Oh. Thank you Mr. Jacks." Louise moved away from the sink and continued drinking her coffee.

"No. Thank you." He sneered. "Please go away. I'd like to read my paper in piece."

"Uh oh." Louise tried not to smile.

"Uh oh? Uh oh?" Jax's eyes widened when he realized what she was giggling about. He picked up a cold cup of coffee that had been resting on top of his newspaper. Holding it up, he asked, "How am I supposed to read this now? Get out. Just go away."

"No coffee?" Louise nodded toward his forgotten cup.

"No coffee." Jax gritted out.

"Okay. Have a nice day Mr. Jacks. Don't sleep too hard."

"It's work Louise. Don't work too hard." Jax corrected.

"I won't." Louise slipped out of the apartment.

"I am surrounded by idiots." Jax complained, trying to pull the pages apart without disassembling it. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed a familiar number. "Walter? This is Jasper Jacks in the penthouse. My housekeeper systematically destroyed my newspaper. I need another one. Thank you." Jax closed the phone and did his best not to slam it down in frustration. It was like the whole world was against him today.

Five minutes later, a fresh paper was delivered to his door. His victory was short-lived. He never got past the first page.

*****

"Incoming." Becca warned, putting a phone to her ear, pretending to be on an important call.

"Excuse me?" Jax muttered. She didn't react. "Excuse me!"

"Yes sir? Can I help you?" Becca asked.

"I demand to see Cruz Rodriguez." Jax clarified impatiently, the paper still clutched in his fist.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"I think he'll see me."

"Have a seat. I'll be glad to see if he's available. He's very busy this morning."

"I'd rather stand and don't try to give me the brush-off."

"Suit yourself." Becca shrugged, trying to keep a straight face as she picked up the phone. "Mr. Rodriguez? A Mr. Jacks is here to see you?" She paused slightly and nodded. "Of course Sir." Smiling as she hung up the phone Becca pointed down the hall to the only private area in the entire office, the newly expanded break room. "Just behind that door sir. He's anxious to talk to you."

"Oh I'll bet he is." Jax grumbled, finding the break room without any trouble. He threw open the door with enough force to make it bounce off the wall. "What the hell are you trying to pull?"

"Pull? I'm not trying to pull anything." Cruz defended calmly, remaining seated.

"I hope this little stunt did something for your ego after the last time I knocked you down, but I demand a retraction."

"You're not getting it."

"It's lies. I'll sue you!"

"You won't win." Cruz finally stood up and walked toward the other man. "I can back up every single claim in that article."

"The hell you can!"

"The hell we can't." Kate corrected as she walked coolly into the room. Smiling at Cruz, she made her way over to where he was standing. "Sorry I'm late partner. Did I miss anything exciting?"

"Nothing." Cruz shrugged.

"Good. You know how I much I hate to be out of the loop." Kate sighed.

"P-partner?" Jax sputtered incredulously.

"Oh. Didn't I tell you? Your repeated job offers intrigued me to find out what was so special about this place. After meeting Cruz here, I just knew it was him. So I bet on a winning horse. Hope you don't mind."

"I offered you the chance of a lifetime and you spit all over it? For what? A dying newspaper? A zealous, desperate businessman? And I use that word in the simplest of forms considering the way he buckles under pressure."

"You mean the brilliant investigative reporter who just helped break the biggest story the financial world has ever seen?" Kate smiled sweetly. "The one that has granted me not only an exclusive interview, but exclusive use of his material for my use on television? Because I'm pretty sure after today no one is going to call him desperate or this paper dying."

"Before this is over, I'll ruin you." Jax promised angrily.

"You have your issues to tend to Jax." Cruz pointed out. "To start with, the hoards of angry investors looking for their money. Any comment on when they can expect restitution or have you already squirreled it away in an offshore account?"

"I will not be made to look like a fool because of your overactive imagination."

"So you're officially denying our report?"

"You better believe it."

Turning to Kate, Cruz nodded his head. "Well at least you have your sound bite for the six o' clock news."

"Six o' clock news?"

"I've had some calls from the networks." Kate shrugged. "I'm sure they've left messages at your office."

"I have no comment. Why don't you print that you leeches!"

*****

It had been a long, sleepless night, followed by a longer morning. If he made it in the house and into bed before he completely collapsed, Lucky would consider he was living up to his nickname. All he wanted to do was go to sleep and pretend the last twenty-four hours had never happened.

Normally Elizabeth would be suspicious, but Jake had woken up this morning with a low-grade fever. He had tried to convince her she was just overreacting, but she had insisted on staying home. If he had timed it right, Jake, Gracie, and Elizabeth would all be sleeping when he got home. Cameron was still in school. He could sneak past them, go down to his office, and fall asleep in his chair. If his brain would let him.

A part of him was still stuck in his office yesterday. Still seeing Evan Cassidy's, correction Detective Cassidy's smug face as he sauntered into his office. Still taking delight in proving that Cassidy didn't know Lulu as well as he was claiming to. Still feeling his own sense of superiority slip completely as Cassidy started filling in the blanks on why exactly his sister had been AWOL from the family for months now.

Of course, he was still seeing the horror settle in as the extent of the trouble Lulu had gotten herself into made itself clear. He had always been able to shield her from any mistakes she had made. Run off the bullies. Run interference with Mom and Dad. Sometimes he had to involve Patrick, but almost always he had been able to handle it. Now he couldn't. Even being almost related to Steven couldn't really help her. If Evan was right, and Lucky had the sinking sensation he was, there was no amount of money or influence he could exert to make this just go away.

He blinked a few times, trying to place the unfamiliar car in his driveway. Walking past it carefully, he tried to figure out who would be there. Hell would freeze over before Elizabeth's parents would come this way, but if they had showed up, Elizabeth would probably be too shocked to do anything other than let them inside. Picking up his pace, he opened the front door concerned. "Elizabeth?"

"Lucky!" Elizabeth turned around smiling from her position on the chair. "What are you doing home?"

"I thought I'd just check on you." He said slowly as he saw Steven and Georgie sitting on the couch, playing with Jake and Gracie. "Hi Georgie. When did you get back Steven?"

"Yesterday." Steven answered, tickling under Gracie's chin.

"I thought you weren't going to be done for another couple of months."

"Something came up." Steven grinned, reaching for Georgie's hand.

"Yeah you mentioned that, but never explained." Elizabeth pointed out.

"Do you want to tell them?" Steven asked his wife. "Or should I?"

"Tell us what?" Elizabeth demanded.

"You go ahead." Georgie smiled. "I know you are dying to."

"Let's just say we're about to add another member to this side of the Webber team." Steven explained, squeezing Georgie's hand.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! You're pregnant?" Elizabeth gasped happily.

"Like all good things, this was totally a surprise." Steven told them. "Mac came and found me in Australia and told me to get home to my wife a.s.a.p."

"Does this mean you're going to increase baby-sitting offers because you need to practice?" Elizabeth teased.

"Well I don't need the practice, but your brother on the other hand..." Georgie smiled.

"Hey! I have a lot of experience. I did help raise you." He told his sister.

"And look how well that turned out. Living in sin, two children out of wedlock. Like I said, you need practice."

"Yes, but thanks to me you're actually getting married before these two are old enough to drink." Steven threw back.

"Thanks to you?" Georgie parroted, giving him a look.

"Really? That didn't work?" Steven asked, glancing up at Lucky.

"No. Harassing me every day doesn't count." Lucky managed.

"Hey Lucky, are you okay?" Georgie wanted to know.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I'm just surprised. Happy for you guys, but surprised." Lucky shook his head and tried to genuinely smile. He was happy for them. There was just the small thing making the whole situation a whole lot worse. He couldn't rain on their happiness. And he couldn't just abandon his sister either.

"Thanks. It means a lot...coming from you." Steven grudgingly admitted, slipping off the couch when Georgie reached over and poked him in the side.

"Yeah well, I figure you'll be begging me for help sooner or later."

Elizabeth stood up to hug them both. "This is great. I'm so happy for you. Although I do question why you want to add to our little insane family, I am thrilled for you."

_Family_. Her words hung around his neck like a noose. Unconsciously Lucky played with his tie. Lulu was his family. Steven was his family. This new baby was his family. His parents had always taught him family was the priority. Family came first. They just forgot to mention how to handle it when protecting one member of your family, meant hurting another.


	380. What's The Worst That Can Happen?

"Mommy!" Morgan called up the stairs, stomping his foot impatient. "Mommy, there's someone at the door." Robin poked her head around the corner suspiciously, a toothbrush in her mouth. She didn't know a single member of her family that knocked anymore. That meant it was someone else. Someone she wasn't expecting. Reluctantly, she came down the stairs. "There you are!" Morgan ran over to her. "The door."

"I was brushing my teeth." Robin defended, dropping the aforementioned toothbrush into the kitchen sink. "What's got you so worked up anyway?" she asked, walking to the door.

"Someone's at the door." Morgan repeated emphatically.

"I hear that." Robin promised. "Why don't you go to your room and play? I'll be upstairs in a minute." She waited until he was out of sight before she opened the door. As she had expected, she didn't recognize the person on the other side of the door.

"Robin Drake?" The woman wanted to know. She was Alexis's height with a short brown bob and brown eyes. In her hand, she held a brown leather folder that seemed to double as a briefcase and a clipboard.

"That's me. What can I do for you?" Robin wasn't sure how she responded at all.

"I'm here to inform you that Alan James Quartermaine Jr. has decided to seek legal custody of your adopted son, Morgan Stone Corinthos." The woman explained robotically.

"On what grounds?" Robin asked in a weak voice.

"On the grounds of him being the boy's biological father."

"And there is proof of this?" Robin challenged.

"A test is being run as we speak. The hearing will be on Friday at nine a.m."

"Will Morgan be able to stay here with me in the meantime?" Robin wondered, pressing her lips together to keep them from trembling.

"That's up to the judge to decide." The woman explained. "Here." She handed Robin the stapled sheet she had had secured on the clipboard.

"Thank you." Robin watched her walk away and then closed the door, leaning against it.

"Are you okay Mommy?" Morgan asked, suddenly standing on the bottom step of the stairs.

Biting her bottom lip hard, she pushed away from the door and gave Morgan a watery smile. "I'm fine. Listen, how about we go see Patrick at the race track? Does that sound like fun?"

"Nathan's sleeping." Morgan reminded her.

"We can wake him up." Robin decided, hurrying him up the stairs. "Come on. We're going to go and have some fun. Maybe we can steal Patrick away and get some ice cream."

"Really?" Morgan asked, following behind her. "Do you think we could go get Cameron?"

"We'll see." Robin told him. "Right now, let's go wake up your brother."

"Can babies have ice cream?"

"Would you let me be the mommy Morgan? I'm sorry." She apologized quickly. "I'm sure he'll be fine with a bottle."

"How long until he's big enough to play with?"

"Once he learns to turn over, we'll have a better idea of when."

*****

I am such a stalker, Sam thought to herself as she crossed the parking lot and met Mac in front of Walgreen's. "Hi. Hey. How are you?" she butchered out.

"Sam? Hi. Fine. What are you doing here?" Mac wondered, shuffling his feet. He didn't know quite how to act in front of his stepdaughter and, from what Alexis had told him, she was easy to scare off.

Sam cleared her throat. "I thought I'd come and pick up a...some medicine. I've got a, um, a scratchy throat."

"Well you don't need a prescription for that, just some warm salt water and some peppermint candy." Mac told her, seeing through her lie but deciding not to call her on it. For whatever reason, she had approached him and the investigator in him wanted to know why.

"Oh! Maybe I'll try that. What—what are you doing here? You're not sick, are you?"

"No. Alexis wanted me to get some caramel candy and this is closer than the grocery store." Mac explained. "I hope you feel better Sam."

"Wait. I...I wasn't...I'm not sick." Sam admitted, catching up to him when he headed for the store entrance.

"Did you want some candy too?" Mac teased, wondering from her expression if he had said the wrong thing.

Sam smiled. "No. Thanks. I just saw you over here and I thought..."

"That your mother might be with me?" Mac finished for her. "When I left, she was playing dolls with Kristina."

"That's good. They should spend time together." Sam replied.

"I'll let Alexis know you approve." Mac selected the preferred bag of candy and handed it to the cashier.

"I guess I thought she would be going back to work."

"She's reevaluating her life. When she got sick, her focus and her goals changed. I think she's just trying to make up for lost time."

"That's good. I won't keep you. I'll just...she told me she was sick, but she never told me if she had gotten better." Sam pointed out.

"Doesn't she look better?" Mac countered, waving off the cashier's offer of a plastic sack and snatching up the candy.

"Yes. She looks wonderful." Sam felt tongue-tied. Mac had an answer for every question as if he had rehearsed this very conversation. It made her uneasy.

"Sam, I know you're worried about her. It's not easy to see your parents as anything but strong and it must be doubly hard for you because you recently found out she existed." Mac waited for her to follow him back to his car. "I don't want you to worry."

"Too late." Sam mumbled.

"Why don't you come by the house later? Alexis and Kristina promised to make something really special." In a lower voice, he whispered, "And if that goes to hell, we can order a pizza. It's none of my business, but Alexis told me that you and my detective are seeing each other."

Sam blushed and looked down at her hands. "I knew she couldn't keep that a secret."

"He can come too. From what she tells me, he'll starve to death without you there and then I'm out a detective. Dinner's at six." Mac opened the car door and slid inside. "I never did say this, but welcome to the family Sam."

*****

"I'm coming. I'm coming." Lulu called out through the door. The knocking had been insistent for the past few minutes. "Can I help you?"

"Depends. Who are you?" The tall brunette wanted to know.

"Lulu Spencer. And you are?"

"Sophie Cassidy. I'm assuming that you've at least met my son since this is his apartment." She brushed back her mahogany curls and waited for confirmation.

"You're Evan's mother?" Lulu blinked as she stepped aside quickly. "Yeah. He's..." Well now that she thought about it, how exactly did she explain her relationship with Evan? Her rehab counselor? Her boyfriend? Her savior? "He's been letting me stay here awhile."

"Awfully nice of him. Is there anything to drink?"

"Sure. I think we have some juice. Or water."

Sophie grinned. We, huh? "Juice would be nice." She bypassed the couch and let her gaze wander to the bedroom.

"Sure I'll be right back." Lulu scurried off into the kitchen. Should she call Evan?

"Take your time." Sophie allowed, turning down the bed and fluffing the pillows.

Lulu forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm. Had Evan mentioned her to his mother? Was she here to inspect her? Did it really matter to her if she did make a good impression on this lady? She was more than a little surprised to find out it did matter. It mattered a lot. Picking up the glass she was surprised to find her in the bedroom. "Here's your juice."

"Thank you." Sophie accepted the glass and glanced around the tiny room. "I take it you haven't lived here long."

"No. Not long. And it's not permanent."

"I'm afraid I don't understand." Sophie moved them out of the bedroom. The location obviously made the young woman uncomfortable.

"It's only till this little situation I have is resolved. Then I'm moving back to my place"

"So this is just a stopover for you."

"Evan's just too generous for his own good."

"He has a big heart." Sophie agreed. "Which is why I'm concerned."

"Concerned?" Lulu repeated puzzled.

"My son doesn't give his heart away to just anyone."

"I wouldn't say we were involved in _that_ way ma'am." Lulu protested.

"And what way would you care to describe it then? You've been living here at least long enough to know where the glasses are, my son has mentioned you, and please don't call me ma'am. It makes me sound a hundred years old." Sophie insisted.

"We're...we're friends. Close friends."

"Close friends? Then I guess you know all about Ethan."

"I wouldn't say all about him." Lulu protested, feeling her cheeks begin to inflame.

"Well I guess some things never really change, do they?" Sophie mused, finding a cushy spot on the couch and sitting down.

"What...what are you talking about?" Lulu questioned as she sat down in the chair.

"Ethan was my oldest son, Evan's brother." Sophie explained.

"Ethan."

"That's right. When they were children, they were as close as two brothers could be. They were best friends and each other's confidants. I'm sure there was a lot they got away with that James, my husband, and I didn't know about."

"Sounds like my brother and cousin."

"Did Evan tell you why he's in Port Charles?"

"He said he wanted to join the PCPD."

"I thought you said you were close friends? Anyway, that's not the entire reason."

"You clearly want to tell me. Why don't you just say it?"

"Ethan moved to Port Charles last January. He did it against my wishes, against Evan's advice. It wasn't too long, six weeks or so, before he got depressed. He was out here all alone, but he wouldn't admit that anything was wrong. I asked Evan to check on him, but he was working a big case in Manhattan. A few weeks later, I got the call that Ethan was dead." Sophie rubbed her hands up and down her crossed legs, trying to soothe her nerves.

"What happened?"

Sophie met Lulu's eyes. "He overdosed on Heroin."

Lulu's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God."

"Six months later, Evan tells me he's moving to Port Charles to find his brother's killer. I was against it. I'd already lost one son and my husband within a year of each other. I didn't want to lose Evan too, but he insisted and he got his stubbornness from me…so he came here. A few days ago he told me that he had found the man responsible and taken care of it. I got scared and tried to call him back, but he never answered. Every time I call, he's always away from his desk or some other nonsense. So I thought I would come here directly and find out what he's done and if there's any way I can protect him."

"He took care of it?" Lulu stood up and began to pace. Vermin. He had to have gone against Vermin. What had he done? What had he done? Was this why he was so confident in his ability to keep her safe? She looked up haphazardly at the clock in the kitchen. Another three hours at least until Evan came home.

"Something tells me you know more than you're saying."

"I don't. I don't." Lulu swore.

"When I told Evan about his brother, he was so enraged. I've never seen him like that and I got a little scared. The day he told me he was going to Port Charles, it's like an eerie calm had settled over him. He'll never admit it, but I know he blames himself for what happened to Ethan. I don't know what he'll do to make things right. I'm afraid that the little boy I raised has become so consumed with finding the man responsible that I won't even recognize him when I see him." Sophie wiped away a lone tear.

"He's not..." Lulu took a deep breath. "He can be a pain in my ass, but he's one the gentlest men I know. One of the only good ones."

"Would you mind if I stayed until he got home?"

"No. Not at all."


	381. The Trick Is To Keep Breathing

"Thank you for coming." Lucas told his family, addressing them as a whole. Tracy, Bobbie, Cruz, Edward, Luke, and Laura glanced up giving him their full attention. "This isn't easy." Dillon was with Lance now. They had decided Lucas would be the one to explain to their families what was going on, what the doctor had said. It had taken a few days to work up to it, days spent wishing, praying, and hoping for a change, any positive change, but it was clear to them that there wasn't going to be one. That didn't make it any easier to face.

Tracy was the first to break the silence. "What happened?" Any other time, he would have found inspiration in her demanding tone. Not right now.

"What did the doctor say?" Bobbie added, squeezing Cruz's hand tightly.

"Lance...Lance has entered End Stage in his illness." Lucas forced out. "Without a transplant, he won't make it much longer." Tears raced down his cheeks before he had even finished the sentence.

"End Stage?" Edward repeated. "Then a transplant. Were none of us matches?"

"Because Lance has a rare, AB negative blood type, he doesn't match any of us." Lucas confirmed solemnly.

"So we're completely useless to him?" Laura asked, leaning into Luke's shoulder.

"Don't think it about it that way. This is no one's fault. I just...it was time to tell you." Lucas replied adamantly.

"What about that mother of his? Has she come forward?" Tracy asked, her voice rising.

"Sage wasn't a match and neither was her cousin, Diego." Lucas bit the inside of his jaw to keep himself together.

"Is Lance in any pain?" Laura wanted to know.

Lucas shook his head. "Dr. Wexler assured us that the amount of medication Lance is on keeps him basically immune to the pain. The longer he's without a transplant, the more likely he'll lose total control of his kidneys...or an aneurysm."

"Then we have to find him one." Bobbie decided, standing up. "We have to find a donor. Someone with the same blood type...there are plenty of people in this hospital. Surely if we explain the situation to them..."

"They'll what, Mom? Offer up a kidney for a stranger? And the son of two same-sex parents? That's a little unlikely." Lucas countered, pressing his lips together.

"Don't you give up hope!" She screamed at him. "Lance is still alive! He's fighting. How would he feel to know his parents have given up on him?"

"We haven't given up!" Lucas shot back.

"You aren't exactly looking for alternatives." Tracy pointed out.

"And what alternative would work, Tracy? Huh? What could we possibly do that we haven't already done?" Lucas shouted at her.

"Excuse me?" Dr. Wexler interrupted, stepping in front of Lucas to get his attention. "I have some news."

"Is it good?" Lucas asked. He didn't want to hear more bad news.

"We found a match." Dr. Wexler verified.

"Who?" Bobbie insisted. "Who is it?"

"Let the doctor talk." Cruz suggested calmly, putting his arm around her waist.

"The match for Lance is—?"

"Match?" Robin echoed, running up. "You've found a match?"

"Yes. And she was just about to tell us, so kindly be quiet." Edward snapped impatiently.

"I'm sorry." Robin quickly apologized.

"Dr. Wexler." Lucas persisted.

"Morgan Corinthos." Dr. Wexler stated, unable to meet Robin's eyes.

"Morgan?" Robin asked.

"Well isn't that an interesting turn of events." AJ said slowly as he wandered into the assembled crowd.

"What do you want?" Robin snarled back at him.

"I have a right to be here Robin. You know that."

"I don't know anything until those test results come in." Robin argued vehemently.

"Ah yes. I thought you might still be in denial." AJ sat down, grinning right at her. "That's why I didn't wait for your invitation."

"I got your court summons you bastard." Robin assured him. "And until the judge says otherwise, Morgan will be staying with me. His welfare is not your concern."

"Robin." Lucas interrupted, touching her arm.

"But it is. And since I predicted this response from you, I took the liberty of having this prepared." AJ pulled a large envelope from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.

"What the hell is this?"

"It's an injunction. In very legal terms, it basically means you can't make any decision regarding Morgan until the tests are complete and the judge makes her ruling. That covers everything from where you live to any medical procedures."

"What?"

AJ stood up and moved toward Robin, never letting the smile leave his face. "You can't do anything without involving me. You try and you'll find yourself in jail. I'm sure your uncle will love the headlines that would make."

"Don't threaten me. And don't you threaten my family either."

"Oh I don't threaten Robin. You know that. So you see, I really do have every right to be here."

"I don't mean to interrupt you." Dr. Wexler promised. "But time isn't on our side right now."

"You'll forgive me Dr. Wexler. While I am not unsympathetic to Lance's situation, you understand that I have to act in the best interest of my son."

"You can't do this." Robin whispered. "Lance will die without it."

"And Morgan may be harmed by a risky procedure. His life has been in harm's way because of reckless decisions of the people who raised him more than once. You'll understand that I am a little cautious."

"You stole him from his school! Don't you tell me about dangers MY son has been through!"

"You have no proof of that."

"I will." Robin assured him. "Don't you worry about that."

*****

"David that's not how you play." Kristina scolded with a shake of her head, her ponytail flying. "Barbie doesn't arrest people."

"Well I'm sorry." David laughed. It was certainly a night for the record books when the least intimidating part of his night was playing Barbie's with a little girl. He had been more than a little surprised Samantha wanted to accept the dinner invitation, even more surprised he had been invited as well. He had not missed the barely disguised interest in Alexis Davis's eyes when he followed Samantha into the house. Even the Commissioner had gotten into the act, giving what David assumed was the gruff concerned look he had given many a boyfriend over the years. "What exactly does Barbie do?"

"She's a vet silly. She cures the animals." Kristina laughed. "Right Daddy Mac?"

"That's right Princess." Mac crooned to her, giving David an amused look. "But I don't think David's ever play Barbie dolls before. He's a boy."

"Well he should learn if he's coming over with Sam more."

"That's a good point." Sam agreed, hiding a smile behind the rim of her iced tea glass.

"I might learn faster if someone would be willing to teach me." David taunted, winking in Samantha's direction.

"I never played Barbie's." Sam admitted. "But even I know, the whole point of playing is to dress them up and make them pretty. Right, Kristina?"

"That's right. So help me dress her up David."

"I have terrible taste." David warned. "Why don't you choose and I'll do what you say?"

"Dinner's ready. Kristina, why don't you show David where the toys go." Alexis prompted, leaning against the doorway.

"OK!" Kristina said happily, pulling on David's arm. "Come on follow me."

Sam laughed at David's worried expression as he followed dutifully behind her baby sister. "She's got him trained."

"I think you're the one who's got him trained." Alexis countered with a smile.

"I don't know about that." Sam answered, moving toward the kitchen. "Can I help with anything?"

"Nope. Kristina added the noodles and I did the sauce. All you need to do is find a seat and tell me what you want to drink." Alexis promised warmly.

"I can get it. Just tell me where it is." Sam offered.

"Sit down Sam." Alexis repeated.

"I'll sit down." Sam agreed awkwardly.

Mac noticed David and Kristina first. His sweet little daughter sauntered over to the table and chose the seat closest to him while David took the chair next to Sam. Mac was proud of his wife for arranging their seating without anyone immediately realizing. "I see you got the toys put away." He teased David, bringing a pitcher of iced tea to the table and smiling at Alexis when she barely missed running into him en route.

"Always follow what a woman asks you to do. That's my motto." David explained with a smile, squeezing Samantha's hand under the table.

"I thought your motto was 'Drink all of the juice and then put it back.'" Sam pestered.

"No. That's my philosophy on how to get out of doing the dishes."

"Oh, is that how it goes?" Sam asked lifting an eyebrow.

"You're welcome to do them here." Alexis chimed in, placing the pan of spaghetti in the center of the table.

"It's the least I can do after you made such a delicious looking meal for us Mrs. Scorpio."

"But I want to do the dishes." Kristina argued, pouting. "You said I could do them." She added accusingly.

"You can help me." David offered. "Your sister claims I always screw them up."

"How is that possible?" Mac wanted to know.

"I have no idea." David shrugged.

"He doesn't understand the system." Sam told them. "Plates go a certain place and then the bowls and then the cups."

"Apparently the world will end and chaos will reign if you put the cups first." David stage-whispered to Mac.

"Am I crazy?" Sam wondered, throwing up her hands in mock irritation.

"Not at all. It takes years to train them properly."

"Is that right Commissioner?" David asked laughing.

"Garlic bread anyone?" Mac replied instead, holding up the plate.

*****

"So, Alexis tells me you and Sam live together?" Mac figured it was as good a conversation starter as any. With Kristina asleep and her mother and sister off elsewhere, it was either this or watch a game.

"Yes." David looked at Mac out of the corner of one eye. He had known the suggestion they watch the game was a trap.

"Huh. And how long has that been going on?"

"A few months give or take."

"Sounds serious." Mac threw a piece of popcorn into his mouth, his eyes glued to the tube.

"Well we weren't exactly seeing each other when I moved in."

"Excuse me?"

"It may have been more of a business arrangement than a relationship."

"May have been." Mac parroted. "What kind of business arrangement?"

Too late David realized his mistake. If he was doubtful Mac would approve of Samantha's role in his investigations before, now he was positive Mac would disapprove of it. "She needed a roommate and I needed a place to crash. Landlord/tenant."

"So you paid her rent?" Mac stuffed a few more pieces of popcorn into his mouth.

"Yes."

"You'll have to forgive me, but this is kind of a strange situation. I'm assuming the apartment has two bedrooms."

"No. I sleep on the couch."

"You're paying rent to sleep on the couch?"

"Good apartments are hard to come by."

"I'll bet. Though, I guess you're not still on the couch."

"Sometimes. It depends on if I've screwed up."

Mac laughed. At least he was honest...or a really good liar. "That we have in common."

"So is the game supposed to be good tonight?"

*****

"It's awfully quiet." Sam concluded, stretching further back in her chair to hear. She and Alexis had slipped into the den so there was very little chance of being overheard. A double-edged sword it seemed because she couldn't tell what they were talking about.

"You worry too much. They're watching the game." Alexis promised, patting Sam's hand.

"Which game?" Sam wanted to know.

"I didn't ask."

"You mean he didn't tell you. He's probably up there right now, getting rid of the evidence."

"Looks to me like David can take care of himself." Alexis countered with a grin.

"That he can." Sam admitted, slumping deeper into the chair.

"I have to say, I was a little surprised he showed up."

"Why?"

"Because your stepfather can be a little intimidating. Add that to the fact that he's David's superior…I had my doubts that he would."

"Mac invited him." Sam reminded her. "Besides, he would have starved to death if I'd left him alone."

"So has anything changed since our last discussion? I remember you saying that there was some tension."

"I let it go."

Alexis could tell there was more, but she didn't feel comfortable pushing. Sam had obviously edited for some reason. "I'm glad to hear that. The good guys are few and far between."

"I'll let him know you like him." Sam said on a sigh.

"I've never seen your sister take to a man the way she has with him."

"He's good with kids I guess. Who knew?"

"Are you sure there's nothing else?"

"Like what?"

"Nothing I guess."

"We should get back to them. It's past his bedtime."


	382. Tell Her What She Wants To Know

Evan pushed open the door, leaning heavily against it. After his talk with Lucky Spencer, he had called Lulu and told her he would be working through the night. He hadn't waited to hear her take on it, knowing staying on the phone with her would have accomplished nothing. He stopped mid-step when he came face-to-face with the last person he had been expecting. "Mom? What are you—?" He didn't get a chance to finish his question before she threw her arms around him and squeezed him tightly.

"It's about time." She lightly scolded, releasing him and stepping backwards. "Where have you been?"

"I was at work." Evan informed her wearily. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" Lulu's absence made him nervous.

"I can't visit my son?" Sophie challenged, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"Of course you can visit. I...you know I've never been big on surprises..." Evan backtracked with a tight smile.

"I can't believe you're mad at me for coming." Sophie shook her head in disappointment. "Especially after our last phone call."

"Would you keep your voice down?" Evan insisted, finding Lulu curled up in his bed asleep.

"She tried to wait up for you, but she lost that battle about an hour ago. A train could go past the bed and I doubt she'd notice." Sophie picked up an unfamiliar blanket from the back of Evan's couch. "So, she's pretty."

"Don't start." Evan begged. He went to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.

"You didn't mention her at all and yet she says you're great friends." Sophie watched her words put a smile on her son's face.

"She got into some trouble." Evan evaded. "I'm just trying to help her out of it."

"Don't you have enough to deal with? And what's this about you finding Ethan's killer and going after him yourself? Have you gone completely mad?" Sophie slammed her hand against the counter with enough force to startle him.

"I said I'd taken care of it." Evan reminded her.

"Yes, and that's what scares me." Sophie admitted quietly.

"What do you think, that I killed him?" Evan challenged.

"Did you?"

"I don't believe this!"

"Evan, please. Don't shut me out." Sophie insisted, advancing on him.

"I think it's time for you to go."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Mom, please. It's been a long night. I haven't been to sleep yet. Can we possibly do this another time?"

"Right. I'll just drive to Manhattan and then come back here. What's a few more hours in the car?"

"I'm trying here. Okay? I don't know what else to do."

"I just want to have a normal conversation with you. Is that so terrible?"

"You're accusing me of killing a man. How is that anything but convoluted?"

"It's the longest conversation we've had since you moved here."

"What do you want me to do? I'm not going back to Manhattan. I told you that."

"Would you mind telling me why?"

"I shouldn't have to tell you why."

"You mean you won't." Sophie concluded. "Tell me it has something more to do with than your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend." Evan argued, rubbing his eyes.

"She's sleeping in your bed."

"And once you leave, I won't make it past the couch."

"Do you think it's easy for me to be so far away from you? To see so many similarities…?"

"I'm not him. I'm not depressed. I'm not doing drugs."

"I know." Sophie whispered. "I just wish you would come home."

"That's not my home anymore, Mom." Evan pointed out.

"And this is? Evan, this place isn't safe."

"And Manhattan was? I like it here. I feel like I'm doing something that matters."

"And I am so proud of you. I miss you, that's all."

"Why don't you move here?"

"And leave our home? I could never do that."

"You're there all alone."

"Your father bought me that house. We raised you boys in that house. Every memory of mine over the last thirty years has been made in that house."

"I can't just pick up and leave."

Sophie nodded, unable to meet his gaze. "Bring her over sometime."

"I will. You're not driving back tonight, are you?"

"No. I rented a room at the Metro Court. I'm paid up until tomorrow afternoon."

"I'm sorry." Evan hugged her.

"Don't be."

*****

"Daddy! We're hungry!" Cameron's voice filtered up from downstairs. He and Morgan had disappeared to the basement almost as soon as Morgan arrived. Lucky figured they would be fine until the occasional request for food became constant screams.

"You just had lunch." Lucky pointed out.

"But we're still hungry."

"Cameron, you and Morgan can have a snack later. Right now we're a little busy with the twins and Nathan ok?" Elizabeth smiled over at Lucky as she balanced Nathan on her hip.

"Alright." Cameron responded with a sigh.

"Give them five minutes. They'll get all involved in a video game and forget all about it." Elizabeth advised as she walked into the living room.

"Why did we volunteer for this again?" Lucky asked as he took Nathan from her and put him in the playpen with Jake and Gracie. He was fairly sure she had tricked him into it, but Elizabeth insisted they had both thought it was a good idea. Why on earth would he think having five kids running around his house would be a good idea? He always held Cameron's birthday parties at restaurants and play places for a reason.

"Because if Robin doesn't take a break soon, Morgan is going to start figuring out there is something going on. And she's not ready to tell him about AJ yet."

Lucky could feel his blood boil again at the mention of AJ. He had missed the fireworks in the hospital, a fact he regretted daily. He would have loved to punch that arrogant son of a bitch right in his mouth. An injunction? Using an injunction to keep Morgan from helping Lance recover? What kind of person did that? Scratch that, a human being didn't do that to an innocent child, let alone his own flesh and blood. "I know. And it's been awhile since Cam and Morgan spent any time together."

"Yes. And don't pretend you haven't missed Nathan here." Elizabeth teased. "You spent more time with him than anyone when he was in the hospital."

"I did not. Mom was there just as much as I was."

"Keep telling yourself that. You have a soft spot for him."

"I was trying to warn him about Patrick's cooking."

"Don't worry honey. I won't tell anyone." Elizabeth leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I don't have to. It's written all over your face."

Lucky rolled his eyes. There was one way to stop this topic of conversation. True to her prediction, all they could make out of Cameron and Morgan was indistinct chatter and occasional laughs. The twins and Nathan were easily entertaining themselves with seeing how many different toys they could fit in their mouths at one time. "I had a thought about the wedding."

Elizabeth smiled and tried to hide her laughter. Lucky had been doing better about helping plan the wedding, but his latest thought would just lead to more trouble. "I told you. You aren't planning the wedding favors."

"You haven't even heard my idea yet."

"I don't need to. I already know it will be some attempt to get back at Cruz and Patrick for the tape incident."

"And you don't want a prank war in the middle of your wedding."

"No, I fully expect it to continue. I just think they would be expecting you to rig the favors. You need to think of something else."

Smiling at her, Lucky looped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "You are devious."

"You already knew that."

"I did. But generally it's used against me."

"Well you generally deserve it."

"True." Lucky agreed, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "So if I wanted to use your powers for me rather than against me, what exactly would I have to do?"

"This is a good start."

"I see." Lucky leaned over and kissed the side of her neck. "And this?"

"Helps your case."

"Good to know." He scattered kisses up the side of her neck to her earlobe.

I'd like to point out that there are five children in this house. And this sort of thing led to why three of them are here."

"You know Mom is always talking about how she doesn't see the kids enough."

"That's her code for she wants to come and take over wedding plans." Elizabeth pointed out. "I have a deal for you though."

"A deal?" Lucky raised one eyebrow and kissed the side of her mouth.

"You behave until Morgan and Nathan go home."

"And?"

"And when they leave, we can discuss my deviousness for the rest of the night."

"What time is Patrick picking them up?"

"Two hours." Elizabeth whispered into his ear.

"Then you have a deal."


	383. You Look So Fine

Ironically enough, after the discussion with his mother, Evan hadn't made it past the couch in his attempt to catch a little sleep. When his eyes opened, the dim light coming in through the thin living room curtains told him it was early afternoon. He sat up and stretched, let out an exaggerated yawn, and got up, wondering why the apartment was so quiet.

A flicker of silver caught his eye and he hurried to the bedroom, curious as to why the door was partially shut. Taking a chance, he lightly knocked and pushed his way into the room. She didn't notice him right away, too caught up in quietly scurrying from the sink to the bed to drop what little belongings she had at her disposal into her tiny bag. "Is there a fire I don't know about?"

"No. You sleep well?"

"Fine. What are you doing?"

"Packing."

"Can I ask why?"

"It's just time that's all."

"What did my mother say to you?"

"Nothing." Lulu avoided his gaze and tried to move once again back to the bathroom.

"I don't think so." He argued, turning her to face him.

"Evan. Let me go."

"No. Not until you give me a straight answer."

"Did you kill Vermin?" she blurted out.

"What is _with_ everyone? Why would you ask me that?"

"Did you?"

"It doesn't matter what I say, does it? You've already made up your mind that I have." Evan accused, taking a step back.

"Just tell me why you are so sure he can't hurt me."

"Fine. You want to know? The night you came to stay with me, I went to see that piece of human garbage."

"What did you do?" Lulu whispered.

"I knew I had to take out his security or I would never get in to talk to him so I lured Underwood to the end of the dock and then tied him under it. I found out the next morning that he had drowned. As far as Vermin, I don't know how I kept from killing him. First my brother and then you." He hissed.

"Evan." She reached out a trembling hand to his cheek.

"I shouldn't have gone there. As a cop, I know how stupid it was. I had been trailing him for months, months before I ever met you, and I knew his patterns. How sick is it that if he hadn't gone to that particular club on that particular night, you and I wouldn't have met? Though maybe you wish that was the way it had happened."

"If we hadn't met that night..." Lulu shook her head. She didn't really want to think about that possibility. "You took a huge risk. Both times. It's amazing Vermin hasn't killed you yet."

"Amazing, yes. Though this last time, he wasn't in any condition to do anything to me."

"Evan...What did you do?"

"I shot him in the hand when he tried to pull a gun on me, stabbed him in both kneecaps with his own knife, and told him I would take him apart piece by piece."

"Oh God." Lulu breathed as she took a step closer to him.

"As for my confidence in keeping you safe..." His voice trailed off. Why wasn't she scared of him? It was why he hadn't told her to begin with; why he had planned to never mention it again. "I have evidence to sell him out to his enemies and told him that if anything happened to you, arrangements were already in place to make it public knowledge. It seems Vermin thought it would be clever to addict his top enemy's little sister to Heroin and, surprise, surprise, it was laced with arsenic. Just like Ethan's was."

"Turn it over to Mac. Don't do this. Don't be like him."

"And leave you open to attack? No." Evan shook his head.

"But Mac will keep him in jail. And I can leave town for awhile. We both could."

"This needs to end and I'm not leaving it up to Mac and Harper to finish. Vermin will make a deal and serve no jail time. I've seen it happen a hundred times."

"If you don't, you'll be no better than him."

"Well if you really believe that, it's probably best that you're leaving."

Lulu bit her bottom lip. "I don't regret it." She whispered.

"Well you should! We both manipulated you, we both used you. I don't want you to forgive me because that doesn't change what happened."

"No it doesn't. But what about what happened afterwards? If we didn't meet that night, Mac wouldn't have assigned you as my bodyguard. And I probably would have taken that deal Vermin offered me. I'd still be using. If we hadn't met that night, you wouldn't have saved me."

"What deal?"

"He wanted me to work for him."

"Doing what?"

"Dancing. At the Paradise Lounge." She lowered her head and stared at the pattern of the carpet.

"That son of a bitch." Evan tilted Lulu's chin up. "Look at me. You have _nothing_ to be ashamed of. You ran out on that deal. You didn't do it."

"Only at the last second. I was going to do it. I was going to do it."

"But you didn't. You were brave."

"If I were brave, I wouldn't have gotten in this mess to start with."

"It's not your fault. If anyone had been paying attention, but they just expected you to get over it."

"You paid attention."

"I wish I had been here for you sooner. Maybe I could have prevented all of this."

"You prevented plenty." She promised him as she slid her hands up to his neck.

"Don't leave. Not like this."

"Do you want me to stay?"

"I've always wanted you to stay. You're the one who keeps running. What do you have to run away from now?" He moved his hands up and down her arms.

"This."

"No." He placed a kiss below her ear. "I wouldn't dream of hurting you."

"That's what scares me."

"Tell me why."

"Because that means this is real. It's not a game anymore. Not a job. It's real."

"Whatever else, this has always been real." He assured her, intertwining their fingers.

"Evan?" Lulu looked up meeting his eyes, stepping closer to him.

"What?"

"Kiss me."

He dipped his head and caught her lips with his. Still holding one of her hands, he used the other to drape around her waist and gradually draw her closer. Curling her arms around his neck, she sighed when she felt his tongue trace the outline of her lips, softly opening them for him to enter.

At the collar of her ruffled white top were a thin white bow and a series of buttons. His finger caught a loop of the ribbon and unraveled it, using his other hand to push the puffy sleeves down her arms. He bent forward and left a trail of kisses down her throat, his hands working the edge of the shirt out of her brown corduroys. She stepped back until the mattress hit the back of her knees and broke the kiss only long enough to unfasten the buttons at the front of her shirt. Reaching for the collar of his grey shirt, she pulled him into another kiss and off his feet.

Falling into a tumble, they laughed at their impromptu decision to wrestle the shirt off of her as if the garment had suddenly caught fire. He followed the slant of her cheek with his lips until he reached the pulse point at her neck and slipped one strap of the bra off her shoulder. When his lips brushed against the top of her left shoulder, he let them backtrack slowly to her neck. Her arms slipped under his and she pressed her hands into his neck, her thumb and index finger settling on either side of his face so that he had to lift his head and kiss her lips.

In one hand, he cradled her face while he used the other to pull her more securely beneath him. He unwound her fingers from around his shirt and worked it up over his head, clutching her hand before her deadly fingernails could draw blood. She wouldn't be thwarted though, he realized, because the second he relinquished her hand, she brought it right back to his chest. His breath caught in his throat as her fingernails grazed across his nipples and he shifted above her, scooting her farther back so that they didn't slide right off the mattress.

Smiling to herself, Lulu pushed against his chest, rolling them over so she lay on top of him. Leaning down to capture his lips once again, she whispered to him, "Right where I want you."

"Like I could ever leave you." Evan didn't let himself think about how much truth rested in his words. How many rules had he already broken? He told himself it had been worth it because, no matter what, she wasn't using drugs anymore and her family would be there to support her. "My perfect Leslie." He whispered, peeling her pants down her legs and admiring just how incredibly beautiful she was.

His hand traced up her back, causing her to shiver. "Why do you call me that?"

"I honestly don't know. At first, to bug you and make me stick out in your mind. It fits your personality better."

"You're the only one who calls me that." She leaned down and nipped at his ear, her fingers edging closer to the top of his jeans. "I only like it when you call me that."

"Well that makes two of us." Instead of redirecting her purposeful fingers, he disengaged the latch at the front of her bra and scooped his palm under each breast to lift them out. "See? Perfect." He sat up and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to one puckered nipple. She managed to stay completely still above him for all of about five seconds and he opened his mouth a little wider so that his tongue could come up under the nipple and trace its full length. He thumbed her other breast until it too stood to attention and then sucked it into his mouth.

Suddenly undoing the button at the top of his jeans went from mild interest in her mind to an overwhelming necessity. To move at all was agony. He reached between them once she had taken care of the zipper, but she still wasn't satisfied, so he lifted his hips, disengaging his mouth from her nipple to keep from hurting her when his teeth gritted together, and yanked down the next obstacle.

He skidded backwards to retrieve a condom from the top drawer of the nightstand and then rejoined her on the bed. His heart galloped against his chest and he closed his eyes to catch a breath, but she sat up and fastened her lips to his and he panted into her mouth. Her panties were little more than a scrap of lace. Without any difficulty, he skimmed them down her legs and tossed them next to his discarded boxers. She took the condom from him, but her hands started to shake when she tried to sheath him herself, so he carried them to his lips and kissed them before taking over the task himself.

Braced up on his elbows, he brushed his shaft across her opening, letting his body entice hers. Her fingers climbed up his back as her legs wrapped around his waist, propelling him inside of her. He pressed a little harder and she relaxed, a sigh catching in her throat. It was one of those wonderful moments when moving was difficult and staying still was just as impossible. Sinking deeper, he held her face in his hands, following the outline of her swollen lips with his tongue. All logical thought was erased from his mind as she shuddered and shook beneath him. He bent his head and rested it against her forehead.


	384. There For You

"Well hello there." Sam called out, closing the door behind her. Though his face was completely hidden behind the newspaper, she recognized David's shape.

"Hello stranger." David folded down the paper and smiled up at her. To come home and find her not there and no note explaining her whereabouts was more than a little strange. He was willing to not press the issue right away, after all he had been a complete pain for the past few weeks, but eventually, he promised himself, he would ask her.

"You're one to talk. This is the first time I've seen you in the daylight." Sam giggled, climbing into his lap.

"An error I have every intention of correcting." David promised as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close enough to kiss her briefly.

Sam pressed her forehead against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "So, have you been here long?"

"Long enough." He replied cryptically.

"I can't be productive?"

"Not about this." He pushed her head off his shoulder just enough so he could look into her eyes. "It's about Deliah."

"What about her?"

"I'm not going to sue for any kind of custody. She has a father that loves her. I 'm not going to take that away. I want to be in her life, as a friend, and when she's old enough to understand everything…then Carole and I will talk about telling her the truth." David shrugged his shoulders. "I think it's the only fair thing to do."

Sam lifted her arms and looped them around his neck. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. It's the best for Deliah."

"She's your daughter. Are you really ready to give that up? You just found her. You're being awfully nice to a woman who never would have told you about her if you hadn't figured it out."

"She's four. She doesn't understand all of this. I'd be the man who took her daddy away. I'd fight the same battle Mac had to fight with your sister. I know it's not the same thing, but I don't want to confuse her."

"Have you told them your decision?"

"Later tonight."

"Are you really sure about this? I don't want you entering into some agreement and then regretting it."

"I'm sure. I'm not exactly living a child friendly life here." David pointed out.

"You could."

"I'm not going to regret this." He promised her, kissing her forehead. "This is the best choice. I'm not going to disappear out of her life. And I will help out, but I'm not going to confuse her. She's just a little girl."

"She's also your daughter and you're sending the message that letting another man raise her is okay." Sam argued, dodging his lips.

"A man that's been there since she was born." David reminded her. "A man that's been raising her and, from the looks of it, doing a damn good job."

"Have you thought about this from all the angles?" Sam wanted to know.

"All of them."

"Then I guess that's that."

"Not entirely."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well it occurred to me you have been far more patient with me than I probably deserved over this. And perhaps I owe you a very big thank you."

"It was nothing." Sam deflected, moving to the other side of the couch.

"No it wasn't Samantha." He reached out to grab her hand. "Your support is important to me. I just want to say thank you."

"You're welcome...I guess."

"You guess?" David lifted one eyebrow. "Something bothering you Samantha?"

"I'm just not sure what I did."

"What you did just now, making sure I was considering everything. The same way you do when we work a case. You made sure that I would be ok with this, just like you help make sure we're going to close a case."

"Oh, well, um, you're welcome." Sam sputtered.

"What's going on Samantha?" David questioned. "You aren't normally this flustered."

"You know how I am with compliments. Never take them quite right."

"True." David drawled out. "But you also never shy away from asking what I'm offering."

"Oh, you're offering something?" Sam grinned.

"Always." David matched her grin with one of his own. "I'm offering you a rare opportunity to name whatever you want from me. I suggest you request wisely since I won't always be this generous."

Sam put her index finger to her chin and pretended to really think about her request. "Understanding, perhaps?"

"Understanding..." David said slowly. "Understanding about what?"

"If I said we were equal partners, you would say that's an honest statement, wouldn't you?"

"Yes."

"And you just pointed out that I'm good at closing cases."

"You are." David nodded. "So what did you do on a case that I need to be understanding about?"

"I went undercover for the afternoon. That's why I was late. I was...presenting my case. And they hired me. Isn't that great?" Sam asked with forced cheerfulness.

"Undercover." David said slowly. "On a case."

"Yes. A current one. Case, I mean."

"The only current case we have is the Vermin investigation." David pointed out.

"When you're right, you're right."

"You went undercover with Vermin? Where?" David tried to keep his voice calm.

"The details don't matter. The point is that I'm the fly on the wall."

"The details matter to me. Where are you a fly on the wall?"

"The Paradise Lounge." Sam murmured.

"I'm sorry. I must be hearing things. I thought you said the Paradise Lounge."

"Now don't get excited." Sam cautioned.

"Excited is not the word I'd use."

"You said you'd be understanding."

"That was before I knew you were telling me about your new job as a stripper."

"I'll be hiding in plain sight. You have to admit that it's past time for this case to be over and done with. People are starting to die."

"There are better ways to close it than _this_."

"There isn't. No one else has been able to get close enough and the last person who tried was Lulu Spencer who, might I add, is still missing?"

"And for some reason I don't want to add you to list of missing persons. Call me crazy."

"Look, I appreciate your worry. I do. It goes both ways."

"I'm glad it does, but you're still not getting up on that stage."

"Excuse me, but that's not your decision."

"And it's not only your decision."

"It's strategy."

"It's dangerous."

"Yeah, well, what isn't in police work? If you didn't think I could do this, why did you want me to be your partner?"

"It's not that I don't think you can do this. It's that I don't want you to do this."

"It's not my first choice either, but the sooner this is done, the sooner we can get back to better things." She reasoned, rubbing his right shoulder soothingly.

"Too bad it's not going to work."

"What do you mean?"

"If you're up on stage, I'll be in the audience. With my gun and badge. Might discourage some conversation."

"Then I suggest you stay home."

"And how exactly do you think you can stop me?"

"I have ways."

"So do I." He reminded her, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close.

"Maybe I'll just tie you to the bed again." Sam considered, tracing the pocket on his shirt.

"Maybe I'll tie you up first."

"Maybe I'll find a new use for those handcuffs."

"Maybe I'll keep you too busy to leave the bed."

Satisfied by the subject change, Sam leaned over and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "I love you so much."

"Ditto." He whispered back to her, running his fingers through her hair.

"Can we please shelve this discussion for tonight?"

"As long as you realize we will be discussing this again."

"That sounds fair to me."


	385. Losing Grip

"Well, if it isn't the prodigal son." Tracy growled as AJ let himself into the kitchen via the patio door. She hadn't slept in a few days and it was starting to show in both her face and the shortness of her temper. Anything and everything set her off. The unexpected presence of AJ was just going to make everything that much worse.

"Tracy, please." Lila stressed, stirring her tea anxiously. Edward reached over and placed his hand on top of hers when the tiny silver spoon starting to shake loudly against the fragile cup.

"Why should I?" Tracy challenged, her voice rising in pitch, her face turning a dangerous shade of red. AJ continued to ignore her, sparking her temper that much more. "He waltzes in here as if he owns the place."

"This is more my house than it is yours, Tracy." AJ pointed out, turning the orange juice carton on its axis before taking a long drink.

"I think your parents would disagree with you there. At least your mother would." Edward threw in, his anger at his grandson's selfish act far more composed than that of his daughter's. You didn't get to be head of a company without learning a thing or two about keeping your temper in check.

"AJ, dear. Have breakfast with us." Lila insisted, gesturing toward an empty chair. "It's been too long since we've spoken and we have far more food here than we're going to be able to finish." She recognized the tension, but chose to ignore it. Her husband and daughter might be too stubborn even want to hear AJ's side of the story, but she was certain she could get to the bottom of this without another tragedy.

"I would love to Grandmother." AJ assured her. "I doubt that I'm welcome though."

"Nonsense. Sit down. Please." Lila reiterated kindly.

"It's not nonsense. Listen to the boy. He knows what he's talking about. For once." Edward countered tersely.

"Why don't you just come out and say it old man?" AJ placed the empty carton on the counter behind him and leaned against it impatiently.

"Maybe you should let me handle this Daddy." Tracy offered. "The appropriate words might not be ones you're familiar with."

"Is that supposed to scare me Tracy? And Grandfather, why are you being such a hypocrite?"

"How so?" Edward wanted to know.

"You go on and on about a Quartermaine heir and I'm about to present you with two!" AJ clarified with a wave of his hands.

"At the cost of one." Tracy reminded him.

"You're being overly dramatic, Tracy."

"You hateful little ingrate!" Tracy threw her napkin down and got to her feet without delay. "You were right there when the doctor gave us the prognosis! You know what will happen to Lance without the transplant!"

"Doctors have been wrong before. Look at Jason. The golden son never did return to his devoted family."

"AJ, please." Lila begged him.

"You're upsetting your grandmother." Edward accused.

"What did I do? I'm trying to defend myself." AJ argued.

"You're trying to get out of feeling guilty for supplying this family with one possible Quartermaine at the cost of another. You dare treat my grandson like he's not always been a part of this family." Tracy advanced on him, her finger pointed in his direction with enough malice to knock him step back a step.

AJ shook his head at her foolish assumption. "Lance will be fine. The doctor's just trying to scare us out of more money."

"Lance is getting worse every minute that he's without that transplant!"

"And the second you throw a little money her way, his prognosis will change for the better." AJ dodged her obvious attack by simply moving to the side.

"If we could just understand why you're so against this." Lila prodded carefully.

"Because there are risks Grandmother. On both sides." AJ informed her.

"What decision has ever been made without the balance of risks?" Lila argued.

"I am not going to put my son through a dangerous procedure because his derelict father managed to pass down some genetic disease."

"You've not yet proved he's your son." Edward corrected him sharply. "This is all unnecessary."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Just what I said." Edward clarified. "Putting Lance and Morgan through this without any care as to how it will affect either one."

"I am trying to make the best decision for my son!"

"Well you're not doing a good job."

"I don't believe I'm hearing this from you of all people. If it was your son—"

"But Morgan is not my son. He may not even be my grandson. What right do you have to take him away from a mother and father who love him? A family they've built together?"

"How dare you take her side!"

"I will take whichever side I choose. I've seen the hell that poor girl has been through over the last year and I will not willingly participate in adding to her misery. Have you no shame at all?" Edward climbed to his feet shakily and turned to his wife. "I've lost my appetite."

"Perhaps it is best that you go. All of this yelling isn't getting us anywhere." Lila stated grimly.

"How could it, when no one here thinks I'm doing the right thing?" AJ demanded.

"You aren't worried about doing the right thing. All you care about is power. Power over your family, over anyone who might be happier than you." Tracy retorted.

"For all of your hatred towards the man, it is pathetic how well you've managed to transform yourself into an even worse human being than Sonny Corinthos." Edward watched his words bring fire to AJ's eyes. "At least he recognized he couldn't give his children the life they deserved." Catching his breath, he continued, "I don't know what inspired Robin to ever give you custody of Michael. Lord only knows what nonsense you've put into his little head."

"I have done nothing but love Michael!" AJ insisted angrily.

"You've kept him locked up in a house or in a boarding school without allowing any of us contact with him. You've imprisoned him. And you dare go after another innocent child as a means to an end. You make me sick." Edward stormed off.

*****

"Don't you think this was a good idea?" Maxie leaned back against Ric's arm, draped half across his lap. Her roommate had developed a social life and thus was never home. She wasn't about to complain.

"Oh yeah the best." Ric tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. He had no argument to spending time alone with Maxie. Spending the night watching an old Barbra Streisand musical was another thing altogether. "Why do you like this again?"

"Are you kidding? Look at that dress!" Maxie exclaimed, absently tracing the inside of Ric's palm. It had been the perfect afternoon what with the movies and the ever present chocolate mousse he had conjured up for her.

"Should have known." Ric shook his head slowly. "So this is research for you then?"

"This is research for you. How would it look for you to be as clueless as every other man when it comes to style? I'm like your mentor." Maxie reasoned.

"But we don't live in the 1930s and I'm not a vaudeville star." Ric argued.

"You say that now. Give Los Angeles a little time, and I bet even you start singing in the rain." Maxie teased.

Ric moved closer to her. "And now I'm staying in Los Angeles with you. Interesting."

"What's interesting?" Maxie eyed him warily.

"One could interpret that as you want me to stick around."

"I'm just repeating your own words back to you. I told you I don't want to go back to Port Charles. Imagine the life we could have here, totally hidden."

"Who said anything about hiding?"

"Never mind."

"Never mind what?"

"You're missing the highlight of movie. I can't believe he had the nerve to come back."

"He loves her."

"That's not always enough."

"But it's always a starting point."

"We need more popcorn." Maxie declared, reaching for the empty bowl.

"Stay." Ric pulled her back to him. "I thought you said this was the best part."

"Yes, but I've already seen it."

"Let me put it another way. You aren't leaving this couch."

"Well aren't you Mr. Confident?" Maxie leaned over and kissed him.

"We do have time to make up for." Ric pointed out, pulling her into his lap.

"Do we?" Maxie asked between kisses.

"Yes."

She curled her hand around the back of his head and let her eyes flutter closed on a sigh. She stole kisses greedily, fearing that if she hesitated, she would find him to be nothing more than an apparition. "Sorry." She managed to squeak out when they had to break apart for air. "I didn't mean to kiss you like that."

"Don't ever apologize for that."

"Damn. That was...that was good." She admitted, pressing her palms against the muscles in his back and keeping their lips centimeters apart.

"Always is." Ric reminded her, his fingers slipping around her waist.

The thin shirt she wore was no match for his stroking fingers. Though he kept them at her waist, she let out a shuddering breath in response. "The credits."

"We'll rewind and watch later." He promised, dipping his lips to kiss her neck.

"You'd watch it again?"

"With the proper incentive." It had been too long since he had tasted or touched her. His newfound understanding of her health issues had held him back, but she was getting stronger every day. He resumed his mission to kiss every inch of skin he could find, pressing his lips against her pulse point.

She gulped and nodded because she didn't have a comeback for that. He had been good for far longer than she had imagined possible, but his extraordinary restraint was beginning to waver. "Do you—" Maxie flustered, tilting her head to give him better access. "Do you think it'll always be this way?"

"What way?"

"Vital."

"Hell yes."

Laughing, she gripped his shirt in handfuls. "I don't think you need this."

Ric pulled back just enough to allow her to remove his shirt and nudged hers up with his fingers. "I don't think you need yours either."

"We'll get there." Maxie told him, resting her hands over his.

"In the meantime, we can still have fun." He smiled, moving his fingers over her skin.

"Oh yeah? What did you have in mind?" Her hands braced against his thighs.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Ric promised her, moving his hands higher up under her shirt. "But I promise you'll enjoy every minute of it."

Out of breath, she wound her fingers around his wrists. "If you keep that up, I'll be done before you are."

"Not a problem for me."

"Damn it. I can't believe I forgot." Gingerly, she slid backwards.

"Forgot what?"

"I forgot to tell Feona about her son's plane being delayed. I better call her." She lunged for the phone.

"Later." Ric mumbled against her skin, his hand snaking out to still hers.

"I don't think it would take much for me to lose this position and you know how hard I've been working..." As her words rambled on, she pulled her hand back.

"I know. So call her. Just don't think I'm going to stop."

"Like I could concentrate on the conversation with you here."

"I thought you could do anything."

"Even that goes beyond my capabilities. Please?"

"Fine." Ric conceded with a sigh. "But we are not finished."

"Are you mad?"

"No."

"Maybe I could make it up to you tomorrow night. What do you say? Dare to be seen with me in public?"

"Always. However I do not promise to behave in public."

"Go on. Get out of here." Maxie suggested, shoving him toward the door.

"Not until you tell me when I'll see you again."

"Eight tomorrow night. You can pick me up here."

"You'll have the time of your life."

"I know." Maxie agreed with a shaky smile.

"Until tomorrow Maxie." Ric winked at her before kissing her again.

"Until tomorrow." She repeated closing the door.


	386. Blame

Evan paced the crowded stretch of grungy floor in front of the bar as his mind went a mile of minute. Was he making the right decision? There would be no turning back after this. Lulu wouldn't be forgiving him anytime soon. He shook his head to try and clear the image of her sleeping form from his memory. The last thing he needed was to rationalize himself out of this. He had no other option if he meant to keep her safe. Ironic how the only way to do that was to expose her.

He was proud of himself for leaving her. Though it had been even more difficult than he initially suspected, he had managed to slip away undetected. If nothing else, he was good at running away. No. He had to face this, had to make her face it. He had made a deal with a devil and the only way to remedy it was to get her out of the crossfire that would surely occur, probably a lot sooner than either of them wanted to believe. He spotted Harper walk in and scooped up the file folder from the bar.

"Cassidy." David greeted him curtly. He was more than a little suspicious as to why the detective had called and asked him to meet here.

"Thank you for coming." Evan gestured toward an empty table and they sat.

"Well you made me curious."

"I heard the dinner with the commissioner and former DA went off without a hitch." Even if it was just a rumor, he had every intention of using it to his advantage.

"You didn't invite me to discuss gossip."

"No, but I needed a better opening than 'I need a favor.'" Evan conceded.

"What type of favor?"

"I need you to take over Steven Webber's hit-and-run."

David leaned across the table. "Word is you've almost cracked that. Why give up the collar? Find who hit the commissioner's son-in-law? You could write your own ticket in the department."

"I don't think that's possible anymore."

"Well you've certainly got me curious."

"Can I trust you with this information?" It was the same question he had been warring over for the last half hour before Harper arrived. What would persuade him to go along with any plan but his own? Especially at the request of an officer who had broken every rule ever made?

"Something's got you rattled."

"The suspect brought in for questioning is innocent."

"And you're sure of this how exactly?"

"The abandoned car wasn't registered to her."

"She could have borrowed it. I heard your girl isn't real good with her memory."

"No. The car was registered to the brother of the person who did it."

"You can save yourself a lot of time if you just talk straight."

"Lulu Spencer."

"Lulu Spencer." David sat back in his chair. "How sure are you of this?"

"I have everything but a confession. My theory is that she was at the same party Haley was and ended up driving home after she satisfied her fix. The tracks from Webber's car to hers prove she got out to assess the situation, and then it's pure speculation."

"And the fact that she's missing?"

"She isn't missing." Evan corrected.

"No? She's not been to the club in weeks. Her place has been empty."

"A few weeks back she called me, panicked because someone broke into her apartment and tore it to shreds. When I went over there, she explained that she had backed out on a deal with Vermin and he had sent Underwood to give her a message."

"You're hiding her." Harper said slowly. "Samantha was right."

"I've managed to keep her clean since the night she came to stay with me and she doesn't know about any of this. I don't think she remembers."

"That's why you want me to take the case. You're involved with her."

"Starting to make sense now?"

"You screw up and sleep with your suspect and you think transferring it back to me will clean up your mess." David shook his head. "When you screw up, you screw up."

"I never do anything small." Evan admitted. "Will you? I'm no longer credible so everything I've seen, everything I've determined, is completely useless. I'm a liability to her case."

"If she doesn't remember, then she's a liablity to her own case."

"I haven't shared my theory with her, but every time I mention this particular case, she gets extremely anxious and changes the subject. There's no way to know if she'll remember or not, but I've run out of ideas. I don't know how else to help her...and the fact that I want to should be more than enough reason why I can't provide Steven Webber with any kind of justice."

"Especially if you are thinking about helping her instead of him." David agreed. "Who else knows about this?"

"Her brother is suspicious, but I'm not sure if he knows or not."

"Oh good. Going up against money. Always easy." David groaned.

"I didn't say it would be easy."

"You know _if_ I do this, the favor you owe me is going to be huge."

"If I still have a job after this, I'll gladly help you."

"I'll hold you to that."

*****

In all his years of getting Lulu out of predicaments, this was the last one Lucky had ever imagined. He still wasn't sure exactly what all she had done, but he knew enough that it was bad. Cassidy wouldn't have come by his office, full of cocky 'got your number' bullshit, if he hadn't been sure he could make the case.

And if it wasn't for the fact Steven's hit-and-run was mixed up somehow into it, he wouldn't have even bothered coming by Audrey's house today. But the voicemail from Cassidy had left no doubt. Cassidy had transferred the case; he couldn't hold off charges any longer. Whatever was about to happen, it was going to happen soon.

He had already called Dara; she was just waiting for him to call her and send her to the station. Mac might be able to help, but he would also be accused of playing favorites. Mac had worked too long to improve the police's reputation in this town for Lulu's mistakes to undo everything. No, he had to protect her. It was his job and no one else's.

And part of his job was to try and explain everything to Steven Webber, his future brother-in-law. Try to explain it in some way that future Christmases would be the only way the twins saw their Uncle Steven. "Damn it Lulu," he swore as he knocked on the door. "What have you gotten me into?" Was there a way to do this? Without bloodshed? Lucky seriously doubted it.

"Lucky?" Steven rounded the house, surprising Lucky and smiling at that fact. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you actually. Got a minute?"

"Looking for me? Uh oh."

You don't know the half of it, Lucky though wryly. "This isn't a bad time is it?"

"Not at all. Georgie and Grams went to market, which means they'll hit three different stores on the way and be back some time around sunrise." Steven wiped his hands in a towel and met Lucky on the porch.

"Yeah Robin and Elizabeth are the same way. I feel lucky if they return the same day."

"So what brings you to this neck of the woods? It's not exactly on your way."

"No but I needed to talk to you about something."

"Are you trying to get us to name the baby Lucky?"

"No. It's about your accident."

"My accident?" Steven repeated. "Was someone else hurt?"

"No. Nothing like that." Lucky took a deep breath and met Steven's inquisitive eyes. "I think they are going to arrest someone for it."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Well that's great! I was starting to think..." Steven let his voice die away.

"That they'd never find out the truth? Yeah me too, but apparently they got a lucky break. So to speak."

"Well Mac finally quit giving me death glares." Steven reasoned.

"They think they found the car." Lucky said quietly.

"They think?"

"Apparently they are still waiting on some final tests, but they are pretty sure it's the right one."

"And you and Mac are so close he thought he'd send you to tell me all of this?"

"No. Mac doesn't know I'm aware of all this. At least I think he's not." Lucky shook his head. "No. Evan Cassidy told me."

"Is he the one that hit me?"

"He's the detective that was investigating the case."

"Was?"

"He's transferred the case due to conflict of interest."

"What are you trying to say Lucky? Spit it out please."

"Evan transferred the case because he's dating my sister. The car they found is the one that I bought her for her sixteenth birthday."

"It was Lulu?"

"I don't know. Clearly she was involved somehow, but I don't know."

Steven fell into the swing, stabbing his fingers through his hair. "I don't believe this."

"You don't believe it?" Lucky scoffed. "I'm still stuck on my sister dating."

"Could someone else have been driving the car?"

Lucky shrugged his shoulders. "According to Cassidy, Lulu doesn't seem to remember anything from that night. It's possible but I doubt she would be able to name names."

"Whatever loyalty she has to the person who was driving—"

"Believe me; if she knows anything, I am personally going to drag her ass to Mac to tell him."

"I don't understand." Steven admitted.

"That makes two of us."

"So we don't know if she was driving, only that she didn't tell anyone what happened?"

"And it was her car."

"Why are you the one telling me this? What do you want? You want me to say it's okay? That I don't want to press charges when she or one of her friends almost killed me?"

"I don't know what I want. Cassidy gave me the heads up that he had to transfer the case. Which probably means Lulu is about to be arrested. If she's in the kind of trouble I think she's in then jail might be the safest place for her right now. I just thought…" Lucky shrugged and started to pace. "I don't know what I thought, but I was hoping if I told you before they arrested her, maybe…maybe we could avoid a complete disaster."

"Safer for Lulu. Safer for Lulu!" Steven repeated incredulously.

"You have every right to hate her guts, but she's still _my_ sister. And I still care about what happens to her. Even if she does deserve to face what she participated in. If Elizabeth was in the same situation you want to tell me you'd feed her to the wolves?"

"I would make sure she received some kind of punishment."

"If Lulu is involved then yes she needs to be punished, but you have to see what a mess this is for all of us."

"I can understand your situation, but you can't just expect me to be okay with everything you've just told me. Try and see it from my point of view. Can you? Can you imagine what it would be like not to have twins?"

"I can't. And I am trying. God Steven did you think I wanted this to be the outcome?"

"No. I don't think it's easy for you."

"I just..." Lucky slumped down on the steps of the porch. "I just didn't want you to be blindsided like I was."

"Too late for that."

"I didn't know what else to do."

"Until we know otherwise, can you not discuss this with Elizabeth or my wife?"

Lucky laughed humorlessly. "I don't see it coming up at dinner anytime soon."

"I don't know your sister very well. That said, I don't think she's capable of something like this. Why do you think she is? What do you know that I don't?"

"She's been distant for months. From the looks of it, she's dropped out of school. She's been dating this Cassidy guy for months and no one knows anything about him, which is impossible to do with my mother. She's moved to God knows where. She freaks out over the littlest things. Something's happened to make her change. I just don't know what it is yet."

"When you know, I want to know." Steven emphasized.

"After I tell my parents."


	387. In Need Of A Miracle

Lulu didn't know what had possessed her to come back here. There wasn't anything she wanted to remind her of this place, or why she had come to stay here in the first place. The door was still broken; clearly the landlord had cared just as much as he always did for repairs. Evan had already removed anything of value she hadn't already sold or traded for drugs. All that was left was the results of late-night Dumpster diving sessions, nothing she really wanted to keep.

Still, here she stood the doorway of what was left of her apartment. She didn't dare turn on the lights, a leftover fear from her last visit. She remembered it being a dump when she was high. Lulu shuddered to think what it actually looked like now that she was sober.

Her fingers traced over the wood of the table that she once thrown her keys on top of. At one point, she had tried to aim them for a small dish she had kept there, but as time went on, she counted herself lucky to get the keys actually on the table. Then of course came the time when she stopped driving altogether.

_Like some cruel cosmic joke, the song changed to a slow piece of pop trash. By a singer that had to be drowned out by her background singers to hide how thin her voice was. Lucky would have never signed this flash in the pan, Lulu thought briefly as she reached out to change the station. Her head turned to the side, her eyes entranced by the patterns the trees seemed to make as she drove by. Moonbeams seemed to descend in waves. Making the trees and leaves dance in their light. Idly she wondered what would happen if her car went faster._

_She laughed as she sped up, noticing how the trees seemed to wave at her. Her foot pressed harder on the gas pedal, making the leaves dance in her wake. Now this was why she needed Vermin. She would have never noticed such a thing without his help. The odometer climbed higher and higher as she laughed harder and harder._

_It was the crunch of metal on metal that caught her attention. The unmistakable sensation of her body hurtling forward while her car was trying to stop. As she whipped her head forward, she stomped on the brakes, trying to figure out what had just happened. Feeling the car skid into a stop, she took a shaky breath and stepped out, her mind reeling and her breath coming in short pants._

_The other car looked vaguely familiar to her. Another night, another hour earlier maybe she would recognize it. Peering over the edge, into the darkness, she tried to see if she could hear or see anything. This wasn't good. If she was found, the cops wouldn't hesitate to take her away. That would mean no Vermin, no pills, no way to escape the monsters. That couldn't happen. It just couldn't happen._

_Running back into her car, she nearly left another set of skid marks in her hurry to get out of there. She had to leave. She had to leave. No good would come if she stayed._

Lulu sunk to her knees and began to shake. The memories started to flood back. Why she had awakened that morning in her car on the side of the road. Why she no longer wanted to drive. God even why when she heard about Steven's accident she had felt a feeling of dread settle over her. She had caused it. She had nearly killed Steven Webber.

Evan wasn't sure how he found her. For one thing, the fading sunlight draped the tiny apartment in almost total darkness. For another, she was asleep. Only her random, high-pitched gasps clued him into her presence at all. Flipping on a light, he bent down beside her and tilted her head back.

"Wake up." He whispered, stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"Evan?" she murmured, batting at the tears that still formed in her eyes.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm a terrible person."

"No."

"Yes I am." Lulu insisted shaking her head. "You better leave now before I destroy your life too."

"I already told you. I'm not watching Emergency Room."

"I'm serious. I almost killed one person. I'll do the same to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Steven Webber. I almost killed him. I ran him off the road."

"Let's get you up off the floor." Evan suggested, wrapping his fingers around her arm and helping her up.

"No. Leave Evan. I'm just going to destroy you." Lulu wiggled her way out of his grasp and sat back down on the floor.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Don't you get it? I almost killed Steven."

"I know."

"You know?" Lulu spun around. "You know?"

"The car we found was registered to Lucky. When I asked him about it, he told me it was a birthday present for you."

"Lucky knows? Oh God." Lulu began to pace.

Evan caught her wrist and carefully turned her around. "Honey, calm down."

"No. I'm not going to calm down. I did something terrible. I ran away. There's no good to this."

"You got out of the car and checked on Steven."

"I still hit him."

"You didn't mean to do it."

"That doesn't matter. Logan didn't mean to kidnap me and he still did."

"You are NOT like Logan."

"Yes I am. I hurt someone because I was too concerned with my own needs. I don't remember seeing Steven. I didn't hear him. I just left. I knew I hit a car and I left. Because I was worried about not getting my fix. I didn't do the same thing, but I am no better than him."

"If you were anything like your cousin, you wouldn't be telling me this right now. You would feel absolutely no remorse."

"What happens now, Evan?"

"I talked to Harper earlier. He's taken over the case. I called Lucky."

Lulu bit her lip. The last thing she wanted to do was to drag her brother into her mess. "What did they say?"

"Lucky was pretty quiet about it and Harper said that it's not going to be easy on either end."

"How much time do I have?"

"An hour." Evan confirmed.

"Don't leave me ok?"

"Will you come with me?"

"Where?"

"My apartment. It's not safe here."

"Take me home." Lulu nodded. "Take me home."

*****

"Of all the ludicrous, hair-brained schemes!" Alexis shouted shoving the door to her office closed even though she assumed the entire station could hear her nonetheless.

"You said that already." David pointed out as he sat down in the chair, even though she hadn't offered him one. "Three times to be exact."

"It's as true now as it was then. How did you see this ending? And to involve my daughter in something so dangerous."

"First off I didn't involve your daughter in anything she wasn't already doing. If anything, I've been able to keep her safer for a lot longer than her plans would have. And secondly let me remind you most of this was her idea that she did without telling me." David cocked his head to one side. "She's stubborn. Remind you of anyone?"

"No one comes to mind."

"Shame. It would be wonderful to know who to thank for that."

"So what you're telling me is that if Lulu can't provide enough information on Vermin, Sam is going to go through with this plan of hers?"

David shook his head. "That's her plan. I have different thoughts on the matter."

"Do we have any proof that Lulu was the one driving? Besides her sketchy confession?" Alexis wanted to know.

"The car traces back to her. We can't find anyone from that party who saw her leave with anyone else. There's nothing in the car that indicates anyone other than Lulu was in there." David shrugged his shoulders. "It's not completely solid, but we've gone to court with less."

Alexis stabbed her fingers through her hair, sitting down for the first time since David came to see her. "If we prosecute Lulu for the hit-and-run, she serves between two and seven years. If we don't, Steven Webber is done a major injustice. Meanwhile, we've got my daughter who has to be the most stubborn person and will follow through with a case she had no right being involved in anyway." She heaved a sigh. "I don't know what to do. If we get nothing on Vermin, the body count increases."

"You took down Corinthos and Morgan. Vermin isn't nearly so well protected. We just need to find the right angle." David argued.

"Can you find out what Lulu knows?"

"I can try but she's only going to tell me so much. If Cassidy didn't gum everything up by sleeping with her, I'd send him." David sighed. "Wait a second. Cassidy."

"What about Cassidy?"

"If Lulu knows anything she probably would have told him. He might be useless as an investigator to us, but as a potential witness…"

"I see where you're going with this. Get him in an interrogation room and remind him what's on the line if he lies to us."

David nodded as he stood up and headed to the door. "If nothing else, he might be able to convince Miss Spencer it's in her best interest to tell everything she knows."

"And be able to wrap this up once and for all." Alexis grabbed her purse. "I'm going to try and catch Sam before she does anything stupid. You can reach me on my cell. Call me the second you have something."

"Let me know how that plan works out for you." David laughed. "I find it best to come at her with a counter offer."

"Any suggestions?"

"Something she can't resist. Start with food."

*****

"Damn it Bubba. You'll let me into see my daughter now." Luke stood up, advancing towards Mac. This had gone on long enough and he was going to see Lulu now.

"You know I can't do that." Mac countered, rubbing his eyes. This had been going on for the past two hours and he didn't see an end in sight.

"You mean you won't do that." Luke corrected him. "There's a hell of a difference."

"How can you keep us from her?" Laura demanded shrilly. "I thought you cared about her."

"That's not fair Laura. You know I do."

"I've yet to see you make any effort."

"Effort? Effort! Laura, if you knew half the things I've done for Lulu over the past—oh never mind!" Mac threw up his hands in frustration.

Luke shook his head, still trying to make sense of everything. He never pretended that his children were going to be perfect. He had even started a bail fund when they were younger instead of a college fund. But he hadn't actually expected Lucky's visit this afternoon. Luke looked Mac in the eyes. "Level with me Bubba. How deep is she in?"

"Deep." Mac answered. "I don't think I can do anything to help her."

"Can anything help her?"

"If she tells the truth, she'll have a better chance."

"Are you calling my daughter a liar?"

"Of course not." Mac assured them. "Between the three of us, when it comes to your daughter, we have a blind spot a mile wide."

"Mac. When can we see her?" Laura asked again.

"Not for a while. I would estimate tomorrow afternoon at the earliest." He caught their similar expressions of shock at the idea of their daughter having to spend the night in jail, but knew there was little he could do about it. His hands were literally tied.

"Then I'll stay with her." Laura decided.

"You can't."

"Angel." Luke put his hands out on her shoulder.

"She's my baby. I will not leave her alone!"

"Angel this isn't the Holiday Inn." Luke tried to reason with her.

"What do you expect me to do?" Laura sucked in a choppy breath. "We've turned a blind eye to our daughter for too long and now she's in real trouble. She's scared. I know it. I have to protect her."

"There's no way to protect her from this." Luke said sadly.

Laura slapped him hard across the face. "You don't know!"

"Do you think I want to leave her like this?" Luke asked her.

"I don't know what you want, what you're thinking because you don't talk to me. You never talk to me."

"And you've been so honest with me? Why didn't you tell me about the drugs Laura?"

"Evan made me promise not to and I wasn't going to lose the only link to our daughter."

"And what a swell job he's done so far."

"He shouldn't have had to do anything. We should have stepped in way before now. Instead, we ignored Lulu until the point that we can't even help her. God, we can't help her, can we?" Laura bent in half.

Luke immediately wrapped his arms around her. "She's still alive. And she's still a Spencer. We will get her through this."

"How? What are we going to do?"

"Lucky's taking care of the legal mumbo jumbo with Dara. We'll take care of our daughter."


	388. Last Train Home

Robin paced back and forth in front of the closed courtroom doors. Anxiety plagued her overwrought body. Even the constant movement did little or nothing to help. What would she do, how would she survive, if the judge chose AJ to be Morgan's parent? She didn't want to think about it, to even consider the possibility, but how could she ignore it? Just because Lucky had gotten to keep Cameron…but then, he was Cameron's biological father and he had rights. What rights did she have?

She had no rights. If she had any say in her son's life, this could have been avoided. Surely there was some way this could have been avoided. Should she have taken custody of Michael as well? Would that have solved it? Did relinquishing him to AJ give him too much power? Was that her first mistake? Had there been something she had missed, something that had nothing to do with her? There must be something she could do. Something she could pull out and show the court.

"Please sit down." Patrick suggested, tugging on her wrist and pulling her toward him.

"I can't. I can't sit still." Robin argued. "What kind of world allows one person to decide the life of someone else? It's ludicrous. What if the DNA results prove what AJ's been saying all along? Will they automatically give Morgan to him? Will it even matter what we say?"

"You're depending on the judge to make a rational decision? Patrick, he and Morgan were brought into a house of unspeakable things. If Sonny hadn't insisted that the boys live with me—my point is, AJ probably looks great in comparison to Sonny and Carly."

"And you look better than all of them." Patrick insisted, squeezing her hands tightly beneath his. "You have done everything for Morgan that a mother is supposed to do and so much more. He knows he's loved and that's more than my cousin and your old friend ever did for him or his brother. The only reason AJ wants Morgan is to have something else to hold over Sonny. The fact that he's dead means nothing to him."

"Is this supposed to be making me feel better?" Robin laughed hollowly.

"I thought I'd just talk until she comes back with a decision."

She let him pull her into the seat beside him. "I love you. I love you so much. Please."

At her vague question, he nodded and hugged her. "I promise. I promise." He repeated the words to her until she relaxed against him.

The doors flew open. "Judge Parker asks that you come back inside." The court officer informed them. They stood, dutifully, and returned to their seats, neither of them sneaking more than a glance at AJ who was already standing across from them.

"Do you think he knows?" Robin whispered to Patrick as they waited for the judge to come into the room.

"Shh, here comes the judge." Patrick cautioned, putting his hand on the small of her back.

Judge Parker entered the room and readjusted her reading glasses. "I've looked at eye witness testimonies, police reports, and the notes from the child's social worker when he first came to stay with Mrs. Drake. Throughout the last several weeks, I've been given a multitude of information, some being accurate and some completely falsified. I do not appreciate being lied to. The last thing I want is for my courtroom to turn into a circus." She took the glasses off completely on a groan.

"With so many children lost in the foster care system, it is a rare and wonderful occurrence to see that this one has so many people that love him. Though I'm sure you all believe you have his best interests at heart, I have to wonder if you really know what that means. In such a case, it's a shame that there's no way you could come to an agreement and share custody. I'm not wrong in assuming this." She waited for the resounding no's and then went on.

"I have the DNA report and I will divulge the results to both parties shortly. What I've seen of this case has been interesting to say the least. The amount of danger this young boy has been put it at one time or another over the last two years is absolutely unbelievable, not to mention the six years prior to that, none of which any of you are responsible for. It's an absolute miracle that either boy survived, let alone both of them, and they seem to be living full, rich lives. Mr. Quartermaine, the first test you took of your own regard, your driving force for bringing this case to my attention, was incorrect. The second test, the one this court required you to take proved that you are not Morgan Corinthos's father and your claim for custody has been rejected."

"Your Honor, thank you." Robin replied emotionally.

"You can't do this!" AJ bellowed. "Morgan will be dead within a year if he stays with them! You've seen...look at the reports. Look at the danger they've kept him in! They're no better than—" He broke off, shaking.

"Mr. Quartermaine, lower your voice or I will hold you in contempt." Judge Parker warned firmly. "You have every right to be upset, but you must understand why I couldn't grant you custody."

"I don't understand any of it!" AJ continued on. "So he's not my son? So what? He's not hers either! Why should it matter when I love him like I do?"

"From what I can tell Mr. Quartermaine, you only wanted Morgan to complete your collection. Besides that, I was given a piece of information that I think you and Mr. and Mrs. Drake will find quite intriguing." She held out a piece of paper. All three of them hurried to the bench to retrieve a copy. "Through the help of a private detective, it was proven that not only were you privy to the location of Morgan Corinthos, Kristina Davis-Corinthos, and Leslie Lu Spencer during the course of their kidnapping, but also that you and your despicable family footed the bill for it."

"You—you..." Patrick lunged at him.

"Mr. Drake, restrain yourself or it'll be you I hold in contempt." The judge warned. "I understand your reaction, but I should think you have more important things to worry about than revenge."

"Yes." Patrick agreed, wrapping Robin in his arms. "Yes. More important things."

"Bailiff." Judge Parker ordered, nodding in AJ's direction. "Mr. Quartermaine, you are under arrest for three counts of kidnapping..."

*****

Smiling to himself, Ric knocked on her apartment door. Maxie wasn't going to know what hit her tonight. "Maxie." He called through the door. "Open up."

Maxie met him in the hallway, grabbing a loose white jacket from the coat rack before locking the door behind her. "Hi."

"Hello." He grinned at her as he tilted his head to kiss her cheek. "I hope you are ready for tonight."

"What should I be ready for?"

"Now that will ruin the surprise."

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, following him to his car.

"You really can't just let me surprise you can you?" Ric teased as he opened the car door for her.

"Well they don't always work the way I plan." Maxie reasoned. "Like this rental car. I didn't know they still made these."

"Cute." Ric nodded as he slipped behind the driver's wheel. "Keep talking that way and I change my mind and just take you to the movies."

"Nah. You wouldn't do that."

"You don't know what I'm fully capable of." Ric winked at her as he eased down a nearby side street. "I've been holding back on you."

"I can't stand it. Where are we going?" She reached over and grabbed his hand.

"Here." Ric announced as he pulled in front of a non-descript building.

"Have you been hiding bodies in your spare time?"

"Not quite. Come on. Follow me."

"Okay. Lead the way." Maxie gestured toward the building, still holding his hand as they left the car.

Holding her hand tightly in his, Ric led her through the front door and up the stairs, stopping at the second door on the left side of the hallway. "Go on. Open it." He encouraged her.

"Do we know these people we're visiting?" Maxie wanted to know. Uncertainly, she pushed the door open.

"There are no people." Ric assured her.

Maxie couldn't remember the last time she had been stunned into silence, especially not over something so beautiful. The door Ric had suggested she go through led to a bright, expansive living room with a gray couch placed in front of three large windows, their lilac drapes pulled back to provide the perfect view of the city. Two cream armchairs sat perpendicular to the couch and all of the furniture, including a velvet purple stool, sat atop a purple and white checkered rug. An entertainment center was placed behind the armchair to the left, but she could tell by its location that it was nothing more than a fixture. No one in this room actually watched television. Across from the entertainment center was a closed wooden door and she could only guess what it led to. "How?"

"How what?"

"Who lives here?"

"What do you think of the place?" Ric pressed her, avoiding her question.

"Are you kidding? It's like walking into a dream."

"So you could see yourself living here then."

"Have you and Hunter come to some kind of arrangement I don't know about?"

"Not exactly." Ric moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I figure I should find a place to stay if I'm moving out here. And Hunter snores."

"You...you're...?"

"You have been the one who keeps saying I need to move out here if I want to be with you right?"

"Do you have to make it sound like an ultimatum?" Maxie rubbed her hands up and down her arms, stepping deeper into the room.

"Isn't that what it was?"

"Well, yes, but I...I guess I underestimated you."

"I'm still waiting for your answer." Ric reminded her. "Can you see yourself living here? With me?"

"You're serious, aren't you? You would uproot your entire life..." Maxie knew that if she faced him, she wouldn't be able to keep her emotions in check, and she was too scared to let that happen.

"It all depends on your answer."

"I...I don't know. I don't know."

Ric moved closer to her, spinning her around so she could look in his eyes. "This isn't a joke Maxie. It's not a game. You want me out here, I'm here. But only if you're with me."

Maxie had a little trouble breathing, let alone getting any words out. What he was suggesting was far beyond anything she had been expecting. Of course, what alternative had she really given him? He would do anything to convince her he was for real, that he wasn't going anywhere this time. She hadn't thought he would carry it this far. "I want to be with you."

"Then I'll sign the lease today."

"Wait! Wait, this is so sudden. I'm still trying to process that you even want..."

"Well we've never done slow have we?"

"No. I guess we haven't, but this is different. Right now there are still some secrets between us. We move in together and that goes out the window."

"I want to know all your secrets."

"You say that now. Just wait until you see me in a face mask."

"You'd look adorable."

"Are you sure we're ready for this? I don't want you to move out here just to prove a point or because you think I'm being stubborn."

"We'll never be ready for anything unless one of us pushes the issue." Ric pointed out. "And I know a few people at Cedars Sinai. They are confident I can easily fit into their department."

"Okay, let me rephrase. I don't know if _I'm_ ready."

"What would you need to be ready?"

"I don't know. That's a terrible answer, but I really don't know."

"I have two weeks before I have to tell General Hospital if I'm coming back or not."

"Two weeks." Maxie repeated slowly. She couldn't keep the dread from entering her mind. If he went back to Port Charles...

"Two weeks Maxie. You have two weeks."

Somehow she managed to keep from begging him aloud to stay without him expecting her to make the same level of commitment. In all of her fantasies, she had never even considered this. Something about her and Ric never seemed quite this final. Signing an apartment lease would be a big step. Didn't he understand what would happen if it didn't work out? "I'm afraid." Until she noticed his eyes flicker she didn't realize she had spoken the words aloud.

"Afraid of what? Of me?"

"No. Not of you."

"Then of what?"

"That I'll say yes and then something will go wrong."

"Blondie things always go wrong. That's what makes them so fun."

"There's no coming back from this. Once we sign a lease, that's it. I won't be able to run away and you won't get to protect me from every bad thing."

"I'm sure you'll try to run, but I'll have better odds at catching you."

"Would it be cliché to say that I love this place and I don't want to look anywhere else?" Maxie smiled.

Ric matched her smile. "Then let's get the landlord."


	389. Waiting For The Sun

"I didn't mean for you to find out this way." Steven assured his wife as she continued to pace from one end of the living room to the other. Grams had finally gone to bed with the excuse that Georgie's constant movement was making her dizzy.

"But finding out because my father called to let me know was better?" Georgie asked.

"No. I don't know. I didn't want to say anything until it was a certainty."

"When was that going to be? When Lulu was sentenced?"

"Georgie, stop it." Steven told her softly. "The fact is, she's in jail right now and I've got every Spencer in a hundred-mile radius begging me to drop the charges."

"I know." Georgie sighed as she sat down on the sofa next to him. "It's just…it's Lulu. I was in Brownies with her. She always copied my stuff for the badges."

"Not you too." Steven groaned. "Please, not you too."

"I'm not trying to pressure you. I'm mad as hell that she almost killed you, but I can't ignore the fact that I've known her my whole life. And I know this isn't her. Not the real her."

"Then maybe someone should have stepped in before the accident. You can't expect me to let it go. Especially not now."

"I don't expect you to do anything. And I agree she needs something." Georgie reached over and grabbed his hand. "I'll support you in whatever you'll decide, but I just want to make sure you know all the outcomes here. You didn't grow up in Port Charles. You don't know what a situation like this is like."

"What does that mean? In Port Charles attempted murder doesn't get people's attention?"

"Serial murder didn't get the people in this town's attention." Georgie laughed. "You forget we were mob run for most of my life."

"And all I'm doing is trying to make sure the police force in this town doesn't be made to look like a joke. If Lulu gets away with this, that's exactly what will happen...and the mob will be the least of our problems."

"My dad doesn't take anything as a joke. Maxie couldn't even get away with going to traffic school for speeding tickets. And that's not what I'm talking about."

"Then enlighten me."

"For all the talk, this is still a small town, one where everyone knows everything you did. It's part of the reason why it took me so long to tell my dad about you. No matter how long we are married, how many children we have, they are always going to see me as little Georgie Jones, the commissioner's sweet, bookish daughter. And they will always see Lulu as the daughter of Luke and Laura, trailing after her brother wanting to do everything he does. Steven it doesn't matter if she swears in court that she did it, the town is going to come down harder on you than her. I'm not saying it's right but that's Port Charles."

"Then what would you have me do?"

"I love you. I just want you to think about this."

"Think about what? She has to deal with some kind of consequence. Don't you realize that if I had died that night, we wouldn't be having a baby? Doesn't that bother you at all?"

"Of course it does." Georgie sighed. "And I agree she needs some sort of consequence for that. I don't ever want to imagine life without you. Or our baby."

"What do you think she deserves?"

"Treatment. Rehab. Give her a chance to get clean. Steven, please. She came in and confessed. She didn't know they had her car. Give her credit for that much at least. She's a Spencer. She could have run and we would have never found her."

"Fine. I'll make the call to your dad." Steven agreed, walking over to the phone and picking it up. "I hope one of these days you love me as much as you love the people in this town."

"I love you more." Georgie promised him as she kissed his shoulder. "I'll be glad to show you how much."

"That's not necessary. I don't want pity sex from my wife." Steven countered.

"What about thank you sex?"

"Nope."

"Can I tempt you with you are the sexiest most compassionate man on Earth and there is nothing more I want than to be with you right now?"

"Have I mentioned just how much I love pregnancy hormones?" Steven asked rhetorically, bending down to kiss her.

"Not lately but you feel free to tell me all about it."

"I have something else in mind."

"What's that?"

"Come upstairs and I'll show you."

"Lead the way husband."

*****

Lucas glanced at the overhead clock wondering how much longer he could sit here before his head spontaneously combusted. Dillon sat beside him, pretending to look over a script for an upcoming movie he was directing, but he noticed the subtle signs of anxiety in his husband's face. He assumed he looked far less calm, possibly even close to hysterical, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

Two hours ago, Robin had brought Morgan in, telling everyone that AJ was not the biological father and that she was able to retain sole custody of her son. It was Morgan who said that Patrick and Robin had explained to him about Lance being sick. Lucas would never forget the way his nephew had put his own assessment of the situation: "I have something special inside me that will make Lance better, right?" The question and all that it implied had all but knocked him and Dillon over. Here was a boy, a child, who understood exactly what was going on and willing to help despite the danger.

He stared unobtrusively in Robin's direction. Beside her, Patrick held Nathan, something she had admitted she didn't think she could manage right now. Her hands hadn't stopped shaking since she had signed the consent form to allow the doctors to go through with the transplant. She'd shown no other sign of anguish since that moment and seemed almost as serene as Dillon was trying to appear.

Part of him wanted to walk the halls until he found every dead-end, but what would that really accomplish? Here sat three people who were just as worried as he and he couldn't think of a single thing to say to any of them. Dillon handled the support stuff but right now he looked too fragile to depend on. So Lucas stayed where he was, his mind ambushing him from every angle.

Fifteen years ago they had all been sitting in these exact places, only the room had been busier. Per his and Dillon's request, all extended family was asked not to come. They would be notified just as soon as the four of them knew anything, but for now it was too hard to face their penetrating questions. He couldn't put on a brave face today, not when he was already coming apart at the scenes. Dillon held his hand and he offered the love of his life a smile, wishing it was for real.

"He'll be fine Lucas. I know he'll be fine." Dillon whispered.

"I know." Lucas lied. "That's what I want to believe too."

"It's what we _have_ to believe." Dillon reminded him. "Lance deserves nothing less."

"I just want him to be okay. I want to be able to take him home and read him Harry Potter until he's begging us to stop." Lucas couldn't keep the tremble out of his voice.

"He will. He and Morgan will come out this fine and beg us to take them for ice cream before we know it."

Not so long ago, two cousins had laid side-by-side, but only one had survived. Would Fate be so cruel as to repeat every hideous detail of history? Would he lose Lance how he had lost BJ? "I can't lose him." He muttered aloud. "I refuse to live in a world that he's not a part of."

"We're not going to lose him." Dillon whispered fiercely. "He's stronger than both of us. Lance is going to fight."

"Lucas?" His head jerked up when he realized it was Robin who had spoken to him this time. He hadn't even seen her approach him and yet there she was, mere feet away.

"Yes?"

"I know you're scared, okay? We're all scared." She blinked back sudden tears and forced herself to continue. "You have to believe that everything will work out because at the end of the day, all we have is our faith. I do not—" She wiped away the unwelcome tears. "I do not believe we were brought to this place a second time for no reason. This time both of them will come home with us."

"How do you know?" Lucas inquired sadly.

"Because we refuse to have it any other way." Robin answered. "And our children are fighters. We raised them to be that way. Do you really think either of us would have made it this far if we were meant to give them up? We've been up against worse odds than this before and you know what? We're still here. And we'll still be here when this is over and done with. The only difference is that Lance will come home and be healthy and Morgan will too. You've got to believe that. Tell me you believe that." She demanded adamantly.

"I believe that." Lucas responded after a long pause. "I believe that."

Noticing that he had started to cry as well, she reached over and brushed his tears away. "You've got to trust me on this."

Dr. Wexler came down the hall toward the four of them. "There you are. The surgeries are done. You can go see your children if you like."


	390. I'll Stand By You

David paused outside the door of the apartment. He had to play this just right. Samantha would not take this well and she had to see that he was fine first, no damage done. The key was presentation. If he presented it to her in just the right way, preferably if he kept her completely in the dark about what happened, then everything would be fine.

Taking a deep breath, he finally opened the door and crossed the threshold. "Samantha?" he called out. "Samantha?"

"Be right there." She called from the kitchen. "I'm putting out some flames. No pun intended." The fire extinguisher went haywire and hopped out of her hands, sliding across the living room floor.

"What the hell?" he swore as he jumped out of the way. Bending over to pick up the offending object, he winced when he moved too quickly. "Why did you try to cook?"

"Stupid woman on the screen made it look so easy, but don't worry. I won't be doing it for a while now. At least not without life insurance." Sam promised, moving out of the way so he could throw the skillet into the sink of soapy water.

"Good idea." The toss should have been easy, but the pain made it seem harder. He bit his lower lip to keep from cursing. "How was your day?"

"Obviously better than yours. Why do you look like you're about to cry?" She wiped his sweaty hair from his forehead.

"Nothing. Just over did it at the gym today."

"Oh yeah?" Sam challenged, swiping her hand over his shoulder. "Is that why you're bleeding?"

He glanced over quickly seeing she was right. "Shit. I must have popped a stitch."

"Stitch?" She shrieked, pushing his blue overshirt off of him and inspecting the bloody streak running from the top of his shoulder to the end of his elbow. "Someone shot you?"

"Graze. It grazed me." He corrected.

"Have you seen a doctor?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

"Well they did a terrible job. Go, sit on the couch."

"Samantha." He protested as he followed her orders anyway. "I'm fine. The bleeding will stop on its own."

"And if it doesn't?" Sam countered, reaching under the sink for a First Aid kit. "Just trust me. I'm going to get you all fixed up. This is not my first time."

"You had a career as a nurse I'm unaware of?"

"Well I didn't flunk out if that's what you mean. I dated an intern for a little while."

"I hate to break this to you, but that's not the same as going to medical school."

"But I don't have four years to waste on that."

"Who does?" he asked as she came near him with a rag.

"Cold." She warned him quietly, washing away the blood. "Are you going to tell me who was shooting at you?"

"Some punk." David dismissed with a wave of his hand. "Robbed the little grocery on Fifth and thought if he shot the gun around he'd escape. This is the result of his lousy aim."

"So you let him get away. I see." She teased before dabbing a bit of peroxide onto a cotton ball.

"Of course not. Tackled him to the ground."

"And then you went to the doctor?"

"After he was booked."

"David." Sam scolded rolling her eyes upward.

"Samantha I had a job to do."

"Then dodge the bullets. Aren't you supposed to be a superhero?" She took a large bandage from the kit and peeled the plastic backing from it.

"You took away my cape."

"Yeah, well, it didn't go with your eyes." He winced when she pressed the sticky bandage to his sore arm. "Sorry. Sorry."

"It's ok." He cast his eyes down to inspect her work. "Looks like I'll live."

"That remains to be seen." Sam huffed and returned the kit to its rightful place. It amazed her how often they had used it.

"Are you mad at me?" He teased as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Yes." She nodded. "Walking into bullets. That's such a loser thing to do."

David slid closer to her. "I didn't walk into anything."

Sam braced her hands against the counter. "I don't know how good a job I did, but at least the bandage should keep air from getting to the cut. I'll look at it later if you want."

David wrapped his arms around her and covered her hands with his. "So you're offering to play nurse?"

"David, I'm serious. You need to be more careful."

"I'm always careful."

"No you're not. You have no regard for your safety at all."

"I take the necessary precautions, but I'm still a cop. There are always going to be risks."

"Maybe if you could get along better with others, you could have a partner assist you. An official one who gets to wear a gun and those shiny handcuffs."

"But I like you using the handcuffs so much better."

"Nice try, but it's not going to work. I'm pissed at you." Sam assured him, glaring when he spun her around.

"But then we can't have fun making up." David reasoned as he slowly traced one of her arms with his fingers.

"I have plenty of reasons to be mad at you." Sam muttered roughly.

"You do." David whispered as he yanked her into him.

"No." Sam pushed him away and left the kitchen.

David chuckled to himself. Of course she was going to make this a bigger deal than it was. "It's not like you weren't aware that cops got shot before we met Samantha." He pointed out.

"I don't care about cops in the plural tense. I care about you."

"I'm fine. I'll continue to be fine. Getting shot at by a kid who couldn't hold his gun straight is not an everyday occurrence."

"You're right. That kid and too many like him are going to get better at it and aim lower."

"What do you want me to do? Quit? I'm not going to do that."

"Then why does it matter what I want?"

"You do matter." He promised her.

"I know that." She reluctantly agreed.

"Then we are going to have to come sort of compromise here because I am not planning on giving you or my job up any time soon."

"I just got scared. It won't happen again. Promise."

"Samantha, it's ok you got scared. I think it's cute."

"Cute?"

"Adorable." David snaked his hand out and pulled her to him. "It's nice to know you care so much."

"Then I shall continue to be extra adorable from now on. That said, if you think you can just come home all bloody with some macho crap about—" Her rant was cut off with a kiss.

"I'll come home bloody if you're going to play nurse." He taunted.

"That's not funny."

"You offered."

"I was going to say something else, but you interrupted me."

"By all means finish."

Shaking her head, she leaned up to brush her lips across his. "I'd rather kiss you."

"No argument here."

*****

"Elizabeth? What are you doing here?"

"Hi Steven. The twins begged me to come see you." Elizabeth pushed the stroller into the familiar living room past her brother. She had needed to get away and this was the first place that popped into mind.

"I'll bet." Steven walked to the closet and pulled out the portable playpen Grams bought when he was a baby. He unfolded it for the twins and helped Elizabeth put them in it.

"Well how else do you expect to win the favorite uncle war?"

"What's on your mind?"

"Why can't you just let me pretend? Just once?"

"I've never been all that great with façades. You know that. Something to drink?"

"No thanks." Elizabeth sat down on the couch and rested her head on her hand. "I've had so much coffee in the past few days I'm starting to think I'll never sleep again."

"I'm a big fan of avoiding sleep." He decided now might not be the best time to tell her about the nightmares.

"I wish this was all just a dream." She whispered. Ever since Lucky had told her what he suspected his sister was involved in, she hadn't been able to close her eyes without picturing the accident. She had wanted whoever hurt Steven to be caught. She just didn't want it to be Lulu.

"I guess you know too."

Elizabeth nodded. "Lucky told me right after he left you."

"Georgie said I should let it go."

"But you can't." Elizabeth finished quietly. "I know you can't."

"How am I supposed to? I haven't made my original dislike of your fiancé a secret, but I wouldn't seek out to destroy his baby sister's life."

"I know that. And Lucky does too. It's just such an incredible mess."

"I'm sorry you're in the middle of all this."

"I just don't know what to do. How to feel. I'm angry. I am so angry with Lulu for what she did to you. What she could have done to you. But at the same time, she's the same girl who faced down an armed kidnapper to save Cameron and she's the one who told me how to impress everyone in Lucky's family. I can't forget that, no matter how badly I wish I could."

"I don't expect you to stop caring about her. You're not a soulless monster and I would never want you to be. The difference is that I don't have any memories with her. I didn't know her before this."

"I wish you did." Elizabeth smiled softly. "You would have loved her."

"If you've come to plead her case, you're too late. I already promised to call the station and tell them that the only solution to this whole thing is Lulu getting into rehab."

"I didn't come to plead her case. I came to see you. But I do think rehab is part of the answer."

"What condition would you add on?"

"No conditions. Just the knowledge of how the Spencer mind works."

"I'm sure they'll clue you into that once you join their family. Probably some kind of cult."

"Hate to break it to you, but I'm already an expert. If Lulu really gets the help she needs, she'll punish herself far worse than anything anyone could do to her. I've seen it happen to her brother and cousin far too many times."

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to be reacting to all of this. In every scenario, I'm the bad guy."

"You're not the bad guy. There's just no way to win."

"I keep thinking there has to be a way I could have prevented it."

"Only if you could have kept AJ from hiring Courtney, Emily, and Logan."

"From what I've seen of the Spencer guilt, I think it's best that I'm not dead in more ways than one."

"Well for starters you would have stood a good chance of wrecking my marriage before it even started."

"I wouldn't miss the opportunity to walk you down the aisle." Steven promised.

"Who said that was your job?"

He gave her a long look. "Isn't it?"

"Well yes but I haven't asked you yet."

"Okay, ask me and I'll pretend to be surprised." He made his best shocked expression, his eyebrows lifting as high as he could get them.

Elizabeth laughed. "To be fair, you'd have to share the job."

"With?"

"Cameron. He found out everyone would watch me walk up the aisle and well he's a ham."

Steven laughed. "As long as I don't have to share the honor with Patrick."

"No. He'll be handling all the kids. But he doesn't know that just yet."

"Don't worry. I won't be telling him." Steven assured her, zipping up his lips with his thumb and index finger.

"Good. You know how I hate to ruin surprises."


	391. Happy Go Lucky

"Sorry. What did you say?" Lucas inquired, giving his mother an apologetic smile. He had been watching his son dart from one game to the next, his cousins not far behind. When Dillon had suggested Chuck E. Cheese's, it had been to the children's delight. The place was packed and the funniest part was that only his family and friends were presently in the building.

"I said I thought the doctor's orders were something quiet and peaceful."

"Lance begged to come here. Besides, he's been stuck in a hospital bed forever. I wasn't about to tell him no."

"I think Dillon would call you a pushover."

"Whatever shoe fits. Look at how happy he is." Lucas reasoned, nodding in Lance's direction. He was currently standing on top of one of the toys, beating his chest with his fists and making grunting noises.

"That's true." Bobbie ruffled Lucas's hair before walking off to pull her grandson off the toy.

"Grandma, I was being a gorilla." Lance protested.

"Be a gorilla on the floor please."

"Okay." Lance rolled his eyes and hurried toward the ball pit where Cameron was letting Morgan and Kristina bury him in colored plastic balls.

Elizabeth walked over to where Robin was sitting. She was happy she had at least been able to help Dillon and Lucas out this much. Pulling strings for a private party was the least she could do for Lance. "Hey there stranger." She smiled as she sat down next to her best friends.

"Hi!" Robin answered brightly.

"We finally found a new meeting place."

"And if we're good, maybe the giant mouse will come out and dance for us."

"Note to you. That would be the worst bachelorette party ever."

"No kidding. How are you? I heard about Lulu."

"Still in shock. I still can't believe this is how it all turned out you know? Talk about an awkward wedding party."

"Now don't say that. It'll be fine by the time you get married. I know. I know. Being the optimist is not something I'm used to either."

"For real. I was about to check you for being a pod." Elizabeth smiled. "I hope you're right. I just want everyone to be happy."

"That's not your job. You need only to be happy and enjoy what you've got. Trust me; nothing in this life is forever." Robin pointed out. "And that's the end of my optimism streak. Sorry. It's so weird to be back here."

"I know. The last time I was here, I was still setting rules for Lucky. And you were in total denial that you liked Patrick."

"I wasn't in denial. I can't stand him." Robin giggled.

"So your marriage is what? An experiment in masochism?"

Robin glanced over at her aforementioned husband who had Nathan tucked under one arm and a camera in his free hand. He asked the kids to smile and they decided to throw a few balls at him. "I guess he's not so bad."

"Well as long as he's not so bad."

"Laura tells me you refuse to pick out a dress for your own wedding. You want to explain that one to me?"

"I'm not refusing. I was just waiting for my fashion consultant to be available. As we no longer have custody cases and major surgery ahead of us....maybe it can get done."

"That sounds like a plan. I have to make an appearance at the bakery tomorrow, but I should be free on Sunday. I have to give my poor new hire a break and probably a raise. I always took the term working mother for granted. It's not as easy as it looks."

"Amen to that. And Sunday should be a good time."

"I've been such an absent friend. Can you ever forgive me?"

"I don't know. I'll think about it." Elizabeth teased. "You may have to make it up to me though."

"Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake?" Robin offered with a gleam in her eye.

"Evil woman."

"We could make a night of it; give our guys bonding time with the kids."

"The only problem with that is there would be no one there to run interference when they started trying to teach them something. I suppose we could train Cam to interrupt."

"We totally could." Robin beamed. "What do you say? Half my movies don't get watched because Patrick says they're too girly for the kids."

"I say they just signed up for baby-sitting."

*****

"I'm not going in." Lulu shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest, sinking back into the seat cushions of Evan's car. "This was a mistake. A horrible idea. Just turn around and take me home."

"Forget it." Evan countered with an eye roll. "This is a celebration and you're going in there if I have to pick you up and carry you."

"They don't want me there. I'll just bring everyone down and make everyone tense. Lance and Morgan don't need that after everything else they've been through."

"Lance and Morgan won't notice and you need to see your family."

Lulu shook her head. Evan had somehow overheard about the party. How she wasn't even going to pretend to guess. It was his bright idea to come today and now he wasn't listening to reason. She wasn't ready for this.

She had barely been able to deal with seeing the looks of disappointment and guilt on her parents' faces. To see the same look on the face of her brother? Patrick? Almost her entire family? Didn't he understand how much it would kill her? Not to mention the fact Elizabeth was going to be there. How was she supposed to face her after what she had done? "I'm the last thing anyone in that party needs to see right now."

"Well they're just going to have to get over it." He disengaged the keys from the ignition and dropped them into his pocket before holding out his hand. "I promise I won't leave your side."

"Evan I can't handle this. Please."

"No. You have to try. They need you as much as you need them. Don't you want to see Lance? He's been sick for a long time hasn't he? And what about Cameron?"

"No fair."

"I never said I played fair." Evan pointed out, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Come on Spencer. You aren't chicken are you?"

"If I say yes do I get to go home?"

"Nope. You only get to go home after you've initiated one conversation with every single family member you've got in there."

"What's in it for me?" Lulu asked, reluctantly stepping out of the car.

"What do you want?"

"I need a time limit. If this goes bad like I know it will, you need to promise to get me out of there in less than thirty minutes."

"Deal. If it doesn't go bad, we're staying an hour."

"Forty-five minutes."

"Forty-seven."

"Forty-six."

"Forty-six and two slices of pizza."

"Forty-six, two slices of pizza, and I win at Skeeball."

"Planning on being there a while?"

"No. We'll come back and I'll kick your ass."

"You wish. I happen to be a pro."

Lulu took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Alright let's get going. The clock has started."

Evan threw his arm around her tiny frame. "The clock doesn't start until your mother spots us." He half-turned her and kissed her lightly.

"Knowing my mother, she's already memorized your car."

*****

"Any words of encouragement for your caveman?" Patrick whispered to his wife as they stood beside a basketball game. Most of the family had materialized around this particular game over the last couple of minutes because it was something Bobbie, Elizabeth, and Robin never thought they would get to see: the little boys against the big ones. Luke had already started taking bets and Laura was snapping away with her camera even though the game had yet to start.

"Watch out for Cameron. He snuck an extra soda that Laura doesn't know about." Robin teased before joining her friends in the "fans" section of the group.

"Thanks." Patrick tossed over his shoulder. "Alright, we don't really need a game plan. Try not to hit the other customers." He made sure to look in Cruz's direction.

"That was one time!" Cruz bellowed.

"Once was enough." Lucky pointed out.

"Alright Lance, you're up first." Laura handed him one of the numerous basketballs. "Good luck sweetie."

"I don't need luck. I got skills." Lance announced.

Laura and Bobbie both glanced in Lucas and Dillon's direction, but the couple bit back similar smiles and started making shouting noises of praise for their son. Of the nine shots, Lance made eight of them. Cruz was next. He did a silly little dance to prepare himself for the start buzzer and then reached for a ball. He was on a roll until he lost the third ball in the crowd. The collective family searched the surrounding areas, none of them venturing out to find the wayward ball, and Cruz threw as many balls as he could at the basket before the second buzzer caught him up. He groaned, having only made three shots.

"See this is why we almost went with Dillon." Lucky pointed out as Cruz made way for Morgan to step up. Morgan winked in Robin and Elizabeth's direction and bowed as they cheered for him. Standing on his tip toes, he grabbed at the first ball and tossed it into the basket. As he set up to make his final shot, all the previous ones successful, a rouge ball jumped through the hoop and everyone turned to see Evan and Lulu walk up.

"Hi." Lulu offered meekly, waving her hand.

"Aunt Lulu!" Cameron screamed and ran for her at full speed. "You came! You came!"

"Hey buddy." Lulu smiled as she ruffled Cameron's curls.

"Come watch us play. It's Daddy's turn."

"You should." Luke agreed, maneuvering her away from Evan's protective hold. "Considering his predecessor's _skill_, this should be interesting."

Lucky shook his head. "Just keep talking." He lined up and waited for the buzzer to indicate the start of his time. Once it did, he let the balls fly, shooting the next before the first one met the net. More than once he hit his own ball out of the net. When his time was up, he had made five of his shots.

"I knew I chose the right team." Robin murmured to Elizabeth.

"Oh but I'm sure we'll hear how they let the little boys win." Elizabeth whispered. "As if."

"My turn!" Cameron insisted, walking up to the game. "Aunt Lulu, watch me!"

"Yeah, Aunt Lulu. Watch." Evan whispered to Lulu, snaking an arm around her when Luke finally let her go.

"I'm watching Cameron." Lulu assured him as Cameron started to take his shots. So far no one had been outright hostile toward her, but she still couldn't relax. Her father and her nephew would be happy to see her.

Sneaking up behind them, Patrick tapped on Evan's shoulder. "If you think you're sneaking her out the back, you're going to have to get past all of us."

"And don't think you've missed out on the intentions discussion with us." Lucky added quietly.

"I have parents you know." Lulu pointed out, clapping when Cameron hit yet another basket.

"Mom's a pushover and Dad's Dad." Lucky dismissed. "Clearly you need someone looking out for you."

"I couldn't agree more." Evan replied.

"Don't agree with us." Cruz warned. "We don't know you yet."

"I knew betting on you was the way to go." Luke told Cameron, bending down to give him two high-fives.

"I thought you were just the bookie." Patrick rolled his eyes as he stepped up.

"That's what you get for thinking." Luke drawled, putting Cameron on his shoulders.

"Come on Patty. Your turn!" Cameron announced happily.

"You can't rush these things Cam." Patrick told him. Taking a ball, he closed his eyes and waited for the first buzzer. Releasing the ball, he opened his eyes and watched it fall into the basket. Hurriedly, he reached for the remaining eight but he soon realized he couldn't do it with his eyes open. With three balls left, he repeated his original technique and heard the satisfying swish of three baskets. The buzzer sounded again and he did a little victory dance.

Luke scribbled the final score and showed it to both teams. "Alright, people pay up." He ordered, holding out his hand. Laura, Bobbie, and Lucas each handed him five bucks and he tucked them in his front shirt pocket with a grin on his face. "Next time save yourself a trip to the ATM and just bet on the little boys." He suggested.

"They really bet on the outcome of game?" Evan asked.

"Of course." Lulu answered. "Why wouldn't they?"

"We let them win." Lucky pointed out as he moved closer to Robin and Elizabeth.

"Told you. Pay up." Elizabeth smiled at her friend.

"Couldn't have said that after I left." Robin huffed, handing over a ten and wrapping her arms around Patrick's waist. "You didn't suck nearly as bad as Cruz." She added, ignoring her friend's outburst.

"Hey!" Cruz protested. "I was distracted!"

"You do an ego good honey." Patrick smirked, tickling Robin's sides. "That's for not betting on me."

"If I bet on you anymore than I already do, I'd be going to the boys' college fund for more money." Robin teased, rubbing his stomach playfully.

"I'm sure the kids will let you have a rematch later if you need one." Bobbie taunted her husband.

"That miss was on purpose." Cruz huffed.

"The woman in the wheelchair thanks you for that." Evan didn't miss the glare the older man sent his way but just smiled in return.


	392. Back To Good

"Do you hear that?" Maxie interrupted Hunter's conversation with one of the cute movers to determine the source of the sound. "Is something ringing?" She jogged from box to box until she located the telephone. "Hello?"

"Well it's about time you picked up." Georgie laughed. "I was starting to think you were mad at me."

"Sorry." Maxie blushed. "I had to find the phone."

"Buried under a pile of clothing I presume?"

"You could say that." Maxie hedged.

"So what's going on with you? It's been so long since we've talked."

"Nothing much." Maxie hated to lie, but everything had happened so fast and she was terrified telling a single person besides Hunter—and there hadn't been an alternative there—would jinx it. Ric had dazzled the administrators at Cedars and started immediately. Meanwhile, she and Hunter were doing what they could to send her stuff over to the new apartment. While her old roommate wasn't keen on having Maxie stolen away from him, he hadn't been able to ignore how good the change would be for her.

"Nothing much? You don't impress everyone in sight with your stellar fashion knowledge?"

"Well that's basic stuff." Maxie answered.

"So try me with the non-basic stuff."

Taking a deep breath, Maxie said, "Ric came to L.A. and now we're moving in together. How's the family? Are Lucky and Elizabeth any closer to tying the knot?"

"Hold on. Back up. Ric's in L.A.? You're moving in together?" Georgie repeated breathlessly. "You didn't think I would jump over that did you?"

"I wanted to tell you sooner." Maxie promised.

She wasn't exactly in a position to throw stones about telling important information sooner, Georgie realized. Hopefully her sister would realize that as well a little bit later. "Well you are telling me now. So spill. I want details."

"What do you want to know first?" Maxie asked. There was quite a lot that had happened.

"How hard did you make him grovel?"

"I got him to admit why he did what he did and he practically told me...well he was honest about his feelings for me finally." Maxie wasn't sure why she added "finally" because it wasn't like she had been so forthcoming with her own feelings.

"Good for him. I assume you were actually honest with him as well?" Georgie teased.

"I'm getting there."

"So tell me about the new place. How'd he ask? What's it like?"

"It's right out of a catalog. He had it decorated before he showed it to me and brought me there under the pretense of a date."

"Impressive. I might tell Steven to take notes."

"How is my brother-in-law? Did he take in any stray kangaroos yet?"

"It's hard to take in stray kangaroos in Port Charles." Georgie admitted.

"Port Charles? You told him about school?"

"No. Not until he got here."

"So he came home to surprise you?"

"It was a surprise but I think it had more to do with Dad visiting him."

"I knew Dad had connections, but how exactly did he fit a machine gun on board a plane?"

"He swears he didn't but I'm not so sure." Georgie laughed. "I'm not sure Steven would tell me if weaponry was involved."

"I'm guessing Dad didn't go over to revisit his hometown."

"No." Georgie took a deep breath. "It was more about me not telling Steven I'm pregnant. So is Ric going to work in L.A. now?"

"PREGNANT?" Maxie's shriek caused the mover to drop a box and Hunter's eyes to swing her direction.

"Is that a good scream or a bad scream?"

"I'm going to be an aunt? That's it! I'm going to pitch a maternity line to Feona."

"Maxie." Georgie laughed.

"Boy or girl?"

"It's too soon to tell. And Steven and I haven't decided if we want to know yet."

"What do you want?"

"Honestly? I don't care. I just want a healthy baby."

"You're going to have to move to L.A. It's the only way I can see you and that baby everyday. Maybe the place across the hall..."

"Slow down. Slow down. Steven and I haven't figured out the whole where-we-are-living thing just yet. We're still adjusting to the married and pregnant cards. I'm sure we'll have to spend some time in L.A. for Steven's job, but first things first."

"I'm coming home." Maxie declared, giving Hunter an apologetic look when he dropped one of the boxes on his foot in surprise.

"No you aren't. All you are missing is morning sickness and mood swings. You are not blowing this opportunity."

"I can work from New York." Maxie pouted.

"But what about Ric? He just moved his entire career across the country to be with you. And you want to be with him right?"

"Yes, but I'm going to miss so much."

"You won't miss anything I swear."

"Do you promise to come out here and spend your last trimester in L.A.? I figure if you get out here before the six-month mark, you can still board a plane legally."

"When the time comes I'll allow you to come home and see me. Dad will never let me have this baby away from him."

"I can't believe you're pregnant three thousand miles away from me. This wasn't part of the plan. Ever since we were kids, we promised to be there for each other always." Maxie sniffed.

"But we didn't know about Ric and Steven at that point." Georgie pointed out. "The men in our lives were Bert and Ernie."

"Oh Bert." Maxie sighed.

"If you promise to actually answer the phone when I call you, I'll promise to call you every day."

"I answered!"

"This time. Who's to say you won't ignore my calls if Ric sweeps you off your feet again?"

"I'm going to be an aunt. I will work harder to not be so easily distracted. Did you hear?" she directed her question to Hunter. "I'm going to be an aunt!"

"Maxie, I think everyone in a three-state radius heard you." Georgie laughed.

"Hunter says congratulations." Maxie went on. "I want pictures of that stomach. I'm sending you maternity clothes. Don't trust anything in Port Charles. How far along are you?"

"Barely three months. There is one important thing we have to discuss you know."

"What's that?"

"How exactly are you going to tell Dad that not only are you moving, but also moving in with Ric? And give me a heads up when you do so I can have General Hospital on alert for him."

"I'm not moving. It's still L.A. As for telling him about Ric...I'm thinking that's what deathbeds are for."

"So if Ric answered your phone...or Dad decided to come out and surprise you?"

"Caller ID and you better tell me before Dad does that."

"If he tells me. He has developed a sudden love of unannounced travel." Georgie pointed out.

"I'll deal with it when it comes. Promise you won't say anything to anyone. I don't want to mess this up."

"I won't say anything to Dad. I can't promise about Steven."

"I'm getting annoyed looks. I should get back to packing."

"Call me later with your new address."

"Congratulations."

"You too sis."

*****

She hadn't felt this exuberant about bringing down the bad guys since Sonny and Jason were put away. She wanted to shout off the rooftops that she'd done it again, that justice would be served! To do so in front of Lulu would mean a lot of explaining so she kept her face passive and her emotions in check. Maybe she would bring Kristina that dog she had been begging for or buy Georgie a crib for the baby. Hell, maybe she would take the entire town out for drinks and buy them a round. "This should do nicely. Thank you for your cooperation."

"You're welcome." Lulu managed, keeping her head down. It had been a long three hours but Dara had insisted it was necessary. Even though she didn't feel her knowledge about how Vermin operated amounted to very much, Alexis and Dara seemed to think her very life depended upon it.

"If I have any further questions, I'll let you know." Alexis stood and moved to the door. She couldn't wait to start celebrating, even if Vermin hadn't been convicted yet. Semantics, she thought gleefully.

"You'll know where to find me." Lulu joked quietly. In a few hours, her family was going to take her to Shadybrook's rehabilitation facility as part of the deal Dara and Alexis had worked out. She'd give a statement and testify; Alexis would recommend rehab.

"I didn't mean to interrupt." Steven apologized, poking his head in the door. "Georgie asked me to drop these by." Careful not to make eye contact with Lulu, he thrust the colorful bouquet of roses in Alexis's direction.

"It's not a problem. Lulu and I were discussing the case. I'll put these in some water." Alexis took the roses and went in search of a vase.

Lulu shifted back and forth on her feet. She had been successful in avoiding Steven and all mentions of Steven since her confession. She had barely managed a brief hello to Elizabeth at the party before running to the corner to hide with the kids. And now here he was, standing in front of her. What was she supposed to say? Was there a Miss Manners' guide to a situation like this?

"Did everything work out okay?" Steven forced himself to ask. He had promised his wife and sister that he would at least try to be civil.

"According to Alexis." Lulu shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think what I knew was all that important."

"She must think otherwise if that smile on her face was anything to go by. I guess truth means something different to everybody." Reel it back, he warned himself. This was not the time. When would be a polite time? Huh? He was constantly performing for his family to make them feel like everything was peachy, but it wasn't. He doubted it ever would be again.

She tried to keep her face from flinching, but she failed. His anger was palpable just below the surface of his words. Not that she blamed him. If she had been going just a little bit faster, she very well could have killed him. And here he was stuck in the middle of an impossible situation. The person he wanted to hate was almost related to his sister. Sometimes this town was just too damn small. "I'm sorry."

"Do you think that makes everything okay? Do you think it changes what you did to me? To my family?"

"No. I know it doesn't do that."

"Then why bother saying it?"

"Because I'm pretty sure it's the only thing I can say. I can't justify what I did. I don't want to. I hate what I did, but that doesn't help you either. It's a no-win situation and I settled for saying sorry."

"Lucky said you don't remember hitting me. Is that true?"

"Yes. I don't remember everything, but what I do remember makes it clear it was me."

"Elizabeth told me you were once a good person." There was no malice in his voice. If not for the words, a stranger might have thought he was asking for the time.

"I tried to be. I think my father would disown me if I was a total good person."

"You have a lot of people pulling for you to complete your rehab and get back to the person you were." Steven reminded her.

"I know. And I want to make sure they aren't betting on the wrong horse."

It's not going to be easy." Steven promised. "And, knowing your family, they'll give you as many chances as you need. I won't. If you're really sorry for what you did, get through this and don't ever go back to drugs. Don't ever be that stupid again because drugs won't stop at hurting just you."

Lulu nodded quickly. "I get that now. And I wished I understood that sooner."

"I don't know if we'll ever be friends, but I don't want anything else to happen to you. I don't know how much more they can take."

"I'm not trying to hurt anyone anymore. And I'll settle for at least being civil at family Christmas parties and the wedding."

"Then there's nothing else to really say. Goodbye Lulu." Steven turned and walked out of the police station.

"Goodbye Steven. And I really am sorry." She called out to his retreating back.


	393. Senses Working Overtime

**Senses Working Overtime**

Chewing on her bottom lip, Lulu raised her hand to knock on the door. It seemed weird to knock but she officially didn't live here anymore. Pretty soon, she wouldn't even live at her parents' home anymore. She hadn't thought her parents would agree to this, but apparently her mother liked Evan more than even she suspected.

Evan answered the door with a smirk. "It's about time you came to see me."

"I just came to say goodbye."

"I know. Luke told me you were coming." He didn't want to say goodbye to her, even if it was only temporary. The few nights they had been apart it had been impossible for him to sleep. He just stared up at the ceiling until morning came, wondering if she was okay, if her nightmares had gotten worse, or if she was finally at peace with everything. "Come in."

She followed him and smiled at how neat the place was now that she had left. "So, you're all buddy with my dad now huh?"

"I told you, we have a lot in common." He reminded her, closing them inside the apartment.

"I think that means we can no longer hang out." Lulu smiled.

"Or it means he totally approves of me which is good." Evan countered.

"He doesn't know you well enough to approve of you."

"How are you doing? You looked a little spooked when I opened the door." He combed her hair back from her face.

"I ran into Steven today." She admitted quietly.

"How was that?" he asked carefully.

"He's not going to be throwing a birthday party anytime soon but I'm reasonably sure he won't kill me at the wedding."

"That's progress. Isn't it?"

"I guess." Lulu looked down at her hands. "I'm not sure what to say here."

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. It's not like we're never going to see each other again." Evan pointed out, lifting her chin with his index finger.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Does that surprise you?"

"I haven't always been nice to you."

"I haven't always been nice to you either."

"And there is the whole matter of you being a cop and I just took a plea bargain to avoid jail time."

"Do you think I want to see you go to jail?"

"Evan, I didn't expect this from you."

"Expect what?"

"To like you. For you to actually like me."

"I figure there's not a whole lot we can do about that now. I don't know how to tell you what this was for me without sounding like a soap opera character."

"Not all of those characters are awful you know. I can name some doctors and cops that are pretty hot."

"Mac told me to keep a distance, to protect you without interfering." Evan confessed.

"So do you not follow all orders or just Mac's?" Lulu wondered.

"I always used to follow orders. I actually got mad at Harper for including Sam because it wasn't police procedure. I guess that makes me kind of a hypocrite."

"I'll tell you a secret." Lulu moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I like you a little hypocritical."

"I was surprised to find out you were coming over here." Evan replied, pressing his forehead to hers.

"Astonishingly enough, I'm going to miss you."

"Gee thanks."

"Shut up Cassidy." Lulu smiled up at him. "I'm trying to be honest here with you."

"You'll have to forgive my confusion."

"I know." Lulu chewed her bottom lip and expelled a breath. "It's just hard trying to say goodbye to someone who more than likely saved your life."

"Held you against your will is more like it."

"Still worked. And I didn't complain the whole time."

"But of course not." Evan grinned. "I know what you're going to miss most of all."

"You cooking for me."

"Nice try. I saw you eying the DVDs. Admit it. You're a closet Scooby fan."

"I'd rather admit feelings for you."

"So there are feelings? Mutual feelings? I thought you said that was impossible."

"I wasn't exactly in my right mind at the time."

"I'll miss you too."

"There are two things you can do for me."

"Tell me."

"One, visit me when I can have visitors?"

"I was going to do that anyway."

"Good. And two, can we not talk anymore and spend time saying goodbye another way?"

"Well talking only does so much." Evan agreed, kissing her ardently.

"I couldn't agree more." Lulu sighed between kisses.

*****

"I'm not getting out there." David shook his head stubbornly as he sat on the rock hard bench. He still wasn't entirely convinced coming here was a good idea, but he knew standing up in roller skates went beyond a bad idea. It was a completely terrible idea.

Carole had called last week and invited him to Deliah's birthday party. At some point, he had to start interacting with her if his envisioned plan was going to work, Carole had pointed out. She was right. It would have been so much easier if she didn't have a point. It would have been a quick no thank you and he could move on. Certainly he wouldn't have spent the majority of the week considering going and then re-considering his decision.

Careful as not to hurt his with her skates, Sam tossed her feet into his lap and laughed. She had never seen him look so spooked and the man defied bullets and chased down criminals. "Oh yes you are. You are not going to sit over here and stalk your own daughter like some anguished criminal."

"You can't stalk someone if you've been invited." David pointed out. "And anyway I'm not stalking. I said I would come to the party. Nothing was said about skating."

"You agreed to come to a skating party. What did you think you would be doing?" Sam challenged gleefully.

"Sitting on the sidelines like any self-respecting man would."

"Where's the respect in that? All you're doing right now is scaring the other parents."

"I am not. Anyway they are looking at you more than me."

"Of course they're looking at me. They're trying to match a kid to us."

"And falling on my ass out there is going to not scare them how?"

"They'll be doing the same thing. Who goes to a birthday party and stays in the corner? You were invited so stop acting like you're crashing the party."

David pushed her skates off his lap. "I have always drawn the line at humiliating myself in public."

"I don't know how to tell you this, but it comes with having children." Sam assured him, standing up to stretch.

"You mean I can't just look cooler than Ben and automatically win the cool dad contest when she's older?"

"I think maybe you should talk to Georgie about that. Elizabeth invented the contest between him and Patrick for best uncle and I believe they've been playing for a while now."

"Talk to Georgie?" David stood up, unable to keep his smile in check. "When did you start talking to Georgie?"

"When Maxie moved across the country."

"You're talking to Georgie. You're accepting dinner invitations from Alexis. Careful there Samantha. Someone might think you are making yourself part of the family."

"Shut up."

"So have you committed us for Christmas with your mom yet?"

"The shiny object game just ended. Get those skates on boy."

"Nope."

"Well, I guess I can ask someone else to be my partner." Sam took a step away from him.

"Nice try. You'd miss me too much." David argued, reaching out to grab her waist before he fell.

"I would hate to think you're chicken." Sam tossed over her shoulder at him.

"Now you know better than that."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"You've seen it."

"Hi David!" Deliah delightfully greeted him, stumbling over on her skates. Apparently she had inherited her clumsiness from her father.

"Hi Deliah. Happy birthday."

"Thanks." She blushed, covering her mouth with both hands.

"Are you having fun?" David asked hoping the effort it was taking to come up with conversation for her wasn't obvious. Was talking to all five year olds hard or was that just with children who didn't know you were their father?

"I fell down." Deliah explained, gesturing to her scraped knee.

"Are you ok? Does it hurt?"

"I'm okay. Maggie's mommy had Hello Kitty Band-Aids in the car, but I told her I was a big girl."

"You sure are." Sam agreed.

"I can see that. You better go catch up with your friends." David suggested.

"Did you see my birthday cake? It has Belle on it!" Deliah announced before trotting off in the direction of the aforementioned treat.

"I did." He called after her. "We'll be there when it's time to cut the cake."

"We will huh?" Sam teased. "Does this mean you'll be joining me out there?"

"No it just means we're getting cake." David wrapped his arms around her waist. "You know how much I love cake."

"But Maggie's mommy has Hello Kitty Band-Aids if you fall down. I say that's better than a fire extinguisher any day."

"I don't want Band-Aids from Maggie's mommy." David countered. "I prefer them from you."

"Damn good answer."


	394. Easy Is Overrated

"I'm sorry." Robin shifted a screaming Nathan to her other shoulder. "Were you thinking off the shoulder maybe?" she asked, trying to silence her child while paying attention to her friend.

"Maybe." Elizabeth reached out and patted Nathan's head and pushed the stroller with Gracie and Jake further into the store. "I think my game plan is finding something before all three start screaming."

"I really am sorry about this. Patrick was going to watch him, but the baby came down with a cold last night and I was not leaving him with his father. I don't care how much 'experience' he has."

"It's ok. And after hearing how he freaks out if Gracie cries a little, I don't blame you."

"Not that she cries around him now that you and Lucky are home." Robin chuckled. "Nathan, honey, it's okay. It really is."

"I promise Nathan, the sooner you let us get this last little detail done, the sooner you can go home and annoy Daddy." Elizabeth cooed at him.

"He's just trying to get out of dress shopping." Robin declared, holding him out in front of her and balancing his chubby little body on her outstretched arms. Startled, he went silent. "It's all about the eye contact."

"Who says Lucky has the only secret weapon?" Elizabeth laughed as she ran her hands through the racks of silk and satin, hoping for something to jump out at her. "I shouldn't have left this so late."

"It's my fault. I've been distracted lately."

"No. It's no one's fault. So much has been going on, I kept pushing this back."

"Well that's what we're trying to remedy and we aren't leaving without a dress." Robin promised, moving Nathan back to her shoulder so he could rest.

"Unless the kids get cranky and then we'll just come back another day."

"We don't have to worry about that." Robin pulled her cell phone from her back pocket and played a familiar tune for her friend. "I recorded a bit of the tape you gave me."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." Elizabeth laughed as she spotted a gown that looked to be about ninety percent tulle. "Alright, no looking like a rejected Cinderella."

"Right. Remind me to pick up some glass slippers for you."

"Don't give Lucky any ideas."

"Sweetie, he gave me the idea."

"See I knew he was lying about wanting no input on the plans." Elizabeth pushed back a skin-tight, curve hugging number with a neckline that would scandalize every person attending. "Nothing that looks like it was rejected from a music video for being too slutty."

"No wardrobe malfunctions, check."

"At the same time, I don't want too plain." Elizabeth sighed. "I am big pain about this."

"I wouldn't put you in a plain dress." Robin promised. "This is your wedding. You're supposed to be choosy."

"Alright. I have a game plan. We'll each choose five dresses and I'll try all of them on. If they all suck, we'll choose five more."

"That's the best plan you've ever had." Robin carefully placed Nathan in his harness and went in search of a few dresses, pushing the stroller so that Elizabeth would have a chance to look without focusing on the twins' every yawn.

Still not sure of exactly what she wanted Elizabeth decided about what exactly she didn't want. The quickest way was to pick one from each style she saw, that way if she hated how one style looked, she could at least eliminate that much. It wasn't much of a plan but it was better than nothing. Pulling the gowns carefully off the rack, she made her way back towards the fitting room the attendant had already set aside for her.

Robin met her there with all the dresses she could carry and a few thrown across the top of the stroller. "Which do you want to try on first?"

Picking the top one off of Robin's pile, Elizabeth smiled. "I'll try this one so at least you can see what I look like."

"Okay."

Elizabeth disappeared behind the door and tried to change as quickly as possible. The twins and Nathan were behaving now, but there was no telling when that would end. Pulling the mermaid style creation of satin and lace over her hips, she eyed her reflection critically. "I don't know about this one."

"Let me see it."

Opening the door, Elizabeth put her hand on her hip. "I think I look like Ariel in the Little Mermaid."

"Yeah, um, how about this one?" Robin held up a different style of dress. "No scales."

"It's an improvement already." Elizabeth took the gown from Robin's hand. "So tell me," she called through the closed door. "How's Morgan recovering from surgery?"

"If he's been tired, he hasn't shown it. He was begging to stay at the party after everyone left so he could practice his shooting."

"Well he is better than Patrick already." Elizabeth agreed. Opening the door she sighed. "Alright verdict?"

"I think Mariah Carey is crying somewhere in the world that you stole her dress."

"That is a very polite way of saying way too tight and too short. Next."

"I think this one brings out your eyes. See how it twinkles?"

"We shall see." Elizabeth took the dress from Robin's hand and closed the door again. "So how many different excuses did Patrick come up with for losing the basketball game? At last count, Lucky had thirteen."

"Same. He started squinting this morning and saying he needs to have his eyes checked. I made an age joke and that was the end of it."

Elizabeth sucked in her breath as she caught sight of her reflection. "Robin?"

"What is it? Do I need to come in there?"

"No. I think this might be the one."

"Let me see! Let me see!"

Elizabeth opened the door and stepped out, twirling a little. "Well?"

"You look like a princess." Robin admired.

"Then I think we have a dress."

*****

He hadn't bothered to change out of his scrubs. It had been a long day at the hospital. Ric wasn't the lowest man on the totem pole, but he was no longer the head of the department. There was no office to hide in and even less free time than he had before. He had barely had time to think today, much less consider changing out of the blue scrubs he had thrown on this morning. All he wanted to do was go home, hopefully get Maxie to come by the apartment, and fall asleep.

The first sign he had that things were different than he left before was the fact he couldn't open the front door. Well he could, but it required shoving. "What the hell?" Ric muttered under his breath as he pushed past the box, only to see more boxes spread out all over the living room floor.

And as if she had read his mind, Maxie lay there in the middle of all them, surrounded by candles. She was either asleep or approaching it. Stepping through the maze of cardboard carefully, Ric knelt down in front of her. "Hey Maxie. Maxie."

"She's sleeping." Maxie whispered.

"But it would so much more fun if you were awake."

"Sleepy."

"I'll make it worth it."

"Where have you been?" she asked, opening her eyes.

"It's called work. The better question is when did you get here?"

"What time is it?"

Ric glanced down at his watch. "Around seven."

"We got the rest of the boxes in around five and I made dinner, but it's cold now." Maxie pouted as the realization hit her.

"We can heat it up." Ric promised her, pushing her hair behind her ears.

"How was your day?" She yawned and sat up.

"Busy. Long. I won't bore you with all the details. How was yours?"

"Georgie told me I'm going to be an aunt." Maxie beamed.

"Really? That's wonderful news. We should celebrate."

"I forgot about the candles." Maxie grumbled, moving to blow them out.

"Don't." Ric put out his hand to stop her. "You look beautiful in candlelight."

"Just in candlelight?"

"You know you look beautiful in any light." Ric smiled moving closer to her.

"So do you." Maxie leaned back so that his hands wrapped around her.

"If we are going to live together, I may have to make a few requests." Ric whispered.

"Requests?"

"Just a few ideas I have."

"I have a few of my own. You go first."

"I think we should outlaw TV in the bedroom. We can have other ways to entertain ourselves there."

"Is that all?"

"I was waiting for your ideas."

"I only really have one." Maxie promised, spinning around so that they were facing one another.

"Tell me."

"You have to promise to come home in scrubs every night." She followed his waistband with her thumbs.

"That can be arranged."

When he pulled her in for a kiss, she turned her face into his chest. "I'm sorry."

"What about?"

"This is difficult for me. I don't know why, but it is."

"There's no timetable here." Ric promised her. "You live here now. We have all the time in the world."

"You've been so wonderful." Maxie muttered into his shoulder.

"Not always." Ric pointed out.

"Since you came here you have been. My God, you moved here to be with me." Maxie glanced down at her hands.

"I told you. You are important to me." Ric put his finger under her chin, pushing it up to look in her eyes. "You know that right?"

"I know that."

"Then that's enough for now." He kissed the top of her forehead.

"It's not that I don't want to."

"I get it. Besides half the fun with you is the build up."

"Would you mind if we just went to sleep?"

"The bed isn't hidden under a ton of boxes is it?"

"You laugh now. Tomorrow we get to take everything out of the boxes."

"Which translates to I take it out and you boss me around right?"

"You're learning." Maxie patted his cheek.

"Didn't make it through medical school just on my good looks." Ric stood up and offered up his hand to Maxie. "Come on, let's go to bed."


	395. At Last

"Here's to the greatest, smartest guy in the biz." Axe chuckled, lifting his glass high.

"Here. Here." Bobbie agreed holding up her own glass. Majandra lifted her hands up in imitation of all the adults around her.

"Speech." Becca teased. "I think this calls for a speech."

Shakily, Cruz got to his feet. A few months ago, he hadn't thought they would be celebrating anything again. A few months ago, he had felt beaten down, broken. Seeing his family and friends leaning on the edge of their seats as they waited for him to say something, he realized how truly blessed he was. "We were knocked down, but we didn't stay down. We have our magazine back and it's all thanks to you guys."

"I didn't do anything other than pass on some information." Kate protested. "Cruz is the hero. Not me."

"Don't be modest, Boss Man. You were the fearless leader." Axe pointed out.

"I thought that if I didn't have the magazine, that meant I had nothing at all. I see now that that's never been true. If we had lost, I would still have all of you and that's worth more." Cruz blinked furiously when Majandra reached out and wrapped her left hand around his right index finger.

"Clearly he's drunk." Bobbie teased. "Axe no more serving him."

"Hush." Cruz lovingly scolded. "We're having a magic moment. Don't ruin it. Seriously though, this isn't just about me. It's about all of you." He took a drink and waited for the rest of him to follow suit. "By the way, I hope you don't think you're getting out of coming to work tomorrow."

"Are you kidding?" Becca countered. "Axe and I would sleep under our desks if you'd let us."

Axe reached over and took Becca's glass from her hands. "She's drunk Boss Man. Don't listen to her. However if you want to thank us, money is always a good choice."

Cruz's grin widened. "Actually, I was thinking about giving you that office you've been begging for since your first day."

"But you said not before you got yours." Axe asked a puzzled look on his features. "Are we moving?" 

Instead of answering, Cruz looked over at Kate. She nodded and decided that now was as good a time as ever to tell them what had transpired over the last few weeks. "It seems our cover business, the one we used to set up Jax, is functioning quite well on its own. Cruz and I were talking about it and we agree that moving the original location of the magazine to the new building would make the most sense. Besides, we heard about a certain rival company who has his eyes on our original space. Jesse Beaudry." She announced cautiously.

"Jesse Beaudry." Becca said slowly. "You want to sell our space to the guy who tries to steal your staff regularly?"

"We aren't afraid of a little competition and let's face it: a monopoly is what got us into this mess to begin with. We need to leave the boring news to someone else. We'll be taking on a different caliber of customers, mostly from Manhattan and the surrounding cities, and Beaudry can cover local news." Cruz explained.

"So now we're moving and we're changing what we report. Anything else Boss Man? New name for the magazine or anything?" Axe teased

"Well a change in salaries, but we can talk about that later." Cruz laughed at the exploding questions coming at him from every direction.

"I think this is a wonderful idea." Bobbie stood up beaming as she walked towards her husband. "You've put in years of work at this magazine and now it is finally going to pay off."

"Thank you for never giving up on me." Cruz lifted from his chair and kissed her.

*****

"I sure hope there's not a fire." Steven laughed, finding his wife almost hidden behind dozens of newspaper clippings. "What is all this?" he asked, leaning down to give her a kiss.

"Just some real estate listings." Georgie smiled.

"Oh yeah? You planning a quick getaway?"

"No it's just something I've been thinking about." Georgie patted the space next to her for Steven to sit down.

He picked up a sheet absentmindedly. "None of these are in New York. I thought you wanted to stay close, especially with the baby coming."

"But you work in L.A." Georgie pointed out. "And Maxie is sort of demanding we move out so she doesn't miss anything."

"She's not seriously staying out there, is she?"

"Serious enough to convince Ric to transfer out there and move in with her." Georgie poked Steven in the chest. "And we aren't supposed to know about that so no telling Dad."

"I couldn't if I wanted to. I thought she hated him."

"Long story that I didn't completely get."

"While I agree with you about L.A. being good for my job, are you sure you can leave this behind? I don't want you to be lonely, Maxie or no Maxie." He couldn't help but doubt his sister-in-law's credibility when she was the one who up and left one day without considering how her decision would affect her family.

"I'll be fine wherever we are. Being pregnant has not destroyed my ability to make friends."

"I know you'll be loved wherever we go. I just want to know you're okay with this."

"If it's good for you then it's going to be good for me and Sporto here." Georgie smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "Let's at least look at our options. We can't live with your grandmother forever."

"I know that though I doubt Elizabeth will agree. What do we have here?" He read one aloud. "This one has three bedrooms, two bath, and was once owned by a celebrity. Of course they don't tell us who. Probably someone we've never heard of."

"Or someone who stars on a soap."

"There are still soap operas?"

"Allegedly. In addition it's over a million dollars."

"Listen to this." He held up a different listing. "Four bedrooms, two and a half bath. With what I'm making on the movie, we could afford it."

"Really? Where is it?"

"San Marino. Twenty minutes from Hollywood."

"That's good. We'll put that in the maybe pile."

"What else is in the maybe pile?"

"Nothing really. Everything looked way out of our price point."

"Would you let me worry about that? Pick one and I'll get it for you."

"One of us has to be realistic." Georgie reminded him.

"Then that'll be me. I'm serious. Pick one. I don't want our life to be full of missed opportunities."

"What opportunities have we missed?" Georgie challenged laughing. "We got married on what was probably our fifth date."

"You're giving me the one thing I want." Steven assured her, reaching over to rub her still-flat stomach. "What do you want? And can you leave reality out of it please?"

"I already have it. I have you."

"That's great and all, but we're going to be living under a bridge if we don't find a place soon."

"We have a time limit now?"

"Georgie." Steven dragged his hand over his face. "You're exasperating."

"I thought I was adorable."

"You are. Adorable and oh so sexy, but right now exasperating."

"Steven we just started. No one buys a house and moves in two days later. These things take time."

"You mean you can't just point it out and have a well-meaning friend come over and decorate? Or in this case, your sister?"

"Or yours." Georgie taunted. "But no. I hear it takes some time. Especially something as important as a first home."

"You know I have to go back soon." Steven didn't want to focus on it, but the longer he was here the more it weighed on him. Just being away from her for a few weeks had almost killed him. How was he supposed to make it until the end the semester?

"I know." Georgie sighed. She was surprised he hadn't brought up the subject before now. "You have to go. This is too important for your career."

"I shouldn't have said anything." Steven instantly regretted bringing it up at all.

"No. We both knew you would have to go back at some point. I guess we've just been trying to avoid the inevitable."

"When do you break for Christmas?"

"Second week in December."

"How long?"

"School starts back the third of January."

"I wish we could convince my sister to move up her wedding so we could spend more time together. Does that make me an awful person?"

"No you just sound like the man I married. We're not touching your sister's wedding."

"Would you be willing to come with me, even if it's only for a week?"

"That sounds wonderful."


	396. Touch And Go

"Daddy?" Lance pulled on Dillon's sleeve. "What are we doing here?"

"We're going to see an old friend." Dillon explained nervously. At least he hoped they were. It was entirely possible Sage had left town as soon as the doctors sent word the surgery was successful. After all, it hadn't exactly been an easy task trying to find where she was staying in the first place.

He had known going in, she wasn't using her real name. Too obvious. Knowing her, she wasn't staying at any of the smaller inns and motels. She was too well versed in the town's mobster past to feel comfortable in the seedier selections. He took a gamble, calling most of the mid-range hotels and asking if Diego Rivera was in. He had almost given up when, the last call on his list paid off.

"Do I know this friend?" Lance asked.

"Not really. But she knows you." Dillon raised his hand to knock on the door and said a little prayer that this plan of his actually worked out.

Sage glanced up at the door, automatically reaching for her pistol. Diego had gone without a word, only a note of explanation that he was hungry. She knew better than to announce her presence so she slid closer to the door and put her pistol in front of the peephole. Only then did she ask, "Who's there?"

"Dillon."

"Dillon?" Sage pulled open the door quickly, slapping her hand to her chest when she noticed that he wasn't alone.

"I remember you!" Lance cheerfully announced.

"We were taking a chance that you hadn't left yet." Dillon explained hurriedly pushing past her, Lance holding his hand the entire way into the room.

"What are you doing here? And with him?" Sage demanded.

"I figured you were going to leave soon and I wanted to say goodbye."

"What concern is my leaving of yours? I tried to help you and I couldn't. Please go."

"I thought you said she was a friend Daddy." Lance stated. "She doesn't seem happy to see you."

"Sage just doesn't take surprises very well." Dillon explained. "But at some point she will be glad we did this."

"Lance, I'm not trying to mean, but it's not safe for you to know me."

"Why not?"

"Because there are bad guys who would hurt you if they knew you were here."

"I can take care of bad guys. I'm strong like Spiderman. Right Daddy?"

"That's right." Dillon agreed.

"Besides you came to see me at the hospital." Lance remembered. "If it's dangerous why'd you come there?"

"Dillon, can I speak with you over here for a second?" Sage said through gritted teeth.

"Sure. Lance why don't you see what's on the TV ok?" Dillon wandered over to the corner where Sage was standing.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Dragging him over here when you could have been followed?"

"We weren't followed. I've seen The French Connection enough times to know when I'm being followed."

"A movie reference. How original. I know you were mad at me for coming to the hospital and I'm sorry your husband didn't tell you about it, but this is cruel."

"This isn't about being cruel. This isn't even about Lucas. It's about Lance. You ran from the hospital as soon as a donor was found. You need to see that he's fine Sage."

"I know he's fine. The doctor told me he was. This visit was unnecessary."

"No it was completely necessary." Dillon argued stubbornly. "At some point Lance is going to ask questions about who you are. I'd rather be able to tell him he at least met his mother once."

"Don't say that. I am not his mother. You and Lucas have done a fine job raising him and I see that. You asked me once why I agreed to the surrogacy in the first place since I obviously didn't need the money. I have never seen two people in such desperate need of a child, two people that had little or no chance of getting one. Must I pay for that decision every damn day of my life? It's so hard to look at Lance, to see my father's nose and your smile."

"I get that. And I'm not asking you to form a relationship with him. Or step in and be a parent to him. I'm not trying to punish you. But this whole thing made me realize that you do play a role in his life, even if we don't acknowledge it. We got through this, but what if something else goes wrong Sage? What if he needs you again? What if you one day have another child and that child needs Lance?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just spend a little bit of time with him. Tell him goodbye. Send an email once in a while."

"And who do you suppose I tell him I am?"

"The same thing I told him. An old friend of mine and Lucas's."

"I'll say goodbye, but I don't want him to know where I am. I don't ever want him to come and try to find me because we both know what'll happen if he does. You can accuse me of abandoning him, not jumping to attention when you first came to see me, but I love him just as much as you do."

"I always knew the tough girl thing was just an act." Dillon smiled. "When the time comes I'll explain all that to him."

"Thank you."

"Now go on. Talk to him. He doesn't bite."

"Hey Lance? What are you watching there?"

"Transformers movie." Lance offered.

"Do you mind if I watch with you?"

"Nope. Sit down."

"Thanks. You know, I used to be an actress."

"Really?" Lance swirled his head around. "Did you make any movies like Daddy Dillon likes to make?"

"Just one. Before you were born. It was called _A Night Within A Day_. Maybe you can watch it when you're a little older."

"Cool." Lance smiled. "Did you become rich and move away?"

"I was already rich, but I did move away. I didn't have a great family like yours."

"That's sad. So you don't have any cousins or anyone to play with?"

"I have one cousin: Diego. He's great. Other than that, no."

"You could come over and play with me if you wanted."

Sage bit the inside of her cheek. "That can't happen. After today, I have to go away again."

"Do you have to make another movie?"

"Yeah. I have to make another movie."

"Oh." Lance nodded. "Daddy Dillon explained a lot of movie stuff to me. You have to go on location right?"

"That's right."

"But you'll have fun right?"

"Not as much fun as I'm having right now.

"Will you come back when the movie's done?"

"No. This is the last time you'll see me."

"But why?"

"Lance, let's just watch the movie. You and your dad have to leave afterwards."

"Ok." Lance sighed. "But I still think you should come back and play with me again."

"I'll try."

*****

"No one forced you to come you know?" Sam pointed out as she pounded on the door. She would have walked right in but the door was locked and she didn't want to alarm her sister or mother, let alone her stepfather who happened to carry a gun.

David just barely refrained from rolling his eyes. "No but if I didn't come, you're not going to ask what you really want to know."

"So you're saying I'm incompetent."

"No I'm saying you're chicken."

"Not wanting to hear my mother admit that she's getting worse makes me a chicken?"

"No it makes you human. It makes you chicken because you'll deny to everyone but me that you don't want to know just that."

"What is all this yelling about?" Alexis demanded, yanking the door open. "I can hear you from upstairs."

"This isn't yelling." David smiled at Alexis. "This is us discussing."

"This is yelling." Sam argued. "Can we come in?"

"Yes. Come in." Alexis moved back so they could enter. "Did something happen?"

"You tell us." Sam challenged, folding her arms.

David held up his hands. "This is her. I'm just here for moral support."

"Moral support? Sam, what's going on?"

"I found the pills." Sam informed her.

"Okay." Alexis said slowly. "What pills?"

"For the pneumonia. You should have told me."

"Told you what? And pneumonia? What are you talking about?"

"The pills. I saw them on the kitchen counter. I looked up the name and it said they're for pneumonia."

"Oh." Alexis covered her mouth with her cupped hand.

"She's really good at research." David offered. "And Samantha doesn't do the whole curiosity thing real well."

"I had pneumonia a few months back." Alexis told them.

"Then why was it a new prescription? How could you keep this from me?" Sam demanded.

"Keep what from you? That I used the same bottle for the new pills?"

"Same bottle? New pills? What are you talking about?"

"Can we sit down? Please?"

"No. I want to stand. Tell me what's happening."

"Samantha maybe you should sit down. You're less likely to scare Kristina that way." David whispered to her.

"I don't want to sit." Sam repeated, blinking back tears.

"Sam, no. Don't cry." Alexis begged.

"I just found you."

David stepped forward and rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "Just let Alexis talk Samantha. Let her talk."

"Thank you David, but she has every right to be upset." Alexis replied wearily. "Listen, the pills you found, well they weren't for the pneumonia. It came and went so fast I didn't even have to go to the hospital. Dr. Bernstein agreed to come here. With him, he brought me some information about an experimental treatment he had been reading up on. It was only in its testing stage, but it looked promising. He told me he had recommended me for the next trial and I've been on the experimental drug ever since." She paused. "What did I have to lose? It's not like the Chemo was making any difference anymore and I had already promised Kristina that I wouldn't go back to the hospital again."

"Did it work? Is it working?" Sam asked cautiously.

"It is. My white blood cell count is multiplying every day and Dr. Bernstein thinks I'll be cancer free by Christmas." Alexis's smile was shaky. "I wanted to tell you, so many times, but I didn't want to risk it not working."

"By Christmas." Sam whispered.

"Just an estimation, but yes."

"That's...I'm sorry I yelled at you." Sam whimpered in response.

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm not going anywhere." Alexis promised, hugging her. "On that note," she added, stepping back, "If you two aren't rushing off, would you like to stay for dinner?"

"No interrogating David." Sam insisted.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I can take care of myself Samantha." David pointed out.

"I can take care of you too." She shot back with a grin.

David bit back his instinct to make a joke. Alexis would not appreciate his and her daughter's usual sense of humor. "Samantha can't help out with the cooking."

"That's fair." Alexis agreed.


	397. Promises

_Dear Leslie,_

_I hope this letter finds you feeling safe and missed. I thought you might like to know what's been going on in your crazy hometown. AJ Quartermaine was arrested for aiding and abetting and three counts of kidnapping. Your cousin Michael has been adopted by Ned and Lois Ashton. Cameron remains the cutest kid on the planet. He says hello by the way. Lucky and Elizabeth are going over the final details of the wedding. They send their love. Your uncle (?) Cruz got his magazine back and has moved into a much larger space. The commissioner told me that Georgie and Steven are house hunting since he's due to go back to Australia soon._

_I underestimated what your absence would do to me. I figured time would still pass and eventually things would get back to normal, but they aren't. The last thing I want is to bother you with this. You do have so many more important things to focus on, your treatment among them. Do me a favor and skip this part of it's causing you any kind of stress, okay? The truth is I feel like I'm living a life I've grown out of. Does that make any sense? The things that used to matter don't and the things I used to take for granted are suddenly very important to me._

_In just a couple months you changed my entire outlook on life. I've always lived by the rules, you know that. There was solidarity in that, safety even. If I could just hold onto that, I wouldn't have to care about anything or anyone else ever again. I hadn't saved my brother and that used to eat away at me. Do you think that's why I helped you? I'll admit that was part of it. In the beginning, I was trying to make up for what I'd failed to do for Ethan. I don't know exactly when that all changed. I don't know when I started to care about what happened to you. Maybe the day you called me, maybe before then. I don't know._

_Do you see? I told you I would sound like some damn soap opera character! By the way, I don't know WHY you thought I should watch this stupid show to begin with. If the writers had half a clue as to what the viewers wanted to see…aw hell. This isn't easy for me. For as long as I can remember, I've only had to look out for myself and that was the way I liked it. Being a cop provided no surprises because bad guys are bad guys and there's always been a rule book to follow. Before you, I thought I had everything figured out. Come to Port Charles, avenge my brother, and then go back to Manhattan. It seemed so simple at the time. You came into my life rather abruptly and messed it all up. I'm not blaming you. Sorry. I miss you and I'll be right there when you're free to come home. _

_Evan_

Lulu refolded the letter for what was probably the tenth time. It had only arrived a few hours ago and already she had it memorized. Not that she was planning to tell him that anytime soon. Or ever.

When she had asked him to not forget her, she had expected maybe one visit. After all it wasn't as if they had a serious relationship. What they had probably barely qualified as a relationship. In the back of her mind, Lulu had convinced herself his promise to come and see her was just a pity promise, words said to a sad, pathetic little girl who couldn't handle the fact that all there was between them was a drunken night neither could remember and what amounted to a few hours she knew she'd never forget some weeks later.

It had been easy to dismiss any interest Evan had showed in her. For as long as she could remember, boys came and went quickly. They were fun for awhile and once she started to maybe trust them, possibly open her heart to them, they would bolt. Or she would find a reason to bolt. Growing up, she had seen too many of her family members destroyed by their so-called great loves. Aunt Bobbie. Carly. Her own parents when they thought Lucky was dead. Love was the greatest, she realized early on, the greatest destroyer. Elizabeth hadn't been far off when she had teased her about picking guys she knew her father, brother, and cousin would run off. It was easier to blame her family for her being alone instead of the fact she was terrified.

Evan terrified her. Here, miles away from him and her family and her own history of self-destruction, she could at least admit that much. Somehow he had put up with her attitude when she gave him no reason to. He had befriended most of her family, not an easy feat considering his profession. And all he ever claimed to want was the best for her. He rejected her because he thought she wasn't ready. He wanted her to be sure. And now he had written her this letter.

Tapping her pen cap on her teeth, she gazed down at the blank sheet of paper. Smiling, she began to write.

_Evan-_

_To misquote Reality Bites here, "Emergency Room is a really good show." I told you if you just gave it half a chance you'd like it. But don't worry; I won't tell anyone you watch a soap opera. Well except maybe Harper. Or my dad. I'll at least stop with Lucky._

_It's pretty quiet here, probably by design so we can really think and learn who we are or something. Sure they have lots of activities and therapies scheduled, a busy schedule is apparently vital to kicking drug habits, but at night it gets really quiet. There are no TVs in the rooms. The only DVD player is in the common room and the DVD collection is worst than yours. They don't even have Scooby, which I know you find horrific._

_I think I miss you the most when it's quiet. Somewhere in the middle of all this and I don't know where or when, I got used to your rather constant comments about my day and life. Ridiculous things have reminded me of conversations we've had. For example, the lunch lady thinks I have lost my mind because I cracked up when she told me to "Eat." See what I mean? Who does that besides crazy people? _

_You said I changed you. I'm not sure I can tell you what all you've done for me. Not without the aid of a scriptwriter. Preferably one of the romantic comedy variety and not the soap. (I agree with you. That writer has got to go, but at least the cast is pretty!) There's also the risk I'd scare you away entirely and before you complete your promise to visit me. Maybe instead I should just tell you one thing a letter? Makes you curious doesn't it? Makes you want to hang on my every word? _

_First confession - I miss you. Never thought I would. Never thought I'd tell you that. Never thought I would ever miss anyone to tell you the truth. No one that I wasn't related to at least. I was raised with an overwhelming family. Overwhelming in the good sense. We took care of our own and Elizabeth and Robin can attest how much we intimidate those who try to join. If there is one thing my father made sure to teach me in regards to relationships (besides no dating until I was 30. Aren't you glad I didn't listen to that one?) was that other people came and went but family was forever. And I was ok with that really. _

_Then you showed up and not only made me like you, you made my family like you. How did the cop manage to charm a rebel like my father? He's still upset Lucky works a nine-to-five job. It used to be I'd bring a guy home, he'd be run off, and I'd never hear from him again. But now when I hear from Mom and Dad, they tell me they've seen you. My brother of all people mentions he ran into you. I can't just pretend we never met and it makes me miss you more._

_I can hear you now. "What exactly do you miss about me?" I don't think I'm going to tell you. Not right now. Maybe next letter. Maybe if you tell me one thing you miss about me. (Come on you know a good deal when you hear one!)_

_So for now just know that I miss you. And take your typical, obnoxious pride in that fact. Write me back and I'll tell you more ok? _

_Leslie_

_*****_

"I feel like such a tool." Luke complained to his reflection.

"You look like one." Lucky offered cheerfully.

"This is all your fault." Luke shot back, adjusting his tie.

"Actually it's yours because you always taught us to do whatever it takes to make our ladies happy. And dressing like a penguin will make Elizabeth happy." Lucky shrugged as adjusted the jacket of the black tuxedo. "I'm just following your advice."

"It doesn't sound like something I would have said." Luke countered, walking over to his grandson. "Tell you dad you want to go to the wedding in jeans." He whispered with a smirk.

"Roby said I look handsome." Cameron shook his head stubbornly.

"What do you care about what girls think of you?" Luke glanced over Cameron's head. "You've been letting him around girls again, haven't you?"

"Only Robin, Elizabeth, and Gracie." Lucky promised. "Now I can't promise that Patrick has been following the same plan."

"Patrick has boys." Luke pointed out.

"But boys who haven't been completely warped by you yet." Lucky responded.

"I heard a groan man whining. I figured I should check up here." Patrick laughed wryly, sitting Morgan on the bed next to Cameron.

"Hi Morgan! Did you bring your fancy suit?" Cameron asked.

"I brought three!" Morgan exclaimed, nodding toward Patrick who was sorting through them.

"Three? Wow!" Cameron echoed impressed.

"Elizabeth and Robin couldn't decide on one. Thank God she took Nathan today. I wouldn't have been able to carry him."

"That explains it." Lucky nodded. "They probably took a million and one pictures in the store and only left because it was closing time."

"I was thinking the same thing."

"For the record this is the last time I wear one of these monkey suits for either of you." Cruz announced as he walked into the room. "And in a related note, please tell your fiancé and your wife to stop calling me and my wife to see if I picked this up yet."

"Pick what up?" Morgan wanted to know.

"My tuxedo for the wedding." Cruz explained to the boys. "My fancy suit."

"Alright dude." Patrick waved Morgan over. "Try these and see which one you like the best."

"I don't have to try anymore on do I Daddy?" Cameron wondered.

"No. Lizzie already made sure ours were done." Lucky assured his son. "If everyone else had listened to her they wouldn't still be getting calls about it."

Patrick and Cruz each glared at him. "What's the matter?" Patrick asked Morgan.

"It's itchy." Morgan explained, scratching the front of his neck.

"Well that's as good as gone. That leaves two more."

"I have mine. Why do I have to be here?" Luke complained.

"Misery loves company?" Cruz offered.

"Because no one trusts you to show up in the same suit that was ordered for you." Lucky explained simply.

"You are sucking all the fun out of this wedding." Luke warned, shaking his finger.

"No. I'm just making sure it actually happens without Elizabeth getting mad at me."

"I can't see." Morgan held up his arms and his fists were lost in the sleeves. "Why can't I see?"

Cruz tugged the collar over his head. "Better?"

"Thanks Super Cruz!" Morgan giggled. "Can't we tell Mommy I tried them all on?"

"Roby would know if you didn't." Cameron said, nodding seriously. "She'd know."

"Cameron's right. Is it itchy?"

"No. I like it."

"Are you lying so you don't have to try anymore on?"

"Maybe."

"Alright, next." Patrick ordered, tossing the last suit at him.

"Third time's the charm." Lucky promised Morgan.

"Hey Morgan?" Cameron bounced up on the bed. "Do you know what the best part about this party is?" Cameron hurried on before his cousin had a chance to answer. "There's going to be a whole cake just for us kids. I helped picked it. It's chocolate and yellow and strawberry. And lots and lots of icing."

"Doesn't that go against your sugar rules?" Cruz teased Lucky.

"Cam's staying with dad that night." Lucky smirked.

"Clever. Very clever Son. But you have not won yet." Luke promised.

"Mom already tossed your powder blue ruffle number from the seventies if that's what you're thinking."

"It wasn't." Luke said slowly before turning around and muttering to himself.

"Do I look okay?" Morgan inquired.

"Almost." Patrick leaned down and poked a white flower through the left pocket of the jacket. "There. Perfect."

"You look like me Morgan!" Cameron cried out pointing to himself.

Morgan rolled his eyes. "Duh! We're family!"

"This means that's the tuxedo Robin and Elizabeth want us to pick." Lucky laughed as picked up Cameron.

"This calls for hot fudge sundaes." Cruz declared.


	398. I Thought She Knew

"Don't roast those marshmallows without me." Lucas called over his shoulder as he reached for the ringing telephone. Ever since Lance came home from the hospital, he and Dillon decided to create a special event for every night of the week for just the three of them. Yesterday afternoon, they had gone to roller-skating in the park. The day before, they went and drove bumper cars. Now it was time for a movie. The catch was, Dillon didn't get to choose. It was all up to Lance.

"Daddy, you're going to miss…" Lance's voice drifted off when Lucas put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" he chuckled into the receiver. "Hello?"

"Is this line secure?" the voice on the other end wanted to know.

"Yes. Who is this?" He asked even though he had a pretty good idea who had called him up. He only knew one person paranoid enough to—

"Diego Alcazar. Can you talk?"

"Diego?" Chills ran up and down the back of his neck.

"CAN YOU TALK?" Diego snapped angrily.

"Yes. Yes. I can talk. What's going on? Why are you calling me?"

"Were you expecting my cousin?"

"Well you and I never did get along all that well." Lucas reasoned.

"Is everything a joke with you?" Diego's anger caught him off guard. His impatience hadn't, but his anger definitely did.

"What's the matter?" Lucas whispered even though his family was in the kitchen roasting marshmallows over the stove, completely oblivious to anything going on in the living room.

Diego didn't answer immediately, something rendering him quiet. When he spoke, his voice was shaking. The sound alone was hell on Lucas's nerves. "This is a courtesy."

"What is? Diego, if you don't tell me what's going on—" Lucas's threat was unfounded, but he was sick of being yanked around.

"Sage is dead." Diego told him.

"Dead? What do you mean, dead?"

"As in when she closed her eyes, they didn't open. What do you think?"

"How? When?" Lucas wasn't sure which question he wanted answered first, which would be the easiest to hear. Information. That was all he really wanted. How could this have happened? She was just here. Dillon finally admitted to what he had done last night and even though it had made him mad as hell, he also realized that it was important for Lance to at least meet his mother.

"This morning. I was supposed to pick her up at the air strip when she arrived."

"The plane?" Lucas couldn't form a coherent thought. Sage was dead because she had come upon his request. He had placed her in danger. Had an enemy found her? Had she suffered? He cupped his hand over his mouth and willed himself to keep it together.

"One of ours. Her dad taught her to fly when she was a teenager because traveling commercially was too dangerous."

"She piloted her own plane?"

"My cousin was a very capable person. Just because you and your husband used her doesn't make that any less true."

"We didn't use Sage! She came to us and we're thankful everyday for Lance. What happened? "

"Engine failure."

"Do you think it could have been—?"

"Tampered with? No. It was an ironic twist of fate, nothing more."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure. Anyway, I thought I should tell you. Like a said, a courtesy. I knew Sage would want her son to know she was dead. I realize he's too young to tell now, but one day."

"I'm sorry—" The line went dead and the door to the kitchen opened.

"Baby?" Dillon questioned softly when he saw the look in Lucas's eyes. "Something wrong?"

"I'm going to be sick." Lucas explained, shoving past them.

"Lucas!" Dillon called after him. "Lance I'll be right back ok?"

"Is something wrong with Daddy Lucas?" Lance inquired.

"I don't know but I'm going to find out okay?"

"Okay."

Dillon walked up the stairs to the bedroom he and Lucas shared. Entering slowly, he looked at the prone form of his husband stretched along the bed. "What's going on?"

"She's dead." Lucas replied in a haunted voice.

"Dead? Who's dead?"

"She's dead. I killed her. She's dead."

"Baby you didn't kill anyone. Now tell me what's going on before I divorce you for re-enacting a really bad Lifetime movie."

"I brought her here. If I hadn't, she'd still be alive. It's my fault. I killed her."

"Brought who here?" No sooner had the question escaped when the answer came to him. "Sage?" Dillon whispered. "Sage?"

"She was just trying to go home. If she had left sooner maybe. If I hadn't asked her to come. I told her it was her responsibility. I told her whatever I had to."

"What happened? What happened to Sage?"

"Plane crash. Diego called."

"Plane crash." Dillon raised his hand to his mouth. Sage was dead? He had just seen her. This wasn't real. This couldn't be real. "Oh my God."

"Diego wants us to tell Lance."

"Tell Lance what? The woman he met exactly once was his mother and now she's dead?"

"Later. Tell him later." Lucas turned over.

"Well yeah. When he's old enough. Of course we would tell him."

"She was punished for my selfishness."

"No. No. It's not your fault."

"She was afraid to come. Diego doesn't think there was tampering, but a professional would be able to make it appear that way right?"

"Well maybe but still, Sage chose to come. We couldn't make her come to help Lance. She told us that herself."

"She was younger than both of us and now she's dead! And for what? Such a waste. What is Lance going to think? When he asks about his mother, he's going to think she didn't love him and that's why she wasn't here. He won't remember meeting her."

"Then we'll remember for him. Lance is going to know she loved him so much she came to help when it could risk her own safety."

"Go watch the movie with Lance please."

"Not if you're going to sit up here and blame yourself."

"Please? I just want to be alone right now."

"I'll go, but Lance and I are coming up in ten minutes to finish the movie up here."

"I won't be here." Lucas whispered to Dillon's retreating back.

*****

"Majandra. Look over here at me." Georgie motioned for the stumbling nine-month-old to come and sit on the rug. When she had run into Bobbie that morning at the store and seen just how tired and "hung-over" her aunt was, she had taken pity on her and offered to baby-sit for a few hours so that she and Cruz could get a little sleep. They agreed to meet at Audrey's an hour later so Georgie spent that time moving the dining room table out of the living room and searching for anything sharp or dangerous. She had been reading a lot about child development lately and all the books said the same thing: babies at nine months old were more than curious; they were capable. Until she had seen it for herself—until she had stepped away for a second and not been able to find her little cousin—Georgie hadn't believed that she was already walking. Both Bobbie and Cruz had tried to warn her, but she hadn't listened.

Ever since she and Steven announced their impending parenthood, toys had started showing up all over the place. After almost a week of confusion, Audrey finally admitted to sneaking in the toys._ "It's just something I saw on my way to the market."_ She would insist. _"They were practically giving these away when I told them I was expecting a new great-grandchild."_ She was a kook, but one Georgie and Steven loved. Currently, her grandmother-in-law was in her room watching her "stories" with the door partially open in case she thought Georgie needed her.

Obediently, Majandra crawled over to her. It seemed to Georgie—and if she was wrong it wouldn't be the first time today—that even though Majandra could walk, she preferred crawling. Probably because she could get places faster. If asked, Georgie would swear it was because she wanted to stay hidden, the little trickster. Or, maybe it was because it was easier to drag her pale-yellow blanket she had had since she was brought home from the hospital. Even now, she dragged it behind her like a friend.

Georgie smiled down at her and loosely reached for her hands. "Okay, we're going to play a game. Are you ready?" Majandra glanced down at her captured wrists, one hand still gripping her blanket, and then looked at Georgie, uncertain. "We're going to play Pat-A-Cake. I'll show you how." She lifted her cousin's hands, watching in triumph as the blanket slipped from her fingers, and held up hers so that she wouldn't just drop them when Georgie released her hold. "Okay, now like this." Softly, she pressed her hands against the much tinier palms and Majandra giggled in response, bringing her little fists to her mouth.

"I have no idea how patty cake has lasted this long. No kid seems to be interested in it." Elizabeth laughed as she walked in the room, carrying Gracie and Jake with her.

"Hi!" Georgie greeted her sister-in-law brightly. "The books say that she's in an imitation stage and I thought, since we were just sitting here anyway, it couldn't hurt."

"The book? Oh the helpfully suggested reading list? You should have called me. I have them all. Probably recommended by the same people." Elizabeth giggled as she arranged Gracie and Jake near Majandra.

"What are you guys doing out today?"

"Wedding errands. What else?"

"Robin said you found a dress."

"Thank goodness. Only nine zillion other details to complete."

"Yes, but the dress was the most important."

"Of course it was. Now how about your dress? Is it ok?"

"Oh I love my dress. I still can't believe you want me to be in it." Georgie blushed.

"You're my sister-in-law. Of course I want you to be in it. Like I was going to choose my own sister? Please."

"I don't think there's a dress on the planet that could make her look pleasant."

"See. How could I not have someone as cool as you in my wedding?"

"Well there is that." Georgie's smile faded when she caught sight of the edge of one of the listings she and Steven had been looking at. Hurriedly, she tried to shove it under a pillow. Sure, the family knew that they were moving out of Audrey's, but neither of them had hinted about L.A. She hadn't even been able to tell Maxie because her sister was just a big gossip and she didn't want her father to be the last to know yet again.

"What's that?" Elizabeth asked, reaching for the piece of paper.

"Um, just some residue left over from Sunday's paper. Steven keeps leaving bits and pieces everywhere. I often wonder why he even bothers to get a whole paper when he just wants the Entertainment section." Georgie prattled on nervously.

"Are you...are you guys moving?"

"Yes." Georgie admitted, her eyes shooting to her hands. "We wanted to tell you together."

"Which means my brother wanted to wait until the last possible second." Elizabeth guessed.

"I'm sorry."

"No. No don't be sorry. I guess I always knew it was going to happen. Steven works in L.A. Just the longer you guys stayed here, the more used to him being here I got. I might have forgotten about the whole job thing."

"Unfortunately, I think your brother might share that aversion to work. I just remember when he was going to work here for me and be miserable."

"Miserable but pretty sweet." Elizabeth laughed.

"I'm supposed to go with him to Australia the week following your wedding since I'll have some time off for the holiday and then I'm sure I'll be a wreck."

"Yeah. But that is his life. One job in L.A. The next one half way across the world. Unless you plan on traveling with him everywhere?"

"I haven't really thought about it. I don't want to drag a baby all over the place, but maybe when he or she gets older."

"Yes and you can send him or her to Port Charles so I can spoil them rotten."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. Someone has to share the toy store Grams bought my kids."

"She's so sneaky about that sort of thing." Georgie chuckled.

"Did she try the 'they were practically giving them to me when I said it was for my great grandchild' excuse yet?"

"Only her exact words!"

"I'm familiar." Elizabeth nodded. "Soon to be followed with the 'fabulous sale' one. And a variation of 'who knows how long I'll be around. Let an old woman spoil her great grandchildren.' one. Look out for that one. There is no arguing that one."

"Thank God I haven't gotten that one yet."

"Matter of time. She pulls that one out when you've argued with her about fabulous sale or not, giveaways or not, your child does not need all these toys."

"Hey." Georgie's jaw dropped when she saw all three kids playing Pat-A-Cake, or Majandra trying to show them as they lay half-asleep in their car seats.

"Look at that. Ever consider a career in preschool education?"


	399. I Drive Myself Crazy

Brenda Barrett. Brenda Barrett. She chewed on the name. She had only been Brenda Jacks for a few months, the first of any of her friends to do so, and yet they were happily married or about to be while she was filling out the final divorce papers. Jax hadn't contested, but then why would he? She was no longer the dream he had longed for. Once reality set in that this was as good as he got, he was more than ready to cut his losses. Finally the bruises had gone away. There had been moments when she had thought they never would, that she would be walking around with them forever. Why had she waited so long?

She gazed at her growing stomach in amazement, still not sure how something good could have come out of her sham of a marriage. Four months. That's what remained of her pregnancy. She couldn't believe so much time had passed. When asked about her baby's paternity, she had told her lawyer it was the result of an affair, something she wouldn't have minded testifying in court if her soon-to-be-ex-husband ever got suspicious.

The knock at the door broke through her reverie and she felt her heart jump into her throat. "Brenda, are you there?" Lucas, she realized. Lucas was here. She hurried to the door and pulled it open, her relieved smile slipping the moment she noticed how haggard her friend looked.

"Lucas, what—?" Instead of answering her, he hugged her. Five months along or not, Lucas was a lot bigger than she was and she worried she might suffocate under such a strong embrace.

"I didn't know where else to go." He admitted, releasing her and stepping into the tiny apartment. It was just a stopover until she could get mobile again, something she had been willing to do the moment she found out about the baby. Only logic and Lucas's plea that she not go had kept her here this long. He hadn't thought she should runaway when Jax was the one at fault and she had friends here who loved her and would take care of her. Mostly, he admitted, he was too selfish to let her go.

"Is it Lance?" Brenda couldn't think of anything else that could startle her friend so efficiently. Had something gone wrong with the transplant? Was the kidney not strong enough? In a two-second span of time, a million and one questions raced through her mind, each causing her to take in quick, unsteady breaths.

"His mother." Lucas stated quickly, his eyes jerking away from hers.

"Sage? What about her? Has she done something to Lance?"

"Lance is fine." Lucas snapped and then shook his head. "Sage was killed in a plane crash. Her cousin, Diego called a little while ago to tell me about it."

"Oh Lucas I'm sorry." Brenda moved to hug him again, but he walked around her.

"I keep thinking that if I hadn't asked her to come for Lance, she would still be alive. It's not like she was a match anyway. A favor that she ended up paying a hundred times over. She told me. She told me that it was too dangerous for her to come here, but I wouldn't listen. I just kept pushing and pushing until she had no other choice but to break." Lucas chided himself, tears collecting in his mocha eyes.

"From what I've seen of Sage, she doesn't seem the pushover type to me." Brenda offered carefully.

"If I hadn't made her come, she would still be alive."

"You don't know that. If she was meant to die, it would have found her one way or another."

"Don't give me that nonsense." Lucas retorted crossly. "I brought here, I cost her the only life she knew, and for what? For what?"

"For your son." Brenda reminded him. "Lance. Remember him? I know you're upset, but you're missing the big picture here. Yes, there were risks involved in her coming here and she knew that. She wouldn't have made the trip if she hadn't felt some moral obligation to Lance. It's impossible not to love him. I won't have you accusing yourself of something you had no control over."

When he looked like he might continue his tirade, she went on, "I'm sorry that Sage is dead. I only met her the one time and she seemed like a nice girl. But Lucas, your son's life was hanging in the balance. What other choice did you have but to beg her to come? Do you think it would have been better to lose him?"

"How can you ask me that question?" Lucas demanded, pacing the room, his eyes focused on the carpet.

"If I don't, who will? Lance was the most important factor and no matter what happened afterwards, he's well. He's going to be fine. You did everything you could to make that happen. Please." She walked in front of him and tilted his head back so that he had no choice but to meet her eyes. "Please don't let your grief erase all the good that has finally happened. It's not fair to your family or to you." By the end of her argument, she was crying too.

"Thank you." Lucas whispered, blinking furiously.

"It's what best friends are for, right? Now get over here and do what you've been wanting to do since you found out about the kid." Brenda challenged, choking on her laugh because her throat was so hoarse. Rolling his eyes, Lucas reached over and rubbed her stomach.

*****

It was odd being able to shut the door, Cruz mused as he sat behind his desk. He had actual walls. A window that wasn't the front of the building. Becca would really have to let him know who was there to see him; he could no longer just look up over the sea of other desks. If this was what success looked like, Cruz decided he liked it.

Moving had been a far more complicated process than he had expected. After all The Insider had nothing. No more than his usual skeleton staff, all be it one that was more loyal than usual. A few desks. Some darkroom equipment. The computers. The fax. The scanner. A day, two days top he had planned. Somehow it had evolved into an entire week.

Not that he was complaining. Far from it. He would be lying if he said he had always imagined this moment when he took over The Insider. If he was going to be honest with himself, he had never really seen them being anything more than a cult local magazine. The fact they were as popular as they were still blew his mind

The light knocking at his door, shook him from his thoughts. "Come in," he called, grinning with ridiculous pride at the fact he now had to ask people to enter his office. Office. He felt his grin grow even wider. He had an office.

"Someone looks better." Bobbie teased, closing the door behind her. She walked around the desk and sat on the windowsill.

"Must be the company." Cruz shrugged walking over to join his wife.

"I somehow doubt that." Bobbie countered, tugging at a loose red strand and tucking it behind her ear. "This place is so big, I almost got lost."

"I'll have Axe draw you a map."

"Can you have Becca translate it into English? Axe is a bit difficult to understand sometimes."

"She'll try. She told me once sometimes she just nods and pretends to understand him."

"Isn't this amazing?" she asked.

"I do like the view." Cruz smirked, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Ha! You had the same view before." Bobbie reasoned.

"No this one is much better." Cruz laughed, rubbing his cheek against her hair.

"Shouldn't you be working Mr. President?"

"It's my office. Who's going to know?"

"Especially with the closed door and everything."

"A door was a deal breaker. No door, I wasn't moving."

"I had an epiphany earlier. You want to hear it?"

"I always love your epiphanies."

"You get to hire new employees...again."

"There is nothing new about that…"

"Oh yes there is." She argued, fastening the top button on his shirt. "You get to be choosy this time. No castoffs, just professionals. And they all have to listen to you."

"For them to all listen to me, I'll have to fire my current staff." Cruz pointed out, stilling her hands.

"Or you could start a rumor that this is all that's left of your original staff. Maybe they were lazy about deadlines and you fired them because you mean business."

"Bobbie I love you but we just moved offices. I didn't suddenly change personalities."

"You take all the fun out of things." Bobbie pouted.

Cruz laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist. "There is an upside you're ignoring."

"I can't wait to hear this."

"You see, there is one very distinct feature that our previous space lacked."

"What's that?"

"Take a guess."

"Working in a quieter space because Axe finally quits whining about not having an office?"

"Try again."

Bobbie gulped when she noticed how much closer he suddenly was. "Privacy."

"You are so very smart."


	400. First Time

"She's going to be here any minute." Daphne whispered in hushed excitement.

Having hosted the party, it seemed only fair that Robin should go and pick up the bride-to-be on the eve of her wedding. Bobbie and Laura were in charge of the decorations while Daphne and Georgie decided on the games and beverages. Audrey and Alexis provided the food, a role no one had expected Robin to pass on to anyone else. The fact of the matter was there was no time left for her to tackle anything else.

"She doesn't suspect a thing." Laura assured them confidently. To say anything had gone the way her soon-to-be-daughter-in-law expected it to would be a bold-faced lie. When Robin and Georgie came to her with the idea, she had jumped at the chance. She would get this right, no matter what. It was past time Elizabeth realized how important, how vital she was to her friends and family.

"Shh!" Georgie whispered. "I can hear Robin down the hall."

"I didn't know pregnancy provided extra sensitive hearing too." Daphne whispered to Bobbie.

"Now, Lucky told me how you get when it comes to blindfolds. Don't think you can try anything on me." Robin teased Elizabeth as she led her down the hall. "Stop trying to peek!"

"Then clearly Lucky didn't tell you everything." Elizabeth pouted. "You two shouldn't talk anymore. It's ending up badly for me."

"Aw, poor Elizabeth. Just keep moving forward. We're almost there."

"Almost where?"

"It's a surprise."

"You're stepping on my toes!" Bobbie shrieked as the four of them tried to cram behind the couch.

"Shh! Shh!"

"Robin? Can I take off this blindfold yet?" Elizabeth asked as her best friend pulled her through the door.

"Almost." Robin flipped on the light. "Okay, now."

"Finally!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she hurriedly raised her hands to remove the pink scarf Robin had tied around her head a few minutes ago. "Really what is the big...?"

"SURPRISE!" Four heads shot up from behind the couch.

"What on Earth?" Elizabeth smiled as she took in the faces of her friends and soon to be family. "What are you all doing here?"

"Welcome to your extra-special bachelorette party." Robin explained, placing a tiara on Elizabeth's head.

"My what? Robin, I told you not go to any trouble."

"We didn't go to any trouble, did we ladies?" A collective "no" rattled off the walls.

"I think you are all liars. But I love you for it." Elizabeth smiled.

"We have all kinds of things here." Robin told her. "Games. Margarita mix."

Catching the look Elizabeth was giving her, Georgie held up her hands. "There is also a bottle of Sparkling Apple Juice."

"So guest of honor," Laura wrapped her arm around Elizabeth's shoulders. "What would you like to do first? Spa? Games?"

"Give me a minute to process all this first." Elizabeth shook her head. "I wasn't prepared for this. I wasn't expecting to see you for example. I thought your tour was just way too busy." She grinned as she pointed to Daphne.

Shoot sugar. I just told that man of yours I was coming and if he tried to stop me, I'd sue to leave his company for someone else." Daphne smiled sweetly.

Elizabeth laughed. So that was why Lucky had randomly asked himself, _"She wouldn't. Would she?"_ all week. "I like your strategy."

"You know me. Whatever works sugar. Whatever works."

"And if you're all here, who has the kids?"

It was Bobbie who answered her question, grinning from ear to ear. "Well, at Alexis's request, we left the kids with Sam and David."

"I'm sorry I thought she wanted to have a good relationship with Sam."

"Well they said they wanted to help." Georgie spoke up. "And besides, Dad had to work and Alexis worked out the food. Don't worry. They have your grandmother on speed dial if anything happens."

"God bless them. I'm sure they will swear off ever considering children after tonight."

"Or it could inspire future offspring." Laura countered with a faraway look in her eyes.

"I hope you are thinking about Lulu cause that ship's sailed." Elizabeth warned Laura.

"Are you hungry? Alexis really outdid herself with this lasagna." Robin wanted to know.

"Starving." Elizabeth declared. "Bring on the food."

*****

"You guys wouldn't know talent if it bit you in the ass." Taggert groaned as he exited the stage. He had been belting out "The Dance" by Garth Brooks for the last ten minutes until the guys finally started throwing beer nuts at him.

"That song is only four minutes long. How did he make it seem like twenty?" Lucky wondered.

"It's your own fault." Cruz rolled his eyes. "You told him if it was so easy, he should do it."

"I thought he would punk out like Patrick did."

"Excuse me?" Patrick brought his hand to his chest. "I did not punk out. Someone had to distribute the alcohol."

"That is just a fancy way of saying chicken." Lucky smiled.

"Oh yeah? Well why don't you get up there Fabio?" Patrick suggested, throwing back a shot of tequila.

"And don't worry." Cruz added. "We'll pick the perfect song for you."

"Like I trust people who still reference Fabio." Lucky smirked as he stood up. "I already picked out a song thank you very much."

"Oh yeah? What was it? 'I Will Survive?'"

"Who told you that was what I picked out for you?"

Patrick gave him a toothy smile. "Well?"

"You'll just have to wait and see." Lucky smirked. "I don't want to give you a complex."

"Too much talking." Luke declared as he returned to the table with another round of drinks. "This is your last night of freedom Cowboy. Drink up!"

"Dad." Lucky rolled his eyes. "You don't actually want to still be drunk the day of the wedding."

Luke shrugged his shoulders. "So we'll drink your share. Still works."

"He does have a point. Though, this time, can someone direct me elsewhere when I get sick? Aunt Laura's still upset about me barfing in that silver vase."

"That's why we're at Jake's." Cruz pointed out. "Like you'd be the first one to puke on the floor here?"

"I can't believe we're all married or about to be." Patrick mused thoughtfully.

"It's all your fault too." Luke told Cruz. "I showed you boys the system."

"Oh yes. The system." Lucky nodded.

"It was obviously faulty to begin with." Cruz declared.

"How so?" Luke demanded.

"You got married before any of us ever even thought about it."

"Oh sure. Turn on me." Luke grumbled, throwing back his whiskey and soda. "All you had to do was stick to plan. Instead, you all relied on different poking devices."

"If this is him in the beginning, what will come flying out of his mouth when he's three sheets to the wind?" Cruz muttered worriedly.

"I don't even want to consider it." Lucky shuddered. "He's cut off."

"What?" Luke leaned forward to figure out why they were whispering.

"We were just saying it's your turn. We picked out a song and everything." Patrick helped him out of his chair and steered him toward the stage.

"Yes it's your turn Dad. Bring down the house."

The host smiled as Luke made his way onto the stage. "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Luke Spencer doing 'Bye Bye Bye'" he announced to rowdy crowd.

*****

"Presenting the future Mrs. Lucky Spencer as a pretty pink princess ballerina." Bobbie announced, waiting for Elizabeth to appear from behind the makeshift curtain fort where she and the other three girls were waiting in line.

"If I see one camera flash, I'm getting pictures of all of you in mud masks and posting them at the reception." Elizabeth warned.

"She says such nice things." Daphne teased, pushing her forward.

"Well you only threaten the ones you love." They made loud whooping voices as she took the "stage"—two blue Yoga mats pushed together—while Laura and Bobbie wrote down her score on two note cards and held them up.

"I only rate an eight?"

"That's as high as the score goes." Robin promised, playing with the ends of her yellow Beauty and the Beast dress.

"Whoever heard of a point system that goes to eight?" Elizabeth wondered.

"Ten was getting too much attention." Georgie informed her, tugging at her blonde pigtails. Bubbles from the Powerpuff Girls? Would the blonde jokes never end?

"I don't think I want to know the story behind that." Elizabeth declared as she grabbed another handful of M&Ms before flopping back on the bed.

"You did great honey." Daphne nodded, adjusting her blue headband. She made a better Jasmine than that animated brat. All she needed now was a tiger. Well, she always had Marcus.

"I think it's time for board games." Robin suggested, kickboxing the pillow fort until it collapsed.

"We have Girl Talk, Life, Mystery Date, Careers. What do you want Elizabeth?" Georgie asked.

"What about a good girlie movie instead?"

"I think we have every one ever made." Laura reached for the bag of movies they had brought over.

"We have Robin Hood." Robin nudged Elizabeth's side. "The version with Kevin Costner."

"Blerg. Next."

"Bed Of Roses with Christian Slater."

"Now you're talking."

"I made something special for you." Robin led her to the kitchen where a heart-shaped Death By Chocolate cake sat on the counter waiting for her.

"I changed my mind. We're getting married tomorrow."

"Ladies. Christian doesn't like to be kept waiting." Georgie reminded them.

"Well we can't have that now can we?"

"No we can't. Now scoot!"

"Yes ma'am!"


	401. No More Sorrow

The sun glared cruelly from behind the windows. Somehow, someone last night had forgotten to close the blinds and now Lucky was being faced with waking up way too early. Blinking, he rubbed his hand across his face, wondering if this was his father's sick idea of an alarm clock. He wouldn't put it past him; after all he was fairly sure his mother had threatened bodily harm if he arrived late today. Not that he was planning on it. Today he was marrying Elizabeth and nothing was going to get in his way.

Lucky smiled as he noticed the fresh layer of snow that covered the ground and trees. She had never said anything specifically, but Lucky knew Elizabeth. Ever since she had decided on a Christmas wedding, she had to have been hoping for snow. Seeing it laying there, it was a good sign. Everything was going to go as planned.

"I don't see Elizabeth, so I'm assuming that stupid grin on your face is for something else." Patrick interrupted, chucking Lucky's tux at him.

It was on the tip of his tongue to say something about the reception, but Lucky decided against it. Revenge, after all, was a dish best served icy cold. "I seem to remember you wearing a dumber one not that long ago."

Patrick matched his smirk with one of his own. "Get up. Your mother and my wife have been calling for the last thirty minutes."

"I'm awake. It's Cruz we need to worry about." Lucky pointed out, gesturing towards their friend still passed out on the floor.

"Good point." Patrick reached for the water bottle on Lucky's nightstand, unscrewed the top, and poured a few mouthfuls of water on top of Cruz's greasy head.

"What the hell?" Cruz sputtered as he sat up.

"Rise and shine sunshine." Lucky laughed.

"Don't want to." Cruz moaned, rolling over.

"Too bad. If we're late because of you I'm totally telling Robin and Mom."

"I'm up." Cruz muttered into the carpet.

"You look it." Patrick threw back, adjusting his tie. "I already took my shower." He gestured to his hair.

"Good. Now the rest of us have a chance to use the mirror." Lucky pointed out as he made his way towards the bathroom.

"It's probably your father with another bottle of whiskey." Cruz groaned, making his way slowly down the stairs.

"Or Mom checking to make sure we're up." Lucky yelled back. "Just answer it."

"Is this welcome going to include angry policemen?" Cruz teased, leaning in the doorway.

"No." Lulu laughed as she adjusted her navy blue bridesmaid gown. "But I do come with a chaperone." She motioned to the unfamiliar woman standing just to the side of her.

Cruz spotted a much older redhead only after she was pointed out to him. She just seemed to blend in with the primary color of the foyer. "Come in. Your brother's probably fallen asleep in the shower."

Walking in slowly, Lulu smiled. It seemed as if she hadn't been here in years instead of a few weeks. Of course it probably didn't help she could barely remember the last time she was at her brother's house sober. "I'm guessing Patrick is hogging all the mirror time?"

"I wouldn't know. I just woke up."

Giggling Lulu leaned against the banister and called up the stairs. "Oh Patty Pancake. Better come down."

"One day that's not going to work." Patrick said as he hurried down the stairs. He stopped just before reaching her. "How are you doing kid?"

"I'm good. Well not good yet but on the way there. Does that count?"

"Of course it counts. Hello." Patrick awkwardly waved at Lulu's chaperone. "Um, do either of you want something to drink?"

"No I'm good." Lulu smiled.

"No thank you." The chaperone said briskly.

"She's not real big on conversation." Lulu joked.

"Well look at that. You dressed yourself and everything." Cruz teased Lucky when he noticed him approach the top of the stairs. "Everyone clap."

"Fuck you." Lucky said coolly before he stopped in his tracked. "Little Sister? What are you doing here?"

"Like I would miss the only chance to see someone willingly marry you." Lulu smiled as he made his way closer to her.

Pulling her into a hug, Lucky shook his head. "Did Mom and Dad know you were doing this?"

"Dad yes. Mom no. Dad's convinced she wouldn't have been able to keep it quiet."

"The man has a point." Lucky sighed as he released her. She looked good, a hell of a lot better than when she left for the clinic. "You better go over to the hotel or else it will upstage the bride. I hear that's wrong."

"I will. I just wanted to see you and Patrick before all the craziness started."

"Gee thanks." Cruz laughed, handing her a glass of iced tea. "I knew you said you didn't want anything, but..." No matter how many times he looked at her, he couldn't get the image of her being dragged out of Cameron's bedroom out of his mind. It was one of the reasons he hadn't been able to visit her during her rehabilitation. The last thing he needed was another haunting memory.

"Thank you." Lulu smiled.

*****

"I was the flower girl at my mommy and daddy's wedding." Kristina told David as he tried to tie the pink ribbon of her dress into a bow. It didn't have to be perfect, but his last three attempts had been crooked and fallen apart before she even walked away.

"So you told me." David said as he tried in vain to struggle with the ribbon while dealing with a little girl in perpetual motion.

"Why did we have to wake up so early? My mommy and daddy's wedding was at four o' clock. I remember because Maxie gave me a Barbie watch the night before."

"Because this wedding is earlier." David sighed impatiently, trying to catch Sam's eye over her sister's head. This was all her fault. She was the one who volunteered them for this. Alexis was just fine with watching the kids, but Samantha wouldn't hear of it.

He had always been slightly curious about their use, handcuffs that is. When they ran out of bad guys, exactly what purpose did they serve then? Get your mind out of your pants, a strict voice ordered.

"Did you hear what I said?" Kristina asked, hands planted firmly on her hips.

"I did. I did." He promised her.

Sam caught his annoyed stare and then glanced away, looking uncertain. Majandra started to whine so Sam pressed the button on the baby bouncer and whispered quietly to her. "Where are the boys? And the twins?"

"What was that?" David asked her. Kristina was finally satisfied with his inept attempts at ribbon tying and had run off to the bathroom for one more look to make herself "look pretty."

Cameron and Morgan brushed past them so fast; they were little more than a blur. They were both holding onto something, but Sam had to squint to be certain of what it was. Each boy had their ties latched around the front of the twins' carriers and were dragging them around like stage coaches, giggling all the way.

"Weren't you supposed to be watching them?" David asked pointing in the direction they had run off in.

"Oh, so this is my fault? Watch the baby." Sam jumped to her feet and ran after the boys. She grabbed each of their wrists and jerked them to a halt, using the toes of her shoes to stop the car seats from tipping over. "Okay, just what do you two think you're doing?"

"Racing." Cameron said simply. "I was winning."

"You were not." Morgan countered. "Gracie and I were beating you."

"No way. Jake and I were winning."

"It doesn't matter. You do not drag around little babies." It took a minute, but she was able to loosen the ties and take the twins out of their carriers. When Nathan's cry was loud enough to filter downstairs, she handed the twins to David and went to see about him, ignoring her boyfriend's obvious distress. "Help them put on their ties please." She added as an afterthought, taking the stairs two at a time.

"Don't your dads know about clip on ties?" David asked as he knelt down to their eye level.

"Why do we have to wear ties anyway?" Morgan pouted.

"Daddy said that's what we do at weddings." Cameron recited.

"Shut up." Morgan griped, trying to break free of his current torture.

"I just saying." Cameron shrugged his shoulders.

"Stop wiggling." David told Morgan. "It will go faster if you stay still for just a few seconds."

"You're not doing it right." Morgan argued, folding his arms.

"How am I supposed to do it?"

"It shouldn't take this long." Morgan went on.

"Well I'm sorry but I don't wear ties all that often. I have to get Samantha to help me with mine."

"You let a girl dress you?"

"When you get older, it's not such a bad idea. Much less arguments. Ask your dads. They'll tell you."

Sam paused at the foot of the stairs, watching the scene in front of her with quiet awe. David glanced up at her and she hurried to explain. "He felt left out."

"With such a fun party I can't imagine why."

"You all look very spiffy." Sam told them, watching Kristina finally emerge from the bathroom. "Okay, are we ready to get this show on the road?"

"Yeah!" Cameron and Morgan cheered in unison.


	402. Peppermint And Glue

Blowing out a breath, Lulu paused before knocking on the hotel door. This was the meeting she had dreaded the most. There was a better than average chance Steven was standing in the room right now. Last she heard he was walking Elizabeth down the aisle. Georgie was there. He certainly wasn't hanging out with Lucky, Patrick, and Cruz. It wasn't that far out there to think he would be with his family right now. The last thing she wanted to do was cause him anymore discomfort. Not to mention she hadn't really talked with Elizabeth since she remembered her role in the accident. She had every reason to not want her within ninety miles of the wedding. But she had promised Lucky she would do him this one favor. After all the strings he helped pull, this was the least she could do.

"Lucky, I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times. It's bad luck to see the bride..." She opened the door mid-sentence and let the words die on her lips. "Lulu?"

"Hi Robin."

"What? When? How long?" Robin blurted, stepping back.

"Just for today. I stopped at Lucky's. You'll be pleased to know they are awake and moving. And I brought a chaperone as my plus one."

"A chaperone?" Robin looked past Lulu and spotted the plus one immediately. She was standing at least twenty feet away. "Can you come in without her?"

"Only if I want to go straight back to the center and miss the wedding. She's here to make sure I don't go running off to score."

"Then I suppose you can both come in. Maybe you can convince your soon-to-be-sister-in-law to sit still long enough to let my mother work on her hair."

"I don't know about good I'll do but I'm willing to try." Lulu smiled sheepishly as she walked into the room.

Anna ignored Elizabeth's protests and added another bobby pin. "Robin, get my gun."

"She's kidding." Robin promised, noticing the way the chaperone's eyes had widened at the implication.

"And you wonder why everyone...?" Elizabeth's voice trailed off as she recognized the young woman in the mirror. "Oh my God. Lulu?"

"Hi. Hopefully still a bridesmaid reporting for duty a little late."

"Wow. I thought you were at the center...I didn't realize you were going to make it. I mean....wow I'm babbling. Of course you're still a bridesmaid. Does your brother know you're here or will we have to pick him off the ground at the altar?"

"He knows. I stopped by there first. I was hoping to avoid the whole fainting thing for your sake."

"Thanks for that." Elizabeth smiled.

"Any time. And I come bearing gifts." Making her way over to where Elizabeth sat, Lulu pulled an envelope out of her purse. "I was instructed to give this to you and only you."

"What is it?" Elizabeth questioned as she reached up to take the offering from Lulu's hand.

"I have no idea and my brother put it in two envelopes. So I only got the one open. I don't know if you know this, but he's a little paranoid."

"I found your something blue!" Laura informed them, holding out a silver chain with a blue heart dangling from it.

"Oh Laura. It's beautiful." Elizabeth exclaimed, placing the letter on her lap.

"It belonged to Luke's mother. She gave it to me and I'm giving it to you." Laura explained her brow furrowing. "Is there something going on I don't know about?" Unsure why she felt that something was off, she tilted her head to see who was hiding behind Robin and Anna.

"Just a little last-minute surprise." Elizabeth smiled. "Come on out. You can't hide forever."

"Hi Mom." Lulu took a half step out from behind Anna.

"Lulu?" Laura's jaw dropped and she closed the space between them, enveloping her daughter in her arms.

"Happy to see me?"

"Are you okay?"

"Better. On the way to okay."

"Did you just get here? How long do you get to stay?"

"A few minutes ago. And the ceremony and reception. I had to beg pretty hard to get that much."

"I'll let go in a second." Laura promised, choking on the words.

"I'm sure." Lulu laughed.

Wiping at her eyes, Laura sniffed and stepped back. "What's that?" she asked, gesturing toward the envelope in Elizabeth's lap.

Moving it quickly off her lap, Elizabeth waved her hand. "Just a letter. That's all."

"From Lucky." Robin chimed in. "We should give her some time to read it. Alone." As she added the last word, she hurried everyone out of the room.

"Thank you Robin." Elizabeth called out after her friend.

"No thanks necessary."

Seeing her well-meaning friends and soon-to-be family ushered out of the room, Elizabeth ripped open the envelope.

_Cinderella-_

_I'm writing this after everyone here is asleep. Or passed out. It's hard to tell which is which sometimes. I know I should be tired, and I think I am but I can't sleep. We're getting married tomorrow. Seems impossible to believe I'm actually writing those words. On some level I never really thought I would get married. First there is the whole surviving my family thing. Plus Cameron. We both know what high standards he has. _

_I should have realized you would be trouble from the first time I heard your name. Which wasn't the parent-teacher conference. If you only knew how often I heard "Miss Elizabeth said this..." and "Miss Elizabeth did that..." all those months, well you'd find your belief that Cameron hating you as ridiculous as I did. Cameron loved you before I even laid eyes on you. Clearly not only does he have high standards, he has excellent taste._

_That first night, you made me nervous. Don't laugh. You did. You're beautiful, smart, and already had my kid wrapped around your little finger. You Cinderella are one incredibly intimidating package. You had me making a fool out of myself within seconds and you didn't even know it. In the back of my mind, I knew that if I let you get close, it would be all over._

_I was in love with you before we had one date. I don't even care how strange that seems, it's the truth. I didn't realize it then, but I was. Still am. And there is no way I could ever love anyone as much as I love you. Ever. _

_Even when you drive me crazy I love you. Even when I don't quite understand where you are coming from. Even when you are mad at me for something I completely deserve. I don't know how I made it this long without you in my life. You fit so well, I almost have to remind myself you weren't always there. _

_And now I'm sounding like a cheesy movie you watch with Robin. I think that might be my cue to stop writing and go to sleep. Go to sleep and dream of how beautiful you'll look when you walk down that aisle towards me. I'm not sure how you'll get this, if I'll even get the nerve to send it over, but know this. Here it is, just hours left until I kiss my single status goodbye as my dad would say and all I can think of is spending my life with you. I love you Cinderella. And I'll see you soon. _

_Always,_

_Lucky_

*****

That was a close one, Lulu thought as she stepped into the small vestibule of the chapel. Running into Steven at some point today was inevitable but she could at least try to delay that particular meeting as long as possible. At least until after he had some time with his sister. She could hide until it was time to walk down the aisle right? She wasn't completely shirking her responsibilities as bridesmaid if she just hid out and waited for the reverend to say it was time was she?

She remembered Mt. Hebron as being small, which was probably why Lucky had suggested it as the wedding site. There was no way a reporter could sneak in and not stick out like a sore thumb. Between her mother, her aunt, Robin, and Elizabeth, the church had been covered in white roses and blue silk ribbons. It was simple but beautiful. The candles that lined the aisle would be lit shortly before the ceremony began. It would look like something out of the end of a movie, which was probably exactly what Lucky had in mind.

She had missed the figure sitting near the back of the church when she first entered. Tilting her head, she took in the familiar unruly hair, and the slouched posture that she would be willing to bet was leftover from when he first hit his growth spurt. Sliding into the pew next to him, she nudged him with her shoulder. "You're a little early aren't you?"

Cautiously, Evan turned his head and smiled. "I knew there was a reason I keep showing up at these family weddings. Never a dull moment."

"Not in the Spencer world."

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a whisper looking around as if he expected trouble to soon follow.

"Attending a wedding. I hear that's what you do when you get all dressed up."

"Smart-ass. I'm assuming you have a shadow." He hadn't met most of the guests attending, so he didn't see any point in looking for an unfamiliar face.

"Yes. She's by the door to the bridal suite. Apparently she doesn't think I can get in trouble at a church in the middle of the woods."

"She must not know you very well." Evan teased, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead. "You could find trouble in a padded cell."

"Don't tell her that. She'll come in here and ruin all this fun."

"Fun and witnesses? I think that's a little counterproductive."

"I seem to remember telling you I don't mind being watched."

"I don't have being skinned alive on my list of goals today." He nodded in Lucky's direction.

"He's so annoyingly happy right now, I bet we could make out in front of him and he wouldn't notice."

"Well I would, but you said you like suspense. At least, that's what your letter entailed." He wasn't sure why he had started the letter thing to begin with. Now, thanks to her groundless fear that he might end correspondence altogether, her letters kept ending the same way: with a lot of unsaid things.

"No. I like to keep you in suspense. I don't do well with the emotion."

Evan reached over and pressed the single button on the top of his beeper. It emitted two long, high-pitched shrieks, both of which he ignored. Seeing her confusion, he lifted the pager and pretended to read the tiny screen, the sound having alerted the other guests. He purposely didn't look up to see if Lucky looked frustrated at him having it with him. He leaned over and whispered, "Count to twenty and meet me in the groom's room. Tell your chaperone that you have to go to the bathroom or something."

"Walk fast."

Evan gave her a fake look of sympathy and hurried down the aisle, clipping his pager to his belt in his haste. Since the chaperone would have no reason to follow him, he proceeded to his intended destination without a moment's hesitation. The only ones who knew he didn't belong in here were a little busy at the moment.

She started counting but only made it to twelve before she made her way toward the groom's room. If her chaperone had questions, she'd use the excuse of needing a private moment with her brother. Why her brother wasn't in the room was an explanation she'd come up with when she had to.

"Anxious?" Evan teased, yanking her into the room and closing the door. With the sunlight pouring in, there was no reason to flip on any lights. His mouth settled on hers before she could answer him and he pressed her against the wall.

"Like I had to twist your arm to meet me." Lulu smiled between kisses.

Their separation had been short by any means so it made little sense for him to need her this badly. But he did. He ran his hands all over her body, familiarizing himself with every soft inch of her, and slipped his tongue between her smirking lips. Tasting her was like pouring gasoline on an open flame and he groaned mindlessly.

"I missed you." She whispered.

"I missed you too. Every beautiful part of you." He replied, his lips falling to her neck.

"You have to come see me soon. I don't think I can survive without this."

"I didn't think I could see you in that place." Evan admitted, nibbling at her ear. "But I don't think I can go without you this long ever again."

"I know I can't." Lulu sighed. "Just kiss me."


	403. To Make You Feel My Love

Lulu barely skidded into place when the music began. Elizabeth wondered briefly where exactly the girl had been hiding but thought better of it when she saw who she assumed to be Evan Cassidy slipping into the back row of the church. She smiled and nodded, sneaking off while the parental figures and brother were a little too distracted to notice her spending time with the boyfriend. Lulu must be feeling better.

She tightened her grip on the bouquet of white roses she held in her left hand. This was it. All that stood between her and Lucky was how long it took Lulu, Georgie, and Robin to walk down the aisle. And if Steven decided to follow through with his threat to drag his feet. Glancing over at her brother she nudged him with her shoulder. "You ready for this?"

Steven smiled down at his baby sister. When exactly had she grown up on him? He was smart enough to know if he asked that question, she and his wife would probably slap him and point to his niece and nephew currently sitting in the front row as proof Elizabeth was an adult long before he was ready to accept it. It had taken some work but he had managed to ignore the truth for a while. But not anymore. His little sister was about to start a whole new life and wouldn't need him in the same way any more. No now she would depend on Lucky Spencer. "If I say yes I'm not agreeing to use Spencer's first name all the time am I?"

"In that case all we need is my partner and I'll be as ready as I'll ever be for this."

Elizabeth smiled and turned her attention to Cameron who was standing by the door in the tuxedo she had strongly suggested be chosen. He had spent most of his time up near Lucky and the boys, but his special role had sent him running back to the door the second he heard the music start. "Hey Cam. It's time. You ready Champ?"

Nodding Cameron ran over and grabbed her right hand. "Is it time for the party to start Lizzie?"

"As soon as we walk down there to meet your Daddy."

"Then let's go."

Lucky had been prepared for Elizabeth to look gorgeous. She was already beautiful and it was impossible for her to look anything less than precisely that. But he still found himself unprepared for the sight of her walking down the aisle, a vision in white silk. She had joked she was going to copy Cinderella's ball gown since the movie seemed to be such an important one for them, but she had taken the opposite route. It was almost strapless, save the delicate lace caps on her shoulders. The dress hugged her curves just enough to show how truly beautiful she was, but the skirt's slight flare kept it from being too sexy. The design was simple but the gold detailing kept it from being ordinary. Leave it to Elizabeth to find the dress that completely expressed her personality, he laughed.

When she finally arrived at the altar, she kissed Steven on the cheek before sending him to his place beside Patrick and Cruz. Leaning down she and Cameron exchanged high fives before Cameron turned and waved at Lucky and then ran off to sit with his grandparents.

Reverend Martin smiled at the young couple and the family and friends gathered around them. He had always loved performing weddings but there was something about a wedding at Christmas that was particularly close to his heart. "Family. Friends. Thank you for coming to celebrate this wonderful day in celebration of the union of Lucas and Elizabeth." He paused for the amused laugh to run through the crowd, as the groom had warned him would happen. "You have been asked to bare witness to the joining of these two lives into one family. And to that end, the couple has chosen to write their own vows."

Lucky squeezed Elizabeth's hand and smiled at her. "Elizabeth, it doesn't seem possible that I haven't always had you in my life. It's not possible. You so quickly filled my life with your laugh, your smile, with you that you seem to have always been there. Laughing at me, sometimes with me, cheering me on and trying to convince me of the power of positive thinking. When I think about everything that has happened since we met, I know there is no way I could have survived even a quarter of it without you by my side. I know I haven't made it easy but still here you are. And here we are. I promise to support you, take care of you when you are sick, listen to you, help you, be the type of father you think I am to those three wonderful children over there but most of all promise to always love you. Even when it's hard. Even when it's easier to give up. I promise to always remember right here, right now and that I am nothing without you."

Elizabeth paused only long enough to wipe the tear that threatened to fall from her eyes and ruin her makeup. "When I decided to move here, I had all but given up on relationships. I wasn't looking for anyone to date, much less fall in love with and then you walked into my classroom, ridiculously late and all of the sudden my very rational thoughts flew out the window. I came up with every reason in the world to not give you a chance and somehow, you defeated every roadblock I threw up. And the really strange thing was I was so glad you were doing that. Knowing you has changed my life and not just in the obvious ways." She laughed nodding in the direction where Cameron and the twins sat. "You helped give me back a family. And friends. And a life that I was running from. So today, I promise to do the same for you. To be your family, your friend and your life, because that is what you are for me."

Reverend Martin smiled. "Can I have the rings?" Patrick pulled the simple gold bands out of his pocket and passed it over to the reverend. Placing a ring in each of Lucky and Elizabeth's hands he continued, "These rings are a symbol of the unending nature of love. A love that Lucas and Elizabeth just spoke about so clearly. As you exchange these rings, always remember the promises you made today and that love has no starting point and no ending."

Lucky slipped the slim band onto Elizabeth's finger, lifting her hand up just enough so he could kiss it. Shaking her head, Elizabeth repeated his actions and slipped the ring around his own finger, mouthing the words "I love you too" to him.

When the couple turned and faced him, the older man beamed. "It is my great honor to pronounce you husband and wife. What God has joined together let no man tear asunder." Winking at Lucky he smiled even wider. "You may now kiss the bride."

"Like he has to be told that twice." Lulu joked.

Lucky ignored his sister and the laughs her comment inspired. He simply pulled Elizabeth close to him and kissed her.

*****

"Here." Patrick handed Cruz a twenty as he took his seat next to his wife and sons. "Longest bet we've ever kept going."

"What exactly did you wager on there honey?" Robin wondered.

"Whether or not Lucky and Elizabeth would get married. We made the bet ages ago." Patrick assured her.

"I could have told you that was a stupid deal to make." Robin answered with an eye roll.

"Yeah well, you live, you learn." Patrick conceded.

"You didn't make any bets about me did you?"

"I think I hear them."

"Close call." Cruz whispered to Patrick. "She'd kill you if she knew the truth."

"She's still in hearing distance." Robin reminded them, reaching for Morgan's hand. "You want to dance with me?"

"But I don't know how to dance." Morgan protested weakly.

"Never stopped Patrick." Cruz pointed out.

"Patrick, you think you can keep from giving the baby away as collateral? At least not before we get back?"

"I'll try."

"Why exactly are we all standing around here?" Lucky wondered as he and Elizabeth finally neared the group. "Isn't the reception beyond those doors?"

"We were waiting for you." Cruz told them.

"Took you long enough to get back." Patrick teased. "Stop by the hotel first?"

"Never mind us. Let's get this party started." Lucky smiled and shot a wink in Robin and Elizabeth's direction. Patrick and Cruz exchanged nervous glances.

"Go on guys. Tradition says we go last." Elizabeth pointed out. "You don't want to mess with tradition."

Patrick and Cruz shoved open the doors and then immediately wished they hadn't. Rearing their heads back, they stared in awe at Lucky. They should have been expecting something like this to happen. He was like an elephant: he never forgot anything. Life-size and covering the back wall were half a dozen baby pictures of them both and it was difficult to miss the fact that both of them seemed to be naked. Lucky had really gone out of his way to get these.

"You son of a—" Patrick began, finding it especially hard to form words at all.

"How?" Cruz began. "How?"

"I have my ways." Lucky replied smirking.

"They really did forget the whole 'expect the unexpected' part of his warning didn't they?" Elizabeth laughed to Robin.

Robin beamed. "Hello Nurse!" She exclaimed, giggling. Almost simultaneously, Patrick and Cruz skidded out of the room.

"Oh no you don't." Elizabeth warned, grabbing at Cruz's hand while Robin grabbed Patrick's. "You can't run out on this one."

"Some friend you are." Cruz grumbled while Patrick just accepted his fate. Robin might be smaller, but she definitely wasn't weaker.

"I could call Bobbie up here if you need further reasons to stay." Elizabeth pointed out.

"Get those damn things off the wall." Cruz demanded. "And then I'll stay."

"You really think anyone's going to forget?" Robin challenged, still laughing.

"No one would forget someone as cute as you." Elizabeth promised.

"Besides, if I took them down, I'd have to start the projector that's full of your old home movies. Cruz's first steps is sure to be a crowd pleaser." Lucky laughed.

"Anything is preferable over this." Patrick reasoned.

"Oh I beg to differ."

"After all the times I helped you two get back at them. You turn on me without a second though." Cruz accused, pointing at both girls.

"Would we do that?" Elizabeth asked, feigning innocence.

"I bet you're wishing I was right now aren't you?" Patrick jabbed Cruz in the side with his elbow.

"Oh shut up." Cruz was not missing the way everyone had turned to look at them.

"You're not being very good sports about this." Robin clucked her tongue at their behavior. "Revenge never solves anything...but I never mind watching it blow up in your faces."

"Amen to that sister." Elizabeth nodded. "He told you he was going to get you back. Not our fault you didn't believe him."

"You probably volunteered to help." Patrick accused.

"Actually I did suggest using the reception hall." Elizabeth allowed.

"I wanted to use the church." Lucky continued

"I took your baby pictures to see what Nathan would look like. So since I already had them, why not share them?"

"And Bobbie is making an effort to get along with your mom." Lucky pointed out, barely containing his laughter. "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"I should have known that would blow up in my face."

"Like dad always says, be careful what you wish for."

*****

"Do you think they created wedding receptions as a way to torture the guests?" Sam asked, chewing listlessly on the edge of a cracker.

David leaned over and drew his head closer to hers. "I think it's a conspiracy to get better gifts. The really good ones are from people who don't show up."

"At least we got the kids here in one piece." She sighed. "Do I look sleepy?"

"Not a bit."

"You ever notice how this town is paired off? Like everyone drew a number and then had to find their match that way. You should listen to some of their stories...if you have nothing better to do."

"Really?" David inched closer to her. "Enlighten me. I can consider this background investigation for work."

"Well Georgie fell in love in Paris...total movie rip off there. Lucky and Elizabeth met through his son. Robin and Patrick practically grew up together. My mom and Mac were co-workers. All fated. Every single last one of them." She smiled a secret grin. "I was a little surprised when I heard about how long Bobbie and Cruz were able to keep their relationship a secret."

"That was more than a little shocking." David acknowledged. "Now what do you think they say about us?"

"I don't think anyone actually knows that story and I don't mind it. I like us being mysterious."

"I don't disagree." David reached around her and laced her fingers with his own.

"You know the best part about us?"

"I know what I like best."

"Do tell."

"The fact you now admit there is an us."

"Yeah, okay."

David chuckled when he caught her blush. "What do you think is the best part?"

"Why our creative genius of course."

David kissed her earlobe. "We do seem to find creative ways to spend time in various situations."

"We are handy that way. You know, we've managed to put just about every weapon we possess to good use. One way or the other."

"That is true. For example I would have never learned all the different items I could use as restraints without your help."

"I don't mind teaching you because you get that spark in your eye and I know you've learned something new, something that you can do for me later."

"What if there is something I could do for you now?"

"Now?" Sam parroted.

"Now. I can think of more than a few ways to end your boredom."

"I don't doubt your abilities. I'm just wondering where we could go."

"I spied a broom closet, but that might be too high school for a sophisticated woman like you."

"Does that broom closet happen to have a lock? I don't want anyone walking in."

"Privacy is always important. Plus I don't know how soundproof those walls are." David pointed out.

"We've been in tighter situations than this." Sam reminded him.

"That we have. There is always the car."

"You do realize the car could drive us away from here."

"Where's the challenge in that?"

"True." She leaned in closer. "There are a few things I've wanted to try."

"Really? What a coincidence. There are a few things I've wanted to learn."

"Are you sure you can keep up? Though, I guess I wouldn't mind going slow."

"We have all day. We can set whatever pace we want."

"Then let's get out of here."

"Lead the way Gorgeous."


	404. HeartShaped Box

_**As we reach these last two chapters before Monday's finale, I feel a little melancholic. As our final chapter falls just under the mark of our second anniversary, I can't help but look back and thank everyone for their wonderful support. We've had a lot of fun with the videos, teasers, banners, and all-around cooperation of our readers. Kudos to you all. We hope you'll check out our new story Wonderwall once we post. **_

Steven walked back into the room to see if maybe Georgie was awake yet. He supposed he hadn't made much of an effort to get her out of bed today, or the three days previous. Grinning, he moved around the bed and pulled the blankets back, crawling in beside her. "Georgie?" he asked slowly.

"Hmmm?"

"You're so pretty."

"You're just saying that to get me out of bed."

"If I wanted you out of bed, I wouldn't be murmuring compliments." Steven reasoned, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"So my entire trip to Australia will be spent in bed?" Georgie turned around in his arms to face him. "Sounds good to me. But I don't think anyone would want to see the pictures."

"Since when do we care about other people?" Steven wanted to know, pulling her closer.

"Good point." Georgie leaned in and kissed his nose.

"Okay, you do need to get up." Steven confessed.

"Spoilsport." Georgie pouted. "Convince me."

"It's a beautiful day?"

"Try again."

"We have plans."

"We do?"

"Yep." Steven nodded. "We have a lot to do today."

"Like what?"

"Well, you weren't wrong when you said I've kept you hostage for most of your visit."

"I wasn't actually complaining about that."

"Yeah, but you're visiting another country and you're entitled to see more than just the hotel room."

"What exactly do you have up your sleeve Mr. Webber?"

"You'll have to get up and get dressed to know Mrs. Webber. Oh," In a quieter voice, he continued, "Happy Anniversary by the way."

"You remembered." Georgie whispered happily.

"Did you think I would forget my little Juliet?" he teased, remembering her reason for being in Verona exactly one year previous.

"In a few months I won't be so little anymore."

"In a few months, we'll be welcoming our baby."

"If you told me that a year ago I would have laughed at you."

"Are you happy?" he asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Completely. Are you?"

"If you're happy, I'm happy."

"So is spending New Year's Eve halfway around the world from our families going to be our tradition?"

"I think I could get used to it."

"Me too."

He glanced over at the clock. "Oh. Breakfast. Come on."

"Alright. Give me five minutes to get beautiful and I'll meet you downstairs ok?"

"You're already beautiful."

"Then humor your pregnant wife."

"Fine. Fine. I'll leave you to it."

"Good." Georgie sat up to watch him leave before falling back against the pillows, sighing happily. Had it really only been a year since she first saw Steven? And she had only been slightly interested in meeting her cousin's best friend's older brother? Georgie made a mental note as she made her way to the bathroom. She owed Robin and Elizabeth one hell of a souvenir.

*****

Instead of spending breakfast in the lobby of the hotel, Steven decided it was about time he incorporated Georgie into the half of him she never got to see: the part of him that he devoted to work. It would have been impossible for him to make it this far from home if he hadn't picked up a few friends along the way. Even though he had no intention of spending the entire day at work—something Kitty would definitely tease him about—he wanted Georgie to know what he actually did all day.

"And who's this?" Georgie asked.

"This is Kitty Vega." Steven confirmed, jogging up to them. While he had been leading her around the set, she had wandered off to meet Kitty, his first and favorite friend and co-worker. Her hair was the color of amber and her true eye color was hidden beneath soft, colored contacts.

"I'm not blushing am I?" Kitty wondered, holding out her hand for Georgie to shake. "I know. I know. I sound like a character from this damn movie."

"The famous Kitty. At last. And someone whose name is Georgie is in no position to judge."

"Kitty, this is my wife Georgie. She's visiting for the week before she has to return home to finish the semester."

"So this is the famous Georgie? I'm flattered you're finally introducing us." Kitty remembered how many times she had had to go down to the local pub and drag Steven back to his hotel room. The sap, she grinned. He had been in such a foul mood and yet still managed to stay coherent enough to apologize and walk her through the list of ingredients for his hangover remedy.

"I'm sure he's just hoping he doesn't regret it later." Georgie laughed.

"Of course I won't. Where's Tommy? I thought he was meeting us for breakfast."

"Who's Tommy?"

Kitty smacked Steven in the shoulder. "Tommy is my older brother. I don't know why Steven insists on including him."

"He's hysterical." Steven assured Georgie. "You'll like him."

"Well so far I like everyone you've introduced me to."

"He can catch up later." Kitty stressed each word. "Please?"

"Want Georgie all to yourself huh?" Steven taunted with a smile.

"Are you kidding?" Kitty turned to Georgie. "She's like a celebrity. Damn." Kitty ground through her teeth as Tommy hurried toward them.

"Steven!" Tommy pulled him into a bear hug. Bear was about the best way to describe Tommy. He and his sister shared the same amber colored hair, but he was definitely the optimistic one. "When did you get back?"

"Three days ago." Steven admitted sheepishly.

"Is this Georgie?" Tommy figured that, for Steven to stay away from the set that long, this must have been his wife.

"Guilty as charged."

"I see why you didn't introduce us sooner. She's pretty." Tommy bowed dramatically.

"Watch it buster." Steven warned.

"See? This is why we shouldn't have invited him." Kitty pointed out.

"Should we go?" Steven asked Georgie.

"Let's go."

*****

"I still don't know why you wanted to spend New Year's Eve here of all places." Lulu commented as she wiped her hands on her jeans. She wasn't going to lie and say she wasn't thrilled by his decision but it was still confusing. "Wouldn't you make double time if you worked tonight?"

Evan took his time answering, remembering all of the offers he had received to spend the holiday elsewhere. When it came right down to it, he would rather be in the stale room with Lulu than lost in a crowd of strangers. "You mean you want me to work when all the crazies are out?"

"No." Lulu admitted reluctantly as she took the last egg roll from the Styrofoam container. She didn't know how he had managed to sneak in Chinese. His powers of persuasion must have been growing. "But come on. This isn't anyone's ideal way to celebrate."

He couldn't exactly blame her for her thinking. How many people brought in the New Year in a rehab facility? Still, when he considered the alternative… "Is that right? Where would you rather be?" He wasn't sure why he asked the question. It wasn't as if he could whisk her away, at least not without severe consequences; the only reason he had gotten away with everything he had was luck. Not skill. No negotiations. Simple, stupid luck.

"Party at my dad's club."

"You spend New Year's with your family?" Even though her time here had been short, her doctors were astounded by the incredible progress she continued to make everyday. They must not have known her very well, Evan thought to himself, because there wasn't anyone in the world more stubborn than his Leslie. She was tired of having to depend on other people and realized that this was her final option.

Before the truth about Steven's accident came out, he could admit, he hadn't had a lot of confidence in the Spencer family. As far as he was concerned, they had abandoned her when she needed them most. And then everything came to light and they stepped in to protect her the best way they knew how. He might never trust anyone else to take care of her the way he could, but it was as clear as the nose on her face that her family needed her as much as she needed them.

"Sometimes. If I don't have a better offer." Lulu clarified, glancing over at the New Year's Eve hat Evan had brought her. Red, silver, and blue streamers sprung from the open top and the sparkling silver letters spelled out Happy New Year. She traced the letters, pretending nothing had changed and they were back in his apartment. Everything had seemed so much simpler there.

"A better offer?" Evan repeated, tapping her chin with his index finger.

"Yeah." Lulu nodded. "You know, like making out until you have to leave."

He grinned in spite of himself and plopped the hat on top of her head. "Who says I'm leaving?"

"You have to." Lulu reminded him. "Center rules."

"I bet I could sweet-talk the staff into letting me stay longer." Evan countered, cupping the back of her neck with his palm and pulling her into a deep kiss. She swayed when he broke the sweet contact.

"You are pretty persuasive." Lulu agreed, tracing his bottom lip. "They might let you stay longer, but they're not going to let you stay all night."

"I want the night with you." He slid his hand across her throat.

"What you want is privacy, and that's the last thing you're going to find here." Lulu whispered, pressing her lips against his mouth soundly. "Why did you wait so long to come and see me?"

"I told you at the wedding." He muttered between kisses, folding his hands over hers.

"Don't you know how much I need you?" she asked, tilting her head and ignoring the sound the hat made when it rolled onto the carpet.

"Always in such a hurry." He admonished, pulling away from her.

"They could walk in at any time. I don't want our time cut short." Lulu explained impatiently.

"Then I better give you your present now." Evan declared, reaching into his pocket.

"Present?" Grinning, Lulu pushed his hand out of the way and snaked hers into the back pocket of his jeans. "I always did like a good game of Hide and Seek." She couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary, but it didn't stop her from taking her time making a complete search. She moved her hands to the front pocket and felt something slip between her fingers. Reaching in a little further, she worked the object between her fingers and started to pull it out. "Ha! I found it..." The triumph in her voice faded as soon as she saw what she was holding.

"You found it." He confirmed.

"That's...that's a diamond ring."

"Want to try it on?" He tried to laugh, but the sound was hollow.

"Evan... What's going on?"

"I brought you a present." He repeated.

"I see that. But this is not the present I was expecting."

"Don't you like it?"

"It's beautiful."

"It doesn't hold a candle to you. It belonged to my great-grandmother. She gave it to my father. He gave it my mother. I'm giving it you to."

"Evan..."

He pressed his thumb to her lips. "Shh, I'm trying to tell you a story. My great grandmother raised my father. His mother and father had been killed in a car accident on his second birthday and so she adopted him. She told him that he was all she had left of her daughter, my grandmother, and she would take care of him. When she first met my mother, she instantly disliked her. After all, my father was studying for the bar exam and my mother was just a distraction. 'That waitress.'" He laughed.

"She asked my mother to leave and come back once my father aced the exam. Then they can have a life...once he's established. So she did. She listened to my great-grandmother and left town. My father went crazy trying to find her. Had anyone seen her? If so, with who? No one just vanishes. So the day of the big exam comes up and my father can't concentrate. He might have met the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life and he can't just stop looking for her. She's important. She's wandering around with half his heart, damn it." He laughed again, remembering the way his father had told the story.

"He obviously found her." Lulu whispered.

"He never showed up for the exam. For all my great-grandmother knew, he had fallen down a hole. She calls in every favor trying to find him. She hires private investigators. As she's nearing the end of her life, my father goes to see her. He apologizes for leaving her and says he brought back a present. That's about the time my mother walks in wearing a wedding ring. You can guess how that went over."

"I'm thinking not very well."

"She looks down at the ring and scoffs, saying it's too small. How can he claim to love her if he can only give her something so undeserving? While my father's scrambling to come up with an answer and my mother's repeating over and over that it's what she wanted, my great-grandmother asks my mother to get the jewelry box from her vanity. She shows them this ring and then asks if my mother would like to wear it."

"So she really liked your mother after all then?"

"No." Evan shook his head. "She had been so angry at my parents for skipping out on their responsibilities. Her son, the lawyer, actually became the cop and my mother, the waitress, worked as a nurse. Between them, they made almost no money. Still, they had managed to make it work for years without asking her for anything and, most importantly, without touching my father's inheritance. Once my great-grandmother realized that their marriage was based on love, on trust, and not money as she originally thought, she had no more objections. That's when they introduced her to Ethan."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Everyone has their own story. My parents had theirs and we have ours."

"Then why do you want to change it?"

"I don't." Evan countered with a quick shake of his head. "We've gone about this whole thing completely backwards."

"A little."

"For one thing, you spent so much time in denial when it came to your obvious feelings."

"And what exactly are my obvious feelings?"

"You're in love with me. And, really, who can blame you? I'm pretty irresistible."

"And egotistical."

"And right. Right?"

"I may possibly love you."

"Only possibly?"

"I'm smart enough to not feed your ego."

"Well if you only possibly love me..." He pretended to try and get the ring from her, but she skidded backwards. He watched her twirl the ring around her thumb and index finger.

"Is there a second thing you wanted to tell me? Or are we going to get caught up in feeding your ego?"

"You already know I love you."

"I had a pretty strong suspicion."

"I did actually tell you once. I can't believe you don't remember. I guess you were sleeping at the time."

"I guess so." Lulu said softly.

"So...If I asked you to wear this ring, would you?"

Lulu had always prided herself on her ability to have the last word. It was a carefully honed survival mechanism growing up the only girl in a sea of boys. But with one question, Evan Cassidy had managed to do what no one in her life had ever done. Stun her into silence. "I…I...Are you serious?" she managed to stammer.

"Of course I'm serious."

"But...but....I'm in rehab."

"Well obviously we wait until you're out of here."

"This, this is crazy. We've barely dated. You don't even know who I am sober."

"I will."

"Evan. God...I don't know what to say here."

"You're overthinking this."

"Good because I don't think you are thinking at all."

"Tell me why it won't work then." Evan prompted.

"We fight all the time."

"We make up every time."

"Which brings me to my next point; the only time we don't fight is when we are in the bedroom."

"So we take a long engagement. I'm not asking you to elope with me. Obviously there's a lot we need to learn about each other. I'd like to take you on a real date for one."

"So you want to get engaged and then go out on a first date?" Lulu shook her head. "Are you sure you don't need to check in here?"

"Tempting. We could be neighbors. Would you let me borrow some sugar?" Despite her bafflement, he noticed her battle a smile at the double entendre.

"Why? Why do you want to do this?"

"I've never been engaged before."

"Not a good enough reason."

"Why don't you want to marry me then?"

"I never said that. I'm surprised. This isn't the present I imagined."

"So you do want to marry me?"

"I never said that either." Lulu sighed. "I don't know what to do here."

"What do you want? And don't give me a hundred reasons why not. Just tell me what you want."

Lulu closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What did she want? She wanted to finish this program and find some way for Steven Webber to not hate her. She wanted to make up for every rotten thing she had done to her parents and her family. She wanted to spend all the time in the world with her niece and nephews. She wanted so many things her mind couldn't keep track of it all.

For so long she was used to wanting just one thing—to feel alive. Now all her wants and wishes threatened to over-run her. She needed to focus more clearly. What did she want from Evan? She wanted him; Lulu wasn't going to ever deny that. She wanted him to make her laugh. Tease her. Protect her, even though she would never admit to liking it. She wanted him to kiss her and never stop. She wanted...she wanted...

She opened her eyes and looked into his. "You. I want you."

"You have me."


	405. Dusk And Summer

**Author's Notes: Thanks to Teri for all of our knowledge on the subject of NASCAR as well as the hunks who drive those fast little cars.**

Despite the two and a half miles of track and two hundred laps to go, Patrick looked cool as a cucumber in his Wonder Bread colored fireproof jumpsuit of white, blue, yellow, and red. During their downtime, Doug had assured Robin that they had taken every precaution possible. He was expected to wear a full face helmet, fireproof gloves, fire resistant shoes, and heat shields to protect the heels of his feet.

Then they moved onto the car. Since Doug wasn't in a bargaining position, after talking with Robin months before, he had arranged to have the car of Patrick's dreams as his car for the race. It would, he had warned, have to go back to the original owner afterwards—she had underestimated just how many people wanted to see him on the track—but she wouldn't have been surprised if he got to keep it a tiny bit longer if he were so inclined. Due to the ever-changing modifications and numerous tests cars were put through year after year, it had taken some doing to get the 1969 Racer into tiptop shape. Robin would never forget the look on Patrick's face when Doug brought the sun-fire yellow beauty out to reacquaint itself with the track.

Moments before he went to speak with the pit crew, Patrick tried to explain about the impressive V8 engine and the six hundred and forty-six horsepower, but he might as well have been speaking Mandarin for all the sense it made to her. She proceeded to take Nathan away from his Aunt Elizabeth just long enough to show his daddy that today, at least, they matched. Of course, Nathan's uniform was a simple one-piece sleeper along with a white and blue jacket—the wind was a lot different here, she noticed—and he didn't have any protective gear, but she thought she might have noticed Patrick tear up a little bit anyway.

When Doug had called and asked how many seats he should reserve for the family, he had been mighty surprised. Since no one wanted to stay home and miss the up close and personal experience, she had told him that they would need a dozen seats. Audrey had Gracie and Jake while Alexis had volunteered to take Majandra since she and Kristina were staying at home today anyway. She had offered to watch Nathan as well, but something about today wouldn't allow Robin to let him out of her sight. Laura had brought her camera which meant Luke was expected to bring ten rolls of film at least. Bobbie had brought her digital camera so Cruz had brought a dozen or so batteries. It was quite a nice little setup. Lance, Cameron, and Morgan were sitting together, all of them chattering away while Dillon and Lucas pretended to not listen in on what they were talking about.

The air was thick with anticipation and Robin felt like she could almost reach out and touch the scorching engines. Over a hundred laps in and the stubborn drivers, her husband among them, were hesitant to stop at all. She watched in horror, and fascination, as the rear right tire on Kyle Busch's car spun off. He didn't even slow down, probably didn't even notice at first. Dale Jr. had, almost consistently, stayed in the number two spot, only Tony Stewart passing him up. Following behind was Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards. Desperately, she tried to find the ninety-nine car. If not for its vibrant yellow coloring, she never would have spotted it in the maze. From what she could tell, and she didn't pretend to be a mechanic, his car looked in pretty good shape.

She tried to relax, reminding herself that this was Patrick's dream. He had been smiling the moment he pulled onto the track for that first lap and she bet he still was. It might be a strained smile. After all, she figured his muscles were probably protesting. She wondered what he was thinking about. Did he feel at one with the car as she had seen in so many movies, read about in so many books? He had teased her relentlessly when he found her hiding at the public library with a wide assortment of racing books spread out on the table in front of her. Exasperated, she told him that if she was supposed to trust his safety to a stranger then she wanted to be able to notice if something was off before she had to be told.

Her eyes returned to the car. What lap were they on? She had lost count. She nudged Elizabeth. "Do you know what number we're on?" She hated asking the question because it made it sound like she hadn't been paying attention when she knew it was all she had done over the last four hours.

"I lost count at a hundred." Elizabeth admitted sheepishly.

"One eighty-eight." Cruz told them without looking away from the track.

"Thank God." Robin mumbled, mentally willing the race to be over.

"He's doing great. I think." Elizabeth tried to reassure her.

"He really is." Robin nodded, feeling numb all over. Of the fifty cars on the track, only seventeen remained. How Patrick had managed to dodge all three crashes Robin didn't know, but she was thankful he had. When would it be over? She wanted it to be over.

"Shouldn't be long now." Lucky said as if reading her thoughts. "Two more hours tops."

Robin wasn't sure what drew her attention away from the ninety-nine car, probably nerves more than anything. Before she knew it, she was watching Dale Jr.'s car pass his pit stop and continue on down the road. She thought this to be strange. The poor guy didn't seem to be having a lot of luck today. He had lost one tire already, almost been driven off the road by Kyle Busch's wayward tire, and now he had to go all the way around again before his car could be serviced.

Yellow and red flames suddenly appeared and her eyes strayed as she tried to figure out which one it was. The billowing black smoke kept her from seeing anything too clearly. Warily, the other race cars sped past while it seemed every member of every pit crew was suddenly on the racetrack heading for the wounded car. A white caution flag sent them all to a crawling pace but, in Robin's mind, they were still going too fast. Why had none of them stopped to help the car?

"Is that his car?" The words were painfully ripped from her throat. She looked around, hoping anyone could tell her for sure, but no one said anything. As a process of elimination, she looked past to the other cars to see if maybe she might notice the yellow one. _"Is it?"_

Until she noticed Doug Bellamy hurry toward the wreckage, she had kept an irrational hope that maybe she was wrong, that maybe it wasn't Patrick's car at all. "Patrick!" She screamed, handing Nathan to Elizabeth and jumping out of her seat. "Patrick!" She could hear the heavy footfalls of her own feet as she rounded the corner and headed straight for the car.

A pair of strong arms stretched out to stop her. Rearing her head back to see who had her caught in his restraints, she tried to push him away. "Let me go. Lucky, let me go." Whimpering and clawing at his arms, she let her legs go out from under her and felt his hold loosen slightly. A second was all she would get, one chance. "Patrick!" Lucky followed after her but she wouldn't let him catch her. She had to make sure Patrick was alright. Of course he was, a tiny voice spoke up. He had to be.

Doug Bellamy, Greg Friedman—the driver Patrick had replaced—and a handful of crew members were dragging him out of the driver's side window when she finally reached the car. She skidded to a stop and Lucky barely kept from running right into her back. Lifting her wobbly chin, she refused to let herself cry. She wouldn't give up on him. Not now.

"Come on!" Until the words registered in her ears, she hadn't realized she had spoken at all. She watched them roll Patrick onto a gurney and hurried to keep up with their much faster pace. "Open your eyes." She demanded when she finally got close enough to be heard. "You have to open your eyes."

When she leaned over to grab his hand, a man she assumed was a doctor pushed her away. "Wake up please." She wanted to touch him, but would that hurt him more? His face was covered in at least two layers of black soot and the fire had burned away part of his gloves so his hands were visible. Visible and vulnerable. Already, she could see harsh burns springing up over his knuckles. "You can't leave me. Not now. Not now. We've been through too much. Open your eyes."

If he would just open his eyes, or cough. If his chest would lift. That's all she wanted, all she demanded. Somehow in the confusion, she had been pushed to the back of the line again; this time she didn't fight them. This time she collapsed in Lucky's waiting arms as they put Patrick in the ambulance. She hadn't even seen it drive up but suddenly there it was. Numbly, she made a move toward it, but Lucky held her back. "Please." She moaned, but she wasn't even sure what she actually wanted him to do. "I can't do this without him. I can't." Shaking her head, she shut her eyes tightly wishing it all away. "I can't." Darkness settled over her and she gave in.

*****

"I need stats...what's his pulse?"

Patrick tried to turn his head, sure the person was speaking to him, but he encountered only pain. Keeping still, he realized two things: he had been in an accident and he was en route to the hospital. How else could he explain the constant jostling of the bed he was lying in? Licking his bottom lip, he nearly cut his tongue on the sharp, broken skin and sucked in a breath, a machine beeping loudly. More talking. More jostling.

"Pulse is thready." The paramedic rattled off, keeping track of the time on his watch.

Thready? He might not be a doctor but he knew that didn't sound good. Where was Robin? He couldn't hear her. If she was here, he would have felt her hand in his. Her absence made him nervous. Why wouldn't she be with him? They must have prevented it. How bad off was he? They knew he was still alive, didn't they? He had thought he had been moving, but maybe that had been an illusion. What if they didn't know? He tried to talk to them.

"He's conscious." A second paramedic leaned over him, shining a light into his eyes. "Patrick. Can you hear me?"

He rubbed his lips together, trying to break through the thickness that had been steadily building in his throat over the last few minutes. Minutes? Or had it been hours? Surely they wouldn't be driving around aimlessly for hours with him in this condition. He felt his left hand raise and fall and he cried out when his palm collided with something cold and hard. A clipboard maybe? Whatever it was, it made a sickening sound when it hit the floor.

"Don't move." The voice instructed him. "You were in an accident. Do you remember that?"

"N-n-no. Where's my wife?"

"She's behind us."

"How bad?"

"We'll know more when we get you to General. Just rest. Don't try to move."

"I don't want to go to the hospital. I hate hospitals."

"No choice. You're going. Try to rest."

"Should...g-g-get a disc-count for all the times I've been there."

"I'll make sure to ask the doctor about that."

Patrick gave up talking, gave up doing anything but willing his heart to keep beating. He was vaguely aware of being lifted off of the stretcher and thrown into a hospital bed. His body crumpled in pain and he bit down hard on his bottom lip to keep from making a sound. A door opened and closed. He drifted in and out, catching a sound here and there and then letting it slip away from him.

*****

"I told you this would happen. Would it actually kill you to listen to me once in awhile?"

Patrick brought his hand to cover his eyes though he had made no effort to open them. "How do I look?"

Lucky regarded Patrick carefully. Black eye. Stitches. Most of the blood had been washed away but a few dried bits still clung where the doctors had done their work. "Like hell," he answered honestly.

"Where's Robin?"

"She's outside with Mom and Elizabeth talking with the doctors."

"What did they say?"

"You crushed your left leg and your right one isn't doing much better."

"Am I paralyzed?"

"No. But you came close enough to scare Robin half to death."

"Is she alright?"

Lucky shook his head. "She's ready to kill you so I'll go with, yeah she's fine."

"How long do I have to be here?"

"A few weeks I think."

"Who won?"

"Not you."

_"Who __won?"_ A voice shrieked, pushing into the room. "I'll take it from here."

"Good luck." Lucky smiled as he stood up from his chair. "I think you'll be wishing for that coma."

Robin took the chair Lucky had vacated. Idly, she grabbed Patrick's hand. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Yes." Patrick whistled through his teeth.

"Good." She answered matter-of-factly.

"I don't know what you want me to say." He admitted quietly.

"That you won't race again."

"Well Lucky tells me the odds of that happening are next to none, so you get your wish."

"Do you think this is funny? You almost died tonight!"

"I didn't die. I'm fine."

"You're not fine! What makes you think you're fine? You're covered in bumps and bruises, not to mention third-degree burns." She rattled off hysterically.

"Robin." Patrick lightly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

"Don't."

"Robin."

"Don't. I'm so mad at you right now...let's just say it's good you have around the clock medical care at the moment." Robin growled back at him.

"Where are the boys?"

"Where do you think? With Laura."

"Robin I—I'm so sorry."

"The guys are never going to let you live this one down. You do know that, right?"

"At least I'm alive for them to rag on."

"That's not even a little funny."

"I'm going to sleep for now. Will you be here when I wake up?"

"I promised for better or worse. What do you think?"


	406. Hope I Didn’t Just Give Away The Ending

Standing up in front of the assembled mass of family and friends, Cameron vaguely wondered if there was anyone in town that wasn't standing in his parent's backyard. In the past few moments, he had shaken the hands of more aunts, uncles, cousins, police officers, and assistant district attorneys than he even knew existed. Pulling Kristina closer to him, he grinned at her. "I thought you said a small party for our nearest and dearest."

"They've added since the last time we checked." Kristina pointed out with a wave of her hand. "As for everyone else, Mom was worried it might cost Dad the election if we didn't invite them." Mac was up for re-election as mayor of Port Charles, a position he would have guffawed at a decade ago, and her mother was doing all she could to insure that he would be a shoe-in for the upcoming term.

"Oh good. Now we're having a political wedding. Grace will live for that attention." Cameron laughed. His younger sister was turning into quite the drama queen. There hadn't been a play produced in Port Charles that Grace Spencer wasn't a part of since she was eight. The extra attention this wedding was apparently gaining would suit her world domination plans perfectly.

"You be nice to your sister. She can't help it if she's got an overdeveloped flair for the dramatic." Kristina lightly scolded, intertwining their fingers. She looked out over the crowd and spotted the brunette standing amongst them, holding up a glass of sparkling cider because she was still a few years from legal drinking age.

"You do realize that once this wedding happens we have Grace on one side of the family and Maxie on the other right? There will be no escape."

Kristina gave him a level look. "And just what is wrong with Maxie?"

"I love your sister. You know I do. It's just between Grace's constant declarations of how Mom and Dad are ruining her life and the latest break-up/make-up in the saga of Maxie and Ric." Cameron shook his head. "We are the normal ones Kris. They will be banging down our doors constantly."

"Then maybe we should take your grandfather's offer and move far, far away." Kristina suggested, though they both knew she was kidding. Port Charles was as much her home as it was his and neither of them could think about leaving it, at least not in the forever kind of sense. She wanted to travel, to get out once in a while, but she didn't think she could stay away from her family for too long.

Cameron understood how difficult it was for her to break apart from her family and that was why he hadn't complained even once about having a long engagement. They were still a few months from the wedding and she had no doubt that the butterflies in her stomach had more to do with the man standing beside her than any misplaced feelings about regret.

"And where exactly would you suggest we go huh?" Cameron teased as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Doesn't matter as long as we're together." Kristina assured him, turning in his arms and kissing him softly.

"I'd say get a room but you two would probably go use mine." Jake teased as he came up behind them, clapping his hand on his brother's back.

"Hey if you're offering..." Cameron laughed and squeezed Kristina's hand.

"We are not sneaking out of our own party." Kristina countered, shaking her head.

"Kris-Kris." Jake laughed, using the name he had given her when he was three. "You know if I was serious, I'd offer Grace's room."

"Hey guys." Deliah Larson, Kristina's best friend and maid of honor, reached her hand out and placed it on Kristina's shoulder. "Mind if I steal you away for a second? We still have a few details to go over."

"Go ahead." Cameron smiled placing a kiss on Kristina's cheek. "Jake and I will just hide here and go over our own wedding plans."

"Cameron Spencer, that better not mean what I think it does." Kristina warned him.

"No, he's trying to limit the number of times I bring up embarrassing childhood stories in my best man speech." Jake smiled. "Don't worry. I'm sticking to my guns and insisting on naked baby pictures being shown."

"You use those I'm demoting you and promoting Morgan." Cameron threatened.

"Oh I'm scared. Mom and Aunt Robin would guilt you for the rest of your life if you tried it." Jake smirked.

"If you mess this up, I'll hunt you down." Deliah promised steering her friend away from whatever disaster Cameron might accidentally let his baby brother talk him into going through with. Kristina must have been on the same wavelength because her lips suddenly pressed together, a telltale sign that she was preparing for the worst. Deliah walked her away from the crowd and spun her around. "Your wedding is going to be perfect. I mean hello? We've been planning it since we were in elementary school. Don't worry."

"Don't you know that kind of thinking is dangerous in this town by now? Remember what happened at David and Sam's wedding?"

"How could I forget? The boys thought it would be funny to put toads in the punch." Deliah smiled a little at the memory. It was the first event she had spent with David since finding out that he was her biological father and Sam had helped her come up with a nickname for him that wouldn't be above her eight year old head. From that moment on, David was known to Deliah as Mod or My Other Dad.

"Exactly. We just left Cameron with Jake. And I saw Morgan and Nathan around here somewhere. We are begging for a disaster of epic proportions here."

"Are you sure Grace is the dramatic one?"

"Excuse me? Is someone trying to take my crown?" Grace slid over to the two older girls, smiling, her long brown hair messily swept up in a bun.

"I think your future sister-in-law might." Deliah teased, leaving Kristina in Grace's charge when she noticed Mod and Sam cross the grassy lawn with her little sister, Natasha. Even though she was adopted, there were times when she looked like one or both of her parents and she managed it with a head full of blonde curls of all things.

"What did my dumb brothers do now?" Grace sighed, rolling her eyes. "Cause if it's as awful as they are capable of, I'll get Mom and Alexis right now."

"They haven't done anything...yet."

"Yet? Yet? And you left them alone? Krissy I love you but you're insane." Grace turned on her heel, searching the crowd. "Ruby! Ruby! Come over here!"

Eleven year old Ruby Spencer came running up to her sister, blonde curls flying. "What Grace? Hi Kris."

Kneeling down to meet her little sister's eyes, Grace winked at her. "I need you to do me a huge favor. And I need you to be as sneaky as I know you are. I'm talking reading my diary and putting it back exactly as you found it so I don't suspect a thing sneaky. Got me?"

Ruby nodded seriously, her blue eyes twinkling. "Got it."

Pointing out their brothers, Grace nodded. "Go spy on them and if anything they are talking about could ruin this wedding, go get Mom, Alexis, and Aunt Robin immediately."

Ruby gave a mock salute and nodded her head. "Got it. They won't even know I'm there."

*****

"It worries me when our kids branch off the way they have." Robin told Elizabeth as she shifted Celia to her other arm and bounced her on her left knee. All she had to do was mention that they were getting low on ice and Patrick, Lucky, and Cruz reached a consensus that it would take all three of them to achieve the task of going to get more.

"I know but when you look at their role models..." Elizabeth waved her hands. "It's not like those three were social butterflies."

"Do you think they're plotting something?" Robin whispered.

"Which group?"

"Good question." Robin sighed.

"If you're talking about our husbands and Cruz, then the answer is yes. If you are talking about our children? The answer is still yes."

Celia clapped her little hands together when a certain relative stepped into her view. "Up." She insisted, reaching for Patrick. "Up." She hadn't figured out how to say grandpa but every time she saw Patrick she always wanted him and only him to hold her. It would have bothered Robin if she didn't have the same reaction to seeing her husband.

"Hey Celi Bear." Patrick cooed, shoving the bags of ice at Lucky so he could reach down and fulfill his granddaughter's single request.

"Oh sure, use Celia to get out of doing work. Typical." Lucky smirked.

"It's like I told you. When it comes to making girls happy, I am the king. Isn't that right pretty girl?" Celia giggled in response and Patrick winked at his cousin.

"I keep telling you it doesn't count when you're related to them." Lucky shot back. "She's genetically required to fall for your crap."

"He's just jealous." Patrick assured Celia. "Pretty soon she'll be big enough to drive."

"I wasn't aware Katie had undergone a brain transplant." Robin teased, tracing the tiny pink elephant prints on her granddaughter's shirt. Their daughter-in-law was a sweet young woman, but she was neurotic when it came to her only child, and no matter how many times Morgan reassured her of their daughter's safety, she worried.

"You're hysterical." Patrick threw back with a grin. Ever since his final day at NASCAR, he had known it would never be him out on that particular track again. They had discussed his options and known he couldn't go back to photography—it simply wasn't his dream. He had used what remained of the money Doug Friedman gave him and bought an abandoned track a few miles from their loft. Now he worked with school age children and he absolutely loved it. "We're going to go dance."

"Make sure you stay in Katie's line of vision." Robin warned before he could disappear completely.

"Katelyn and I have to come to an understanding." Patrick countered.

"Yeah, you won't break her daughter and she won't break you." Lucky laughed.

"That's about right." Robin agreed.

"And if you don't want to get caught, make sure Ruby doesn't see you. She'll run to Katie in a heartbeat." Elizabeth smiled.

"Ruby is quite the little spy. She obviously didn't get that from you." Robin taunted Lucky as he tossed the ice at Cruz.

"We blame my father." Lucky shrugged. He wasn't going to complain. More often than not, Ruby's spying helped keep the twins and Cameron in line far better than any threats he or Elizabeth could come up with.

"He's an easy enough scapegoat." Bobbie concurred as she helped Cruz take the ice to the empty buckets that were open and waiting on one of the fold-out tables.

"LUCKY!" Laura's voice filtered over to the group and they all shot up to their feet.

"What? What?"

"Come quickly! Your father's lost his mind." Laura led him toward the parking lot where her husband and the father of her children was trying to throw one shaky leg over the side of his archaic motorcycle.

"Dad!" Lucky ran out to the yard. "What the hell are you thinking?"

"You wouldn't let me teach the grandchildren. That means I get dibs on the third generation." Luke insisted, pushing a helmet on his head and lifting the visor to glare at their incredulous expressions.

"Luke Spencer, you are almost eighty years old. Get away from that motorcycle!" Laura yelped.

"You want to take Celia?" Lucky barely kept back his laugh. "Oh Katie? Morgan? I think this is your show."

Katie made it there first, one hand high on her hip while the other was tucked around her twelve month old daughter. "What is all this about?" she asked, giving Luke her best "just try me" look. During the short duration of her marriage to Morgan she had learned that it saved time to blame his uncle and then work her way down.

"I was just saying that it's about time to introduce the kids to Marianne." Luke rubbed his hand over the cracked leather seat of the motorcycle and Katie visibly gulped, taking a step back and refusing to relinquish her daughter when Morgan came up behind them.

"Uncle Luke, you've lost it." Morgan declared chuckling. He ignored his wife's hard stare and walked over to the motorcycle. "I'll make you a deal."

At his proposition, Katie's eyes widened to two green saucers. "If you can get on the bike and get it started, you can take Celia." Before he had even had a chance to finish, Katie and Robin were surrounding him like vultures would a fresh kill.

Scoffing, Luke turned to the bike and braced himself for the task at hand. Twenty minutes and no breath left, he kicked Marianne's front tire and muttered expletives, dropping down onto the nearest curb. Grinning, Laura gave him her hand and led him away from the motorcycle, silently scheduling a day to have it picked up and crushed for scrap metal.

Nathan shook his head, smiling as he listened to his sister-in-law's angry voice as she berated Morgan over and over, accusing him of putting their only child in peril. "He's got his hands full with that one." He directed his comment to his parents and they nodded in response, remembering how they used to bicker at each other over the silliest of things.

*****

"When did you get back?" Maria Alejandra Rodriguez demanded as she circled her best friend and only tolerable family member, Hailey Audrey Webber.

"Earlier today. And I know you don't get up before noon so that's why I didn't call." Hailey smiled.

"That is no excuse! I would have woken up sooner if I'd know you were here. Hey, where are your parents? Kristina's going to freak if she doesn't see them."

"They're on their way from the airport. Dad had to finish up with the editor and you know how they hate to travel separately."

"So they sent you on ahead as the messenger. Oh, I wouldn't want to be there when you have to break it to the bride-to-be. Isn't Georgie in charge of the dress?"

"Who says I'm telling Kristina anything? I plan on staying out of her eyesight until the parental units show up."

Out of nowhere, Lance barreled across the lawn, heading straight for Kristina. "Kristina! Cameron! Come quick!"

"Lance? Is there something on fire?"

"You've got to come now." Lance insisted, refusing to go into more detail.

"Is someone hurt?" Bobbie wondered, catching the terror she caught in her grandson's eyes.

"You've led me into so many bad decisions this way." Cameron pointed out, taking Kristina's hand.

"Run on up ahead. I'm going to get some ice to throw on the...um flames." Lance tried to keep his composure even as a giggle was threatening to erupt. They were too far ahead to notice though and he gave himself a mental high five for being so clever. "Four...three...two...one..." He quietly counted, waiting for the sweet sounds of victory.

"LANCE!" Cameron bellowed as Jake, Nathan, Morgan, Grace, Deliah, Ruby, and Katie began throwing water balloons from every angle of the backyard.

Lance didn't even try to run. He plopped down onto the grass and kicked out his feet, rolling onto his back and giggling until his sides hurt. "You fall for it every time!"

"I'm going to kill you." Cameron swore.

"Heard that story before." Jake laughed as he continued his assault.

*****

"Daddy!" Natasha ran up and grabbed David's leg. "Deliah wants me to stay all night at her house. It's ok right?"

David looked into the blue eyes of his daughter and realized he couldn't deny her anything. Hadn't been able to the day he and Samantha brought her home from the lawyer's office and in the remaining ten years hadn't been able to figure it out yet. "If it's ok with your mother, it's fine with me."

"She's talking to Aunt Lulu." Natasha told him shyly.

"You're still going to have to ask her Small Fry."

"How long until I can play with my new cousin?" Natasha wanted to know. Ever since her aunt and uncle announced they were having a baby, she felt like all she had done was sit and wait.

"Another few months. I know it's hard but you're going to have to wait." David smiled as Evan made his way toward them. "But you can ask Uncle Evan right now if you want."

Evan bent down in front of his honorary niece and tickled under her chin. "You want to ask me something?"

"Yes." Natasha nodded seriously. "How much longer is my cousin going to be a hostage in Aunt Lulu's stomach?"

"Hostage?" Evan parroted, sending David a strange look.

"When it's your turn you can explain pregnancy your way." David defended himself.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it." Evan muttered back. "There's still two months left, so about eight weeks and then you can meet him." His and Leslie's first child had been the subject of many debates over the last seven months. While she believed without a doubt that they were having a girl, he knew just as certainly that she was going to give birth to a boy. Having answered his niece, he realized that they still had no name for the baby and compromise was going to be as hard now as it had ever been.

"Her. Then you can meet her." Lulu corrected automatically coming up behind her husband with Sam.

"Maybe it'll be both." Natasha, the four foot mediator, offered. "Twins, I mean."

"Does run in the family." David pointed out with a straight face.

"You are so not helping the situation." Lulu pointed out. Ever since she and Evan told the family they were going to be surprised by the sex of the baby, more than one family member felt the need to remind them that was the exact line Lucky and Elizabeth had used to keep the twins a surprise.

"Tasha, why don't you ask Mommy that question now." David prompted his daughter, hoping to stop the death glare Lulu was sending him.

"Oh yeah." Natasha braced herself. "Mommy, can I go over to Deliah's house? She said it was okay and all you have to do is call her mommy and daddy."

Sam had to laugh at her daughter's brilliant bargaining skills. "How could I say no?"

"So I can go?" Natasha asked, making completely sure.

"Of course." The words were barely out of her mouth before her young daughter darted across the lawn to share the good news with her older sister.

"Hi Aunt Maxie! Hi Uncle Ric!" Natasha called out as she raced past them.

Maxie lifted her glass in greeting and smiled until Sam's sweet little daughter was out of sight. She turned to Ric. "I'm trying to have a good time. Why don't you leave me alone?"

"Because it's Saturday and that's when we usually make up." Ric pointed out.

"I don't think we should make up this time. It was clearly over after that last fight."

It was on the tip of his tongue to point out she had said the same thing after every fight. It was probably a good thing they had never made it down the aisle after all these years, despite the constant comments from Mac. Maxie would have filed for divorce, cancelled it, re-filed, and cancelled it so many times they would have been broke from the legal fees alone. However he resisted the urge to point out the obvious. It would only lead to a fight and Kristina didn't need that at her engagement party. "I'm sorry Blondie. You know I'm nothing without you."

Maxie glanced over at him after signaling the bartender for a refill. Even all these years later the sight of him was mouthwatering, but she couldn't let him know how easily she could fall back into old patterns. She had promised herself that she wouldn't just fall at his feet this time. It might kill her, but she wasn't apologizing first. "I know your lines get cornier every time."

"That's cause it's the quickest way to get you to forgive me."

Maybe she shouldn't even be mad at him. They hadn't been talking when he was invited to the banquet and he had been expected to bring a date. It shouldn't hurt her that she hadn't been his first choice or that he had given up trying to get in touch with her and settled for a stand-in for the evening.

"Come on Maxie. You know I had a horrible time without you."

A horrible time? Was that the excuse he was going with? Her anger started to boil over when she remembered how he hadn't come home until very late. She might not have even noticed him if he hadn't crawled into bed with her, his breath sour from alcohol. Since then he had been trying to explain and she had been avoiding him at every opportunity.

"I had to get drunk just to pretend she was interesting." Ric shook his head. "Her entire medical knowledge came from that soap of yours. You know she thinks women putting their babies in trees is a completely normal symptom of post-partum depression?"

In spite of herself, Maxie smiled. "No. No, I'm mad at you. The banquet ended at ten. You didn't come home until one."

"Maxie. Nothing happened with that twit. I got cornered by some board members. I am head of the department. I do have to kiss some ass you know."

"As long as you weren't kissing hers."

"The only ass that night I wanted to kiss was yours." He said seriously.

"You're forgiven under one condition."

"Name it."

"Dance with me."

"The things I do for you Blondie." Ric smiled as he lead her out to the dance floor. "The things I do for you."

THE END


End file.
